The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue — Edward R Murrow
A 3-year-old girl who was shot in the abdomen with a handgun Sunday night remains in critical condition at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville and was expected to undergo surgery today.
Lt. Bobby Martin of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said the case remains under investigation and the shooting remains listed as accidental.
It occurred in the Myrick Estates subdivision in the Littleton area. The child was struck once.
The man who bought the Peoples Theater in 2006 says he has not given up on renovating the venue.
Eric Bowman, a New Jersey attorney, said in a telephone interview with The Spin yesterday he plans to seek grant funding next year to fund restoration. He also plans to fix two other buildings he bought on Roanoke Avenue and use them as shell buildings, buildings designed to lure potential businesses into them.
Bowman, a real estate attorney who bought the theater when he was in Arizona, said problems with the Roanoke Rapids Theatre and the slow growth of Carolina Crossroads deterred immediate plans to restore the theater. “I sat back a little bit because of the recession and the economy,” he said. “I love this little old town.”
The building is in poor condition. At the time Bowman bought the the theater, there was a crew working to weatherproof the building. Repairs at the time were also done to fix holes in the roof that left the stage exposed. Water had to be pumped out of the flooded orchestra pit.
On a recent visit to Myrtle Beach he stopped to look at his property. He said he noticed how business in the shops off Premier Boulevard was brisk. Chick-fil-A was packed. He wants to see the same thing happen for the Avenue.
Bowman considered applying for a grant soon after he bought the building but learned another project was seeking funds so he backed off. That project, however, never received funds. With hopes the economy will turn in 2010, he plans to apply for Rural Center funds and other available grants which could help him renovate the theater.
He also owns the salon/radio station building and plans to put in what he calls a nice glass front for that to draw potential businesses to that area of the Avenue.
He still plans to restore the theater to bring in musical acts and show films. “I want to renovate that old building,” he said.
Now comes the waiting.
Today officials from the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance gave Liz Parham and Teresa Watts a tour of Roanoke Avenue and then had lunch with them.
Parham is director of Urban Development for the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Watts is the director of the North Carolina Main Street Program,
Together, they will make recommendations to Gov. Beverly Perdue which could ultimately land Roanoke Rapids in the Main Street program. Inclusion in the North Carolina Main Street Program could help improve the business district through local and business participation, volunteer efforts, grant and state funding.
The bus tour of the Avenue, led by businessman Phil Hux, took the state representatives and other officials sightseeing on the avenue. Hux showed them several historic buildings, including the train depot at the intersection of Julian R. Allsbrook Highway and the Avenue.
Hux told the state officials there is a movement to buy the depot where passenger trains once stopped “and work something out with the (Halifax County) arts council.”
He talked about the Rosemary mill, part of it being demolished. There is interest in finding someone who can do something with the plant, he said.
The tour also included peeks at some of the kit homes in the city along with a stop at the Roanoke Canal Trail and Museum.
The banquet room at david’s restaurant on the Avenue was nearly packed for lunch and a brief talk from Parham and Watts.
Parham explained the Main Street program deals with economic development with a historical perspective, focusing on culture, environment and heritage. “The human resources you bring to the table is exciting,” she said.
Kim Simpson, president of the alliance, said officials now know the city is competing with Garner, Kings Mountain, Davidson. and another city. “We’re the only one in the east,” she said. At least two of the cities will be selected.
Simpson said she didn’t know how being the only city in the east would bode for Roanoke Rapids. “When you look at the map, there’s a big hole in the east. They were impressed with the town and the involvement of a number of people.”
A final decision will be made by the middle of October.
A 3-year-old child is in critical condition after she was shot last night, according to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.
Few details are available right now. Maj. Bruce Temple called it a tragic event. He said it was reported as an accident. It occurred in the Myrick Estate subdivision in the Littleton area.
The Roanoke Rapids Police Department reported the following:
•On Friday at 8 a.m. a break-in was reported at First Pentecostal Holiness Church at 736 Vance St. Police Chief Jeff Hinton said entry was gained through the back door. It appeared some of the food at the church was eaten and offices were ransacked. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the police department at 252-533-2810 or Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.
•Kelvin Ivey, 41, of Washington Street, was arrested on Vine Street following a traffic stop around 9 p.m. Saturday. He was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after officers found 21.6 grams of marijuana packaged for individual sale, Hinton said. He was jailed on $5,000 bond.
A security guard watching over the former Rosemary mill was shot in the arm during a robbery attempt, Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Jeff Hinton said.
Around 11 p.m. Saturday, Michael Proctor was working when a person described as a black male on a bicycle approached him and demanded his wallet.
When the man showed him his security officer badge, the person on the bike pulled out a gun and shot Proctor, hitting him in left arm.
Proctor, who was treated and released from the hospital, walked to the intersection of Roanoke Avenue and 13th Street to use a cell phone.
A search of the area was done and the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the police department at 252-533-2810 or Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.
A woman who served time with three others for stabbing her grandparents in 1995 was charged early yesterday morning for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department said this morning.
Police Chief Jeff Hinton said Stephanie Childers was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, assaulting an EMS worker, assaulting a government official and damage to property. She was jailed under no bond under state domestic violence laws.
Michael Spruill, 33, of Pine Drive, reported he was stabbed in the right arm with a kitchen knife after he and Childers, 29, got in an argument.
Hinton said after Spruill was stabbed, Childers went walking and was apprehended by police. She assaulted an EMS worker and police officer at the scene, Hinton said.
Childers was a member of the Blackhearts, a loosely organized gang at Roanoke Rapids High School students known for wearing black when she and three other people stabbed and robbed her grandparents in 1995.
She was convicted in 1997 and was released in 2001.
Charles King’s family thinks he’s crazy. He doesn’t think so. He just loves Roanoke Avenue.
King, who lives in Midlothian, Va., owns five buildings on the Avenue, from Java Junction to the Halifax County Arts Council.
Today he spoke to members of the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance about his passion for the Avenue and his buildings.
“It’s been in my prayers Roanoke Rapids would see a new day, a revival in business,” King told the gathering at the Lloyd Andrews City Meeting Hall. “Lord, just let me see it happen before I die. I don’t think I’m ready to go yet. At one time I felt like I was crying in the wilderness.”
The buildings were the legacy of his grandfather, he said. “My grandfather was really a strong businessman. It seems like he was gifted with business skills.”
The Great Depression, however, affected his health and he eventually died, leaving the buildings to King’s father.
After carving his own life as a minister and raising a family, King became reacquainted with the buildings in the 80s. “I really was not involved with the property at all.”
As his father’s health failed in the 90s, it became his time to get deeply involved with the property. “If something broke, it was don’t repair it, fix it. In 20 years we’ve never had a leak.”
The only problem King ever encountered through his ownership was from naysayers in the city, he said. “Why are you putting awnings up?” He said people asked. “They said it wouldn’t help the buildings. Maybe not, but it helped me because I have pride in the buildings.”
He remains proud of his property, he told the audience. “That’s why I’m so hopeful this effort will succeed. Let’s do everything we can to make it successful.”
King would like to see the Avenue business district be like the one in the mountain town of Waynesville. “Even if a building is vacant,” he said, “You don’t know it’s vacant. There’s no parking on the street because they’re full. You have to use the lots in the back. It’s just unique.”
He likes the businesses he has in his buildings. “I have five of the best tenants in the city,” he said.
King gave the alliance a $1,000 check. “I did it because I want to do it.”
In other matters at the meeting today it was announced:
• The Design Shop will be holding a contest where it will design windows for the monthly winner. City hall will get the first window makeover.
• A new travel agency will be coming to the Avenue in November.
• The alliance received $1,296 from the city which was money left over from a previous business district association.
• There will be a festival Nov. 7 with a chili cook-off featuring recipes made by firefighters, EMS and police, band performances by groups currently competing in the Battle of the Bands every Friday at Java Junction and either a turkey trot of turkey walk race.
• The next roast is Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at david’s. The guest of honor is tentatively slated to be Gene Minton.
