RFP Staff

♦ Tonight about 8:10 p.m. shots were heard at Colonial Village Apartments in the 200 block of West “D” Avenue in Salisbury, N.C. The gunshot victim, Joshua Victor Harrison, 32, was hit in the back by a shotgun blast during an attempted robbery by a black assailant with short dreads and a dark hoodie sweatshirt. Harrison initially answered the front door and turning, attempted to run when he saw the robber was armed with a sawed-off shotgun.

When the Salisbury Police arrived, they found the Harrison bleeding profusely from a back wound, yet able to respond to questions. They found him a distance from the actual shooting on a porch at 306 West Avenue “D”.

Joshua Victor Harrison:

Transported initially to Novant Health Rowan Regional Medical Center, Harrsion was evacuated by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center Northeast in Concord. His condition is said to be stable and not life threatening.

Police cars lined up along West “D” avenue near the Colonial Village complex. Investigators took control of the crime scene inside the building and spoke with neighbors.

In the ongoing investigation no one has been taken into custody and charges have yet to be filed. It is not known yet whether the robber knew the victim.

An inspection of Harrison’s apartment allegedly revealed significant illegal drugs and money. According to police sources Harrison may soon be arrested and charged for the drugs found in his apartment. Harrison remains in the hospital.

Harrison is a felon who spent time in prison with a lengthy history of drug sales.:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0989333&searchLastName=Harrison&searchFirstName=Joshua&searchMiddleName=v&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

On October 23rd, 2014 Antonio Montreal Chambers, one of Salisbury’s 11 unsolved murders, was shot to death in a bedroom at apartment 43 in the Colonial Village complex at 231 West D Avenue. This is the same apartment complex where tonight’s shooting took place.

Persons with information about this shooting are asked to call the Salisbury Police Department. 704-638-5333 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

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

RFP Staff

♦ In the darkness late Monday night a single engine Piper aircraft struggled with fuel difficulties as it approached Rowan County Airport and attempted to switch tanks.  With the pilot, along on this seat-gripper ride, were two passengers.  We can imagine how they felt when they heard the pilot radio the airport tower that his craft was experiencing engine trouble.  The lights seemed a long way off. Each pitch and swell of the small Piper could be felt as the airport lights drew closer.

The aircraft’s power went out.  A deep collective breath.

As the plane trembled on its glide downward toward the runway lights, the pilot and passengers felt the craft’s fuselage sheer the tops of several light towers.  Now the decent came faster and shortly the wheels bounced along the turf far short of the runway.  Finally the Piper came to a halt some 500 feet away from the runway’s level surface.

Nobody was hurt.  That’s something for which everyone felt thankful.

The FAA will investigate as they always do when such incidents occur.

RFP Staff

♦ A rash of home and vehicle break-ins has residents on the alert in the Rowan County area around Gold Knob Road near Rockwell. The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office began to investigate this uptick in break-ins during the first week of October as valuables and other items were being stolen from vehicles parked in driveways.

The surveillance videos below show a suspect in dark clothing and a hoodie walking up to vehicle and shinning a light into the window. The suspect appears to have an object attached on their ankle, possibly a tool or an electronic monitoring device.

Anyone with any information about the suspects or the break-ins please contact Lt. Chad Moose 704-216-8687 or Detective Ollie Greene 704-216-8687.

The surveillance videos:

Press Release

WINSTON-SALEM — The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $10.2 million contract to improve safety by relocating a 2.39 mile section of Old Beatty Ford Road between Bostian Road and Lentz Road at I-85 in Rowan County.

Work will include a new bridge over I-85, widening, rumble strips, paving, drainage and grading. This safety project comes following a number of serious accidents and as traffic volume is projected to increase in the area.

Work can begin as early as this month and final completion including landscaping is anticipated for December 2017.

Contractor Smith-Rowe, LLC of Mount Airy can begin as early as October 26, with the new roadway scheduled to be open by June 15, 2017. Additional landscaping work should wrap up by December 2017.

This is one of six road and bridge projects recently awarded by the Department of Transportation. The contracts were awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, as required by state law. They are worth $102.4 million, which is $3.3 million below NCDOT engineers’ estimated cost.

CarolinaJournal.com/Dan Way

♦ Roy Cooper Touts Values In Campaign Launch for Governor:

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=12468

RFP Staff

♦ The featured image is of the house at 306 West Avenue “D” in Salisbury, N.C. where shotgun robbery target Joshua Victor Harrison collapsed near the porch.

As the shooting and unsolved murder count rises in violence-torn Salisbury, N.C. AKA “Shotzbury”, a cellphone cam photo of shotgun robbery target Joshua Victor Harrison collapsed near the porch at 306 West Avenue “D” was provided for the RFP.  The photo shows Harrison sprawled in blood splatter on the cement prior to his pick up by Salisbury emergency responders and later airlift by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center Northeast in Concord.

An experienced former Salisbury Police Department investigator studied the photograph of the victim’s wounds and believes he was shot with #6 shot or possibly buckshot. He told us that owing to the photo’s very limited resolution it was difficult to make a call about the exact distance at which the victim was shot. The former investigator saw no signs of a powder burn to indicate a close contact wound (3 to 6′), but the relatively close pattern would limit the distance. He roughly estimated the shooting distance to be in excess of 10′ because the shot appear to have begun to spread and no more than 30′ or the dark spots (appearing to be entry wounds) would likely be further apart.

WARNING: While the photo of shooting victim Joshua Victor Harrison sprawled on the ground near the porch at 306 West Avenue “D” is not as grizzly as many shooting photographs, the visual may be unsettling to some readers who may be disturbed by blood spatter and flesh wounds. We advise them NOT to look. This photo is NOT for children.

The RFP’s Article on the shooting:

http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/10/13/updated-shooting-at-colonial-village-apartments-in-salisbury-n-c-the-victim-was-evacuated-to-carolinas-medical-center-northeast/

The House at 306 West Avenue “D” in Salisbury, N.C.:

Joshua Victor Harrison:

Rabbi Will McCubbins, China Grove, N.C.

♦ I’ll keep it simple. It doesn’t matter what groups support the Rowan County Commissioners right to pray in Jesus’ name or what nonprofit groups are antagonistic to praying in Jesus’ name. I’m down with free speech and the freedom of religion. What matters most here is the quality of the attorney’s briefs and the how the Supreme Court hears those briefs and eventually rules. If you love praying in anyone’s name pray now. If you don’t, have a moment of silence directed to whatever. Let it be known that I am completely supportive of the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech.

While I’m speaking of prayer I’d suggest praying hard and long for Salisbury, North Carolina because that city has gone “bad side up”. It is a dangerous town where the police are badly outmanned, underpaid, and lack leadership. “Shotzbury”, as the gangs call it, is saturated with smack, crack, meth and street gangs. They will knuckle you up or pump you full of lead for a few lousy bucks. Padlock you vehicle or it will show up stripped 10 states away.

Pray for “Shotzbury”. And if you have to go there for business or to visit unfortunates still hunkering down there, PACK. Go armed and stay alert. Daylight in “Shotzbury” is no better than night. A bullet can’t see. It can rip through someone’s brain or it could end the life of a child in a crossfire.

If you pray, pray for Salisbury.

ABC11.com/Andrea Blanford

♦ Mac Butner Out!  N.C. Board of Elections Ousts Official Who Made Racist Posts:

http://abc11.com/politics/nc-elections-board-ousts-official-who-made-racist-posts/1034491/

Public Announcement

♦ Attention All Men! Due to the Recent Shootings and Murders in Salisbury, N.C., We’re Asking All Concerned Men to Come Together in a Show of Unity and Love for Our Youth and Communities. Join Us Saturday October 17th at 10 A.M. at Kelsey-Scott Park in Salisbury, N.C.

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ “Burn Baby Burn!” Magnificent Montague, a 60’s L.A. Disk Jockey during the Watts Riots

I was surprised the other day to find out one of the most brutal and effective weapons of mass destruction, the flamethrower, is legal in North Carolina and 47 other states.  In fact flamethrowers are easily obtainable from companies selling these devices over the internet.

Many of us have watched documentaries capturing the images of Japanese soldiers being burned alive as they emerged from pillboxes being doused by roiling jets of flaming jellied gas from Flamethrower nozzles.  What was a GI to do if confronted by an enemy wanting to fight to the death?  During the island hopping across the Pacific, tens of thousands of the Japanese soldiers were incinerated in bunkers, caves, pillboxes, and during banzai charges across jungle terrain.  Flamethrowers still appeared during the Korean conflict and in the Vietnam War before the military ended their use.

In the United States today two flamethrower companies “ThrowFlame” out of Cleveland, Ohio and “Ion Productions Team” out of Detroit produce flamethrowers thoroughly capable of the “unimaginable”.  “ThrowFlame” is currently selling their product at $1,599 a pop.  It can hurl a flame slightly over 50 feet.  It also makes a product called “Napalm” that jellies gas.   And “Ion Production Team” sells their product at an affordable $900.  Their flamethrower hurls an intimate fire stream out at 25 feet.  Hey you can torch trailer down on Airport Road with this baby no time flat.  WHOOOOSH!

Keep in mind both of these flamethrowers are peddled by their companies as “fun devices” for BBQ events or burning out farm fields.  Okay.  And one of the companies insists that safety is a priority.  Hey you can’t blame a guy for trying to make a buck?  Right?

Save for California and Maryland where flamethrowers are illegal, the other states have nothing on the books.  Flamethrowers are not guns so lawmakers apparently look the other way.  The NRA is against outlawing Flamethrowers.  “If they take away our flamethrowers, they’ll be taking our guns next. The constitution guarantees our right to bare propelled flammables.”

In any event flamethrowers can be purchased over the internet and shipped via the U.S. Postal Service and UPS to legal destinations (Anywhere, but Maryland and California) The postal service will only handle the Ion Production Team tanks and not the flammable liquid.

Lest we forget its relatively easy to construct flamethrowers out of propane tanks. Instructions can be found on line with a little hunting. Several gangs, in other states, are doing this. Gang flamethrowers also have been used in Bolivia to execute rival gang members after forcing them into a room and burning them alive. Flamethrowers are the new breed gang weapon of mass destruction. Prior to the emergence of the flamethrower, the Molotov Cocktail, simply a bottle full of gasoline stuffed with a flammable rag was the gang fave for torching a house, a school, or building.

Okay imagine if you will a local gang orders a flamethrower or two. Imagine what havoc they could reek on rival gangs, drug dealers who encroach on their turf, buildings, or law enforcement? Can you picture a 50 foot flame shooting out of the back window of an SUV on a Saturday night joyride down South Main in Salisbury?

RFP Staff/Access 16

♦ Video: The Catawba College Salisbury, N.C. City Council Forum on Thursday Evening October 15th:

RFP Staff

♦ Armed robberies of pizza shops and their drivers continues unabated in Salisbury AKA “Shotzbury” since last spring.  Frequently targeted are Pizza Hut and Papa Johns and their courageous drivers ready to brave the night and area banditos holding guns on them and often getting “free” pizza and wings along with a nights take and tips.  So far no pizza delivery driver has been left face down with their brains shot out in a gutter.  The big roulette wheel in the sky is poised to land on murder.  Ah to die for cheese and marinara sauce and hand full of tips.

Thursday an unidentified 15 year-old male from “Shotzbury” wound up at Stonewall Jackson Training Facility for juvies.  The teen, along with several other accomplices, allegedly failed at two pizza armed robberies back on September 5th.

During the first alleged pizza delivery incident, the 15 year-old and his associates intercepted a Pizza Hut driver after he made a delivery to the Brookview apartments on 711 MLK, Jr.  The alleged teen robber came up on the delivery driver in the dark and someone drew a chrome pistol.  “Gimme all your money.”

The delivery man sensed his chances of survival would be better served by slamming his car into reverse and driving out of the lot.  Two robbers gave chase for a short distance.  No money–no pizza.

Not to be deterred from their pursuit of money and pizza, the 15 year-old and his pals headed off for Papa John’s Pizza where they spotted a female worker taking a ciggarette break on the sidewalk.  Moments later the trio drew the chrome plated pistol.  “Hands up and gimme your keys!”

“I don’t have no car keys with me.”

The gunman quickly frisked her, going through her pockets.  Finding nothing, the trio started to walk before a male employee came outside to chase the three.  Big mistaka-a-daka!  The gunman fired off a round at the pursuer.  The worker thought the better of his options and fled back to Papa Johns.  Good move.

No money–no pizza.

Thursday the 15 year-old was IDed, arrested, and charged for two armed robberies (felony).

We are unaware if they serve pizza at Stonewall Jackson. Besides cooling his heels, our 15 year-old will have much time to reflect.

RFP Staff

♦ A Double-Shooting occurred down at 526 North Shaver Street Friday at around 10:50 p.m. when two allegedly homeless persons Edward Sifford, 55, and Matthew Dwyer, 54, were drinking beer on the porch of an abandoned house. An unidentified man and woman walked by and stopped to talk. Allegedly the man tried to steal beer from Sifford which degenerated into brawl on the porch where punches started flying. Dwyer tried to step in between the two men. At that point the woman drew a pistol and began shooting. Both Sifford and Dwyer were struck with several bullets. Dwyer staggered around the corner to the 500 block of East Cemetery Street where he collapsed.

A neighbor said squatters frequented the North Shaver Street house where the two men drank on the porch. “Its not uncommon to see bums scrapping out here on weekends.”

Both men were eventually transported to North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.  Both gunshot victims’ wounds were said to be non-life threatening.

The crime scene was active with investigators.  Police vehicles began to fill out the 500 block of North Shaver street during the early morning hours.

The shootings remain under investigation.

Shooting Victim Matthew John Dwyer:

Shooting Victim Edward Eugene Sifford:

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

RFP Staff

♦  Christie Lynn Sloop Senk, 27, an absconder and felon from Rockwell, was arrested early Saturday morning for alleged “indecent exposure” and a lengthy list of other charges.  Senk was allegedly intoxicated when she exposed herself prior to her arrest by Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Senk’s charges include breaking and entering-building (felony), larceny after break and enter (felony), larceny (misdemeanor), injury to personal property (misdemeanor), indecent exposure (misdemeanor), intoxicated and disruptive behavior (misdemeanor), and parole violation (misdemeanor).

Senk is currently under a secured $1,500 bond in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Christie Lynn Sloop Senk Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0973280&searchLastName=sloop&searchFirstName=christie&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

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

CEDMagazine.com/Andrew Winistorfer

♦ Chattanooga Rolls Out First Community Wide 10 Gbps Service with Help from Alcatel Lucent:

http://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2015/10/chattanooga-rolls-out-first-community-wide-10gbps-service-help-alcatel-lucent

RFP Staff

♦ Rowan County Commission Meets at 6 P.M. on Monday, October 19th at the Rowan County Administration Building at 130 West Innes Street in 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: October 5, 2015
1 Consider Approval of Consent Agenda
A. Set Public Hearing for Z 09-15 for November 2, 2015
B. Rowan County Fair Housing Plan
C. Refunds for Approval
D. Approval of Contract for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement
E. Right of Way Easement for Waterline To Serve Proposed Subdivision (The Village of Granite) off Faith Road
F. Duke Energy Access Agreement for Rowan Salisbury School System Central Office
2 Public Comment Period
3 Public Hearing for Revisions to the Rowan County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2 Administration, Article II Personnel, Section 2-131 Holidays
4 Award Base Bid and Alternates to Carpenter Construction Company for Airport Hanger Office Addition
5 Consider Approval of Budget Amendments
6 Closed Session
• For Attorney-Client Privileged Communication Regarding a PersonnelMatter
• Approval of September 8, 2015 Closed Session Minutes
7 Adjournment

Complete agenda and supporting documents:

http://agenda.rowancountync.gov/DisplayAgendaPDF.ashx?MeetingID=137

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

RFP Staff

♦ This letter posted below comes from the October 2015 issue of “Ministry Profile” a mailing from Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, N.C.  The letter was sent in an email to President Obama from St. John’s church member and the Executive Director of Lutheran Services Carolinas, Ted Goins:

RFP Staff

♦ On Tuesday at 4 p.m. Salisbury’s City Council will meet at City Hall at 217 S. Main Street and according to the agenda will take up “fair housing issues”. They will revisit fair housing issues raised on September 15th by community advocates Whitney Peckman, Nan Lund, and Kenneth Lydell Muhammed El. Those public comments may be viewed on the RFP’s September 15th video for a fuller understanding of the city’s unfair housing practices. City staff will offer a presentation of Salisbury’s “2014 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice”. This report gets updated every 5 years as required to receive HUD grants. A PDF of the document” “2014 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice” is posted below the video.

Tuesday City Council will hear HUD’s new rules said to beef up fair housing requirements as well as the city’s latest measures.

Video: Public comments on unfair housing at Salisbury N.C.’s City Council on Tuesday September 15th. Whitney Peckman, Nan Lund, and Kenneth Lydell Muhammad El speak out on unfair housing practices taking place in Salisbury, a city where 25% of its citizens are poor:

Valuable PDF. on the Impediments to Fair Housing Choice:

http://www.salisburync.gov/Departments/CommunityPlanning/Planning/Documents/2014_AnalysisOfImpedimentsToFairHousingChoice.pdf

RFP Staff

♦ Amber Michelle Beaver, 17, a student at East Rowan High School who lives with her parents on Barger Road in East Rowan, was arrested Saturday for allegedly making a false report on Facebook of mass violence at East Rowan High and communicating threats. The teenager posted on her Facebook page a photo of several weapons spread on a table including a shotgun, a revolver, a bolt-action rifle, and a semi-automatic rifle. The photo was labeled: “School finna be lit”.

Several East Rowan teachers and  students became alarmed at Beaver’s Facebook posting and contacted the school’s Resource Officer Scott Flowers.  Flowers contacted the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office who sent investigators to Beaver’s home on Barger Road.  The parents informed the investigators they had not seen their daughter for a week and that she was staying with friends on Henderson Street in Spencer.

When the investigators  arrived at the Henderson Street address, they found Beaver and questioned her about the Facebook posting.  She allegedly dismissed the posting as a joke and thought it funny.

Beaver was arrested and charged with making a false report concerning mass violence-education (felony) and communicating threats (misdemeanor).

Under a $7,500 secured bond, Beaver remains in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Beaver who previously dropped out of East Rowan High, re-enrolled this school year. In April of this year she was arrested and charged for an alleged simple assault.

Kenny Hardin, Candidate for Salisbury City Council

RANDOM MORNING THOUGHTS: This week leading up to early voting and Election Day, you will hear a lot of pretty words, flowery speech and seemingly heartfelt promises.

People will flood your mailbox with literature making a host of promises they will not keep.

People you never see every Sunday will visit your Church, sing off key, clap and sway off beat, and stay long enough just to make a short speech and they’re gone.

Don’t be fooled by all the pretty colored signs with the cute slogans so prevalent throughout our City. Some of the signs haven’t endured the weather and that might be a sign about the candidate and the validity of their message.

I haven’t and won’t do any of that. I have and will continue to keep it real. I’m cautioning you not to be fooled by theatrics, fancy words, and false promises.

Think about all the murders, the unsolved killings, the shootings, gangs, drug arrests, the Fibrant debacle, the empty and boarded houses, our young college graduates leaving our City, lack of jobs, and the growing racial tension.

Then ask yourself if Salisbury is in better shape than it was before the last election? Use that answer as to whether you should put the same people who are serving now or have served previously back into office.

It’s time for a TURNAROUND! Vote for Kenny Hardin!