Greetings from Salisbury, N.C.

♦ “I’m Tired of Waiting–Let’s Kill One.”

RFP Staff

♦ Robert Brawley of Mooresville announced he would file with the Board of Elections in Raleigh this morning to run for Governor of North Carolina.  He will find much support in the Republican Party and with the states many independents.

About 30 minutes ago Robert Brawley of Mooresville posted this on his Facebook: “Thank each of you for your interest and friendship. Today, I will be in Raleigh filing to be your next Governor of North Carolina. If you have questions or suggestions I will be listening. Thank you for your support. Have a great day and be blessed.”

RFP Staff

♦ “Don’t be carrying wads of cash in an envelope anywhere in Salisbury during the holidays.  Avoid toting a pocketbook.” Hans the Elf

The Walmart holiday nightmare never ended on “Black Friday” even in the midst of “saving money and living better” in hard scrabble Salisbury the town now claiming to have created crime and owning a lost cause 10 gig municipal fiber optic network.  Our hearts go out to that 71 year-old woman who absently left an envelope with $700 dollars on the counter after purchasing cookies in Subway around 10 a.m. Thursday.

Ten minutes after purchasing the cookies either a tiny bell tinkled in the senior’s early warning system or a sense of emptiness may have visited her when she reached for an envelope no longer there.  Immediately she hurried back to Walmart’s Subway restaurant.  Feeling overwhelmed and hoping against hope, she eyed the counter, then asked the Subway worker if she noticed an envelope left on the counter.  The worker recalled seeing a Black male take the envelope and leave.  A surveillance cam recorded him check out the envelope’s contents before he walked over to a woman seated at a Subway table. Soon the pair left.  A video still of the couple is posted below.

If anyone recognizes the identity of the couple pictured on the still they are requested to call the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 or Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

RFP Staff/GunViolenceArchive.Org

♦ Another excellent source for accepted factual crime statistics besides the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) statistics is the Gun Violence Archive which supplies daily updates about gun-related violence in every area of the United States.  You can get an accurate portrait of gun related violence in Salisbury, N.C., any county in North Carolina, or anywhere in the United States.  They even supply computer generated maps of gun violence in a specific city or county.  Gun Violence Archive is not an advocacy group either pro or con for firearms.  To learn more about Gun Violence Archive read their mission statement:

Gun Violence Archive (GVA) Mission Statement:

“Gun Violence Archive (GVA) is a not for profit corporation formed in 2013 to provide free online public access to accurate information about gun-related violence in the United States. GVA will collect and check for accuracy, comprehensive information about gun-related violence in the U.S. and then post and disseminate it online, primarily if not exclusively on this website and summary ledgers at http://www.facebook.com/gunviolencearchive. It is hoped that this information will inform and assist those engaged in discussions and activities concerning gun violence, including analysis of proposed regulations or legislation relating to gun safety usage.

GVA is not, by design an advocacy group. The mission of GVA is to document incidents of gun violence and gun crime to provide raw, verified data to those who need to use it in their research, advocacy or writing.”

http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

JDPower.com

♦ J.D. Power and Associates, the Worlds Leading Independent Consumer Rating Organization, Rates North Carolina Insurance Providers for Customer Satisfaction: Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Life, and Property (2015):

Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction:

http://www.jdpower.com/ratings/study/Auto-Insurance-Customer-Satisfaction-Study/612ENG/Southeast/1490

Homeowners Insurance:

http://www.jdpower.com/ratings/study/U.S.-Household-Insurance-Study-Homeowners-Insurance/652ENG

Renters Insurance:

http://www.jdpower.com/ratings/study/U.S.-Household-Insurance-Study-Renters-Insurance/653ENG

Property Insurance:

http://www.jdpower.com/ratings/study/US-Property-Insurance-Claims-Study/471ENG

Life Insurance:

http://www.jdpower.com/ratings/study/U.S.-Household-Insurance-Study-Life-Insurance/654ENG

RFP Staff

♦ Reuben Ijames, 28, a former West End “Community Relations” Officer, was allegedly terminated on November 24th for sexual misconduct and drinking alcoholic beverages while driving a police vehicle in mid October while being off-duty. According to police sources a second Salisbury Police Officer, said to be detective, was also allegedly terminated by the Salisbury Police Department for violating sexual misconduct policies. A former female officer with the Salisbury Police Department and now working elsewhere in the state was alleged to have filed the complaints.

Ijames was placed on administrative leave on October 31st while the city did an internal investigation.

RFP article appearing on November 5th

“Reuben IJames, the Salisbury Police “community relations” officer who once manned the failed twice-a-week West End Police Substation, was placed on administrative leave on October 31st by the troubled Salisbury Police Department due to an alleged sexual harassment investigation.

Sources both in City Hall and the Police Department informed the Rowan Free Press last week that a former Salisbury Police officer made allegations. These allegations may involve others. Former Salisbury Police Officers informed us that an alleged culture of sexual harassment prevails under Chief Rory Collin’s leadership.

Officer IJames showed up at the twice-a-week police substation in the crime-ridden West End community. Starting in August of 2014 and closing down in July of this year, the substation was viewed as an abysmal failure by West End community leaders. It was simply not community-driven and anyone showing up there would be viewed as a “snitch” by local gang members and drug dealers.

The call for the removal of Chief Rory Collins is deafening. Public information requests, ignored by City Hall, have demanded a full accounting of the chief’s “use” of two city credit cards and the alleged personal use of his police vehicle. Morale at the grossly understaffed and underpaid police department is at an all time low. Crime scene investigations are alleged to be mismanaged due to inexperience. Police patrol throughout the city is missing-in-action as violence and break-ins are all too common occurrences throughout the city.”

RFP Staff

♦ The motorcyclist Claude Richard Breedlove, 68, of Rockwell was pronounced dead at the scene when his 2004 Yamaha  motorcycle tragically collided with a 2006 Buick at about 3:20 p.m. on East Innes Street in Salisbury.   The Buick’s driver Katherine Lyerly, 85, of Salisbury, was driving on East Innes when she allegedly turned left onto Avalon Drive where her vehicle was struck by Breedlove’s motorcycle.

Lyerly allegedly was not hurt.

No charges were filed yet in an accident still under investigation.

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

RFP Staff

♦ **Warning: The following graphic description may disturb some readers.**

Phillip John Shoemaker, 22, said to be living on the Streets of Salisbury, allegedly took an 8-inch hunting knife and began brutally stabbing a puppy named “Buddy” held down by Shoemaker’s knees. The alleged attack happened prior to midnight at 112 Hyland Park Drive in Salisbury. Buddy, a small mixed-breed pup, squealed loudly as knife tore repeatedly into neck and belly, leaving blood spatter on Shoemaker’s pants and ground.

A neighbor Faith Cox, horrified by the animal’s brutalization, pleaded loudly with Shoemaker to stop. He continued stabbing the pup until it got away and ran to Faith Cox’s house a short ways away. She called 911.

When a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the neighbor’s home they found Buddy suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck and a puncture wound to his belly.

The deputies went to the home where Shoemaker was currently house sitting and Shoemaker let the deputy inside. They noted Shoemaker’s bloodstained clothing and the dog’s condition. Allegedly Shoemaker kept insisting that the dog owner Destiny Fullen Goss, 23, gave him permission to kill the dog.

Shoemaker was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals (felony). Under a $5,000 secured bond, Shoemaker is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center.

Buddy’s condition is not yet known. He was removed Friday afternoon by Rowan County Animal Control Officers. They charged the dog owner Destiny Fullen Goss with cruelty to animals (misdemeanor) with neglecting to take Buddy to a veterinarian for medical treatment following his stabbing. Buddy is being treated at private veterinary clinic and not at Animal Control.

Phillip John Shoemaker’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1263464&searchLastName=Shoemaker&searchFirstName=Phillip&searchMiddleName=j&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

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

Destiny Fullen Goss:

Marina Bare, artist

♦ Latest Photos of the Wallace Forum AKA the Central Office on North Main in Salisbury, N.C.

The Wallace Forum Awaits its Crowning Glory–The Dome:

The Original Inspiration for the Wallace Forum’s Observatory Style Dome: Marina Bare’s Vision of a Central Office SETI Observatory:

The Wallace Forum Swathed in Power Lines:

A Downhill View of the Wallace Forum:

A Downhill View of What the Dome would Appear like Upon Completion:

LATimes.com/John M. Glionna

♦ Utah is Winning the War on Chronic Homelessness with “Housing First” Program:

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-utah-housing-first-20150524-story.html

RFP Staff

♦ Thursday around 8 p.m. a lone white male, brandishing a shotgun and wearing a mask, held up the Village Grocery and Garden Shop at 4450 Hwy. 601 in Franklin Township outside of Salisbury.  The robber allegedly got an undisclosed amount of cash from the register and fled the grocery on foot. No one was injured during the robbery.

The robber is described as a white male with a stocky build approximately between 5″8′ and 5″10′. Surveillance stills show the suspect wearing a dark green hoodie shirt, dark pants, a dark bandanna mask covering mouth and nose, a reddish head covering, and sunglasses.

Anyone with information about robbery they are requested to call Detective Travis Allen 704-216-8715 or Lt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687 and Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

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

Surveillance Cam Stills:

RFP Staff

♦ **Sunday morning Rowan Sheriff’s Office confirmed that adult human remains were found. Due to the extent of the bone decomposition found at the site, investigators believe the remains were there for awhile.**

Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigators were summoned to a seldom visited wooded area, near the intersection of Bringle Ferry Road and River Road Saturday night, by two bow hunters reporting possible human remains.  The area in southeast Rowan is not far from the Davidson County line.

When investigators arrived, they secured the scene and immediately place crime scene tape over a fairly sizable area.  Investigators attempted to determine whether the remains were human or not. 

The approach of daylight on Sunday made the investigation easier. It was confirmed in a report released this morning that badly decomposed human remains were found and that they had been there for some time. Now the investigation will turn to identifying the individual they found and the ways they may have perished.

The human skeletal remains, scattered over the area, were collected and removed from the scene. They were sent to the N.C. State Medical Examiner’s Office for further evaluation.

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

RFP Staff

♦ Last week, after an alleged sexual misconduct investigation, Det. Alfredo Bizzio, “Young Officer of the Year 2015” was terminated for allegedly violating the Salisbury Police Department’s sexual misconduct policies. A former female officer with the Salisbury Police Department and now working in Chapel Hill, N.C. was alleged to have filed the complaints.

Bizzio, on administrative leave up until his termination last week, was chosen by Police Chief Rory Collins as the Salisbury Police Department’s “Young Officer of the Year 2015” and was honored at the Salisbury Rotary Club in May. Bizzio originally hired as “dispatcher” and after getting his law enforcement training, transferred to patrol. In record time this extremely raw and inexperienced officer was promoted by Chief Collins to detective based on Collin’s assessment that Bizzio had the ability to “talk to people” and had exceptional “investigative skills”.

The City of Salisbury’s conduct policy states: “All employees are prohibited from any conduct that is sexually harassing or which may create an offensive work environment. This includes, but is not limited to, repeated, offensive or unwelcome flirtations, advances, propositions; commentaries about an individual’s body; sexually degrading words used to describe an individual: or the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.”

A third individual is on the RFP radar for alleged misconduct, but this person, as of last week, has not been terminated.

RFP article appearing on December 10th

“Reuben Ijames, 28, a former West End “Community Relations” Officer, was allegedly terminated on November 24th for sexual misconduct and drinking alcoholic beverages while driving a police vehicle in mid October while being off-duty. According to police sources a second Salisbury Police Officer, said to be detective, was also allegedly terminated by the Salisbury Police Department for violating sexual misconduct policies. A former female officer with the Salisbury Police Department and now working elsewhere in the state was alleged to have filed the complaints.

Ijames was placed on administrative leave on October 31st while the city did an internal investigation.

RFP article appearing on November 5th

“Reuben IJames, the Salisbury Police “community relations” officer who once manned the failed twice-a-week West End Police Substation, was placed on administrative leave on October 31st by the troubled Salisbury Police Department due to an alleged sexual harassment investigation.

Sources both in City Hall and the Police Department informed the Rowan Free Press last week that a former Salisbury Police officer made allegations. These allegations may involve others. Former Salisbury Police Officers informed us that an alleged culture of sexual harassment prevails under Chief Rory Collin’s leadership.

Officer IJames showed up at the twice-a-week police substation in the crime-ridden West End community. Starting in August of 2014 and closing down in July of this year, the substation was viewed as an abysmal failure by West End community leaders. It was simply not community-driven and anyone showing up there would be viewed as a “snitch” by local gang members and drug dealers.

The call for the removal of Chief Rory Collins is deafening. Public information requests, ignored by City Hall, have demanded a full accounting of the chief’s “use” of two city credit cards and the alleged personal use of his police vehicle. Morale at the grossly understaffed and underpaid police department is at an all time low. Crime scene investigations are alleged to be mismanaged due to inexperience. Police patrol throughout the city is missing-in-action as violence and break-ins are all too common occurrences throughout the city.”

The New Police Advisor Rory Collins Starting January 1st:

RFP Staff

♦ Joseph Allen Pruss, 43, dwelling in the 1200 block of Tammy’s Park Road in Salisbury, was arrested Saturday by Rowan Sheriff’s Office deputies for alleged child abuse charges occurring on November 18th when Pruss babysat two children.  One child was allegedly choked by Pruss by placing a hand around the youngster’s neck.  Another child was alleged to be bruised and receive facial carpet burns.  The second child received facial bruises by being slammed against the wall.

Pruss was arrested and charged with assault by strangulation (felony) and with child abuse a general misdemeanor (misdemeanor).  Under a secured $5,000 bond, Pruss is in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Joseph Allen Pruss’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1344930&searchLastName=Pruss&searchFirstName=Joseph&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

RFP Staff

♦ The Sprint store on 910 East Innes Street was allegedly broken into early Saturday morning by three teenagers who allegedly broke out the retailer’s front glass window and broke into a locked cabinet to steal 4 iPhones.  In the process they triggered an alarm which alerted the Salisbury Police.

Not long after the Sprint Break-in, officers stopped a trio teenage males on the street several blocks away and questioned them.  Later the three teenagers were said to match up with the Sprint store’s surveillance video.

At the urging of his mother,  Taejone J. Williams, 17, of the 700 block of Heiligtown Road in Salisbury, turned himself into the Salisbury Police on Sunday evening.  He was charged with breaking and entering-building (felony) and felony larceny.  Issued a $500 secured bond, Williams was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center and later released.

Two other teenagers are being sought by police for the break-in.

Taejone J. Williams:

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ Saturday night December 12th, a virtual who’s who in Rowan County showed up for the Tsunami Development Literacy Program’s 2nd Annual Holiday Mixer at the Rowan Museum. Councilman Kenny Hardin, Community Activist Chris Sifford, Commissioner Craig Pierce and his wife Melissa, Sheriff Kevin Auten, Russell Means, Yolanda Meade Byrd, Scott Teamer, Nathan Currie, Pastor Anthony Smith, and Al Wood were joined by many other notables. Before I go further, Tsunami Development Literacy Program is making a difference for a lot of youngsters. Being able to read and write is one of life’s most important “must haves”.

Chris Sifford and Kenny Hardin:

At the Tables:

A packed room filled with conversation:

Al Wood, Kenny Hardin, Craig and Melissa Pierce:

Scott Teamer and friends:

Sheriff Kevin Auten:

Nathan Currie:

Pastor Anthony Smith:

UNC Tarheel and NBA Star Al Wood:

For more information about Tsunami Development Literacy Program:

https://www.facebook.com/literacyislife/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

RFP Staff

♦ Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina’s GRAND OPENING and RIBBON CUTTING at Shoppes-at-the-Summit on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.  As an incentive the first 50 customers in line will get a pre-loaded “Cantina Club” Card from $10 to $200.  Find out all about Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina’s menu, “about us”, nutrition, and more:

http://salsaritas.com/

Crystal Lineberry, East Rowan

♦ I did not write the song “O’Salisbury, O’Salisbury” (below) to mock Salisbury. I did not write it out of bitterness. I wrote it out of truthfulness and that it needs to be said. If you ask the older generation who lived in the county for 40 years or so, they will tell you they saw it coming. It’s the Salisbury families or people who couldn’t see past their own selfishness that made Salisbury a mess.

Hardly a day goes by without seeing violence there. Saturday a woman reported she was robbed at knifepoint on the 900 block of Richard Street. Being threatened by a knife is frightening.

No one I know schedules anything in any Salisbury restaurants anymore.  Albemarle and Concord get every date, birthday party, anniversary dinner, back from overseas homecoming, etc. Who wants to go out and celebrate only to be mugged or shot at?

To the tune of O’Christmas Tree:

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

Your streets are full of violence.

Your leaders seem

to be clueless.

Your Fibrant plan

turned n’to a mess.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

Your streets are full of violence.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

You need help beyond measure.

Only God

can save you now.

Unless you’ve gone

too far somehow.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

You need help beyond measure.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

Your streets are full of color

Caution tape

and trespass signs.

Red and blue lights

and chalk outlines.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

Your streets are full of color.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

You fill my heart with sadness.

I pray for you

each and every day.

I pray you’ll find

another way.

O’ Salisbury, O’ Salisbury

You feel my heart with sadness.

RFP Staff

♦ The battle with Salisbury’s meth epidemic continued in the heart of the West End Thursday.  After following up on numerous community complaints about drug activity at a rental home on the 1100 block of West Bank Street, the Salisbury Police, with assistance from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the SBI, and the Granite Quarry Police, raided the property at 10:30 a.m.

Arrested were Floyd Thomas Hellard II, 40, and his wife Jennifer Louise Porter, 48.  A third individual, Trampas Lee Money, 43, who lived at West Bank Street address, was not home at the time of the raid and has so far eluded arrest.

Inside the West Bank Street address, investigators found 5 one-pot meth labs created from 2-liter bottles.  Each of the 5 one-pot meth labs contained meth residue.  Also allegedly seized at the scene were Sudafed packages (a common meth ingredient), lithium batteries, liquid Drano, syringes, salts, and gas generators.

Hellard and Porter were charged with maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances (felony), possession of a controlled substance schedule I (felony), possession of an immediate precursor chemical (felony), 5 counts of manufacturing a controlled substance schedule I (felony), and drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor).

Under secured bonds of $250,000 each, Hellard and Porter are locked up in the Rowan County Detention Center.

The hunt continues for Trampas Lee Money.  If anyone knows the whereabouts of Money, they are requested to call the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or call Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

Floyd Thomas Hellard’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0177148&searchLastName=Hellard&searchFirstName=Floyd&searchMiddleName=t&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Jennifer Louise Porter’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1471231&searchLastName=porter&searchFirstName=jennifer&searchMiddleName=l&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Trampas Lee Money’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1482628&searchLastName=money&searchFirstName=trampas&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Floyd Thomas Hellard:

Jennifer Louise Porter:

Trampas Lee Money:

RFP Staff

♦ Tuesday just before 7 p.m. a bullet blew out a side window in the Waffle House on 510 East Innes in Salisbury.  The restaurant was packed and a group of youngsters were having a Christmas party when a bullet struck the window.

Thankfully no one was reported injured although glass fragments were scattered on the floor and on a corner booth.

It was not determined if multiple shots were fired or if any suspects were seen in the area.

If you have any information about this incident please call Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

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