New school, new year
100% recycled newsprint
INSIDE SPORTS, 1B
INSIDE NEWS, 3A
INSIDE OPINION, 4A
Raider receiver has big goals in 2010 season
Firefighters donate to area schools
200th anniversary of tea party recalled as paradise
WEATHER Partial cloudiness early, scattered showers and thunderstorms in afternoon. HIGH: 91 LOW: 69
Richmond County
Daily Journal THURSDAY • August 26, 2010
Plastek finds ready workers
Rockingham, N.C.
50 cents
New school, new year Philip D. Brown Richmond County Daily Journal
PHILIP D. BROWN/DAILY JOURNAL
Anthico Short, father of East Rockingham kindergartner Akihsay Short, dropped his daughter off for her first day of school at a brand-new school Wednesday morning. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “She’s just starting school and she may be a little nervous, but I’m not. It’s just joy to get to see my kids go to school here.” East Rockingham Elementary Principal Keith McKenzie said the vast majority of parents he talked to had the same reaction on the first day of school this year. “It’s been a wonderful opening,” he said. “The teachers are excited, the parents and the students are excited. They’ve been wonderful, and I’m looking forward to a great year.” Board of Education member Joe Richardson also stood outside and greeted parents and students on the first day at East Rockingham. “Everybody’s had a good, positive attitude, and we’re glad to have so many parents bring their children inside for the first day,” Richardson said. “A lot of parents are showing they want to be involved in what happens at East Rockingham Elementary School.” Those large crowds did make for some morning waits, he admitted, but the first day is usually the busiest traffic of the year at a school. “After this first day is over, it shouldn’t be so crowded, and I think people understand that,” Richardson said. Mark Ollice also brought
Parents walked children in on the first day of school at East Rockingham. Pictured are, from left, Andrew Deberry, Ronald Bright and R.J. Bright as they walk into the building.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Philip D. Brown
Richmond County Daily Journal
The Plastek Group plans to have a production line open in mid-October at the former Rexam plant on County Home Road in Hamlet. Corporate Human Resources Director Bob Welton said the company has yet to hire the bulk of its workers, but it has found everything it will need in the areas in and around Richmond County. The plastics manufacturer plans to bring 250 jobs paying an average of more than $30,000 a year and invest $19 million in Richmond County over the next three years. It will produce deodorant tubes for a manufacturer in Raeford. “We’ve actually been overwhelmed with the number of applicants we’ve had - it’s been a tremendous response,” Welton said Wednesday morning. “We’ve got a bunch of great candidates who are all on file, and we plan on utilizing them when the time comes.” He said the applicant pool consists primarily of former Rexam workers from Hamlet and Rockingham, former Constar workers in Cheraw and former Abbott employees from Laurinburg. “Once the advertising hit the Internet, we actually got too many applicants,” Welton said. “We’re not looking to hire anyone from Charlotte and have them relocate. We want to fill our positions with local people.” In addition to the “local people,” some workers will also transfer to the Hamlet plant from the plant that is closing in Erie, Pa. “So far, we’ve got about 40 or so, and we’re still in the process of recruiting,” Welton said. “When the Erie plant closes a lot of folks are going to lose their jobs, and that’s one way we feel we can negate those job losses.” He said the plant will have seven production lines for plastic molding, with the first opening in midOctober. After that, one should open about every month. “Our plan is to unplug in Erie and then rush down to North Carolina to plug back up,” Welton said. “Then, hopefully, we’ll open a line in mid-November, then midDecember and so on for seven months.” The company has already done some hiring for management and maintenance positions, as Welton said those are often the most difficult positions to fill. About $1 million to $2 million in upgrades at the factory are underway to accommodate the seven production lines.
PLASTEK
SCHOOL
New teacher embarks on her career Tammy Morse
grade teacher. “I was very excited to receive a position with Richmond County Schools. Most Rebecca Williams has known what of the job positions here in Richmond she wanted to do with her life since high County were for middle school and high school. On Wednesday she took the next school teachers. The county only step. hired four elementary school “I knew that I wanted to teach,” teachers and I was fortunate the Ellerbe native said. “In high enough to be one of those.” school I thought about different She teaches math and science occupations but I always knew in a block-style teaching method. in my heart teaching was what I “Math was always my favorite needed to do. I worked with chilsubject in school with science foldren in my church from a young lowing close behind. Fifth grade age and it seemed I was destined EOG’s include both science and to be a teacher.” math. You cannot pass to the Williams After graduating high school, sixth grade without doing well in she enrolled at St. Andrews Presbyterian both of these subjects. I look forward to College in Laurinburg to pursue a teachthis challenge and I am confident that ing degree. my students will do a great job in these Williams graduated college in May and subjects.” accepted a job soon after with Richmond Williams immediately began planning County Schools. She works at Monroe Avenue Elementary School as a fifth her classroom after receiving the job. She had never taught fifth graders before
Richmond County Daily Journal
and knew the importance of being adequately prepared. Williams has a number of books in her class and explained the importance of reading. “Any down-time or when a student is finished with their scheduled work, they will be required to read in my classroom. I believe that reading is a priority in order to be successful,” Williams said. “Classroom management is a requirement with any grade child. A teacher has to know her students. You have to get deeper and know what it is like outside of the school setting. I will allow the children to give input on the rules of the class and the expectations of myself as a teacher. I will also inform the class of my expectations of them. I realize that each child is different and in saying that, I will create avenues of learning for each child based on their level and/or needs.”
TEACHER CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3a
Norman sets sights on festival Dawn M. Kurry Richmond County Daily Journal
CONTRIBUTED
Norman was once an active town.
Obituaries Opinion 2A Puzzles 5B S p o r t s 4B TV Listings
Inside today Calendar Classified Comics
5A 4A 4B 1B 3B
Deaths Anderson Bethea, 68, Laurel Hill Ruth Griffin, 77, Rockingham James McRae, 57 Obituaries can be found on Page 5A.
Kenneth Broadway knows a different kind of Norman. “I remember the lumber yards and the trucking companies, and many, many farmers. My dad had the Gulf gas station here in Norman. At one time, the train came through here. Norman was a booming little town in the day,” Broadway recalls. He knows it’s not booming now, but he wants to bring the region together there on Oct. 9 for a community event. Broadway was asked to organize the event from the ground up. “The town met and said they wanted to have a Norman Fest, then I got patted on the back and they said ‘we’ll be here if you need anything.’” Broadway
The Daily Journal is published with pride five days a week for the people of Richmond County, N.C. The Daily Journal is committed to editorial integrity and excellence. If you spot an error, please contact us at (910) 997-3111, ext. 18.
said. Broadway was born in Norman, but moved away when he was about two. Three years ago, after nearly 50 years away, he returned and admits there isn’t much to see. On Aug. 23, the first festival meeting was held at the Norman Town Hall. The Festival Committee is comprised of eight members. While debating a theme for the fest, they examined other towns and their fests, such as the Candor Peach Fest. The theme had to come from something Norman has in abundance. Gnats came to mind, and became a humorous acronym that stood for Good Neighbors Around Town. Broadway is anxious to see people NORMAN
Vol. 79, No.169 ON THE WEB: www.yourdailyjournal.com E-MAIL: [email protected] Material inside this edition is © Richmond County Daily Journal. Reproduction without expressed consent of the Richmond County Daily Journal is prohibited.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5a
INSIDE SPORTS, 1B
INSIDE NEWS, 3A
INSIDE OPINION, 4A
Raider receiver has big goals in 2010 season
Firefighters donate to area schools
200th anniversary of tea party recalled as paradise
WEATHER Partial cloudiness early, scattered showers and thunderstorms in afternoon. HIGH: 91 LOW: 69
Richmond County
Daily Journal THURSDAY • August 26, 2010
Plastek finds ready workers
Rockingham, N.C.
50 cents
New school, new year Philip D. Brown Richmond County Daily Journal
PHILIP D. BROWN/DAILY JOURNAL
Anthico Short, father of East Rockingham kindergartner Akihsay Short, dropped his daughter off for her first day of school at a brand-new school Wednesday morning. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “She’s just starting school and she may be a little nervous, but I’m not. It’s just joy to get to see my kids go to school here.” East Rockingham Elementary Principal Keith McKenzie said the vast majority of parents he talked to had the same reaction on the first day of school this year. “It’s been a wonderful opening,” he said. “The teachers are excited, the parents and the students are excited. They’ve been wonderful, and I’m looking forward to a great year.” Board of Education member Joe Richardson also stood outside and greeted parents and students on the first day at East Rockingham. “Everybody’s had a good, positive attitude, and we’re glad to have so many parents bring their children inside for the first day,” Richardson said. “A lot of parents are showing they want to be involved in what happens at East Rockingham Elementary School.” Those large crowds did make for some morning waits, he admitted, but the first day is usually the busiest traffic of the year at a school. “After this first day is over, it shouldn’t be so crowded, and I think people understand that,” Richardson said. Mark Ollice also brought
Parents walked children in on the first day of school at East Rockingham. Pictured are, from left, Andrew Deberry, Ronald Bright and R.J. Bright as they walk into the building.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Philip D. Brown
Richmond County Daily Journal
The Plastek Group plans to have a production line open in mid-October at the former Rexam plant on County Home Road in Hamlet. Corporate Human Resources Director Bob Welton said the company has yet to hire the bulk of its workers, but it has found everything it will need in the areas in and around Richmond County. The plastics manufacturer plans to bring 250 jobs paying an average of more than $30,000 a year and invest $19 million in Richmond County over the next three years. It will produce deodorant tubes for a manufacturer in Raeford. “We’ve actually been overwhelmed with the number of applicants we’ve had - it’s been a tremendous response,” Welton said Wednesday morning. “We’ve got a bunch of great candidates who are all on file, and we plan on utilizing them when the time comes.” He said the applicant pool consists primarily of former Rexam workers from Hamlet and Rockingham, former Constar workers in Cheraw and former Abbott employees from Laurinburg. “Once the advertising hit the Internet, we actually got too many applicants,” Welton said. “We’re not looking to hire anyone from Charlotte and have them relocate. We want to fill our positions with local people.” In addition to the “local people,” some workers will also transfer to the Hamlet plant from the plant that is closing in Erie, Pa. “So far, we’ve got about 40 or so, and we’re still in the process of recruiting,” Welton said. “When the Erie plant closes a lot of folks are going to lose their jobs, and that’s one way we feel we can negate those job losses.” He said the plant will have seven production lines for plastic molding, with the first opening in midOctober. After that, one should open about every month. “Our plan is to unplug in Erie and then rush down to North Carolina to plug back up,” Welton said. “Then, hopefully, we’ll open a line in mid-November, then midDecember and so on for seven months.” The company has already done some hiring for management and maintenance positions, as Welton said those are often the most difficult positions to fill. About $1 million to $2 million in upgrades at the factory are underway to accommodate the seven production lines.
PLASTEK
SCHOOL
New teacher embarks on her career Tammy Morse
grade teacher. “I was very excited to receive a position with Richmond County Schools. Most Rebecca Williams has known what of the job positions here in Richmond she wanted to do with her life since high County were for middle school and high school. On Wednesday she took the next school teachers. The county only step. hired four elementary school “I knew that I wanted to teach,” teachers and I was fortunate the Ellerbe native said. “In high enough to be one of those.” school I thought about different She teaches math and science occupations but I always knew in a block-style teaching method. in my heart teaching was what I “Math was always my favorite needed to do. I worked with chilsubject in school with science foldren in my church from a young lowing close behind. Fifth grade age and it seemed I was destined EOG’s include both science and to be a teacher.” math. You cannot pass to the Williams After graduating high school, sixth grade without doing well in she enrolled at St. Andrews Presbyterian both of these subjects. I look forward to College in Laurinburg to pursue a teachthis challenge and I am confident that ing degree. my students will do a great job in these Williams graduated college in May and subjects.” accepted a job soon after with Richmond Williams immediately began planning County Schools. She works at Monroe Avenue Elementary School as a fifth her classroom after receiving the job. She had never taught fifth graders before
Richmond County Daily Journal
and knew the importance of being adequately prepared. Williams has a number of books in her class and explained the importance of reading. “Any down-time or when a student is finished with their scheduled work, they will be required to read in my classroom. I believe that reading is a priority in order to be successful,” Williams said. “Classroom management is a requirement with any grade child. A teacher has to know her students. You have to get deeper and know what it is like outside of the school setting. I will allow the children to give input on the rules of the class and the expectations of myself as a teacher. I will also inform the class of my expectations of them. I realize that each child is different and in saying that, I will create avenues of learning for each child based on their level and/or needs.”
TEACHER CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3a
Norman sets sights on festival Dawn M. Kurry Richmond County Daily Journal
CONTRIBUTED
Norman was once an active town.
Obituaries Opinion 2A Puzzles 5B S p o r t s 4B TV Listings
Inside today Calendar Classified Comics
5A 4A 4B 1B 3B
Deaths Anderson Bethea, 68, Laurel Hill Ruth Griffin, 77, Rockingham James McRae, 57 Obituaries can be found on Page 5A.
Kenneth Broadway knows a different kind of Norman. “I remember the lumber yards and the trucking companies, and many, many farmers. My dad had the Gulf gas station here in Norman. At one time, the train came through here. Norman was a booming little town in the day,” Broadway recalls. He knows it’s not booming now, but he wants to bring the region together there on Oct. 9 for a community event. Broadway was asked to organize the event from the ground up. “The town met and said they wanted to have a Norman Fest, then I got patted on the back and they said ‘we’ll be here if you need anything.’” Broadway
The Daily Journal is published with pride five days a week for the people of Richmond County, N.C. The Daily Journal is committed to editorial integrity and excellence. If you spot an error, please contact us at (910) 997-3111, ext. 18.
said. Broadway was born in Norman, but moved away when he was about two. Three years ago, after nearly 50 years away, he returned and admits there isn’t much to see. On Aug. 23, the first festival meeting was held at the Norman Town Hall. The Festival Committee is comprised of eight members. While debating a theme for the fest, they examined other towns and their fests, such as the Candor Peach Fest. The theme had to come from something Norman has in abundance. Gnats came to mind, and became a humorous acronym that stood for Good Neighbors Around Town. Broadway is anxious to see people NORMAN
Vol. 79, No.169 ON THE WEB: www.yourdailyjournal.com E-MAIL: [email protected] Material inside this edition is © Richmond County Daily Journal. Reproduction without expressed consent of the Richmond County Daily Journal is prohibited.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5a
