Harren Hecord
Volume 90 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, February 25, 1987 Number 8
Largest Tax
Check Shared
By THURLETTA M. BROWN
Staff Writer
Almost $275,000 in distributable
proceeds of the one cent local op
tion sales tax and the two half
cent sales taxes has been re
ceived by Warren County and its
three municipalities: Warrenton,
Norlina and Macon.
According to County Finance
Officer Susan Brown, this
amount is significantly greater
than that received in previous
quarters. Of the $161,800,854.72
distributed last week by the
North Carolina Department of
Revenue, $274,833.08 was ear
marked for receipt here as
follows: $244,029.88 for Warren
County, $15,059.34 for the Town of
Warrenton, $13,422.46 for the
Town of Norlina and $2,321.40 for
the Town of Macon.
Vance County's disbursement
was $1,014,658.51. Of this amount,
$738,433.56 went to the county.
The remainder was allocated as
follows: $275,586.02 to Henderson,
$296.79 to Kittrell and $342.14 to
Middleburg.
A total of $86,278.38 came to
Warren County as a result of the
one percent county sales and use
tax. Distribution of that amount
is accomplished on a per capita
basis using population figures
certified to the Secretary of
Revenue by the county finance of
ficer. Populations used for the
disbursement were: Warren
County-16,399, Warrenton-1,012,
Norlina-902 and Macon-156. Dis
bursements based on these
counts were: $76,608.33 to Warren
County, $4,727.58 to the Town of
Warrenton, $4,213.71 to the Town
of Norlina and $728.76 to the Town
of Macon.
The portion of the total dis
bursement attributable to the
first one-half cent sales tax,
which is done on an ad valorem
basis, is $117,583.29. The lion's
share of this amount, $104,404.68,
went to the county. The re
mainder was divided as follows
among the three towns: Warren
ton^,442.92, Norlina-$5,742.61
and Macon-$993.18.
The second half-cent portion of
the sales tax levy became effec
tive in Warren County Oct. 1,
1986. The net impact of that ad
ditional levy was $70,971.31
allocated as follows: Warren
County-$63,016.87, Warrenton
$3,888.84, Norlina-$3,466.14 and
Macon-$599.46.
County and local governments
may spend the original one-cent
portion of the tax for any pur
pose, but certain restrictions ex
ist on the use of the two half-cent
tax monies. County governments
are required to reserve a portion
of both one-half cent levies for the
capital needs of the schools. War
ren County Commissioners have
(Continued on page 4)
Lawmen Alerted
After Breakout
The Warren County Sheriff's
Department was alerted Tuesday
morning after a prisoner escaped
from the Mecklenburg County,
Va. Department of Correction,
according to a sheriff's
spokesperson.
Office Deputy Betsy Frazier
said Jeffery M. Langowski,
23-year-old white male, was last
seen at 10:51 a.m. yesterday
(Tuesday) at an intersection in
Virginia some five miles from the
North Carolina line.
A description of the escapee
listed him as 6'4", weighing 187
pounds, of large build and
medium complexion, with a
small beard and mustache. When
last seen he was wearing the
standard prison issue, light blue
shirt and dark blue pants.
The spokesperson said road
blocks had been set up in Virginia
to hinder the prisoner from enter
ing North Carolina but
authorities were alerted to the
possibility.
Langowski is serving time on
charges of burglary and parole
violation.
Rising from the icy expanse which last week
characterized Warren County is this lone chimney
reflected with neighboring vegetation and animal
life in the still waters of a local farm pond between
Warren Plains and Wise.
(Staff Photo by Dianne T. Rod well)
Students Finally Return To Class
After Long, Unexpected Holiday
Warren County's public school
students returned to classes Mon
day while those enrolled at War
ren Academy awaited inspection
of their school's roof which had
sagged beneath the weight of ice
in last week's winter storm.
Headmaster B. L. King of the
academy said classes would
resume today (Wednesday).
The students at the private
school returned to classes last
Friday and were scheduled to at
tend Saturday classes as well, but
the make-up day was cancelled
when problems with the ceiling in
parts of the building were noted.
King said the metal roof had
sagged a few inches, causing the
supports for the suspended ceil
ing to drop likewise.
A representative of Pasco
Buildings of Columbus, Ga. ar
rived Tuesday to inspect the roof
and King said the safety sign was
given for classes to resume.
The headmaster said the board
of directors has not yet ap
proved a schedule for making up
the days of school missed due to
inclement weather of the past 4wo
months.
Warren County Schools
Superintendent Mike Williams
said Monday the return to classes
posed some inconveniences but
no major problems for students
and officials. The schools had
been closed since Monday of the
week before when frozen
precipitation began coating the
county's roadways.
Williams said last week's break
brought to 11 the number of days
missed because of the weather
during this school year. At the
February meeting of the board of
education, the board authorized
the use of two previously sche
duled teacher workdays on
March 5 and 6 for regular school
days. The board will determine at
the March 9 meeting how to make
up the additional days lost,
Williams said.
The superintendent was
generous with praise for the
system's school bus drivers who
be said handled some difficult
situations in the return to school
on Monday.
They Got Zoo's Goose
Unwanted Birds Moved To Warren
By THURLETTA M. BROWN
Staff Writer
Ninety-five newcomers of the species brants canabensis have
become residents of Warren and Northampton counties. Known
commonly as Canada Geese, the birds were introduced to the
area through the joint efforts of the Asbeboro-based N. C.
Zoological Park and the N. C. Wildlife Commission.
Hie relocation project was solution to a problem caused by
the adoption of the Zoological Park as home base by a number
of uninvited geese sufficient to swell the Park's population from
its normal base of 17 to almost 135. According to Zoo spokesper
sons, the geese became bothersome to visitors: they sought food
and got in the way, they stripped portions of the landscape with
their voracious appetites for grass and they soiled concrete
floors and covered walkways. They became bothersome to Park
sanitarians as well.
A plan of attack was hatched. Zoo personnel baited an area
with entidng food. Soon the geese became accustomed to eating
in that particular area. Then, one day, approximately 96 were
captured with a net fired through a cannon rocket (Zoo officials
report that half of the remaining geese left the next day bring
ing the population back to its normal 17.)
Half of the geeae were transported to Warren County. They
reside now In a pen near the entrance to Summer wood, a Lake
Gaaton-area development The other half were transported to
Northampton County where they live on property just north of
Seaboard owned by John (Hover.
Because geese tend to return by instinct to their home base,
certain wing feathers were humanely dipped from the captured
birds before transport to render them flightless for a period of
one year. During that year, it is hoped by N.C. Zoological Park
and Wildlife Commission officials that the geese will learn to
accept their new surroundings as home and that they will forget
the appeal of the Zoo.
Normalcy Returns
As Many Recover
From Icy Troubles
By MARY C. HARRIS
Staff Writer
Weather-related difficulties for
Warren County residents last
week went beyond problems of
transportation and communica
tion and became for some an ex
ercise in basic survival.
Hardest hit were some of the
outlying communities where
electrical and/or telephone ser
vice were lost for several days.
From reports across the coun
ty, it appeared the Inez area was
most inconvenienced by the sleet
which fell Monday and Tuesday.
Residents there and in other loca
tions as well spent a good part of
their time seeking ingenious solu
tions to the absence of everyday
conveniences. Fireplaces and gas
appliances were appreciated as
never before, water was guarded
and rationed and being a keeper
of one's brother became more
than an ideal.
In every community, reports
were heard of awnings falling;
sheds collapsing on vehicles,
equipment and animals; trees
downed and roofs sagging
because of the weight of the ice.
Numerous perishable foods were
lost by homeowners and store
operators who lost electrical ser
vice to refrigeration appliances.
Larry Cheek, district manager
for Halifax Electric Membership
Corporation in Warren County,
said local power crews worked
around the clock and were
joined by workmen from other
areas to restore electrical service
to customers, most of whom liv
ed south of N.C. 158, in the Ar
eola, Inez and Lickskillet com
munities. Power was turned on
for the lasi subscriber early Fri
day evening, Cheek said.
Mrs. Ann Gaskill of the local
Carolina Power and Light Com
pany office said the last outage
was corrected on their lines about
7 p.m. Thursday.
Mrs. Betty Hamm, spokesper
son for Carolina Telephone Com
pany, said phone service is again
in effect for all customers. "For
two days our crews couldn't get
on the road," she said, "and
many of our problems were con
nected with those of the power
companies."
Mrs. Glenn Coleman, Jr. of
Inez praised the telephone repair
personnel who for several hours
stood watch over the station in
her community to keep telephone
lines in service.
Delivery of mail was also
altered by the weather, accor
ding to Mrs. Shirley Comer in the
Warrenton Post Office. Mrs.
Comer said there was no delivery
on Tuesday. Beginning Wednes
day, the carriers started serving
all the accessible boxes. She en
couraged mail patrons to clear
ice and snow from around
mailboxes to allow the carriers to
get to them in situations such as
last week. "The carriers can't
(Continued on page 16)
New Business
Faces Appear
New faces continue to appear
on the Warrenton business scene
as announcement was made this
week of one change in ownership
and one newcomer.
Home Decorator Shoppe on S.
Main Street was purchased
recently by Annette G. Mont
gomery of Montgomery Enter
prises in Research Triangle
Park. Mrs. Montgomery, whose
specialties are facilities design
and contract interiors, bought the
business from Wade and Bivian
Taylor.
Details have not been an
nounced but Mrs. Montgomery
said she plans to be in Warrenton
several days a week. Mrs. Taylor
will continue as manager of the
business, she said.
Plans have not been finalized
for Carolina Chain Saw Com
pany, Inc. to open in the former
Randy Currin Chevrolet
showroom on E. Macon Street.
Charlie Keeter, III of the
Henderson company located on
Garnett Street, said a definite
date for opening and other details
would be decided later this week.
Warrenton Merchants
Edge Closer To Union
An association of Warrenton
merchants moved a step closer to
reality Monday night when
organizing members agreed to
immediately begin a solicitation
of new members.
The proposed Warrenton Mer
chants Association would be open
to all businesses and profes
sionals living within the town
limits of Warrenton and the
town's one-mile extraterritorial
jurisdiction.
In the second planning session,
held Monday night at the court
room of the Warren County Court
House, spokesman Monroe Gard
ner urged fellow merchants to
begin the effort to attract as
many members as possible for
the new organization. Dues were
set at $50 each for the first year.
Economic Developer Cathy
Wilson told members that a pro
spective constitution and bylaws
calling for a board of 11 members
had been received from the state
confederation of merchants.
Those In attendance agreed that
the board will be selected at a
charter dinner to be held on the
fourth Monday night in March at
a time and place to be an
nounced later.
Meanwhile, several merchants
have agreed to contact proapec
tive members on an individual
basis. Those named to solicit
within a specified territory were
Woody King, Bobby Rollins, Wal
ter Gardner, Monroe Gardner,
Jack Harris, David Gardner,
Carroll Harris, B. G. White, Brad
Carroll, Warren Deines, James
Parnell and V. R. (Pete)
Vaughan.
Reminder Issued
As Tag Sales Lag
Mayor B. G. White this week
issued a reminder to Warrenton's
residents to purchase town tags
for display on vehicles.
White said a number of vehicle
owners have failed to meet the
Feb 15 deadline, as sales of the
|S plates are lagging behind those
of previous years.
Town Administrator Vernon R.
(Pete) Vaughan said yesterday
the projected number of tags for
Warrenton residents hangs in the
range of IM. Slightly more than
4M had been sold as of Tuesday.
"We don't want to proaecuts
anybody," White said, "but we da
wank to encourage people te I
the tags." The metal j
available at the town?