Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ The Rowan Free Press supports Salisbury City Council candidates of any political stripe (Republican, Democrat, or Independent) who support transparent and effective government and are not tied to the visible “status quo” of old Salisbury real estate and banking families with a history of placing their self-interests, control needs, and greed above the interests of folks living in Salisbury and Rowan County.

The Salisbury City incumbents Alexander, Blackwell, and Miller along with former councilmen Lewis and Maddox are chained to the status quo.

The Rowan Free Press will support any candidate who supports transparent and effective government and who is not tied to the incumbent city council and their predecessors over the last decade who have transformed Salisbury into a bottom rung municipality and wallpapered over its extreme nosedive with publicity and spin.

Yes the Rowan Free Press supports Todd Paris, Kenny Hardin, and several other non-incumbent candidates for city council.  I believe they are the very best choices to turn Salisbury around and reconnect city hall to its communities outside of “8 block”.  Our candidates, if elected, will call on a complete independent forensic audit of City Hall’s departments and municipal utilities.

As for those who attempt to define me politically they need to do their homework.  I am a centrist-consumer advocate who in more recent years has grown fiscally conservative and remained socially moderate.  For years back in Philadelphia I was very active Democrat.  After my first two years in Salisbury I switched to the Republican party.

The Rowan Free Press was the first news source in Salisbury and Rowan County to report on Salisbury’s extreme bottom rung status.  We pointed out the obvious that outsiders can easily see when they visit real estate databases or the city itself.  All of the basics, listed below, need to be corrected to stem the loss of working class people and the young to far better and safer opportunities.

Salisbury’s Statistical Facts:

http://rowanfreepress.com/salisbury-nc-statistics/

• Salisbury’s 25% poverty is an indisputable fact.  With poverty often goes crime, underperforming schools, hard drug and alcohol abuse, little spendable income, and stressed community services.

• Salisbury sports bad FBI  violent and property crime statistics.  How about the cities 11 unsolved murders since 2010 (Chief Collins shamefully couldn’t name one of the black victims or the actual number because he’s moonlighting as security at the Rowan Housing Authority.)  Would most people desire to live in a community lacking an adequately staffed and decently paid police force?

• The State Board of Education gave the public schools inside of Salisbury a heavy-handed thumbs down with letter report showing that not one school graded above a D or an F.  Such ratings will drive families, who can afford it, to move out of Salisbury or send their children to private schools or homeschool.  The letter grades did not reflect behavior problems, drug abuse, gang activity, and safety problems which are often the cause of responsible parents yanking their children from schools.

Just a few questions you may desire to ask yourself:

• If you live outside of “8 block” or the country club is your community receiving full city services?  Adequate police patrol–trash pickup–pothole repair–city property properly maintained–sidewalks–playgrounds. Is your community being gentrified or experiencing planned shrinkage (Shutting off basic city services so people are forced out).

• Ask yourself if cronyism isn’t rampant in city hall and that friends get curb service? How many of you or your neighbors tasted a city hall vendetta?  How about the Spite Hole? Or a median planted in front of your business because you didn’t play ball. Or favoritism shown in zoning?

• How about the cover up of the “mutual termination” of the former city manager?  Why does the City of Salisbury government regularly fail to answer public information requests and stifle legally required transparency?

• Why did the incumbent city council cover up the extreme failure of Fibrant?  They claimed Fibrant turned the corner when they knew Fibrant suffered a stupefying $12.6 million dollar deficit.  City Council Candidate Todd Paris wrote yesterday in the RFP: “The audited 2014 budget (page 47 of 168) shows the “Broadband Services Fund’s” total net position as being negative 12.6 million. If you know budgets, you will no doubt note that “Total Net Position” is little more than a measure of value or worth. In other words, Fibrant is 12.6 million dollars south of “worthless.”

Who is really destroying Salisbury? And who is observing the facts and bringing them to light so people can begin repairs?

RFP Staff

♦ The criminal siege continues unchecked in Salisbury, North Carolina a town where the Police Chief Rory Collins moonlights at the city’s housing authority and can’t name a single unsolved murder victim.

On Friday, Brandon Alexander “Smoke” Talbert, 23, a chronic Salisbury felon was arrested early Friday morning for allegedly burglarizing a residence on the 200 block of Newsome Road near East Innes and hauling off a safe, a 42-inch TV, and drugs.  The total take was estimated at over $750.

“Smoke” was charged with breaking and entering a building (felony) and larceny (felony).  Under a $25,000 secured bond, he is being held in the Rowan County Detention Center

Brandon Alexander “Smoke” Talbert’s Extensive Criminal Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1097266&searchLastName=talbert&searchFirstName=brandon&searchMiddleName=a&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

“Smoke” Talbert:

RFP Staff

♦ Matthew Grey Morris, 25, of 2109 Airport Road, a whirlwind of Salisbury criminal activity since he was 17, was nabbed again this time for an alleged armed robbery of a woman near Morlan Park Road in Salisbury. Allegedly menaced with handgun, the woman gave up $135 to Morris who quickly fled the scene.

Arrested on Saturday, Morris was charged with robbery with firearms and other dangerous weapons (felony) and parole violation (felony).  Morris is under a temporary custody order (temporary hold).  Under a $50,000 secured bond, Morris is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center.

Matthew Grey Morris’s Previous Criminal Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1042270&searchLastName=morris&searchFirstName=matthew&searchMiddleName=g&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

RFP Staff

♦ In Salisbury North Carolina where street beatings and simple assaults almost daily dominate police reports and where the Chief of Police Rory Collins moonlights by Housing Authority dumpsters, Donna Sue Williams, 56, of Denmark Drive allegedly turned tiger and assaulted Judy Basinger Williams, 76, of Salisbury.  The RFP will refrain from describing the aftermath.

Donna Sue Williams was arrested and charged with a simple assault (misdemeanor) and possession of control substance schedule IV (misdemeanor)

Under a $1,000 secured bond, Donna Sue Williams is chilling at the Rowan County Detention Center.  Donna Sue Williams mugshot below:

RFP Staff

♦ The Rowan County Commission Meets on September 8th at 3 P.M in the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. Room on the 2nd floor of the County Administration Building at 130 West Innes Street, Salisbury, N.C.

ROWAN COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA

Call to Order
Invocation
• Provided By: Chaplain Michael Taylor
Pledge of Allegiance
Consider Additions to the Agenda
Consider Deletions From the Agenda
Consider Approval of the Agenda
Board members are asked to voluntarily inform the Board if any matter on the agenda might present a conflict of interest or might require the member to be excused from voting.
• Consider Approval of the Minutes: August 17, 2015
1 Consider Approval of Consent Agenda
A. Proclamation Recognizing National Preparedness Month
B. Proclamation For Patriot Day – A Day of Remembrance
C. Rehabilitation Program-Housing Assistance Loan Agreement & Worksheet for Property Located at 280 Hope Hill Road, Salisbury, NC
D. Proclamation Declaring September 17-23, 2015 As Constitution Week
E. Retirement Recognition / Celebration
F. Set Public Hearing for Z 07-15 for September 21, 2015
G. Set Quasi-judicial Hearing for CUP 03-15 for September 21, 2015
H. Approval of Contract for EMC Storage Array Upgrade
I. Resolution To Petition NCDOT To Add Slogan To Rowan County Welcome Signs
2 Special Recognition
3 Public Comment Period
4 Public Hearing to Consider Proposed Revisions to Chapter 5 of the Rowan County Code of Ordinances
5 Public Hearing for CDBG Closeout
6 Presentation of Construction Documents for Airport Addition
7 Consider Approval of Contract to Design New Hangar
8 Budget Amendments
9 Consider Approval of Board Appointments
10 Closed Session
• To Consider Economic Development Matters
• For Attorney-Client Privileged Communication For A Personnel Matter
• Consider Approval of the August 17, 2015 Closed Session Minutes
11 Adjournment

Complete Agenda and Information PDFs.:

http://agenda.rowancountync.gov/DisplayAgendaPDF.ashx?MeetingID=123

Citizens with disabilities requiring special needs to access the services or public meeting of Rowan County Government should contact the County Manager’s Office three days priorto the meeting by calling (704) 216-8180.

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ City Hall’s latest publicity ruse to distract Salisbury voters from Fibrant’s immense debacle and Salisbury’s continued freefall is called “America’s 10 gig city”.  Let them eat cake and forget all about the Salisbury’s death rattles.  Anybody who has paid remote attention to Salisbury knows the following:

• Horrific public schools within the city limits (All the schools got either a D or an F).  Rampant illiteracy in the schools.

• 11 unsolved murders.

• Salisbury suffers from 25% poverty according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Salisbury’s downgraded bond status with Moody’s and Fitch bond rating services due to $7.6 million big gulped from the water and sewer funds.  Today that bond rating has become even more precarious owing to recent discoveries in the audit of the 2014-15 budget.

• Runaway violent and property crime with an understaffed and underpaid police department who seek better paying jobs elsewhere. Our police department is guided by Chief Rory Collins who moonlights as security at the Housing Authority and can’t count or name the 11 unsolved murders.

• The city’s lack of meaningful and well-paying jobs forcing many of our workforce to commute to Concord, Mooresville, Charlotte, and Greensboro.

• Most of our educated young have fled Salisbury.  They are not coming back.

• A crumbling water and sewer system is dire need of millions in upgrading.  They sure could use that $7.6 million dollars Fibrant “borrowed” and can’t pay back.

• Fibrant’s utter failure at selling 1 gig (Fibrant only sold 3 subscriptions) and the audited 2014-2015 budget (page 47 of 168) shows the “Broadband Services Funds” total net position is negative $12.6 million bucks.  Fibrant is the DEBACLE city council has tried desperately to hide from the public with magic math and now the 10 gig publicity ruse.

• The Downtown with its South Main Badlands, the decrepit Empire Bat-Tel in dire need of bulldozing, and an expanding array of vacant storefronts is an unappetizing picture of blight.

• Somewhere in the vicinity of 800 abandoned and crumbling houses exist in the Bury. Large portions of Salisbury’s Downtown would make the perfect set for the movie version of “Grand Theft Auto”.

• Dead-in-the-water economic development due to poverty, lack of spendable income, and FBI crime stats.

• A city overwhelmed by a mushrooming heroin, meth, crack, and alcohol epidemic.  A lot of our folks can’t even pass a drug test to get a job if one existed.

OK Salisbury’s city hall, instead of being even remotely honest, keeps hiding a crowded morgue full of financial bodies.  Hence the 10 gig ruse.

REALITY CHECK TIME:

• Salisbury, N.C. is not America’s first 10 gig city.  That distinction belongs to Minneapolis. And after Minneapolis comes Santa Monica. There’s several others out there or in the works.  I should mention that 10 gig is available though TWC dedicated Ethernet to businesses/institutions in North Carolina.  In reality a miniscule number of buyers exist for 10 gigs.  Remember Fibrant had a difficult time attempting to pimp even 1 gig.

• There’s this bs being slung that Fibrant’s 10 gigs will be available to all premises in Salisbury.  Think of all those halfway houses, Rowan Helping Ministries giant homeless shelter, the 25%ers, those trailer courts out on Airport road, the section 8 abodes, the gang hideouts, the public housing complexes, why even the working class folks who haven’t yet fled the city, are they willing to cough up $4,800 dollars a year for the privilege of 10 gig stupefying overkill symmetrical internet.  Trouble is if you had 100 Mbps you wouldn’t notice the difference in speed unless you were pirating movies at blip-speed.

• Knowing that Fibrant gives discounts to the city’s friends, how much is Catawba going to pay for 10 gigs?  Or is it getting a special reduced rate or even a freebie? Another Salisbury case of one hand washing the other?

Ask yourselves why did Salisbury’s city council cover up Fibrant’s extreme failure? Why are they being so neurotic about not fessing up? People make mistakes–even HUGE mistakes. People usually forgive them after a decade or two of becoming pariahs. So why the cover up?

• They can’t stand people laughing at their wild claims of being great and noble visionaries?

• City council and their magic math figured Fibrant’s massive losses in excess of $12.6 million could be masked by false claims of making a profit. After all famed Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels boasted: “If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.” (The little cretin shot himself and his family in a bunker before the Russians could expand his family’s gene pool)

• City council had a winning formula of covering up Fibrant’s liabilities, since on April 3, 2015, Moody’s bond rating service decided to affirm Salisbury’s mediocre Baa3 bond rating, and concluded the financial outlook was “stable”.  That could change in a hurry.

• City council worried news may leak about Fibrant’s installation of overhead fiber cabling did not meet the National Electric Safety Code (NESC), an estimated $4 million liability to bring those cables into compliance.  The ugly fact is that unlimited liability may be associated with an electrocution hazard for linemen, causing Salisbury’s insurance underwriter to drop the city’s coverage for its recklessness.

• City council may fear that the non-code-compliant overhead Fibrant cable liability may cause Moody’s and Fitch’s bond rating services to take a second look at the “stable” financial outlook of the City of Salisbury, resulting in a below junk-bond status rating, and an immediate run to the county commissioners to plead for an assist with the city’s borrowing and spending addiction.

RFP Staff

♦ Several Catawba Students were held up at gunpoint by 4 young black males near the intersection of Brenner and Lantz avenues after 12:15 a.m.  No injuries were reported although the students were shaken by the episode.

A short time later Catawba college sent out a “weapons alert” and warned students living on campus to remain in their rooms until further notice.  A warning was given that possible armed men were on campus and they were identifying themselves as Livingstone College students.

At around 3:20 a.m. several black male suspects were taken into custody by Salisbury Police.  The police have yet to release the suspects  names.

The state of alert at Catawba was called off around 3:45 a.m. and students could move about the dorms and campus.

**This article will be updated as more information becomes available.**

Public Announcement

♦ A program on Confederate General A.P. Hill, one of General Robert E. Lee’s more effective generals, will be presented by Roy McRorie of the Jonas Cook Camp of the SCV.  The program will take place in the Stanback Room at the Rowan Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9th in Salisbury, N.C.  This event is free and open to the public.  Family and friends are encouraged to attend.

For more information on this event contact Steve Poteat at: 704-633-7229 or email him at RowanSCV@Carolina.rr.com

General A.P. Hill:

CarolinaJournal.com/Dan Way

♦ Critic: N.C. Insurance Rules Favor Companies Over Consumers. State’s unique Rate Bureau offers few incentives for insurers to compete for business:

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=12360

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/02/28/the-most-common-insurance-agent-scams-and-what-you-can-do-about-them/

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/02/28/the-10-most-distrusted-professions-in-america/

RFP Staff

♦ Video: Rowan County Commissioners Meeting at 3 P.M. on September the 8th:

http://rowancountync.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=549

Press Release

♦ Scott Teamer and the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP Weighs-in on Monday’s Catawba College Incident:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2E5Ew6OLdElZ2d2UEZ1MEw2V0VlN3JFRUJzbXBCRkpqaklz/view?usp=sharing

Livingstone College, Salisbury, N.C.:

RFP Staff

♦ In the neverending Tsunami of motor vehicle break-ins and car thievery throughout Salisbury, Carl Lee Burch, Jr. 31, of 106 Hawkins Avenue and Michael Dwayne Conner, Jr., 28, of 621 S. Ellis Street had their alleged motor vehicle “visions” snagged by alert residents Tuesday evening. Both alleged motor vehicle attempts occurred on Mitchell Avenue and on Fulton Street in Salisbury.

According to police sources Burch and Conner allegedly muffed a 1999 Ford “Crown Victoria” theft around 10:15 P.M. at 1230 S. Fulton Street when the owner noted his car was moved and promptly called for the police.  The ignition was damaged by a “hot wire” attempt and the car’s steering column was out.

Not long after the incident on Fulton, someone alerted the Salisbury Police that two men allegedly moved a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee into the middle of the 400 block of Mitchell Avenue and were attempting to steal it.  The Salisbury Police responded quickly, pulling up when the two suspects tried their luck running. The big roulette wheel in the sky said “nada”.  Burch and Conner were caught and arrested on the 700 block of Mitchell.

Both Conner and Burch were charged with 2 counts each breaking and entering motor vehicle (felony), 1 count each of larceny motor vehicle (felony), 1 count each of larceny (misdemeanor), and 2 counts each of injury to personal property (misdemeanor).

Under a secured $10,000 bond each, both Conner and Burch were placed in the Rowan County Detention Center. Conner has since made bail and was released.

Carl Lee Burch, Jr.’s extensive record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0784830&searchLastName=Burch&searchFirstName=carl&searchMiddleName=l&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Michael Dwayne Conner, Jr.’s extensive record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0814402&searchLastName=conner&searchFirstName=michael&searchMiddleName=d&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Carl Lee Burch, Jr. (below):

Michael Dwayne Conner, Jr. (below):

Rodney Cress, Veteran Advocate

♦ The Rowan Museum on Council Street in Salisbury, NC will open Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 1:00 to 4:00 pm for display of Vietnam veterans. The display includes video, personal stories, history and lots of Vietnam War related items. This display will last about 60 days. I saw it today and it is well worth a visit for the family. Special thanks are to be given to the staff of Rowan Museum for all the effort they put into this display to honor those who fought and served in the Vietnam War. Come show your support!

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ In Salisbury’s gradual decline into bottom rung city over the past decade, Salisbury has sadly become known for its crime, its 25% poverty, the city’s public schools grading no higher than Ds and Fs on the state education report card, 11 unsolved murders who Chief Rory Collins can’t name. Where else in the United States does a police chief in a city notorious for crime, moonlight as a security guard? The city’s municipal broadband network Fibrant owes $7.6 million dollars to the water and sewer fund and the 2014-2015 budget audit cites Fibrant as having a $12.6 million negative balance.  City council saw fit mislead the public that Fibrant turned the corner and made a profit.

The Big Ticket Issues in the Salisbury, N.C. City Council Race:

• City Hall’s lack of any transparency. Bad government practices and corruption can be hidden where truth doesn’t penetrate and public information requests go unanswered. The Rowan Free Press and others dwelling in the city hold stacks of unanswered public information requests. The city of Salisbury is in violation of state statutes in its attempts to thwart honest government and transparency. This has to end.

• Salisbury’s high FBI violent and property crime statistics make the city among the state’s more dangerous cities (per capita). Denial can’t hide the murders, the break-ins, the armed robberies, and the street beatings anymore. Most of Salisbury’s communities struggle with safety issues. 11 unsolved murders speaks volumes.

• Our police are understaffed and underpaid which means experienced officers get recruited out of our police department. Its said an estimated 75% of the police force left the Salisbury Police for greener pastures and higher pay over the last 5 years. What is left behind are inexperienced officers.

• The city’s municipal broadband network Fibrant owes $7.6 million dollars to the water and sewer fund and the 2014-2015 budget audit cites Fibrant as having a $12.6 million negative balance. Salisbury’s city council saw fit to mislead the public that Fibrant turned the corner and made a profit through hiding salaries and other shell games. Fibrant is a drain on the city’s limited resources and it impacts the city’s ability to provide services. Fibrant was kept on life supports by bleeding the city’s water and sewer funds.  Now city hall is running a “10 gig” ruse when Fibrant only sold 3 “one gig” subscriptions to date.

• The city’s U.S. census showing 25% poverty places tremendous stress on the city and county systems. Numerous approaches exist for creating jobs and business even in areas with poverty, high crime, low performing schools, and limited spendable income.

• Working class folks, both black and white, are pulling up stakes and moving out of Salisbury to safer and more livable cities and towns elsewhere. The census shows our educated young are moving away for better jobs, safety, more amenities, and more fulfillment elsewhere.

• The city’s public schools graded no higher than Ds and Fs on the state education report card.  The public schools suffer from behavioral problems, safety issues, drugs, all too common illiteracy, and gang activity.

• A major epidemic in Salisbury of alcoholism and heroin, meth, and crack abuse which impacts crime and families in a major way. Examining arrest reports shows that many persons arrested are in possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

• The issue of being strongly bound to the visible “status quo” of old Salisbury real estate and banking families with a history of placing their self-interests, control needs, and greed above the interests of residents and taxpayers living in Salisbury and Rowan County.

• The Downtown with its South Main Badlands, the decrepit Empire Bat-Tel in dire need of bulldozing, and an expanding array of vacant storefronts is an unappetizing picture of blight.

• Salisbury received a downgraded bond status from Moody’s and Fitch bond rating services due to $7.6 million big gulped from the water and sewer funds. Today that bond rating has become even more precarious owing to recent discoveries of a $12.6 million dollar negative balance in the audit of the 2014-15 budget.

• Economic development is limited due to Salisbury’s poverty, lack of spendable income, and FBI crime stats.

• The covert targeting of “have not” neighborhoods for gentrification and “shrinking” of city services.

• Downtown needs to do something different to be a draw. Too many vacancies and too few people means the current formula is not working. The exorbitant municipal taxes add to the burden of attempting to do business.

• City Hall suffers a major disconnect with its communities outside of “8 block” and the country club. Many citizens are angered about city hall’s inattention and a lack of city services to communities outside of “8-block” and the “country club”. A lack of public playgrounds, sidewalks, and safety lighting are well noted in underserved communities such as the West End. Is your community receiving full city services? Adequate police patrol–trash pickup–pothole repair–city property properly maintained?

• Salisbury’s estimated 700 to 800 vacant, neglected, and abandoned houses create major blight throughout much of the city.  Although new code enforcement rules are in place, can a city hurting for money actually start implementing code enforcement and clear away some of obsolete structures?

• The city suffers from undeniable gang activity. City Hall is behind the 8-ball with creating recreational facilities and activities for youth. How can the city replace gang culture with something better?  There’s nothing better than something to do.

• A dreadful traffic light system coupled with closed streets and the coming “traffic calming” on East Innes. This will surely harm the chain stores and restaurants on East Innes. A congested and slow moving East Innes will also drive people away from coming into Salisbury.

• Ask yourself if cronyism isn’t rampant in city hall and that city council’s friends get curb service? How many of you or your neighbors tasted a city hall vendetta? How about the Spite Hole? Or a median planted in front of your business because you didn’t play ball. Or favoritism shown in zoning?

• The city’s long standing inequitable exchanges with the city’s forcibly annexed neighborhoods is in need of change.

• Unabated toxic areas in many sections of the city create public health concerns.

• A crumbling water and sewer system needing many millions to fix and upgrade.

RFP Staff

♦ Celestino Torres, 51, of 1017 Bringle Ferry Road in Salisbury, died tragically Monday afternoon when a car he was repairing fell off its jacks and crushed him in his yard at the Salisbury Mobile Home Park.  His wife immediately called out to her neighbors to help dislodge Torres.  Neighbors flocked to Torres assistance and managed to lift the car off of him, but apparently too late.   A short time later EMS crew pulled up to the mobile home park and pronounced Torres dead at the scene.

RFP Staff

♦ Lonnie Ray “Little” Carpenter, Jr., 27, of the 800 block of Green Street in Salisbury was arrested Tuesday for the alleged armed robbery of Kendrick Conner on Green Street Sunday night August 23rd.

The alleged robbery victim Kendrick Conner, after visiting his Uncle’s house on Green Street, was returning to his pickup truck when he was approached by a man known to him a “Lil’ Grench”, later identified as Lonnie Ray “Little” Carpenter, Jr. The two men spoke briefly about dogs. When the two ended their conversation and Conner attempted to get into his pickup, Carpenter popped up behind him with a semi-automatic pistol. “Get it,” said Carpenter. Conner complied, handing over his billfold and his cellphone. Carpenter faded out of sight.

Still shaken by the robbery, Conner called his wife and told her about the stickup. She let him know the alleged robber turned over Conner’s cellphone and billfold, without Conner’s $300, to Conner’s uncle. Conner’s wife said the alleged robber claimed he didn’t want trouble.

A fugitive from justice until Tuesday, Carpenter was arrested and charged with robbery with firearms or other dangerous weapons (felony), assault by pointing a gun (misdemeanor), and weapons possession by felon of firearms etc. prohibited (felony).

Placed under a secured $75,000 bond, Carpenter remains in Rowan County Detention Center.

Lonnie Ray Carpenter, Jr. Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0822747&searchLastName=carpenter&searchFirstName=lonnie&searchMiddleName=r&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

RFP Staff

♦ “Bones and sinew all around us, the women and children have left.” Jospar Ganoix, 19th Century Belgian Poet

In the 60’s they used to say “dig it–do it!”. Allegedly Andre Floyd Blakeney, 52, of North Long Street in Salisbury may have been inspired by the hidden “sexuality” of the often defaced Downtown Wells Fargo Mural this morning. Was it the clinging white hoopskirts? The buxom elite strollers with the big hats? Perhaps Mr. Blakeney saw a more divine sexuality that lesser mortals overlook?

At 7 a.m. Blakeney allegedly crossed that thin legal line that most of us never cross. It was reported that Blakeney stood up from his bench, exposing himself and masturbating in front of a woman who just drove onto the Wells Fargo lot.

We will not pass judgement on Mr. Blakeney’s active public sexuality. However, the Salisbury Police, on their arrival, recognized Blakeney had crossed the line. He was presented with a “citation for indecent exposure”. Was it an award? Or a penalty? One never knows in distinction-blurred Salisbury, North Carolina.

Perhaps Mr. Blakeny could pump a little excitement into the next Friday Night Out?

Floyd Andre Blakeney’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0033873&searchLastName=blakeney&searchFirstName=floyd&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Andre Floyd Blakeney:

JohnLocke.Org/Dr. Terry L. Stoops

♦ The Best and Worst Schools in N.C.: Three Rowan-Salisbury Schools Among the Worst in Growth in the State:

http://www.johnlocke.org/newsletters/research/2015-09-11-7mtc23ud0oes6m4g7poqre61q7-edu-update.html

RFP Staff

♦ Crime along Bendix Drive in Salisbury is out of control. Thursday the Days Inn Motel on 321 Bendix Drive suffered a robbery for an undisclosed amount of cash.

Down the road on the 200 block of Bendix some “lady” got busted for larceny.  Nothing new.  Bendix Drive in Salisbury is an on going crime festival likely neck and neck with Arlington Street for store break-ins, big time shoplifting, smash n’ grab parking lot robberies, delivery trucks stick-ups, and armed robberies.  At nightfall the areas criminals get an unobstructed fade back into the hood before the police show.

If you park your car in any of the lots along Bendix Drive you can suffer a smash n’ grab or even have your car vanish and windup stripped on cinder blocks in another part of the Bury.

If you do business along Bendix Drive don’t tempt fate after sundown.  That’s when the junkies, B & E artists, armed robbers, and car thieves are on the prowl for fresh meat. They keep their eyes out for plunder along Bendix Drive.  Days Inn–Verizon Wireless–Super 8–Lumber Liquidators–Economy Inn–IHOP.

If ever a place was is need of Blackwater to secure the area. The Salisbury Police are outmanned, outgunned, underpaid, and poorly led by a “security guard” at the housing authority. They can’t be everywhere at once.

RFP Staff

♦ In accordance with NCGS 153A-40(b), notice is hereby given that the Chairman of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners has called a special meeting to be held on Monday, September 14th at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting will convene in the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. Room on the second floor of the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. Rowan County Administration Building, located at 130 West Innes Street, Salisbury, NC.

The purpose of the meeting will be for the Board to conduct a public hearing to consider financing proposals for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College HVAC and Health Science Program Improvements.