Roddy Elected President
Of Lake Gaston Chamber
Richard Roddy of Littleton
was elected 1978
president of the Lake
Gaston Chamber of Commerce
which met for its
annual dinner session last
Monday night in Weldon
Roddy will serve with Bill
Richard of Franklin, Va.,
vice president, and Lloyd
Andrews of Roanoke Rapids,
secretary-treasurer.
The Board of Directors
also elected, in addition to
the three officers, included
new members Clyde Delbridge
of Brunswick County,
Va Pete Rudd of Mecklenburg
County, Va., Alex
LoCkerman of Brunswick
County, Va and Thunder
Bruce of Mecklenburg
County, Va.
Returning directors are
Alvis Fleming of Warren
County, Marvin Newsom
and Lloyd Andrews, both of
Halifax County, and F. I
Fansler. Jr
Speaker for the dinner
was William Arnold, travel
director for the state of
North Carolina, who disclosed
plans for a SI million
travel and tourism promotion
for the slate
Arnold told the Chamber
that two-thirds of last year's
tourist business came from
out of state, supplying tax
money for services that
might otherwise be foregone
This year, according to
the director. Gov. James
Hunt and the state legislature
responded to the
request for increased funding
for travel promotion.
The budget was increased to
$1 million
Previously the state had
spent only $427,000 per year
for nine years.
The increased appropriation
will allow a Raleigh
advertising agency selected
on merit basis alone - to
handle the state's travel
account The additional
funding will also rank this
state high in its exposure,
second only to Florida in
Southern travel promotion
expenditure
Although the money has
been and will continue to put
to use this year, its impact
will not be observed until
next year, Arnold said
Double-page color ads are
scheduled to run in 15
national and Canadian magazines
Already more inquiries
from potential
travelers have been received
in the travel office than
have ever been received in
the past, Arnold said
Furthermore, the travel
director noted, travel spend
ing through September was
14.72 per cent more than
what was spent last year.
This increase represents
nearly $150 million, Arnold
said.
Portions of the $1 million
will be spent in printing
travel packets to be mailed
to persons who respond to
travel coupons printed in
national magazines.
In other business, the
board learned that two
information centers would
be established on the lake,
one on the North Carolina
side and another in Virginia.
The centers should be
established by early spring
Administrative services
for the Lake Gaston Chamber
will be provided by the
Roanoke Valley Chamber of
Commerce. These services
will include answering mail,
telephone calls, storing
publication and preparing
monthly reports.
Account Numbers
Not Needed To Vote
Social security account
numbers, which in the past
may have been requested of
registered voters by local
boards of elections, will no
longer be required following
action by the state Board of
Elections recently.
Executive secretary
Miriam Coleman of the
Warren County election
board submitted the state
resolution last week.
In it, the state Board of
Elections declares that "no
local board of elections shall
require of a registered voter
in the State of North
Carolina his or her social
security account number
unless the General Assembly
of North Carolina
specifically authorizes the
collection of such information
and unless the use of
such information for voter
registration purposes be
permitted by the laws of the
United States of America.
Alex K. Brock, state
executive secretary, said
previous policies of the state
election board permitted
local boards of elections to
request the number for use
as information in the
preparation of a computerized
election and voting system.
Some voters. Brock continued,
have misunderstood
the social security account
number request as a prerequisite
to voting when, in
actuality, the number is not
needed for voting.
Mandatory requirement
of a social security number
is further in violation for the
constitution, Brock said.
Single Fire
Only one fire was reported
in the county last week.
The Inez Fire Department
answered a call at 5:30 p.m.
on Nov. 30 when a chimney
caught fire at the home of
Marshall Johnson. The
home is owned by Mrs. Kate
Harris.
Three men, one tanker
and one pumper were
dispatched to the house and
no damage to the home was
reported.
1
Legion Post 25 Cited
For Membership Drive
The American Legion,
Department of North Carolina
Headquarters in Raleigh
today announced that
Warrenton Post No. 25 has
conducted a highly successful
membership drive, resulting
in the Post reaching
its assigned membership
Goal.
George Shearin, Commander
of the Post, has
received a letter from
department headquarters
reporting that Post No. 25
has exceeded its Legion
Membership Incentive Goal
for 1978.
Max E. Robinson, State
Commander, said "The
membership of every Legionnaire
makes it possible
for The American Legion to
maintain its many worthwhile
programs not only
for veterans, but also for the
community, the state, and
the nation such as care for
needy children. Baseball,
Boy's State, Boy Scout
Troops, Oratorical Contests,
Community Service Projects,
Law and Order
recognition and all the
others. 1 am proud to
congratulate Post No. 25
upon this notable achievement."
Post Commander Shearin
explained that "We Dare to
Care," the theme of this
year's drive, was to encourage
all citizens to raise their
sights to greater service by
becoming involved in their
local community and showing
that they do care, thus
becoming an important part
of the American Legion's
ongoing motto - "For God
and Country."
"We are accepting dues
payments now from Legionnaires
and eligible veterans
whose membership is essential
if the local organization
is to continue its service
programs," Commander
Shearin stated.
Also, he reported that the
Post is planning to expand
its local programs and
activities, depending on the
final results of the 1978
membership Drive.
More than half of all the
men and women who have
fount in America's wars,
from the Revolution to the
Vietnam conflict, are still
alive, the Veterans Administration
reports. A total of
44,482,000 persons have
worn their country's Uniform
during periods of conflict.
and VA estimates that
29,765.000 are still living.
Grant Public Hearings
Tentatively Scheduled
LITTLETON - Two public
hearings for reviewing a
proposed community development
grant application
were tentatively arranged
by the Littleton Board of
Commissioners last Thursday
night.
Scheduled were meetings
for Jan. 10 and Jan. 19 to
gain public input into the
possible $500,000 grant application.
Representatives from Region
L Council of Governments
(COG) attended
Thursday night's meeting to
inform the board that such
meetings were required
before a formal application
could be made.
The subject was first approached
last month when
COG representatives Zeno
Gaynor and George Harris
recommended that Littleton
seek the approximately
$500,000 block development
grant.
Harris said then that new
guidelines adopted by the
federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development-the
federal
agency responsible for disbursing
funds-tended to
favor smaller towns.
If received, the 100 per
cent grant would be applied
primarily to housing rehabilitation
within Littleton,
the representative said. The
HUD policy underlying its
grant program is to refurbish
low to moderate income
neighborhoods, Harris explained.
However, a portion of the
funds could be used to
improve water and sewer
systems, upgrading streets,
promoting recreation and
other uses. Low income
residents are still targeted
to receive most benefits.
Deadline for submitting
the application to Washington.
D. C. is March, 1978.
Assistance in preparing the
application, after public
hearings are held will be
provided by Region L COG
workers.
Organizational Work
Organizational Work involved
the board during
much of the remainder of
Thursday's meeting Having
been sworn in to office
Dec. 1, members were
appointed to various capacities
as follows; mayor pro
tern, Roger Gupton; police
commissioner, Joe Newsom;
purchasing agent,
Claude Wilson; and cemetery
commissioner. Justice
Kidd.
Town employees reappointed
to their posts
included Mrs. Margaret
Moore, town clerk; Mrs.
Beatrice Moore, assistant
town clerk; Bernice Aycock,
chief of police; and Nat
Kimball and Johnny Manley,
police officers.
Commissioners approved
graveling of Hacket Street
and lower end of Roanoke
Avenue to make the unpaved
road more stable during
the winter.
Mayor Mason Hawfield
said recent rains had
chopped the street with
ridges and that graveling
would provide some relief
until more work could be
performed later.
The board, in other action,
approved a resolution of
appreciation thanking the
Littleton Tennis Club and
Mrs. Belinda West for the
work done on the Littleton
Christmas parade.