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News & Advertising
Deadline: Monday Noon
Harnett County Ne^w®
Harnett Oo* Lttrary
ton
7r
Published Continuously Since 1919
VOL. 63
THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1979
TWENTY CENTS
Town Kills Proposal, Ends Parking Debate
By STEVE PLUMMER
A proposal that lillingtOD
lease for thm years a
eoatroversial downtown park
ing lot was killed J une 12 by the
lo^ board of commissioners
during their regular meeting.
The action apparently ends
the town board’s involvement
in the m-month debate over
the fate of the property, located
on the comer of F^nt and
Eighth streets.
Td have to say that by taking
this action, the board has
pretty much ended its involve
ment in the matter,” said
LQlington mayor Frank Lewis
later.
Several dvic and merchants’
groups as well as individual
merchants have urged the town
since January to buy or lease
the property for downtown
off-street parking.
Project UP (Lillington is
Proud) has induded the lot
owned by Lillington realtor Ed
Turlington, in a long-term
proposal that would provide
more off-street parking to meet
the needs of the central
business district.
Although the lot can only
provide an additional 17 spaces,
it is conddered critical by many
because of its accessibility and
high visibility.
The action taken Tuesday,
the Cnal in a series of proposals
made by the boaid, was
prompted by the appearance of
Faye Lewis, xwner of Lo Ra
Fashions, located next to the
lot, and Sirena Byrd, owner of
Sirena’s Flora] and Gift Shop,
located near Lo Ra Fashions.
The two women have been
supporters of the proposed
parking lot since the issue Crst
arose. Mrs. Byrd is co-chairman
of Project UP.
In response to their question
as to where matters presently
stood, commissioner Thomas
Brown informed them that at a
previous meeting, a motion was
made that the town not buy or
tease the property.
The motion was defeated by
the board, so the matter was
“still hanging in limbo," Brown
said.
Commissioner Marcelle
Brown (no relation), who said
he felt the property was
important to the town, then
moved that they lease the
property for three years at an
annual rate of $1,560 per year,
the figure agreed upon by
Turlington.
Brown said three years
would be enough time for the
town to study the situation and
make a &al dedsion on
whether or not to purchase the
lot outright. r
Commissioner Fred Darroch
seconded the motion on the
first reading.
During the discussion, com
missioner Gary Turlington
expressed his reservations on
the wisdom of purchasing or
learing the Jot.
“Pm still concerned about
precedent," he said. “If you can
explain how we can decide to
buy this one and not another,
then Pm all for it.
“As it is now, Pm sure there
are other people with parking
lots who would like for the town
to lease them at $1,560 a year,"
he said.
“Im sure that there is not a
similar situation in town,"
Brown responded. “I don’t see
how the town can expect
merchants to go out and buy a'
place for their customers to
park.”
“We’re talking about $130
per month here," Brown said.
“If it helps, it’s worth it. Pm
glad to see a precedent if
necessary."
Turlington, who said he had
heard as much negative
comment about the situation as
anything else, said he would
feel better if more of the
affected merchants supported
the proposal.
“Out of the people who stand
to benefit from this, over a
majority have told me that they
couldn't care less about it," he
said.
Ms. Lewis told the board that
many merchants felt they paid
enough taxes for the town to
provide parking without the
merchants having to “shuck out
more for a parking lot.”
“We’re not responsible for
everybody wth a parking
problem,” Turlington respond
ed. “There’s a lot of folks here
who put out-more money than
we’re talking about to provide
parking. They’re not asking to
be paid by the town.”
Brown said he was in favor of
the proposal for two reasons.
“Economically, we’re not
talking about paying that much
for what we expect to get
back,” he said. “I also think it is
an important step in the
revitalization of the town."
Following the dose of the
discussion, the motion was
defeated 3-2, with Brown and
Darroch voting in favor of the
measure and Thomas Brown,
Turlington and Gerald Myrick
voting against it.
The action was interpreted
by some observers as the final
blow for the proposal, since
Turlington had indicated to
board members his desire for a
Cnal decision so he could make
other plans for the property if
necessary.
In other business, the board
heard a request for street
paving from residents of the
neighborhood around Loflin
and Third streets.
Lewis informed the group
that they would have to get a
petition for the action signed by
at least 51 percent of the area’s
property owners.
ConUnned on Page 4
Seven Candidates Vie
For Miss Fourth Title
Around
Town
—Bt STEVE PLUAIMEB
Harnett Bus System
Model For NC Training
A field of seven candidates will
vie for the crown of Miss
Fourth of July during the
lillington Jaycees’ annual pa
geant slated for that evening in
the town park.
The crowning of the winner
’ will follow the Jaycees’ dance,
which will be held in the park
this year instead of the
traditional street dance.
Hckets for the dance are one
dollar each. Ticket-holders will
be eligible for a drawing on
three prizes, a riding lawn
mower, a gas grill and a
10-speed bicycle.
Tidcets are available from the
Fibrir Shbp'diTFVoht^Sffifet,''
pageant contestants and Jaycee
members.
Four of the girls competing for
the Miss Fourth of July title
were featured in last week’s
issue of the Harnett County
News. The remaining three are
profiled this week.
KATHY WILLIAMS, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. J.R.
Williams of Coats, is a student
at Coats High School.
Kathy, 16, is 5-7 and has
blonde hur and brown eyes. A
member of Prospect Prw Will
Baptist Church, she is also a
member of the Blast Harnett
4-H Qub and the Monogram,
FHA, FBLa, Beta, Pep and
SAC clubs at Coats High.
She is treasurer of the student
council and the FBLA Gub,
secretary of the Monogram
KATHY WILLIAMS
ANNIE HOLLMAN
FRANKIE GOTTEN
Club and pianist in the FHA.
Her previous titles include
second runner-up in the Miss
Coats Jr. Order pageant and
she was a finalist in the Miss
N.C. Charm pageant.
She has studied piano for six
years and band for four years.
She is especially interested in
English, French and the
sciences at school and plans to
attend UNC-Chapel Hill to
study law.
- Her hobbies include
basketball, softball, cheerlea
ding and horseback riding.
member of the Anderson Creek
A^TE HOLLMAN, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J.
Hollman of Spring Lake, is a
community.
Annie, 17, is 5-1 and has brown
hair and brown eyes. A
member of Bethel Baptist
Church, she is a student at
Western Harnett High School.
She is a member of the Beta
and FHA clubs and has served
as president of the BICP Club.
She is also a Red Cross
volunteer.
Her favorite activities include
drawing, writing and cheerlea
ding. She is especially interes
ted in her Bio-Med II class at
Western Harnett. She plans to
attend N.C. State University.
FRANKIE COTTEN, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. FVanklin
Gotten of Fuquay Varina, is a
member of the Rawls Commu-
ity.
fVankie, 18,' is 5-2 and has
brown hair and green eyes. A
member of Rawls Baptsit
Church, she attends Harnett
Central High School.
She belongs to several
school-related dubs, induding
the Monogram, Science, Pep,
FTCI, FTA, FHA and Library
dubs.
SHUTTLEBUS
An idea whose time has come
(which can also be interpreted
as a sign of the times) is the
shuttle bus that will be in
operation at this year’s July 4
Festival in the Park.
The bus route will run from
the park, up Main Street, right
at F^nt Street, leR at Eighth,
left again onto James and
another left at the stoplight to
go north on Main.
The bus will then turn right
onto Front Street, left onto
James and another left at the
'stoplight to go north on Main.
The bus will then turn right
,.,{10 Fyont-'Street, left onto First •
- behmd the courthouse, left
again onto Harnett right on
Main and back to the park.
Stops and schedules will be
announced in next week’s issue
of the News.
An activity bus on loan from
the Harnett school system will
be used for the shutUe service,
sponsored by the lillington
Kiwanis Club. There’s no
charge for riding.
The Traffic Safety Research
Agency (TSRA) at UNC-Chapel
Hill has selected the Harnett
County school bus system as a
model in developing a training
program for state-wide use.
The new training program
centers around the preparation
of a slide-film series which will
be used to train school bus
driver training representatives
across North Carolina. Driver
training representatives teach
students who seek to become
certified school bus drivers. .
Harrington Morrison, Super
visor of Transportation for
Harnett County Schools, said,
“I am very pleased that the
^ Traffic
'Agency
at North Harnett School and
Jerry Ennis, Harnett Central
principal, assisted with the
planning and organization of
the activity.
Two of the school buses used
are equipped with new experi
mental safety devices, includ
ing the prototype walking arm.
developed by the Harnett
County School Bus Transporta
tion Department, and four
additional mirrors, which will
allow drivers a greater view of
the area around the bus.
One of these buses was taken
to Chape] HQl June 14-15 for
further use in the training,
program.
Safety Research Morrison said the stMe had-
has' "sel^c’tird' our' ordered 8,200 -walking arms'for'
use on all North Carolina buses
transporting children in kinder
garten through grade three.
The Harnett County prototirpe
was used as a model in writing
the specifications for the
walking arms ordered by the
state.
Harnett County School Sup
erintendent R.A. Gray said, “I
am particularly proud of the
work being done by Mr.
Morrison and our staff, and by
the school bus drivers.”
“While I Imow our system is
not perfect.” he said, “it is at
the same time reassuring to
have been selected to serve as
the background for the prepar
ation of the slide-films to be
used in the tra'ining ^gram.”
Her special interests are
drawing, biology and art and
she hopes to study to be a
dental assistant following grad
uation fix>m Harnett Central.
Stolen Vehicle Leads To Arrests
' Rodney G. Houston of
Charleston, S.C. and Ronald M.
Scott of Monks Comer, S.C.
were arrested June 12 by
LQlington Police Officer Fred
FVye for possession of a stolen
. vehicle.
According to the report,
Houston was stopped for not
having an operator’s license,
when FVye discovered the car
had stolen plates.
The car was owned by Melvin
ffiackbum of North Augusta.
Ga. The plates were owned by
James Randal] of Aiken, S.C.
Houston was arrested and
charged with driving without
an operator’s license, ficticious
registration, stolen plates and
possession of a stolen vehicle.
Scott was arrested and charged
with possession of stolen plates
and vehicle.
Ten dollars worth of gas was
stolen from Gate’s Service
Sution June 15. According to a
report by Officer Clyde Pate, a
tall, slim white man, driving a
late model Gremlin, drove off
without paying for his gas. The
incident is still under investiga
tion.
According to the report, a
1977 Ford, driven by Evelyn Y.
McDougald of -Broadway was
making a left turn off West Old
Road when it was struck by the
second vehicle.
Ronald G. Davis of Wades-
boro, driving a 1978 Ford, was
charged with passing at an
intersection. Damages to the
McDougald car were estimated
at $400, while damages to the
Davis car were estimated at
$350.
This service is important for
several reasons obvious to
everyone. The gas situation
being what it is leads the list.
Also, anyone who has ever
tried to park at the park in the
afternoon or at the bridge in
the morning knows what a
headache it is.
The shuttle bus will solve all
these problems if everyone will
pve it a try.
POCT 74 MEETS
Post 74 of the DiMbled
American Veterans and Auxili
ary organizations will conduct
its officers installation Satur
day at 7 p.m. at the DAV hut in
Buies Creek.
All members are urged to
attend the supper meeting and
Continued on Page 4
system in developing the
slide-film series, ft speaks well
for our staff and for our school
bus drivers.”
Lauren Ogle of TSRA said
“the selection of Harnett
County as the unit in which the
filming was done was not
random chance.”
“We very carefully evaluated
the pouibilities and chose
Harnett County because we
know they have a good
program,” she said.
The photography was com
pleted June 6 in and on some
rural school bus routes in
the Harnett Central attendance
area. Thirty pupils from North
Harnett Primary School rode
the school buses during the
filming.
Big Cuts Expected
In County School Budget
The buses were escorted by
Highway Patrol Trooper D.S.
SkQes. Dr. Mark Fountain with
the Department of Motor
Vehicles was also present
during the simulation and
filming. School bus drivers
Mike Jones, Sandra Byrd,
Debbie Bell and a student,
Graham Byrd, took part in the
activities during filming.
Mrs. Doris Lewis, prindpal
By NANCY BOUNDS
The Harnett County Board of
Education had to trim the
“meat with the fat” when they
cut their budget last night by
$257,591.
Suffering costly blows'on the
chopping block were the
in-school suspension program,
the athletic fund, teachers
supplements, and activity bus
es.
None of the board members
were pleased about the reduc
tions. “I hate to do it,” said
Carrie CarroD, “but there
seems to be no choice."
The board was concerned
most about the teacher supple
ments and the in-school suspen
sion program. Those two items
were not done away with
completely, but reduced consi
derably.
One hundred dollars has been
projwsed for the teachers. That
figure was cut to $75.
The in-school suspension
program had been allotted
$23,000 by the county, that
amount was trimmed to jjist
$10,000.
“With $10,000," Gray explai
ned, “we can still start the in
school suspension program in
November. It will be delayed
for a few months, but not
completely cut out.”
Gray said that state funds
would come in around January
to finance the in-school suspen
sion program through the rest
of the 1979-80 school year.
The board had a choice
between giving the five Har
nett high schools an additional
$31,000 for athletics or salaries
for five new school secretaries.
Coats Principal Jack Hawley
and Western Harnett Principal
Continued on Page 4
Grave Markers Tell Stories
Break-In Report
Gets Pot Arrest
Dean Lacroix of Lillington
reported to the Harnett County
Sheriffs Department June 17
that his trailer had been broken
into while he was away for the
weekend.
Deputy Jesse Gentry investi
gated the incident and report
edly found nothing missing.
However, he did find three
marijuana plants growing in
pots beside the front door of the
trader. Lacroix was arrested
and charged with possession
and manufacturing of control
led substance.
A break-in reported June 16
by Inez McLean at Bethune’s
Laundry was investigated by
Officer FVye. According to his
report, entry was gained
through a rear window. The
suspect then removed the glass
to the cash register.
Approximately $46.90 worth
of cash and merchandise was
missing. The arrest report said
Art Canady, a 17-year-old
black youth was arrested at
8:30 a.m. that day at the
residence of Barry Merritt. All
cash and merchandise was
recovered and Canady was held
on $200 bond.
The only wreck reported by
the police department during
the week occurred June 16 and
was investigated by Officer
Frye.
By LORRAINE MIZE
The family stood by the open
grave as the minister said a
final prayer. In the background
sat a truck with two men,
waiting for the services to end
so they could get on with their
work.
Before the last car left the
cemetery, the two men were
already out of the truck and
working. In just a few minutes,
they had the grave closed and
the flowers arranged on top. It
looked very pretty, but how
long would it last?
l^e and the weather take
their toll on gravesites and
headstones. After a time,
neglect also takes it toll. When
talking through several ceme
teries in Harnett County, most
of the ones connected with
churches were kept up fairly
well.
The two oldest cemeteries in
the county, Barbecue and
Summerville, have several
things in common besides their
age. The most notable simflari-
ty is both have a gravesite
dedicated to the memory of a
stranger.
The gravesite at Summer
ville Cemetery has no dates but
Mrs. Lois Ross said the man
was found dead on the roadside
in front of the church sometime
in the early 1800's.
The stranger’s gravesite at
Barbecue is dated 1766 and the
inscription reads "Sacred to the
Memory of a Stranger."
Another similarity in the
cemeteries in the presence of
several graves belonging to
Civfi War veterans.
At Barbecue there is a site
for John Oliver, who served In
the 60th N.C. Infantry for the
Confederate States of America.
At Summerv'iUe is the grave of
Capt. James N. Turner, who
served in Company D of the 2nd
N.C. Cavalry.
Buried at Summerville Cem
etery are three generations of
Joseph McKoy. The three
generations are grandfather,
father and daughter and span a
longer time period that the
history of the church. The
oldest grave at Summerville is
dated 1749 and belongs to
Margaret Arthur McKoy.
Also at Summerville is a
gravesite belonging to an
eleven-year-old girl named
Ellen Wayman, an orphan who
died April 6, 1857. The
inscription is fitting: “Thrown
upon the charities of an
unfeeling world, she found at
the hands of strangers that
sympathy, love and affection
which none but the orphan can
appreciate.”
Another interesting grave at
the Summerville Cemetery
belongs to a man named
McNeill. The stone is worn and
the first name can’t be made
out. According to Mrs. Ross, he
was a navigator that did
blasting for the Cape Fear
River. A stone from that site
now marlu his grave at this
request. He said it broke him in
life and he wanted it to markh
his grave.
Also buried at Summerville
several World War II
are
were
veterans, two of which
killed in action.
Murdoch McRae hfcLauchlin
died June 5, 1945 in Bhuton,
India while on a mission.
Sgt. John B. Bethea, a
member of the first company of
the 176th Infantry, was killed in
action in France in 1945.
Comdr. Robert P. Ross, a
naval pilot during the war, died
in 19^ and his request was to
be buried at sea. A stone is
located in the cemetery in his
memory.
Continued on Page 4
HEADSTONE AT BARBECUE CHURCH
■aida