Harren Stairii
Volume 87 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, May 30, 1984 Number 22,
DWI Defendants Donating Many Hours Of Service
By KAY HORNER
Staff Writer
Warren County DWI (driving while impaired) of
fenders sentenced to community work service un
der the Safe Roads Act have donated more than 458
hours to local projects since the program began last
October.
According to Arie Davis, coordinator of the local
program, 30 people have been admitted to the
program and 13 have successfully completed their
assignments. Fifteen are still in the program, and
two have failed to complete the court-ordered
community service.
Those who fail to complete the program, Ms.
Davis said, are served with a court order to show
cause.
"Sometimes the judge will give them additional
time to complete the service," Ms. Davis said.
Otherwise, they are ordered to begin their active
jail sentence.
DWI offenders convicted of non-grossly aggra
vating drunk driving can be sentenced to 24,48 or 72
hours of community service as a part of their sen
tence for driving while impaired.
Community work service programs were
established in each of the state's 34 judicial districts
to handle DWI offenders sentenced to community
service. The programs were set up under the direc
tion of the chief district court judge in each judicial
district.
Of those charged with DWI while driving in
Warren County, about one-third are not residents
here and their work service is being administered
by their home county.
Among the places DWI offenders have been
placed for service by Ms. Davis are the volunteer
fire departments, Waste Water Treatment Plant,
the county courthouse, the National Guard Armory
and the public school system.
Statewide, DWI offenders have donated more
than 110,000 hours of work to local community
projects since October, according to Heman R.
Clark, secretary of the N. C. Department of Crime
Control and Public Safety.
"The DWI Community Work Program is a core
element of the Safe Roads Act," Clark said. "It en
sures that DWI offenders just don't pay a fine and
walk away from their offense. They must work off
their punishment by making a positive contribution
to society." To date, more than 6,960 defendants
have been sentenced to community service work for
DWI convictions across North Carolina.
The program has enjoyed a 94 percent successful
completion rate by those sentenced, while six per
cent have failed to live up to the terms of the sen
tence, according to Jim Scarcella, director of the N.
C. Division of Victim and Justice Services.
Of the state's 100 counties, Forsyth recorded the
most admissions to the DWI community service
program at 435. It was i olio wed by Wake County
with 372 admissions, Cumberland with 293, Bun
combe with 231 and Mecklenburg with 219.
Jones County had only two admissions, the least
of any of the counties.
Murder
Suspect
Nabbed
A break in a five-year
old Warren County
murder case came
yesterday (Tuesday)
nrhen the Federal
Bureau of Investigation
arrested Jeffery Perry
in New York City and
charged him with the
September 1979 murder
of William Kearney
Thompson, an Inez mer
chant.
A warrant for Perry's
arrest in connection
with the murder was
issued on September 26,
1979, two days after
Thompson's badly beat
en body was found in the
storage room of his
store, according to a
spokesperson for the
Warren County Sheriff's
Department. Since that
time, Perry has eluded
arrest.
Bond for Perry was
set Tuesday at (150,000
by a federal magistrate
in New York, where
Perry is being held
pending his decision on
whether he will fight ex
tradition. If he chooses
to do so, a hearing will
be held by New York
authorities to determine
if enough evidence
exists to warrant turn
ing him over to the
County Sheriff's Depart
ment.
According to reports,
Thompson, 78, was
found in the storage
room of his store by
Glenn Coleman, Jr., a
local sawmill owner,
less than an hour after
his death.
No motive was deter
mined for the slaying,
(Continued on page 12)
Warrenton Junior Woman's Club presented an
nual awards to clubwomen for their outstanding
service Friday night at Middleburg Steak House.
Clubwomen and their awards shown above are (left
to right) Jan Crenshaw, Live Loving Award; Karen
Coker, Clubwoman of the Year Award; Jill
Wemyss, New Clubwoman of the Year Award; and
Junelle Blaylock, Congeniality Award. Macon
Wemyss, who is not pictured, was awarded the Car
ter Award which is given to the man who does the
most to further the work of the club. (A photo of the
officers of the club for the 1984-85 year is on page 4).
(Staff Photo)
Public Facilities Examined By Panel
Studying Best County Building Use
The facility needs of
Warren County schools
and county government
brought local officials
together recently for an
overall look at school
properties.
Warren County
Schools Superintendent
Mike Williams told the
group that new facilities
are needed for middle
school students while
fewer small elementary
school facilities are
called for.
Although the Board of
Education has not yet
developed specific plans
for meeting these needs,
Williams said it appears
that any plan developed
will call for the aban
donment of one or more
of the current nine cam
puses in the system.
Williams indicated
that the board would
like to work with the
county on its facility
needs with an eye
toward utilization by the
county of buildings the
school system can no
longer use.
Members of Citizens
United for Progress, a
local task force appoint
ed last year to explore
ways to improve the
quality of living in the
county, revealed that
their recent study of
facilities indicated the
need for:
—An agriculture cen
ter to house the Warren
County Extension Ser
vices Department and
the ASCS offices;
—County office space
for the Sheriff's Office,
county manager, in
dustrial developer,
Board of Elections and
other county officials.
—Facilities and staff
ing for a recreation
program;
—A permanent
branch of Vance- Gran
ville Community
College in the county;
and
—The possible
relocation of Warren
County Memorial
Library and establish
ment of branches in the
county.
According to Wil
liams, the Board of
Education is proceeding
with its development of
specific plans to remedy
the school facility
problems while giving
attention to the facility
needs of the county.
The Board of County
Commissioners, repre
sented by Chairperson
Eva M. Clayton at the
meeting, and Citizens
United for Progress will
also work together on
the county's facility
needs.
Others present at the
meeting were Henry
Pitchford, chairman of
the Board of Education;
James Jordan, assistant
superintendent of
schools; Brad Carroll
and L. C. Cooper, co
chairmen of Citizens
United for Progress;
and L. C. Henderson,
Jr., Glenn Richardson
and Nancy Blankenship,
members of the
facilities committee of
CUP.
Voters To Return
To Polls Tuesday
By KAY HORNER
Staff Writer
Warren County voters
Tuesday will determine
the outcome of two local
races and help decide
three statewide races in
a second primary elec
tion.
Registered Demo
crats will decide wheth
er incumbent Register
of Deeds Jim H. Hund
ley will retain his office
against a challenge by
Margaret J. Pettaway,
a teacher's aide at
Mariam Boyd School.
In the May 9 primary,
Hundley garnered 2,511
votes, finishing first in
eight of Warren Coun
ty's 14 precincts. Mrs.
Pettaway traded in the
four-way race with 1,885
votes. Other contenders,
Sheriff's Deputy
Lawrence E. Harrison
and Kathy H. Wilson, a
member of the Warren
County Board of Educa
tion, received 686 and
620 votes respectively.)
The race for the
District Five seat on the
non-partisan Board of
Education will be
determined by regis
tered voters of all par
ties.
Retired public school
teacher Cora T. Watson
led a three candidate
field in the first primary
with 2,502 votes.
In Tuesday's run-off
she will face former
Board of Education
member Joyce D
Odom, who received
2,198 votes. (Newcomer
A1 L. Cooper, Jr. round
ed out the field in that
primary with 781 votes).
In the May 8 primary
for governor, Warren
County voters by a large
margin favored Clinton
businessman and farm
er D. M. (Lauch) Fair
cloth, but Faircloth
came in third across the
state and county Demo
(Continued on page 8B)
Top Scholars Named
At Warren Co. Hiah
Sherry Lynne Wilson
has been named vale
dictorian and Edgar
Monroe Limer has been
named salutatorian for
the 1984 graduating
class of Warren County
High School. They will
have key roles in next
month's graduation
exercises.
In addition to having
the highest average,
Sherry has received
numerous honors and
awards while at WCHS.
She has been a Gover
nor's School nominee, a
Morehead nominee, a
member of the National
Honor Society,
president of the Science
Club, and a marshal.
Sherry received
achievement awards in
chemistry, Algebra II,
typing and history. She
has been selected for the
National Register of
Outstanding High
School Students, the
United States Leader
ship Merit Award, and
the National Science
Merit Award for
Chemistry and Physics.
Listed in Who's Who
Among American High
School Students and the
Society of Distinguished
American High School
Students, Sherry recen
tly has received the
honor of being selected
as a North Carolina
Scholar, a new program
begun by the State
Board of Education in
1983 whereby students
who have fulfilled the
curriculum require
ments of maintaining
certain averages in
required courses are
given special
recognition. Sherry is
the first and only
graduate from Warren
County High School to
receive this honor.
Daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. C. Wayne Wilson of
Rt. 2, Warrenton,
Sherry is planning on
entering the pre-med
program at North
Carolina State Univer
sity, where she has been
selected into the Honors
Program and has
received the Lowe
Scholarship.
Monroe, who has the
second highest average
of the senior class, is
also the recipient of
(Continued On page 8B)
Reading Program To Begin On June 11
Library Plans To Get A Jump On Summer Season
Although summer doesn't officially begin until
June 21, Warren County Memorial Library' plans to
get a head start on the season with the beginning of
its Summer Reading Program on June 11.
In keeping with this summer's 400th anniversary
of the landing of the British on Roanoke Island, the
theme of the statewide public library reading
program will be "North Carolina Celebrates! 1584
1984."
The program, which will continue through August
17, is open to all school-age youth beginning with
kindergarten.
"But we especially want to urge those who will be
in fourth and eighth grades in the fall to participate
in the program," Mary Louise Lima*, librarian,
said this week, noting that these are the grades in
which North Carolina history is taught
■ Although the emphasis of the program is on
reading books on the state's history, other activities
including crafts and games will be included.
"The library will supply reasonable materials for
craft projects," Mrs. Limer said, "and we want the
children to feel free to come into the library to make
things relating to history as well as to read."
Essentially, the reading program is loosely struc
tured, with youth reading at their own pace and
using the library facility whenever they can.
However, several events have been planned
during the two-month session.
"Bear Facts," a storytime all about bears will be
held for three and four-year-olds on Wednesday,
July 11, from 10:30 to 11:15 a. m. Youngsters are in
vited to bring their own bears as special guests.
Storytime for children who this fall will be in kin
dergarten will be held each Friday beginning July
13 and continuing through August 17 from 10:30 to 11
a. m. Children in grades K-2 will meet on the same
days from 11:15 a. m. to noon.
Dates of craft sessions for both older and younger
youth will be announced later, as will the date of a
session for older youth with Dr. G. Ray Selby, a
native of England and rector of Emmanuel Episco
pal Church in Warrenton.
Younger children are invited to visit the library to
work on a coloring book depicting great moments in
our nation's history. The book is large enough for
two or three children to color at one time, according
to Mrs. Limer.
On August 13, a drawing will be held for posters of
the Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras and of Blackbeard,
the pirate.
Older youth will be encouraged to read three
books on North Carolina history during the two
month program, Mrs. Limer said.
Those completing the program will receive a cer
tificate signed by Mrs. Limer and the program's
honorary statewide sponsor, Deneen A. Graham,
Miss North Carolina.
"We want to encourage children in the com
munity to take advantage of the library," Mrs.
Limer commented, adding that 100 new children's
book! were recently purchased and are now on the
shelves. "It's really our countyonly cultural
resource."
Registration for the summer program is now un
derway.
For more information, see Mrs. limer at the
Warren County Memorial Library adjacent to the
Courthouse in Warren ton, Monday through Friday,
from 10 a. m. to 11:30 p. m. and from 1:30 to 5 p. m.
The library is also open on Saturday, from 10 to
noon.
Serving w TiMkMn ud nliMiriM hi
graduation «wm>m text moatfc at Warna
Connty High School wffl be Sherry WOm aad
Monroe Limer. (Comnuwity M Photo)