Wc\t lamn Stecorfc
Volume 84 15c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, December 9, 1981 Number 50
Warren County School Bus Shortly After Accident
Warren School Bus Flips
Down Embankment, 17 Hurt
A Warren County school
bus overturned twice as it
plunged down a 30-foot em
bankment 12 miles south of
Warrenton on Monday.
None of the 17 students
aboard was seriously in
jured, although all were
taken to Warren General
Hospital for examination
and treatment .
Trooper W. C. Palmer of
Warrenton said the wreck
occurred on Rural Paved
Road 1620, also known as
the Lickskillet Road, about
4:10 p. m.
The youngsters, all of
whom had either Rt. 2,
Warrenton or Rt. 2, Hen
derson addresses, were
trapped in the overturned
bus for about 20 minutes
until rescue personnel
arrived on the scene.
"They were very, very
lucky," Trooper Palmer
said. He said the wreck
occurred after the driver
took his eyes off the road,
went onto the shoulder and
attempted to pull the bus
back onto the road but was
unable to do so. The bus
travelled for about 182 feet
before coming to rest.
The driver, Roy Anthony
Alston, 17, was charged
with reckless driving.
Warren school officials
said the bus. No. 74,
originated at Warren
County High School, but
also picked up students at
John Graham Middle
School, so students from
both schools were on
board.
Hospital Administrator
Lynn Orfgen said all
students received minor
injuries, and the last
student was released from
the hospital by 7:05 p. m.
Monday. He said a few
X-rays were taken and
most injuries appeared to
be minor bruises and
abrasions. He said the
hospital appreciated the
help of members of the
county ambulance service
and the sheriff's depart
ment in the emergency
room.
Trooper Palmer said ap
proximately $800 damage
was caused to the bus.
There were no eye-witness
es to the crash, although
deer hunters in the area
reported hearing the noise
of the accident.
The passengers were
identified as Dannette
Colbert, 17; Steven Alston,
17; Angela Foster, 16;
Darin Williams, 17;
Evelyn Williams, 15; Eric
Foster, 16; Ivory Foster,
14; Sylvester Fields, 14;
Yolanda Alston, 12; Tonya
Williams, 14; Carlos
Fields, 16; Anthony Spen
cer, 17; Gary Lee Wil
liams, 16; Doris Fields, 15;
Trudy Elliot, 14; and
Roderick Davis, 12.
Harris Is Named To New
Term As Board Chairman
Walter J. "Jack'- Harris
was re-elected chairman of
the Warren County Board
of Commissioners at its re
organization meeting here
on Monday morning, and
Clyde Edwards was re
elected vice chairman.
The re-election of the
chairman and vice chair
Hobgood Slated
To Preside Here
Judge Robert H. Hob
good of Louisburg is
scheduled to preside over a
criminal sessiofiof Warren
County Superior Court
which is to convene here on
Monday morning.
A wide range of cases,
headed by traffic viola
tions, is on schedule as
court officials work the 82
cases listed on the calen
dar. ,
A total of 65 Warren
County residents have
been elected for jury duty
during the term.
man or me county Doara
was the first order of
business, and the election
of these two officers was
conducted by County At
torney Charles T. Johnson,
who was re-elected as
county attorney following
the resumption of the chair
by Harris and the approval
of the minutes.
Susan W. Whitley was
re-appointed tax collector,
and Roberta King, Audrey
Ayscue, and Kaye Hall
were re-elected deputy tax
collectors.
Designated depositories
for county funds were
re-named. They are Peo
ple's Bank and Trust
Company of Norlina,
Branch Bank and Trust
Company, First Citizens
Bank and Trust Company
and Sun Savings and Loan
Association, all of Warren
ton.
The board then listed
persons who are authoriz
ed to sign checks on
Warren County Funds as
follows: Susan W. Whitley,
county finance officer;
Roberta W. King, assistant
county finance officer;
Walter J. Harris, chair
man of the Warren County
Board of Commissioners;
Clyde R. Edwards, vice
chairman, board of county
commissioners; J. H.
Hundley, clerk of board of
court commissioners;
Mrs. Mary F. Rodwell,
deputy clerk to the board
of county commissioners.
Glen Newsome, county
manager, announced that
since the county is now
writing checks for the
Health Department, that it
was not necessary to
authorize any officials of
this department to write
checks. He also said that
Willoughby Harris was
chairman of the Warren
County Industrial Commis
sion and that Betty Jean
Capps is vice chairman.
The commission officials
write and sign their own
(Continued on page 11)
Checks were awarded winners in the Christmas parade
competition on Friday morning during a brief ceremony
at First Citisens Bank here. Shown dnrinf #he
presentation, from left, are Brad Carroll, president jf the
sps—srtsg Warren Coonty Chamber of Commerce; Jeff
King, chairman of the Warren Coonty Jaycees float
committee aad second place winner; Bonnie Andrews,
representing the third place winner, the Aftoo-Elberan
Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary; Pat Charrter of the
Roanoke-Wildwood Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary
aad Dale Oherg, assistant fire chief af the department,
which was first place winner; and Walter Gardner,
parade chairman. (Staff Photo)
Commissioners Agree
3 Voting Machines
Will Be Purchased
The Warren County
Board of Commissioners in
regular meeting here
Monday morning agreed to
buy three voting machines
under a lease purchase
agreement at a total cost of
$12,500, divided into four
annual payments of $4,775.
The vote was unanimous
with all members present.
Bids will have to be
advertised before the first
payment is made, County
Attorney Charles Johnson
advised.
Discussions about the
purchase of the voting
machines has been under
way for several months
between the commission
ers and the Warren County
Board of Elections, and
Monday morning following
a letter from Mrs. Janice
R. Crump, chairman of the
board of elections, and the
appearance of Mrs.
Miriam Coleman,
executive secretary,
before the commissioners,
an agreement for the
county to buy three
tabulators through a
purchase lease plan was
made.
Mrs. Crump in her letter,
offering three options,
favored the purchase of
three tabulators and one
programmer at a total cost
of $17,480. The
commissioners, following
a discussion with Mrs.
Coleman, decided to
purchase only the three
tabulators at a total cost of
$12,500 and have Nash
County program the
ballots, which will cost
from 3 to 7 cents each. Mrs.
Coleman said that the sales
company had agreed to
handle the first pro
gramming, instruction
etc.
Mrs. Coleman said it is
planned to use one of the
three tabulators at West
Warren ton precinct with a
registration of 1134 and one
at Norlina precinct which
has a registration of 818
registered voters, the third
largest precinct in the
county. East Warrenton
precinct has a registration
of 887 voters, Mrs.
Coleman said. The third
tabulator will be used as a
back up machine.
Mrs. Coleman recalled a
recent election at the West
Warrenton precinct when
the polls opened at 6:30
a.m. and closed at 7:30
p.m. and it required until
10 a.m. the following day to
count the ballots. With a
tabulator only a few
buttons need to be pushed
and the results will be
known. She said the
savings in labor and time
would pay the costs of the
voting machines, and also
eliminate tallying
mistakes of over-tired
tabulators.
Mrs. Venetta Grant
appeared before the
commissioners with a
request that they establish
the Warren County Block
Grant Advisory Committee
to advise the
Blazettes Fete
Their Spouses
The Warrenton Rural
Fire Department Ladies
Auxiliary ("Blaiettea")
entertained their husbands
and guests at a covered
dish supper at their
meeting on December 6 at
thefirehouse.
Husbands were given
gag gifts and fun was had
by all.
b
commissioners on the
handling of federal block
grants, and read a letter
stating the need for such a
committee.
Chairman Harris
thanked her for her
interest and promised that
the commissioners would
■■■i ia ■« i• a«i i
take her suggestion under
advisement. He said that
the board had not yet
received instructions from
the state on the handling of
such grants, hut is sure
that the board would like to
have imput from our
citizens.
Glen Newsome, county
manager, announced that
sales and use tax
collections for the month of
October totalled $42,858 70.
He said the Oct. collection
was the highest ever
reported for Warren
County.
Mrs. Mamie Richardson, left, a Norlina notary public, administers the oath of office
to new Norlina Mayor Kenneth Davis. Witnessing the ceremony on Monday night Is
Mrs. Davis. Davis succeeds E. L. (Bill) Perry, who has served for the past ten years.
(Staff Photo)
Commissioners Vote To
Appeal PCB Decision
Warren County
Commissioners in a 15
minute executive session
on last Wednesday night
following around an hour of
pleas from some 200
persons gathered in the
Warrenton Court House to
continue the fight against
building a PCB landfill in
the county, announced that
they had instructed their
attorney to appeal the
recent decision of Federal
District Judge Earl Britt.
The announcement of the
decision to appeal the
dismissal of suits to
prevent tne storage of PCB
in Warren County was met
with cheers by the
audience.
New Shoe Repair Shop
Coming To Warrenton
ByKAYHOKNKK
A new shoe repair shop
will be opening in Warren
ton shortly after the first of
the year.
Cedric Tant, owner and
operator of Tant's Shoe
Repair, will be relocating
from Littleton and hopes to
be open for business by the
second week in January.
No newcomer to the
area, the Tant family has
operated a repair shop in
Littleton for the past 44
years. Tant's father,
George Oliver Tant, start
ed the business. After his
death five year ago, Cedric
and his mother, Ruby
Tant, continued to service
the area with shoe repair.
"The decision to leave
Littleton was difficult,"
Tant said. "But I've been
living in Warren ton for the
past seven years, and the
commuting is not easy."
Tant's mother is retiring
at the end of the year,
although she plans to work
part-time when needed.
Tant's wife, the former
Diane Pennell of Warren
ton, will be learning
various aspects of the
business, especially the
bookkeeping.
In addition to shoe
repair, the Tants welcome
any type of repair work
dealing with leather -
belts, bags, zippers and the
like - and they also plan to
have a good line of shoes
for sale, including dress
shoes and Western boots.
They will also stock a wide
variety of shoe and leather
supplies.
Tant said that business
was picking up now after a
slight decline in recent
years. "Of course, we've
always had a good busi
ness and even handle
orders rrom as tar away as
Maryland," Tant said.
"Customers who grew up
here and then moved away
often send their shoes to us
for repair."
Tant's business will be
located on North Main
Street between Odom
Motor Service and Citizens
Insurance and Bonding Co.
The State bought 140
acres in the Afton
community of Warren
County but was not able to
proceed with PCB storage
because of two lawsuits
opposing the landfill. A
group of Warren County
residents also had filed suit
in an effort to block the
landfill, and Britt also
dismissed their suit. In
addition >.e dismissed an
ordinance that would have
prevented the storage of
PCB in the county.
Britt's ruling cleared the
way for the state to begin
construction of a landfill to
contain the soil laden with
PCBs that were dumped
along 210 miles of North
Carolina roads in 1978 in 15
counties.
When the state
announced that on the
following Monday it would
order contracts for bids
drawn up to build the
landfill, the commissioner
called a public hearing on
Wednesday night to
determine whether the
commissioners had public
support in efforts to appeal
Judge Britt's decision. The
crowd that filled the
auditorium of the
courthouse left little doubt
of such support.
The meeting Wednesday
night brought forth the
same fervor and mostly
(Continued on page 11)
Pacts Were In Error
Aire Tfcuicu ivcvuiu a
information upon which an
account of a fire at the
Marshall Wilson home at
Bethlehem was based, was
in error in three respects.
The fire originated from a
faulty furnace, and not
from a stove Marshall
Wilson, Sr., was not asleep
in his own room, but was
awake in his daughter's
room and had broken a
window in that room when
Boyd Lynch twice entered
uic uuiiuug iiuuk in a
successful rescue effort.
AJtnough Wilson had
broken a window pane, hfe
was unable to break the
storm window wWoh was
later Dipken oy Lynch.
Mrs. Kathy Wilson, who
telephoned the corrections
last itnirsday, said that
her father-in-law had re
turned from the Louisbuj^
hospital and was all right.
She said that he owed Us
life to Lynch.