Warrentonllem.Library X
117 S.Ualn St.
Warrenton,*N.C. 27589
I
Harren Itarii
n
Volume 88 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren. North Carolina Wednesday, November 13, 1985 Number 47
Heavy Rains
Bring High
Lake Waters
Four days of rain in
the nation's mid-Atlantic
region last week brought
unusually high water on
both Lake Gaston and
Kerr Lake.
According to the U.S.
Army Corps of Engi
neers, the high-water
mark for Kerr Lake last
week was 308.9 feet
above sea level, record
ed on Sunday.
The water level at
Kerr Lake fluctuates for
flood control more than
that on Gaston Lake, but
a Corps spokesman said
this week that the nor
mal level for early
November is between
295.5 and 297.5 feet above
sea level.
On Lake Gaston,
waters rose to their
highest of the week last
Tuesday, Nov. 5, at a
recorded 201.2 feet above
sea level.
Water in Lake Gaston,
according to a
spokesman with the
North Carolina division
of Virginia Electric &
Power Company which
controls the lake, is
usually kept at a level
between 199 and 200 feet
above sea level, with
fluctuations limited as
closely as possible to six
inches.
While some of the
bridges over Kerr Lake
were flooded, damage
was negligible on both
lakes.
Man Killed
In Tuesday
Accident
A Warrenton man was
killed last night in a
single-vehicle accident
on N.C. 43 at Marma
duke.
Milton Richardson, 29,
of Route 3, was pro
nounced dead on arrival
at Maria Parham Hos
pital.
The accident occurred
around 11 p.m. when
Richardson's vehicle ran
off the road and into a
tree.
Trooper T. S. Wright of
the Highway Patrol in
vestigated.
Further details were
unavailable at press
time.
Woodstoves Can
Cause Problems
RALEIGH - Wood
burning stoves are fast
becoming a popular way
to he&t homes in North
Carolina dnd abandoned
scrap wood is often seen
as a cheap source of
fuel. However, the burn
ing of treated wood and
plywood can cause
serious health
problems, according to
Dr. Ted Taylor, a toxi
cologist with Environ
mental Epidemiology
Branch in the N. C.
Department of Human
Resources' Division of
Health Services.
"Abandoned scrap
wood may seem like a
good cheap source of
fuel," Taylor said.
"However, wood used
for building is often
treated with a preserva
tive such as creosote,
pentacholophenol (Pen
ta, PCP), or a mixture
of copper, chromium
and arsenic (OCA)."
(Continued on page SB) '
Warren County Jaycee President Kenny Clayton
(right) and Jaycee Director Ricky Bryant are shown
above splitting wood for the organization's annual
wood project. The wood is cut, split and delivered
free of charge to people here in the county who aren't
able to get their own wood. This year the Jaycees
delivered 20 pick-up truckloads of wood throughout
the county. Joe Ross, a local logger, donated wood
for this year's project. Wood Project Chairman was
Ronald Rivers. (Photo by Mary Hunter)
Warrenton Commissioners Are Told
Strain On Understaffed Police
Department Should End Soon
By MARY C.HARRIS
Staff Writer
The strain on an un
derstaffed Warrenton
Police Department
should be alleviated in
early December when
new policemen will
complete their schooling
and return to the work
force, Police Commis
sioner A. A. Wood
reported at the Monday
night meeting of the
Warrenton Town Board.
In the meantime, a
couple of deputies in the
Warren County Sheriff's
Department are helping
out in their off-duty
hours. Sgt. Lawrence
Harrison and Deputy
Mack McGowan, both
former policemen, have
been assisting as their
schedules allow, accord
ing to a spokesperson in
the sheriff's depart
ment. The resignation of
Policeman Eugene
Mustian to assume the
position of magistrate
heightened the man
power shortage in the
department already af
fected by officers'
schooling.
The board postponed
action on a request by
Mustian for compensa
tion for unpaid work
days over the last four
years. Town Admin
istrator Vernon R.
(Pete) Vaughan ex
plained that Mustian
had worked beyond his
regular schedule with
the intention of taking
compensatory time off,
but the time never came
when the department
could spare him before
his resignation. Com
missioner Wood was
asked to meet with
Mustian to determine a
settlement.
Action was also post
poned on a request by
Warren County Parks
and Recreation Director
Dickie Williams for use
of a one-acre tract
owned by the town and
adjoining a parcel of
land which the county
intends to purchase for
recreational activities.
Williams noted that his
department plans to
make application for
federal funds for pur
chase of the three-acre
tract from Warrenton
Railroad and that aside
from actual use of the
town property, a
guarantee of ownership
or use of the land may
prove useful in applying
for funding.
The commissioners
instructed Williams to
proceed with plans for
application and to keep
the board informed of
developments so that
appropriate action may
be taken as deemed ad
visable. The board
members further ex
pressed their interest in
recreational activities
there, provided
adequate supervision
could be assured.
W. J. Renn, of Epsom,
owner of the Currin's
Warehouse property
which burned last April,
appeared before the
Town Board to request
an adjustment to his
1985 taxes on the proper
ty. Town Attorney
Charles Johnson pointed
out that the commis
sioners were bound to
act within the law which
is strict on compromis
ing the tax bill. Relief,
he said, may be possible
for Renn next year but
the law does not allow a
refund or compromise
on taxes once establish
ed in January.
In reports before the
board, Administrator
Vaughan explained that
the rash of complaints
concerning recent water
billing should be satis
fied by plans for regular
monthly reading of
meters in the future. He
noted that a shortage of
help in the Water De
partment had necessi
tated estimates of water
consumption for a num
ber of months, resulting
in somewhat higher
than-normal bills for a
number of customers
last month when read
ings were made. Mea
sures were being taken,
he said, to correct the
problem.
Mayor B. G. White
appointed Commission
ers A. A. Wood, Bobby
Edmonds and Phil
Daniel to a committee to
study the town's person
nel policy which spells
out the holidays to be ob
served by town em
ployees. He instructed
the committee to give
particular attention to
Veterans Day, which is
one of the eight holidays
during which the Town
Office is closed.
Commissioners ap
proved a recommenda
tion by the Warrenton
Planning Board that the
Ridgeway Street
property of the Maggie
Hicks Estate, which is
adjacent to Currin's
Minute Mart, be con
verted from the zoning
status of C-II (Highway
Business) to R-20
(Residential).
Mayor White con
gratulated the commis
sioners on their recent
re-election and remind
ed them of the scheduled
swearing-in for a new
term in December. Ray
Shearin will take the
seventh commissioner's
seat at the same
meeting.
Also appearing before
the board was Warren
County native Mrs.
Beverly Johnson Quick
who demonstrated a
software program for
computerized water and
sewer billing. Town ac
countant Kermit Copley
suggested consideration
of a computer system in
his annual audit.
Annual School Salute
Is Being Scheduled
Members of the
Warren County NCAE
have asked parents, stu
dents and civic leaders
to join in the nation's
annual salute to public
schools during Ameri
can Education Week,
Nov. 17-23.
The theme of this
year's observance is
"America's Public
Schools: The Subject is
Excellence," according
to Faye Spence, presi
dent of the local NCAE.
She noted that emphasis
will be placed this year
on informing the public
about some lesser
known facts about the
local school system.
"Education is big
business," she ex
plained. "Taxpayers
deserve to know where
their money is being
spent. We want the
public to be well
informed stockholders."
In conjunction with
this idea, a brochure en
titled "America's
Public Schools: The
Subject is Excellence"
has been prepared by
the Warren County
NCAE, Ms. Spence
stated. The brochures
will be distributed to
parents and placed in
various business organi
zations, she pointed out.
American Education
Week was initiated after
World War I draft boards
discovered that about
25 percent of the draft
ees were illiterate and
about 29 percent were
physically unfit. In 1917,
the American Legion,
the .National Educa
tion Association and the
U. S. Office of Education
discussed launching an
(Continued on page 3B)
Increased Health
Services Planned
In a move designed to
provide more services
and increase the level
and continuity of care
currently offered hy The
Vance-Warren Compre
hensive Health Plan
(VWCHP), Inc., Phillip
L. Williams, executive
director, has announced
the organization will
begin offering hospital
services immediately.
VWCHP, which oper
ates Warren Health
Plan at Warren Gen
eral Hospital and
HealthCo in Soul City
will utilize Maria Par
ham Hospital in Hender
son to hospitalize
patients.
"VWCHP considers
hospital services vital to
improving the health
status of our commun
ity," Williams said. He
said the organization
now has enough
physicians to comfor
tably cover the clinics
and a hospital practice.
September 1 was the
initial date for establish
ing the hospital prac
tice, but Williams said
due to other priorities,
the program was not
able to meet that date.
Williams said one of
the reasons for offering
hospital services at this
time is the changing
climate in the Bureau of
Health Care Delivery
and Assistance (BH
CDA), a division of the
Department of Health
and Human Services.
"At one time the num
ber of face-to-face
physician / patient en
counters was the
primary factor BHCDA
considered when deter
mining funding level. No
credit was given for
hospital encounters,"
Williams said. He said
the net effect was a
financial penalty to
programs with active
hospital practices.
In 1985 BHCDA is
more willing to balance
face-to-face physician/
patient encounters oc
curring in a hospital set
ting, with face-to-face
physician/patient en
counters occurring in a
clinical setting.
Williams said the
current plan calls for
three of the practice's
six physicians to
hospitalize consumers.
He said as the hospital
practice grows and
priorities change, the
remaining three
(Continued on page 3B)
r
Cigar Box Concert
By KAY HORNER
News Editor
For the second time this year, Warren Coun
ty will get a spotlight on WRAL's PM Maga
zine.
On Friday night, Ann Mulchi of Norlina will
perform during a segment on unusual musical
instruments.
Mrs. Mulchi, secretary at Norlina Middle
School, is a cigar box virtuoso.
She learned to play from her father, Virgil
Tucker, who also learned to play the banjo and
harmonica as a young man growing up in the
foothills of North Carolina.
"I've had several people mention to me that
they remember daddy playing the cigar box,"
Mrs. Mulchi said this week. "And he used to
play the harmonica at the same time he plaveu
the banjo."
Tucker lived his adult life in Norlina.
Mi's. Mulchi, who will also appear in promo
tional spots for PM Magazine on Thursday, ex
pressed doubts about her television debut.
Cigar box performances are best, she noted,
when accompanied by a live band, which she
didn't have for her PM Magazine appearance.
"Unless it turns out a lot better than I think
it is, I'll be disappointed," she laughed.
Wrecks Are Reported
In County Last Week
The State Highway
Patrol reported three ac
cidents in Warren Coun
ty last week.
A Littleton man was
charged with driving left
of center after a single
vehicle accident Sunday
morning on S.R. 1358
about one mile north of
the Littleton city limits.
Reports indicate that
Kenneth Ray Mills of
Route 4 was headed
north when he was
distracted and drove off
the road to the left, strik
ing a utility pole.
Trooper T. S. Wright
investigated.
On Saturday after
noon, Sharon W. Shearin
of Henderson was also
charged with driving left
of center after a two
vehicle accident on S.R.
1325 near Warrenton.
According to reports
filed by Trooper Wright,
Mrs. Shearin was travel
ing east when she at
tempted to turn left into
a private driveway and
collided with vehicle
driven by Ernest Townes
of Route 2, Macon.
The Townes car, ac
cording to reports, ap
proached from a slightly
curved grade, making it
difficult for Ms. Shearin
to see the car.
On Friday evening,
Henry P. Holtzman of
Route 1, Norlina was
traveling south on
Norlina Road when he
stopped to yield right-of
way to an oncoming
vehicle and was hit from
behind by a pickup truck
driven by David A. Hight
of Ridgeway Street,
Warrenton, according to
reports filed by Trooper
B. R. Pope.
Hight indicated he had
not noticed the Holtzman
vehicle until it was too
late to avoid a collision.
No charges were filed
in the accident.
No one was reported
seriously injured in any
of the three accidents.
Quick on the heels of the display of colorful
autumn foliace is the task of cleunilug away the ac
cumulated leaves. A leaf blower proves helpful to
this worker on the lawn of the Warren County Court
(Photo by]