Contributed photo

Richmond County Sheriff James Clemmons is shown pinning Clyde Smith with sergeant chevrons on Monday morning in his office. Smith was promoted to a patrol sergeant and will continue to work in the patrol division of the sheriff’s office. Smith joined the sheriff’s office as a reserve deputy in 2003 and became a full-time deputy in 2006.

Contributed photo Richmond County Sheriff James Clemmons is shown pinning Clyde Smith with sergeant chevrons on Monday morning in his office. Smith was promoted to a patrol sergeant and will continue to work in the patrol division of the sheriff’s office. Smith joined the sheriff’s office as a reserve deputy in 2003 and became a full-time deputy in 2006.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_NewSgt-Smith.jpgContributed photo Richmond County Sheriff James Clemmons is shown pinning Clyde Smith with sergeant chevrons on Monday morning in his office. Smith was promoted to a patrol sergeant and will continue to work in the patrol division of the sheriff’s office. Smith joined the sheriff’s office as a reserve deputy in 2003 and became a full-time deputy in 2006.

HAMLET — Police have charged a woman with robbing a patron at the Speedway convenience store.

Shtara Arnae Little, 22, is accused of forcibly taking cash from a victim at the 728 W. Hamlet Ave. store on Thursday. She drove away with the money and was caught at a Wilmington Street home a short time later, Lt. Randy Dover of the Hamlet Police Department said.

Little was charged with felony common-law robbery and booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $4,000 secured bond.

N.C. Division of Adult Correction records show Little was convicted of felony common-law robbery and attempted felonious restraint in July 2011. She served probation on the Montgomery County charges.

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

— Corey Friedman

Little

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_SHTARA-ARNAE-LITTLE.jpgLittle

ABERDEEN — Town Commissioner Elease Moss Goodwin was arrested Friday night on an impaired driving charge.

The incident reportedly started after a concerned motorist called to report a driver who was possibly driving under the influence. According to Aberdeen Police Chief Tim Wenzel, officers responding to the complaint from the motorist located Goodwin outside of her vehicle near her home on Bethesda Road.

After taking a statement from the witness and speaking with Goodwin, officers arrested her on a charge of driving while impaired. Police said a Breathalyzer test showed a blood-alcohol level of 1.3 percent. The legal limit is 0.8 percent.

Goodwin was released on a custody bond after appearing before a magistrate. Her first date in court on this charge is May 10.

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HAMLET — “The School of Nursing, probably outside of the railroad, is most important to Hamlet’s history and dates back to more than 100 years. It was a great addition to the museum.”

Gary Greene, Hamlet Depot and Museum director, hit the proverbial nail on the head when describing the reasoning behind the museum’s newest exhibit for the former Hamlet Hospital and Hamlet Hospital School of Nursing.

The story actually begins in Laurinburg in 1910 when Dr. William D. James and his wife Lillian established the James Sanatorium and School of Nursing in Scotland County. In 1915, the couple moved their hospital to Hamlet.

At this time, Hamlet was becoming a booming city, and there became a need for a local hospital. They bought an eight-bedroom house on Vance Street from Dr. H.F. Kinsman and then changed the name of their sanatorium to Hamlet Hospital, which founded the Hamlet Hospital School of Nursing.

Fast forward a little over a century later and artifacts such as documents, photos, uniforms and yearbooks are on display at the Hamlet Museum for all to observe — and for those who were part of the school, a chance to reminisce.

The building and designing of the 20th-century display came from a duo of women who weren’t alive when the school made its move in 1964 to Richmond Community College, which was then called Richmond Technical Institute.

Sherry Boyette, from Rockingham, and Kirstin Rose-Bean, of Hamlet, both 26, have worked on a volunteer basis for a couple of years researching and digging up any and all information they could find regarding the nursing school.

“Two years ago, (Hamlet Museum board President) Jim Graham approached me and said he was looking for volunteers,” said Boyette. “I just graduated from college with a bachelor in history, and he knew I was interested in history, so he recommended I volunteer at the depot. Then I became a board member.”

Once Greene was hired as the new director of the depot and museums, the trio began meeting on Fridays to discuss what needed to be done to get this new exhibit off the ground.

“The first thing was to meet with (Hamlet City Councilman) David (Lindsey). His grandfather was Dr. William James, so he had a lot of documents, a lot of photos, a lot of information on the nursing school,” said Rose-Bean. “He actually gave us several boxes of documents, photos and yearbooks. He loaned them to the museum. We started going through those in our research. We went from there to figuring out what we could put in there. The boards talking about student life and the history of the nursing school, Sherry designed the history board, and mostly we wanted to tell the story of how it was founded and that it came from Laurinburg.”

At that point, Greene contacted Peggy Harrington, who was a student at the school and later became an instructor. She donated her nursing uniform that she wore throughout her school days and also her uniform she wore as a teacher, as well as some yearbooks she’d been saving all these years.

Piggybacking off the nursing school celebrating its 100th anniversary last year — and with demand to see some sort of exhibit at the museum rising — things snowballed from there, said Boyette.

“We’re hoping that some of the nurses from different classes will see the display and will want to donate to the museum,” Boyette said. “Whatever — yearbooks, photos, articles of clothing — to keep the display interchangeable and new so that everyone can see.”

The Hamlet Nursing School students weren’t idle in their spare time, according to one of the displays Boyette designed. The school newspaper — called the Lil’ Hoot n’ Holler — contained information about student government, student activities, the basketball team, fashion, student opinions on controversial academic and political topics and school and local gossip.

It’s that kind of history that Boyette and Rose-Bean hope to uncover more of in the coming months and years in order to keep the display fresh for future museum guests.

“We’d like to have more information on the hospital itself,” said Boyette. “We’re hoping to have a whole new set of displays going on at the exhibit. So we have a lot of ideas that we hope can come to fruition.”

Rose-Bean echoed those comments but said what goes into the exhibit going forward will largely depend on what people will be able to find in their closets, bookshelves and trunks.

“The great thing about local history museums is that surprising things show up, and you work with them,” Rose-Bean said. “It sorta depends on what the community brings to it. One thing I’d like to add to the exhibit is a notebook so nurses who come see the exhibit can write about their experiences. It’d be neat to read the stories about the women and men that attended it. That’s something I’d like to see soon.”

Greene also looks at the nursing school exhibit, and the museum as a whole, as an investment for the city of Hamlet.

“What we’d love to see is people continuing to contribute historical items that we’d be able to preserve and be able to change the display itself and keep it fresh through the coming months. That’s how we see it unfolding,” said Greene. “It’s been a true privilege to be able to do this for the city of Hamlet.”

Reach reporter Matt Harrelson at 910-817-2674, follow him on Twitter @mattyharrelson and listen to him at 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays on G-104.3 FM.

Matt Harrelson | Daily Journal Former Hamlet School of Nursing student and instructor Peggy Harrington, right, and former student Aletha Lanier unveil the school’s new exhibit inside the Hamlet Museum. The uniforms on display belonged to Harrington.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_DSC_0612.jpgMatt Harrelson | Daily Journal Former Hamlet School of Nursing student and instructor Peggy Harrington, right, and former student Aletha Lanier unveil the school’s new exhibit inside the Hamlet Museum. The uniforms on display belonged to Harrington.

Matt Harrelson | Daily Journal A group of former students of the Hamlet School of Nursing gather around one of the new exhibits in the Hamlet Museum on Main Street to chat and reminisce about old times at the school.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_DSC_0625.jpgMatt Harrelson | Daily Journal A group of former students of the Hamlet School of Nursing gather around one of the new exhibits in the Hamlet Museum on Main Street to chat and reminisce about old times at the school.

Matt Harrelson | Daily Journal

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_DSC_0619.jpgMatt Harrelson | Daily Journal

LAURINBURG — Richmond Community College’s Small Business Center will host two workshops this week focusing on grant-seeking and grant writing.

The two-day seminar will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Honeycutt Center in Laurinburg.

Grant Writing 101 and 102 will focus on the three P’s of applying for a grant — planning, preparation and presentation. Participants will receive help deciding what type of grant is needed, as well as how to gather all the information needed to include in a grant and how to present grant proposals.

The seminars will be led by nonprofit specialist Sam Gore, who conducts more than 70 seminars annually and covers all phases of nonprofits from new startups, to the revitalization of existing ones.

Registration for the seminar may be completed online at tiny.cc/sbcseminars; or via email or phone by contacting Small Business Center Director Deborah Hardison at ddhardison@richmondcc.edu or 910-410-1687.

Advance registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

ROCKINGHAM — While crisscrossing the state on the campaign trail, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin made a stop in his home county Monday.

Giving the introduction, Rockingham City Councilman John Hutchinson said Goodwin — the first statewide public official from Richmond County in more than three quarters of a century — regularly receives praise from Democrats and Republicans, which “reflects the very good job he’s done” for North Carolina insurance payers.

Goodwin, a Hamlet native, met with supporters — some of whom were former classmates, teachers and principals — at Pattan’s Downtown Grille and discussed what his job actually entails.

As the head of the N.C. Department of Insurance, Goodwin is responsible for regulating and licensing insurance companies and agents, investigating insurance fraud and regulating bail bondsmen and providing Medicare education, among other duties.

Since Goodwin became commissioner, he said the department’s criminal investigations division has made more than 1,500 arrests for insurance-related crimes, resulting in $72 million in restitution and recoveries for victims.

Another part of his job is serving as the state fire marshal.

“I readily admit, I enjoy being state fire marshal more than insurance commissioner,” he said jokingly.

The former state representative said he “felt obligated and duty-bound” to seek the office after longtime commissioner Jim Long — who Goodwin called a “legend” — announced he would no longer run after more than 20 years at the helm.

Goodwin had served as the assistant commissioner under Long for four years and said no one else at the DOI had ever held elected office.

He added the job needs someone who understands the math and science behind it and said the insurance industry “thrives on stability.”

“If you don’t have stability, then our economy and people’s pocketbooks are impacted,” he said. “This is a serious job that requires a serious candidate…not someone playing politics.”

Goodwin said his department has had successes during his term, “but to get North Carolina where it needs to be, I believe another four years is necessary.”

Stability is one thing that office has had, as Goodwin is only the 10th commissioner since the department was created by the General Assembly in 1899.

Mike Causey, a Guilford County Republican with more than two decades in the insurance industry, is again challenging Goodwin for the commissioner’s chair.

Causey won the Republican primary in March against two other candidates with 41 percent of the vote.

He previously ran for the position in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2012 and for the 6th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014.

According to his campaign website, Causey “will fight for more competition in North Carolina’s insurance industry which will help drive rates lower…(and) increase opportunities for consumers to enjoy new and better insurance products and special discounts in insurance rates.”

As far as health insurance goes, Goodwin said the state would have at least two other companies to choose from — providing lower premiums and lowering taxes — if the federal government (with the Affordable Care Act) and the state government hadn’t intervened, taking away some of his authority.

Goodwin said he has also fought to keep homeowners’ insurance rates low.

After companies sought to raise rates by 25 percent, he held the first hearing in 22 years and rejected the plan.

“My decision saved homeowners hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said, adding that the matter is now in court.

Being the commissioner, according to Goodwin, is a balancing act: fighting for the lowest rates and making sure insurance companies can make a profit.

“Most people don’t pay attention to a race like this,” he said. “But they should.”

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_Toler.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal N.C. insurance commissioner and Hamlet native Wayne Goodwin speaks to supporters during a campaign luncheon at Pattan’s Downtown Grille in Rockingham on Monday.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Goodwin_campaign.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal N.C. insurance commissioner and Hamlet native Wayne Goodwin speaks to supporters during a campaign luncheon at Pattan’s Downtown Grille in Rockingham on Monday.

ROCKINGHAM — Two people were flown to a Charlotte hospital following a Sunday night wreck in East Rockingham.

Trooper Clint Greene with the N.C. Highway Patrol said a Scion passenger car was travelling east toward Hamlet when it crossed the center line, striking a tree near 455 Mill Road — close to the intersection with Safie First Avenue — on the driver’s side and spinning roughly 45 degrees after impact.

The front bumper of the car was near the tree, the rear bumper was on the other side of the road.

Both the driver and passenger were taken to FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital from the scene and later flown to Carolinas Regional Medical Center in Charlotte.

Greene said early Monday afternoon that their last-known conditions were listed as critical.

Multiple agencies — the Rockingham and East Rockingham fire departments, Rockingham Rescue and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office — responded to the wreck with sirens blaring after the call went out around 8:29 p.m.

Traffic on the east side was diverted down Church Street.

A woman struggled with first responders, trying to get to one of the ambulances before it left the scene, saying her son was involved in the wreck.

Greene did not yet have a positive identification on either of the victims or know the extent of their injuries.

“There’s still a lot of unknowns,” he said.

While he added that speed was a factor, the trooper had no estimate on how fast the car was going. He said that whether or not drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash is also unknown at this time.

However, Greene did say that troopers had located a second possible vehicle that may have been involved and that the Highway Patrol reconstruction team will probably be called in.

The wreck is still under investigation.

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_Toler.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal The driver and passenger of this Scion are both in a Charlotte hospital after the car struck a tree on Mill Road early Sunday night.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_MillRdwreck.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal The driver and passenger of this Scion are both in a Charlotte hospital after the car struck a tree on Mill Road early Sunday night.

HAMLET — Gov. Pat McCrory made an unannounced visit to the city on Friday, touring the Hamlet Depot and Museums and discussing the House Bill 2 controversy over lunch with diners at Jones Café on Main.

Appearing Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” for a 10-minute segment on the state law that restricts transgender restroom access and rewrites nondiscrimination policies, McCrory said patrons at the Main Street buffet applauded him for signing the legislation.

“I’ll tell you what I have learned through this, and it’s we’ve got to have more dialogue and not threats,” McCrory told host Chuck Todd. ” I was in Hamlet, North Carolina, a small town that could be any town in the United States of America. I walked into a buffet restaurant — African-American buffet restaurant — and the people just welcomed me with open arms and said, ‘Thanks for protecting us.’

“I got back in my car and I got a call from someone in corporate America going, ‘Man, you’ve got to change this, we’re getting killed.’ And it showed me the disconnect we have between the corporate suites and Main Street on a very complex subject and a very personal subject.”

The law has touched off a business backlash, with more than 160 companies signing a letter opposing HB 2, PayPal scrapping a 400-job expansion planned for the state and musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr and Pearl Jam refusing to perform in the Tar Heel State.

Todd said the bill has cost North Carolina $39.7 million in lost investment and estimated the state will lose more than $186 million in revenue as a result of HB 2 boycotts and corporate reprisals.

McCrory, however, said the bill was designed to give businesses more autonomy from government regulation.

“It’s not government’s business to tell the private sector what their bathroom, locker room or shower practices should be,” he said on “Meet The Press.” The governor later added that his administration shouldn’t be seen as the “HR director” for private businesses in the state.

Jones on Main owner Yvette Jones said she was thrilled McCrory chose to eat lunch at her restaurant and beamed with pride when he complimented the food. She posted several snapshots to the eatery’s Facebook page on Friday.

“He was very, very friendly,” she said. “I was surprised at how friendly he was and how open he was. He just sat right down. He was right on our level.”

Jones said McCrory came in “with a couple of his entourage.” Customers greeted the governor enthusiastically and the comments she overheard expressed support for HB 2.

“Some of the customers were talking to him about HB 2 and how they appreciate his help with that,” she said.

As for the restaurateur herself, Jones said she’s still learning about the bill and its effects, but she believes people should use the restroom that corresponds with their birth gender, a key component of the new law.

“I believe if you’re born as a man, that’s what you are,” she said. “If you’re a man, you’re a man. That’s the way you were born.”

While Jones didn’t want to discuss her political affiliation, she said the visit made a strong impression on her and she came away with respect for McCrory. The Republican governor is in a close contest with Roy Cooper, the four-term Democratic attorney general.

“I would vote for him — I would look into it,” she said. “I would pay more attention to the governor’s race. I was just surprised at how friendly he was.”

Jones watched McCrory’s segment on “Meet the Press” Monday and said she was glad he plugged Hamlet even though he didn’t mention her restaurant by name.

“It seems like business has picked up since then,” she said, adding that customers had been discussing the show.

McCrory also signed the Hamlet Visitors Center guest log during his trip. The Hamlet Depot and Museums shared a picture of his signature in the register Friday afternoon.

The two-stop tour appears to have been an impromptu affair. McCrory’s public schedule, which is emailed to North Carolina media outlets including the Daily Journal, listed the N.C. Association of School Administrators Conference in Wilmington as his only planned event Friday.

McCrory spokesman Graham Wilson said Monday he wasn’t sure how the governor decided on the Hamlet eatery as his lunch stop.

Hamlet Mayor Bill Bayless and City Manager Marcus Abernethy said McCrory’s staff hadn’t tipped them off to the visit in advance.

“Gov. Pat McCrory mentioned Hamlet, North Carolina of all places on the air,” Abernethy said. “It’s exciting news to have a figurehead such as the governor visit our city.”

The Hamlet City Council has not taken a position on HB 2. While some may politicize the visit, Hamlet officials say North Carolina’s chief executive is always welcome in the historic railroad town.

“It’s interesting attention we’re getting,” Abernethy said. “We invite the governor to our city any time — whoever the governor is.”

Reach Editor Corey Friedman at 910-817-2670 and follow him on Twitter @corey_friedman.

Contributed photo Gov. Pat McCrory poses for a snapshot with Jones Café on Main owner Yvette Jones during a Friday visit to the restaurant, which McCrory mentioned Sunday in a segment of NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_McCrory-cropped.jpgContributed photo Gov. Pat McCrory poses for a snapshot with Jones Café on Main owner Yvette Jones during a Friday visit to the restaurant, which McCrory mentioned Sunday in a segment of NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

POLKTON — Six years ago, chef Colin G. Bramlett Sr. was in prison.

After earning a degree while in prison and continuing his education, Bramlett now owns three businesses and is back in prison — to help show inmates what their future could look like.

In 2006, Bramlett was incarcerated in the former Anson Correctional Center — later merged with Brown Creek Correctional Institution — in Polkton. While in prison, he was able to get a work release for Max Breakfast Anytime (now Ladybug Family Restaurant) in Wadesboro, becoming the assistant manager in a month and working there for a year and a half.

Bramlett also began a 90-day cooking diploma program through South Piedmont Community College, graduating in 2008.

After he was released from prison in 2010, Bramlett studied dietary management and took several continuing education culinary courses at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.

“I knew I was determined to succeed and tired of living life the way I was living it,” Bramlett said. “I wanted something different and knew I was capable of doing better. I always trusted in God and allowed him to direct my life.”

Knowing he wanted to work in an area bigger than Wadesboro or his hometown of Wilmington, Bramlett began working at the catering company of Josef Alexander. The two went on to open Extraordinary Catering in the Charlotte-Concord area, and Bramlett also began working at Bonfire Bar and Grill in Concord.

When the owners of the grill offered Bramlett the chance to buy it, he took it, purchasing the restaurant last April with business partners.

Last August, Bramlett opened his third business, the Trailhouse in Indian Trail, with some partners.

“I’ve always been interested in cooking since I was little,” Bramlett said. “My grandmother taught me how to cook, so I grew up cooking my own food and doing different things in the kitchen.”

There’s a big difference between cooking his own food and serving up meals to customers, but Bramlett said he loves the experience.

“The most enjoyable aspect is when someone eats a dish I have prepared,” he said. “Just to see the smile on their face and getting a compliment saying it’s the best they’ve ever eaten, just the joy they get.”

Bramlett credits food service technology instructor John Dabbs and Derek James, retired department chair of education at SPCC, with helping direct him to success.

“Mr. Dabbs is like a father to me,” Bramlett said. “He and Derek James were very close to me. They never looked at my past, and saw me for who I was.”

Dabbs has continued to support Bramlett long after he was released.

“Mr. Dabbs and I have always stayed in constant contact,” Bramlett said. “He has come to my restaurant several times and gives me assistance and input.”

The chef hopes to open at least one more restaurant, possibly in Concord, Charlotte or Huntersville, and expand his catering company.

“Family and friends say I work too hard, but at this point I’m not ready to slow down,” Bramlett said. “There’s still something else.”

GIVING BACK

On April 13, culinary students at Brown Creek’s minimum-custody unit woke up early to begin preparing the feast: sliced beef tenderloin, Southern-style green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, house salad and homemade ranch and balsamic vinaigrette dressings, with homemade lemon pound cake and chocolate cake for dessert.

Bramlett helped them cook and serve the food to prison and SPCC staff.

This is the second time Bramlett has worked with culinary students at the prison. Last time, he taught them to filet salmon and make sauce and salad. This time, he brought menus from his restaurant, and one student picked items from the menu that he’d like to learn to prepare next time Bramlett visits.

“I definitely enjoy coming out and working with the inmates,” Bramlett said. “This is the second time. There’s something spiritual to come back and help: anything I can say to encourage and show them they can come out and do something different, that anybody can succeed.”

When Bramlett visited Brown Creek last week, 14 students were enrolled in the cooking class.

Two of the students took another step in their training while Bramlett was visiting. Anthony Montgomery and Marcus Joseph each earned their ServSafe certification. The ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification exam is accredited by the American National Standards Institute — Conference for Food Protection.

Montgomery and Joseph also graduated the food service technology program through SPCC. To graduate, students have to complete a variety of courses, including safety and sanitation, baking, food service and cost control. Graduates can show potential employers the amount of hours they completed in each area.

Bramlett said the students seem to benefit from the visits.

“The inmates have asked me several questions, like how long it took me to get where I’m at, things I did,” Bramlett said. “They showed gratitude and thanked me for the time and good food, and ask if I would be willing to consider them for employment.”

Two years ago, Bramlett hired one former inmate and graduate of the program who still works at one of Bramlett’s restaurants.

Brown Creek Correctional Institution has 1,224 inmates, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. South Piedmont Community College offers a variety of classes to inmates in addition to food service technology, including carpentry, horticulture and cabinet making.

Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.

Imari Scarbrough | Civitas Media Colin G. Bramlett Sr., right, worked with culinary students at Brown Creek Correctional Institution on April 13 to fix a large beef tenderloin lunch.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_IMG_4497.jpgImari Scarbrough | Civitas Media Colin G. Bramlett Sr., right, worked with culinary students at Brown Creek Correctional Institution on April 13 to fix a large beef tenderloin lunch.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A policy barring a transgender student from using the boys’ restrooms at his Virginia high school is discriminatory, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

In a case closely watched by public schools and transgender-rights activists across the country, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the Gloucester County School Board’s policy. A federal judge had previously rejected Gloucester High School student Gavin Grimm’s sex discrimination claim.

Transgender rights have become the latest civil rights battleground issue across the country after the Supreme Court laid to rest the gay marriage debate when it ruled last year that same-sex couples had the right to marry. The issue was thrust further into public consciousness in 2015 when Olympic athlete and reality TV star Bruce Jenner disclosed his transgender identity and name change to Caitlyn Jenner.

The appeals court’s ruling establishes legal precedent in every state in the 4th Circuit, including North Carolina, which faces a lawsuit challenging a new state law requiring transgender people to use the public bathroom that corresponds to the sex listed on their birth certificate. The sweeping law, which also barred cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances like one recently passed in Charlotte, has prompted a national backlash. Businesses and politicians have announced boycotts of North Carolina, and legal challenges ensure that the wedge issue will dominate Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s re-election campaign.

Other states in the 4th Circuit are Maryland, West Virginia and South Carolina.

Grimm was born female but identifies as male. He was allowed to use the boys’ restrooms at the school for several weeks in 2014. But after some parents complained, the school board adopted a policy requiring students to use either the restroom that corresponds with their biological gender or a private, single-stall restroom.

Grimm called the policy stigmatizing. School officials said the policy respects the privacy of all students.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a “statement of interest” in Grimm’s case in July, declaring that failure to allow transgender students to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity amounts to sex discrimination.

Grimm, 16, said he started refusing to wear girls’ clothes by age 6 and told his parents he was transgender in April 2014.

Grimm’s parents helped him legally change his name, and a psychologist diagnosed him with gender dysphoria, characterized by stress stemming from conflict between one’s gender identity and assigned sex at birth. Grimm began hormone treatment to deepen his voice and give him a more masculine appearance.

FILE – In this Aug. 25, 2015, file photo, Gavin Grimm poses on his front porch during an interview at his home in Gloucester, Va. The fate of North Carolina’s new bathroom law could be determined by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, which is expected to rule soon on Grimm’s challenge. The high school student was born female but identifies as male, and says it’s discriminatory to make him use the girls room or a single-stall unisex restroom. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Bathroom-Challenge.jpgFILE – In this Aug. 25, 2015, file photo, Gavin Grimm poses on his front porch during an interview at his home in Gloucester, Va. The fate of North Carolina’s new bathroom law could be determined by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, which is expected to rule soon on Grimm’s challenge. The high school student was born female but identifies as male, and says it’s discriminatory to make him use the girls room or a single-stall unisex restroom. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Do you hear it? The Richmond County community is calling out to you!

Recently, several people have remarked to me that it seems that a lot of good things are happening in our community. Indeed, we have had good news on Facebook and in the Daily Journal and a buzz on the street about new businesses coming, festivals and new funding.

Our community is calling out to each of us to jump on the bandwagon and keep the momentum going by getting engaged in something — anything positive.

Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” In my line of work, we call this civic engagement, and my favorite way of thinking about this topic is that it is the sense of personal responsibility individuals feel to uphold their obligations, as part of any community.

Communities are at risk of becoming disconnected; with citizens feeling that their involvement is not needed and negative discourse becomes the norm. There is a local movement under way in our community to reverse this trend by becoming involved in citizen forums, volunteering and joining leadership groups and other organizations.

An actively engaged community that reaches all segments of the citizens is a strong community. In addition to economic development efforts that bring new business, a focus on community civic infrastructure supports those businesses and helps attract more visitors and residents to the area. This is something for us to consider as our governments are successfully bringing new companies to the area. Is this an engaged and connected community?

Why should you be concerned about being engaged with your community? People who volunteer for organizations and clubs and participate in community decision-making feel more pride and ownership for their community. Youth who are civically engaged are more likely to feel fulfilled in the human need for belonging and having a life with a purpose.

Civic engagement is a key part of the transition between adolescence and mature adulthood, one reason that school and community clubs and activities are so important for youth development. North Carolina ranks 28th in the nation in volunteering, contributing a value of $5.7 million in service in 2014. But only 26.3 percent of citizens are engaged in volunteering or community service.

Opportunities abound with opportunities to get involved in Richmond County in our many churches, civic organizations, nonprofits, youth groups, schools and more. Recently, a grassroots group called For A Better Richmond County (www.forabetterrichmondcounty.com) started meeting in community forums to discuss things about the community that we like and that we would like to change.

Another forum is meeting in the Norman Community Center doing the same thing, and calls itself N.E.A.T, which stands for Northern End Action Team. A new leadership group has formed to support young leaders of the community. United Way, Habitat for Humanity, the Chamber of Commerce, Cooperative Extension and many more nonprofit agencies are looking for volunteers.

Rockingham, Hamlet and a new group forming in Ellerbe exist to help support downtown improvements and are also good places for people to become involved.

The Cooperative Extension exists to help communities become engaged. According to M. L. Wilson, the national director of the Cooperative Extension Service in 1940, “Extension workers and others who are charged with assisting in the development of programs to meet not only current needs, but also the changed needs of the world, are vitally concerned with the questions of leadership… Their primary job is to help the community analyze its problems in the light of all available information and so to organize itself that the necessary action can be taken.”

So if you don’t know where to start, but are feeling the tug of responsibility to your community and ready to become involved, call us at the Extension office and we can try to help you connect in a way that you will feel that you are contributing and needed.

You can reach us at 910-997-8255 or by emailing us at Richmondces@ncsu.edu.

Susan A. Kelly is director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Richmond County Center.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Susan-Kelly.jpg

Contributed photo Cherice Washington discusses her table group’s Richmond County pros and cons during For A Better Richmond County’s third forum held March 28 at The Hive recreation center.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_FABRCForum3-rotated.jpgContributed photo Cherice Washington discusses her table group’s Richmond County pros and cons during For A Better Richmond County’s third forum held March 28 at The Hive recreation center.

ROCKINGHAM — Following the lead of Bruce Springsteen, several other rock bands have canceled their North Carolina concerts in opposition to House Bill 2.

Pearl Jam, an iconic grunge band, announced in a statement Monday that it was — “with deep consideration and much regret” — canceling tonight’s show in Raleigh.

Band members called HB2 “a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens.”

Last month, state legislators in a special session passed the Public Facilities and Privacy Act, requiring single-sex multiple-occupancy bathrooms or changing facilities to be designated for and used by individuals based on their biological sex.

Lawmakers called the special session in response to a Charlotte ordinance that allowed transgender people to use the facility of the sex with which they identify.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday held that a Virginia school board policy prohibiting a transgender student from using the boys’ restrooms was unconstitutional, according to the Associated Press.

The decision also sets legal precedent in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia.

“The practical implications (of HB2) are expansive and its negative impact upon basic human rights is profound,” the Pearl Jam statement reads. “We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are.”

The statement goes on to read that the band will be providing funds to local organizations “to help facilitate progress on this issue.”

Tom Scholz, lead guitarist and founding member of the classic rock band Boston, also released a statement canceling three shows the band had scheduled for early next month “in order to raise awareness, and protest in the strongest terms, the recent passage of HB2, the so-called ‘North Carolina bathroom law.’”

“HB2 has the appearance of an oppressive discriminatory law against a small minority, who already have to deal with a narrow-minded world regarding issues beyond their control which they did nothing to bring upon themselves,” he wrote. “Other aspects of the new law arguably encourage bigotry. With thousands of fans in attendance at our shows, it is likely that some members of our audience and/or their loved ones are affected on a daily basis by this ugly expression of intolerance.”

Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper and former Beatle Ringo Starr have also canceled appearances in opposition to the new law.

Both Pearl Jam and Boston apologized to the fans and have said that tickets will be refunded.

However, the apology is not enough for some who were looking forward to hearing “Even Flow” and “Alive.”

“I have been a Pearl Jam fan for 25 years,” Katie Hartgrove told the Daily Journal on Tuesday. “Yesterday ended it.”

Hartgrove had tickets to the Raleigh show and said she is very disappointed. Although she was offered a chance to see them in Columbia, South Carolina, she declined.

“I stand with my state of North Carolina,” she said.

Robin Roberts feels the same way.

“This week after waiting 10 years to see Pearl Jam they canceled due to the HB2 bill,” she said. “Once they did that, they became a political group, not a rock group to me.”

Roberts said she also could go to the Columbia show, but won’t.

“I will not be traveling to another state to spend my hard-earned money to see a band who does not support their fans,” she said.

Stephen Wyand, on the other hand, did get tickets for Pearl Jam’s other Carolina concert after the show he had planned to see was canceled.

“It’s not that I agree with what they’re doing,” he said. “That’s just wrong to the fans.”

However, Wyand — who is also a fan of Boston and saw that group in Greensoboro last year — said although he is disappointed in their decisions, he would not stop listening to the bands because of their politics.

“It’s like Ted Nugent — he’s very political,” Wyand said. “I don’t care about his politics, I just want to hear that guitar.”

This isn’t the first time Roberts has had to deal with concert decisions based on political repercussions.

Last summer, she wasn’t allowed to take her U.S. flag into a Kid Rock show because all flags were banned in response to the Confederate flag flap in South Carolina.

John Baker thinks protesting by refusing to perform is “the wrong move.”

“No one wins,” he said. “I just feel like this isn’t something that should keep you from performing for your fans. I understand they have beliefs, too, and I respect that. But I think these huge bands should at least still do a show for the fans who have kept them in business all these years.”

Baker is one of the guitarists for Hydrenaline, a local cover band which has several songs from Pearl Jam on its set list.

“Being a musician, although nowhere close to the status of Pearl Jam, I couldn’t deny thousands of people who are coming just to see me and hear my music because of something the state decided on,” he said, adding there should be a sense of loyalty to the fans.

Roberts said it’s all about the music to her and it should be the same way with the bands — that they should “just let the music play” and keep their political beliefs to themselves.

“The one thing HB2 supporters and opposers have in common is music,” Baker said. “Now we can’t even enjoy that together.”

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.

Greg Allen | AP file photo Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam, performs at the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park. The band is one of several musical acts to protest HB2 by canceling concerts in North Carolina.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Eddie-V.jpgGreg Allen | AP file photo Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam, performs at the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park. The band is one of several musical acts to protest HB2 by canceling concerts in North Carolina.

HAMLET — The Richmond County Ninth-Grade Academy has released its honor roll for the third nine-week grading period of the 2015-16 school year.

ALL-A HONOR ROLL

Front row: Kristian Terry, Makaylan Nichols, Camryn Stutts, Jenna Kubiak, Sarah Auman, Jessica Cordova, Tashawna Jamison and Kaiya Srirantanakoul

Second row: Natalie Williams, Kevonna Reed, Trinity Jones, Kylie McDonald, Faith Baxley, Emily Duckworth, Emily Parsons, Julia Bornhorst, Brice Billingsley, Jessie Matheson, Haleigh Smith and Emma Russell

Third row: Trevor Whittington, Quintara Pride, Ralayah McRae, Morgan Hooks, Jessi Graham, Abbey Coward, Emily Harris, Sophia Perakis, Gabby Paone, Jordyn Morse, Chloe McLaughlin, Ashley McGuire, Meagan McGuire, Megan Coble, Chasity Davis, Kaitlyn Skipper and Austin Smith

Back row: Jordyn Wall, Alyssa Ratliff, Gabrielle Jones, Savannah Freeman, Greyson Way, Savannah Lampley, Emily Fay, Peyton Harrelson, Savannah Chappell, Cameron Carraway, Alex Anderson, Hunter Parris, Carlos Alcocer, Mason Bailey, Caleb Brewer, Tyler Watts, Kyle Goodwin, James Melton, William Singleton and Adam Tatum

Not pictured: Skylar Hudson, Aniyah McQueen, Kazavyah Thompson, Cameron Torbet and Mya Williams

A-B HONOR ROLL

Kennedy Alexander, Christopher Austin, Katia BadiaPell, Tyler Bass, Nicolai Bastida, Austin Benoist, Kelsie Blanton, Sydney Bostick, Kassidy Brown, Meshavia Butler, Ricki Carter, Julianna Chapman, Breanna Chavis, Brayden Coggins, Destiny Covington, Aaron Cross, Isiah Crowder, Jamaya Crump, Katie Curtis, Zharia David, Natalie Davis, Tyrone Davis, Kaikyla Dumas, Jada Edwards, Jose Fonseca, Kristin Fowler, Jose Francisco-Pascual, Amya Garris, Stefano Giles-Cerna, Ashley Gillespie, Ezekiel Gillespie, Shawbrea Goodwin, Brian Graham, Leanna Graham, Tashmaya Graham, Jackson Grooms, Jackson Haley, Kandice Harris, Jacob Helms, Alonso Hernandez, Nevaeh Hester, Kylie Howell, Tatum Hubbard, Michael Hudson, Nathan Hudson, Kaitlyn Hunt, Kaylee Jacobs, Chasen Jenks, Ashanti Jennings, Jahan Jones, Brandon Kelly, Kasey Knight, Alexis LaCroix, Niare Lindsey, Candace Little, Jayla Lowery, Yaron Magee, Katy Massagee, Caitlyn McGuire, Noah Moore, Adam Morrison, Mayden Moss, Kelsey Murray, Jayana Nicholson, James Noble, Laterrion Nwolise, Katie Outen, Zoe Parker, Taylor Parrish, Felix Perez, Andrew Poplin, Robert Prentice, Mason Quick, Israel Ramos Hernandez, Jake Ransom, Isaiah Ratliff, Delani Reep, Nathan Reynolds, Heath Rhyne, Cole Rivers, Brinely Robinson, Jalin Robinson, Maria Rodriguez-Sanchez, Destiny Rush, Rodrigo Salazar, Dannon Shepard, Jahyae Stanback, Mason Stewart, Jessica Tarlton, Adison Tetreault, Kailey Thompson, Titeyana Timmons, Taylor Truett, Aaron Vasquez Escobar, Caroline Walker, Elizabeth Webb, Garet Weigman, Jordan Wezyk, Hailey Wheeler, Chloe Wiggins, Bridgett Williams, Essence Williams, Kieondra Williams, Billy Wilson, Brett Young, Carlos Zapata and Shamiya Zinnerman

Contributed photo Richmond County Ninth-Grade Academy students named to the all-A honor roll for the third nine-week grading period are pictured at the school on County Home Road near Hamlet.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_thumbnail_RCNGA-AHonorRoll3rd9Wks2016.jpgContributed photo Richmond County Ninth-Grade Academy students named to the all-A honor roll for the third nine-week grading period are pictured at the school on County Home Road near Hamlet.

ROCKINGHAM — Five Richmond Senior High School students attended the North Carolina Technology Student Association’s State Conference in Greensboro from April 14-16, with each student ultimately placing first in his or her competitive event.

Freddie Alexander claimed first place in dragster design, while the team of Stephen Collins, Logan Smith, Patrick Martin and Adrien Khamchanh took top honors in the scientific visualization category.

They will represent Richmond Senior High this June at the TSA National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Made up of more than 200,000 middle and high school students, the Technology Student Association is geared to those who aspire to be future engineers, scientists and technologists.

Ty Bostick, Randall Mace and Fred Morris are the TSA chapter advisers for the Raiders.

Contributed photo Five Richmond Senior High School students took home first place in different events during the North Carolina Technology Student Association’s State Conference held in Greensboro.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_thumbnail_RSHS-TSA-Winners.jpgContributed photo Five Richmond Senior High School students took home first place in different events during the North Carolina Technology Student Association’s State Conference held in Greensboro.

NEW YORK (AP) — Front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton swept to resounding victories in Tuesday’s New York primary, with Trump bouncing back convincingly from a difficult stretch in his Republican campaign and Clinton pushing tantalizingly close to locking up the Democratic nomination.

“The race for the nomination is in the home stretch, and victory is in sight,” Clinton declared to cheering supporters.

Trump captured more than 50 percent of the vote in New York and was headed toward a big delegate haul in his home state, a commanding showing that keeps him on a path to the GOP nomination if he continues to win. He claimed at least 89 of the 95 delegates at stake Tuesday, with Ohio Gov. John Kasich winning at least three and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in danger of getting shut out.

A confident Trump insisted it was impossible for his rivals to catch him. Indeed, Cruz’s poor showing in New York left him without any mathematical chance of clinching the nomination before the Republican convention in July, though Trump could still end up short of the needed 1,237 needed to seal victory before the gathering.

“We don’t have much of a race anymore,” Trump said during a victory rally in the lobby of the Manhattan tower bearing his name. He peppered his brash remarks with more references to the economy and other policy proposals than normal, reflecting the influence of a new team of advisers seeking to professionalize his campaign.

Clinton’s triumph padded her delegate lead over rival Bernie Sanders and put her 80 percent of the way to clinching the Democratic nomination that eluded her eight years ago. In a shift toward the general election, she made a direct appeal to Sanders’ loyal supporters, telling them she believes “there is more that unites us than divides us.”

Exit polls suggested Democrats were ready to rally around whoever the party nominates. Nearly 7 in 10 Sanders supporters in New York said that they would definitely or probably vote for Clinton if she is the party’s pick.

Sanders energized young people and liberals in New York, as he has across the country, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset victory he desperately needed to change the trajectory of the Democratic race. Still, the Vermont senator vowed to keep competing.

“We’ve got a shot to victory,” Sanders said in an interview with The Associated Press. However, his senior adviser Tad Devine said later that the campaign planned to “sit back and assess where we are” after a string of contests next week.

Of the 247 Democratic delegates at stake in New York, Clinton picked up at least 135 while Sanders gained at least 104.

The fight for New York’s delegate haul consumed the presidential contenders for two weeks, an eternity in the fast-moving White House race. Candidates blanketed every corner of New York, bidding for votes from Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs to the working class cities and rural enclaves that dot the rest of the state.

The nominating contests will stay centered in the Northeast in the coming days, with Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania all holding contests next week. Sanders spent Tuesday in Pennsylvania, as did Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, Trump’s closest rival.

Cruz panned Trump’s win in New York as little more than “a politician winning his home state,” then implored Republicans to unite around his candidacy.

“We must unite the Republican Party because doing so is the first step in uniting all Americans,” Cruz said in formal remarks.

Trump needed a strong showing in New York to keep alive his chances of sewing up the GOP nomination before the party’s July convention — and to quiet critics who say the long primary season has exposed big deficiencies in his campaign effort.

Having spent months relying on a slim staff, Trump has started hiring more seasoned campaign veterans. He’s acknowledged that bringing new people into his orbit may cause some strife, but says the moves were necessary at this stage of the race.

Cruz is trying to stay close enough in the delegate count to push the GOP race to a contested convention. His campaign feels confident that it’s mastered the complicated process of lining up individual delegates who could shift their support to the Texas senator after a first round of convention balloting.

Kasich, the only other Republican left in the race, bested Cruz on Tuesday and is refusing to end his campaign despite winning only his home state.

Trump’s political strength, though he boasts of drawing new members to the party, has left some Republicans concerned that his nomination could splinter the GOP. Among Republican voters in New York, nearly 6 in 10 said the nominating contest is dividing the party, according to exit polls.

Still, about 7 in 10 New York Republicans said the candidate with the most votes in primary contests should be the Republican presidential nominee

The surveys were conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.

Trump now leads the GOP race with 845 delegates, ahead of Cruz with 559 and Kasich with 147. Securing the GOP nomination requires 1,237.

Among Democrats, Clinton now has 1,893 delegates to Sanders’ 1,180. Those totals include both pledged delegates from primaries and caucuses and superdelegates, the party insiders who can back the candidate of their choice regardless of how their state votes. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.

Kathy Willens | AP photo Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton celebrates on stage after winning the New York state primary Tuesday night.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Resize-APTOPIX-DEM-2016-Clinton.jpgKathy Willens | AP photo Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton celebrates on stage after winning the New York state primary Tuesday night.

HAMLET — From a winery to a science museum, from tires to electricity, a variety of local services will be displayed at the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Expo on Tuesday, April 26.

Several types of food and beverage vendors will be available as well. The event will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Richmond Community College’s Cole Auditorium.

The expo, which is open to the public, will feature products and services from more than 40 local businesses and organizations.

“Visitors will find a welcoming environment where they can learn about the latest offerings in their local market while making valuable connections with current and prospective vendors,” chamber spokesman Seth Allen said in a release.

There will be door prizes, food and beverage tastings and a lot of giveaways.

The event is open to the public, but chamber officials ask that attendees give a monetary donation at the door to raise money for Relay for Life. The donations will be accepted by Richmond Community College’s Student Government Association.

“Our expo is a way to show off our members to the community,” said Richmond County Chamber President Emily Tucker. “We have a variety of member businesses joining the expo this year, from all different areas of industry and business.”

In addition to learning about the latest products and services in the community, guests will also have access to “Expert Alley” where they can speak one-on-one with officials from local and state agencies.

“This is a unique opportunity to get your specific business questions answered,” said Deborah Hardison, director of the Small Business Center at Richmond Community College. “Experts will be represented from the following fields: legal issues, the Small Business Administration, Department of Revenue, the IRS and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) — expert business mentors.”

For more information on the Business Expo, contact Seth Allen at 910-895-9058 or seth@richmondcountychamber.com.

Contributed photo Richmond County Chamber of Commerce members are shown at the chamber’s annual Business Expo held at the Cole Auditorium in 2015.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_fzd-Expo.jpgContributed photo Richmond County Chamber of Commerce members are shown at the chamber’s annual Business Expo held at the Cole Auditorium in 2015.

HAMLET — Richmond Community College invites the public to attend an open house on Thursday, April 28, that will be held in conjunction with its celebration of high school seniors who are on track to receive the RichmondCC Guarantee.

Every college program and service offered at RichmondCC will be on display during the open house that will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with instructors who will be showcasing their programs.

Anyone over the age of 16 who attends will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a new 55-inch high-definition flat-screen TV, as well as other prizes provided by the college bookstore and Cole Auditorium.

During the open house, the college will also be celebrating the first wave of RichmondCC Guarantee prospects. The RichmondCC Guarantee celebration will commence at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. High school seniors whose academic achievements may qualify them for free college tuition and fees at RichmondCC for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years have been invited to participate in this ceremony, along with their families.

“We will be providing information to students and parents that will ensure they remain on track to receive the RichmondCC Guarantee,” said Kary Edmondson, director of K-12 partnerships for the college. “Because of these students’ hard work, they have earned the opportunity to receive two years of free college tuition and fees at RichmondCC, and we want to make sure their parents understand that by attending Richmond Community College in the fall, they will be looking at a savings of $4,800, depending on the program and courses a student enrolls in.”

Rolled out last November, the RichmondCC Guarantee will provide two years of free college tuition and fees to Richmond and Scotland county students who take at least two dual-enrollment courses through the Career and College Promise program and graduate from high school with an unweighted grade-point average of 3.0 or above. This fall semester, the college will be admitting its first group of RichmondCC Guarantee recipients.

“This is an exciting time for Richmond Community College as we roll out this plan that rewards high-achieving students who have taken advantage of our dual-enrollment classes while in high school,” said college President Dr. Dale McInnis. “We also will be recognizing the many scholarship donors, or guarantors, whose support is key in making the RichmondCC Guarantee possible.”

The RichmondCC Guarantee celebration and open house are free and open to the public. Parents attending with students who are on track to receive the RichmondCC Guarantee are asked to bring their 2015 income tax returns so they can begin the process of filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Financial aid staff will be on hand to help people begin this process online.

For more information about RichmondCC, call 910-410-1700 or visit www.richmondcc.edu.

Wylie D. Bell is director of marketing and communications at Richmond Community College.

Contributed photo Pictured are high students who take classes at Richmond Community College through the Career and College Promise program. One of the requirements for the RichmondCC Guarantee is completing two of these dual enrollment classes while in high school.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_fzd-CCP-Students-Sept-2015_small.jpgContributed photo Pictured are high students who take classes at Richmond Community College through the Career and College Promise program. One of the requirements for the RichmondCC Guarantee is completing two of these dual enrollment classes while in high school.

ROCKINGHAM — When the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office decided to get a bloodhound, Capt. Mike Burns had a deputy in mind to be the handler: Paul McDole.

“He’s got a passion for dogs,” Burns said. “He’s the first person I thought of.”

Burns equated the relationship between a K-9 and handler as like a marriage, saying one has to be dedicated to it.

“Whenever we choose our handlers, we try to choose somebody we know is going to stick around for a while,” he said.

McDole said he was excited about the opportunity to become a handler.

“It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said.

After checking around with other agencies, 832 Deputy’s Dogs seemed a popular pick for bloodhounds.

“We’ve got a good working relationship with Marlboro County (South Carolina), and they highly recommended them,” Burns said.

The Inverness, Florida-basded organization, part of the Kody Snodgrass Memorial Foundation, has placed more than 140 trained bloodhounds with law enforcement agencies across the country and in Europe, according to its website.

Duke Snodgrass, executive director, became involved with bloodhounds in the late ’70s after the abduction and murder of his wife’s sister.

Growing up around the dogs known for their tracking abilities, his son Kody eventually became a bloodhound handler with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, but died in an off-duty motorcycle wreck in 2001. His badge number was 0832, hence the organization’s name.

“He’s very picky about who he sells his dogs to,” Burns said of Snodgrass. “If he felt like (the dog and handler) are not bonding well, he’d let us know it wasn’t a match.”

McDole went to Florida last May to meet Elizabeth for their first week of training. He then brought the 5-year-old bloodhound back with him for bonding through September.

“The dog’s got to be able to trust me,” he said.

The pair went back to Florida where McDole was certified as a handler on Sept. 25.

The sheriff’s office spent $3,500 on Elizabeth and received a $1,000 grant from Wal-Mart to help with the cost.

“We’ve used her quite a bit here lately…on several missing people cases,” McDole said.

Elizabeth located one person and tracked in the direction of where two others were found, which McDole said counts as “indirect successes” for her. One of those was a 4 ½-mile track, the longest so far, where the person was found a few miles ahead.

She has also been used to track down suspects in criminal cases.

“Anything with tracking, she can be used on,” he said.

Not only is Elizabeth the only bloodhound at the sheriff’s office — Sgt. Travis Bowman and Deputy Josh Chermak both handle multi-purpose dogs — she is also the only one in the county.

“Bloodhounds are a valuable tool, just because of their scent discrimination,” McDole said. “There are scents that are older that other dogs can’t pick up. If we have a missing person…she’s going to ignore everybody else’s scent…and go with the scent I give her.”

Another benefit to having a bloodhound, he added, is that they’re not bite dogs, “they’re gentle giants.”

McDole said he is looking forward to working with his K-9 partner — which he takes care of 24 hours a day — adding, “She’s got several more years in her.”

According to the National Police Dog Foundation, the average age to retire a dog is 10 years old.

Three Richmond County K-9s, two in Rockingham and one in Hamlet, have been retired since October.

Whenever Elizabeth is retired, he thinks it would be beneficial for the sheriff’s office to replace her.

“Hopefully we can keep a bloodhound with us,” he said, “just because of how invaluable they are.”

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal Elizabeth, a 5-year-old bloodhound, has been used to track down missing people and criminal suspects since coming to Richmond County last September.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_bloodhound.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal Elizabeth, a 5-year-old bloodhound, has been used to track down missing people and criminal suspects since coming to Richmond County last September.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal Deputy Paul McDole stands with Elizabeth, his bloodhound K-9 partner, inside the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_bloodhound2.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal Deputy Paul McDole stands with Elizabeth, his bloodhound K-9 partner, inside the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

RALEIGH (AP) — As the Richmond County Board of Education waits for state lawmakers to cough up more than $272,000 in traffic fine money that a court awarded last year, more than 80 other boards are pressing for a share of the multi-million dollar revenue stream that’s been generated by the $50 fine.

The money comes from a fine for an improper equipment offense, such as dangerous tires or a broken speedometer. A 2011 law says the proceeds, now totaling more than $49 million, should go to a state fund for inmate costs. However, the state Appeals Court ruled last year that under North Carolina’s Constitution the proceeds must go to public schools, not jail costs.

The Richmond County school board sued over the proceeds in 2012. The board’s attorney says the state now owes the board more than $272,000.

“It would be unprecedented that the Legislature did not pay in full money to a local board of education ordered by the courts for a constitutional violation,” said the attorney, George Crump.

Another 81 boards of education have filed complaints over the fine, according to a court ruling last month.

Complicating matters is a three-year statute of limitations, meaning boards of education could only collect proceeds dating back three years from when they filed a complaint, Crump said. He added, however, that Richmond County sued in time to recoup all its money.

The chief budget writer for the House said legislators will discuss how much money to return and to whom when the General Assembly session starts Monday.

“I think what the General Assembly will do, we’re going to thoroughly review what our options are and what our requirements need to be and will work to make sure we are resolving the issue so that everybody can move forward and understand what the parameters will be,” said Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake. “Those specific decisions haven’t been made at this time.”

In 2011, legislators passed the Justice Reinvestment Act, which sent revenue from the improper equipment citation to the State Confinement Fund, which pays counties to house some misdemeanor offenders in their jails.

“We are mindful that the General Assembly has affixed the label ‘cost’ to this surcharge, suggesting that it is remedial,” the Appeals Court wrote in September. But the court said the charge is a fine, not a cost, because the money isn’t used to reimburse the state for expenses that develop from improper equipment violations and instead goes toward housing prisoners.

The case began when Crump represented a client in court on an improper equipment charge. Crump thought the money should go to the schools and not to the state fund. The Richmond County board then decided to sue.

The Richmond County board has emailed legislators, encouraging them to pay the money to the schools, Crump said this week. Earlier this month, the board also passed a resolution urging that the state pay.

Daily Journal file photo The N.C. Court of Appeals ruled last year that the Richmond County Board of Education should receive more than $272,000 in fines collected for improper equipment violations.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_citationcity2_cmyk.jpgDaily Journal file photo The N.C. Court of Appeals ruled last year that the Richmond County Board of Education should receive more than $272,000 in fines collected for improper equipment violations.

HAMLET — Richmond Community College’s Cole Auditorium has rescheduled Vince Gill’s concert planned for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

The country hit-maker was to perform his classic tunes at the Cole as a part of the annual DeWitt Performing Arts Series. His tour dates around the scheduled Richmond County date were changed to performances with the bluegrass group The Time Jumpers, which includes Vince Gill.

“We were, at that point, offered a show with The Time Jumpers. Gill is a multi-talented musician and has found much success with this bluegrass venture, but we felt that our audience would be much better satisfied with a performance of his country standards that made him such a huge star in the early 1990s and into the 2000s.” Cole Auditorium Director Joey Bennett said in a Wednesday statement.

“We elected to change the date of the concert rather than to change the concert that we had offered to our customer base.”

Ticket holders were notified by announcement at the April 2 DeWitt Series performance, by automated phone call and by postal mail, according to Cole staff.

“We have been addressing calls as they have been coming into the office and as they have been received in the community. Because we only have information that was provided by the person who purchased the ticket, we know that some people may just be finding out about this,” Bennett said. “For this, we apologize.”

Bennett said Richmond Community College staff have been working for several weeks now to confirm a new date for the concert that works for both parties.

“We are trying to secure a date with Gill’s agent that will work well for our community and not conflict with other community events,” he said. “We hope to have that date confirmed soon. At that point, we will contact the ticket purchasers again through multiple means to notify them.”

Ticket holders are encouraged to retain their tickets printed with the April 21 date, as Bennett said they will be honored for the rescheduled concert.

William DeShazer | Chicago Tribune/TNS Vince Gill performs at Eric Clapton’s Guitar Crossroads Festival in Chicago on June 26, 2010.

http://yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_fzdENTER_MUS-CROSSROADSFEST_1_TB.jpgWilliam DeShazer | Chicago Tribune/TNS Vince Gill performs at Eric Clapton’s Guitar Crossroads Festival in Chicago on June 26, 2010.