RFP Staff

♦ Chad Richard Timms, 37, of Salisbury was killed Tuesday at 3 p.m. while resting against a guardrail of the Klumac Road Bridge (700 block of Klumac Road). Timms died when a multi-ton truck and its utility trailer swerved to the right to avoid a black mini-van which allegedly cut across the center line. Timms was struck hard by the utility trailer’s spare tire. Emergency responders declared Timms dead at the scene.

A witness at the scene supported the truck driver’s report of swerving to avoid the black mini-van.  The truck driver was not charged.  The police are now looking for the mini-van driver who they believe contributed to the accident and failed to stop.

Persons with information about the accident are requested to contact the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or the Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

The Late Chad Richard Timms:

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

Time to Talk, Videography

♦ Video: Tuesday’s “Time to Talk” Salisbury City Council Candidates Forum at East Square Artworks was attended by somewhere in the vicinity of about 40 folks.

At the Rowan Free Press we hold that videos of candidates forums tell a much fuller story of what was actually said, including not only the words, but capturing such important nuances of facial expression, intonation, body language, emotion, presence, and sincerity. Candidate forum videos, unless highly edited, rinse out “slant” and words purposely left out often present in some “media” reports.

The 2015 Salisbury City Council race shapes up as the first time in over a decade that non-incumbents possess a very high likelihood of being elected. Throughout Salisbury a strong disaffection exists with City Hall and its lack of connection with the city’s many communities outside of the Historic District and the Country Club. Crime, the current city council’s cover-up of its broadband Fibrant’s failure ($12.6 million dollars negative in the 2014 budget audit) and the mutual termination of its former city manager. Add to City Hall’s lack of any transparency, the very loud call for the removal of Chief Rory Collins, 11 unsolved murders, and the fact that working class people both black and white are unloading their homes and moving elsewhere for safety and a better life. The young have scattered to a new cities and towns far from their hometown and parents seek alternative forms of education for their children in the light of Salisbury’s public schools D and F report cards, behavioral problems, campus drug abuse, and gang activity.

Last night at the candidates forum, challengers Kenny Hardin, Todd Paris, and William Peoples stepped up and dis an outstanding job. Incumbents Maggie Blackwell and Brian Miller seemed flat except when Miller took a swipe at former city “employee”. Karen Alexander was a no show, being out of town. Former city councilmen Mark Lewis, the major driving force behind Fibrant and Empire Hotel fiascos whose financial repercussions did enormous harm to the city’s finances, city services, and the Downtown area, and Scott Maddox who many voters don’t recall from his youthful stint on council appear to be the status quo’s heir apparents for council seats. Mark Lewis, voted off city council several years ago, drags a pile of very loud tin cans behind him making his candidacy an easy target for non-incumbent candidates.

The Complete Salisbury City Council Video:

RFP Staff

♦ TWC MAXX High-Speed Internet in Up and Running in Rowan County and Salisbury, N.C. New Modem is Now at your TWC OUTLET. The flyer below is arriving now in the mail. If you are not already a subscriber jump on board. The TWC MAXX upgrade is at no additional cost to subscribers.

RFP Staff

♦ Robin Yarborough Oliver, 58, of 120 Independence Drive in Salisbury was arrested Wednesday and charged with 3 counts of trafficking heroin or opium (felony) to undercover investigators from a joint taskforce of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Salisbury Police Department.

The first alleged opiate buy from Oliver, was done by an undercover deputy from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office who purchased 60 hydrocodone tablets at her home on Independence Drive in Salisbury.  After arresting Oliver, a search warrant was obtained for her dwelling where investigators seized 260 Oxycodone popularly called “hillbilly heroin” (Roxicodone) a potent opiate painkiller.  Also seized were 200 hydrocodone tablets and 8 amphetamine/dextroamphetamine pills (Adderall) a potent stimulant. Investigators seized over a $1000 in cash.

The next day on Thursday investigators from the Sherriff’s Office and the Salisbury Police raided a storage unit in North Main Street in Salisbury where they found 400 hydrocodone tablets.

The street value of all the drugs seized on Wednesday and Friday is said to be approximately $10,000. Oliver is likely to face additional arrests and charges.

Under a $10,000 dollar secured bond, Oliver was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center where she has since been released.

**This article will be updated as more information arrives.**

Thu Le (Reprinted with permission from decodedparenting.com)

♦ **Editor’s note: This valuable article was originally posted on the Rowan Free Press back in December of 2013 and recently revisited our attention when the folks at Bullyville.com reposted our RFP story by Thu Le. Many thousands of readers from across the United States and North Carolina have visited this article on Erwin Middle School where an ugly cover-up by the Rowan-Salisbury School System took place. Sadly Erwin Middle School achieved a D grade in the most recent State Education Report Card.**

On September 27th, 2013, Daniel Safrit committed suicide due to the bullying he faced at Charles C. Erwin Middle School (EMS) in Rowan County, North Carolina. Since then, his family and many members of the community are on a mission to stop bullying, hoping that they can change the way students treat one another.

As stated by Allison Latos, from WSOCTV, Daniel’s life changed in the fall when he “complained about bullying, especially name-calling,” and started to see himself as “an ugly person.” A variety of confidential sources in the community told Decoded Parenting that he and his family went to school officials for help, but to no avail. The school allegedly said, “We can’t protect every child.”

According to the CDC, suicide is the third leading cause of death in teenagers, making up about 11% of all deaths.

EMS serves under 1,000 kids in grades 6-8. Sources told Decoded Parenting that Daniel was one of several EMS students to commit suicide after struggling with bullying in the past few years. One confidential source, who is part of the judicial system, confirmed to Decoded Parenting that there have been at least three other suicides at EMS in addition to Daniel, two of whom experienced bullying from other students.

The EMS home page has a link to report bullying – is this enough, or are school systems failing kids, when they need help most?

Another Harassment Case at EMS

Daniel wasn’t the only kid at EMS who was enduring bullying behavior – did the school protect the other children?

According to The Courthouse News Service, a mother from Erwin Middle School stated in court that students bullied and sexually assaulted her son while on an overnight field trip under the care of EMS staff, and that the chaperones who learned of the assault did nothing to resolve the issue.

Law enforcement conducted a criminal investigation of the incident, resulting in prosecution, pleas, adjudication, and a 5-day suspension for the boy’s attackers. Ultimately the school allowed the perpetrators to return to school, where the victim was still a student. Did the school respond appropriately, within legal guidelines and their own requirements?

• Chapter 115 C of the North Carolina General Statutes requires the school and its staff to report such incidents immediately, but they did not.
• EMS failed to follow the Board’s policy regarding sexual assault, which is to seek medical attention for the boy and to follow their rules of conduct.
• The school administrators also failed to follow the Board’s anti-bullying strategies.

EMS Assault: What Happened Next?

Kristi Rhone, the principal of EMS at the time the incident took place, has received a promotion to become the executive director of human resources of the Rowan-Salisbury School System.

The mother and her child are seeking compensation and an injunction that will protect her son for the rest of the time he stays in the Rowan-Salisbury school system. She is suing the school board, the chaperones, and the four attackers for sexual assault and battery, negligence, and emotional distress. The mother of the victim reportedly wants the school to adopt enforceable rules to insure that the boy and other students would not be victims of bullying or other forms of harassment or discrimination while at school.

EMS School Profile

The North Carolina’s Teacher Working Conditions Initiative is a statewide survey of all teachers to assess teaching conditions at the school, district, and state level. It is an opportunity for teachers to provide input on teaching conditions at their school.

Teachers in North Carolina take surveys every two years about the working conditions. Image by Teamkynce.

Decoded Parenting looked at the 2010 survey for Rowan-Salisbury schools in general; the statistics indicate that 27% of teachers did not think students follow rules of conduct, 33% thought that administrators did not consistently enforce rules for conduct, and 6% felt that the school environment was unsafe.

At Erwin Middle School, however, the teachers’ assessments were worse. 37% of teachers at EMS in 2010 felt that students do not follow rules of conduct, 61% think that school administrators do not consistently enforce rules for student conduct, and 11% feel that the school environment is unsafe.

In 2012, the situation deteriorated further: 60% of teachers at EMS in 2012 felt that students did not follow rules of conduct, 69% felt that administrators did not consistently enforce rules for student conduct, and 18% felt that the school environment was unsafe.

Bullying: What Will Help?

Since Daniel Safrit’s death, a local group formed a special task force to help fight against bullying. The task force leader is Elizabeth Bailey, a concerned mother and community member, and the group includes Educational Consultant/Motivational Speaker Eric Trail, a teacher, another parent, and a child therapist. According to Bailey, the task force continues to grow and does everything possible to spread the word against bullying.

Decoded Parenting asked Elizabeth Bailey whether she and the task force had come up with any ideas to stop bullying; she says there is a whole list of actions the community can take to reduce or eliminate bullying.

“On this list are watchdog groups … parents and members within the community to volunteer their time to be in these groups. This group is separate than the school system and is a sounding board for students, parents and faculty for bullying issues. … keeps track of the bullying reports and makes sure that the individual administration of that school follows policies and rules and enforces conduct rules. Also there needs to be a group of students in each school to create a anti-bullying council…similar in play to the student council. These students are there to talk to other students who have problems and be a sounding board for students. These students will deal with issues between students to help be an avenue of prevention of bullying…and will report to the watchdog group in their school. Teachers and volunteers must be present in the halls, cafeteria and lunch room at all times. When students are changing classes, all teachers must be standing outside their doors monitoring the halls. With school busses, it is unrealistic to expect one adult to not only drive the massive vehicle, but to also pay attention to the road, other drivers and make stops….and then also to govern the children…So there needs to be another adult on the school bus to do nothing but to monitor children. You can use PTA volunteers and parent volunteers to ride in the mornings and then someone else to ride in the evenings. When it comes to school bus rules they need to be short and to the point. The punishment needs to be serious as well.”

While these ideas have promise, the school board has yet to approve them. Currently, the task force is reportedly having difficulties arranging a time to meet with a representative from the board.

In addition to the task force, there have been new members on the board that appear to have bullying on their minds as well. A confidential source who knows the new superintendent, Lynne Moody, told Decoded Parenting of Moody’s frustration with how the school board was handling things.

Also on the School Board is Charles Hughes, who is a firm believer in punishing bullying. When Decoded Parenting asked for suggestions to deal with the situation, Hughes said he would like to enforce an alternative classes program where disruptive students study together in a classroom with a teacher who is “trained in disruptive behavior and backed up by one or more behavior specialists.” He believes that by doing this, the “stress on the remaining 99% of students who want to learn or do not have disabilities that hamper their learning would be minimal.”

Mr. Hughes has also recently sent emails to the state legislature to make sure that there are legal statutes against bullying and other cyberbullying issues.

Bullying: Community Involvement Counts

The task force is gathering people in the community for a massive anti-bullying community rally aimed at prevention, education, and awareness. The rally takes place on December 14th from 10 am to 4 pm in Rowan County. It is their hope that the community will come together and unite under the same cause – one in which children can go to a safe school, where people treat each other as humans, and to stop the silence on bullying.

In addition to this massive rally, Local Hiphop artist Brian Capa Young wrote a song in memory of Daniel Safrit to spread the word against bullying.

Editor’s Note: Decoded Parenting repeatedly attempted to contact EMS but school officials could not be reached for comment.

Resources:

Farrell, Glynis. Mother Says Son was Assaulted at Camp. (2012). Courthouse News Services. Accessed on December 11, 2013

Latos, Allison. Rowan Co. family on mission to stop bullying after son’s suicide. (2013). wsoctv.com. Accessed on December 11, 2013

Minino, Arialdi. Mortality Among Teenagers Aged 12 – 19 Years: United States 1999-2006. (2010). CDC. Accessed on December 11, 2013

Minn, Karissa. School system hires human resources director. (2013). Salisbury Post. Accessed on December 11, 2013

North Carolina’s Teacher Working Conditions Initiative . 2010 North Carolina’s Teacher Working Conditions for Rowan-Salisbury.. (2010). Accessed on December 11, 2013

Public School Review. Charles C Erwin Middle School. (2013). Accessed on December 11, 2013

© Copyright 2013 Thu Anh Le, All rights Reserved. Written For: Decoded Parenting

http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/11/15/rowan-salisbury-schools-pays-out-105000-settlement-for-erwin-middle-school-students-sexual-assault/

http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/12/02/convicted-sex-offender-visits-erwin-middle-school-and-shive-elementary-offender-has-record-for-sexually-victimizing-a-4-year-old/

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ Lately in area media stories we’ve seen blame directed at our District Attorney Brandi Cook and the our local judges for the challenge of weak sentences for Salisbury’s revolving door felons.

Local attorneys, veteran Salisbury police, and police who left for better pay and superior morale elsewhere have told me the problem of “weak sentences” and revolving door felons resides largely with current Salisbury Police investigations and the department’s lack experienced criminal investigators. 

Police Chief Rory Collins admitted publically, when being grilled by attorney Todd Paris, that somewhere in the vicinity of 75% of the Salisbury Police Department departed over the last 5 years.  Along those who left the Salisbury Police were crime scene investigator Sherry Curry (Gone to Norfolk Southern Railroad) and Kenny Lane a very experienced and astute investigator who was wrongfully terminated.

What is hamstringing our local prosecutors is the Salisbury Police’s mishandling of evidence and bollixing up of crime scenes.  Quite often prosecutors lack convincing evidence and are forced to plea bargain for lesser sentences. Factor in the enormous volume of felons dwelling in Salisbury and their lengthy records. Salisbury has become a violent cesspool brimming with repeat offenders. They also happen to shoot and rob people.

District Attorney Brandi Cook and our judges are not to blame for Salisbury N.C.’s army of revolving door felons.  Look to our “security guard” Chief Collins and the police department’s lack of experienced investigators.

JDPower.com

♦ 2015 U.S. Residential Television-Internet-Telephone Service Provider Satisfaction Ratings.  AT&T U-Verse-DirecTV-Verizon Kick Butt in Customer Satisfaction!

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2015-us-residential-television-internet-telephone-service-provider-satisfaction

RFP Staff

♦ The “Smack” King of Enochville and now serving major time, Brandon Lee “the Menace” Rumple’s Brother Zachary Todd Rumple, 25, of China Grove Highway in Rockwell and Father Christopher Todd Rumple, 47, of 504 Carter Street in Kannapolis, were arrested early Friday morning for an alleged heroin trafficking haul at 504 Carter Street.

Zachary Todd Rumple was charged with trafficking heroin or opium (felony), conspire to traffic opium (felony), possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver a controlled substance schedule I (felony), sell control substance schedule I (felony), deliver control substance schedule I (felony), sell/deliver control substance schedule I (felony), and possession with intent to manufacture/sell/ control substance schedule I (felony).

Under a $2,050,000 secured bond, Zachary remains in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Christopher Todd Rumple was arrested on charges of trafficking heroin or Opium (felony) and conspire to traffic opium (felony).

Under a $500,000 secured bond, Christopher has since been released from the Rowan County Detention Center.

Zachary Todd Rumple’s Criminal Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1106336&searchLastName=Rumple&searchFirstName=Zachary&searchMiddleName=t&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Brandon Lee Rumple’s Criminal Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1250975&searchLastName=rumple&searchFirstName=brandon&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Christopher Todd Rumple:

Zachary Todd Rumple:

Brandon Lee Rumple:

Todd Paris, Attorney and Candidate for Salisbury City Council

♦ Since the Summer of 2011 the Fibrant network has been out of violation with its Pole Attachment Agreement with Duke Energy due to the network being constructed out of compliance with the National Electric Safety Code.  An assessment performed by Atlantic Engineering Group found over 1,000 issues with the network involving 663 poles and 842 attachments.

In a letter to the City of Salisbury documenting the issue, Duke Energy asked that the network be fixed by December 2013.

Instead, since 2011 the City of Salisbury has paid $198,000 in legal fees to the law firm Brooks Pierce related to this issue, including over $17,000 in the month of August 2015 alone.  Also, it appears the invoices from the law firm were paid from the Salisbury-Rowan Utilities Water and sewer Fund and not the Fibrant Fund.

The fact that the City of Salisbury has determined it to be more economical to pay $198,000 in legal fees to defer this issue is a clear sign that fixing the over 1,000 issues with the network will not be a quick or cheap fix.

The fact that both the City of Salisbury and Duke Energy is aware that the network is out of compliance with the electric safety code and still allowed employees to work on the network for four years places both under liability for any incident that happens on the lines.  In addition, Duke Energy could be fined by both State and Federal regulators.

Click to view the letter from Duke Power requesting that repairs be done:

Page 1 – https://app.box.com/s/drbz4tezdbwcomf33069rr1pxjwz8eha

Page 2 – https://app.box.com/s/hv1atz6an04sp1xe8nwjizagozrnq53r

Click to view a spreadsheet of the City of Salisbury’s legal bills to resolve code violations on Duke Energy’s utility poles: https://app.box.com/s/gbj0tiuprjd7f1i1s3joqfgow72juefo

See all the actual documents: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1numzaq84zfvqsb/AAC2N8aThNpbBzMPEC08dYsDa?dl=0

USAToday.Com

♦ BLOOD MOON/SUPER MOON Lunar Eclipse: Every Thing You Need to Know:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/09/25/blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-super-moon-need-to-know/72790162/

RFP Staff

♦ Photo Essay: Salisbury N.C. KNUCKLE FASHIONS. Show Stopper Brass Knuckles and Knuckle Dusters from the Bury.

Feast your eyes on the return of hand combat “tools” available on the internet, Salisbury pawn shops and “no contract” cell phone spots. Knuckle fashion is based on the age old philosophy: “Talk s**t–get hit”. Brass knuckles and knuckle dusters have been with us since the era of the “Pinkerton men” and the “5 points” Irish gangs in New York City in the 1850’s. Today these knuckle fashions are making a comeback with Black and Latino gangs and old head criminals inside of Salisbury. Many sucker punch beatings and simple assaults on the streets of Salisbury are accomplished with brass knuckles and knuckle dusters. It saves on painful wear and tear on the knuckles and turns just about any punch into a meat tenderizing event.

“Mistah Bam”:

“Alien War Lord”:

“Skull Crack”:

“Love N’ Hate”:

“The Fifth Ace”:

“Lil’ Sneak Em'”:

“Doctor Detroit”:

“Meat Tenderizer”:

“Party Time”:

“Brain Juicer”:

RFP Staff

♦ Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr., 22, a Salisbury homeless man and Jameel Kenneth “Houdini” Stephens-Maddox, 22, of 8th Street in East Spencer were arrested over the weekend for an alleged armed robbery on the 100 block of Pearl Street in Salisbury. A third suspect Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox, 24, is also being sought for the alleged robbery. All 3 men were said to come up on a man and held a pistol on him while they relieved him of over $500 dollars and smart phone valued at approximately $600.  The trio fled on foot.

Means was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with robbery with firearms or others dangerous weapons (felony).  Under a $7,500 secured bond, Means was held in the Rowan County Detention Center until his release on bond.

His alleged accomplice Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox was arrested Saturday and charged with robbery with firearms or others dangerous weapons (felony). Stephens-Maddox was released after posting a $5,000 secured bond.

Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr.’s record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1171889&searchLastName=means&searchFirstName=dwayne&searchMiddleName=j&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox’s record.

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1196841&searchLastName=stephens-maddox&searchFirstName=jameel&searchMiddleName=k&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox’s record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1076698&searchLastName=stephens-maddox&searchFirstName=rasheed&searchMiddleName=a&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr.:

Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox:

Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox:

RFP Articles about Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr. and Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox:

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/02/17/dwayne-jaquan-means-jr-armed-robbery-fugitive-arrested-after-fleeing-reeds-lane-hideout-in-salisbury-n-c/

http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/08/29/charlotte-meck-police-collar-jameel-houdini-stephens-maddox-who-escaped-custody-in-salisbury-n-c-in-july/

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

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 until Attorney Todd Paris recently threatened a lawsuit. 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 must 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.  The current police chief/security guard Rory Collins now tries to downplay the runaway crime stats.

• 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. Even Chief Collins admitted this. What is left behind are inexperienced officers and substandard crime scene investigations.

• The Salisbury Police, under Chief Rory Collins, appears to be underreporting Salisbury crime. This is accomplished by the downgrading of a crime report to a lesser offense and by an understaffed police department ignoring calls to certain crime-ridden communities like the West End. If no police officers show up, then no crime report is filed. It creates the illusion of a drop in crime.  Crime is rising in Salisbury and no end is in sight.

• 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.

• Recently it was revealed that Fibrant, during its initial rollout, hired an outside contractor to place its fiber optic up on the poles. The contractor did a sloppy job and failed to follow specific National Electric Safety Code standards. Besides being out of compliance with their pole attachment agreement with Duke Energy, Fibrant, due to their violations, endangers Duke Power lineman and others who work on the lines. The City of Salisbury has yet to fix this very expensive safety hazard said to cost several million dollars to repair and are liable for any harm these violations may cause. The City of Salisbury also spent many thousands of dollars in legal fees to deal with Duke Energy. The legal fees are siphoned from the city’s water and sewer funds which slams utility bill payers in the pocketbook.  The incumbent city council knows all about this, but chose to cover it over.

• 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. The city is not currently utilizing any of these common solutions.  They are paralyzed to take useful action.

• 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, better 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, hard drug abuse, all too common illiteracy, and gang activity. The school system superintendent pleads for another 5 years.  Parents are moving away or putting their youngsters in private schools.  Are the city school’s problems even fixable at this point? Behavioral problems, safety issues, illiteracy, and hard drug abuse are giant granite mountains to move.

• A major substance abuse epidemic exists in Salisbury. Many are afflicted with alcoholism, 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 hard 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. Establishment money determines all the priorities in Salisbury in order to assure their continued power and control.

• The Downtown with its South Main Badlands and decrepit Empire Hotel is in dire need of bulldozing. The South Main Badlands with its 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, Fibrant’s costly violation of its “pole attachment agreement with Duke Energy”, and Fibrant’s failure to comply the National Electric Safety Code. Fibrant owes so much money and they are being trampled by an army of top-flight private broadband providers: TWC, AT&T U-Verse/DirecTV, DISH, MagicJack and others with immense marketing power.

• Lack of transparency in city budgeting. City Hall has spent over a million annually to subsidize Fibrant at the expense of city services. Fibrant subscribers are getting an approximate $28 per month subsidy at the expense of city taxpayers.

• Economic development is limited due to Salisbury’s poverty, lack of spendable income, badly performing schools, and FBI crime stats. Its even difficult to find employees here who can pass a drug test or who are not saddled with felony charges.

• The Chief of Police Rory Collins wonders why his inexperienced few police officers are not getting trust and cooperation from the Black community. The lack of trust runs deep and from experience. Black persons are put in harm’s way if they go to the police because in the past officers have blown informants cover. Gangs have far more presence in some black communities than the sporadic police patrols that often fail to show for calls for help after shootings, murders, and robberies. Black persons have been victims of Salisbury Police excessive force. Police officers routinely search Black person’s without “probable cause” in all parts of Salisbury.

• Many ask why Catawba College is getting a Fibrant discount while Livingstone College gets nothing.

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

• The City of Salisbury government has not comply with EEOC hiring guidelines and clearly discriminates in minority hiring.

• Salisbury’s aging, hazardous, and poorly maintained infrastructure suffers from the city’s money being “big gulped” by Fibrant.

• 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 better 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 large chunk of the city’s tax base. 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.

• City Hall’s conceding public housing to outside private entities which means some of our poor families are kept from residing in newly constructed public housing because they can not pass a credit check.

• 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

♦ William Levi Rankin, 23, a felon living in Salisbury, a city up to its armpits with hard cases and repeat felons, was arrested Friday night as a car passenger during a traffic stop on the 400 block of West Innes Street.  Rankin, recognized by Police Officers, was ordered to step out of the vehicle while Police K-9 searched the car.  In almost no time flat the K-9 to become attracted to 9-mm semi-automatic stashed behind  the passenger seat.

Officers on the scene noticed the 9-mm weapon’s serial numbers were defaced.  The female driver was let go, but Rankin was handcuffed and headed for the magistrate’s office in Downtown Salisbury.

Rankin was charged with alteration/disguised/concealment of numbers (felony), weapons-possession by a felon of firearms etc. prohibited (felony), and carrying a concealed weapon (felony).

Under a $200,000 secured bond, Rankin is locked up in the Rowan County Detention Center.

William Levi Rankin previous record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1197130&searchLastName=rankin&searchFirstName=william&searchMiddleName=l&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/03/20/police-looking-for-william-levi-rankin-22-of-salisbury-n-c-for-an-alleged-2014-home-invasion/

Steve Mensing, Editor and Kenny Lane, former Salisbury Police Officer

♦ Salisbury’s high FBI violent and property crime statistics peg 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 says it loud and clear. Yet recently the present police chief Rory Collins has tried to downplay the city’s runaway crime stats. Friends in the Salisbury Police Department tell us Collins is employing everyday techniques to make Salisbury’s towering violent and property crime statistics palatable.

I asked former Salisbury Police Officer Kenny Lane in a phone conversation Monday night to name the more commonly employed “techniques” police chiefs, in crime-infested municipalities like Salisbury, can do to make their departments “look good” and save their jobs.

“No doubt Steve they could,” said Kenny Lane. “The most commonly employed police fudging techniques have to be underreporting and reclassifying. Next would be failure to file a report.”

“Can you give us some examples of reclassification methods to downplay a crime?”

“Sure–devalue stolen property so its no longer a felony. Report a number of crimes as a single event. Reclassify a crime from felony to misdemeanor.”

“How about gang shootings like the one down on Thomas Street?” I asked. “Let’s say an intended victim was spared being hit by a bullet. Under normal circumstances they’d call it an “attempted murder”. Except in a downplay and cover-up, it might get tagged as “an assault” or no report is ever filed. Another example could be the reclassification of a burglary into “misdemeanor larceny”.”

“Here’s one that comes to mind, said Kenny Lane. “Let’s say the police, because they are undermanned, are not dispatched to the West End for over three hours so the end result is frequently no report is ever filed. This is a very common occurrence from what folks tell me. Then our police chief claims crime stats have magically plummeted.”

“Do you think Collin’s recent report of an anticipated drop in crime is accurate?”

“I think the folks living in the West End Communities can answer that far more effectively than I can Steve.”

“Thanks Kenny.”

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. Even Collins admitted this under cross examination by attorney Todd Paris. What is left behind are inexperienced officers and bungled crime scene investigations.

Underreporting crime stats to FBI is done by cities wanting to make their urban areas look good. It should be discouraged. It harms our citizens by creating a false aura of safety. It appears to be taking place here in Salisbury. According to former and present officers underreporting has been going on for years.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/May-2014/Chicago-crime-rates/

http://www.policeone.com/patrol-issues/articles/5736845-Fudge-factor-Cooking-the-books-on-crime-stats/

http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/05/11/is-the-handwriting-on-the-wall-for-salisbury-n-c-statistics-speak-loud-and-clear/

Christopher Sifford, Videographer

♦ Video: Kenny Hardin for Salisbury N.C.’s City Council–The MAN with a PLAN!

RFP Staff

♦ Recently fired from his job at R.L. Carriers and allegedly drowning his troubles with beer, Mark Andrew Foutz, 26, of South Main Street in Salisbury attempted to take on his father Charles Andrew Foutz, 54, in a bitter argument  and wound up being stabbed with a sword early Tuesday morning.  Bleeding out from a deep chest wound, Mark Andrew Foutz was  transported for emergency surgery to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem where he was reported to be in critical condition this afternoon.

Salisbury Police arrived on the scene and were greeted by the disconsolate father who called 911.  The family attempted to staunch the bleeding with a balled up shirt.  A Salisbury Police Officer applied first aid until emergency medical services arrived and transported Charles Andrew Foutz to the hospital.

The case remains under investigation.  No one has been charged.

Mark Andrew Foutz:

**This article will be updated as more details are known**

CarolinaJournal.com/Don Carrington

♦ North Carolina to Continue Fight Against Alcoa

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=12430

RFP Staff

♦ Monday evening two adult males, wearing brass knuckles, jumped an unidentified 17 year-old male near Sam’s Carwash on the 800 block of East Innes in Salisbury.  The 2 assailants fled on foot when their assault attracted the attention of a driver.  The victim, although dazed by the attack, reported that no robbery took place and declined treatment.  No arrests were made.

Simple and aggravated assaults appear to be almost daily events in Salisbury.  While most street beatings are begun by a bareknuckle sucker punch, a growing legion of Salisbury street toughs are sporting brass knuckles.  Robbery is not always a motive. The full visceral thrill of heavy-fisted street combat is. Salisbury is the PLACE.

Be advised if you walk the streets of Salisbury, especially after dark, remain alert and aware at all times.  Be especially on heightened alert if you are followed or if someone violates the code of the street and deliberately crosses the street toward you. Sometimes a “sucker” attack is led off by a panhandler style request. BAMM! Head bounces on pavement.

In Salisbury or in other dangerous urban areas, street wisdom dictates getting a permit for concealed carry.

If you have any information about the assault near Sam’s Carwash on East Innes or any other simple or aggravated assaults, please contact the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or the Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/09/27/photo-essay-salisbury-n-c-knuckle-fashions-show-stopper-brass-knuckles-and-knuckle-dusters-from-da-bury/

RFP Staff

♦ A third suspect in last Friday’s armed robbery on the 100 block of Pearl Street in Salisbury, Rasheed Stephens-Maddox, 24, was arrested early Wednesday.

Charged with robbery with firearms or other dangerous weapons (felony), Rasheed Stephens-Maddox, is under a $10,000 secured bond, is currently in the Rowan County Detention Center.

From a Rowan Free Press article on September 28th:

“Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr., 22, a Salisbury homeless man and Jameel Kenneth “Houdini” Stephens-Maddox, 22, of 8th Street in East Spencer were arrested over the weekend for an alleged armed robbery on the 100 block of Pearl Street in Salisbury. A third suspect Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox, 24, is also being sought for the alleged robbery. All 3 men were said to come up on a man and held a pistol on him while they relieved him of over $500 dollars and smart phone valued at approximately $600. The trio fled on foot.

Means was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with robbery with firearms or others dangerous weapons (felony). Under a $7,500 secured bond, Means was held in the Rowan County Detention Center until his release on bond.

His alleged accomplice Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox was arrested Saturday and charged with robbery with firearms or others dangerous weapons (felony). Stephens-Maddox was released after posting a $5,000 secured bond.”

Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr.’s record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1171889&searchLastName=means&searchFirstName=dwayne&searchMiddleName=j&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox’s record.

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1196841&searchLastName=stephens-maddox&searchFirstName=jameel&searchMiddleName=k&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox’s record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1076698&searchLastName=stephens-maddox&searchFirstName=rasheed&searchMiddleName=a&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr.:

Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox:

Rasheed Anthony Stephens-Maddox:

RFP Articles about Dwayne Jaquan Means, Jr. and Jameel Kenneth Stephens-Maddox:

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/02/17/dwayne-jaquan-means-jr-armed-robbery-fugitive-arrested-after-fleeing-reeds-lane-hideout-in-salisbury-n-c/

http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/08/29/charlotte-meck-police-collar-jameel-houdini-stephens-maddox-who-escaped-custody-in-salisbury-n-c-in-july/