Kelli EasterlingRichmond County Daily Journal

Across the country there is a surging passion for raising the new “it” bird - chickens.

The backyard coop is quickly becoming a popu-lar trend, as many see the benefits of going back to a more natural way of life.

Not only can the small investment quickly turn into big savings, but the health benefits can’t be ignored. A pre-assembled coop can be purchased for as little as $100, but any-one willing to do a little hammering can build their own for less. Coops can be stationary, or made to be mobile yard fertilizing units.

Most small farmers and

hobbyists allow their chick-ens to roam around the yard or garden a bit. These voracious bug eaters are a natural defense against

pests.Rockingham Farm

Supply will sell their pullet

Staff Report

The Richmond County Probation Office is seeking information on the whereabouts of several people.

These six people are accused of absconding from their proba-tion sentences.n Sandra Anne Shaw, 42,

is a white female who is 5’10” tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Her last known address is Old Cheraw Highway, Rockingham. Shaw was placed

on probation in March 2010 for Level I Driving Under the Influence.n Tommy L. Nunley, 42,

is a white male who is 5’11” tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. His last known

address is Battley Dairy Road, Hamlet. Nunley was placed on probation in May of 2010 for fraudulent disposal of property.

n Michael W. Odom, 39, is a white male who is 5’9” tall and weighs approximate-ly 180 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. His last known address is Middle Street, Rockingham. Odom was placed on probation in September of 2010 for credit card fraud.n Sherman Anthony

McDonald, 24, is a black male who is 5’8” tall and weighs

Rockingham, NC 50centsThursday, Mar. 3, 2011

INSIDE NEWS, 2A

Schraeder guest speaker at Women’s Club

INSIDE OPINION, 4A

Gov. Perdue tries to box

WEATHERA mainly sunny sky. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. HIGH: 61LOW: 38

INSIDE SPORTS, 1B

Tennis team shines in meet against Buccaneers100% recycled

newsprint

DeathsZynadia Diggs, infant, Rockingham

Sandra Quick, 46, HamletLucille Short, 85, Rockingham

Obituaries can be found on Page 5A.

The Daily Journal is published with pride five days a week for the people of Richmond County, N.C. The Daily Journal is committed to editorial integrity and

excellence. If you spot an error, please contact

us at (910) 997-3111, ext. 13.

Calendar 2AClassified 4BComics 3B

Obituaries 5AOpinion 4APuzzles 3BSports 1BTV Listings 3A

Inside today ON THE WEB: www.yourdailyjournal.comE-MAIL: rdjnews@heartlandpublications.com

Vol. 80, No. 44

Material inside this edition is© Richmond County Daily Journal.

Reproduction without expressed consent of the Richmond County Daily Journal is prohibited.

Mcdonald Odom Nunley Shaw Owens

PROBATIONCONTINUED ON PAGE 2A

HENSCONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

BOARDCONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

READINGCONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

FLOODINGCONTINUED ON PAGE 6A

Fairview Heights Elementary's Read Across America Day organizer, teacher Kim Sparks, dressed as literary charac-ter Viola Swamp, with her first grade class, all in costume as their favorite book characters, and guest reader Beth Ritter. All of the children in first and second grade participated in the reading appreciation day.

Kelli EasterlingRichmond County Daily Journal

Can you guess whose birthday elementary schools celebrated on March 2? Not a dog on the loose or a fish in orange juice or an obtuse goose, but Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss, or Theodore Geisel, was an American writer and cartoonist most widely known for his children’s books like “The Cat in the Hat,” “Horton Hears a Who” and “Green Eggs and Ham.”

Chicks hatch atEast Rockingham ElementaryDawn KurryRichmond County Daily Journal

There are some new babies at East Rockingham Elementary School, and they took part in Wednesday’s tor-nado drill.

“I missed my $100,000 chance!” exclaimed Jonna Carter, first grade teacher at East Rockingham. She’s talking about what happened when the baby hatchlings that were born in her class-room earlier this week heard the sirens from the drill.

“It was a strange sound, like a UFO landing or some-thing, but all the little babies laid down together,” Carter said. With the children hud-dling in the position they’d been shown to assume when they heard the siren, the huddling baby chicks made Carter laugh. She wished she had the chance to get a video of it, because she is sure it would have won a hefty prize.

After 21 days of incubating 14 eggs and following all the directions diligently, 11 have hatched into yellow and white fuzzy peeping chicks. One egg didn’t make it through incubation, and two have yet to hatch.

“One shows activity,” she said with hope. “I never give up on them. I give them til Friday.”

Friday someone from 4-H will come pick up the chicks and take them to a farm. Until then, the children will enjoy every second they get to spend with their peeping friends.

“They get tired in uni-son and then one comes through and knocks them

Students test welding without torchPhilip D. BrownRichmond County Daily Journal

Potential welding students at RCC got a chance to demonstrate their skills without ever firing up a torch Wednesday morning.

Administrators hoped to pique student interest in its industrial maintenance program by demon-strating a virtual reality welding simulator at the Cole Auditorium, and the event brought out more than 50 students.

The machine, developed by a private Ohio company, allows stu-

Philip D. BrownRichmond County Daily Journal

Continuing its efforts to rid the school sys-tem of buildings it isn’t using, the school board declared Roberdel Children’s Center surplus property Tuesday night.

The move followed budget talks where board members were cautioned to prepare for fund-ing cuts from the state when the General

Assembly releas-es its budget later this year. Board members also declared a 25-acre wooded tract near the Ninth Grade Academy surplus.

The two prop-erties will now be offered to county government, and can be sold if they are turned down by commission-ers.

The system stopped using Roberdel Children’s Center as a school facility at the beginning of last year. Previously, it had been used as a school exclusively for the handicapped, one of the rea-sons Roberdel has been dubbed “The Village of Grace.”

The children’s center is now located at Cordova School, per the school system’s realignment plan, which originally designated the Roberdel building to become the new central office annex building. Upon further consideration, admin-istrators decided it would be too expensive to

Birds are the new black

Flash Flooding Part 4 of 5g

Probation Office seeks absconders

Knight

It’s all about the chickens here

KELLI EASTERLING/DAILY JOURNAL

Robert Webster's Japanese Blacktail hen sits with her chicks. "I've had chickens my whole life," Webster said. "I've taken care of them since I was old enough to walk."

DAWN KURRY/DAILY JOURNAL

Baby chickens incubated by Jonna Carter’s first grade class at East Rockingham Elementary School are exploring their new world between naps and meals. The students made birthday cards for their baby chicks and celebrated their birth with a party.

School Board gives up buildings

“When you add all of this up - and it’s true some of it is cost avoidance rather than cash in your hand - but when you add all of this up this could save about a million dollars.”

Dr. Robert BeckRCS Assistant Superintendent

Books, reading celebrated on Seuss’ birthday

DAVIE HINSHAW/MCT

Drivers maneuver through flooding waters on Shamrock Drive, Nov. 11, 2009, in Charlotte, N.C.

CHICKSCONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Turn around, don’t drownDawn KurryRichmond County Daily Journal

When it comes to severe weather, flooding kills the most people across the nation.

The main two factors that contribute to flooding are the intensity of rainfall and how long rain occurs

WELDINGCONTINUED ON PAGE 5A