RFP Staff

♦ Monday night the Salisbury Police were kept busy by a rash of break-ins in East Innes Street area.  Hit were the AT&T mobile phone store, GNC, and the T-Mobile Store.

Worst hit was the AT&T store off Faith road.  According to law enforcement sources the AT&T lost a number of smart, tablets, and an undetermined amount of cash from a safe.  The break-in happened sometime during the night when someone pried open the rear door of the neighboring GNC, then sledge hammered through GNC’s Break Room wall to gain entry into AT&T.  Nothing was reported taken from GNC although its restroom wall was damaged by thieves making attempts to gain entry into the neighboring AT&T store.

An alarm company for GNC alerted the owner that something was amiss with his alarm system.  The GNC owner traveled to his store to discover holes in his interior walls and promptly called the Salisbury Police.

Also reported Monday night was a smash and grab style break-in attempt at the T-Mobile mobile phone store on East Innes Street.  A window was smashed by a large rock in a failed attempt to gain entry.  It is unknown at this time if the T-Mobile smash and grab was related to the GNC and AT&T break-ins.  All three break-ins remain under investigation.

If you have any information about these break-ins, please call Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245 or the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333.

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ The other day I watched the Rowan County Commission meeting’s public commentary where two persons spoke up about the challenges of unleashed dogs harming other pets in the Fulton Heights area of Salisbury.  Mr. Wainwright spoke about losing his family’s pet cat “Buddy” to a pair of mixed breed pit-bulls.  Losing any pet cat or dog we’ve bonded with can be an emotionally painful experience.

I recall in my teenage years back in Philly taking my 12 year-old cat Igor to the veterinarian to have Igor checked out for an unknown illness, then less than 24 hours later the pet clinic called and told me that Igor expired.  Apparently he ate a squirrel and it’s punctured Igor’s intestine leading to life ending infection.  I missed Igor immensely–we were buddies. He curled up purring beside me every night.

Animal Control in Salisbury must have their hands full.  I used to live on West Bank Street in Salisbury’s historic district and often sat out on our porch in the wee hours of the morning.  I saw much animal activity that usually goes unnoticed during daylight hours.  I noticed packs of feral dogs roaming the street, hunting for quarry.  If you’ve ever seen feral dogs under a street light they are often mangy and emaciated.  They live on house cats, feral cats, garbage, and small mammals.

In the early morning hours I’ve seen coyotes on West Bank the year before I moved.  They and feral dogs wiped-out most of the feral cats living in our area.  And infrequently I saw home-kept dogs running free off the leash day or night.  Some of those animals, because of their size and breed, posed a threat to other pets and to small children.  I’m talking about pit bulls, German Shepherds, and Rotweilers.

What I really want to stress here is that putting a cat outside in Salisbury or in any urban environment is risky business.  Street life is dangerous for cats and greatly diminishes their “shelf life”.

Here are but a few of the dangerous obstacles to a cat’s long and healthy life and why we keep our cat “Artie” indoors and out of harm’s way.

• Getting hit by cars is a strong possibility for an urban cat.

• Feral dogs, dogs roaming off the leash, and coyotes pose a major life threat to cats.

• Tangling with free roaming cats can lead to bites and scratches, injuring and infecting our feline friends.  Outdoor cats, who survive several years, will show battle scars from street combat.  Ever see a one-eyed cat or a tomcat with a permanent gimp? Raccoons and possums provide nasty bites.  They will duke it out with a cat.

• Eating squirrels and other small mammals is not so great for feline intestinal health.  Neither is finding spoiled food and poisoned bait left out for rat control in Salisbury.

• Feline leukemia, rabies, and other communicable diseases confront a cat going outdoors.  All can lessen feline mortality.

• Disturbed youngsters and adults who shoot or torture pet cats and dogs.  They’re out there.

• Parasites like pinworm, hookworm, and killer heartworm are more likely to occur to an outdoor cat.

If you want your cats to live long and healthy lives, keep them indoors and out of harm’s way.

A WebMD.com article: “Should You Have an Indoor Cat or an Outdoor Cat?”:

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/features/should-you-have-an-indoor-cat-or-an-outdoor-cat

Growing Numbers of Coyotes Marauding through Salisbury’s Historic District. Feral Cat and Dog Populations Thinning:

http://rowanfreepress.com/2013/06/10/growing-numbers-of-coyotes-marauding-through-salisburys-historic-district-feral-cat-and-dog-populations-thinning/

RFP Staff/Landis Police Department/Capt. Hosey, LPD

♦ Capt. Hosey, LPD reports: “Final Armed Robbery Suspect Identified & Arrested.

LPD Detectives developed information earlier this week that identified Demarshay Montez Witherspoon, 21, of Charlotte, as the final suspect in the November robbery of Sonny Supplies.

Investigators coordinated with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, who arrested Witherspoon at his Charlotte residence Tuesday evening. Witherspoon was then transferred to LPD custody.

Witherspoon is charged with 3 counts of armed robbery, 1 count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and possession of a weapon of mass destruction (sawed-off shotgun).

Witherspoon is currently being held under a $250K bond at the Rowan County jail.

This arrest concludes a lengthy investigation involving multiple agencies, including the US Marshals Service, NC State Highway Patrol, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Parker County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office. We’d like to thank all of those agencies, officers, and citizens whose contributions were invaluable in helping us identify & arrest those responsible.

– Capt. Hosey

P.S. If you’re a criminal, you may want to think twice before you come to Landis. Although we aren’t the largest agency around, you will find no jurisdiction more dedicated to finding & arresting you if you violate the sanctity of our town.”

Demarshay Montez Witherspoon:

RFP Staff

♦ Dwayne Lamont Smith, 26, of Concord, a former Rowan County Detention Center Officer, was terminated Monday by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly providing marijuana, tobacco products, and prescription medication to inmates at the Detention Center Annex on Grace Church Road.  Prior to his termination, Smith became the subject of an internal investigation starting on December 2nd.  On December 17th he was suspended while he awaited the outcome of the investigation.  After Smith’s termination, investigators turned over their findings to the Rowan County District Attorney’s Office prior to the office filing charges.

Smith started employment with the Rowan County Detention Center on June 14th.

Smith was charged with 2 counts of furnishing a controlled substance to inmates (misdemeanor) and furnishing a controlled substance to inmates (felony).  Under a secured $15,000 bond, Smith was placed in the Iredell County Detention Center.

Kenny Hardin, Salisbury City Councilman

♦ I was not in favor of the resolution to honor former Chief Rory Collins. I was the lone vote against the resolution and stand firm in my opposition. My decision to speak up was not meant to embarrass Collins or take away from the moment. I ran a campaign on candidness, honesty, and transparency. So, I spoke out not for me, but for those across the City who are hurting, continue to live in fear and have shared with me their pain, fears and concerns about crime and safety during his leadership.

While I appreciate former Chief Collins’ long service, I don’t believe in honoring and celebrating longevity alone. Before I celebrate, I look at the entire body of work as well as the lasting impact that length of service and body of work has left.

With that in mind, I could not support this public honor and recognition. I looked at the trail of fractured relationships he left in the wake, a polarized city behind his leadership, his inability to name the total number of unsolved murders, his inability to name at least one of the murder victims when prompted, inaction in resolving the murders, his apathy towards the Black community in an email exchange with a Salisbury Post reporter where he stated he was REALLY tired of trying with the West End, failed initiatives like the substation, my son being harassed by Officers, continual and escalating gun violence, increasing prevalence of gang activity, increasing drug activity and a department that bears visible scars of poor leadership.

So, I see little to honor or recognize. It is additionally disappointing that after he chose to retire, it is being reported on local news outlets he will still have a financial and physical presence within the Department. This is all a slap in the face and a dishonor to many in our private and business communities that I talked with daily from the beginning of my campaign last April up to as recently as two weeks ago.

Instead of honoring him for a mediocre job not well done, we should quietly thank him for his service longevity, move forward with new leadership, and focus on building broken relationships to start the healing.

Live Marginally and Die Young in Shotzbury

♦ But What is that Shadowy Place They Call Salisbury, N.C.?

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ Much like our predictions for 2015, I see little headway being made in our statistical projections for Salisbury. I suspect some additional “lost ground” may be in order with Salisbury’s “big 3” statistics: Poor FBI violent crime and murder stats, abysmal public school letter grades from the State Department of Education (in 2015 the public schools in Salisbury got nothing higher than Ds and Fs). These public education statistics are likely to remain static because working class folks of all races are moving out of Salisbury with their children and Salisbury’s deadening U.S. Census Bureau poverty statistics will likely hover around 25% or so. A recession or a downturn in the areas economy could add to the city’s poverty woes.

The “big 3” statistics make it extremely difficult to do economic development and to keep the working class and upper income people here or attract new persons the city. Those three statistics are devastating and they impact Rowan County’s statistics, dragging it down as well. Salisbury, N.C. Statistics:

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

In the late fall of 2016 the latest FBI crime statistics for 2015 will appear. Murders, rapes, assaults, shootings, and armed robbery stats will likely surpass 2014. Break-ins and car thefts will no doubt show a spike. The city will have to respond by paying police a competitive wage, recruiting more experienced police and investigators, and fielding more patrolman. This is a must do. In the city’s current financial condition it will be forced to substantially raise taxes and fees to meet its public safety obligation or else face more residents packing up and leaving for safer communities elsewhere.

Predictions for the City of Salisbury 2016:

• The city of Salisbury government will run a series of community meetings throughout Salisbury where they will allegedly “listen” to their residents. The city government has their own agenda and any “listening” they do has almost always be feigned. Their “listening” is to pacify folks’ anger and frustration. Their “listening” seldom passes the action test. They will give you the old Salisbury runaround and do nothing actively to respond to your concerns and requests unless it fits their agenda. They will say: “We’re taking your requests seriously” or “You made a good point here–we will give it full consideration and get back to you.” “Excellent ideas–we’re studying this very carefully.” But taking action on it? Nah. They may even get you to form small groups at different tables and use divide and conquer techniques with city staffers jotting down ideas on paper. Or they may pack the meeting with their friends. But actual listening is not in the plan.

• Better homes in Salisbury will continue to tumble in price as more people move away for safer and less impoverished cities and adequate public education. The working class is melting away. Good paying jobs in scarce in the Bury. If a recession or downturn occurs the stampede will empty Salisbury.

Steve Mensing, Editor

♦ Much like our predictions for 2015, I see little headway being made in our statistical projections for Salisbury. I suspect some additional “lost ground” may be in order with Salisbury’s “big 3” statistics: Poor FBI violent crime and murder stats, abysmal public school letter grades from the State Department of Education (in 2015 the public schools in Salisbury got nothing higher than Ds and Fs) and a 25% poverty rate. The public education statistics are likely to remain static because working class folks of all races are moving out of Salisbury with their children and Salisbury’s deadening U.S. Census Bureau poverty statistics will likely hover around its current 27% or so.  A recession or a downturn in the areas economy could add to the city’s poverty woes.

The “big 3” statistics make it extremely difficult to do economic development and to keep the working class and upper income people here or attract new persons the city. Those three statistics are devastating and they impact Rowan County’s statistics, dragging it down as well. Salisbury, N.C. Statistics:

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

In the late fall of 2016 the latest FBI crime statistics for 2015 will appear. Murders, rapes, assaults, shootings, and armed robbery stats will likely surpass 2014. Break-ins and car thefts will no doubt show a spike. The city will have to respond by paying police a competitive wage, recruiting more experienced police and investigators, and fielding more patrolman. This is a must do. In the city’s current financial condition it will be forced to substantially raise taxes and fees to meet its public safety obligation or else face more residents packing up and leaving for safer communities elsewhere.

Predictions for the City of Salisbury 2016:

• The city of Salisbury government will run a series of community meetings throughout Salisbury where they will allegedly “listen” to their residents. The city government has their own agenda and any “listening” they do is generally feigned. Their “listening” is to pacify folks’ anger and frustration. Their “listening” seldom passes the action test. They will give you the Salisbury runaround and do nothing actively to respond to your concerns and requests unless it fits their agenda. They will say: “We’re taking your requests seriously” or “You made a good point –we will give it full consideration and get back to you.” “Excellent ideas–we’re studying this very carefully.” But taking action on it? Nada. They may even get you to form small groups at different tables and use divide and conquer techniques with city staffers altering your ideas on paper or leaving them out entirely. Or they may pack the meeting with their friends. But actual listening? Not really.

• Better homes in Salisbury will continue to tumble in price as more people move away for safer less impoverished places and decent public education. The working class is melting away. Good paying jobs are scarce in the Bury. If a recession or downturn occurs, more people will abandon Salisbury for higher ground. By the end of 2016 Salisbury’s better homes will likely be unloaded at prices 40% to 60% what they sold for back in 2007. Be prepared to take the loss and never look back.

• There are plans to construct 14 luxury apartments on Brick Street.  Can they rent or sell them?  Doubtful.  Keep in mind Downtown already has a huge surplus of vacant apartments and office spaces gone empty for quite sometime.  Downtown Salisbury is not immune to violent crime.  People have been mugged, stabbed, and robbed at gunpoint.  Someone was shot in the neck around November in the alley between “Go Burrito” and the First United Methodist parking lot. Luckily the victim didn’t bleed out.

• The Empire Hotel, last opened as a flophouse in 1963, now a decrepit eye-sore waits patiently for demolition in the South Main Badlands and for the alleged hordes of interested developers who never materialize. The great expense of gutting the moldy interior and abating the Empire are prohibitive. Perhaps in 2016 they will give up on this albatross and bring in a fleet of bulldozers.

• Downtown will continue to be a hodgepodge of vacant store fronts, musical chair businesses (2 close and one takes their place), little parking, an excessive municipal tax, and few people venturing into the ghostly confines. Vibrant? The motion detectors aren’t picking up any lifeforms. No attractions and a lack of safety means no people. And sadly when the new Wallace Forum opens up with its observatory dome, there will be no one shopping and dining downtown to the tune of $5,000 per person per annum. They’ll be out in the field or lunch bagging it. A few might drift over to Richard’s BBQ.

The closing of Uncle Buck’s and Romo’s Pizzeria were chilling reminders about Downtown’s restaurant survival rate.

• Fibrant is an unqualified debacle as the city audit again shows it suffers more losses.  No need to beat this dead horse.  TWC stepped up their residential speeds to 300 Mbps at prices less expensive than Fibrant and better marketed.  Want a gig?  AT&T Gigapower offers their gig at $70 a month while Fibrant offers theirs at $105.  A no brainer choice.  Fibrant TV is blown away by AT&T U-verse, DirecTV, TWC, and DISH.  VOIP phone?  Fibrant is non competitive in price with most VOIP phone providers and the reality that many people just use their smartphones.  Fibrant has virtually no marketing while the incumbents flood every possible medium.  Fibrant is eating the City of Salisbury alive and has greatly harmed the city’s ability to provide basic services and police.  Fibrant has borrowed $7.6 million dollars from the water and sewer funds and not paid it back.  This puts them in a tenuous position with the bond raters.

• The traffic calming and bike lane project on East Innes appears to have ground to a halt.  Two barriers were constructed to turning into Christos’ Restaurant and the Waffle House (As if the Waffle House requires a barrier since someone “possibly” shot out a window).  Those barriers surely hurt those two businesses.

• Salisbury will continue to suffer under a major epidemic of meth, heroin, crack, hillbilly heroin, and alcohol.  This epidemic fuels much of the city’s crime.

• The city will continue to experience massive retail leakage to the internet and to the brick and mortar chain stores in Afton Ridge, Concord Mills, Huntersville, Winston-Salem, and Mooresville.

RFP Staff/U.S. Census Bureau

♦ Latest U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts Shows Salisbury, N.C.’s Poverty Rose to 27.2%:

http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/IPE120214/3758860,00

RFP Staff

♦ A yet to be identified male was stabbed multiple times Tuesday at 11 p.m. walking between the Cinemark Tinseltown Theaters and the Dollar Tree Store in the Innes Street Market off of Faith Road.  A Davie County hospital reported the stabbing as they are required by law to the Salisbury Police. 

No information about the victim’s condition was released.

At this time investigators have not determined how the man came to be stabbed, the motive, or any suspects.  The investigation continues.

Be aware that the parking lot in the Innes Street Market near the Tinseltown Theaters is a high crime area at night where car break-ins and muggings take place.

If you have any information about the stabbing please contact the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

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

RFP Staff

♦ Lydia Conrad Galloway AKA Lydia “Mary-Kay” Galloway, 31, a convicted bad check artist and shop lifter, living at 122 Lilly Avenue in Salisbury, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly using her former live-in boyfriend’s credit card at several area ATMs without his knowledge or okay.

Galloway’s alleged streak with her ex-boyfriend credit card surfaced when the victim reported Galloway back in October for using his credit card without his permission.  Investigators looked over the victim’s bank statements and ATM surveillance video and obtained warrants for Galloway’s arrest.

Wednesday Galloway, on probation for a May 2015 larceny conviction, was arrested and charged with five counts of fraud-credit card (misdemeanor).  Under a $2,000 secured bond, Galloway was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center and has since been released on bond.

Lydia Conrad Galloway AKA Lydia “Mary-Kay” Galloway’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0907719&searchLastName=galloway&searchFirstName=lydia&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

RFP Staff

♦ Video: Salisbury City Councilman Kenny Hardin Questions City Budget Transparency:

Video: Salisbury, N.C. Budget Clarifications:

RFP Staff

♦ Tyler James Sherrill, 19, of 406 Sunset Drive in Salisbury, a felon convicted of downloading male child pornography and possession of a schedule II drug in October of 2015, was arrested Friday evening and placed in the Rowan County Detention Center for violating the terms of his probation. He has since been released.

From the August 12, 2015 RFP article on Tyler James Sherrill’s arrest for allegedly downloading child pornography:

“Tyler James Sherrill, 19, of 406 Sunset Drive in Salisbury was the subject of a 6 month investigation by the Salisbury Police after being alerted by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) that Sherrill was allegedly downloading male child pornography in March. The social media website MeetMe.com alerted law enforcement that Sherrill was alleged to be soliciting pix of nude underage boys.

Investigators traced Sherrill’s IP to his computer. Salisbury Police obtained a search warrant for Sherrill’s lodgings in April where they seized his computer, cellphone, and 3 micro SD cards containing child pornography. Police also located marijuana plants growing in Sherrill’s quarters. Sherrill was arrested on April 15th and charged with the possession of a controlled substance schedule IV with intent to manufacture (felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor). Under a secured $500 bond, Sherrill was placed in the Rowan County Detention where he was held until he was released on bail.

Recently Sherrill was arrested and charged with 8 counts of 3rd degree sexual exploitation of a minor (felony).

Under a secured $10,000 bond, Sherrill was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center and then released on bail.”

Tyler James Sherrill’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1482473&searchLastName=sherrill&searchFirstName=tyler&searchMiddleName=j&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Rollingstone.Com/Sean Penn

♦ El Chapo Speaks: The Secret Rollingstone Interview with Sean Penn

http://rollingstone.com/culture/features/el-chapo-speaks-20160109

RFP Staff/Photographs from Enochville Fire and Rescue Facebook Page

♦ Sunday a high-impact collision took place in front of the Enochville Elementary School on North Enochville Road near Cannon Farm Road in China Grove.  One unidentified driver was trapped in the wreck before being removed and transported to the hospital.  A second wreck victim was also taken to the hospital.  Both cars were totaled and had to be towed from the scene.

Neither the injured driver or the injured passenger were identified.  The extent of their injuries are yet unknown.

North Enochville Road was closed until the damaged vehicles could be moved.  The road has reopened.

The accident remains under investigation.

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

Todd Paris, Associate Editor and Salisbury Attorney

♦  So, try this on for size. You have just been newly elected to Salisbury City Council, and at your first real meeting, staff dumps a 165 page document in front of you entitled, “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015” prepared by the City Financial Services Department. Pages 153 to 165 are the Compliance Section prepared by law by an Independent Auditor. This is the report sent to the NC Local Government Commission (LGC) so they can make sure we are complying with state laws on finance reporting.

Then, Mayor Alexander explains there was no opportunity for any council members to review this document, as it just was returned by the LGC.  Of course, since this document up to page 153 was prepared “in house”, it was available (at least in draft form) for days –  if not weeks – before the meeting. The Auditor’s Compliance Section had to have been prepared by the CPA’s some days – if not weeks – before, to make it to the LGC. Had the mayor and incumbent council not been provided access to any copy or draft before the meeting?  Really?

Why is this important? The Report is the most important document in the whole city. It tells us what we spent and the financial health of the city. The Audit portion tells us whether financial reporting irregularities exist and if the city is complying with state financial law. You need to know if your city may be stolen from or if it’s breaking the law, right?

The auditor arrives and speaks for a short time, and discussion of the matter is “tabled” to a later time. At no time during her oral presentation does the auditor mention two “negative findings” in the audit.

The first unmentioned negative finding was “Finding 2015-001” in that the broadband fund (Fibrant)  is operating in a deficit, which is in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. 159-13(b)(2) which requires each enterprise fund to be, well, “funded.” They are not allowed to run a deficit. This law is part of the statewide laws enacted after the great depression to prevent cities and counties from going bankrupt. Page 43 of the report shows Fibrant’s net position as over negative 11 million dollars.

The second was “Finding 2015-002.” (Page 154, Paragraph 2) “…our tests disclosed an instance of non-compliance or other matter that is required to be reported under Governmental Auditing Standards.” These are published by the Federal Government Accountability Office.

You can see an overview here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Auditing_Standards

Reading on, we find out that there are insufficient safeguards in City collections such that misappropriations “could result.” Well “could result” doesn’t sound so bad. Looks like they caught it in time! Or did they?

More curious was the statement made by the auditors: “We noted certain matters that we reported to management of the City of Salisbury in a separate letter dated November 18, 2015.” Of course, you, as a new city council member were given no such letter before or with the audit. This was in spite of the fact that the letter was also addressed to the City Council. After a public information request by a local meddling attorney (and perennial pain in the municipal “keester”), we find out that actual misappropriation had occurred and that it was turned over to the SBI and that this was not just something that merely “could result.” It did result.

Well, new Council members, feeling “miffed yet?”  But get this, when the agenda for the next council meeting comes out – the audit is not on it. The auditors did not reappear, and there is no public comment scheduled, even at your low public participation meeting time of 4:00 p.m. (when at least the retired and unemployed could comment on the audit).

Good old Salisbury, NC City Government, as transparent as Yadkin River.

Well, if it doesn’t get into main street media, it never really happened, right? Council Members Kenny Hardin and David Post were elected by the citizens as full city council members, not junior, associate or intern city council members. I demand they be treated honestly and kept “in the loop.”

You can view the Martin Starnes letter not featured in the Report, here: https://rowanfreepress.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/martin-starnes-letter.jpg

Here is my new “public information request” of the City:

Thank you for providing the letter to management of the City of Salisbury dated November 18, 2015.  This letter cites that the city retained an independent auditor to determine the extent of alleged misappropriation in the collections department.  The letter further cites that there was information and findings of the independent audit specialist that was provided to Martin Starnes.

I am requesting the following:

1. All communications between elected officials, staff, and the city’s audit firm and auditor/audit specialist, including emails, letters, and any other communications records.
2. The amount paid to the independent audit firm investigating the alleged misappropriations to include contracts, invoices, and other financial records.
3. All findings, reports, memos, letters, and any other information provided to the city, the SBI, the city’s law firms, and/or Martin Starnes regarding misappropriation in the collections department.
4. The dates or calendar entries of meetings where staff and the elected officials were made aware of alleged misappropriation in the collections department.
5. Financial records that document the amount allegedly stolen or estimating the amount allegedly stolen.

My review of case law shows records regarding a city’s finances are indeed public records and not privileged.

RFP Staff

♦ Sunday April Bostian Peoples, 34, of 860 Kepley Road in Salisbury was arrested by Salisbury Police after a mother drove her 15 year-old son to Salisbury Police HQ to report him allegedly having sexual relations with the Peoples on several occasions.

Peoples was arrested later Sunday and charged 2 counts of statutory rape (misdemeanor). Under a secured $50,000 bond, Peoples was held in the Rowan County Detention Center until her release on bond.

RFP Staff

♦ As violent crime ramps up in Salisbury, the Dodge City of Rowan County, now it can be said that truly no Salisbury community is immune from gunfire and break-ins.  The Country Club, mostly impervious to violent crime, got a taste of it Sunday when a male homeowner, on the 200 block of tree-lined Sudley Circle, reported a bullet hole in his sunroom window.  On a shelf, beneath the window, was a bullet resting on book. The time of the shot is unknown.

Presently no suspects or motives are known for this attack on a Sudley Circle home.  The investigation continues as anxiety grows in a city left unprotected by an understaffed police force in need of competitive pay and experienced officers.

If you have any knowledge of this Sudley Circle incident, please call the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

RFP Staff

♦ On Saturday Perfect Purbaby Animal Rescue Center notified the Salisbury Police that the rescue center at 901 S. Main was broken into and heavily vandalized sometime between noon Friday and 1:30 p.m. Saturday. During the break-in some of the cats were set free, the walls spray painted with poorly spelled graffiti, the office was significantly damaged and files were ransacked.

At present the Rescue Center Office is temporarily closed.

Perfect Purbaby Animal Rescue Center wrote on their Facebook page: “Thankfully, no animals were harmed. This was not done for theft; it was done for vengeance by some really stupid, low-life vigilantes who believe it is better to kill an animal rather than give it a chance for a good life. It was done by calculated idiots who play God, judge and jury before the law even gets a chance to. All animals are now with loving fosters; we wouldn’t even consider leaving them there.”

Perfect Purbaby Animal Rescue Center said on their Facebook page:”To our faithful followers and true animal lovers, please be patient as the investigators do their job. Pray for the arrest and conviction of these lawbreakers (not the word I’d really like to use) and know that the cats, kittens and even guinea pigs that were there for adoption are now safe, healthy and loved. If anyone would still like to adopt, please contact us here and we’ll make every effort to meet with you so that you can find your 4ever loving companion. Thank you!”

Anyone with any information about the vandalism at Perfect Purbaby Animal Rescue Center Please Call: Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

RFP Staff

♦ Jeremy Edward Austin, 30, of 105 Ashley Drive in Salisbury and who has been convicted of assaulting women, was arrested Saturday on the charge of cruelty to animals (felony) for allegedly hurling a kitten 30 feet and severely injuring the animal.  The kitten sustained a broken hip and leg as well as internal injuries, leading to the Rowan County Animal Control euthanizing pet.  What makes this alleged animal brutalization particularly disturbing was that the pet belonged to Austin’s 7-year old son.

It is not known if the son witnessed this alleged event on Saturday morning or if the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reported this alleged situation to Child Protective Services (Rowan County Department of Social Services).

Under a secured bond of $2,500, Austin is being held in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Jeremy Edward Austin’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0822623&searchLastName=austin&searchFirstName=jeremy&searchMiddleName=e&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1