: Celebrating Our 25th Year of Publication
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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 ')'?
<> <?? pin - X (M) pm
Statement on the state
School Violence Report
While any \iolcnt act occurring
in our schools is reason for concern.
It's heartening to know that, according
to the State Annual Violence
Report just released by the State
Board of Education. The Public
Schools of Robeson County showed
a greater decrease in the number of
incidents of violence, pcrccntagc
wise. Than the state of North Carolina
as a whole When compared to
numbers for 1996-97 school year,
our decrease was 17.9% and the
state's w as 7.3 5%. Our decrease was
as the result of a drop from 268 to
220 incidents for the year Total acts
m
per thousand students were down
18.9% compared with lite 1996-97
school year Incidents of possession
of weapons dropped from 96 to 89.
These two categories represent
78.6% of all incidents The latest
figures indicate a continuing downward
trend in the number of violent
incidents as the result of a number of
efforts These include a revised and
strengthened code of ethics, a zero
tolerance for weapons in the schools
as w ell as an even greater concentration
on drug education and visibility
b> our resource officers .
Dr Barry Harding. Superintendent