Legislative Report >
To the people of Watauga
County:
Senatorial Redisricting con
tinues to have a major portion
of the spotlight as the North
Carolina Legislature enters the
third month of the 1963 saa
sion. Several new bills have
been Introduced, the latest of
which would add Wilkes Coun
ty to our preaent Senatorial
District. Another recent propos
al would reduoe the member
ship in the House of Represen
tatives to 100, with one repre
sentative from each county, and
increase the membership in the
Senate to 80. This, of course,
would require a Constitutional
Amendment. This proposal
would add Avery, Mitchell,
Yancey and Madison Counties
to our district and have two
senators from the new district.
Veteran observers indicate that
the problem of Senatorial Re
districting may be a road block
which will keep the Legisla
ture from adjourning by June
1.
Legislative efforts in regard
to highway safety were given
an additional boost by Gover
nor Sanford in an address to
the Legislature on Monday
night. It is expected that the
current Legislature will be ask
ed to approve more highway
safety legislation than has been
requested of any Assembly in
recent years. A bill which
would require seat belts in all
new cars has passed the House
and is on the floor of the Sen
ate. The bill has run into ser
ious difficulty in the Senate,
however, and may have been
killed by the time this letter
goes to press. The Legislature
is also studying proposals con
cerning restriction of drivers
licenses for teen-agers and the
authorizing of the use of scien
tific tests by highway patrol
men in drunk driving cases.
A recent measure calling for
a vote of the people on the is
suance of state bonds for a
large road-building project
throughout the State appears
to be near collapse, following
Governor Sanford's statement
in opposition last week-end. An
other bond issue for construc
tion of schools remains on the
legislative calendar.
There is considerable local
interest in the proposed legisla
tion concerning absentee bal
lots, and while the bill remaios
in a subcommittee, it is ex
pected to receive action within
the next few days.
Another bill which will be of
considerable interest in Wata
uga County would tighten the
criminal law in regard to steal
ing of plants. Our county is one
of the areas in' which this has
become a serious problem, es
pecially during the Christmas
season.
The legislature has killed a
bill calling tui a state-wide re
ferendum on ABC stores. The
Assembly is expected to con
sider other state-wide bills on
this Question.
Rep. McMillan of Wake Coun
ty has introduced the .much
publicized "billboard bill",
which would restrict the adver
tising signs on interstate high
ways. This bill has been enthus
iastically endorsed by many of
the garden clubs in Watauga
County, as well as other garden
clubs throughout the State. The
measure has been sent to the
Roads Committee and should
get action in the next several
weeks.
I deeply appreciate the many
letters I have received thus far
from the citizens of Watauga
County, and am interested in
hearing from all of you in re
gard to proposed legislation.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Holshouser
Dr. Smith To
Speak At Meet
Pomona Grange
Dr. Wiley Smith, professor of
Psychology at Appalachian Col
lege, will be in charge of a
program on mental health for
the April meeting of the Wata
uga Pomona Grange, to be held
in the Cove Creek High School
cafeteria on Monday, April 8,
at 7:30 p. m.
Dr. Smith is well qualified in
the field of mental health and
grange memben feel very for
tunate to secure him. As this is
to be an open meeting, all in
terested persons are invited to
attend.
Smithey's Store
"The Great Bargain bo0nE, N. C.
west king street ?
College Artifacts Being
Displayed During April
Appalachian State Teach en
College artifacts, dating back to
1003, will be on exhibit In the
college library during the month
of April, it was disclosed this
week H. R. Eggers, registrar.
The artifacts will include an
nals, pictures, college cata
logues, old equipment and other
things relating to the college ir>
the past sixty years. People i*
Watauga and surrounding coun
ties having such items are In
vited to display them in the col
lege library.
William Eury, college librar
ian, will be in charge of the
exhibit. For additional infor
mation call the college library
at Boone.
Policemen Needed In Washington H
The Metropolitan Police De
partment of Washington, D. C.,
is in ne4d of qualified men and
women to fill vacancies within
their ranks.
Starting salaries for patrol
men are $9690, increasing to
$6990 after the completion of
three years satisfactory service.
Periodic increases for privates
in the ranks amount to 18090 af
ter completion of 10 years ser
vice. In addition members of
the force receive 13 to 26 days
annual leave, depending upon
length of government service,
and eight holidays.
Sick leave of 30 days, annu
ally, is granted or more when
injured in line of duty. Free
medical and surgical care are
furnished by the department,
along with unfiorms and equip
ment.
The department affords lib
eral family protection in that
the widow of a deceased mem
ber it entitled to 30 per cent
of her ipouae's base salary pr
$1,800 annually, . whichever is
greater. Each child up to 18
receives approximately $90 per
month.
Anyone interested in one of
these positions is urged to apply
to Police Headquarters, 300 In
diana Avenue, N. W., Washing-,
ton, D. C., the United States
Civil Service Commission, or
any post office for applications
and further details.
Varsity Shop
E. King St. 264-3520