Rockingham County’s top 10 stories of 2008

A historic election, which saw America electing its first black president, is, unarguably, the biggest story of 2008, followed by the national economic crisis and gas prices that reached $4 per gallon. Rockingham County had its share of news as well. What follows is what we believe are the Top 10 stories of the year for Reidsville and Eden.

1. Layoffs and plant closings in Rockingham County mirrors national economy

In September, Hanesbrands Inc. announced that it was shuttering two plants in Eden, the latest in a series of blows to the local textile industry. The Eden closings were two of four plants to be shut down in North Carolina. As a result, 720 jobs will be lost, representing the third-largest job cut in recent memory in Rockingham County, according to the N.C. Employment Security Commission. By the end of the year, 120 jobs were expected to be cut from the yarn plant and by February another 600 jobs will be cut from the knit-fabric plant. The Eden plant is the company’s largest remaining knit-fabric plant in the U.S. The announcements surprised Eden and county officials, who had no knowledge of the planned closings. Hanesbrands said the moves were made so the company can remain competitive in a global market.

Liberty Screen Print in Madison announced Jan. 31 that about 90 percent of the company’s more than 200 employees would be laid off by Feb. 15. The company eliminated the remainder of the local jobs by the end of the year, sending production to its facilities in Honduras.

The closing cost Madison about $12,000 per year in water and sewer sales, as well as more than 200 jobs. Economic development officials said the closure highlights an unstable economy and increasing losses in the textile industry.

Just 10 months after completing the relocation of its corporate headquarters and production facilities from Miami to Mayodan, General Tobacco announced Nov. 14 that it would trim its workforce to 95 full-time employees. The cuts resulted in the loss of 31 jobs at the Ayersville Road plant.

The company cited a downturn in consumer spending as the reason for the layoffs and expressed hope the employees could quickly return.

A $3.4 million incentives agreement with the town and county calls for General Tobacco to meet a first phase target of 140 jobs by 2009. The second phase requires 200 employees by 2010 and a total investment of $55 million in equipment and building improvements.

2. Killings, including death of an infant, mar 2008

The year was not without tragedy, including three killings and the death of a baby in Eden. The infant, Antonio Devon Bridges Jr., had “blunt force injuries of the head and torso,“ the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said in its report. Bridges’ injuries included a skull fracture, rib fractures, liver laceration and bruises of the face, neck, chest, abdomen, back, buttocks and arms.

Eden police charged Luther Qwama Martin, 18, of 421 Moir St. in Eden, with first-degree murder. Martin could face the death penalty if convicted, according to a ruling in Rockingham County Superior Court.

Authorities also arrested a Reidsville man in the killing of Kelly Darnell Hairston, 27, of 1030 Bobs Road in Walnut Cove. Cory Jermaine Redd, 26, of 1031 North Scales St. is charged with first-degree murder. He is being held without bail. Hunters found the body in a pickup in a remote section of the county.

On July 29, Mark Edwin Wilson, 36, was arrested in the stabbing death of David James Martin, 58. Martin lived two doors away from Wilson on South Franklin Street. A friend found Martin’s body in the kitchen of Martin’s home at 123 S. Franklin St. in Reidsville. Martin had failed to show up for work at Reidsville Metal Works.

On Aug. 17, Wilson was found hanging by a sheet attached to the bars on his jail cell, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said. The makeshift noose was removed, and emergency workers were called. Wilson, who had a pulse and was breathing, was taken to a hospital.

Reidsville police also continue to investigate the shooting death of a man outside his home in September. Another man was found shot in the leg and taken to an area hospital, police said. Lawrence “Lee-Lee” Hayes, 20, of 206 N. Washington Ave., died of a gunshot wound in the head. Eric Quinell Turner Jr., 22, also of Reidsville, was shot and wounded.

3. Machine problems delay county’s final voting results

Final results from the county’s 17 precincts were delayed nearly a full day following the Nov. 4 election due to a glitch in the machine used to read memory cards from early voting sites. The card from the first of six one-stop sites transferred its information to the balloting machine, but the remaining five cards would not read properly.

As a result, board of elections officials were forced to review by hand the paper roll backup systems for each of the five machines. The process took the final tally from the polls into the afternoon of Nov. 5.

Final election results were not complete until the board of elections completed the review of 964 provisional ballots on Nov. 13. A total of 514 were approved and 33 were partially counted. Voting from those ballots changed the outcome of some local races from tallies completed on Nov. 5.

4. Jimmy Teague resigns after fourth state title

Reidsville High School football coach Jimmy Teague announced in December that he was resigning from coaching and teaching at the end of the current semester. Teague made the announcement during a team meeting two days after the Rams won their 17th state title.

Teague started coaching at Reidsville in 1992 and won a total of 198 games and four state titles. Teague, 50, teaches physical education. His immediate plans were unclear. The Rams defeated East Lincoln, 24-7, in Raleigh on Dec. 13 for their second consecutive state title. The Rams had won 32 consecutive games leading up to Teague’s resignation.

5. Reidsville is an All-America city

Reidsville was named an “All-America City” in June by the National Civic League. It was one of 10 cities to win the distinction that has provided national recognition to Rockingham County’s biggest city. Reidsville Mayor James Festerman said his community won the judges over as a “small city with a large heart.“

At a presentation in Tampa, Fla., patients from the Free Clinic of Rockingham County, clients who receive services from the Reidsville Outreach Center and young people who participate in programs at the Reidsville Teen Center shared their stories and moved the judges to tears. Reidsville’s efforts to address challenges - to provide health care for the working uninsured, food and utility assistance for those in need and a safe, free environment for youth to do homework and learn socialization skills - is what makes Reidsville a better place to live, according to Festerman.

6. Annie Penn closes birthing center

The last baby to be delivered at Annie Penn Hospital was a 7-pound, 2-ounce girl, Tatiyana Chasity Abbott. As of June 2008, Annie Penn Hospital officials announced the hospital will no longer deliver babies. Expectant mothers living in Reidsville can now go to The Women’s Hospital of Greensboro to have their babies. Annie Penn and Women’s Hospital are part of the Moses Cone Health System.

Reidsville mothers also have the option of having their babies in the birthing center at Morehead Memorial Hospital in Eden. Sharon Troxler, director of marketing and volunteer services for Annie Penn, said the hospital will continue to offer pre-natal and childbirth classes. She also said the hospital’s emergency department staff will be prepared to deliver a baby if the mother can’t make it to Women’s Hospital. Troxler said a reason for closing Annie Penn’s birthing center was the lack of adequate resources. She said the birthing center at Women’s Hospital has more resources for patient care, including a 24-hour intensive care nursery.

7. County breaks ground on judicial center

In October, Rockingham County held a ground-breaking ceremony for its new judicial center at the site of the old jail annex near NC 65 and NC 87. Moseley Architects is building the $44 million center. The courthouse will be 98,000 square feet, the jail 52,500 square feet - with beds for 222 inmates - and the law-enforcement center 21,000 square feet. Construction of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified center will begin within the next few months, pending completion for the demolition of the old jail annex. The estimated completion date of the project is May 2010. The current courthouse was built in 1907.

8. Eden lobbies for a prison

Civic and government leaders from Eden and Rockingham County in November visited Alexander Correctional Institution in Taylorsville to gain a better understanding of the state and local partnership required for the placement, construction and maintenance of a prison in Rockingham County.

A recent 10-year projection by the N.C. Department of Correction indicates the Division of Prisons will need housing for an additional 6,000 inmates by 2017. With work already under way for expansions at three existing facilities - including Taylorsville - DOC is beginning to play for three new stand-alone prisons. Two of those facilities will be male medium custody and the third minimum custody. Eden and Rockingham County hope to attract a 1,008-bed, medium custody prison scheduled to open in 2015 to a site within the 1,750-acre Whitt Farm property off Harrington Highway south of Eden. According to information provided during Wednesday’s panel discussion at ACI, the state requires a 150-acre site that would be suitable for future expansion.

9. Schools comply with state-mandated budget cuts

Rockingham County schools, as well as school systems statewide, became the victim of the flailing economy in late 2008. The state ordered school districts throughout North Carolina to return a total of $58 million to help cover a projected budget shortfall. Superintendent Rodney Shotwell presented the plan for the state-mandated fund reversion in December.

The total required reversion was $562,545, and Shotwell brought up the possibility of another reversion in the spring. The education cuts were part of a series of across-the-board cuts ordered by outgoing Gov. Mike Easley. Easley told all state agencies to trim their budgets in light of grave projections of a state budget shortfall that some state legislators believe could be as much as $2 billion.

10. Plans for county animal shelter move forward

The long-awaited, and much-needed, Rockingham County animal shelter progressed toward becoming a reality, as a committee was formed to oversee construction and an architect was hired to design the facility. The final design of the shelter should be done by March or possibly sooner. About $800,000 has already been committed by the commissioners, but the new facility is projected to cost $1.75 million. The core of the new facility will be the animal shelter. Additional features, which could be added on later, include an adoption center, a spay-and-neuter clinic, an educational training center and administrative offices.