t»rr#nton3l»B.Library X
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Volume 84
15* Per Copy
Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Thursday, June 18, 1981
Newly elected officers of the Warrenton Lioness Club and Lions Club
officials are shown above during an Installation banquet held here on
Monday night. Seated, from left to right, are Pett Daniel, historian;
Katie Davis, secretary; Alice Marie Robertson, president; Dorothy
Roberts, vice president; and Carolyn Robertson, Lioness tamer.
Standing, left to right, are Owen Robertson, president of the Warrenton
Lions Club; Anne Gaskill, director; Dr. Eugene V. Grace, Lions
district governor; Shirley Hawks, director; and Audrey Bolton,
director. Not present were Blanche Andrews, tail twister; and Mary
King, treasurer. (Staff Photo)
Lioness Club Has Charter Night
The Warren ton Lioness
Club, a female offspring of
the Warrenton Lions Club,
officially got into business
here Monday night during
a charter night banquet
held at the Warrenton
Lions Club.
The club - 34 members
strong - is the first
Lioness Club to be organized
in Lion District 31-G this
year. Its formation also
gave Warrenton the distinction
of having the only
Lions Club with auxiliary
units for both wives and
children (the Warrenton
Leo Club.)
Dr. Eugene V. Grace of
Durham, governor of District
31-G, served as
charter night speaker and
handled the installation of
officers.
Newly installed officers
of the Warrenton Lioness
Club are Alice Marie
Robertson, president;
Dorothy Roberts, vice
president; Katie Davis,
secretary; Mary King,
treasurer; Pett Daniel,
historian; Blanche Andrews,
tail twister; and
Carolyn Robertson, Lioness
tamer. Directors are
Anne Gaskill, Audrey
Bolton and Shirley Hawks.
Alice Marie Robertson
presided over the night's
festivities. The pledge of
allegiance was led by Pett
Daniel ant4 the blessing
was given by Dorothy
Roberts. After a banquet
featuring country ham,
Owen Robertson, president
of the Warrenton Lions
Club, introduced the featured
speaker.
After remarks by Dr.
Public Hearing Set On Budget
The Warren County
Board of Commissioners
will hold a public hearing
on the county budget at the
court house at 8:30 p. m. on
next Wednesday, June 24.
Walter J. Harris, chairman
of the Warren County
Board of Commissioners,
said in a paid advertisement
in this newspaper
that the public is encouraged
to attend this hearing
and may offer written or
oral comments.
Harris has also advertised
that the commissioners
would hold a public
hearing on the Revenue
Sharing Budget at 8 p. m.
on the same night. The
public is encouraged to
attend this hearing and
may offer oral or written
comments on the proposed
use of Revenue Sharing
funds for the fiscal year
1981-82. Harris also said
that questions may be
asked concerning the relationship
of Revenue sharing
funds to the budget as a
whole.
Uses of Revenue Sharing
funds were presented to
No Decision Made
In Coffman Case
The News and Observer
announced on Tuesday
morning that the State
Board of Medical Examiners
was to decide on
Tuesday afternoon
whether a Warren County
physician will be able to
continue his practice. The
article follows:
By JOHN DRESCHER
In The News and Observer
The State Board of
Medical Examiners was
to decide Tuesday whether
a Warren County doctor
will be able to continue
practicing medicine.
Dr. Donald Coffman of
Norlina has been charged
by the six-member board
with a lack of competence
and an inability to perform
his job.
The board heard more
than four hours of testimony
in Raleigh Monday
about cases Coffman has
handled at Warren General
Hospital - a 30-bed
facility - and in his
private practice.
If found incompetent,
Coffman's license could be
revoked or suspended, or
' he could be placed on probation.
Coffman, a 1968 graduate
of the University of
Illinois Medical School,
has been a general practitioner
in Warrentoo for 13
'years.
He said in an interview
that between his private
practice, clinics and the
hospital he tends to about
250 patients a week, substantially
more than the
average doctor.
Besides overwork, he
said he felt that many of
the complaints against him
arose because he had
access only to substandard
facilities.
The hearing testimony
centered on Coffman's
medical records, diagnoses
and prescribed treatments.
Prosecutors for the
board presented 55 medical
cases handled and
transcribed by Coffman.
Dr. Richard L. Taylor of
Oxford, a witness for the
prosecution, testified that
in five cases from Warren
General Hospital, "It is my
opinion that the treatment
rendered does not meet
generally recognized
standards of medical practice."
Taylor is chairman of
the capital area Physicians
Advisory Committee
for the Professional Standards
Review Organization,
which reviews cases
of patients supported by
federal money and makes
recommendations on possible
discipline to the State
Board of Medical Examin(Continued
on page IS)
the board on June 1, as
follows:
Warren County Jail,
$64,350; Warren County
Sheriffs Department,
$133,904; Warren County
Landfill, $80,746; total,
$279,000. These funds represent
approximately 6
percent of the total budget
of $4,542,564.
Warren County's total
tax rate under the tentative
budget submitted on
June 1 by the County
Manager, including school
and bond payment funds,
calls for a tax rate of $0.%,
on the $100 valuation, an
increase of 71.
Vance County tentative
budget, upon which no
public hearing has been
held, calls for a tax rate of
$0.95, the same as for
1900-81. Granville County
tax rate under a tentative
budget calls for a rate of
$1.06; and Franklin County
tax rate under a tentative
budget calls for a tax rate
of $1.06, with all pay raises
deferred until the October
meeting of the General
Assembly.
In all four counties,
commissioners pled poor
economic conditions, and
reduced requests of practically
all county divisions.
Grace, Mr. and Mrs
Robertson and the speaker
handed out certificates and
membership kits to the
new members. Lion husbands
and dates were
guests of the club and
assisted in pinning the new
label pins on the charter
members.
Charter members of the
Warrenton Lioness Club
are:
Blanche Andrews, Lois
Ayscue, Audrey Bolton,
Margaret Ann Brame,
Belle 3right, Lou Bryson,
Betty Jean Capps, Mary
Donna Clary, Mildred
Cliborne, Pett Daniel, Katy
Davis and Ida M. Davis.
Also, Mary Alice
Fleming, Ann Gaskill,
Mary Alice Groves, Shirley
Hawks, Carrie Holler,
Cassie Jones, Mary King,
Selma Perkinson, Pat
Pinnell, Dorothy Roberts,
Alice Marie Robertson,
and Carolyn Robertson.
Also, Peggy Shearin,
Jennifer Smiley, Evelyn
Thompson, Gladys
Wemyss, Margaret White,
Nell Whitley, Juanita
Wood, Margurite Miles,
Elaine Coleman and Betty
Jo Daniel.
Arrest Made In Safe
Robbery, Cash Found
Warren County Deputy
Sheriffs Harold Seaman
and Bobby Dean Bolton on
Thursday morning recovered
$3,169 92 in cash and
checks from some $5000 in
cash and checks stolen
from HealthCo at Soul City
on Monday night
Arrested and placed in
the custody of his mother
after she had posted $1500
bond for his appearance in
Warren County District
Court for a hearing
scheduled to be held on
Wednesday morning, June
17, was Julius Kearney, 18,
a former employee of
HealthCo. He was charged
with breaking, entering
and larceny.
Kearney is alleged to
have entered the building
through a back window
which he broke, cutting his
hand in the process. Inside
he loaded a small safe on a
cart and hauled it to some
woods behind Starlight
Palace on SR1001, where it
was recovered by the
deputies.
The estimated amount in
the safe was $2200.08 in
cash. $2852.02 in Medicare
checks, and $759.01 in other
checks. Recovered with
the safe, in addition to the
$3,169.92 in cash and
checks was a bunch of
keys. It was reported at the
Sheriff's Office that part of
the checks had been
burned.
Deputy Seaman said he
was called to HealthCo
around 8:90 a. m. Thursday.
He was met there by
Phillip Williams, director
of HealthCo, who showed
him where the safe had
stood, and another similar
safe which had not been
molested He said a trail of
blood led from where the
safe had been loaded on the
cart to where it had been
loaded into a vehicle.
Seaman said he called
Deputy Bolton who joined
in the investigation.
Bolton requested a list of
all employees who had
recently been fired from
HealthCo and the name of
Julius Kearney, black
male, of Rt. 2, Norlina, was
found in the list.
Mrs. Edmonds Named Club President
Gloria Edmonds was
installed as president of
the Warrenton Junior
Woman's Club during a
recent banquet held at the
Middleburg Steak House.
Other officers installed
were Betsy Gardner, first
vice president; Loree
Strickland, second vice
president; Donna Medlin,
treasurer; Ann Copley,
corresponding secretary;
and Eleanor Fuller, re
cording secretary.
Officers were installed
by Katie Fleming of
Norlina, District 14 junior
director. She was a special
guest of the club.
The meeting was opened
and the welcome given to
members, husbands and
special guests by Vonnette
Robertson. Later Mrs.
Robertson, the outgoing
president, thanked everyone
for helping her during
the past year. She presented
the club with a new U. S.
flag.
Mrs. Edmonds called on
the club for their support
during the coming year
and announced that her
theme would be "Working
Together For Success."
Bonnie Andrews was
named Club Woman of the
Year and given a silver
award during an awards
ceremony presided over by
Kathy Vaughan, awards
chairman.
Others receiving special
awards were Willoughby
Harris, winner of the
Carter Award; Donna
Medlin, winner of the New
Club Woman Award;
Gloria Edmonds, winner of
the Live Loving Award;
and Loree Strickland,
winner of the Congeniality
Award.
Warrartoa Jturior Wonui'. Ctnb were, Ml to riffct,
Gloria Ftmnmia, wtaaer of the Live Lavtag Award;
Doaaa Medlin, recipient of the New Ctnb Womaa Award;
Loree Strickland, winner of the Congeniality Award; aad
Bonnie Andrewi, winner of the Club Woman of Ike Year
Award. Awardi were handed oat foDawtng a banquet at
the MMdlehnrf Steak Honae. (Staff Photo)
Bolton said he later
spotted Kearney and told
him to come by the
Sheriff's office for an
interview When Kearney
appeared at the Sheriff's
Office, he was wearing a
bandage on one hand,
which Kearney claimed he
hurt in a lawnmower.
Bolton said that Kearney
allegedly confessed to
breaking into HealthCo
and stealing the safe
Seaman said Kearney told
him that he cut his hand
while breaking the glass in
the window, and that the
safe had been taken to the
(Continued on page 12)
| New Drug Store
1 Coming To Town
$; v >>
A new drug store is scheduled to open in
Norlina by July 1.
The new firm to be known as Village
Pharmacy — will be located in a building on U. S.
158 which formerly housed Village Food Mart.
Work to revamp the building, both inside and
outside, is currently under way.
The pharmacy will be the third in the area to be
owned by Warrenton native C. C. (Chocky)
White. White, now a resident of Henderson, owns
drug stores in Henderson and Louisburg.
The new drug store, the second in Norlina, will
be housed in a 2,100-square-foot building. Three
full-time employees are expected to work there.
The pharmacist will be Norlina native Bill
Hicks, who has been employed as a druggist in
Richmond, Va., for several years.
Preddy Is Appointed
Manson Postmaster
Walter T. Preddy has
been appointed postmaster
at Manson. The announcement
was made by Sectional
Center Manager Keith
R. Harvey of Raleigh.
Mr. Preddy, 48, is a
native of Granville County.
He has been a postal
employee since 1960 and
has served as a clerk in the
Oxford Post Office since
1970.
He is a member of
Corinth Baptist Church in
Oxford, is a Mason and a
member of Henry F.
Grainger Lodge in Oxford.
He is a Shriner, Sudan
Temple, and is active with
the Rural Volunteer Fire
Department, having
served as secretary-treasurer
for the past ten
years.
Mr. Preddy and his wife,
Betty, have two children,
Susan, a teacher at South
Granville High School in
Creedmoor, and Walter,
Jr., a rising senior at the
University of North Carolina.
Postmaster selections
for offices of this size are
made on the basis of merit
from a list of qualified
candidates submitted to
the Sectional Center manager
at Raleigh. He selects
and recommends to the
Postmaster General the
best qualified person for
appointment to each
vacancy.
Also beginning work at
at the Manson Post Office
is Bennie Hilliard of
Macon, a rural carrier.
Renn Succeeds Peele
In Norlina Bank Post
Peoples Bank and Trust
Company this week announced
the transfer of
Dennis M. Renn to the
bank's Norlina office.
A native of Henderson.
Renn has been associated
with Peoples Bank since
March, I960. His latest
position was Branch Manager
and Commercial
Loan Officer in the
Henderson-Mall office. He
is a recent graduate of the
Robert Morris and Associates
Commercial Lending
School at East Carolina
University.
Renn has also attended
one year of the North
Carolina School of Banking
at the University of North
Carolina - Chapel Hill and
completed several AIB
courses, including Law in
Banking and a Supervisory
Course.
Renn has served as vice
president of the Headarsou
Mall Merchants Association
and is a past
member of the Henderson
Jayosss. He is married to
C. Thomas Peele, former
branch executive in Norlina,
has been promoted to
vice president and branch
executive in the bank's
Scotland Neck office.
Lawmen Looking
For Home Thieves
The Warren County
Sheriff's Department is
continuing the search for
the perrons who broke into
the home of Vernon
Whitmore at Drewry on
Monday afternoon. A
member of the SBI was
called into the case Tuesday.
Whitmore said on Wednesday
morning that the
SBI Agent said that three
or four persons were
involved in the case and
within is minutes had
ransacked three rooms,
stolen several hundred