Martinsville Bulletin (Newspaper) - January 26, 2003, Martinsville, Virginia SUNDAY Axton firm gives cars new lease on life JANUARY 26 2003 ACCENT After 50 years barber still on the cutting edge SUNDAY No 1 vs No 1 in Superbowl today MARTINSVILLE BULLETIN Volume 114 No 22 Martinsville Virginia Sunny today snow possible HIGH 45 LOW 20 Page Keep lip with weather on the Bulletin Internet No entry allowed BAGHDAD Iraq Three Iraqi scientists rejected a request by weapons inspectors to undergo private interviews to aid the search for evidence of den arms programs Also an Iraqi man above center was dragged from a vehicle outside the quarters in Baghdad Page AEP cutting back COLUMBUS Ohio Ameri- can Electric Power Co Inc AEP said Friday it will cut 5 percent of its work force or employees and may cut its dividend by 40 percent AEP provides electricity to Henry County and Patrick County customers Page Two planes collide DENVER Two small planes collided over a ver neighborhood then fell to the ground late Friday afternoon Five people in the two planes were killed and seven people on the ground were injured Page INDEX Accent Business Calendar Classified Comics Editorial Obituaries Nation Sports State Sunday Television World To reach us call 6384801 Reflections on 14 months Sterling working to make vision for area a reality By DEBBIE HALL Bulletin Staff Writer Wayne Sterling thinks he can see the future or at least five years into it He sees an exciting time when young ple will be anxious to stay in Southside or move back here Stores that have been empty for years will be filled with things to buy and ple to buy them Unemployment will be at 4 percent or less by 2008 a far cry from the current it percentages and many of those people will be working in a more diversified industrial base including more technology industries I think we can get there in five he said And he plans to be here to see it This is the last stop in my he said When Sterling was hired he told ty administrator Sid Clower that it would take three years to get the Henry County Office of Commerce up and running Sid wanted three more years beyond that to see it and Sterling said he informally agreed I intend to do my part to make it a vibrant exciting community again Sterling added He made his comments during a recent inter- view in which he reflected on his first year as the chief executive officer of Henry County's Office of Commerce It has been a busy year with some high points some disappointments and some shocks he said What there has not See STERLING Page Wayne Sterling shown here in a file photo outside the on building at the former DuPont site is attempting to diversify the local economy with companies such as on which makes chips Sterling gets good marks in tough times Wayne Sterling gets high marks from county and city officials after his first year on the job especially considering that he came during a downturn in the local state and national economies Henry County Board of sors Chairman David Davis gives Sterling a rating of eight on a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the est score Having eight out of 10 is pretty good in tough economic Davis said To earn a rating of 10 Davis said Sterling would have to recruit another VF or another both of which employed thousands of people Or maybe a BMW plant as he recruited to South You got it Davis said Two or three of those type of See MARKS Page Prison term upheld Robertson gets 18 years in Hairston death By CAMERON AYERS Bulletin Staff Writer The abrupt violent end to Delvin life was a tragedy according to the attorney for one of his alleged assailants Friday the curtain fell on the first act of this tragedy when Curtis der Robertson one of the two alleged men in May 15 slaying was sentenced to 18 years in prison During the minute ing hearing the court heard mony from cousin on Robertson how his death has traumatized the family while defense attorney Mark Williams commented on the tragic nature of ing Robertson did not speak during the hearing and did not visibly react to the sentence In the end Martinsville Circuit Court Judge Charles Stone sentenced Robertson 20 of 1086 Giles Road to 15 years in prison on a conviction for second-degree murder three years on a conviction for use of a firearm in commission of a murder and a fine for shooting from an occupied vehicle See SENTENCE Page Snow removal budgets up to chilly challenge By LES TRACEY Bulletin Staff Writer Wind dry snow and low temperatures combined to make snow removal more in the third snowfall of the season and second major storm in the area last week When I heard about the wind and the temperatures I didn't think we'd ever see black pavement said Lisa resident engineer for the Virginia Department of tion office in Bassett Forks But we've got the major roads clear and we're working on the secondary roads Both the state and the city of Martinsville are spending more money to clear roads this year because of the more severe weather but Hughes and Leon ki Martinsville's director of public works said Friday their budgets allocated enough for the season We're using more See SNOW Page A truck plowed Plantation Drive in Collinsville Thursday School's sanction possible The Virginia High School League could issue sanctions against Magna Vista High School if it determines the football coach knowingly allowed an ineligible player on the field Henry County Schools dent Sharon Dodson said she dis- cussed the school system's tion which concluded that Magna Vista head football coach Joe knew a player was ineligi- ble before he played in a game with officials at last week They have finished with sanctions concerning there being an ineligible Dodson said The See SCHOOL Page Jobs education top priorities for Parker By GINNY WRAY Bulletin Staff Writer Andy Parker announced his candidacy Ranking Henry County's as jobs jobs and Andy Parker announced his candidacy for the Reed Creek District seat on the ry County Board of Supervisors on Friday Parker 49 of Collinsville told a press conference at the Henry County Administration ing that businesses must be recruited to the area at the same time that the education el is raised to prevent trained people from leaving the area and to bring young people back after college Parker said he supports con- solidation of the county's schools but hopes the issue is resolved before the Nov 4 election In the long term it could be best to have one school he said But first the Henry County School Board should step up to the plate and propose what is best for the county schools That package should be presented to the board of super- visors which should support it he added Parker said he has a unique view of both school systems His son Drew 15 attends Collinsville High School his daughter Alison 11 attends Martinsville Middle School because of its program for gifted and talented students and his See PARKER Page EWS AND SPORTS
