Fire At American Of Martinsville

Eden's Most Wanted

Phillip Michael Bennett

• Break Or Enter A Motor Vehicle, 5 counts
• Misdemeanor Larceny, 5 counts
• Attempted Larceny

Brandon Lee Bowman

• Possession Of Schedule III Controlled Substance, 2 counts

Kevin Christopher Craddock

• Misdemeanor Larceny

Randy Graves

• Sell & Deliver Cocaine, 2 counts
• Conspiracy To Sell Cocaine
• Possession With The Intent To Sell Cocaine

Timothy Dwayne Graves

• Sell & Deliver Cocaine
• Possession With The Intent To Sell Cocaine
• Conspiracy to Sell Cocaine

Justin Neill Hairston

• Assault With A Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury

Joshua Ray Joyce

• Breaking & Entering
• Second-Degree Trespass

William Tyrone Moore

• Deliver Cocaine
• Possession With the Intent to Sell & Deliver Cocaine
• Conspiracy To Sell & Deliver Cocaine

Bradley Anthony Mason

• Felony Larceny
• Possession Of Stolen Property

Joel Marcellus Norman

• Obtaining Property By False Pretense

Warren Sylvester Walker, Jr.

• Robbery With A Dangerous Weapon

78-Year-Old Lady Hospitalized – Dog Bite Under Investigation

The Henry County Sheriff's Office reports that at about 6:23pm on Monday, March 8, they received a call in reference to a dog bite on Hobson Road in Henry County, VA – the call coming from house number 2226. The victim, 78-year-old Mary Gravely who lives on Atmore Drive off Hobson Road, was injured with severe lacerations to both forearms, her left leg, and her face, including her left cheek and forehead. Mrs. Gravely was sent to the Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC, for further treatment.

Deputy Chris Price of the Animal Control Unit responded along with patrol units. The HCSO says the owner, Brandon Dishman, identified the dog as a mix between a pit bull and a dalmation; as it turns out, Dishman was the one who called the Sheriff's Office, and the Office says Gravely is familiar with Dishman and his dog. They say the dog attacked her in front of his home in the roadway where she was walking. The dog was turned over to Deputy Price by the owner and is currently quarantined at the Henry County Animal Shelter.

This case is still under investigation, and the HCSO requests anyone with any related information to contact Deputy Chris Price at (276) 638-8751.

Detectives Ask For Info In Break-In Case

Detectives with the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office want your help in solving a break-in where two pistols, one shotgun, two rifles, and even a pair of handcuffs were stolen from a Reidsville man. The Sheriff's Office reports that the break-in was reported at the home of Larry Michael, who lives at 1616 Iron Works Road west of Reidsville, NC. Goods stolen from Michael's home were a Glock .45 caliber handgun; a Keltec .9mm handgun; a Mossburg .12 gauge shotgun; a Remington 30-06 rifle; a Ruger .22 caliber rifle; a set of Smith & Wesson handcuffs; a Safariland leather belt and holster; 2 rifle scopes; a 52" Panasonic television; a PlayStation gaming system; a Toshiba laptop computer; and a Nintendo gaming system.

Detective Dan Hardy has been assigned to the break-in case, and he's asking anyone with information to give him a call at (336) 634-3232 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 349-9683.

$50,000 Bond For Intimidation & Drug Charges

An Eden, NC, man was arrested Monday, March 8, on felony drug and intimidation charges. The Eden Police Department reports that Bryson Jamar Hairston of 735 Friendly Road was arrested by Eden Police investigators and charged with Intimidating A Witness and Possession With Intent To Sell And Deliver Marijuana. According to the warrants from the Eden Police, Hairston tried to stop a woman named Lisa Hill from going to court on a case involving a member of his family. The warrant alleges that Hairston followed Hill and her husband in their car, getting up on their bumper, then sliding up beside their car and telling them, "The charges you got on my brother are bogus and you had better drop them." It goes on to say that Hairston continued to follow Hill and her husband in an intimidating manner all the way to the police department where he was observed by an officer. When the police officer made the on-view arrest, five individual packages of marijuana were seized from Hairston, who was then confined in the Rockingham County Jail under a $50,000 bond and scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on Wednesday, March 24.

LifeLock Settles With Thirty-Five States

A popular company that sponsors TV commercials which guarantee they can help protect your identity has reached a settlement a court settlement about their services.

The company is called LifeLock, and they must stop misrepresenting services they sell to protect people from identity theft, thanks to an agreement reached with the State of North Carolina, thirty-four other states, and the Federal Trade Commission. State Attorney General Roy Cooper announced Tuesday, March 9, that consumers who paid for LifeLock services will also get $11 million in refunds.

The way it worked: LifeLock sold identity theft services for $10 a month or $110 a year, and advertisements claimed their services were "guaranteed" to protect consumers' personal information and prevent criminals from using it to open accounts in their names. Some ads even included CEO Todd Davis' Social Security Number which, Davis said, showed how confident he was in LifeLock's identity theft protection.

Cooper and other state attorneys general began looking into LifeLock a year before in early 2009 because of concerns about misleading statements in the company's advertisements. The states, led by North Carolina and Illinois, worked with the FTC on the investigation and settlement. People who signed up and paid for LifeLock services between April 1, 2005, and March 30, 2009, will have an opportunity to get their money back. LifeLock will pay $11 million to the FTC for consumer refunds and another $1 million to the states – including $100,000 to North Carolina for investigative costs and consumer protection efforts.

Those eligible for a refund will get a letter from the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission.

Republican Chairman Elected Unanimously

In Henry County, VA, shortly after 7:30pm on Monday, March 8, Jeff Evans was unanimously elected the area's Republican chairman.

Debra Buchanan's Haircut

Debra Buchanan, supervisor for the Horsepasture District of Henry County, VA, serving as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors – and long-time Star News personality – finally got her famously long hair cut short on Monday, March 8, in preparation of undergoing chemotherapeutical treatments for her recently diagnosed ovarian cancer. We present a before-and-after photo slideshow, plus video of our interview with her only moments after the big snip and the new style.

Stoneville Man Charged With Stealing Body Lotion

A Stoneville, NC, area man was arrested by Eden Police officers on Sunday, March 7, after he was accused of taking 3 bottles of body lotion without paying for them. Gary Wayne Tilley, Jr., – who lists his address as 371 Settlement Loop Road in Stoneville – was arrested at the Food Lion in Eden on Sunday and charged with Shoplifting. According to the warrant released by the Eden Police Department, Tilley concealed three bottles of Nivea Body Lotion – the property of Food Lion – while he was still on the premises and having not purchased the merchandise. Tilley was confined in the Rockingham County Jail under a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on Tuesday, March 23.

Traffic Stop Nets Drug Charges

Christopher Lee Smith of 660 Beaver Creek Road in Mayodan, NC, was arrested in Eden by Eden Police officers on Sunday, March 7, charged with Possession Of Cocaine and Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia. According to the arresting officer, Smith was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and a crack pipe. After the items were allegedly found during the traffic stop, Smith was placed under arrest, and he was taken before a county magistrate who set his bond at $2,500 unsecured. He's scheduled to appear in District Court on Wednesday, March 24.

Resident Charged With Assaulting Disabled Man

A man from Westwood Drive has been arrested for assaulting someone with a disability. Shawn Lamar Bradley of 727 Westwood Drive in Eden, NC, was arrested Friday, March 5, and charged with Assault/Battery On A Handicapped Person and Injury To Real Property. Lt. Tommy Frazier of the Eden Police said that the warrants allege Bradley assaulted a man by the name of Michael Johnson – who has a disability – pulling him out of a car, throwing him to the ground, then punching and kicking him. The second charge alleges that Bradley broke Johnson's eyeglasses, with damages in excess of $200. Bradley was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on Wednesday, March 24.

Police Investigate Church Property Vandalism

In crime news from the City of Eden, NC, police detectives are trying to figure out why someone would put human feces on the floor of a church's meetingplace. It happened about the first week of March at the Leaksville United Methodist Church building located at 603 Henry Street in Eden. The pastor reported to police officers that the church's music director went into her office, and that's when she found what looked like human feces on the floor in front of her desk. The minister also told officers that he had put out the church bulletins around mid-day, and they disappeared. A member of the church that happened to be taking out the trash saw a white male walking on the ground floor of the property, and when he spoke to the stranger, the man just kept walking and never answered. The investigation continues.

Woman Reported Missing And Found In One Day's Time

When the family of 49-year-old Blanch Glendale Bennet of Danville, VA, had not seen nor heard from her for three days, they reported her missing to the Danville City Police. She was reportedly traveling on foot – no vehicle is reported as being regularly associated with her – from First Street to a family member's residence on Clement Avenue on Thursday evening, March 4. When Sunday, March 7, rolled around and there'd been no sign of her, family contacted police. And then Monday morning, March 8, she returned home at about 7:30am – and she was okay.

Temporary Cable Outage

On Monday, March 8, anyone in Martinsville and Henry County, VA, who flipped on their cable TV was met with snow or a blank screen – unless they happened to be watching a local station. Sometime around 11am, a fiber optics glass cable got broken somewhere along its journey between Martinsville and Danville. For the next four hours or so, only local Martinsville stations were viewable – for example, MGTV (channel 20) and Star News Martinsville (channel 18). But fortunately, by approximately 3pm, Comcast Cable had repaired everything.

County Employees Must Take Furloughs

In news out of Rockingham County, NC, the News & Record reports that all county government employees must take off two days without pay this spring because of ongoing budgetary constraints. The newspaper said the announcement came Monday, March 8, from Rockingham County Government. County offices will be closed on Monday, April 5, and Friday, May 28 – these dates being selected in order to extend legal holidays, allowing the county to close buildings for four consecutive days and save energy. Offices that will remain open on those days for the safety and convenience of residents: the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services, the Board of Elections, and the county landfill.

Recycling Program Expands To Two Additional Sites

Henry County, VA, is expanding its newest recycling effort to two additional sites. Effective Tuesday, March 9, the Convenience Center locations in the Iriswood District (Axton Road) and Horsepasture District (Red Oak Road) will join the Jack Dalton Road location in accepting used motor oil, antifreeze, and vehicle batteries. As with all Convenience Centers, this option will be available to residents of Henry County only. Henry County will not accept oil, antifreeze, or batteries from businesses or from non-residents.

Citizens are asked to follow these important rules in bringing oil, antifreeze, and vehicle batteries to these sites:

• All motor oil and antifreeze will be recycled – it is extremely important that nothing is mixed in with these fluids.
• All batteries will be recycled – it is extremely important that there is no damage to the battery or its casing.
• County staff will have on hand 55-gallon drums for the oil and antifreeze, and staff will assist the citizen, whenever possible, to pour their fluids into the appropriate drums. Citizens are asked to bring their used oil and antifreeze in a three-gallon container or smaller.
• County staff also will assist citizens, whenever possible, to dispose of their batteries.
• As usual, all Convenience Center sites will be open from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday. However, to help ensure that staff will be able to provide adequate assistance at the site, citizens are asked to bring their oil, antifreeze, and batteries between the hours of 7am to noon, and from 2pm to 7pm.

Any questions or concerns regarding this pilot program should be directed to Michael S. Amos, Refuse Department Manager, at (276) 634-2503.

Car Hits 9-Year-Old Boy In His Own Front Yard

Photos and story by Leonard Harville. Late Saturday afternoon, March 6, a 9-year-old boy was struck in his front yard by a reckless driver. The small brown import car jumped the curb and knocked over a small tree before striking the child. The driver tried to flee the scene before being taken into custody. The car had South Carolina license plates on it. The Danville Lifesaving Crew transported the child and the driver of the car to Danville Regional Medical Center for treatment. The Danville Police are investigating and encourage you to please call (434) 793-0000 if you have any information – your identity will be kept confidential.

Man Arrested For Several Charges Of Evading Capture

The Henry County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police were en route to serve warrants on 39-year-old Ronnie Daniel Adkins – of 114 Peaceful Lane in Bassett – at a location in the Preston area of Henry County, VA, Friday morning, March 5. A Virginia State Trooper encountered Ronnie Daniel Adkins walking on Preston Road. According to the HCSO, Adkins immediately fled upon seeing the trooper, and a foot chase ensued. The HCSO further reports that Adkins ran into a wooded area, law enforcement set up a perimeter around the wooded area, and a canine from the Virginia State Police was used to track – and that Adkins was taken into custody a short distance from the location that he ran into the woods. He is currently incarcerated in the Henry County Jail under no bond, charged with:

• Obstruction Of Justice, 2 counts
• Felony Elude
• Habitual Offender, 2 counts
• Reckless Driving
• Capias – Violation of Probation

Indicted For Murder

Ryane Markeithe Ingram, age 25 of Danville, VA, was indicted Friday afternoon, March 5, for the Tuesday, March 2, murder of Calvin Lamont Carter. In that incident, an altercation involving several individuals occurred in the street in the 1100 block of West Paxton Street. Ingram is accused of firing several shots which struck Carter. Ingram was also indicted for one count of Malicious Wounding and two counts of Use Of A Firearm In The Commission Of A Felony. The indictments were served on Ingram Friday afternoon, and he is currently being held in the Danville City Jail without bond.

Sentencing Scheduled For Monday

Three Martinsville, VA, residents are scheduled for sentencing in U.S. District Court on Monday, March 8. According to a press release from the Office of the Courts in Roanoke, Carlos Santana Morris, age 33, was indicted in November 2008 on charges related to the distribution of powder cocaine and illegal firearms. Following a jury trial, he was found guilty on both drug and gun charges; Anthony Girard Gravely, age 24, was indicted in April 2009 and has pled guilty to Conspiracy To Distribute Crack Cocaine; and, Demetrius Campbell, age 37, was indicted in August 2008 and has pled guilty to charges of Distributing Crack Cocaine. All three sentences are expected to be handed down Monday morning in Roanoke.

Schools To Be Consolidated Once Again

Thursday night, March 4, the Henry County, VA, school board voted to begin procedures that will result in the closing of the Irisburg Elementary School after the 2009-2010 school year. The vote was 6-to-1 in favor of the merger of that school's students with nearby Axton Elementary School beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.

The lone dissenting vote on the board was Curtis Millner, Sr., who is the district representative to the board from Irisburg. The closing of Irisburg Elementary School is projected to save just under $700,000 on the normally tight school budget, and bring the number of students at Axton to just under 500, which puts that school at its rated capacity.

Although nothing was stated publicly, cuts in faculty and administration are a given with this move. School Board officials did say that Axton does have adequate facilities to handle the additional student population without drastically increasing class sizes at the school. The Henry County School Board continues to look for more possible facility cuts to try to meet anticipated budget shortfalls for the coming school year.

Lt. Gov. Dalton's JOBS Commission To Conduct Piedmont Meeting In Greensboro

Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton's "Joining Our Businesses and Schools" (JOBS) Commission will be meeting in Greensboro, NC, on Monday, March 8, from 1pm to 5pm, at the Embassy Suites Greensboro Airport, to hear from educators, business leaders, and the public about the needs of the 12-county Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina and how to work together to prepare students for 21st century jobs. The 20-member JOBS Commission is charged with making recommendations to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly about how the state's early college high schools can align themselves more closely with the economic development needs of their regions. The Commission has also focused on enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in the public school system.

North Carolina's Piedmont Triad, the economic development entity in that part of the state, will be making a presentation on the fastest growing sectors and its regional initiatives. Other presentations will focus on the clear match between Davie County and the goals of STEM education. Two presenters will provide overviews on trends in the high-tech fields of nanoscience and regenerative medicine. A representative from Honda Jet will present on the needs of the aerospace industry. A highlight of the meeting will be testimony from successful graduates of The Middle College at Guilford Technical Community College. Finally, the Commission will also take questions and comments from the public. Members of the media are invited.

Perriello Speaks On Lyle Lacy

On Thursday, March 4, Virginia 5th District Congressman Representative Tom Perriello released the following statement on the passing of Danville City Manager Lyle M. Lacy III:

"Danville has lost a fighter, an advocate, and a great public servant in the unfortunate passing of Lyle Lacy. Lyle focused every day on improving the lives of the people he served, and pursued that focus with humor and realism. He was a joy to work with and will be greatly missed. My prayers are with his family at this difficult time."

Danville City Manager Lyle Lacy Dies

It was just two weeks before that Danville City Manager Lyle M. Lacy III announced that he would be on an extended medical leave through the end of March. However, Thursday, March 4, we bring you the news that Lacy died at his home Wednesday, March 3. A news release from the city manager's office issued this morning states, "It is with great sadness that we notify you that City Manager Lyle M. Lacy, III passed away yesterday at his home."

As we reported to you on Thursday, February 25, Lacy's office announced that he would be on an extended medical leave through Wednesday, March 31, and if he could not return to his duties, he intended to resign as Danville's city manager.

Lyle Lacy started working for the City of Danville, VA, as deputy city manager in 1999, then stepped in as interim city manager in June of 2008 after Jerry Gwaltney retired. Lacy stayed in the position until February of 2009 and then was appointed to city manager on March 1, 2009. Lacy also served as city manager in Oak Ridge, TN; Marietta, GA; Alliance, NE; and Front Royal, VA, before coming to Danville.

Other sources have said that Lacy had survived a previous bout with cancer. No word yet on memorials planned for Lyle Lacy.

Update: Teen Pleads Guilty To Multiple Killings

The Martinsville Bulletin reports that a teenager pled guilty Thursday, March 4, in connection with the case of 3 Hispanic men who were shot to death in Collinsville in June of 2008.

Carl DeShawn Turner, age 18, whose last address was 935 Blankenship Road in Martinsville, VA, pled guilty in Henry County Circuit Court to 2 counts of Felony Murder and other charges as part of a plea agreement. He was scheduled to be tried Thursday and Friday (March 5) on First-Degree Murder charges in the deaths of Martin Cardecas and Rafael Torres Sanchez. Turner also was indicted on the lesser charge of Felony Murder in the deaths of Cardecas, Sanchez, and Gabriel Rogel-Mirafuentes.

The victims – all shot in the head – were found inside a mobile home at 26 Colony Trace on Monday, June 23, 2008. At the time of the killings, investigators said they were shot after an alleged drug deal went bad. Turner and three others initially were charged with murder in the case. The other three defendants pled guilty in February of 2009 to drugs and firearms charges and agreed to testify against Turner – and for their testimony, murder charges against them were dropped.

Court records indicate that besides the murder charges, Turner faced five firearms charges and one count each of Conspiracy To Possess Cocaine and Attempt To Possess Cocaine While Possessing A Firearm.

Wrecks Around Martinsville And Henry County

Scholarship Endowed For Reidsville Students

A former Reidsville, NC, resident has endowed a scholarship for disadvantaged students at Rockingham Community College. Dr. Dorothy Haith – a Reidsville native who now resides in Perry, GA – created the scholarship for graduating seniors at Reidsville High School. In announcing the Dorothy M. Haith Scholarship at Rockingham Community College, she said, "I want this scholarship to help make a difference in the lives of students in my hometown by making a college education more accessible to them."

Dr. Haith is a graduate of the former Booker Washington High School in Reidsville. She then continued her education at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina Central University in Durham and the University of London in London, England. She later went on to earn a doctorate in information services from Bloomington University in Indiana.

The Dorothy M. Haith Scholarship will be awarded annually to seniors from Reidsville High School and is renewable for up to two years of study at RCC. To qualify, recipients must be enrolled full-time in any RCC program of study leading to a degree or diploma and demonstrate financial need – and must demonstrate a potential for success in higher education. To make a gift to the scholarship, or for more information, contact Gaye Clifton at Rockingham Community College.

Burn Victim On Construction Site

Between 4:30pm and 5pm Wednesday, March 3, a man working in a construction site got severely burned – his exact condition is still unknown as of publishing time.

The victim, described as a hispanic male, was working on Memorial Drive in Danville, VA, at the old Dan River White Mill building – which is undergoing transformation from a factory to what WAKG describes as "a high tech office center" – when the injury occurred. Leonard Harville reports that instead of just a regular stretcher, the Danville Life Saving Crew used a stokes basket to carry the man to the ambulance before driving him to the Danville Regional Medical Center's emergency room where he's currently being treated.

Update: Woman Commits Suicide In Hospital Lot

In a follow-up to a story we featured on Tuesday, March 2, about an afternoon incident at Annie Penn Hospital, we now have the official information as to what happened from the Reidsville Police Department. Captain Ken Hanks, Chief of Detectives for the Reidsville Police, told us today that the Tuesday afternoon response of officers and detectives was because of a suicide that occurred in the parking lot.

It all happened at 3:27pm when a 25-year-old woman shot herself in the front parking lot of the Annie Penn Hospital – on the Maple Avenue side – and she died from the gunshot wound. The police department has pieced together that the suicide victim took another individual to the hospital for medical treatment, and while that person was inside the hospital receiving treatment, the 25-year-old woman shot herself. When the individual who was receiving medical treatment returned to the car, that's when the suicide was discovered, and that's when the police were notified.

Although Star News doesn't normally cover suicides, in this case, since it occurred in a public place, we made the decision to let the public know exactly what happened in order to eliminate rumors. However, out of dignity to the deceased and the family, we made the further decision to withhold the name of the suicide victim.

Danville Man Receives 32 Years In Prison

GoDanRiver.com reports that a Danville, VA, man was sentenced to 32 years in prison for an August 2009 shooting that killed a woman and injured a man. A jury found 33-year-old Robert Louis Winslow guilty of the Second-Degree Murder of Ashley Dawn Echols. He was also found guilty for his Use Of A Firearm In The Commission Of A Murder, Malicious Wounding, Use Of A Firearm In The Commission Of A Malicious Wounding, and Shooting Within An Occupied Dwelling.

Danville Circuit Court Judge Joseph Milam, Jr., followed the jury's recommendation for thirty years, and added two more years that he suspended. Judge Milam also sentenced Winslow for Possession Of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon, to which Winslow pled guilty after the jury trial, and for which the judge sentenced Winslow to four years but suspended two.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Milam said, "This was a terrible tragedy. The court cannot forget the efforts of the victim's mother to try to articulate her feelings and emotions at the time – just by coincidence – her daughter was brought in the hospital where her mother happened to be working as a nurse. That is something the court will long remember."

Gasoline Prices Will Climb Soon

If you've enjoyed the relatively settled prices of gasoline lately, prepare yourself – they're about to go higher. But it doesn't look like they will be as high as in recent years' past – unless unforeseen circumstances jump in the way. AAA Carolinas president and CEO David Parsons says that conditions are not dramatically different from last year, thus we can expect a rise in gas prices in upcoming weeks. However, Parsons added that motorists should be prepared for gasoline prices to climb upward significantly as the summer travel season approaches.

In 2009, gas prices were $1.89 around March, and they peaked at $2.65 in mid-June. North Carolina motorists faced an average 5¢-a-week increase over a 16-week period heading into the summer of 2009. Gas prices have been relatively stable with a 5¢-a-gallon range throughout February.

No Arrests Reported In Teen's Shooting

Rockingham County Sheriff's detectives are still on the case of a teenager shot near his home south of Reidsville, NC, on Monday night, March 1. As Star News reported, 17-year-old Jarod Moyer received two gunshot wounds to his lower body. He was taken to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page told us that it appears his medical condition is better than initially thought.

Another news source spoke to a member of the family on Tuesday, March 2 – Jarod Moyer's brother – who said that Jarod is talking to family members and in good spirits.

Moyer, who lives on Lorraine Drive in the Colonial Village Mobile Home Park which is south of Reidsville, was shot twice by three or four people wearing ski masks on Monday night. Rockingham County deputies were called to his home after witnesses reported seeing some sort of fight around 8:15pm. Deputies found Jarod Moyer lying in a fetal position with bystanders attempting to provide first aid to his wounds. The two gunshots were to the lower portion of his body, and it appears that he was pistol-whipped as well.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers.

Five People Seek Four Council Seats

It looks like there will be five people vying for the four seats coming available on the Danville City Council in May.

Thomas Motley filed last minute on Tuesday, March 2, becoming the fifth candidate for the city council race. Motley filed his petitions and other paperwork shortly before the 7pm deadline, and it appears his candidacy was certified Tuesday evening. Motley now joins two other challengers for the city council including Alonzo Jones and John Gilstrap. Two more candidates are council incumbents seeking re-election – Adam Tomer and Gary Miller.

The Danville School Board has three seats up for election in May and three people filed to run for those seats. Two incumbents – Rebecca Bolton and George Wilson – filed for re-election, and one new challenger rounds out the three – Philip Campbell.

Alonzo Jones is currently on the school board but is giving up his seat to seek a position on the Danville City Council. Bolton, Wilson, and Campbell are certified to run for the Danville School Board.

Even though three seats are available, and there are only three candidates seeking office, the Danville Registrar's office says that a formal election will still be held in May to legalize the results.

That election will be held on May 5.

Should Greensboro Change Its Name, Too?

Should Greensboro, NC, change its name in order to attract a huge Internet based company to the city? Maybe not, but one other city, trying to attract Internet mega-giant Google to its area, in competition with Greensboro, has done so – at least in fun. According to the Associated Press, the mayor of Kansas' capital, Topeka, says the city shall temporarily be referred to as "Google, Kansas – the capital city of fiber optics," in an effort to persuade the Internet giant to test an ultra-fast connection in the state capital.

Mayor Bill Bunten issued the proclamation Monday, March 1, after no city council members objected to the month-long change. Bunten says the proclamation is mainly for fun – but he hopes it will set Topeka apart from other cities vying for Google's fiber optics experiment, including Greensboro, NC; Grand Rapids, MI; and Baton Rouge, LA. City attorney Jackie Williams says Topeka cannot legally be temporarily renamed, but that the proclamation asking for it to be referred to as "Google" was okay.

Work Injury – Transported By Helicopter

Death, Possibly Suicide

Thanks to our eagle-eyed Star News viewers, we've learned that an emergency situation requiring the police happened in the parking lot of Annie Penn Hospital Tuesday afternoon, March 2. We spoke to a representative of the Reidsville Police who could not give us any official information, but we've been able to piece together that someone died in the parking lot, possibly by suicide.

It happened at a little after 3pm near the flagpole in the front of the hospital on the Maple Avenue side of the building. When we called the Reidsville Police Department and spoke to someone in investigations, we were told that the situation had just occurred, and that police investigators – including crime scene investigators – were on the scene at the hospital.

It doesn't appear that anything criminal has occurred, but we cannot confirm that – we were told that crime scene investigators are on the scene as a precaution.

We've put in a call to Captain Ken Hanks of the Reidsville Police Department who was at the scene where the body was located, and we hope to bring you the latest news on the situation as it becomes available.

Fatal Shooting In Danville

At about 12:40am Tuesday, March 2, the Danville Police Department responded to the 1100 block of West Paxton Street for reported gunshots. When officers arrived, they discovered one male subject lying in the street with a fatal gunshot wound – 35-year-old Danville resident Calvin Lamont Carter. A second subject was also on the scene with a gunshot wound, but he was transported to the Danville Regional Medical Center for non-life-threatening emergency treatment. The entire area was cordoned off with crime scene tape while police investigators searched for forensic evidence. A white Pontiac Grand Am sitting in front of the residence was fingerprinted and searched thoroughly for clues. Police were still on the scene interviewing neighbors and searching when the sun came up. (Pictures in photo slideshow taken by Leonard Harville for Star News.)

The Danville PD hasn't said yet what may have led up to the shooting, nor if they have suspects. Anyone with any information is requested to contact Danville Crimestoppers at (434) 793-0000. Your identity will be kept confidential and you may be eligible for a reward.

Teenager Fatality

The Virginia State Police report that on Monday, March 1, at 10:30pm, 3 teenagers in a 2000 Ford Mustang – not one of them wearing a seatbelt – were southbound on Virginia 797, north of US Highway 220, when they veered off the right side of the road, flipping over, and throwing 18-year-old Jonathan Wayne Hubbard, Jr., from the car. (See the Star News exclusive photo.)

Hubbard, from Collinsville, was a passenger, and the only victim of fatality. The driver, from Stanleytown, and another passenger – both age 17 – were taken to the Martinsville Henry County Memorial Hospital. The investigation continues.

Teen Shot Twice By Masked Culprits

The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office has an investigation underway on who shot a teenager south of Reidsville, NC, on Monday night, March 1 – and why.

The 17-year-old, Jarod Moyer, was shot and pistol-whipped during a fight outside the home which is on Lorraine Drive running just off Magnolia Drive in the Colonial Village Mobile Home Park. The Sheriff's Office reports that witnesses said three or four people wearing ski masks attacked Moyer around 8:15pm. When deputies arrived, people were trying to give first aid to Jarod Moyer who had been shot twice in the lower part of his body. In addition to the gunshot wounds, it appears that Moyer was pistol-whipped with the blunt end of a weapon. Moyer was taken to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, but his condition is unknown at this time.

Several people deemed as suspects fled the scene, and while K-9s were brought to the scene to track them, it appears they were already gone. If you have any information – contact the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers of Rockingham County.

Republican Vs. Republican