: Celebrating Our 25th Year of Publication * $ E CAROLINA 1MB! AJfei(01CE r. ? I s ^ I ublished each Thursday by First American Publication^Eembrgke, NC yOLV R SO THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1998 CENTS Lurnbee Tribe Awarded Energy Conservation Grant I lv. I limbic 1 ribe of NX', was rceenllv awarded a grant from the U S Department of Health and Human Scr vices to assist 4lU low-income Indian families to conserve cncrgv. and educate litem on efficient cncrgv usage The % 140.0t)t) grant to the tribe is one ol the onlv two such grants funded to M ale and federal I v recogni/cd tribe's on a competitive basis nationwide About I" siiu mwcrnmcnts received grants |Imi I lie progiam. called REACH (Residential Encrgv Assistance Challenge Grantt will serve onlv Indian households in the Robeson Counts povcrlv designated Empowerment Enterprise 7oncs The Indian households must also be an cncrgv assistance client in the LowIncome Encrgv Assistance Program (1 Ml E API through Lmtihcc Regional Development Association I lie REACH Program will provide tree to eligible households encrgv con < ntton I its that w ill be installed fit the i it fen <1 4UI homes Also the program will have eiioigv audits done on homes to determine how ciiecgv.education and cfficiehcv modifications can be best directed toiielpcut ill1.lilies cost for the faniilv I ideiK and handicapped faniilv households who live in the L.mpovvcrnicnt Zone will be targeted for prioritv assistance The program will seek to educate clients on how to cut energy utilities cost. above and beyond what improvement the energy conservations kits may provide Funds saved can be used for other household necessities, such ?is food, medicine, or rent Mr Adolph Blue. Chairman of l.RDA added that "the tribe is fortunate to have been selected for award of this grant, and we believe it will help save households in the project money that can be used for years to come to cover other needs." James Hardin. Executive Director of l.RDA stated that "this program will compliment our on-going I. ow-Income Energy Assistance Program by helping 491 households begin at home using energy conservation techniques that wili save them money on winter and summer utilities The Robeson County designated Empowerment and Enterprise Zones include parts of the Townships of L.umbcrlon Fairmont Maxlon and Rowland For niorx information call l.RDA at ('tin) 52I.-XMI2 Rep. Ron Sutton works with DOT to relieve congestion and add stop lights in Pembroke area Rep. Ron Sutton has requested an investigation of traffic conditions at the intersection of East Third Street (NC71 l)and Union Chapel Road in Pembroke. The purpose in the request to the Department of Transportation is to determine the need for traffic signalization. The Department of Transportation has responded by beginning an analysis of the area which will include a review of roadway geometries, traffic movements and accident data. It is estimated that the investigation will take between thirty and forty five days. In late November the staff of the DOT was instructed to identify any possible improvements for the sites! Rep. Swett has also requested the construction of turn lanes along SR 1339 in Robeson County to serve Purnell Swett High School. In a letter to Rep. Sutton relative to these turn lanes, J.D. Goins, Chief Engineer-Operations with DOT i stated: "My staff has rev iewed this location for accident histories and provided an estimate for the construction of left and right turn lanes into the campus. The estimated construction cost for the turn lanes is S250,000. Turn lanes would improve congestion problems at the school and enhance safety at this location. "The Department attempts to address traffic impacts at schools through the use of Public Access and Service Funds. These funds are limited to $50,000 per location and typically will not fully fund needed improvements." Rep. Sutton has been able to secure contingency funds for the location to complement access funds and county construction funds. It is expected that efforts will be made to coordinate construction of the project during the summer month? to relieve the congestion at Swett High. Christmas Musical ' planned at Prospect UMC Prospect United Methodist Church, 3929 Missouri Road, Maxton, NC will be the site for the Christmas Musical-"The Best Gift Of All"-on Saturday, December 19, Sunday, December 20 and Sunday morning, December 27 at 10:40 a.m. Both performances on the 19th and the 20th will begin at 7 p.m.. This Christmas presentation is under the direction of Mr. Harold D. Jacobs and is narrated by Mr. Leon Jacobs. There will be solos, lighting effects and other added attractions to make this one of the most exciting performances'ever. The Pastor, Rev. Bill James Locklear, invites the public to this great celebration of the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the dates above. Thechurch is located five miles Northwest of Pembroke across the road from Prospect School Christmas Program planned at Berea Baptist Bui-a Baptist Church's (Miildroii'sChoir will perform thru Christ mns Program on OcccmKi H I'm Jit 111 >0 a in Tlic Christmas Cantata b> the Adult Choir will be presented IX ccmbci 20 I 'm at H> to am I Ik pihloi Rev Hum Sit w'ii and th" congregationcMend a c< dial invitation to the public to attend UNCP Board of Trustees Nominate Cummings for Board of Governors Pembroke, IVC ? The Board of Trustees of the Uni\ersit> of North Carolina chose Friday fellow board member McDuflic Cummingsas their nominee to fill a vacant scat on the 32-mcnibcr UNC Board of Governors If approved by the North Carolina Genera! Assembly. Mr Cummings would join the governing body of the 16-mcnibcr UNC system. He is manager of the Town of Pembroke "We have a very strong chance of placing ;i person on that board." said board Chair Roger Oxendihe. "It is \ cry important for our nominee to be in Raleigh when the legislature meets." Two names were mentioned as candidates, including Mr. Cummings and Betty Mani'uiii. a Robeson native with long ties to I )NCP and a newly elected member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners Although several hoard lueiubei .asked for additional time to consider the nomination, the board voted 5-0 in favor of Mr Cummings with three members abstaining Aftci the meeting. Chancellor Joseph B Oxendine said it will be important for the next chancellor of the University to have a local supporter on the Board of Governors "ll is extraordinary important to ha\e an individual with a special know ledge and feel for UNCP on the Board of Governors." Chancellor Oxendine said "There is nothing l ike having a primary advocate for this University who can look out for our needs" "VICE CHANCELLOR SEARCH" Chancellor Oxendinc told the board of trustees that he has not been able to find a candidate to fill the vacant post of vice chancellor foi Development and University Relations The position has been v acant since Jtilv andChanccllorOxcndinc noted that it is a peculiar situation to search for key member of his staff just months before his June retireincui fie said hiring a full-time in tcrun for six months is one possibilitv Beth C'arinieal SDceial assistant lo ihc chancellor, has been filling in that post NEW A THI.ETIC FIELDS Athletic Director Dan Kcnnc> announced that a new track and soccer complex is in the planning stages The Univcisils is seeking architectural and engineering firms to plan a $732,000 project that will see a new athletic complex built across I lie si reel It0111 the current track and field site The project w ill be funded through .student fees TIME CAPSULE A lime capsule that has been imbedded in the Sampson Building for iicarK 50 vcars will be opened at the Feb 13 Homecoming. Chancellor Oxendinc said The time capsule is current!) partoflhc foundation ofthe Sainpson-Liscrmorc Librar) "The capsule was originnll) inst.illed on March V. I'M"), but opening it at Homecoming will gi\c I heclass thai put it there an opportunity' to often it' .it their 50lh animcrsar. celebration. " he said Food Stamps to Convert to Debit Bankcards in Feb. BcginiuiigKcbruar) I. I9W Kobeson (.'cuius I ood Slump recipients will no longct receive paper food slumps Each hood Slump household will receive their food stumps through use of u debil bnnkcard The inonlhlv alloiiuent of food stamps will be dcposiied in their account for use throughout the month Most groeerv Sloies hav ebeen ei|iupped w it h credit/ debit curd machines The customer, al'iei gallienug then groceries will swipe their debit curd mid enter their personal idemificaiion number The amount of their groceries will be automat icallv deducted from their account for future use 1 raining for Robeson Counlv recipients w ill be held in Januarv I'JW \ppoinunenl dales and times will be mailed out It is of the utmost uuporI.iikl that the appointments are kepi Anvoiie not trained bv f-'ebruarv I. will noi be able to go io the groeerv store for themselves will have an 'i>ulcirj/ed lepresenlalive The..iu-' I lion Aid repiesciiiaiive will be issued a separate debil bankcard for the iscipienl's account If voti require an anihori/cd representative please contact vour food stamp worker iinuiedi Rev. Isaiah Locklear to speak at Salem Rev. Isaiah Locklear, 99-yearold Baptist minister, will deliver the message at the 11 a.m. service at Salem Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, December 13, The pastor, Rev Donald Bullard and the congregation of Salem, extend acordial invitation to the public to attend. Wilton Wilkerson, recycling and anti-litter advocate continues to encourage keeping Robeson Clean and Green A depressed recycl ing market has limited what Lumberton, the county and private companies can recycle. Until several weeks ago. Lumberton stopped taking newspaper for recycling. Any that was dropped at a city collection point was taken to the Landfill. The city hasn't been recycling glass either, but that should change in a few weeks, said Lumberton Public Works Director. Dixon Ivey. It can take aluminum, but hasn't been recycling other materials, like cardboard. "There's very little market for anything right now except alumirmmr*? i? ? num cans," said Red Baxley, director of the county Solid Waste Department. Prices for all recyclable materials have plummeted, said Baxley. Frequently it costs he same or less to use virgin materials. With no one to buy recyclable materials, recycling companies, the governments and industries that generate the waste have limited options; stockpile or send it to the landfill. The lack of a market kept Lumberton from recycling newspaper, Ivey said. But a few weeks ago the Robesonian newspaper agreed to take the city's newsprint, Ivey said. He's making arrangements with waste hauler ARS to collect glass bottles. But cardboard, plastic bottles and other items will continue to be thrown away. Michael Green, owner of Cohen and Green Salvage Co. in Fayetteville and Lumberton Recycling Co., said the world economic crisis has a lot to do with the problem. "The foreign countries are dumping material in the United States because they need to turn dollars," he said. It has devastated the U.S. steel and metal markets and has'hurt the paper and cardboard markets. Green said. Cohen said the price of steel is half what it was in January. Cardboard was worth $75 to $80 a ton a year ago, but is now worth about $35, said an industry observer. These prices are too low for the county to break even if it tries to recycle, Baxley said,. "Unless you've got the capabilities of bailing it and putting it in big truckloads, you can't even get rid of it," he said. The county sometimes would have to pay someone to take the cardboard. Until recently, Robeson County and the rest of the state were under a mandate to cut the amount of material entering their landfill by 40 percent. Baxley said that mandate is no longer in place, but that the county has done well. On average, the county puts 90,000 tons of trash in the landfill annually, down about 25 percent from the 120,000 tons it put into landfills in the 1990-91 fiscal year. That year is the benchmark, Baxley said. Much ofthis reduction came from industries recycling waste materials. Campbell Soup, for example, sells much of its waste to a farmer for hog feed, he said, The lack of market disappoint Wilton Wilkerson, a recycling and anti-litter advocate. He is often called "Mr. Clean and Green" for his promotion of the ""Keep Robeson County Clean and Green" anti-litter program. While the market stays down. Wilkerson is continuing his "Clean and Green" effort and continuing to promote the recycling of aluminum cans. He has a small trailer built that he puts out for people to leave their cans in. He put it at the Triangle Bank, across the U.S. Post Office, at Seventh and Walnut Streets. Aluminum is bringing about 24 cents to 32 cents per pound. He plans to use the proceeds to raise money for his anti-litter campaign. In the meantime, Baxley said he doesn't see any viable option other than to landfill the plastic, cardboard and steel cans until the markets change. LEND a ^^ HA"" * Public Hearing on Lumbee Housing monies to be held The NorllvCarolln:i Indian Housing Authoritv (NCIHA) is pleased lo announce that the United States Dcpari ment of Housing and Urban Develop ment has approved the Indian Housing Plan for the Lumbce Tribe for Fiscal Year 98 in block grants fund for the Native American Housing Assistance and Sclf-Dclcriniiiaiion Act (NAHASDA) The NCI HA isllic agencv to administer this blocV grant for tin housing needs of low and moderate income Indian families NCI HA will hold a public meeting to discuss NAHASDA. Thesc meetings will icvicw the law and hov> it cITccls the 1.limbec Tribe Also the NCIHA will discuss how families can participate in the program through the application process The lime and dale fot the public meeting arc as follows Scotland Counts Memorial I ibrarv M2 W Church St l.aininbiirg NC December 21.1 ')'? <> our resource officers . Dr Barry Harding. Superintendent