Stye iamn lUcorfc
Volume 90 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren North Carolii.n Wednesday, August 26, 1987 Number 33
Looking more like a scene of fail than one sighted in the last weeks
of summer, these cornstalk "centurions" stand watch over this field
on a farm between Oakville and Macon. Shocks such as these arc
usually not seen until later in the year. Spring planting?fall harvest:
all parts of the cycle of nature made use of by man as he cultivates
the earth. (Staff Photo bv Howard Jones)
Smooth School Opening
Reported By Officials
The opening of Warren County
schools on Monday, Aug. 24, was
very smooth at all sites, Super
intendent Mike Williams re
ported this week.
A total of 2,836 students
reported to their classes, about 17
more than last year's opening
day.
The State Department of Pub
lic Instruction had projected for
Warren County an enrollment of
2,943. ' We are on target for
grades K-three," Williams said,
but we are 15 short for K-six."
The superintendent also in
dicated a shortfall of 26 students
for K-eight and 79 fewer students
at the high school. The total
enrollment at Warren County
High School is 829.
According to Williams, the
average daily membership for
last year was 3.022."We will
probably pick up most of these
students before Labor Day,"
Williams speculated,"but we will
be slightly lower this year even
when the others come." he said.
Afton Child Bitten
By Dog On Sunday
A four-year-old child from the
Afton community was bitten by a
dog on Saturday as family
members, attending a cookout at
the Perrytown home of a relative,
watched in horror.
Arriving Officer J. M McCow
an was sent to the residence of
Queen Mayfield in Kt. !i, Warren
ton, located behind the site of the
cookout. He found that the trailer
there was also the home for seven
dogs.
According to Mrs. Diane Wil
liams of Rt. 2, Norlina, mother of
(Continued on page :1B)
Mike Williams, superintendent of Warren County schools, con
gratulates Richard Williams on his entry into the school system Mon
day by presenting him with a T-shirt. Richard, a beginning student
at South Warren Elementary School, is one of about 200 kindergarten
students in the county who will comprise the Class of 2000. Superin
tendent Williams presented all kindergarten students with a shirt
designed with a clown cai rying a banner that reads "Class of 2000"
and carries the slogan, "Learning for the New Century in Warren
County Schools."
(Community Schools Photo by Mary Hunter)
Gaston Lake resident Jack Potter is shown holding a clump of
Brazilian elodea, the prolific weed that, left free to multiply, threatens
to make boating, swimming and fishing impossible. Aerial
photographs taken last year by utility companies revealed that about
300 areas of the lake were heavily infested. Officials have reported
that given the rapid propagation habits of the weed, infestation now
is probably double that amount. According to Ben D. McCauley, presi
dent of the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council, the weed could even
tually grow into all areas of the lake that are less than 14 feet in depth.
To combat the weed and reduce its infestation through exposure to
cold weather, Lake Gaston will be lowered, beginning Dec. I, by six
to nine feet. (Photo by Russell King)
Objections Raised
Board Tables
Cable TV Bid
B> THURLETTA M. BROWN
Staff Writer
The franchise request recently
submitted by REACT Cable Ser
vices, Inc., listed lor a second
reading on the agenda before
Warren County commissioners
Wednesday night, was tabled fol
lowing objections by board
members to the documents sub
mitted to them by the business.
"This is too important an issue
to decide tonight," Commissioner
J. T. Fleming said.
"This is not a question of legali
ty," County Attorney Charles
Johnson said, "but the board
needs to come to some consensus
of a standard...(the com
pany)...should measure up
to...and give the public the type
of service they deserve."
Commissioner Fleming re
minded the board of unanswered
requests for service that had
been made by Warren CATV?
the company's perceived refusal
to operate in Norlina and Soul
City.
Although Chairman Eva Clay
ton noted that granting the
REACT request would not con
stitute an "exclusive ordinance,"
she agreed that service, access
and readiness to provide service
were important items to
consider.
The franchise document that
had been submitted by R.
Midrowsky, REACT president,
lacked specificity, the board felt
When pressed, Midrowsky con
ceded to modify the language to
specify a housing density require
ment of 25 per mile, if the
residences could be reached from
REACT's heading equipment.
REACT owns its own construc
tion company, Midrowsky noted.
Board members noted that War
ren CATV offered free service to
school. Midrowsky agreed that
his company would provide free
service to schools and manned
firehouses. He was asked by the
board to add both concessions to
the franchise agreement.
Mi (J row sky's request had
stemmed from the company's
need to ensure access to Littleton
residences located near the War
ren Count \ boundary, 'REACT is
unable to enter Warren County
without a franchise agreement.
REACTS price structure
would show a modest increase
over charges now made foi ser
vice by Warren CATV Installa
tion, for example, is $5 higher,
and ESPN, included now as a
part of basic service through
Warren CATV, is offered through
REACT only as a part of an ex
panded package which costs an
additional $4 over the $11 basic
fee.
A work session for conunis
sioners has been scheduled for
i Continued on page 4B i
Student Driver
Jobs In Doubt
Unless the state can
demonstrate by Nov. 30 that the
safety record of student drivers
has improved in 198(5-87. about
4,300 school bus drivers who are
under the age of 18 must be
replaced.
The General Assembly recent
ly passed a law, effective Jan 1,
which specifies that student bus
drivers must be at least 17 years
of age.
We have known for some time
that a self-imposed regulation
would restrict our use of student
bus drivers," Superintendent
Mike Williams said, " and we
have been prepared to implement
that." According to Williams,
about 50 percent of Warren coun
ty's 79 bus drivers are students.
Selection for the current school
year was such that all student
drivers will be at least 17 by Jan.
1. "If the regulation is indeed for
age 18 rather than for age 17, that
will cause some problems," Wil
liams said.
According to statistics coin
piled by the Division of Motor
Vehicles for 1985-86. state bus
drivers under age 18 had one traf
fic accident per 86.000 miles.
Drivers ages 18 and above had
only one accident per 115.000
miles.
In Warren County for the year
1985-86, there were four report
able bus accidents. In 1986-87
there was only one. According to
Williams, no injuries of any con
sequence resulted.
Minors have been hired to
drive buses for the past 20 years.
In the last school year, 3.906 of the
state's 13,002 school bus drivers
were 17 years of age; 367 were
age 16.
Governor James Martin's re
quest for renewal of an exemp
tion to a rule which prohibits 16
and 17-year olds from driving
school buses in August resulted in
a letter from U.S. I,abor Secre
tary William Brock, who stated
that the state's underaged
drivers did not measure up.
"Regrettably, the accident ex
perience of school bus drivers
under 18 years of age does not
compare favorably with that of
adult school bus drivers,' the let
ter stated.
"Given our present situ, tioa,
we are able to select from the
pool of students the best drivers
and from the pool of adults the
best diivers," Superintendent
Williams said. "With the best of
both groups, we have a compe
tent driving force," he added.
"Being forced to eliminate
students under age II will result
in a smaller pool and quality will
suffer," he surmised.
Plan Approved To Lower
Lake Gaston Water Level
The waters of l,ake Gaston, normally stable
with a level of about 200 feet above sea level, will
be lowered for about (>0 days this winter.
The "draw-down" has been planned as a
means of attack against a noxious aquatic
weed Brazilian elodea which left free to
multiply could block every cove and inlet in Uike
Gaston. According to Den D. McCauley, presi
dent of the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council,
uncontrolled growth and infestation of Brazilian
elodea would make fishing, boating, swimming
and other recreational activities impossible
According to Lloyd Andrews, station manager
for the Roanoke Rapids and Lake Gaston Dam,
three options were available to reduce the in
festation bv elodea: A "draw-down," the in
troduction of Weed Carp, a vegetation-eating
variety of fish: and the application of herbicides.
Chopping is ineffective because the separated
shoots of the weed simply fall to the lake floor
and become viable plants.
"Environment-wise, it has been determined
that the best method to go with first is the "draw
down," Andrews said.
The I^ake Gaston Weed Control Council, in
cooperation with North Carolina Power/Virginia
Power, has planned beginning Dec. 1 to decrease
the water level of I ,ake Gaston by six to nine feet.
The active draining process will continue until
Jan. 1. Studies have shown that reducing the
water level for a short time during the winter
will be an effective deterrent against the elodea.
"When not covered by water, but exposed to cold
winter air. the weed will die," McCauley re
ported. "Although it is premature to assess the
lasting effect the water level reduction will
achieve, it is anticipated that a reduction would
only need to be done once every three to five
years," he speculated
Beginning on March 1, the water level will be
increased until the normal 200-feet level has been
returned. Normal lake level is expected to be
achieved by April 1.
While the water level is reduced, property
owners will have an excellent opportunity to
make repairs to piers, boat houses and docks,
McCauley reported, but they are cautioned to
protect their boats and other facilities which
may be affected by the reduction.
Homeowners are required to obtain a permit
before altering the bottom of the lake, including
the removal of stumps and rocks, dredging, fill
ing or construction. Blasting will not be al
lowed. Answers to questions about permits may
be received by calling N.C. Power at 1-537-9091.
The I-ake Gaston Weed Control Council was
formed in 1986 to study the nuisance weed prob
lem and to coordinate a treatment program. In
strumental in the formation of the council were
the N.C. Agricultural Extension Service and
North Carolina Power/Virginia Power. The
15-mcmber council consists of three county
representatives appointed by the board of super
visors or board of commissioners of each of the
five counties bordering the lake: Warren,
Halifax, Northampton in North Carolina, and
Brunswick and Mecklenburg in Virginia.