The Halifax County Sheriff's Office is investigating the passing of counterfeit $20 and $10 bills at a local business.
Maj. Bruce Temple said in a press release the sheriff’s office is encouraging everyone to study any bills that may be passed and to call the office at 252-583-1991 if anything is suspicious.
Investigators have identified four series of serial numbers on the bills.
If anyone has information on the bills, they are encouraged to call Halifax County Crimestoppers 252-583-4444.
Three local business donated $500 each to the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance for its efforts to bring the Main Street Program to Roanoke Rapids.
Donations were made by Wilkie Real Estate, First Carolina Agency and the Renaissance salon, alliance President Kim Simpson said this afternoon.
The alliance is currently waiting word on whether Gov. Bev Perdue will OK the city’s application into the program. A decision is expected by the middle of October.
Roanoke Rapids police are looking for a Roanoke Rapids boy who allegedly shot a security guard Saturday night.
Deputy Chief Adam Bondarek said Andrew Bell, 17, is considered armed and dangerous and anyone who sees him should not confront him but call 911, the police department at 252-533-2810 or Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.
Bell is wanted in the non-fatal shooting of Michael Proctor, a security guard at the former Rosemary mill, who was working when the boy allegedly approached him on an orange bicycle and demanded his money or wallet around 11:30 Saturday night.
Proctor told Bell he had neither and identified himself as a security guard. Bell allegedly shot him in the arm with a small caliber revolver. The shooting occurred in the 13th Street area of the former mill site, Bondarek said.
Police got a break in the case yesterday when officers from A Squad and the detective division spotted Bell around noon on an orange bike, a gun noticeable in his waistband.
The officers attempted to stop him and Bell fled, allegedly stealing another bike to make his getaway. While Bell got away, Bondarek said officers were able to identify him and obtain warrants for his arrest on charges of attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, flee to elude arrest and larceny of a bicycle.
Police hope the public will provide assistance on the boy’s whereabouts.
Proctor, who was treated and released from the hospital, walked to the intersection of Roanoke Avenue and 13th Street to use a cell phone and call for help.
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.
