WIA Youth Job Club participated in a hands on Job Shadow experience with 4-H NC Cooperative Extension, youth learned what skills it takes to become an engineer by building wind turbines. WIA youth studied and tested at Goodwill Connections, and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Extension (Cloverleaf Plaza) to obtain their Career Readiness Certificate (CRC). Twelve WIA youth have completed training courses with KHR Executives (located in Wake County, North Carolina) our youth are now Six Sigma Yellow Belt, OSHA General Industry Compliance, Customer Service Excellence certified. Along with those certifications our youth also received negotiation and interviewing skills, career assessments and coaching to prepare for jobs in the changing economy. WIA youth have also attended Job Club workshops on how to prepare themselves for renewable energy jobs, enlightening our youth of the major shift to renewable energy and energy efficiency that is expected to produce at 4.2 million new jobs over the next three decades. Along with preparing for post-secondary education and the workforce, WIA youth attend sessions with the Barksdale Foundation which help build our GED students self-worth and self-regard. We believe these lessons in Cabarrus/ Rowan counties have had a lasting impact on student morale and motivation. “When young people feel that they own their lives they are more likely to take control.”- Thomas Barksdale.

Kelli Sheehan a WIA GED graduate shared her success story at the 47th Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency Annual Board meeting . Sheehan spoke of her trials and tribulations with overcoming her fears of success while obtaining her GED and working as a American Recovery and Reinvestment Act participant in the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) program. During her tenure as a ARRA participant she held a position as a Nutrition Assistant with Head Start while attending Rowan Cabarrus Community College pursuing early childhood and now her current position as an Assistant Teacher at the Headstart Livingstone Center. Kelli Sheehan is one of our many success stories and a product of the Workforce Investment Act youth program, her successful path is an example of community partnerships and federal monies being put to use so that many can have a slice of their “American Pie.” Enhancing our participants lives and promoting the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency is our mission at the Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc., we Help People and Change Lives.

The WIA Youth Program is funded by the Centralina Workforce Development Board. Joann Diggs, WIA Director, Almond Miller, WIA Business Liaison, Lucy Ancheta, WIA Validation Specialist, Shenita Russell, Rowan YD Specialist, Melissa Robinson, Cabarrus YD Specialist & GED Instructor and Stan Wilson, Executive Director of the Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc. for program information contact Joann Diggs at 704-216-2189.

scampbell@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Walking into a school in Australia is a different experience than walking into a school here.

Students there are dressed in identical uniforms, there is no cafeteria where lunch is served up on a tray and the schools are made up of individual buildings rather than one large facility.

Those are all observations made by student teachers from Australia who are attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for three weeks this semester.

The group of 17 students visited classrooms at Woodrow Wilson Elementary on Wednesday, answering questions and chatting with the children.

The elementary students enjoyed some laughs when the Australians explained that in their country a sweater is called a jumper, a trash can is a rubbish bin, cookies are biscuits and fries are chips.

They learned the last one the hard way, after a trip to McDonald’s where they ordered chips and were told fries were the closest things to chips. They explained that they wanted chips, not fries, until they realized they were the same thing.

Another thing the Australians are getting used to is large stores where you can buy everything from groceries to clothing.

“Walmart is crazy,” Emily Herbet said.

But Louise Kimpton said it’s crazy in a good way.

“We love Walmart, we’ve been there every day,” she said. “In Australia, we would have to go to at least three different stores to buy everything you can get at Walmart.”

Students also asked about animals that are native to Australia.

Naturally, the student teachers listed off kangaroos, koala bears and wombats.

“One time a kangaroo hopped into my house,” Kimpton told the students.

Kimpton said the kangaroo was friendly, but she was still scared of the animal that was more than six feet tall. She suspects he came in because she would often feed him.

“I put some bread by the door and went upstairs because I didn’t know what to do,” she said.

The Australians explained that their currency is made up of colorful bills and the seven-pointed stars on the country’s flag represent each state.

Then, they talked about the schools.

“Our school year starts in January and goes through December,” Kimpton said.

Simone Cocks said the schools in Australia don’t have a cafeteria stocked with a different menu each day. Instead, they have a canteen, where students can purchase individual items.

“Students can bring a brown paper bag to school, put money inside it and write their order on it and it will be delivered to them at lunchtime,” Kimpton said. “But most of them just bring their own lunch.”

Kimpton said the uniform policy in Australian schools is much more stringent than it is here.

Students at Woodrow Wilson have the option to wear a variety of different colored shirts paired with khaki bottoms, but there everyone is dressed exactly the same.

“That’s the absolute first thing that I noticed,” she said.

Tyla Cuthbertson talked about how the schools are set up differently, with an oval playground in the middle with buildings for each grade surrounding it.

“You don’t just walk inside a big building,” she said.

The schools are also divided up differently. Primary schools serve kindergarten through sixth grade and high schools teach seventh through 12th grades.

Kimpton said one of the major differences that she noticed was the power structure within the school systems.

“We don’t have superintendents in Australia,” she said. “Decisions are very school based, the principals make them, whereas here it seems like everything has to be run by the superintendent.”

But the student teachers did notice some similarities.

Cocks said the interaction between students and teachers is the same.

“There’s a very warm, family feel here,” she said. “It’s a close-knit group.”

Kimpton said although some of the practices are different, the goal is still the same.

“You can tell the teachers are passionate about making sure the kids get a good education,” she said.

Jessica Grant, the curriculum coordinator at Woodrow Wilson, said this is the second year the student teachers have visited the school.

“It’s a good way to learn about Australia and the culture,” she said. “And the kids are just fascinated by their accents.”

The Australians arrived Sunday and will attend classes and visit schools in Charlotte-Mecklenberg, Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City school systems.

Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.

Twitter: twitter.com/posteducation

Facebook: facebook.com/Sarah.SalisburyPost

Dean’s list, honor roll from Brevard College

The following students have been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester of the 2011-2012 academic year at Brevard College:

Christine Moran of Kannapolis; Jazzmin Brown, Katelynne Poole, Amanda Possidente, all of Salisbury.

To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must be enrolled full-time and earned a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the semester.

The following students have been named to the honor roll for the fall semester:

Joseph Spillman of Mocksville; Lindsay Pritchard and Jacob White of Lexington; Darius Moose of Concord; Dalton Johnson of Kannapolis; Alexander Litaker of Salisbury.

To be eligible for the honor roll, students must be enrolled full-time and earn a grade point average of 3.0 to 3.49 during the semester.

Dean’s list student

Debra Smith, Mooresville, a senior majoring in justice studies, has been named to Fort Hays State University’s dean’s honor roll for the fall 2011 semester.

Dean’s list

Zachary M. Glass of Salisbury has made the dean’s list at Francis Marion University, Florence, S.C.

Enochville Wise Owls

Enochville Elementary School recently selected Wise Owls for December 2011. The following students have consistently exhibited good citizenship, good manners and exceptional behavior:

Kindergarten — Boston Heller, Kiona Craddock, Marley Lear, Kaleb Daywalt, Dalton Young, Bailey Bost, Zachary Howard, Anna Melton.

First — Kaitlyn Campbell, Hailey Hunt, Natalie Lopez, Christopher Morales, William Pillsbury, Karen Betancourt.

Second — Tanner Scercy, Maleya Richardson, Lily Ingle, Timmy Morton, Kyrsten Lambert, Ashton Musselwhite.

Third — Cassidy Coggins, Tristen McGee, Sophia Finger, Harrison Shepherd, Jonas Greene, Luke Lazenby.

Fourth — Keylon Sheelor, Kayla Christy, Kelly Hernandez, Christopher Locklear, Jordan Childers, Savannah Varner.

Fifth — Caroline Barbee, Gavin Dishman, Dylan Milam, Morgan Box, Brylan Barrier, Abbey Zentmeyer.

Isenberg Elementary Great Gators

The following Isenberg Elementary School students were recently recognized as December Great Gators for displaying compassion:

Pre-K: Jackson Jones.

Kindergarten: TaMya Boyd, Marquies Hemphill, Marquise Howell, Dy’Mond Kelly, Janasia McCorkle, Carlos Pacheco, Jayla Robertson and Samantha Salas.

First grade: Emoriah Feamster, Ziion Gaskin, Ashley Guerrero-Ochoa, Angie Landaverde-Arevalo, Maxwell Meaway, De’Andre Scott and Ruthie Worthington.

Second grade: Christina Brown, Zander Burton, Alex Cruz, Jada Gonzalez, Leysi Gonzalez, Alexia Hernandez, Devonte Lyerly and Carolina Sanchez.

Third grade: Amanda Beltran, Taliyah Gibson, Jalera Hoskins, Isaiah Rogers, Keshawn Stoner and Alisha Zaidi.

Fourth grade: Kameon Alford, Slaven Brborovic, Edwin Fuentes Berrios, Katlyn Melton, Keith Shaw and Steven Walton.

Fifth grade: Ashanti Drummond, Brandon Landaverde, Brianna Moore, Deja Phillippe, Takiya Robbins and Bryanna Troutman.

Lakey receives medal

Cadet Lt. Col. Samuel Lakey of the East Rowan JROTC Fighting Mustang Battalion received special honors when he was awarded one of JROTC’s highest recognitions, the Legion of Valor’s Bronze Cross of Achievement.

Awarded annually, the recipient of this medal must exemplify and uphold each ideal of JROTC, as well as be an exceptional leader and an active member of the community.

Being an achievement on the national level, the award is only given to a select few. The average is around 1 in 4,000 applicants.

The actual award was given by Three-War Veteran Col. John Gray, retired, during a pass and review in November.

Earlier that same day, Lakey, as the Battalion Commander, led 102 cadets through their Formal Inspection, which takes place once every three years and judges whether the JROTC Unit is up to par with Brigade Regulations. The fighting Mustang Battalion passed with flying colors and a score of 98.3 percent.

Within the JROTC unit, Lakey has held previous positions of Rifle Team Commander and S-4 (Supply Officer), is a level two rappel master and certified COPE Instructor, and a holder of the battalion’s most coveted Ranger beret.

He is a member of the National Honor Society and is in the top 5 percent of his class.

Lakey is an Eagle Scout, a current Assistant Scout Master at Troop 333, an active member of his church youth group and a representative on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council of Rowan County.

He plans to attend Appalachian State University in the fall to major in psychology.

Clemson graduate

Nicholas A. Myers, a resident of Cleveland, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of landscape architecture degree from Clemson University, Dec. 22, 2011.

Pierce to receive award

SALISBURY — Theresa Pierce, Rowan-Salisbury School System’s Teacher of the Year, has been selected to receive the Robertson Family Foundation Global Teacher Award through the University of North Carolina’s Center for International Understanding.

The grant award is underwritten by the Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation, Inc.

This award will allow Pierce to participate in the 2012 Destination Denmark Global Study program for educators, which provides a full subsidy for participation in a program to Denmark in June.

“I couldn’t be happier and more proud of Theresa in receiving this honor,” said Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom. “Our students benefit from Theresa’s love of history and the creative way she invites students into learning about our history.

“I am very pleased that Theresa has been chosen to receive this award and very excited for our students that benefit from her continued growth as a teacher.”

Pierce is recognized throughout the school district for her love of history and for her creative “out of the box” teaching methods.

She acknowledges her belief in teaching to various learning styles.

“Focusing on the learner when I teach makes it meaningful to them,” Pierce said. “It will lead them to a better appreciation for the past.”

In addition to being the district’s Teacher of the Year, Pierce is the curriculum coach at Overton Elementary School. Pierce has worked for the Rowan-Salisbury Schools since 1997

Pierce achieved the honor of becoming a National Board Certified teacher in 2005 and was named the 2009 North Carolina Gilder Lehrman Preserve American History Teacher of the Year.

“As Teacher of the Year for our district, and with Theresa’s love of history and world cultures, I know she will gather and return with incredible insights as well as share our unique NC attributes with those whom she meets as well,” said Dr. Rebecca Smith, assistant superintendent for curriculum. “I can think of no better steward and ambassador for this honor and task.”

Pierce admits that the best awards she could ever receive come from watching her students grow and develop an understanding and appreciation of history.

She smiles warmly and her eyes sparkle when she quotes one of her students as saying to her, “I did not like history, but you showed me history is important in my life.”

Randolph Community College honors lists

ASHEBORO — Randolph Community College announces the dean’s list and honor list for the 2011 fall semester.

To be eligible, a student must complete at least 12 credit hours for the semester, excluding Developmental Studies hours and proficiency hours with no incompletes, and earn a grade point average of 3.5-3.99 for the dean’s list, or 3-3.49 for the honor list. Students who complete at least six but less than 12 credit hours for the semester and earn a grade point average of 3.0-4.0, excluding Developmental Studies hours and proficiency hours with no incompletes, are eligible for the Honor List.

Dean’s list

Lexington: Susan L. Gallimore, Connie M. Leonard, Lindsay C. Thore.

Linwood: Karalyn D. Hunt.

Honor list

Lexington: Matthew R. Chappell, Aleta J. Kidd, Cynthia J. Kujan, Stasha M. Moore, James A. Smith, Kimberly R. Tussey.

Rockwell: Emma J. Kepley.

Salisbury: Sarah Johnson.

Sacred Heartstudent wins essay competition

Cecilia Cardelle, a seventh-grader at Sacred Heart Catholic School, won the statewide essay competition sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The competition was called Patriot’s Pen, and the subject was “Why I am Proud To Be An American.”

Cecilia’s essay discussed the way the United States allowed her grandparents to be exiled from communist Cuba 50 years ago, and the fact that the nation is like a quilt made up of people from all different cultures and nationalities.

She first won the local and the district competition for the VFW. The essay was then judged in Raleigh at the state level and earned first place.

Cecilia, 12, will be honored at the Voice of Democracy/ Patriot Pen Banquet in Raleigh on Feb. 3, where she will read her essay and receive a $1,000 savings bond. Her essay will now advance to the national competition.

Brown wins Sacred Heart geographic bee

Eighth-grader Walker Brown recently claimed the top spot as the winner of the Sacred Heart Catholic School National Geographic Bee.

Ten school finalists from Sacred Heart competed in the geographic Bee last month.

The individual classroom Geography Bees were held at the end of November in order to determine finalists.

The 10 winners were Sean Archer, Carolyn Conway, Lauren Denhardt, Kayla Blaisure, Johnson Huynh, Julia Honeycutt, Ceci Cardelle, Walker Brown, Mikayla Dillon and William Clark.

Competitors faced off for six rounds, followed by the championship round.

Third place went to Mikayla Dillon, followed by Johnson Huynh in second place.

Scholarshipestablished

Alumni of West Rowan High School and North Carolina State University have established the West Rowan Science and Agriculture Scholarship Fund.

The fund will provide financial aid for students from West Rowan who attend N.C. State and major in a science or agriculture field.

The scholarships will be awarded through the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at N.C. State and will provide assistance to students with documented financial need. Scholarships will be awarded for one year, but may be renewed provided the student maintains a 2.5 GPA and is making satisfactory progress toward earning their baccalaureate degree.

To receive a scholarship, the student needs to be enrolled in the physical or life sciences, agriculture or engineering fields.

Students interested in applying for a scholarship should contact Allison Doby in the guidance department at West Rowan at 704-278-9233 ext. 127.

Monroe earnsNational BoardCertification

Melody Turner Monroe recently received National Board Certification in the area of Early and Middle School Music. On Jan. 26, she and 66 other teachers will be recognized during a penning ceremony by the Montgomery County Superintendent, Dr. Joshua Starr.

A 1995 honor graduate of Salisbury High School and a N.C. Teaching Fellow, Monroe received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education with a minor in Business from Appalachian State University, Boone, in 1999. In December 2007, she received a Master degree in Arts Management from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Currently a music teacher in Montgomery County Schools, Maryland, she also has worked with the Arts Council in event planning. She is presently composing children’s music and working on a TV pilot for children’s programming.

She lives in Germantown, Md., with her husband, Kevin Sr., and their two sons. Her parents are Rev. and Mrs. William D. Turner of Salisbury.

Delhaize America will convert 64 Bloom and Bottom Dollar Food stores in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia to Food Lion stores.

Seven underperforming Bloom stores and six underperforming Bottom Dollar Food stores in overlapping Food Lion markets will be closed.

The Mooresville Bottom Dollar at 235 East Plaza Drive will be closed. It is the only store in the area affected by the changes.

A distribution center in Clinton, Tenn., will be closed, but the company will maintain a transportation facility there. After the closing, Delhaize America will have 11 distribution centers across its network.

All the Food Lion stores in Florida will be closed.

The company plans to accelerate the rollout of the Food Lion brand in an additional 600 to 700 stores.

“Today’s actions will continue to solidify our U.S. operations and enable our company to focus on our successful brand strategy repositioning at Food Lion and the expansion of Bottom Dollar Food in new markets,” said Ron Hodge, CEO of Delhaize America in a news release. “While these were difficult decisions given the impact on our associates, customers and communities, we believe these actions will enable us to better serve our customers in our markets with high density, while positioning the company for future growth.”

All affected stores will close within 30 days.

The company will provide severance to eligible associates. Most associates working at converted stores will continue to work at these locations.

While Delhaize America will no longer operate the Food Lion banner in Florida, it will continue its Sweetbay and Harveys banners in the state.

The company is increasing its density of Food Lion stores in other states by converting Bloom and Bottom Dollar Food stores to Food Lion, specifically in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. After these actions are complete, Food Lion will operate in 10 states and have 1,127 stores.

“Food Lion is focused on repositioning our business for future growth,” said Cathy Green Burns, president of Food Lion. “By closing underperforming stores, we will continue to position Food Lion for success, especially in light of our brand strategy results.”

Delhaize America is converting 22 Bottom Dollar Food stores in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia to Food Lion stores, and closing six underperforming stores in North Carolina and Virginia to focus on markets that provide the greatest opportunity for growth for the banner, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio. The Bottom Dollar Food stores being closed or converted are the banner’s larger format stores. Bottom Dollar Food will now operate its business with smaller format stores of about 18,000 square feet, which have proved to be more successful formats for the banner.

Bottom Dollar Food will open 14 stores in Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, by the end of the first quarter, and expects to open another 10 to 15 stores by year-end in its new markets.

“Bottom Dollar Food is a strong, emerging banner that is continuing to grow and be successful in our new markets,” said Meg Ham, president of Bottom Dollar Food. “Customers have been very receptive to our discount-grocer model, which includes a smaller format, the most popular national brands, a wide selection of private brand products, and fresh produce and quality meats at unbelievably low prices. We look forward to continuing to grow and win in our new markets.”

After the moves, Bottom Dollar Food will have 43 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio.

The 42 Bloom stores in Virginia and Maryland will become Food Lion stores. Seven underperforming Bloom stores will close.

Delhaize America has more than 1,600 stores in 16 states under the banners Bottom Dollar Food, Food Lion, Harveys, Hannaford Supermarkets, Reid’s and Sweetbay.

Delhaize America employs approximately 107,000 full-time and part-time workers.

Meteorologist Doug Outlaw of the weather service office in Greer, S.C., said the storm first struck in Ellenboro in eastern Rutherford County. He said emergency personnel had to airlift three people from the area for medical treatment.

Outlaw said the storm then went into eastern Burke County, where a mobile home park was “nearly wiped out.” There were multiple injuries and damage to other homes, including one family being trapped in a basement when the storm toppled the house on top of them, he said.

Lisa Propst, of Burke County Emergency Services told The Charlotte Observer that eastern and southeast parts of her county “have received devastating effects from tornado-like conditions.”

“Several homes have sustained heavy damage, and power lines and utility poles are downed throughout the area,” said Propst.

By Scott Jenkins

sjenkins@salisburypost.com

CLEVELAND — The company that owns Freightliner is planning to announce the return of a full second shift at its truck building plant here, according to a letter sent out to union members.

Daimler Trucks North America said Wednesday it plans a “major announcement” at the plant this morning. Roger Nielsen, chief operating officer of Daimler Trucks North America, will be joined by Gov. Beverly Perdue and other officials.

The advisory gave no details about the announcement.

Town officials in Cleveland said they received invitations to the event, but have not been told what will be announced. Commissioner Mary Frank Fleming-Adkins said she’s heard it’s about jobs.

“It’s only going to be a good thing, from what I understand,” she said.

According to a letter to union members signed by United Auto Workers Local 3520 President Corey Hill, the company plans to “start ramping up production to a full second shift” at the Cleveland plant by mid-February.

The company then plans to increase production to 150 trucks a day by the fourth quarter of this year, the letter said. If that projection becomes reality, “we will exhaust our current recall list,” bringing laid-off employees back to work, the letter said.

Emanuel Parker, who was laid off from Freightliner three years ago this month, said he’s “hoping and praying” that’s the case.

Since being laid off, Parker said, he’s looked for work all over the region.

“I’ve looked here, Charlotte, Lexington, Albemarle Concord, you name it,” he said. “I’ve been everywhere.”

Many times, he said, employers who had jobs didn’t want to hire him because they were afraid that after they’d trained him, he’d be called back to Freightliner.

After his unemployment benefits expired last year, Parker withdrew money from his retirement account, bought a foreclosed house outright and paid up the taxes and insurance for a year. He’s been living as frugally as possible and doing what he could to make extra money, but he’s close to exhausting his savings.

So when he heard Freightliner was about to recall laid-off workers, Parker called a friend who told him 100 recall letters had been mailed and 100 more were expected to go out within a couple of weeks. He called the personnel department at the plant and was told he was No. 240 on the recall list, which goes by seniority.

“They didn’t say how many they were going to call back,” he said. “They’re going to open up a second shift, so they’re going to need more than 240 people to run that shift, I know that.”

The 48-year-old hopes that means that by February, he’ll be back to building trucks.

“I’m ready to go back to work,” he said.

Robert Van Geons, executive director of RowanWorks Economic Development, said his agency and the N.C. Department of Commerce have been working with Daimler. He declined to divulge details of the announcement, however.

“Let’s just say, from what I’ve heard, it would be a very positive thing for our community,” he said.

A Daimler spokeswoman did not return a telephone call or email from the Post.

Layoffs in 2007 and 2008 decimated the workforce at Cleveland’s Freightliner plant, which once employed 4,000 people and manufactured 220 trucks per day.

Employment fell to 695 workers, and production bottomed out at 32 trucks per day. Rowan County and the town of Cleveland gave Freightliner economic incentives in 2009 to protect the remaining jobs and begin production of military vehicles.

When Nielsen came to Cleveland in April 2011 to promote a solar farm installed at the plant by Duke Energy, employment had gone back up to about 1,100.

Nielsen announced then that the company would be recalling an additional 225 workers previously laid off at the plant and might restore a second shift there if market conditions continued to improve.

“There is a strong customer need for trucks,” Nielsen said in April.

Hill, president of UAW Local 3520, said the company had been ramping up production and recalling workers throughout 2011. Employment at the plant is up to about 1,500 now, he said.

“We’ve been gradually growing throughout the whole year,” he said Wednesday. “Not anything major, but it’s been steady; our orders and production have steadily gone up.”

In the letter to UAW members, Hill credited the union’s “Buy American Campaign” with helping to increase orders from Freightliner. By November, the union had contacted nearly 1,500 trucking companies and urged them to buy American-made trucks.

Hill said he sees “pretty good growth for 2012” and while he declined Wednesday to discuss the planned announcement, he said it’s “going to be good news.”

The company has been adding jobs elsewhere as well.

In June, the company added nearly 700 manufacturing jobs at its Mount Holly and Gastonia plants. That included a second shift in Mount Holly and meant the company had recalled most of the laid-off workers at those plants, the Gaston Gazette reported.

Fleming-Adkins said if the company adds the hundreds of jobs a second shift could require in Cleveland, that’s good news not just for the town or Rowan County, but for the region. And she said it’s especially good news for the laid-off workers waiting to reclaim their livelihoods.

“If that’s the situation, that’s 500 house payments. That’s 500 people going to the grocery store and feeling good about buying groceries. That’s 500 people buying insurance,” she said. “That’s going to affect everything.”

The announcement in Cleveland is scheduled for 9:30 this morning.

Freightliner Trucks is the largest division of Daimler Trucks North America, which is headquartered in Portland, Ore.

For the Salisbury Post

Finding creative ways to pay for college is one of the biggest hurdles students face these days as they seek a higher education. To that end, a group of Salisbury students are working on bowling their way to college.

There are 70 Rowan County youth between the ages of seven and 17 participating in the Scholarship League at Woodleaf Lanes.

Each of them has a portion of league fees deposited into a college savings account every time they bowl.

The Scholarship League is part of the United States Bowling Congress’ Smart Program, which offers more than $6 million in scholarships each year through various bowling associations, councils, select tournaments and even private businesses.

Brittany Milby, 17, a senior at Salisbury High School, and Stephanie Sigmon, 17, a junior at West Rowan High School, are both veterans of the Scholarship League and are part of a handful of local teenagers that are good enough to bowl in college.

Currently four colleges in North Carolina offer bowling scholarships, including North Carolina A&T University, North Carolina Central University, Fayetteville State University and Winston-Salem State University. There are dozens of colleges throughout the country that offer scholarships as well.

Milby, who maintains a 180 bowling average as well as a 3.3 grade point average, wants to become a radiologist. She knows bowling can help her get there.

“Bowling has helped me out a lot,” said Milby, who is in her fifth year of competitive bowling. “I enjoy the competitiveness of it.

“It’s a physical activity, but the mental aspect of the sport is a lot more important than people think.”

Milby and Brooke Baucom, 17, of East Rowan High School, are actively being recruited by college scouts. But several other bowlers, including Sigmon and Salisbury High School freshman Jay Hargrove, who carries a 234 average, have the skills necessary to compete at the next level.

For Sigmon, bowling has always been a family activity. Her parents met through bowling. Now she has a chance to take the family hobby and use it to get a college degree. She carries a 190 average and a 3.9 GPA. She’s definitely good enough to get the attention of college scouts. Regardless, bowling is an activity that helps her deal with the stresses of everyday life.

“Bowling is kind of calming,” said Sigmon, who has been bowling for approximately seven years. “If I’m in a bad mood, I can go to the bowling alley and just blow off steam.”

Susan Milby, Brittany’s mother and a volunteer coach for the program, said there is a great deal of money available for scholarships, especially for female bowlers.

The Scholarship League is administered by Vivian Hoffman, the youth director at Woodleaf Lanes.

The League has two 15-week sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring.

Salisbury/Rowan Senior Games and SilverArts is one of the 53 sanctioned programs of North Carolina Senior Games, Inc. They are pleased to announce their staff and sponsors for the upcoming 2012 Salisbury / Rowan Senior Games & SilverArts.

Phyllis Loflin-Kluttz Senior Games Coordinator, SilverArts Coordinator and Senior Games Event Director, Renita Ritchie Event Manager, Angela D. Lee Event Manager.

Don Anderson, Ron Boyer, C. William French, Joanne French, Betty Goodwin, Robert Goodwin, George W. Kluttz, Jim Morgan, Kerry Morgan, Harry Morgan, Kay Morgan, are the 2012 North Carolina State Senior Games Ambassador for Rowan County.

Loflin-Kluttz, Ritchie and Lee are all employed by Rowan County Parks & Recreation, TR-Division.

North Carolina Senior Games, Inc. is the largest Senior Olympic program in the nation. This year it will serve over 60,000 participants in all 100 counties in our state. Salisbury / Rowan Senior Games are one of the 53 local games across our state.

The Salisbury/Rowan SilverArts will be held March 7-9 at the Salisbury Civic Center. Salisbury/Rowan Senior Games are scheduled April 16 – May 10 throughout Rowan County. The Golf Tournament will be held May 1 at the Warrior Golf Club. Games & Arts entry forms are available on line at www.rowanseniorgames.org or you can pick one up at; Salisbury YMCA – Rufty Holmes Senior Center or Salisbury Civic Center. For information about our team sports, Softball and Basketball contact Phyllis Loflin-Kluttz.

Primary Sponsor for Salisbury Rowan Senior Games & SilverArts is Rowan Regional Medical Center. Gold Level Sponsors for the 2010 season are Comfort Keepers – Salisbury Center Genesis HealthCare – Humana MarketPoint – Oak Park Retirement – Trinity Oaks Retirement Community; Sponsorship means increased resources to further develop the Salisbury / Rowan Senior Games & SilverArt programs which consist of sports, arts and health promotion programs for adults 55 years of age and better. All of our 2012 sponsors say they are proud to be involved with Salisbury / Rowan Senior Games & SilverArts. They are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people and see this as an opportunity to educate and encourage healthier lifestyles for everyone, said Loflin-Kluttz. Senior Games is sponsored statewide by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adults Services.

Volunteers from all areas of the community are welcome. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the Senior Games or SilverArts as a participant sponsor or volunteer please contact: Phyllis Loflin-Kluttz at 704-216-7780.

Animal controlofficers attendtraining conference

SALISBURY — Rowan County Animal Control Officers Clai Martin, Ann Frye, Jim Rich and Maria Pannell recently attended the North Carolina Animal/Rabies Control Association’s 36th Annual Training Conference in Wrightsville Beach.

They attended such classes as shelter disease management, animal handling, animal hoarders, compassion fatigue, urban wildlife management, public relations for animal control and an update on rabies in North Carolina.

During the three-day conference, Martin was reappointed to continue serving on the association’s board of directors. He is in his 15th year of serving on the board, which is the longest running tenure of any member.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s Karen Lynden was named a winner of a Blackboard Catalyst Award for Exemplary Course Program, which honors members of the community who design and develop exciting and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and learning.

Part of the annual Blackboard Catalyst Awards program since 2000, the Blackboard Exemplary Course Program Award highlights technologically rich, engaging, well designed and pedagogically sound courses that showcase best practices for the user community. More than 100 entries were evaluated in a rigorous peer-review process by more than 200 faculty and instructional designers. Submissions were judged on the following components: course design, interaction, collaboration, assessment and learner support.

The Blackboard Catalyst Awards program annually recognizes and honors innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where teachers and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology.

“Having my course selected as an Exemplary Course is a true honor. Having my work evaluated by colleagues from around the world and the Exemplary Course Program director team has been an outstanding experience,” said Lynden, business administration instructor at Rowan-Cabarrus. “The feedback helps me continuously develop my online teaching strategies.”

“The Blackboard Catalyst Award winners truly represent the best in innovative thinking and best practices in education,” said Ray Henderson, president of Blackboard Learn. “Their work sets a great example for the millions of educators and students using our teaching and learning solutions every day as part of the global community of practice. We’re pleased to recognize their contributions and celebrate their accomplishments.”

Lynden was honored alongside 26 other Exemplary Course Program winners during BbWorld, Blackboard’s annual user conference in July in Las Vegas, Nev.

“The design of the selected course was built on the foundation of a prototype instructional design template that was in process for our college’s Internet and Hybrid offerings,” said Lynden. “Receiving this recognition validates that our overall institution’s online course templates have a solid foundation.”

Blackboard is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard’s solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online.

“Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is committed to excellence for our teachers and our students,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of the college. “We are extremely proud of Karen and her fabulous work as an instructor.”

For a complete list of Blackboard Catalyst Award winners please visit: http://blackboard.com/catalyst.

ecook@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — The giraffe whose overgrown hooves prompted accusations of animal cruelty is now walking around Lazy 5 Ranch on trimmed hooves.

Lazy 5 owner Henry Hampton said today that a team of people trimmed the giraffe’s hooves Tuesday without a hitch.

“It took us maybe 12 to 13 minutes for the whole procedure, all four feet,” Hampton said today.

The team included three veterinarians, four people in the business of trimming cows’ hooves and several members of the Lazy 5 staff.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a private warrant last month accusing Hampton of cruelty for allowing the young giraffe with what PETA called “severely overgrown hooves” to remain in that condition for months. PETA said the animal was in pain.

Hampton, who said the animal was not in pain, had said he preferred to allow giraffes’ hooves to wear down gradually as they walked on rocks. Anesthetizing and laying down a giraffe to have its hooves trimmed was too risky, he said.

To avoid that, Hampton had a padded, 19-foot-tall chute made in which the giraffe could stand while its hooves were trimmed, and it was used successfully on Tuesday.

“It was almost spooky how smooth and quiet it went,” Hampton said.

Look for more on this story in Friday’s Post.

Financial aid nightat RCCC

A district-wide financial aid night will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan.25 at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s North Campus in Salisbury in the Building 600 teaching auditorium.

It will be a great opportunity for high school seniors and their parents to learn more about financial aid for college.

Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, and College Foundation of North Carolina are presenting this free event.

Find out more information by contacting your student’s guidance office.

Cannon School will offer summer camps

CONCORD – Camp Cannon offers children ages 3 to 17 opportunities to connect with their peers during a variety of summer camp sessions focused on the arts, science, college prep and sports.

Camp Cannon runs for seven weeks, June 11 through Aug. 3, with the exception of the week of July 4.

The three-hour camp sessions are offered in the morning from 9 a.m. until noon, or in the afternoon from 1-4 p.m. There are a few full-day sessions available as well as before- and after-camp care.

Camp Cannon partners with three science providers, Discovery Place, Mad Science and Sciensational Workshops for Kids Inc., to provide science-based workshops that are both fun and educational. Arts camps and workshops will be offered by Cannon faculty as well as specialized outside providers. College prep courses include ACT, SAT and college essay writing workshops. Sports camps are led by coaches and vary from basic skills to advanced training.

For more detailed information on Camp Cannon, visit www.cannonschool.org/ campcannon.

New session ofliteracy tutor training

The Rowan County Literacy Council will hold a four-session tutor training workshop starting on Monday, Jan. 23, in the Stanback Room of the Rowan Public Library.

The first session is 7 until 9 p.m. and will cover the literacy program and the role of volunteer tutors in helping adults to read or learn English as a second language. At the end of this orientation, participants will have the opportunity to sign up for the next three sessions to be held on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and Feb. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The registration fee for these three sessions is $25 to cover the cost of materials.

In order to be certified as a tutor, participants must attend all four sessions.

Reservations for the Jan. 23 orientation may be made by calling the literacy office at 704-216-8266 or by emailing rclc@rowancountync.gov. Please make your reservation by Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Adults, 16 years and older, who need help with reading or learning English should also call the literacy office for information on our program.

Rowan County Literacy Council is a volunteer organization and a United Way Agency. Visit the literacy website at www.rowancountyliteracycouncil.org

North Hillsopen house

North Hills Christian School will hold a special Open House Coffee & Shadow Day event at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22.

The general public and students are invited to attend the event and learn more about the school.

Visitors will have an opportunity to meet the faculty, staff, take a tour, observe classes, and shadow a current North Hills student to experience a typical day at the school.

Visitors who would like to shadow a student need to contact the school to make arrangements in advance by Feb. 17.

North Hills is accepting applications for enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year.

New families that apply prior to Tuesday are eligible for Priority Enrollment which will be offered to new families during a limited time period January 20-25.

During this time new families may enroll for available openings after the school’s current families have re-enrolled. Limited space in some classes are expected and the school urges new families to apply early.

A new tiered-learning program will be offered next year for students enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Students will be divided into nine sections for reading and math emphasis based on ability.

A dedicated honors track is offered for all students in sixth through 12th grades.

The school offers a fully-staffed special needs program and will offer enhancements to its program next year.

North Hills Christian School is a co-educational, non-denominational, evangelical dayschool serving approximately 350 students in preschool through high school.

The school is accredited by the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools and the Association of Christian Schools International.

For more information visit the school’s website at www.northhillschristian.com, contact Nikki Eagle, director of recruitment at neagle@ northhillschristian.com, or call 704-636-3005 ext. 109.

Salisbury Academy drop-in

Salisbury Academy is part of a growing network of public, charter and private schools that use the Core Knowledge Sequence and are finding success as measured both by standardized tests and by the students’ enjoyment of learning, the school reports in a press release.

The Core Knowledge network also includes preschools that have a similar program devoted to physical, linguistic, social and emotional development. The school is having drop-in days Jan. 17-20.

Core Knowledge is based on some of the ideas presented by E.D. Hirsch Jr. in his books, “Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know” and “The Schools We Need and Why We Don’t Have Them,” and further developed by the foundation he established in 1986.

In each grade students are exposed to a range of historical, scientific and cultural topics that will build on one another to prepare them for later educational success. This wide array of subject matter will not only develop cultural literacy but also will build the strong vocabulary necessary for true reading comprehension, the press release says.

Core Knowledge strives to develop cultural literacy in a way that is systematic but leaves room for creativity for both teacher and student. This curriculum eliminates the gaps and repetition that characterize a curriculum in which textbooks and programs are selected more or less at random.

Salisbury Academy is an independent, co-educational school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Salisbury Academy is one of only a handful of official Core Knowledge Schools in North Carolina.

Interested in learning more about the Core Knowledge Sequence and Salisbury Academy? An informational session will be held Tuesday evening, Jan. 17, 7-8 p.m., and Wednesday morning, Jan. 18, from 9-10 a.m., during Drop-In Days at Salisbury Academy, 2210 Jake Alexander Blvd. N. The session is open to the public. Please call 704-636-3002 for more information.

Food for Thought to hostcharity bowling tournament

Salisbury’s Food for Thought program is seeking four-person bowling teams for a charity tournament from noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 at Woodleaf Lanes. The tournament is open to bowlers of all ages and skill levels.

The event will feature four-person teams consisting of children and families from noon to 2 p.m.

Adult and corporate teams will bowl from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The entry fee for the children and family session is $15 per person, $60 per team. The entry fee for the adult/corporate session is $25 per person, $100 per team.

Food for Thought is a program that is feeding local, “food insecure,” school children on the weekends so they have enough to eat. The program currently serves approximately 135 students at Granite Quarry, Hanford-Dole, Knollwood, Koontz, Overton, Shive and Woodleaf elementary schools.

Entry forms can be obtained by visiting Just the Thing in downtown Salisbury, or at Woodleaf Lanes on Jake Alexander Boulevard.

Space is limited and entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Entry forms should be mailed to Food for Thought, 131 West Council St., Salisbury, NC 28144 or email it to info@ncfoodforthought.org.

Entry forms are also be available at www.ncfoodforthought.org.

mwineka@salisburypost.com

CLEVELAND — Corporate and government officials hail the return of a second shift and ramped-up production at the Freightliner Truck Manufacturing Plant as evidence of an economy on the rebound.

“The ripple effect in the local economy will be seen,” Roger Nielsen, chief operating officer for Daimler Trucks North America, said at press conference this morning when he confirmed that the Cleveland truck plant will be adding 1,100 new jobs by the end of 2012.

In addition, Daimler is adding 100 jobs at its Components and Logistics Plant in Gastonia.

“That’s big news, my friends,” Gov. Bev Perdue told a crowd assembled on the manufacturing floor of the plant.

The majority of positions on the reestablished second shift will be filled with recalled workers who were laid off in 2009. The recalls will begin in early February, maybe earlier, and the new shift is scheduled to be at full strength by September.

“This extra shift, to me, is the most optimistic news,” Perdue said. N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco also was on hand.

Nielsen said the past couple of years have been tough for the laid-off employees, their families, the Cleveland plant and the industry as a whole. To the workers in particular, he said, “We welcome your return to Freightliner.”

First-shift employees left their spots on the plant floor and crowded in a semi-circle around the makeshift stage and an audience of 75 to 100 government officials, community leaders and media. They responded with applause at several junctures during the morning’s proceedings.

The Cleveland plant, known mostly for its Freightliner Cascadia trucks, is expected to double production by October. Demand has created back orders of six months for the Cascadia, the company said.

Nielsen said nearly 20 percent of the trucks made at the Cleveland plant, which also produces the Columbia and Argosy lines, are sold through Daimler subsidiaries to markets in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

“These overseas markets absolutely love our trucks,” Nielsen said.

The Cleveland plant is the largest Freightliner truck manufacturing facility in the country.

Its current employment stands at approximately 1,400 shop employees and 72 engineers, managers and office staff.

The new shift will represent a 72 percent increase in personnel, of which 1,072 will be shop employees and the rest engineering and support positions.

“You have an economy that’s recovering, even though the naysayers say it’s not,” said Gary Casteel, Region 8 director for the United Auto Workers Union, which has a strong membership at the Cleveland plant.

Casteel said the trucking industry is usually a leading economic indicator for the United States. “We think this is good news for all the economy,” he said.

Thursday’s press conference announcing the return of the second shift in Cleveland never would have occurred without the policies of President Obama’s administration, Casteel added.

While it’s not necessarily the end of the recession, Nielsen said, Daimler is proud to be leading the economy back into increased productivity. He boasted that the Cascadia truck made in Cleveland is the most innovative, fuel-efficient and comfortable Class 8, on-highway truck in the market, and he also touted the performance of its Detroit-brand engines.

As evidence of the ripple effect Freightliner’s rebound will have, Nielsen mentioned some of the suppliers who are connected to the Cleveland plant, such as DuPont (paint colors), Magna Composites (plastics) of Salisbury, ConMet (lightweight aluminum components) of Monroe, Commercial Vehicle Group (interiors) of Statesville and Michelin tires of Greenville, S.C.

Perdue said she was optimistic about an economy she described as making improvements day by day. She praised Daimler for its strong footprint in North Carolina. The company provides paychecks for 4,800 families in the state, she said.

“These are good jobs,” Perdue added.

Thursday’s announcement displays again how many N.C. jobs are still tied to making things and how “this section of North Carolina is robust for manufacturing,” Perdue said.

Thomas Built Buses in High Point, a part of Daimler Trucks North America, will be producing all school buses in North Carolina, thanks to its winning the most recent contract.

Corey Hill, president of  UAW Local 3520, said he expected the Cleveland plant to  produce up to 140 trucks a day by the end of 2012. The Cleveland plant has been experiencing a steady increase in production for much of 2011, he added.

The contract to make military trucks at the plant helped immensely in 2010, Hill said, and he touted the union’s “Buy America” campaign for increasing trucking company orders in the United States.

“We build a good quality truck here,” he said.

The company provided tours through the plant later Thursday morning.

Parts of the plant are highly automated, with 87 robots in the pre-paint cab area, for example. To build strength in the cabs, it’s a laminating process of “metal, on metal, on metal,” one tour guide explained.

The pre-paint cab area is producing about 65 cabs a day, in a building designed for up to 90 a day. Some unpainted cabs are being shipped to Freightliner’s production facility in Mexico.

On Thursday, the two assembly lines were putting together trucks for Old Dominion, National, Schneider and U.S. Express.

At current production levels, one cab is coming off the final assembly line about every 10 minutes.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.

Daimler's online job listings are available at dtna.jobs.

RALEIGH — Traffic patterns on Interstate 85 will change in Davidson County next week when the North Carolina Department of Transportation closes the Belmont Road (Exit 86) entrance as part of the improvement project to the interstate.

The ramp to southbound I-85 will close at 8 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.

The ramp closure is necessary to widen the interstate and reconstruct the Belmont Road interchange. The ramp will not reopen to traffic until spring.

A detour will be in place for motorists to get on I-85 South. Signs will lead them from Belmont Road to Old Salisbury Road to the Clark Road interchange (Exit 85), where they can access I-85 South. While traveling around the work zone, NCDOT encourages drivers to slow down and allow for additional time.

The NCDOT broke ground in September 2010 on the southern segment of the project, which involves replacing eight bridges, widening 3.3 miles of I-85 and reconstructing the N.C. 150 interchange. The northern segment extends the reach of the interstate widening 3.8 miles from north of N.C. 150 to just north of I-85 Business.

Work on both phases should be complete by May 2013.

For more information on the $201.5 million project, visit www.i-85yadkinriver.com or follow NCDOT’s I-85 Twitter feed, https://twitter.com/ NCDOT_I85.

spotts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Rowan County man convicted last year of the attempted murder of a Hispanic couple was re-sentenced in Rowan County Superior Court this morning.

And even though a panel of judges with the N.C. Court of Appeals agreed three aggravating factors should not have been presented to jurors at his trial, Ray Lee Ross received the same sentence he did in April 2010.

That means he’ll continue serving two consecutive sentences of 18 to 22 years in prison for the February 2007 shootings of Pedro Romero Amaro and his wife Angelica Martinez Besies at their Kannapolis home.

Rowan court officials said the sentence didn’t change because Ross had previously been sentenced — taking into account his criminal history — at the low end of the “aggravated range” under the state’s Structured Sentencing Law. Without the aggravating factors, he was sentenced at the high end of the “presumptive range.”

A jury in 2010 found Ross guilty of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury and assault on a female.

Ross had also been charged and was being tried at the same time for the murder of Henry Aldridge, which occurred about a week before the shooting of Amaro and Besies. Prosecutors linked the two crimes through a shotgun stolen from Aldridge that police said Ross later sold to Amaro.

Ross acknowledged knowing Aldridge and said he’d been in the man’s home, but denied killing him.

Jurors acquitted Ross in Aldridge’s murder

Ross appealed on a number of points: that the cases should not have been joined; that a witness who testified at his probable cause hearing was not available for cross-examining at trial; that the trial court erred by not dismissing the attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges for lack of evidence; and that the aggravating factors should not have been introduced.

In an opinion issued late last year, the Court of Appeals upheld the trial court’s ruling on the all but the aggravating factors appeal, agreeing with Ross they should not have been presented to jurors because they had not been included in an indictment.

The aggravating factors considered by jurors were that Ross used an unregistered silencer in the shootings; that he was involved in the illegal sale and purchase of narcotics at the time of the crime; and that he was involved in a course of conduct that included violent crimes another person or people.

Prosecutors argued they weren’t required to include the aggravating factors in an indictment, relying on rulings by the N.C. Supreme Court and N.C. Court of Appeals. The appeals panel ruled, though, that those cases only dealt with whether failing to include aggravating factors in an indictment is unconstitutional and don’t address a 2005 change in state law that does require aggravating factors to be presented in an indictment or “other charging document.”

Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.

ecook@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — The overgrown hooves are gone — trimmed, that is — but the criticism remains.

With the help of a 19-foot-tall chute, a crew of people at the Lazy 5 Ranch trimmed the hooves of a young giraffe that had drawn the attention of animal rights activists last year.

“It took us maybe 12 to 13 minutes for the whole procedure, all four feet,” said Lazy 5 owner Henry Hampton.

But an official with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Thursday the group will not drop its private warrant accusing Hampton of animal cruelty in the giraffe’s care.

“If Hampton has trimmed the giraffe’s hooves properly, we are thankful that she has finally been granted some relief after languishing for more than a year,” said an email from Delcianna Winders, director of captive animal law enforcement for PETA.

“However, it is important that the prosecution move forward because the animal suffered needlessly for so long and to help ensure that she does not suffer further.”

In August, PETA issued a press release saying Hampton failed to “provide adequate veterinary care to a young giraffe with severely overgrown hooves” and allowed the animal to “languish in this painful damaging condition for more than nine months.”

Hampton resisted the idea of trimming the giraffe’s hooves in the conventional way, saying that restraining and anesthetizing the animal would be too risky and could result in its death.

He preferred to let the hooves wear down gradually by keeping the giraffe in a paddock filled with stone. And he denied PETA’s claims that the animal was in pain; he said it did not walk as though it was lame or hindered.

But Hampton said Thursday that he had been at work for a year on developing an apparatus to safely contain a giraffe so its feet could be worked on without putting the animal on its side.

A welding shop in Ohio constructed a 19-foot-tall chute, 5 feet wide and 8 feet deep and heavily padded, Hampton said. The apparatus includes a leather cradle in the center to keep the giraffe upright and a “squeeze” to hold the animal in place.

He used it Tuesday to trim hooves on the 2-year-old giraffe at the center of the controversy, “Summer,” and on a second giraffe shipped in from his other animal ranch in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

Hampton owns 2,500 animals and birds, between the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mount Ulla and The Farm at Walnut Creek in Sugarcreek.

Some 24 to 25 people were involved in the trimming procedure Tuesday, Hampton said, including three veterinarians and four people with experience trimming cattle hooves.

The crew went into action, he said, when the giraffe reached the center of the chute.

“As soon as it went in, we gently brought the side in,” to the width of the animal’s chest, he said. The leather cradle was put below the giraffe’s body, with people manning ropes to raise or lower it. From a 7-foot-tall catwalk beside the chute, they could monitor the giraffe’s demeanor, he said. The center section had several doors that could be opened to reach the giraffe’s feet or other parts of its body.

“Bracelets” of soft rope were put around the giraffe’s legs to prevent thrashing. But the giraffe remained calm, even though it was not sedated, he said.

The hoof experts trimmed the front points off the long hooves.

Everyone talked quietly and moved slowly and easily around it, he said.

Another Ohio vet who has trimmed giraffes’ feet, Dr. Jim Hull of Ohio State, was on the phone in case his expertise was needed, but it wasn’t.

“It was almost spooky how smooth and quiet it went,” Hampton said.

But the procedure was not without its price. He estimated the chute alone cost $17,000 to $18,000. “It wasn’t something you go to Walmart and get,” he said.

Hampton is not backing off his contention that overgrown hooves can reach normal proportions by putting a giraffe on stones.

But the pressure from PETA made him look for a faster method.

“Everybody gave us so much grief. We could not do our business,” he said.

“Mary,” the other giraffe who was put in the chute, also had overgrown hooves that were getting the stone treatment.

Her front hooves were fine by the time she got to North Carolina, Hampton said. Only the back ones had to be trimmed.

Hampton is scheduled to be in court to face the animal cruelty charge on Jan. 26.

NCDOT statistics show 17 crashes, including one fatality, have occurred at the intersection from 2008-2010. In addition, current total crash rates at the intersection exceed the statewide total crash rate for U.S. routes in rural areas.

To help prevent accidents and enhance safety for the more than 11,000 vehicles that travel through the intersection each day, the department plans to make important improvements to the area. Currently, NCDOT is considering two main options, which include:

• Converting Gold Knob Road into a dead-end road, and realigning Anthony and Crescent roads to connect with U.S. 52 at more of a right angle; and

• Converting Anthony Road into a dead-end road, and realigning Crescent and Gold Knob roads to connect with U.S. 52 at more of a right angle.

Both options would also include adding left turn lanes and improving the drainage system along U.S. 52.

The meeting will be held at East Rowan High School, which is located at 175 Saint Luke’s Church Road in Salisbury. Citizens are welcome to drop in any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation. NCDOT representatives will be available to explain the project, answer questions and accept comments. The department will use the feedback provided by citizens to help guide the project’s design and development.

Citizens seeking additional information may contact Gene Tarascio, Project Planning Engineer, via mail at 1548 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1548; phone at (919) 707-6046 or email at gtarascio@ncdot.gov.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Tarascio as early as possible, so that arrangements can be made.

scampbell@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education discussed the pros and cons of block scheduling during a work session earlier this week.

Chairman Dr. Jim Emerson said he had the topic added to the agenda after receiving negative feedback from parents, students and teachers.

All of the district’s high schools are on block schedules with students taking four 90-minute classes each semester. Students took the same six or seven classes for 45 to 55 minutes all year on the traditional schedule.

Kathy McDuffie, the district’s director of secondary education, said the state Department of Public Instruction doesn’t keep an exact count of schools that operate on traditional vs. block schedules.

“The best the state could tell us is about 85 percent of high schools are following a block schedule or some hybrid block schedule that includes running some yearlong classes,” she said.

McDuffie said high schools in the Wake County Public School System and most of the ones in Guilford County use block schedules.

Emerson said one of the concerns he’s heard is that some students take math in the fall of one school year and don’t take another math class until the spring of the following year.

“That’s a long gap in between,” he said.

McDuffie said that’s true, but many of the students only have to take four math courses their entire high school career.

“There may be gaps,” she said, “but there is also the opportunity for remediation and support.”

Emerson said one of his concerns is that teachers might not be utilizing the entire 90-minute period.

“We recommend chunks of lessons. We tell our teachers 90 solid minutes of anything is bad,” McDuffie said. “You can’t do it, and I can’t do it, and really be effective.

“The best instructional practice is a little bit of information followed by time to use it.”

School board Vice-Chairwoman Jean Kennedy said as a former educator, the switch to block scheduling made her a better teacher.

“I had to stop and look at how I was delivering information and figure out how to be more effective,” she said.

The system pushed Kennedy to step outside her comfort zone and alter her teaching strategies.

“Personally, I think it’s a good setup,” she said.

• • •

Norma Drake said she wasn’t thrilled with block scheduling when her daughter, Amanda, started high school. She thought the “normal schedule” was the best way to learn.

“It did not take too long for me to change my mind,” she said. “I like the block schedule and so did Amanda. She graduated from West Rowan High School in 2008 and is now a senior at Catawba College.”

Drake said her son, Andrew, is a sophomore at West now.

“He likes it and can’t imagine having to take the same class all year,” she said.

Veronica Wells, a 1998 graduate of North Rowan, said she thinks block scheduling is a good way to prepare students for college, allowing them to focus on fewer classes each semester.

“As I think back, the longer classes help me get more out of my education and I was able to learn more without disruption of class ending after 50 or 60 minutes,” she said.

Kennedy said since the district has switched to block scheduling, her daughter has mentioned that she wished it was around when she was in school.

“She took the higher courses, so she had all of those everyday,” she said. “She had no life, she came home and did homework.”

• • •

McDuffie said at this point it would be hard to switch back to a traditional schedule because of graduation requirements that mandate a specific number of courses.

“I see a lot of kids having issues with that because there would be fewer opportunities to retake classes,” she said.

School board member Bryce Beard said scheduling should stay as it is.

“When we switched from the traditional schedule to the block, people didn’t like it because people don’t like change, but once they find change you don’t see them going back,” he said.

McDuffie said the block schedule can be streamlined by focusing more on individual student needs.

The board did not take any action on the subject.

“I felt compelled to plant this seed of discontent,” Emerson said. “We didn’t resolve anything, but at least we discussed it.”

Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.

Twitter: twitter.com/posteducation

Facebook: facebook.com/ Sarah.SalisburyPost

spotts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A teen charged in late August in the shooting death of a Kannapolis man found dead in his car will have to make a $600,000 bond if he wants to get out of jail.

Superior Court Judge Anna Mills Wagoner set Quamaine Deshawn Patterson’s bond this morning during a hearing.

Patterson, 18, is charged with killing Rigoberto Angeles-Resendiz, 21, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head. Elementary school students and a bus driver found the victim dead in his car with the door open on Foster Lane, off Morlan Park Road.

Patterson turned himself in to authorities a day after the victim was found dead.

Patterson’s attorney, Michael Adkins, sought a bond closer to $50,000 saying his client had never been charged or convicted of a violent crime. Patterson has been convicted of various misdemeanors.

Rowan District Attorney Brandy Cook requested the judge set Patterson’s bond at $500,000.

Judge Wagoner said because of the serious nature of the crime she would set such a bond.

Patterson was indicted on first-degree murder charges by a grand jury in mid-September.

Another teen, Andrina Jamir Walker, 17, has been charged in connection with the crime.

Walker is accused of using a gun to threaten and attempt to rob Angeles-Resendiz.

She has since been released under a $100,000 bond.

A 15-year-old linked to the incident was also charged.

See Saturday’s Post for more details.

Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.