West Craven Higrblights August 16,1979 Page 2 Letter to the Editor Local Minister speaks out against liquor by the drink On August 13,1 attended a luncheon at the Berne Resturant, with the sole purpose of receiving knowledge on Liquor by the drink, and what I could do to help my county vote down this issue. Mr. Coy Prevette supplied me with some information I would like to pass on to you. This is lifted from the Brochure To Drink Or, Not To Drink to help you understand some of the questions that are argued. (1) L-B-D will provide much better control. Who’s kidding whom? De-control is more like it. Bartenders, waiters and waitresses are paid to sell not to limit sales. Don’t expect any control from a bartender. (2) L-B-D will eliminate “Brown Bagging.” Yes, but only in restaurants-The new law permits “Brown Bagging” to continue at social establishments” which include most of the 120 discos, lounges and topless joints that operate as “private clubs” in our county. (3) L-B-D will provide the convenience of having a drink mixed for you. It certainly will do that...of course you will pay plenty for that conven ience-from $1.50 to $2.50 for 30P to 40F worth of liquor. (4) The higher price per drink will encourage moderation and reduce consumption. Sounds reasonable but it’s just not true! The facts prove that consumption is directly related to availability and not to price. Every state that has approved L-B-D has had an increased per person consumption. (5) The availability of L- B-D won’t result in an increase in alcohol related problems. When consumption increases, the problem related to alcohol abuse also increases. It’s fact! The sad truth is that L-B-D will bring an increase in traffic deaths, and injuries; more wife and child abuse and other violet crimes: more divorce and broken families: etc. (6) L-B-D will attract big conventions, restaurants and entertainment and stimulate the economy. No question about it. and....more prostitutes, more “X”-rated movies, porno shops and all other vices. (7) L-B-D will increase county tax revenues. Yes, but the increase in alcohol related costs will far exceed the additional taxes collected. States with L-B-D pay out 5 to 10 times their liquor tax revenue for related costs of policing, jailing, rehabititating, prosecution and welfare. (8) Our people should have the freedom to buy a cocktail or a mixed drink they want. That freedom exists now-over 300 varieties can be purchased economically at ABC stores. But if you still feel that this freedom should extend to every restaurant, lounge and club, be prepared to face the consequences. The evidence is clear. Unquote. Under the proposed law any place with a kitchen and seating for 36 people will be eligible to sell “mixed drinks.” This is for restaurants. Places identified as social establishments licensed for beer, wine, and brown-bagging will also qualify to sell “mixed drinks.” In checking casually through the Public Records, published in the Sun Journal, for 4 days I found 30 people driving under the influence. The ages were in range from 18-59 years. 23 were under 30, and 7 over 30,13 under 25, 10 were 20 and younger. I don’t know what this tells the people of Craven county, but it tells me that the access to liquor is already plentiful. As small an area as we are, to find 30 people driving under the influence and driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding 80 in 55 zone, assault on a police officer and so man> thing.s that yet hasn’t been published, and all in 4 days. I cannot comprehend a person who would want to give liquor to our children to speed and kill on the highways, and this is exactly what speeding and driving on the wrong side will do. Do you think if your child was in full control of his or her thinking faculty they would do that? Parents, friends, church people, I plead with you, you must vote against this issue. Pastors warn your people of the danger of liquor by the drink- Remember you must REGISTER before you can vote. The last day to register is Wednesday, August 22. Please get out and register NOW Rev. Ralph Lambert Pastor of Holly Hill PH Church, Vanceboro N (! /f/f New Bern roads to be improved The North Carolina Board of Transportation in its monthly meeting on August 10. awarded a contract for safety improvements to the intersection of Simmons Street (Secondary Road 1215) and Neuse Boule vard (US-70) in New Bern. The contract, which was to Barrus Construction Company of Kinston, calls for widening of Simmons Street to provide left-turn lanes and revising the traffic signals. The contract also includes grading, drainage and paving work. Work is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed in November 1979. Board member George G. Harper of Kinston commented, “This project is a much needed improve ment and will certainly facilitate the traffic flow through the area.” CAR WASH TO OPEN— Construction on the four bay self-service car wash, owned by David Lancaster^ began recently. Mr. Lancaster reports that th* construction, which is being done by Wimco Construction, should be completed in about four weeks. Immunization required iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii The new state immuni zation law that went into effect July 1 is designed to eliminate the possibility of serious outbreaks of childhood diseases among school populations, accord ing to Dr. Verna Y. Barefoot, Craven County Health Director. “We are looking at maybe 200,000 students in all grades across the state who are not fully protected against polio, measles, rubella (German measles), diptheria, whooping cough, and tetanus,” she said. Beginning students for years have been required to get this protection. Measles vaccine, however, was not required until 1971, and rubella in 1977, so there are many junior and senior high school students moving up through the grades without full protection. “Since 1973, elementary schools have demanded immunization records of all kindergarten and first grade youngsters, so our lower grades are in good shape except for trans fers.” said Dr. Barefoot. “Many times school records from distant states do not arrive with immunization records attached.” The new law says that all students must present proof of immunization against all six diseases to school officials on or before the start of school for the 1980-81 year, or be expelled. Parents should receive notification this fall from the school if their child needs one or more shots. Craven County Health Department offers free immunizations Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 2102 Neuse Blvd. Immunizations are also given free at these designated Van locations: Dover - Mayor’s office, Time: Second Monday every month, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Fort Barnwell - Sermons Store, Time: Third P’riday every month, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Cove (hty - McCoy’s F’ood Center, Time: Fourth Monday every month, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Vanceboro - Town Hall. Time: F''ourth Tuesday every month, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For further information, call Oaven (!o. Health Department at 633-4496 or 6:13-4497. The West Craven HIGHLIGHTS (USPS 412-110) RICK CANNON PUBLISHER R.L. CANNON, JR BUSINESS MGR. CONNIE BRYAN NEWS EDITOR MIKE HODGES, SHERRY TOLER CIRCULATION P. O. Box 404, Main Street, Across from the Post Office Vanceboro, N.C. 28586 Phone: (919) 244-0780 PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY Second Class Postage Paid at Vanceboro. N.C. (Entered March 1. 1978) SUBSCRIPTION PRICES Single Copy 2Pc 6 Months $4.16 2 Years $10.40 1 Year $6.21 3 Years $14.56' (Includes N.C. Sales Tax) (Tax not applicable to subscriptions MAILED Irom and for out-of-state. Deduct 16c, 24c, 40c, and 56c respectively from above.]