www.rockymounttelegram.com Volume 109, No. 77 — $1.50

IndexCarolina .............A3Classifieds ....A9-10

Comics ..............A8Community .........A2

Crossword ..........A9Markets ..............A4

Obituaries ..........A5Opinion ..............A4

Sports ............A6-7Weather .............A2

Downtown hotel project awaits state approvalBY WILLIAM F. WEST

Staff Writer

The year 2020 begins with a big question at City Hall.

Is the state going to give the go-ahead to the munic-ipal government for part of the proposed long-term lease agreement with a de-veloper’s plans for a hotel, parking garage and residen-tial and retail project adja-cent to the Rocky Mount Event Center?

A check of the state Lo-cal Government Commis-sion’s agenda for its next

meeting, which is set for Tuesday, does not show David Hunt’s and his team’s combination private-public project on the agenda. The LGC received the applica-tion from the city of Rocky Mount nearly 4½ months ago.

The LGC is part of the State Treasurer’s Office and assists local governments in North Carolina in deci-sion-making involving large financing projects.

Dan Way, a spokesman for the State Treasurer’s Office, said Thursday the

LGC’s agenda items for next week could be subject to change — but Way said as of right now, the application from Rocky Mount’s munic-ipal government is not on the agenda.

Emails to City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney and the city’s Communications and Marketing Department seeking comments and any-thing they may know on their end did not result in any response by press time. A phone message left on Hunt’s voicemail at his of-fice in Jackson, Tenn., also

was not returned by press time.

The LGC received the application on Aug. 9, and Way has said the LGC staff has met with Rocky Mount’s project team at least twice, initially on Feb. 20 and again on Sept. 4.

Hunt is proposing to build the garage, which would be leased to the company but with the municipal govern-ment to receive any profits. After 20 years, possession of the garage would be giv-en to the city.

The City Council voted

5-2 at a work session on Aug. 8 for a modified reso-lution adopting the develop-ment agreement.

Councilman Andre Knight made the motion in favor of the resolution, with then-Councilwoman Lois Watkins seconding. Coun-cilmen Reuben Blackwell and Richard Joyner voted yes, as did Councilman W.B. Bullock. Councilwoman Chris Miller and then-Coun-cilman Tom Rogers voted no.

The vote on Aug. 8 also included a bit of a surprise

because Bullock had sided with Miller and Rogers on July 8 in opposing adopting the initial version of the de-velopment agreement.

The vote on Aug. 8 came after attorney Mary Nash Rusher of Raleigh provided details and faced extensive questioning at the work ses-sion, which lasted about 50 minutes.

Hunt and his team want to spend about $33 million on the private part of the project. Hunt has estimated

Authorities seek leads in homicide

BY AMELIA HARPER

Staff Writer

Rocky Mount police are investigating the first homi-cide of 2020.

Jonathan McCrory, 23, died Thursday from at least one gunshot wound.

Officers responded about 1:53 a.m. Thursday to 900 Mashie Lane in response to the shooting. The 23-year-old man was found wound-ed at the scene and later died from his injuries.

While this is the first homi-cide of 2020, Rocky Mount saw 18 homicides in 2019, a record-breaking year.

Police have not yet re-

leased any more details con-cerning McCrory’s death.

“The Rocky Mount Homi-cide Unit is still following up leads in this case,” Cpl. Clay Wilder, public informa-tion officer with the Rocky Mount Police Department, said in a statement Thurs-day afternoon.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Rocky Mount Police Department at 252-972-1411, Twin County Crime Stoppers at 252-977-1111 or Text-A-Tip by tex-ting RMPOL and a message to CRIMES (274637). All texts remain completely anonymous.

Man killed in shooting

Middlesex drug bust snares three suspects

BY AMELIA HARPER

Staff Writer

A search warrant recent-ly executed at a Middlesex home led to the arrest of three people on gun and drug charges.

According to information released Tuesday by the Nash County Sheriff’s Of-fice, deputies with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office Nar-cotics Unit and Patrol Divi-sion Platoon A executed the search warrant about 8 p.m. on Dec. 18 at 10547 Baldy Hill Road in Middlesex. The search warrant was is-sued in response to numer-ous narcotic complaints at that address, according to a press release issued by Nash County Chief Deputy Brandon Medina.

Once the search warrant was executed, Nash County deputies found three people

inside the residence: David Dunston, Sandra Lynch and Joseph Lee. All claim 10547 Baldy Hill Road in Middle-sex as their address.

A search of the residence revealed 17.4 grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale, 3.5 grams of methamphet-amine and 21 grams of mar-ijuana packaged for sale. A Harrington and Richardson single-barrel shotgun and a Thompson Center .50-cali-ber rifle also were located in the residence.

Dunston, 56, was found to be a convicted felon and is not allowed to pos-sess any firearms. He was charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, one count of possession

YMCA to sponsor annual open houseBY KESHA WILLIAMS

Telegram Correspondent

Healthy lifestyles are a top priority at the Harrison Family YMCA, so people are being encouraged to visit the facility during its Open House and Communi-ty Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

During those hours, peo-ple can use the facilities free of charge and learn more about the programs and services available at the YMCA.

Tours will be offered ev-ery hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Vendors will provide giveaways while participants can test their skills at racquetball, rock-climbing, basketball and take advantage of body mass index tests. The staff also will hold drawings for free YMCA memberships.

People who decide to join the YMCA during those hours will not pay a joining fee. People over age 16 will need a valid photo identifi-cation card upon arrival at the check-in table.

Alyssa Matthews, mar-keting and development di-rector at the Harrison Fam-

ily YMCA, said the annual Open House and Commu-nity Health Fair is a means of educating the public.

“The purpose is to open our facility to the com-munity so they try out the equipment and see what we offer, meet their New Year’s resolutions and learn how to be healthy in all areas of life,” Matthews said.

Staff also will introduce guests to the YMCA’s new LesMills Group Exercise Classes and Body Pump at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Matthews said these class-es will include specific moves and music to help participants enjoy exercis-ing, achieve life-changing fitness and see positive re-sults.

LesMills classes, Matthews said, are evi-dence-based group exer-cise programs that have been implemented around the world. Body Pump classes, she said, are ideal for people who are looking to get lean, toned and fit fast.

Rocky MountTELEGRAM

Serving the Twin Counties since 1910 A look at the Big EastSPORTS, A6

ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA $1.50 FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020

FUN IN THE PARK

See DRUGS, A5

See HOTEL, A5

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The Harrison Family YMCA will sponsor its Open House and Community Health Fair on Saturday.

See YMCA, A5

SARAH LOUYA/ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM

Nevan Brantley, 1, plays in the sand while Destiny Lucas, 10, plays on the playground Thursday at Sunset Park.