Research Campus on governor’s radar

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

Advocates of the N.C. Research Campus believe they have a big supporter in North Carolina’s new governor.

Gov. Bev Perdue has visited the $1.5 billion biotechnology hub several times and, as lieutenant governor, was instrumental in David Murdock’s decision to build the campus in Kannapolis.

“She was one of the early people that Mr. Murdock met with when he was contemplating the development of the campus,” Lynne Scott Safrit, president of campus developer Castle & Cooke North Carolina, wrote in an e-mail. “Her enthusiasm and her encouragement were instrumental in Mr. Murdock making a substantial investment in North Carolina.”

Murdock, the billionaire owner of Dole Food Co., is developing the 350-acre biotech complex where Cannon Mills once stood.

Perdue gave a shout out to the Research Campus in her inaugural address Saturday.

“Prosperity is coming back to the old textile town of Kannapolis with the creation of a world-class biotech center that will provide thousands of jobs to our people,” she said.

She cited the Research Campus as one of the engines that will help rebuild the state’s economy.

“She has it on her radar screen,” said Mike Legg, Kannapolis city manager. “Having your figurehead and the leader of state of North Carolina as a supporter is significant.”

A former educator, Perdue said in her inaugural address that overseeing the North Carolina education system will be the “most important role I will have as governor.”

The Research Campus, where seven public universities already have branches and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will have a major presence, relies on more than $20 million in state funding each year for salaries and rent.

The governor can influence the state budget passed by the General Assembly.

Education will be the key that unlocks the potential for the Research Campus, Legg said.

Perdue “has a background in education and that’s important to her and has a really good tie-in with the campus,” he said. “Support for the community college and the universities is going to be critical.”

Perdue has always supported biotechnology and life sciences and has championed better health and nutrition, Safrit said.

“We have great opportunity to move North Carolina into greater prominence in biotechnology from a global perspective,” Safrit wrote. “I think Governor Perdue will be a strong force in moving the state ahead in this area.”

Perdue delivered a stump speech last fall at the Charlotte Biotechnology Conference, where she sold herself as the “biotech governor” and said the state’s new economy would be rooted in knowledge and innovation.

North Carolina is the nation’s third leading state for biotechnology, trailing only California and Massachusetts in the number of biotechnology companies.

“I want to tell New England and the Terminator that North Carolina is coming,” Perdue said. “I want to be No. 1.”

Reports from Kannapolis Police and Cabarrus County Sheriff

Officers investigated six reports of someone breaking and entering into vehicles on Jan. 4. 

In other Police Department reports:

• Tonya Denise Clark, 23 1421 Midlake Road; larceny; $2,000 bond; Dec. 30.

• Calvin Ramont McClure, 37, 645 Leisure Park Circle; escape from custody or resisting arrest; $2,000 bond; Dec. 30.

• Shannon Joy Cornish, 37, 2736 S. Ridge Ave.; failure to appear on charges of expired tag, no insurance, expired inspection, registration/violation, and failure to report accident; $1,500 bond; Dec. 30.

• Anthony Warren Jones, 35, 704 Pearl Ave.; traffic infractions; $201 bond; Dec. 30.

• Meccico T. Hollis, 29, 507 Broad St.; failure to appear on disorderly conduct charge; $181 bond; Jan. 2.

• Virgil Alexander Crews, 42, 910 Bethpage Road; larceny; Jan. 3.

• Rebecca Dawn Livengood, 20, 3707 Poplar Tent Road; larceny; Jan. 3.

• Christopher Smith, 26, 1046 Lenwood Lane; larceny; Jan. 3.

• Malcolm Joseph Howard, 42, 852 McLain Road; resisting arrest; $500 bond; Dec. 31.

• Randy James Morton, 50, 6018 Cashion Court; shoplifting; $1,000 bond; Dec. 31.

• Kimberly Phillips, 32, 616 Laundry St.; failure to appear on charges of intoxicated and disruptive; $361 bond; Dec. 31.

• Sandra Campbell, 48, 221 Holshouser St.; simple physical assault, trespassing; Jan. 1.

• Jamar Rodriguez Vaughters, 18, 3003 Deep Cove Drive; larceny; Jan. 1.

• Trey Willis, 40, 1221 Salem Road; driving while impaired, .18 alcohol level; Jan. 1.

• Lynn Mills Sides, 45, 2400 Summit Ave.; driving while impaired, .12 alcohol level; Jan. 1.

• Allen Smith, 34, 312 N. East Ave.; threats, simple physical assault, criminal damage to property; Jan. 2.

• Adan Cruz, 35, 26 Wade Drive; other offenses, $500; Jan. 2.

• Kristen Nichole Helton, 23, 521 Broad St.; contempt of court, perjury, court violations; $5,000 bond; Jan. 2.

• Latisha Nicole Williamson, 32, 1731 Citadel Court; disorderly conduct, simple physical assault; $500 bond; Jan. 3.

• Richard Wesley Gordon, 27, 1410-B Central Drive; trespassing, $10,000 bond; Jan. 3.

• Derrick Scott Rowe, 37, 516 W. Ninth St.; burglary, breaking and entering, contempt of court, perjury, court violations, also failure to support child, Catawba Count; $31,000 bond; Jan. 4.

• Dustin Thomas Moore, 20, 2110 Woodlawn St.; resisting arrest, larceny from motor vehicle, simple assault, criminal damage to property, and burglary, non-forced entry; $50,000 bond; Jan. 4.

• Kristin Adams, 25, 1800 West C St.; shoplifting, trespassing; Jan. 4.

• Richard Maurice Myles, 19, 499 Cabarrus Arms Drive; obtaining money or property by false pretense, possession of stolen property; $2,000 bond; Jan. 4.

• Jake Thomas Durham, 29, 800 Packard Ave.; traffic infractions, driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, hit and run, failure to stop, property damage; $3,000 bond; Jan. 4.

 

Incidents

• On the Run 107 reported someone threw a brick through the front door and stole cigarettes; Dec. 28.

• Officers investigated eight cases of vehicles damaged while in a parking lot; Dec. 28.

• On Dec. 28, Westgreen Apartments reported someone for trespassing.

• Jordan’s Hot Spot reported someone displayed a silver hand gun and demanded money; Dec. 29.

• Gamewell Mechanical reported someone broke a window, entered and stole various items; Dec. 29.

• Paul Turlington, representative for Rent-A-Center, reported someone provided false information on a rental application to obtain goods; Dec. 29.

• On Dec. 29, officers investigated when five individuals reported someone removed a safe containing money and jewelry from the home.

• Micah Van Dyke reported someone removed a gun from his unlocked motor vehicle, Dec. 29.

• Officers investigated two parents for neglecting their child and providing an unhealthy living condition, Dec. 29.

• Felicia Ganter reported someone removed the tag from her vehicle without permission, Dec. 29.

• Officers investigated a case of three juveniles who were robbed at gunpoint, Dec. 29.

• Jodi Worrell, representative for Rushco 12 BP, reported someone made her believe he was armed and demanded cash, Dec. 30.

• Rikki Simmons reported someone took her purse from a cab, Dec. 30.

• Jeffrey Powers reported someone took a gun from his business without permission, Dec. 30.

• Food Lion Store 755 reported someone concealed items in his pocket, Dec. 30.

• Fredricka Archie reported someone used her debit card without permission, Dec. 30.

• George Cox reported someone took a trailer with a pickup truck, Dec. 30.

• Food Lion reported someone left the store with food items without paying for them, Dec. 30.

• Brenda Mauldin, Jotana Mauldin, and Debbie Grissom reported someone robbed  them with a gun, Dec. 31.

• Hot Spot reported someone committed a robbery with a gun, Dec. 31. 

• Latasha Wallace reported someone entered her home by an unknown method, Dec. 31.

• Carolina Comfort and Heating reported someone took money without permission.

• Officers investigated a case of counterfeit, Dec. 31.

• Food Lion Store 6 reported someone concealed merchandise and left the store, Dec. 31.

• Officers investigated shots fired in the city limits, Dec. 31.

• Jalal Ayesh reported someone rode in a cab and would not pay the fare, Dec. 31.

• Angela Parks reported someone kicked in the back door to her home and removed items, Jan. 1.

• Brandon Heck reported someone kicked in the back door to his home and removed a Playstation, Jan. 1.

• Lisa Williams reported someone struck her with a rake and a fist, Dec. 31.

• Target Store 2169 reported someone took property and gave it to another person, Jan. 1.

• Ti-Gi’s Lingerie reported someone threw a rock through the front door and made entry, Jan. 2.

• Officers investigated a report that a teller at State Employee Credit Union mistakenly gave a customer an extra $1,000, Jan. 2.

• Brian Patterson reported someone struck him in the face with the fist, Jan. 2.

• Corey Pucket reported someone for trespassing on his property, Jan. 3.

• Concord Sewing and Vacuum Center reported someone entered the business and removed money, Jan. 3.

• Ula Jones reported someone kicked open the door and removed property, Jan. 3.

• PG Food Mart reported someone entered through a window, Jan. 4.

• Desiree Moore and Mark Barbee reported someone broke into their cars and took items, Jan. 4.

• Food Lion reported someone concealed items in a handbag but had no intent to shoplift, Jan. 4.

• Lynn Darling reported someone removed items from her unlocked vehicle, Jan. 4.

• Angela Price reported someone removed her pocketbook from her unlocked vehicle, Jan. 4.

• Home Depot reported someone put a drill bit set in her purse and left the store without paying, Jan. 4.

• Officers investigated two teenagers for possessing and consuming alcoholic beverages, Jan. 4.

• Brian Crayton reported someone hit his parked vehicle while impaired and left the scene, Jan. 3.

• Officers investigated someone for possessing Schedule II drug paraphernalia inside his vehicle, Jan. 4.

• Kristen Benedict reported someone pointed a gun at her and demanded money, Jan. 4.

 

Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office

Arrests

• Stacey Lynn Hien, 39, 11019 McCamie Hill Place, Concord, simple assault, domestic related; Jan. 2; Deputy Troutman.

• Robert William Kelly Jr., 10486 Troutman Road, Midland; communicating threats and simple assault; Jan. 3; Deputy Thomas. 

• Cynthia Furr Drye, 43, 2340 Little Buffalo Creek Road, Mount Pleasant; worthless check; Jan. 3; Thomas.

 

Incidents

• Jessie Milton Deal, owner of Six-O-One Stop, 5661 Hwy. 601 S., Concord, reported someone entered a storage unit by force and removed items. Value estimated at $3,000; Jan. 2; Deputy Whitley.

• Larry Baker, 15201 U.S.  601 S., Midland, reported someone used his personal information to open an account. Unable to report if anything was obtained using information; Jan. 2; Deputy Lisk.

• David Forgash, 5864 Heartwood Court, Harrisburg, reported someone broke into and entered his home and removed items valued at $4,200; Jan. 2.

• Lisa Marie Buser, 1132 Brigadoon Court, Concord, reported someone caused an unknown amount of property damage at her home; Jan. 3; Deputy Troutman. 

• Joseph Nutt, 1510 Nine Iron Way, Raleigh, reported someone slashed two tires on his vehicle while it was parked at 8516 Quay Farm Court, Concord; Jan. 3; Troutman. 

• James Hudson, 1035 Dutch Road, Mount Pleasant, reported someone entered his garage by force. No items appear to have been taken at this time; Jan. 3; Deputy Little. 

• Patricia Williams, 450 Rock Creek Road, reported her vehicle was struck by an unknown object as she was traveling down Irish Potato Road. The item caused damage to the rear window, estimated at $500; Jan. 3; Deputy Barringer.

Odell principal excited to be going to inauguration

Dr. Lynn Graham Marsh, a Salisbury resident and principal of Odell Elementary School in Cabarrus County, is one of a handful of local residents heading to Washington, D.C., for Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Marsh was one of 200 alumni delegates chosen to attend by People to People Citizens Ambassador Programs.

She served as an ambassador to China for People to People, her job to help Chinese learn how to include special needs children in regular schools.

In Washington, Marsh will be involved in various meetings and educational events from Jan. 17-21 while serving on the inaugural delegation. The delegation’s host will be Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower and founder of People to People.

Marsh will be spending time with Ken Walsh, U.S. News and World Report’s chief White House correspondent. Her topics of interest for discussion pertain to No Child Left Behind and the health-care system in the United States.

Marsh will be visiting Arlington Cemetery, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery, Mount Vernon Estate and Education Center, and a performance of “Shear Madness” at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Delegation members will get a photo tour of the White House and attend a dinner hosted at the Saudi Arabian Embassy with Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati, permanent representative of Iraq to the United Nations. Following the inauguration, Marsh will attend one of the inaugural balls.

She plans on creating a Power Point presentation of her experiences for fifth-graders at Odell and other Cabarrus County schools.

Marsh and her husband, Donald, have two children: Donna Marsh Greene and Matthew Marsh. She is the daughter of Sarah Graham and the late Walter A. Graham Jr.

Kannapolis woman ready for ‘free for all’ in Washington

By Steve Huffman

shuffman@salisburypost.com

Veleria Levy makes no bones about it, Barack Obama’s swearing in is going to be an event to remember.

“It’s going to be a free for all,” she said.

Obama’s swearing in will be held Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C., and Levy, chairman for the West Kannapolis voting precinct, has been invited.

The West Kannapolis precinct is in Rowan County.

Levy has a ticket to sit inside a roped-off viewing area for the inauguration and tickets to attend a pair of accompanying balls — the National Black Lawyers Ball and the Illinois Society Ball.

Millions are expected to converge on Washington for the inaugural events, and Levy realizes the crowds will likely be the size that few have witnessed.

She’ll be staying in a friend’s condominium in Washington, and said she’s not particularly worried about getting around the city.

But getting in and out of Washington, she said, might be a trick.

“Getting there and coming home is going to be a challenge,” Levy said.

Levy, who admits only to being “in my 30s,” will be accompanied by her 4-year-old son, Joseph Earl Levy III.

“He’s looking forward to it, too,” Levy said.

She said she locked onto Obama as her candidate of choice early on, and said the similarities she felt with him were the primary reason.

Obama was raised by a single mother and Levy said she’s raising her son largely on her own, though her parents, Earl and Joanne Levy, help her out a great deal. 

The elder Levys live in Martinsville, Va., but sometimes stay with Veleria and Joseph for weeks at a time.

“Family, the most important part of life,” Levy said. “That’s what led me to Sen. Barack Obama. My family.”

In addition to being the West Kannapolis precinct chairman, Levy was also involved with the political process by running a volunteer headquarters for Obama out of her house.

“I worked directly with Obama’s team in Rowan County,” she said.

Levy said she’s been involved in politics most of her life, but said Obama’s election has moved her like no other election.

“He’s America’s president, he’s mixed,” Levy said. “America looked beyond the color of his skin and elected the best president. He showed that any of us can be anything we want.”

Levy works as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Abbott Labs.

She said that in planning for her trip to the inauguration, she’s made a handful of special purchases, including buying a pair of Democratic rain boots. They’re blue with little donkeys and stars on them.

Levy said she plans to be standing on a sidewalk for the inauguration parade, and said she wants to be ready for whatever weather may arrive.

“It’s just so exciting,” Levy said of the inauguration and accompanying gala. “How can you not be there?”

Seniors welcome 2009 together at YMCA dance

By Lee Ann Sides Garrett

news@kannapoliscitizen.com

Bob and Betty Eudy of China Grove danced in the New Year.  “It’s good exercise for old people,” Betty says, laughing.  

Joined by more than 100 others, the couple celebrated New Year’s  at Kannapolis YMCA’s Senior Dance last Wednesday night.   

“We met at a senior dance,” says Betty. 

The couple will celebrate their third anniversary in February. Betty says they dance quite often. 

The Eudys and other seniors enjoyed finger foods and danced to the tunes of DC and the Chosen Few. 

 Lead singer Darrell Connor calls the band a Nashville Legends Backup Band. Members of the band have opened for or played with such artists as Don Helms, George Hamilton IV and Randy Owen of Alabama. 

“Whether it’s a paid event or a rest home, to see the enjoyment on peoples’ faces is just gratifying,” says Connor.  

The band plays for the YMCA’s active older adult group meetings every second and fourth Friday night.  

YMCA Program Director Renee Hogan says the group usually has about 60 seniors at the meetings from as far away as Mt. Pleasant.  

Phyllis Childress, 95, showed she could still cut a rug for a moment during a song she liked.  

“I used to go dancing a lot,” Childress said, grinning, “but now I’m just old.”  

“We’re having fun,” said Jesse Cook, 85, Childress’ dance partner, “I just hope I can hold out ’til the new year.” 

Childress and Cook celebrated with the crowd as the clock struck midnight.

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