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2nd Class Postage Paid At
Tryon, North Carolina, 28782
Established January 31, 1928
THE WORLD'S SMALLEST DAILY NEWSPAPER
Founded Jan. 31,1928 by Seth M. Vining
(Consolidated with the Polk County News 1955)
Jeffrey A. Byrd. Editor and Publisher
106 N. Trade St., P. 0. Box 790
Tryon, N. C. 28782
The Tryon Daily Bulletin
(USPS 643-360) *
Phone 859-9151
Vol. 63 — No. 225
Printed In the THERMAL BELT of Western North Carolina
TRYON, N. C. 28782
FRIDAY. DEC. 21, 1990
56 Pages Today
20c Per Copy
The weather Wednesday: high
63; low 48; hum. 82 percent.
It’s not cold outside, and snow
is unlikely. Many of us are
frightened for relatives and
friends in the Persian Gulf. The
economy is faltering. Christmas
sales were good—after prices
were slashed.
But we’re blessed with another
day of living, and blessed to
spend it in a place where trees
still cover much of the landscape,
and people know one another by
name.
For making the Bulletin a part
of your lives for this past
year...for making the Bulletin the
Bulletin by your efforts and
participation, we thank you. For
making us feel Thermal all over,
we thank all of you.
A Christmas “card” from the
Bulletin is included inside this
issue, along with greetings from
a few dozen area businesses.
Also, by way of thanks, we have
printed a map today showing the
county's newly given road
names. It was prepared by Jim
Cochran, director of the county’s
emergency management agency.
Hopefully, it will help guide your
way to grandma’s house.
You should also be sure to
Continued On Back Page
High School Bids
Awarded For $9.3 Mil.
The Polk County Board of
Education Thursday morning
unanimously awarded $9,362,059
worth of contracts for the new
high school building, which price
includes all additional cost
alternatives.
“This is a real landmark day
for all of us,” Supt. James
Causby said. “We received not
only good prices, but bids from
very good companies.”
However, the board
disapproved two alternatives
recommended by Causby which
would have saved $87,575. The
board members said they would
rather spend the additional
money to assure a quality
building from the outset.
In a four to three straw vote,
the school board decided against
using utility brick on the building,
which was bid at a savings of
$70,575, for aesthetic reasons
explained by architect John Cort.
Utility brick is larger than
regular brick but the difference
between the two aesthetically
would be seen at the five main
entrances to the school, each of
which has an enclave of 45 degree
angles. The smaller brick can be
shaped, while the large, utility
brick would have to be cut and
caulked, leaving a noticeable
caulk line, Cort explained.
The first straw vote had
members Phillip Pleasants,
Georgia Pack and Ann Whitmire
voting for the smaller brick and
Wayne Bradley, Geoffrey
Continued On Back Page
Fireside Players Are
Rehearsing At FENCE
Shown rehearsing are Fireside
Players Liz Norstrom, Ellie
Roemer and Jean Winslett. The
“Home for the Holidays"
program at FENCE takes the
stage tonight and tomorrow night
from 6 to 8 p.m.
Counterfeit Bills
Kathy Woody of the Tryon-
Thermal Belt Chamber of
Commerce warns businesses that
counterfeit $20s are floating
around town. They are of poor
quality, and look like a photo
copy.
Brevard Tournament
Begins Wednesday
The Polk County men’s and
women’s varsity basketball
teams will take part in the Blue
Devil Basketball Tournament at
Brevard High School Dec. 26-28.
Town Offices Closed
The offices for the Town of
Columbus will be closed for the
holidays Dec. 24 and 25 and will
reopen Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Sign Moratorium
Challenge Ongoing
Polk County Attorney R. Jay
Foster told the county
commissioners this week that he
has asked the N.C. Attorney
General's office to review the
county’s off-premises sign
moratorium ordinance before
the county decides whether to
pursue legal action against
violators.
A letter was sent in October to
Carl Meroney, owner of
HealthCall Pharmacy in
Columbus, giving him 30 days to
remove his two signs, one located
on each side of town. However,
Meroney has refused, Foster
said.
Meroney told the Bulletin he
would comment on the situation
at a later date.
Foster summed up the
arguments he has heard. “He
(Meroney) has stated that he
ordered his signs last March,”
Foster said, well before the one-
year moratorium went into effect
August 1. “Due to delays by the
sign painter, the signs were not
erected until about five days
after Aug. 1.
“He claims he had no notice (of
the moratorium),’’ Foster
explained. However, the county
attorney said Meroney was given
an opportunity to appeal, and he
did not ext ~cise that option.
“Now we’re attempting to
decide the proper course of
action,” Foster said. “We don’t
want to force him to take down
the signs if he has a legal basis
Continued On Back Page