Monday News and Sports

The death toll from Saturday’s fireworks explosion on Ocracoke Island increased to four Sunday, as authorities are continuing to investigate what caused the accident. The explosion happened as a crew from Melrose South Pyrotechnics was unloading the fireworks from a truck at Ocracoke Island’s south terminal.

Senior pastor Bill Wilson of The Lord's Table church in Goldsboro, said the four people who died in the explosion were Wayne County residents and he identified them as Mark Hill, Terry Holland, Charles Kirkland Jr., and Lisa Simmons.
Holland was the church's building maintenance supervisor, Wilson said.

A surviving worker had burns on 20 percent of his body but was listed in fair condition Sunday at the North Carolina Jaycees Burn Center at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

The State Bureau of Investigation, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company finished their investigation Sunday. The cause of the blast was ruled accidental, Hyde County spokeswoman Jamie Tunnell said.

Records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration show the company had another fatal accident in July 2001. Representatives from Melrose South Pyrotechnics, located near Rock Hill, S.C., were on site Sunday to assist with the investigation.

The annual Ocracoke 4th of July parade was rescheduled for Sunday afternoon as a silent tribute to those who were killed and injured, and also honored the number of people who responded to the explosion. Doctors and nurses vacationing on the island, members of every government agency, fire and rescue department on both Ocracoke and Hatteras Island, as well as from Pender and Carteret counties, rushed to the scene.

Chowan County commissioners voted Thursday to tap a reserve fund to pay 125-thousand dollars for employee withholding taxes because the county was out of cash. County Manager Peter Rascoe says the funds were needed to cover state and federal taxes and retirement funds, and not the employees direct pay. He added the shortfall was not a budget mistake, but a cash flow problem. Chowan's finances has been under tight scrutiny since it was discovered last year the county was more than 4-million dollars over budget and had to make a number of cuts and tax increases to stay solvent.

An environmental impact statement has cleared another hurdle for the complete reconstruction of US 158 from the Pasquotank River Bridge to Road Street in Elizabeth City. The statement details the entire project, that includes replacing the eastbound bridge over the river, and shows that it will cost a total of nearly 82-million dollars.

The causeway between Winfall and Hertford is closed until at least September to make emergency repairs to the rapidly deteriorating roadway that carries US 17 Business. Up to a 100-yard section of the road settled rapidly last month. Its the third time in the last two years the causeway across the Perquimans River has been closed.

The Leechville Bridge that carries US 264 at the Hyde/Beaufort county line will be closed starting tomorrow through at least early August. A 17-mile long detour using Highways 99 and 45 will be in place. The state Ferry Service reminds those using the Swan Quarter/Ocracoke route to allow extra time to reach the terminal.

Kitty Hawk officials warn residents and visitors to stay off the new multi-use path being built on the eastbound side of US 158 between The Woods Road and Cypress Knee Lane. Construction crews and heavy equipment are in use on the site, and concrete pouring is slated to being soon. The westbound side path is still open.

NFL
While calling the shooting death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair a homicide, Nashville police haven't yet reached a conclusion about the death of the 20-year-old woman found with him. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron says the 36-year-old McNair, a 4-time Pro Bowl selection who was married with four children, and 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi (sah-HEHL' kah-ZEE'-mee) had been dating the past several months before they were found dead in a Nashville condominium Saturday.

TENNIS
Roger Federer sits atop the tennis world today after beating Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 to win Wimbledon for a sixth time and earn his 15th Grand Slam championship. That broke Pete Sampras' record for men's Grand Slam titles and the four-hour, 16-minute final was the longest men's Grand Slam final in history at 77 games, breaking the previous record of 71 set in 1927.

GOLF
Tiger Woods warmed up for the British Open beginning in 11 days by capturing the AT&T National by one stroke over Hunter Mahan. That's the third PGA Tour victory this season and 68th career win for Woods, who closed with a 3-under 67 to win the tournament he hosts outside the Nation's Capital.

COASTAL PLAIN LEAGUE
Monday
Peninsula at Outer Banks
Edenton at Asheboro

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Sunday's Games
Oakland 5, Cleveland 2
N.Y. Yankees 10, Toronto 8
Boston 8, Seattle 4
Kansas City 6, Chicago White Sox 3
Minnesota 6, Detroit 2
L.A. Angels 9, Baltimore 6
Texas 5, Tampa Bay 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Sunday's Games
Florida 5, Pittsburgh 0
St. Louis 10, Cincinnati 1
Washington 5, Atlanta 3
Philadelphia 2, N.Y. Mets 0
Chicago Cubs 8, Milwaukee 2
Arizona 4, Colorado 3
Houston 7, San Francisco 1
L.A. Dodgers 7, San Diego 6, 13 innings

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Norfolk 7 Gwinnett 1