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Warreston, N.C. 2758
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Volume 90 25* Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, December 30, 1987 Number 52
High And Dry
Looking much like the witch's house perched high atop fowl
legs of fairy tale fame, this pier sighted at Eaton Ferry Estates
stands, pilings exposed, providing clear evidence that the re
cent attempt to lower the water level at I-ake Gaston has been
successful. Vegetation and brush, long submerged under the
waters that would normally touch the bottom of the pier, are
visible.
(Staff Photo by Howard Jones)
Youth Charged In School Burning
By DIANE DAVIS
Staff Writer
A Norlina youth has been
charged in connection with the
burning of the main building of an
elementary school in Four Oaks,
along with a series of automobile
thefts that occurred Christmas
Eve and Christmas Day.
Robert Edward Norris, 16, of
Norlina, is being held in the
Johnston County Jail after being
charged with burning a school
building, possession of stolen
Thieves Were As Busy As Elves
As Christmas Holidays Observed
While Santa and his elves were
busy at the North Pole making
everything ready for their
Christmas deliveries, persons in
Warren County were equally
busy, as they involved them
selves in crimes that are now
under investigation by the War
ren County Sheriff's Department.
A vehicle belonging to Miss
Carrie Bell Banks of Rt. 2, Macon
was reported missing on Tues
day, Dec. 22.
Miss Banks had parked the
gray 1984 Ford Tempo outside the
residence belonging to her
mother.
The license number of the vehi
cle is BRM 4165.
Chief Deputy Bobby D. Bolton
is the investigating officer.
A second vehicle was reported
missing the following day by
Bruce Allen Whitmore. Whitmore
reported that persons had pryed
a lock apart that had secured a
storage shed located behind his
Warren Plains residence on
R.P.R. 1322.
Reported missing was a 1980
Honda CB-900 motorcycle, valued
at about $2,000. The vehicle is
dark blue in color.
According to Deputy Harold
Seaman, investigating officer,
the intruders are believed to have
transported the motorcycle
either by pushing it or by loading
it onto another vehicle since the
keys were not stolen. Also not
taken were the accompanying
helmets.
A particularly "grinch-like" in
cident was reported on Christmas
Eve by a member of the Warren
Plains United Methodist Church,
who, after arriving to prepare for
distribution of clothing that had
been purchased or donated as
gifts for local rest home resi
dents, discovered the items
missing.
Members of the church, which
is located in Warren Plains on
R.P.R. 1305, had collected 21
items of clothing to be given in
the Christmas spirit, but the gifts
were stolen by a person or per
sons, who gained entry to the
building by breaking a window in
a side door.
The intruders also entered the
kitchen area of the church, but
nothing else has been reported
missing?only the gifts. Deputy
Harold Seaman, investigating of
ficer, said.
On Christmas Day, Ms. Sandra
Taylor of Rt. 2, Norlina, reported
that her 19-inch color television
and VCR were missing. The
items are valued at about $700.
Deputy J. M. McCowan is the in
vestigating officer.
Chief Deputy Bobby D. Bolton
reminded all area residents with
knowledge of these and other un
solved crimes to contact the
Sheriff's Department at 257-3456.
property and two counts of
larceny of an automobile.
Norris may also face a possible
third charge of larceny of an
automobile. He will have his first
appearance before a District
Court Judge today (Wednesday).
On Christmas Kve, Norris is
believed to have stolen a car
parked outside the residence of
Ron and Pat Baker on Fast
Street in Norlina. The car, a 197,i
Plymouth Fur), belonged to
Buster Dishmon, Mrs. Baker's
father, who had stopped by to
visit with his family.
According to police reports,
Dishmon had only been there ap
proximately 15 minutes before
the car was stolen from the yard.
Norris drove the stolen Ply
mouth to Richmond, Va., where
he is believed to have stolen
another car, a Chevrolet Camaro.
He drove this car south on In
terstate 95 until he began to run
low on fuel.
It was at this point that Norris
decided that he would drive into
Four Oaks to obtain another
vehicle.
A spokesman from the John
ston County Sheriff's Department
stated that Norris parked the
Chevrolet Camaro about two
blocks from the school campus
before entering the main building
of Four Oaks FJementary School.
Once inside, the youth allegedly
set 11 small fires in and around
the auditorium. Those small tires
spread quickly and caused the en
tire main building on the school
campus to be engulfed in flames.
More than 200 volunteer fire
fighters responded to the call,
according to Four Oaks Fire
Marshall R. A. Jackson. The
firemen battled the blaze for
about six hours before putting it
out.
Reports indicate that Norris
then stole another automobile, an
Oldsmobile, located in close prox
imity to the school.
The youth fled from Four Oaks
heading north, but was caught in
(Continued oil page 8)
Holiday Schedule Is Listed
For Employees Of Warren County
Warren County offices and employees will observe the following
holidays for 1988.
Easter Monday, celebrated in 1987 on April 20, has been eliminated
from the new calendar, but Good Friday will be observed. The birth
day of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be observed on January 18.
This schedule is identical to that adopted by the State Personnel
Office for state workers.
New Year's Day January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 18
Good Friday April 1
Memorial Day May 30
Independence Day July 4
I^abor Day September 5
Veteran's Day November 11
Thanksgiving November 24 and 25
Christmas December 23 and 26
George Richardson, left, quartermaster, and Leonard Rudd, right,
commander of VFW Post MM in Nor Una, Tuesday morning un
veiled a granite marker designating the site of the Major A. J.
Hundley Post Building. The unveiling of the marker coincided with
a visit by national and state officials, shown with local post members
at the ceremony. Earlier Larry W. Rivers, VFW senior vice
commander-in-chief, praised Post 40M, formed in IMS, for its
membership recruitment. Rivers said the Veterans of Foreign Wars
has grown into a 2.2-mfllion-member national organization which has
recorded an increase in membership in each of the past 32 years.
(Staff Photo by Howard Jones)
Tobacco Revenue
Increase Seen In
Change In Quotas
Warren County's farmers Warren County's allotment for
could realize about $180.25 in ex- 1987 was 2,718.78 acres. The quota
tra income per acre of tobacco, for 1987 was 5,026,735 pound?, he
thanks to a 6.8 percent increase reported. The average yield per
announced last week by U.S. acre in 1987 was 1849.
Secretary of Agriculture Kichard "With the 6.8 percent increase,
Lyng, Lynn S. Carr, Warren the quota for 1988 could be about
County ASCS executive director 5,368,553 pounds," he said,
observed thL week. Carr also reminded tobacco
In announcing the first in- farmers that next year's support
crease since 1975, Secretary of price will rise seven-tenths of one
Agriculture Lyng revealed the cent for a figure of $1,442.
1988 National Marketing Quota For the entire 25-day selling
for flue-cured tobacco will be 755 season in 1987,6,319,540 pounds of
million pounds- and increase of tobacco were sold in Warren
6.8 percent County's three warehouses, an in
The national quota for 1987 was crease of almost one million
707 million pounds, Carr noted. pounds over 1986.
Carr stated the increase in The total sales figure here for
quota could be attributed to an 1987 was $10,051,874.74, an aver
anticipated 25 percent increase in age of $1.59 per pound. The high
purchases made domestically to est reported average, which oc
accommodate the expected in- curred on Sept. 28, was $1.73 per
crease in sales on the overseas pound,
market.
aii increase 111 prouucuun win
be needed to ensure sufficient
quantities for domestic use and to
offset the increased international
sales.
Warrenton's largest buyer for
1987 was J. P. Taylor, whose of
fices are located in Richmond,
Va.
According to a statement re
leased recently by North Caro
lina Commissioner of Agriculture
Jim Graham, the increased quota
will result in a basic tobacco pro
duction of about 496,000^000
pounds for the state's flue-cured
growers. Graham reported that
this was an increase of about
31,000,000 pounds statewide over
1987.
Tobacco growers have had to
make severe adjustments as both
quotas and price supports have
been reduced in recent years...
(and)...these adjustments have
resulted in lower gross income...
i for farmers, who)...have had to
be much more efficient in order
to show a profit," Graham said.
According to Warren County
ASCS Executive Director Carr,
Winners Chosen
For Decorations
The winners of the 1987
Christmas Decoration Contest
sponsored by the Warrenton
Lions Club have been announced
by Pete Vaughan, committee
chairman. Judging for the event
was held on Dec. 23.
"We were all excited about the
level of participation by local
residents this year," Vaughan
said. "All that effort did a great
deal to beautify the town for the
holidays," he noted.
Taking first-place in the Out
side Decorations category were
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Manning of
417 Eaton Avenue. Taking sec
ond-place in that category were
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Thompson of
319 Church Street.
First-place honors in the Best
Interior Decorations (as viewed
from the exterior) category were
awarded to Mr. and Mrs. Billy
Hawks of 401 N. Main Street.
Second-place honors went to Mr.
and Mrs. Richard Hunter of 210
Plummer Street.
According to Vaughan, the
first- and second-place winners in
each category will receive their
awards at the first Lions Club;
dinner meeting for the new year
to be held Jan. 8 at the Lions Den.
"The judges were faced with
hard decisions," Vaughan noted,
"and they also recognized three
additional residences with hon
orable mentions." Receiving
honorable mentions were Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas Gaskill of 410
Rodwell Street, Mr. and Mrs.
Clarence Davis of 432 Eaton
Avenue and Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Harris of 501 N. Main Street.
"All of the decorations are sc
attractive and creative that wt
hope Warrentonians will drive
around to see them before thej
have all been packed away,'
Vaughan remarked.
fule Decoration
Winners Selected
Town 'N Country Garden Qui
President Jlrs. L. G. Hawkin I
has announced the names erf th
winners of the club's annu
Christmas Decoration Contest.
Judging for the event was hel
on the evening of Dec. 23.
Mrs. Joyce Williams of the Re'
Hill community in Warranto
was the first-prize winner in th
Best Outdoor Decoration cab
gory. Mrs. McArthur Fogg
Ridgeway Rd. was racognix
with an honorable mention in th
category.
Mrs. Ann E. Burton of the Rd
Hill community was the fira
prise winner In the Best Irtvll
(Continued on page 3)