Greensboro News from the News & Record

Greensboro home sales off in final quarter of 2008

mgrossman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:28:08 -0500

Single-family home sales fell more than 13 percent in the final three months of 2008, according to new figures released today by the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association.

Data show 591 homes sold in the fourth quarter, down from 704 in the July-September period. Sales were down almost 23 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2007.

Musician dead before fire set, autopsy says

rseals — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:46:25 -0500

GREENSBORO - A local musician whose charred body was pulled out of an apartment fire on Sept. 13 was beaten to death before the blaze was set, according to an autopsy report released Thursday.

William Ransom Hobbs Jr., 58, died from a "crush injury" to the neck well before a fire destroyed the apartment of a friend, Deborah Moy, at 513 Summit Ave.

Moy, 36, was severely burned in the fire and remains in the hospital recovering from her injuries, police have said.

Board mostly nice in discussing ousters

Margaret Wimmer — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO — Those expecting a clash in the first meeting among Guilford County commissioners since the county manager, deputy manager and county attorney abruptly left in December were let down Thursday.

Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston , who corralled votes among the 11-member board that could have forcibly removed those former employees, said those conversations to gather support weren’t the public’s business.

Money to open museum could be in hand soon

Margaret Wimmer — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO — The historic Woolworth building could reopen next year for the 50th anniversary of the lunch counter sit-ins, which helped reshape American racial relations and remains a touchstone of the 1960s civil rights movement.

Sit-in Movement Inc., the nonprofit guiding the restoration, is about to receive roughly $10 million needed to finish the project and open the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, said state Rep. Earl Jones , a founder of the organization and a board member.

Police release photo from credit union robbery

John Newsom — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:40:01 -0500

GREENSBORO — Two men robbed the Lorillard Federal Credit Union on Thursday.

Greensboro police said the two men left on foot after robbing the credit union at 2917 S. Elm-Eugene St. shortly before 6 p.m. An undisclosed amount of money was stolen.

Police said one of the suspects handed a bank employee a demand note while the other man acted as a lookout. No injuries were reported.

Police, fire departments to train at Coliseum Inn site

mgrossman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:48:22 -0500

GREENSBORO - People near the soon-to-be-demolished Coliseum Inn on High Point Road may hear some unusual noises in coming weeks.

Special units of the Greensboro Police Department will be practicing various activities Monday at the inn, which the City Council last year voted to purchase. The city says some "unusual low level noises" may be heard, as police use small explosives to force entry into motel rooms.

There should be no interruption of traffic on High Point Road.

A day spot for people in need

mfuchs — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO - Volunteers painted the walls, screwed in the new light bulbs and will soon have the showers flowing.

The city's new day center for homeless residents is now open.

Volunteers, with about $30,000 in local grant money, have transformed unused classroom space at Bessemer United Methodist Church into an "interactive resource center" where homeless people or anyone in need of help can spend the daytime hours, clean up and connect with social services.

City's ready if stimulus is approved

Brenda Hiles — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO - It's a wish list that might make Santa cringe.

In this case, the city would be happy if it gets even one of the items it wants.

The City Council this week approved a 62-item, $309 million list of construction projects that the city could launch with the help of the promised economic stimulus package from Congress and the Obama administration.

Ignored, robbery suspect leaves store empty-handed

John Newsom — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:06:28 -0500

GREENSBORO - A robbery suspect left a shoe store empty-handed Wednesday after a clerk ignored him.

Greensboro police said they were called to Payless ShoeSource at 920 E. Bessemer Ave. shortly before 4 p.m.

According to police, a man had entered the business while a store employee was helping a customer. The suspect showed off a pistol, then put it in his jacket pocket. The employee continued waiting on the customer, who was unaware of what was going on.

Wendover lanes to be closed through Jan. 16

John Newsom — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:22:00 -0500

GREENSBORO — Up to two eastbound lanes of West Wendover Avenue at Cridland Road will be closed at nights for the next week.

The affected stretch of road is between Cridland Road and North Church Street near the city's Fisher Park and Latham Park neighborhoods.

The lanes will be closed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily from tonight through Jan. 16. City crews will be repairing sewer lines in the area.

New clothing store opens downtown

mgrossman — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:50:31 -0500

GREENSBORO - A new men's and women's retail clothing store is now open in the Southside neighborhood in downtown Greensboro.

Suspicious package at courthouse isn't hazardous

mgrossman — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:44:24 -0500

GREENSBORO - A suspicious envelope found today at the federal courthouse downtown brought the city's hazardous materials team to the building.

The envelope was deemed suspicious based on how it was packaged, according to police. Security guards at the courthouse X-rayed the envelope and determined that it did not contain explosives.

Police and fire officials were called shortly before 10 a.m.

"Coming to a federal building, we want to cover all our bases," said Lt. K.A. Walters of the Greensboro Police Department.

Local chemical plant lays off 6

John Newsom — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:52:21 -0500

GREENSBORO — A local chemical plant has laid off six employees.

The Vertellus Specialties plant at 2110 High Point Road employs 85 people after the layoffs, which the company announced Wednesday.

The local layoffs are included in job cuts that affect 7 percent of the company's 750 employees.

About half of the layoffs will come at the company's plant and corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. The other affected facility is in the United Kingdom. The company previously announced layoffs at its plant in Zeeland, Mich.

Homeless day center opens

Amanda Lehmert — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:52:36 -0500

GREENSBORO — Volunteers painted the walls and screwed in the new light bulbs, and will soon have the showers flowing.

The city's new day center for homeless residents is now open for business.

Volunteers, with about $30,000 in local grant money, have transformed unused classroom space at Bessemer United Methodist Church of 3015 E. Bessemer Ave. into an "interactive resource center" where homeless people or anyone in need of help can spend the daytime hours, clean up, and connect with social services.

Developers reconsider offices for North Elm

Amanda Lehmert — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:39:28 -0500

GREENSBORO - After neighbors protested plans for a office facility, local developers said they will consider other options at the intersection of North Elm Street and Cornwallis Drive.

Local developers, operating under the name Cornwallis Elm LLC, planned to build two office buildings and a two-story parking garage on four single-family lots.

Man charged with attempting to defraud insurance company over Rolex

rseals — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:47:57 -0500

GREENSBORO - A Greensboro man was arrested Thursday on charges he attempted to defraud his insurance company of a near $25,000.

Donnie Ray Cozart, 68, of 4603 Norsaw Court, is accused of reporting to Kemper-Unitrin insurance company that his Rolex watch had been stolen, according to arrest warrants.

However, authorities say Cozart sold the watch, valued at $24,950, and tried to make an insurance claim for that amount.

He was arrested by an agent with the N.C. Department of Insurance and charged with one count of insurance fraud.

Frantic owner wants Ollie back

Jay Reddick — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

Ollie, a full-blooded black Labrador retriever, wouldn’t give up on Kathy Walton in her darkest time of need.

Now, three years later, she’s returning the favor and is determined to bring Ollie back home.

The Jamestown woman is on a mission to find her lost dog. A dog that’s not just a friend and loyal companion, but a hero. She credits him with saving her life.

Ollie was barely a month old when Walton collapsed in her home Jan. 26, 2006. It was about 10 p.m., and Walton was home alone at her residence on Morris Farm Drive off West Wendover Avenue.

Commissioners may vote to hire outside law firm

Brenda Hiles — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO - A $12,000 monthly contract for a part-time interim county attorney awaits county commissioners' approval tonight, even as the outgoing attorney's contract keeps her four more months as a consultant.

Commissioners must replace former County Attorney Sharron Kurtz, who resigned in December.

Some commissioners defended the added expense to hire attorney Tom Terrell and his firm, Smith Moore Leatherwood, for 20-hour workweeks even as Kurtz remains a consultant under her resignation agreement.

Ex-police officer repays Safety Town

Brenda Hiles — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO - A former police sergeant and past administrator of Safety Town was found guilty Wednesday of willfully failing to discharge his duties and returned $15,600.35 to the city.

David Andrew Moore, a 22-year veteran of the police department, received a 30-day suspended sentence and 12 months of unsupervised probation from Guilford Superior Court Judge Henry Frye Jr.

Moore entered an Alford plea, which means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to convict him.

Mayor doesn’t want taxes raised

Jay Reddick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

Citing the tough financial times, Mayor Yvonne Johnson said she doesn’t want to increase taxes next year.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday night, Johnson asked the city manager to develop the 2009-10 budget with no additional taxes.

If the request is formally adopted by the City Council, this would be the second year in a row that the council did not increase taxes.

Last year, the City Council had to cut $7 million to approve a hold-the-line budget.

Developer plans building on S. Elm Street

Jay Reddick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

A local development group wants to erect a five-story, $3.6 million mixed-used building at 324 S. Elm St. in the heart of downtown’s historic area.

The contemporary design project, which has raised concerns among some property owners and preservationists, would include two floors of restaurant space, two for offices and a top floor with two corporate apartments.

The developers, LindBrook Development Services, also want space in the adjacent public parking lot and a $100,000 forgivable loan from the city of Greensboro to make the project work financially.

DA won’t file charges against A&T officials

mumbarger — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500

GREENSBORO - Guilford County District Attorney Doug Henderson will not prosecute officials from N.C. A&T in connection with misused funds discovered in a 2007 audit of the university's finances.

Neither former A&T Chancellor James C. Renick nor Anna Anita Huff, a program manager who was fired in September 2006, violated any laws or enriched themselves with the misused funds, Henderson said Tuesday.

Two men robbed in Greensboro

John Newsom — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:39:51 -0500

GREENSBORO — Two men were robbed Tuesday in what appear to be unrelated incidents.

At 5:28 p.m., James McQueen, 38, said he was robbed by three armed men while in his yard in the 3400 block of Dickerson Lane, which is between Summit Avenue and U.S. 29. The men fled after taking McQueen's wallet.

Police dogs tracked the men to the Hunters Glen apartment complex on Utah Place, but police were unable to find the suspects. McQueen was unhurt, and police did not say how much money was stolen.

Unifi featured on 'How It's Made'

John Newsom — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:35:46 -0500

GREENSBORO — Local textile company Unifi will be featured on an upcoming segment of the cable program "How It's Made."

The documentary show visited Unifi's plant in Yadkinville for a segment on recycled yarn. The Unifi product Repreve is made entirely from recycled polyester yarn.

Spears Family YMCA to break ground on expansion

mgrossman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:58:56 -0500

GREENSBORO - The Spears Family YMCA will break ground this week on a $3 million expansion project.

The project, scheduled to be completed later this year, includes a new 2,000-square-foot aerobics room, a new 1,500-square-foot health and wellness area and a new 1,500-square-foot teen center, according to a news release.

The building's main entrance will be relocated closer to the center of the facility to provide more working space for the staff and a bigger lounge area for members and visitors. The current child watch center will also be renovated.