The Roanoke Rapids Police Department reported the following:

1. •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.

2. •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.

Another man was arrested today in a Sunday pistol whipping, bringing the total to three, the Halifax County Sheriff’s said.

Detective Rich Somogyi said in a press release Brock Eugene Sampson, 29, of Roanoke Rapids, was arrested for first-degree burglary, assault inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felony conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

The sheriff’s office said yesterday it arrested a second person in the case and served more warrants to the man originally charged, Kendrell Robinson.

The case goes beyond the pistol whipping. It is also linked to an armed robbery of two citizens in the Littleton community and a stolen gun which was used in both crimes.

An officer from the Littleton Police Department was investigating the larceny of the firearm at the time of the investigation of the assault.

Officer Dwayne Daniels from the Roanoke Rapids Police Department located Robinson and turned him over to Cpl. Chris Scott of the sheriff’s office.

Somogyi charged Robinson, 21, of Roanoke Rapids, with assault inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, first-degree burglary, felon in possession of a firearm and felony conspiracy.

Littleton Police Chief Mike Suggs charged Robinson with felony conspiracy, robbery with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of communicating threats and larceny of a firearm.

Robinson was wanted in an assault on Justice Branch Road in Littleton where he and Sampson allegedly struck the victim several times with a handgun causing severe damage to the victim’s head and face. The beating was allegedly over something the victim did not want his assailants to touch, Somogyi told The Spin today.

Further investigation led Lt. Bobby Martin to serve outstanding warrants on Crashawn Montay Vincent for his involvement in the crime spree. 

Somogyi charged Vincent, 23, of Littleton, with first-degree burglary, felony conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and assault inflicting serious injury.

Suggs charged Vincent with felony conspiracy and two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Vincent was secured in the Halifax County Detention Center under a $10,000 secured bond.

Sampson was jailed on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 9. The investigation is continuing and additional arrests are expected.