Blue Ribbon
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Her In State Press Assn.
Excellence Competition
year—the third time ti
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An Independent Weekly New*paper . , . Eighty-first Year of Continuous Publication
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BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 1,1969
10 CENTS PER COPY
■ IN FULL BLOSSOM—Trees like this one near Grandfather
MnmUsln tell you it’s spring. Trees in the western end of the
I county near Deep Gap had a head start in the blooming season.
coming out almost a week before trees In tbs higber-elevaUoo
. Foscoe area. (Staff photo)
BETSY RANDALL
Betsy Randall
|. f J , v.' .; &
To Be Page in*
JN. C Assembly
Betsy Randall, a Junior at
Watauga High School, has been
appointed a page In the 1X9
General Assembly session In
Raleigh for May S-S.
: Daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
Robert L. Randall of 517 Grand
Blvd., Betsy was appointed to
the post by House Speaker Earl
W. Vaughn of Eden. She was
recommended hy the Wake
Gounly Democratic delegation.
She will report for duty at
Is p, m. on Monday May 5, Her
duties will involve working with
members of the House of Rep
resentatives and the staff of
the General Assembly. Dirlng
the week she will be expected
to maintain her studies from
Watauga High School through
. assignments formulated in ad
vance by her teachers.
Betsy la s member of the
Beta Club, n Junior marshal,
band member, vanity debater,
Spanish honor club, and is vice
president of the United Metho
dist Youth Fellowships She has
been selected an a Youth Fel
lowship delegate to tbo United
Nations In June.
Chamber Commerce 5
Board Meets Tuesday
f The Boone Chamber of Com
xnerce monthly board of direc
tor* meeting will be held Tues
day, May 6 at the Cardinal Rest*
aurant, Blowing Bock Road,
Boone at noon. There are many
Important items tobediscusted
Soil Treatment Helps In s
Control Of Burley Diseases
Losses to me destructive
bUck root rot disease In hurl
ey tobacco can bo reduced by
the use of a chemical loll
treatment. Savings of $250 to
almost $500 per acre had been
made on fields where the di
sease Is present,
“Chemical soil treat met* to
a new but important part of
the total black root rot con
trol program,” said Furney A,
Todd, extension tobacco disease
specialist at North Carolina
State Unlreralty, in addition to
sail treatments, Todd said the
control program Involves ro
tating tobacco with resistant
crop*, planting resistant vari
eties and following a complete
ptontbed disease control pro
gram.
He explained that the cost
of toll treatment “it low and
the value received from less
than 30 pounds of tobacco Mil
pay the bill.” He said, *fi be
lieve the use of a chemical
soil treatment pays in fields
where the infestation of black
root rot Is high and especi
ally In fields where tobacco
follows tobacco."
Two materials have been test
ed and found affective through
' ’• -~-r .i..
the N. C. Slate Unverslty Re
search on Wheels program, Te
kme applied at the rate of 13
gallons per care and Vorlex
applied at the rate at six gall
ons per acre are effective In
reducing black root rot and In
creasing the performance at re
sistant varieties, especially
those carrying low levels of
resistance such as Burley 21
and Ky. 16.
Good raaulta from aoll treat
ments ware recorded from tests
last year on tbe farms at E. A.
Orr In Graham County, Arils
Hodges In Watauga, Charlea
Wilson In Yaneey and J, E.
Holman In Ashe.
Two varieties sere Included
In tests on the Orr and Hodges
(Continued on page two)
Accidents In City
Noted By Police
'• . .
Driving on the wrong ride
of the road wee the cause at
half of Boom's traffic accU
dents last week.
Monday Hoyt Edward Shoe,
maker, 52, of Route 3 Boom
was charged hy Boom Mice
Officer Coy Isaacs with driv
ing left of center after he had
ridea wiped a 1968 Olds mobile
driven fay a Lenoir resident,
Virginia Gail Russell, 18, of
86 North Presnell Street, Le
noir, was traveling south on
Blowing Rock Road at the
Clement Street Interaction wbsn
the 1949 Chevrolet operated by
Shoemaker crossed over the
center line and hit the Russ
ail car.
According to Isaacs’ report
the Chevrolet traveled 150 teat
before stopping following the
Hlard James Cornell. 16,
at Route 2, Vilas, was also
charged with driving left of
center on Highway 105 Tuesday.
In a 1902 Plymouth, Cornell
(Continued on Page Three)
"Parkway Open To Travel;
Campgrounds OpenToday
All of the Blue Ridge Parkway
motor road Is now open tor pub
lic travel according to Super
intendent Granville B. Liles.
Campgrounds on the Parkway
will open on May 1st with the
exception at Peaks at Otter in
Virginia, and Crabtree Meadows
and Mt, Plsgah In North Caro
lina which will not open until
May 15, Picnicking will be per
mitted In the campgrounds until
the picnic areas are opened on
May 15. Fees tor camping will
be collected and the $7 Golden
Eagle Passport will again be
valid at all Parkway camp
grounds. Dali; fee* Include SO#
for purchaser only or $1 tor
purchaser and all accompanying
him In a private vehicle.
Visitor centers will open on
weekends only from May 1
through June 14. after which
they will be open seven days
each week during the remainder
of the season.
Concession facilities will be
open by May 1st with the ex
ception of tbs housekeeping ca
bins at Rocky Knob. This In
cludes Mabry Mill as well as all
other public ueefacllltlea on the
. “arkway. The Peaks of Otter
lads* and Dining Room opened
on April 2.
It Is expected that the dog
wood will be In hill bloom by
the end of April, At lower
elevations servlcnberry end
re<bud ere beginning e good
ebow. About mid-May flame
azalea bloome; and in early to
mid-June tbe mountain laurel
and purple rhododendron. The
higher the elevation, the later
tbe bloom, and rummer will have
taken over elaewbere In the
Parkway when spring Anally
reaches the Ugh mountains In
western North Carolina,
Tax To Apply
To Larger
Part Of Value
BY CHARLIE HAMILTON
Tin Watauga County tax rats
Is expected to drop some for
1069-70 following a move tint
will raise the tax base ratio
from 45 to 65 par cent.
The drop In tax rate was
forecast by Tax Supervisor
James C. Lyons after tbe county
commissioners voted last month
tor the increase in the real
property tax bass ratio to <5
par cent.
But it doss not necessarily
mean that your county tax bill
will drop,
Lyons also reported that a
new plan for assessing personal
property taxes may be adopted
this year by tbe county. It Is
designed to catch up with many
cltlaens who have avoided pay
ing their fair amount of per
sonal property taxes,
Tbe Increase in the tax ratio
is not designed to bring in add
itional r svenue from established
properties. Lyons said. “It
simply is a move to bring Wa
tauga County IrUo full conform,
ity with state law,'*
The trick of avoiding a higher
tax on an existing property under
the . increased ratio wlU £»>
simply to lower the tax rates
Lyons said.
Ia addition, rate U w require*
that real and peraooal propert.
lea taxes be levied at the same
ratios. Thus, with the real
property tax ratio being raised
to 65 per cent, the personal
property tax ratio will be dropp
ed to that figure from Its trad
itional 100 per cent.
Also, state statues putaceil
ing of 20 cents on die amount
of the tax levy that can be
allocated to the general fund
of the county. The big fund Is
in need of a larger share .of
tax incomes, Lyons said. The
Increased tax ratio will allow
more funds (or the general
fund.
Lyons, of course, could not
say how much the tax rate
will be lowered slncethe County
Commissioners have not adopt
ed the new fiscal budget. How.
ever, using the present tax
rate of fL23 per hundred doll,
ars valuation and taxed at the
45 per cent ratio, under the
higher ratio, a tax rate of
*U>0 concevably may sifflce,
Lyons said. However, this is
not necessarily accurate pred
iction.
Naturally, with the present
style of listing personal prop,
erty on the “honor system,"
the revenue to be produced next
year by the personal property
tax based on 65 per cent ratio
would be reduced.
To correct this situation,
Lyons said be plans to recom.
mend to the commissioners that
the county adopt the "percent
age" plan for assessing perw
sooal property taxes,
Ulder this plan, cltlsens
(Continued on page seven)
' $ •' . - - . . . ■
PROUD PRESIDENTIAL COUPLE—Dr. and Mrs. William H, Plemmoos were surprised and
pleased Friday night when they attended an appreciation dinner at ASU. Mrs. Plemmoos was
presented a stereo console and Dr. Plemmons was presented a new car. He plans to retire
June 30 after 14 years as president at ASU.
Dr. And Mrs. Plemmons Given
Honor By ASU Faculty, Others
‘ t*.' vrauam H. Vlemmow was
surprised when be wee present
ed > garden hoe Friday night
hot the sight at a new ear and
a stereo console left him and
Mrs- Flemmons almost speech
less.
Dr. Plemmons, due to retire
June 30 after 14 years aa presi
dent of Appalachian State Uni
versity, and Mrs. Flemmons
were hornred ktankgptectMfor
dinner Friday night at llnlver.
slty Cafeteria.
Some 350 persona attended
the event sponsored by faculty
members, administrative per
sonnel and ASU’s board of trust
ee*.
The Ug surpriseoftbedlnner
same when the doors of thecafe
teria were thrown wide for the
Named Chairman
Planning Board
Nad Trlvette, director of
buatneu affairs at ASU, has
been named chairman of the new
Watauga County Planning Board.
Trlvette and two other offi
cers were selected Tuesday
night (April 32) at the board’s
organizational meeting held In
tbs county tax collector's con
ference room.
Other officers of the seven
man board are A. T. Adams,
vice chairman, and Jerry
Adams, secretary-treasurer.
Other members of the board
named by the county commis
sioners are Wade lloretz, Col.
Clyde toiler (Ret,), John Broy
blll and Kays Gary.
Trlvette said the board plans
regular public meetings on the
third Tuesday night of each
.month. The next meeting will
be held May 30 In the court,
house.
Among the first items to be
considered by the new board will
be submitting an application tor
a federal grant to study the
feasibility of a comprehensive
Bow much era tbs mmi family la Watanga County
aflbrdtospendtorahome?
vw
a>« much ot a load may it take on In the form of
monthly housing costs, based on Its oanrst level cf|; ■
Income, without going overboard?
Tbs questions arise at (fats time because, bscaUy
and In most other sections of the eoufrj', tte tndttional
home-buying season Is at hand. ; ^
1 4' More tunlllee go boose humlnt anrfngtbeSprtsgas^ 11
Summer months then at any ether time <t jeer,
Some help in making tbeee decisions, lor tamOles la :
various Incomebrockets, comeatromtbeFadaralHoesint
Aa a rale of thumb, they feel, the eostof e home
ahould not be much more tbu twice eternal Income
before Federaltaxee.
Families In low Income brackets aomettmea hare to
pay aa much aa 1 in tlmee Income to net eultable ac
eommodattona while thoae with large earnlnga generally
buy homee that ooet eonelderably leaa than twice their
annual Income,
£.!*** .... £• £;• ,> .V ^ }V r.
Because the average Income In Watauga County has
moved upward, local families are tnapositlon to go In tor
more expensive housing than In former years.
Thtor twfore-tix aarnUga, which rapreaeottfaa com.
Meed Inooaa of two or more parsons In a large pro
. porttoa of families, amount to ebout $7,800 par house
hold, aecordlag to tha lalaat figures.
A -v-v ■ v xs . * li >* ■. , « <
£
Therefore, apfiying the guideline, local famillea at
the average Income level may aafely expend approximate
ly $19,500 tor a home.
Many Watauga County famlliae have Income* that
are higher or lower than the local norm, Thoae who
are In the *20,000orao Income range buy more axpeoalve
homae but actually epand a • mailer proportion at their
Income In doing eo.
On the other hand, a ferally at the *8,500 level will
be able to afford a home eoeMng no more than *16,000
to *17,000,
Ac to carrying coeta, which include mortgage pay.
manta, taxee, ineuranee, utlUttee and maintenance, they
ahould be no greater than l/5th at monthly Income, no.
oonang to the recommeodationa.
water and sewerage plan tor
Watauga County.
Other counties which have
applied for and received such
grants have used them fc> finance
engineering studies for such
NED TRIVETTE
■yiterns, One county, Anson,
developed a plan which was
flnanoed by a referreodum to in
stall a county-wide water sys
tem, Its Installatloo began more
than a year ago.
Trlvatte said that the board
hopes that federal funds will
be available to finance formal
studies of other Watauga prob
lems. He listed at the top of the
priority llatj roede Into the
aree, availability of land tor
developmant and bousing,
•
Trlvatte said the planning
hoard will not aerve primarily
aa a zoning body tor tbe couiw
ty. Ha laid, however, that the
board la empowered to make
reeommeadetloae on land nee
to the Board of County Com
■daotoaera who have utag1
fewer.
■ :
entreat aW*dr« Wot** '
■ a gift to Plemmons from the
sponsoring groups.
Mrs. Plemmons was pre
sented a big stereo console in
appreciation of her being so
cooperative and Interested In
the school.
Earlier, Dr. Plemmons mu
presented a garden hoe by Stan
ley Harris Sr. on behalf of the
Boone Hotary Club. It was a
tribute to Dr. Plemmons* sup
port as a member of the club
and of Ms participation in the
club’s tobacco-growing project.
Dr. Plemmons responded
with, “These have been happy,
delightful years ... and a won
derful experience. I can’t think
of a better way to close out my
career In education than as
president of Appalachian. I
speak from the depths of my
heart when I say, thank you ...
and bless you.”
Dr. Frank Randall, chairman
of ASU’s Faculty Senate, pre
sided at the dinner ceremony.
Dr. John Barden, Professor
Emerltls of Education, gave the
introduction and Rogers Wblto
ner, assistant professor of Eng
lish, presented the tribute.
Mias Mary Brown Allgood,
chairman of the home econom
ics department, presented the
stereo to Mrs, Plemmons and
John Welborn, director of food
services, handed the new car
keys to the honored couple.
Talent Award
Auditions To
Be Held At ASU
Spsclal Talent Award audi
tions in piano and nln tor
incoming freshmen and trans
fer etudenta to Appalachian
Stats University, are scheduled
on Saturday, May 3, from 9KX)
to 12:00 a.m.
The auditions will be held to
I. G. Greer Hail.Tidwested cto
dents should contact the chair
man of the music departmeto
tor details and application
Masha. All students an re.
Wired to bring their own as.
oompanlst.
Special Talent Awards to all
instruments, piano, and tote#
an available each year to taU
anted etodents at the bask rats
of *60 per waiter ar (ISO per
yaar. Students do not ban to
major to music to receive tbs
award with tot exception at
voice majors. Auditions tor os.
campus fA«sa will ha told
■ M»li