1. +
+THE NEWS
& OBSERVER
aBTuesday
July 9, 2013
A
newsobserver.com/news
Triangle&Co. Errors in rate filing
A Duke Energy executive defends his company
Monday against accusations that Duke tried
to overcharge customers. 6B
Say, homes. Y’all do realize the
war is 11,566 miles away, in Af-
ghanistan, right?
Reading the recently released
list of homicides in Durham so
far this year, you can be forgiven
for thinking that the real war is
being waged on the city’s streets.
Durham has registered 14 ho-
micides so far this year.
Thirteen of the victims were
black men.
Thirteen of the suspects are
black men.
One victim was a black woman
killed in what police spokeswom-
an Kammie Michael said was a
murder-suicide.
Raleigh, with a much bigger
population, has had five homi-
cides so far.
Let’s be real. A bunch of black
dudes killing each other usually
receives the same amount of air
time as the perennial story of the
cute squirrel on water skis.
But dang: In Durham so far this
year, we’ve taken gold, silver,
bronze and lead in the murder
championships. That deserves
some special recognition.
Michael said, “Investigators at
this time don’t believe that any of
the cases this year have been ran-
dom.”
A thought experiment
Answer me this: What would
happen if 13 white dudes had
killed 13 black dudes this year in
Durham? Or, if you’re feeling
really subversive, ask yourself
what would happen if 13 black
dudes had killed 13 white dudes?
In the first case, you wouldn’t
be able to swing a rifle without
hitting a TV reporter or a civil
rights leader denouncing the vio-
lence and demanding justice.
In the second case, you
wouldn’t be able to swing a rifle –
period: the cops would take ’em
all and would make the stop-and-
frisk abuses going on in New
York look like a Sunday stroll
through the Chocolate Wonder-
fall dessert line at Golden Corral.
While the racist mutterings of a
lard-laden, Southern fried maven
prompted paroxysms of protest,
responses to the slaughter of
young black males is muted. Even
the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who used
to be our loudest voice against in-
justice, has been relatively silent.
Hehas,however,respondedalliter-
atively to Paula Deen’s plea for him
to help calm the natives. “Deen,”
he tweeted, should be “redeemed,
not destroyed.”
Hmmm. You reckon he’s been
so silent on black-on-black vio-
lence because he can’t think of a
word to rhyme with “fratricide”?
You can’t lay this inattention at
any one leader’s feet, though. We
have scores of ministers in our
community who are leaders, who
reach thousands of people each
week. Are any of them address-
ing the carnage on Durham’s
streets?
Probably not. Think back:
What did “Pastor” rail against
Sunday – black men killing each
other or kissing each other?
Still true after 40 years
One of the greatest social com-
mentators of any era, Curtis May-
field, foretold this current deadly
situation in his under-appreciated,
prescient album and song “Back to
the World” in 1973:
In these cities streets, every-
where.
You’ve got be careful where you
move your feet,
How you part your hair.
Yeah, because if you part it on
the left and find yourself in a right-
part neighborhood, that could be
allshewrote.Wearenowlivingthe
Mayfield songbook – beautiful mu-
sic, ugly reality.
He asks in one song:
“We People who are darker
than blue.
Are we gonna stand around
this town and let what others say
come true?
We’re good for nothing, they all
figure.
A boyish grown-up shiftless
jigger.
Now we can’t hardly stand for
that
Or is that really where it’s at?”
Well, is it? Is it?
Saunders: 919-656-4365
Violence
followed
by silence
Commentary
Barry Saunders
By Annalise Frank
afrank@newsobserver.com
RALEIGH An effort to require all
welfare recipients to pass a drug
test to qualify for benefits that
passed the Senate earlier this ses-
sion has been given a facelift, but
advocates for the poor say it’s still
an ugly bill.
House Bill 392 requires county
Social Services employees to do
background checks on all appli-
cants for Work First benefits – the
state’s welfare program – and food
stamps to ensure they’re not parole
or probation violators, or have out-
standing felony warrants.
It also requires drug testing of
any Work First recipient suspected
of being a drug user. That provision
is a step back from a bill the Senate
passed in April that required drug
testing for all Work First appli-
cants. Worries over the legality of
the Senate bill led lawmakers in the
House to insert a new version of the
testing requirement into the back-
ground checks bill.
“We want law-abiding people to
receive the aid before people with
felony warrants, or parole and pro-
bation violators, or active drug us-
ers,” said Rep. Dean Arp, a Repub-
lican from Monroe.
But critics say the bill, if it passes,
could deter people from applying
for Work First. Also called Tempo-
rary Assistance for Needy Families,
the program offers short-term cash
and job training for people who are
looking for work. It is aimed at help-
ing families with young children.
About 21,000 people are enrolled
across the state.
“Instead of being the place you
come to get support or perhaps inter-
vention when there’s family crises …,
the social services eligibility workers
(would) now (be) an extension of the
police,” said Sen. Angela Bryant, a
Democrat from Rocky Mount.
“These people are checking you for
warrants … making you have drug
tests, as opposed to providing family
support. And I think that cultural
shift is dangerous.”
The bill is expected to be voted
on in the Senate on Tuesday. If it
Bill may still deter welfare seekersLawmaker: Drug tests
would turn staff into
‘extension of the police’
SEE WELFARE, PAGE 9B
By Jim Wise
jwise@newsobserver.com
DURHAM Fire gutted an apart-
ment building at the Royal Oaks
complex Monday, destroying or
damaging at least 18 apartments
and leaving 35 to 40 people home-
less, according to the Triangle Red
Cross.
“We’re still counting,” Red Cross
spokeswoman Lu Esposito said
late Monday afternoon. The Red
Cross was arranging overnight
shelter and working with Royal
Oaks on long-term housing, she
said.
Durham Fire Chief Dan Curia said
he had had no reports of injuries.
The fire, reported around 12:30
p.m., was “a pretty significant fire al-
ready” by the time firefighters ar-
rived, Curia said. It burned rapidly,
sending a tall column of gray smoke
up between Durham-Chapel Hill
Boulevard and University Drive.
“My apartment is gone,” resi-
dent Paula Maybrey said.
Neighbor children knocking on
her door alerted her to the fire,
Maybrey said. At first she thought
she could help put it out with an
extinguisher, but smoke in the hall-
way was so black she could not see
Fire leaves dozens homeless
APARTMENT BUILDING GUTTED AT DURHAM’S ROYAL OAKS COMPLEX; NO ONE HURT
PHOTOS BY HARRY LYNCH - hlynch@newsobserver.com
Durham firefighters attack a growing apartment fire from two sides Monday afternoon at the Royal Oaks Apartments on Mayfair
Street in Durham. No one was reported injured, but all 24 units in the building may be a loss.
Displaced residents, their neighbors and passers-by comfort
each other Monday afternoon as they watch a rapidly spreading
fire at the Royal Oaks Apartments off Mayfair Street in Durham.
Online
See more: Find photos and video
from the apartments in flames with
this article at nando.com/local.
SEE FIRE, PAGE 9B
Shop Talk
Promoting the green movement
Green Circle is one of many local businesses that strive
to create a niche through sustainable resources.
Beauty business established one brow at a time
Molly Ingle hopes to empower women through waxing.
Pages 4-5B
CHRIS SEWARD - cseward@newsobserver.com
Stephan Caldwell, right, and Jordan Bowman with Green
Circle NC collect used cooking oil for biodiesel fuel.
RALEIGH While legislators pre-
pare for hot debate on an immigra-
tion bill that would combine strict
enforcement measures with driving
privileges for people here illegally,
North Carolina already is giving
driver’s licenses to thousands of
young immigrants who would be
covered by the proposed new mea-
sures.
The Division of Motor Vehicles
issues the licenses to teens and
young adults who have received
work permits though the federal
Deferred Action for Childhood Ar-
rivals program, which postpones
deportation for immigrants who
entered the country illegally as chil-
dren or stayed illegally after their
visas expired.
“I got my license a month ago,
and it’s a good thing,” said Ivan
Benavides, 20, of Raleigh, who is
looking for work and taking busi-
ness classes at Wake Tech. “I don’t
have to be asking people for rides
now. I can just drive myself.”
The deferred-action licenses
were the focus of controversy earli-
er this year. Conservatives, includ-
ing Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, argued
that the state was wrong to grant
driving privileges to people who
weren’t legal residents. Immigrant
advocates complained about a red-
letter label on the license stating
that the driver has “NO LAWFUL
STATUS” in the United States.
But the licenses have been pop-
ular with young immigrants since
they became available in March.
DMV has issued 7,790 deferred-
action licenses, permits and ID
cards so far, including 705 in the
busiest county, Wake. The license is
valid for two years, until the federal
work permit expires.
“I’m glad to hear they seem to be
Immigrants drive while legislators deliberate
Road Worrier
Bruce Siceloff
SEE DRIVE, PAGE 9B
Online
Stay informed: Find live regional
traffic maps and more transporta-
tion news at nando.com/traffic.
By Colin Campbell
ccampbell@newsobserver.com
RALEIGH City Council members on
Monday sought to address how bad press
in a national magazine could impact their
search for a new city manager, while one
challenger for the fall elections is making
the critique a campaign issue.
Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin put
the discussion on Monday’s agenda after
the July issue of Governing magazine
suggested that Raleigh “is overdoing
hands-on government” by meddling in
day-to-day operations.
“I think sitting here and ignoring it is
not a good move,” Baldwin told the coun-
cil. “We have to show from our actions
and our words that that’s not the case.”
Human Resources Director Stephen
Jones, who is organizing the manager
search, said the bad press could prompt
potential candidates to question recruit-
ers for the city. Raleigh expects to con-
tract with a firm later this month.
“We just need to be prepared to help the
executive search firm with how they work
with candidates if that comes up,” Jones
said. “We have to remember that all of our
candidate pool is doing research on us, and
this article will come up in a search.”
The article was written by the director
of the Governing Institute, former Kan-
sas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser. He
points to a May12 News & Observer arti-
cle that highlighted emails showing sev-
eral City Council members want a more
hands-on role in the city’s operations,
seeking to protect reserved parking
spots and meet directly with department
heads. One email detailed a council mem-
ber’s request for a specific staff member
Raleigh tackles bad press
as manager search begins
SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 2B

2. Charles Christopher “Chris”
Duke, 42, of Raleigh died
Thursday, July 4, 2013.
A celebration of his life will
be held 5:00 p.m. Friday, July
12, 2013 at Macedonia Bap-
tist Church with Pastor David
Grinnell officiating. The family
will receive friends following
the service.
Chris was the owner and
operator of Specialty Flooring
which he established in 1993,
receiving numerous accolades
from clients praising the qual-
ity of his workmanship. Chris
had a keen sense of humor, was
an avid reader, speed skater
and swimmer and possessed a
free, gentle spirit.
Chris is survived by his
daughters; Kristen Duke and
Samantha Duke, son, Lucas
Duke; his mother, Jo Collins
Duke; sisters, Sharon Robert-
son, Marilyn Davis and Sherry
Duke; and the mother of his
children, Rose Duke. Chris was
preceded in death by his father,
Charles G. Duke.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made to
the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th
Floor, New York, New York,
10004 or at www.jdrf.org
Arrangements are by Mont-
lawn Funeral Home, 2911 S.
Wilmington St., Raleigh, N.C.
Condolences may be made at
www.montlawn.com
Chris Duke
RALEIGH
RALEIGH
Thomas J. (Jack) Sheets,
86, a resident of Springmoor
Life Care Retirement Com-
munity in Ra-
leigh, died July
6, 2013. He
was a native of
Fairview, Bun-
combe County,
North Carolina
and a longtime
resident of Ra-
leigh. He was the son of the late
Oliver D. and Sue P. Sheets, of
Fairview.
Jack served with the U.S.
Army from late 1944 to 1946.
He graduated from North
Carolina State College with a
Bachelor’s Degree in 1951 and
Master’s Degree from that in-
stitution in 1954. He earned a
Doctorate from the University
of California (Davis) in 1959.
He worked for several years
with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and was a mem-
ber of the College of Agricul-
ture and Life Sciences Faculty,
North Carolina State Univer-
sity, for 27 years before retire-
ment in 1992. His research on
pesticide residues in plants,
soil, and water was widely rec-
ognized. He served as a mem-
ber and as chair on the North
Carolina Pesticide Advisory
Committee from its beginning
in 1972 until his retirement.
Jack was a member of Benson
Memorial United Methodist
Church and a member of sev-
eral honorary, scientific, and
fraternal organizations. He
was a loyal member and past
president of the Raleigh Host
Lions Club and participated in
many of the club’s charitable
activities.
He is survived by Marie,
his faithful, loving wife of 61
years; two daughters Susan
Baker and husband, Leonard,
of Wake County, NC and Nancy
Thomas and husband, Scott, of
Burlington; grandchildren, Jeff
Wilson and wife, Kate, and Ben-
jamin, Elizabeth, and Rebecca
Thomas; a great grandson,
Jackson Wilson; brother, Bob
Sheets and wife, Bonnie, of Old
Fort; sister, Jean Fink and hus-
band, Mike, of Fairview; and
brothers-in-law, Joe Middle-
ton, of Linville Falls and David
Bartlett, of Asheville. He was
preceded in death by a brother,
Oliver D. Sheets, Jr.; sisters,
Frances Hull and husband,
Bob, Patsy Bartlett, Shirley
Middleton, and Sudie Wheeler
and husband, Claude.
A Memorial Service will be
held on Wednesday, July 10,
2013 at 11:00AM in the au-
ditorium at Springmoor Life
Care Retirement Community,
1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh,
NC 27615, with the Reverend
Phyllis Mayo officiating. The
family will greet friends follow-
ing the service. Interment will
be at 2:30PM Wednesday, at
Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501
Glenwood Ave. Raleigh.
The family would like to
express deep gratitude and
appreciation to the staff of
the Stewart Health Center at
Springmoor Life Care Retire-
ment Home for the excellent,
kind, and loving care they gave
to him and his family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials
may be made to the Spring-
moor Endowment Fund, 1500
Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC
27615, or to the Raleigh (Host)
Lions Club, 3200 Bush Dr., Ra-
leigh, NC 27609.
Condolences may be made to
www.mitchellatrmp.com
Thomas J. (Jack)
Sheets
DECEMBER 11, 1926 - JULY 6, 2013 KURE BEACH
Judith Bishop Johnson
(Mama Judy), 73, of Kure
Beach, N.C. went to be with
the Lord on
July 5, 2013
dying peace-
fully. Grave-
side services
will be held at
Montlawn Me-
morial Park,
Raleigh, NC at
2:00 p.m. on July 10, 2013 with
Dr. Harvey H. Whaley, Jr. with
Aversboro Road Baptist Church
officiating.
Judy was born in Raleigh,
N.C. and attended Broughton
High School and East Caro-
lina University. She worked
for N.C. State University and
then joined the team at Boe-
ing in Seattle, Washington.
In Washington State she also
worked with the Allied Arts
and the Books for backpacks.
After retiring with Boeing she
returned to N.C. to enjoy the
beach and settled in at Kure.
She was a wonderful mama and
granny. She was a special and
dear friend to many. She loved
to talk, loved life and lived it
to the fulliest, and she never
knew a stranger. She loved her
family, her friends on the west
coast and her new friends on
the East coast at Kure Beach.
Judy had a special friend, they
were best friends, Mrs. Doris
Garibay - they shopped and
ate out together and they were
known for their baking and
their visits to the Kure Beach
police department and always
feeding them treats.
Judy was proceeded in death
by her parents, a sister, and
a daughter Victoria Adcock
Roberts. She is survived by a
daughter Kathy Adcock Taylor
(David), grandson Josh (Fi-
ance Amy Walters) and grand-
dog Bandit and her grandchil-
dren Debbie Roberts, Dan
Roberts, Jr. (Cynthia), Dana
Baxter (James), Dacia Le (Bil-
ly), Darrin Roberts (Danielle)
and Darrell Roberts - 14 great
grandchildren and 5 great-
great grandchildren.
The family is appreciative of
the excellent care of Dr. Bishop,
Cardiologist. The assistance
from the New Hanover and
Kure Beach emergency servic-
es and New Hanover Regional
Medical Center.
In lieu of flowers, family and
friends who wish to honor her
may send memorial gifts to:
The Kure Beach Police Depart-
ment, C/O Chief Dennis Coo-
per at 117 Settlers Lane, Kure
Beach, NC 28449.
Arrangements are by Mont-
lawn Funeral Home, 2911 S.
Wilmington St., Raleigh, N.C.
Condolences may be made to
www.montlawn.com
Judith Bishop
Johnson
RALEIGH
Rachel Pflugrath, 82, passed
away peacefully at home on
Sunday, July 7th. Rae was pre-
ceded in death
by husband,
Donald O.
Pflugrath; par-
ents, Anthony
and Viola
Braun; in-laws,
Michael and
Catherine Pflu-
grath; sister, Doris Leahy; son-
in-law, Bryan Morgan, Jr. and
her beloved dog Copper.
Rae was born in Brecken-
ridge, MN, attended Wahpeton
High School and graduated
from College of St Teresa.
She is survived by 7 children,
12 grandchildren and 3 great-
grandchildren; Eileen Robbins
(Michael), Gayle Homolka
(Glenn), James Pflugrath (Lou
Ann), Ann
Pflugrath (Donald), Kay Ste-
phens (John Sr.), Joan Lubben
(Timothy), John Pflugrath.
A memorial service will be
held Thursday morning at
10am at Our Lady of Lourdes
Catholic Church with a brief re-
ception immediately after.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
may be made in Rae’s name to
the Catholic Parish Outreach
of Raleigh, 2013 North Raleigh
Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27604.
Rae loved gardening, quilt-
ing, travel, and watching wild-
life. She had an amazing life.
She will be missed greatly by
all whose lives she touched.
Arrangements by Brown-
Wynne Funeral Home, Saint
Mary’s St. Raleigh. Condolenc-
es may be made through www.
brownwynne.com.
Rachel Pflugrath
newsobserver.com/Obits
Explore our expanded obituary
features and send flowers and
gifts, or create a memorial website.
The News & Observer A Tuesday, July 9, 2013 9B
+
+OBITUARIES/TRIANGLE
Cremation with
remembrance.
For a FREE bOOKLET, call (855) 49-WATER (855-499-2837)
or visit MontlawnCremations.com.
2911 South Wilmington Street • Raleigh
©2013STEI
passes, it then goes back to
the House for negotiations.
Provisions in place now
David Atkinson, Carteret
County DSS director, called
the bill an unnecessary bur-
den. “We’re already doing
some of this stuff, and by add-
ing the additional layer of
drug testing, I’m not sure
what’s going to be accom-
plished,” he said.
Arpsaidthebillisdesigned
to comply with federal law,
which says states cannot give
Work First benefits or food
stamps to felons with out-
standing warrants or to pa-
role violators. Atkinson says
DSS uses automated soft-
ware to search through De-
partment of Corrections’
files, and found felons are
simply denied benefits.
The proposed additions
w o u l d c h a n g e t h a t –
shrinking the gap between
socialservicesandpolice–by
requiring DSS to inform law
enforcement if an applicant is
wanted.
Critics of the bill see the
methods in place as ade-
quate. Written tests and an
in-personinterviewwithDSS
and substance abuse special-
ists determine whether an
applicant should be referred
to a drug or alcohol abuse
treatment program. They do
not currently drug test, said
Barbara Harris, Wake Coun-
ty’s Work First program coor-
dinator, but the treatment
program they enroll in as a
condition of getting assis-
tance does require regular
drug tests.
If applicants agree to par-
ticipate in the programs, they
can still enroll in Work First.
“The notion there is pro-
viding them with the help
they need,” said Bill Rowe,
the NC Justice Center’s gen-
eral council/director of advo-
cacy.
The current drug-screen-
ing process could constitute
reasonable suspicion for test-
ing but isn’t enough on its
own, said Rep. Sarah Ste-
vens, a Republican from
Mount Airy, who worked on
the bill.
“People could easily mis-
represent things … so we just
added this reasonable suspi-
cion, so it’s really not a major
deviation from the law,” she
said.
The bill does include a pro-
vision that allows mental
health authorities to set up a
program involving abuse
treatment providers.
Provisions in question
Eight states have passed
similar drug-testing laws for
aid applicants, and another
29 have introduced such bills,
according to the National
Conference of State Legisla-
tures.
While some require suspi-
cion or screening processes,
including Tennessee and
Missouri, Florida in 2011 en-
acted a law that made all re-
cipients pass a drug test be-
fore getting benefits. Georgia
did the same in 2012. Courts
struckdownFlorida’slawear-
lier this year, but Georgia’s
hasn’t been challenged yet.
The North Carolina bill
says DSS agents should look
for convictions, arrests or
outstanding warrants related
to drugs within the past three
years. If red flags are raised, a
drug test will be required.
Applicants will have to pay
for the test themselves. The
fee was previously estimated
to be $100, but the final
amount will depend on the
type of test, to be decided by
the Social Services Commis-
sion.Applicantswhopassthe
test will be reimbursed for
the fee. Those who don’t
would be turned away for one
year.
Children whose parents
test positive are still eligible
for benefits.
While the bill no longer re-
quires blanket testing it con-
tinues to worry civil liberty
advocates. Sarah Preston, the
ACLU of North Carolina’s
policy director, said the bill
doesn’t specify that warrants
and convictions on drug
charges are the only ways
someone could be tested.
“It doesn’t say that that’s
theonlything,itjustsaysthat
it’s one thing that constitutes
reasonable suspicion,” she
said.
The language purposefully
leaves room for other causes,
Stevens said. The Social
Services Commission would
fill out the rest of the list.
Bryant also is worried
about the bill’s language. One
stipulation calls for the de-
partment to advise every po-
tential applicant that the “re-
quired drug screening and
testing may be avoided if the
applicant or recipient does
not apply for Work First Pro-
gram assistance.”
“It hits me in the gut, that
line,” Bryant said. “It’s a sig-
nal, like a meta, cultural mes-
sage of: ‘We don’t want you
here. Stay away. ... You’re not
deserving.’ ”
Frank: 919-829-4870
WELFARE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
What is Work First?
The state’s welfare program, also called Temporary Assis-
tance for Needy Families, requires parents and guardians to
work or participate in work-related activities in order to re-
ceive a monthly cash sum. The program includes short-term
training, with a focus on making enough to support dependent
children. Most families enrolled in Work First have two years to
get off assistance and become independent.
The program is administered by the state Department of
Social Services.
What has happened to the bill?
m In April, Sen. Jim Davis, a Franklin Republican, introduced
Senate Bill 594, which required drug testing of any applicant to
the state’s Work First program. The bill passed the Senate in
April by a 35-15 vote and was sent to the House.
m In the House, Rep. Dean Arp, a Republican from Monroe,
introduced House Bill 392, requiring background checks to
receive Work First benefits or food stamps. The bill also re-
quired the police be informed if an applicant was a parole or
probation violator or had outstanding felony warrants. It
passed the House in April in a 106-6 vote and was sent to the
Senate.
m In the House, Senate Bill 594 was sent to a House Judiciary
subcommittee. There Rep. Sarah Stevens, a Mount Airy Repub-
lican, edited the bill after her staff found that a blanket drug
test violated federal law. Those changes were then taken to the
Senate, where it was combined with House Bill 392. Stevens
said the suspicion needed for a drug test could be presented
through that bill’s background checks. Gluing the bills together
also would allow them to move more “efficiently” through the
system, Arp said.
m The combined bill, House Bill 392, is expected to be voted
on in the Senate Tuesday. It would then return to the House for
concurrence and a floor vote.
anything. She had to crawl
out of the building on hands
and knees below the smoke,
she said.
“(The lower) half of the
hallway had clear air, thank
God,” she said.
After getting outside, she
went into a section that the
fire had not reached to alert
other neighbors.
“I’m hoping I’ve just got
smoke and water damage,”
said Greg Berry, one of the
neighbors Maybrey warned.
Berry said he had heard a
fire alarm go off, but thought
little of it because he had
heard false alarms before.
Real fires, though, have a
history at the apartments:
Monday’s fire was the sev-
enth at the Royal Oaks since
2004.
“We’re familiar with the
complex,” Curia said.
The fire appeared to have
started on the north side of
the building at 3525 Mayfair
St., getting into the roof and
spreading over or around a
firewall into south-side
apartments.
Curia did not yet know the
fire’s cause and said the in-
vestigation would start once
the building was stable.
Resident Herivelda Marti-
nez said she thinks the fire
started in a bedroom in her
apartment. She said she
smelled smoke and found
flames in the bedroom, but
had no idea what caused the
fire to break out.
“Nobody smokes, we don’t
have irons or anything,” said
Martinez’s daughter, Felipa
Santamaria, 15. Martinez
said she had lived in the apart-
ment for about a year and a
halfwithherhusband,Modes-
to Santamaria, and their five
children, ages 4 to 15.
The family, along with
other residents and neigh-
bors, stood about 100 yards
away Monday afternoon,
many taking pictures with
smart phones from behind
police tape.
By 3 p.m. the fire appeared
to be under control, though
the potential for the roof or
floors to collapse still made
it unsafe for firefighters to
go inside.
The Fire Department re-
sponded with seven pumper
engines, three ladder trucks,
two squad cars and 50 fire-
fighters, Curia said.
Wise: 919-641-5895
FIRE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
HARRY LYNCH - hlynch@newsobserver.com
Durham firefighters race to haul a second firehose
toward the heavily involved Building 9 Monday after-
noon at the Royal Oaks Apartments off Mayfair Street.
The News & Observer
AcademyRd.
N
Royal Oaks
Apartments
Pickett Rd.
Mayfair St.
WeymouthCt.
University Dr.
OldChapelHillRd.
Martin Luther Kin
g
Jr.
Pkwy.
Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
DURHAMDURHAMDURHAM
15
501
issuing them quickly, and
we haven’t heard any prob-
lems,” said Sarah Preston,
state policy director for the
American Civil Liberties
Union.
Maudia Melendez, direc-
tor of the Charlotte-based
Jesus Ministries, has lob-
bied for two years to restore
driving privileges that were
available to unlawful resi-
dents here until 2006. The
deferred-action licenses are
given only to young immi-
grants who have been vet-
ted in federal background
checks, she said.
“This is a great program
not only for the kids but for
the state,” Melendez said.
“These kids that are getting
deferred action are good
students. They are not in
trouble. They are the cream
of the crop, and we need to
pay attention to them.”
‘RECLAIM NC’
The contention over
these licenses subsided af-
ter Rep. Harry Warren, a
Salisbury Republican, an-
nounced more far-reaching
proposals in his “RECLAIM
NC” immigration package
in April. It could allow driv-
ing permits for as many as
300,000 “undocumented
aliens” of all ages. That fea-
ture is praised by diverse
groups including Latino
and law enforcement lead-
ers, but and criticized by ad-
vocates for stronger limits
on immigration.
Warren’s bill also would
provide for tougher treat-
ment of immigrants in the
jails and the courts. Echoing
provisions of an Arizona
law, the bill would authorize
police to check the immigra-
tion status of people they
stop or arrest, and to detain
them for up to 24 hours.
Warren said Monday he
hopes his bill will get a
House floor vote in the next
week or so, and then move
to the Senate. He called it a
“law enforcement, public
safety bill” and said it has
tougher provisions than
comparable proposals to ex-
tend driving privileges in
other states.
“Our bill is much more
protective for the citizens of
North Carolina, and puts
much stronger require-
ments on those who would
get driving permits,” War-
ren said.
Immigrant advocates who
endorsed the deferred-action
licenses are divided over
Warren’s bill. The ACLU and
other civil rights groups are
lobbying against it.
“We see a really strong
need to get licenses to peo-
ple, but we don’t want to see
people in the undocumented
community become targets
for harassment,” the ACLU’s
Preston said. “There’s this
Arizona-style provision that
basically condones racial
profiling, and they want to
make that part of the North
Carolina statutes.”
Melendez of Jesus Minis-
tries said the bill could be im-
proved, but the legislature
should approve it.
Benavides sees both sides
of the issue. He’s glad to have
a license to drive, but he
doesn’t like having to explain
the “NO LAWFUL STATUS”
label printed under his name.
“That’s the only thing I
don’t like,” Benavides said.
“It’s like telling people you’re
illegal just by showing them
your ID.”
Make contact: 919-829-4527
or bruce.siceloff@newsobserver
.com. On the Web at twitter.com
/Road_Worrier and blogs
.newsobserver.com/crosstown/.
Please include address and
daytime phone.
DRIVE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
The News & Observer
Average price for a gallon of
self-service regular in the
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel
Hill area.
Gas price watch
$0.00
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
$3.50
$4.00
Current1 week
ago
1 month
ago
1 year
ago
Source: www.fuelgaugereport.com
$3.421$3.407
$3.404
$3.244