a ^CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE fljil
^SBSI P?ST 0FFICE ??X 1075 PEMBROKE, N.C. 28372
VOLUME 9 NUMBER 6 25c PES COPY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1*81
BEER AND WINE
SUNDAY SALES NOT
ALLOWED IN PEMBROKE
Council says "no" Quickly
Pembroke-Ail over flow crowd, many of
them from the newly annexed West
End, found a willing ear with the
Pembroke Town Council Monday night
when the question of whether or not the
sale of beer or wine would be allowed in
? Pembroke's package and convenience
stores on Sundays.
i
Acting quickly following a public
hearing in which the majority of those
present spoke sharply against the issue,
the town council voted unanimously to
deny the request to sell beer and wine
on Sundays in Pembroke.
Only Allen Dial, a convenience store
owner, and Bruce Barton, the editor of
The Carlina Indian Voice, spoke in favor
of the measure.
Dial noted. "The sale of beer and wine
is already allowed on Sundays in
Pembroke; the restaurant owners can
sell it Sundays...and as far as being
controlled, it cannot. To do that it would
have to be voted out..."
Presently only those grade A restau
rants which seat 36 people or more are
Henry
Berry Band
Appearing
at PSU
The Henry Berry Band will appear at
the Pembroke State University Student
Center on Thursday. Feb. 5 between the
hours of 8 p.m. and ' 1 a.m. The
admission will be $1.00 with PSU l.D.
and $2.00 for guests. The fund raising
event is being sponsored by the
American Indian Student Association.
allowed to sell beer; however, the town
allows only off premise drinking on
Sunday.
Barton also spoke concerning the
measure noting publicly that "I proba
bly ought not to say anything... 1 more
than likely will be misunderstood." But
Barton went on to say that he was an
admitted alcoholic and that the burden
of whether to drink or not to drink
really was an individual decision each
person had to answer for himself and
to God.
Barton said, "I hate to judge what
others can or can't do...especially if its
within the law. It is not the merchant
who sells the beer...but the person who
drinks it that has to deal with the
morality of it."
Barton also noted that he had not had a
drink of alcohol for more than ten
years and also publicly professed to be a
"follower of Christ."
Former Maynor Earlie Maynor, a
member of the congregation, presented
a petition from Mt. Olive Pentecostal
Holiness Church against the measure.
Rev. Lawrence Hardy, pastor of Berea
Baptist Church, also spoke sharply
against the measure.
Rev. Hardy said, "I guess you could
say I am an apostle to children...and 1
believe the sale of beer and wine on
Sundays would endanger our precious
children..."
IN OTHER MATTERS...
The council also considered an amend
ment to allow multiple family dwellings
within the corporate limits of town "at
the request of a citizen who is
considering renovating a building which
would have more than one unit,"
according to Mayor Pete Jacobs.
After considerable debate the matter
was referred to the planning board for
study. But not before a number of
citizens in attendance aired rumors they
had heard of a construction company
that was planning to build some apart
ments in the West End of Pembroke,
according to Bill Ozendine, Henry
Smith and a number of others who
agreed out loud.
According to Smith he heard about a
possible option which had been taken on
a ten acre tract of land by a Weaver
Construction Company from Greens
boro who have, according to Smith, a
thousand or so units of section 8
subsided housing in other parts of the
country.
According to contentions aired by the
citizenry Monday night the housing
being considered is apartments for
middle income residents.
Councilman Larry T. Brooks expressed
surprise at Smiths contention that "an
official of Pembroke is the one who told
us about it..." Brooks said, "Well,
you've said it outloud ...who is this
official?"
Smith and others affirmed that "it was
the town manager (McDuffie Cum
mings). Cummings seemed surprised
too and said. "We did discuss it ...but
it's just street talk ...noone has officially
approached this board about asking for
any zoning changes."
An onlooker agreed with Cummings
that it was common gossip saying, "that
kind of talk has been going on for
years...",Cummings also noted, "but I
have not discussed this matter with my
board at all."
The matter had inadvertantly been
overlooked when the option to allow
muiti housing units was left out of
zoning ordinances which were adopted
a few years ago.
If allowed, the amendment would
allow multi family dwellings in R-A and
R-2 zones.
And...
The council also let bids for the work-to
be done in rebuildins and shorino un
the canal in the general vicinity of
Strickland Heights where the town is
ousuy carrying out its community de
velopment grant project. The contract
was awarded to the Frank Home
Company for $80,790.88.
Reaqne Squad request for help
"taken under advisement"
The town fathers also seemed favora
bly impressed by a request from
Pembroke Resque Squad member
Charlie Revels for more help for the
financially strapped resque squad, a
completely volunteer organization.
Revels noted thqt the inflationary
economy was making it difficult for the
resque squad to survive on its yearly
allotment of $1,000 each from the town
of Pembroke and Robeson County.
The resque squad is asking for an
increase from the town of $3,000 a year
plus payment of its insurance and gas
until their building is paid for.
The payment on the squad building
runs $4,000 a year with 6 years left to
pay on it. The organisation raises
monies through fkind raising activities
like plate aales and etc. to make up Its
deficit since Revels estimated that the
squad's budget was at ieaat $9,000 a
year.
The council seemed very sympathetic
and promised "to look hard" to see If
any monies eould bo found. The council
and Mayor Jacobs unanimously praised
the resque squad for its spirit of
volunteer ism end for the positive
lentHbutiea It makes to the greeter
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?ebon MeMtlMeo is chief of the Union
I
completely volunteer organization
Town engineer and lawn planner
affirm ??CD Pi^ect an icMtl...
Town engineer. Don Jacob*, and
planner. Mike Avery, appeared before
the council and gave an update on the
community development project pre
aently underway in the general vicinity
of Strickland Height*.
Both noted "the community de*
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Center
EAGLE DISTRIBUTING CO.
SUPPORTS 'STRIKE
AT THE WIND!'
~ mm \ ? m mmmm
Shawm left to right era Camel
Strike at' the Winds" Robert
Catan of Eagle Distributing
Company i Kenneth Mejrner,
Chairman ef the Beard of
Robeson Historical Aoeecta
Hoc, prodacen of Strike at (be
Wind; sad Doany Chavls,
member of the Board of
Director! of Bahaaaa Histori
cal Association. |A Conne
Brayboy photo)
Eagle Diftributing Company
of Lumberton made a contri
bution to "Strike at the Wind"
on Tueaday. The preaentation
waa made to Carnell Locklear,
General Manager of the dra
ma, by Robert Caton of Eagle
Diatributing Company.
In making the preaentation.
Mr. Caton aald. I believe a
company auch aa oura ahould
be a pert of the community.
Contribution* to auch a Motor
teal and cultural drama la our
way of breaming more a part
of the community."
Accepting the cheek for MOO
Laahiaar raid. "We agate rial,
your auppart to much II la
I
I
people like you who will make
our drama a tucceaa. Strike at
the Wind belongs to all of us."
Strike at the Wind la an
outdoor drama, written by
Randolph Umberger. The
drama centers around the era
of Henry Berry Lowrie, hem of
the Robeson County Indians.
Cat on aJao announced at this
time that the well- known
Hudweltrr ( Ivdesdsle Horse*
wNI he appearing In Robeson
County. They wll he on the
campus of Pembroke State
University on Sunday, Peb, II
and at Biggs Part Shaping
Cmntmr li I iinihsHtf ab IbI?
orday, Boh. tS.
a
PEMBROKE OFFICIALS CALL
FOR ANOTHER VOTE ON
WATER, SEWER BOND
REFERENDUM
Pembroke-Following an executive sess
ion Monday night, Pembroke officials
called for another vote on the contro
versial water and Sewer bond referen
dum which was narrowly defeated
January 26, 1981.
Town Manager McDuffie Cummings
said, "We just don't have any choice...
we have to try again. Maybe this time
we will do a better job informing our
citizens of our dire needs." According
to Cummings, the town's present sewer
system does not meel environmental
protection agency standards.
Voters defeated the measure by
slightly more than 20 votes in a
referendum which attracted over a third
of the town's registered voters on
January 26.
The failure of the referendum cost the
town some $1 million in state and
federal aid for improvements to the
water and sewer systems.
The town is asking for $725,000 in the
water and sewer referendum.
Mayor Pete Jacobs expressed surprise
when the referendum was narrowly
defeated. 170 votes against and 144
were in favor of the $550,000 sewer
bond; 166 votes against and 142 votes
were in favor of the $175,000 water
bond measure.
In calling for a new referendum the
legal process must begin over again; the
first step is to petition the local
government commission in Raleigh for
its approval
The state approval is expected without
a hitch; following this legal move a
date will be set for a referendum in
which the citizens will decide the issue
again.
Mercer, Brooks
repeal Guilty Verdicts
r
by Bruce Barton
Lumberton-ln a celebrated court case
which attracted a lot of attention. Judge
Donald Smith sentenced Johnny Mercer
and Craig Brooks Turesday after a
spirited trial which lasted four days.
The jury was made up of three Blacks
and nine whites. No Indians were
allowed to serve; a mere six were
examined in the jury pool from which
the jury was selected.
Mercer and Brooks were accused of
assaulting Ty Moore on the PSU
campus on Oct. I. 1980.
Both Mercer and Brooks pled not
guilty in the case; both presented
witnesses who vouched for their where
aboutson the day in question. Mercer's
girl friend testified that she was with
Mercer in his mother's home on the
morning in question; Brooks mother
testified that she left her son in bed at
home while keeping an appointment
with her doctor.
But the jury chose not to believe that
testimony; finding instead, that the two
youthful defendants were guilty of
misdemeanor assault with a deadly
weapon.
Attorneys Arnold Locklear and Arlie
Jacobs gave notice of appeal immedi
ately following the sentencing by Judge
Smith. Mercer, 19, and Brooks, 18,
were released on $3,000 bond. The case
is being appealed to the N.C. Court of
Appeals.
Smith sentenced the two youths to two
year terms, ordering that Mercer serve
four months and Brooks six months of
actual jail time. After the actual time
served Smith decreed that the terms be
suspended for 4Vi years probation.
Terms of the probation also called for
Mercer and Brooks to each pay $500
fines and court related costs and pay
$550 restitution to Moore. Smith further
ordered that both men should stay away
from Moore and his family and stay off
the PSU campus; he also ordered that
they stay away from contact with Alicia
Baker, a prosecuting witness in the case
who later wavered in her identification
of the two men.
Mercer was also ordered to give up his
driving license forMO months, and they
were instructed not to communicate
with one another during the probation
period.
The youths were orignally charged
with a 20 year felony- felonious assault,
inflicting serious injury, with the intent
to kill.
Said one of the observers at the trial.
"The lack of their peers on the jury
(both Mercer and Brooks are
Indians) shows the need for jury reform
in Robeson County- especially the way
jurors are summonsed and selected to
serve."
County
Briefs
BUDGET CUTS TO INCLUDE
SCHOOLS TOO...
Lumberton The Robeson County Board
of Commissioners decided Monday at
their monthly meeting to hold to their
hard line of demanding that all county
agencies cut their spending by five
percent. The commissioners asked all
departments and agencies that receive
county funds to make the spending cuts
on December IS.
The commissioners responded to a
request from Purnell Swett, Superin
tendent of the Robeson County Schools,
to exempt the county schools from the
ruling.
Jack Morgan, the new commissioner
from the Red Springs District, who is
also an educator, asked to board to re
consider but he did not receive a second
to his request. Herman Dial, the
chairman, reminded Morgan that "we
took a solid vote on December IS to cut
all departments."
The board did not respond to further
requests for exemptions from the Red
Springs and Fairmont School Districts.
U DBTEICTOtO PLANNED IN THE
NBASFUTURE
The commissioner* also approved a
resolution ot Intent in which (he
commissioners affirm Intentions to
"realign" the seven commissioner
districts which have helooned eat ef
proportion bceeoas of the l?0 renews
CONTINUED ON FAOR I
I *
i |
PEOPLE
AND PLACES
AND THINGS [
Brrrrrrrr!
Phil Sees
His Shadow
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa.
(UPI) ? Punxsutawney Phil
saw his shadow Feb. 2. and
legend says that means we're
in for six more weeks of win
ter. But, he's hedging a bit.
The groundhog climbed out
of his hole at Gobblers Knob
in Punxsutawney at 7:28
a.m., an appearance delayed
somewhat by rain and snow.
Phil, wearing a yellow rib
bon in honor of the freed
American hostages, hedged
his forecast a bit, predicting
m+' ? - ? ? V
the rest of winter would be
mild.
"That was because Phil 5
couldn't quite make up his
mind," Punxsutawney
Groundhog Club president
Charles Erhard said. d
Cardinal
Health
Agency
recently
honored
The C ardinal Health Agency recently
received an award of merit from the
North Carolina Hospital Association and
the American Hospital Association for
distributing a public service announce
ment entitled "To Your Health." Gary
Jennings. Executive Director of Cardin
al. accepted the award from Don
Hiscott, President of Southeastern
General Hospital in Lumberton and
President of the North Carolina Hospital
Association.
Cardinal has made these "To Your
Health" tapes available to radio sta
tions throughout the fifteen county
service area since January 1978 on a
monthly basis. The tapes contain 10
timely spot announcements on health
related topics.
Cardinal is a non profit health planning
and review agency for fifteen counties
in southeastern North Carolina. Indivi
duals or groups interested in informa
tion about area health issues should
write the Cardinal Health Ageny at 401
East 1 Ith Street. Lumberton. NC or call
919-738-9316.
Mormon
Missionaries
in the
Area
Have you ever wondered who the
Mormans are? there are over 4.6
millionmembers living in the world
today. The name of the church is the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day
Saints, in which there are 30.000
missionaries.
Two of the Latter-Day Saint missiona
ries are Elder David J. Brown from
Murray. Utah and Elder Daniel J.
Rodriguez from Whittier. California
They are living in Pembroke at the
"me, but move around North Carolina
every 4-6 months. This is all part of
their two year missions which they
serve the Church without salary or pay
of any kind. "That's why you see us
riding bikea," said Elder Brown.
The Pembroke aiua la a special piece
because of Its ladiaa ancestry." says
loreiiincn long according |p |Ji#
two miaaiaearfei We as -nlaaheailaa.
they said, "share afpetel props** ta
sciaaiaallaua at m eaet."
Mzsnsttuzrz*
fMbai ^ *
.
Charge Against
Rose Aide
Dropped
A Washington. D.C., judge
has dismissed charges of as
sault with intent to kill filed in
December against Andrea L.
Scott, a Lumberton native and
an aide to U.S. Rep. Charles
G. Rose III, D-N.C.
Mrs. Scott, 27, was charged
Dec. 10 following the shooting
of her husband. Gerald Scott,
in the couple's downtown
Washington home.
Scott was admitted in criti
cal condition to a Washington
hospital, but was released
several days later.
Mrs. Scott was charged with
assault with intent to kill
while armed, assault with in
tent to kill, and possession of
a prohibited weapon
All three charges were dis
missed Jan. 7 by Superior
Court Judge Nicholas Nunzio.
according to a court clerk.
A spokesman for Rose's of
fice said that Mrs. Scott and
her husband "have recon
ciled." He said that Mrs.
Scott is currently on a leave
of absence from her job to
have a baby.
Mrs. Scott is the dauahter
of the Rev. E Tuner, a
Lumberton city councilman
and a member of the Univer
sity of North Carolina Board
of Governors.
According to Washington
police, Mrs Scott shot her
husband with a 22-caliber
revolver.
Rose, who lives in Fayetle
ville, is the slate's 7th District
representative.
Fund
Raising
Effort j
Robeson Drama
Aiwciitiom'jBoductr of
"Strike atlofijWind!" ia
sponsoring nd raising
effort Theitrtfesbers ?* the
the local o?Hgl? drama, are
Ut each.
Mlaa UaliiM|H*d flMMf
hay. wil HMTthe ?inatag I
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