Section B (The larroi iRecori) Section B
Wednesday, March 29, 1989 * Wednesday, March 29, 1989
Warren County Population Growth Lags Behind State, Nation
Warren County's population? while showing growth of 2.3 percent
between April, 1980 and July, 1987? has increased at a slower rate
than that experienced across North Carolina and in the United States,
a report released recently by the Census Bureau has shown.
According to the report, the number of persons in Warren County
increased from 16,232 in April of 1980 to an estimated 16,600 in July
of 1987. During the same period, however, North Carolina's popula
tion increased from 5,881,766 to an estimated 6,412,000 for a percent
age increase of 9.0 percent. The nation's population increased from
226,545,805 in April of 1980 to an estimated 243,376,000 in July of 1987,
for a 7.4 percent increase, which lagged almost two percentage points
behind that of North Carolina.
While the Census Bureau makes a comprehensive count of the na
tional population only every 10 years, it issues periodic estimates
which update these totals. The revised estimates are important for
reasons beyond their statistical significance because a number of
federal agencies base grant funding for localities on these reports.
Additionally, many national corporations take the reports into con
sideration as they plan future activities. In some locales, on several
occasions, interim population reports by the Census Bureau have
distressed local officials so much that they have gone to court to pre
Warrenton Postmaster Sherwood Knight (center) and his staff were
selected recently to receive the Management Sectional Center
Manager's Award of Excellence for a perfect safety record during
1988. Shown with Knight are Jess Willis, Raleigh MSC coordinator,
(left) and Ross Garulski, sectional center manager (right). The
award was presented at the recent MSC Postmaster's Conference.
VGCC Trustees Seeking
$76,250 For Annex Here
Warren County's local govern
ment will be asked to provide
$76,250 for its satellite campus,
following the recent approval of
the 1989-90 budget for Vance
Granville Community College by
its board of trustees.
Warren's local funds would be
pooled with those from other
local governments to provide
$696,590.
If granted, in addition to War
ren's contribution, Vance County
would provide $420,000, while
Granville County's portion would
be $140,000.
Vance-Granville Community
College will also request from the
State $5,996,512. In addition,
VGCC has estimated it will need
$369,612 in federal monies and
$1,004,808 from other sources, in
cluding bookstore and vending
machine revenues.
The college's 1989-90 total
budget request is $8,094,522, down
slightly from last year's budget of
$8.5 million.
vent the federal government from making use of the figures for fund
ing projections. It is for these reasons that the Warren County Board
of County Commissioners and other municipal officials have en
couraged active participation by the county's citizenry in the soon
to-be-begun comprehensive census project.
The most recent interim Census Bureau report revised population
estimates made by the last local population report. According to that
report, in 1986, the population in Warren County had been 16,700 in
stead of the updated estimate of 16,600. Also in that report, the United
States had been 241,038,000, while the tally recorded for North
Carolina had been 6,331,000? both lower than the revised counts.
To obtain preliminary population figures, the Census Bureau makes
use of federal tax data to determine the number of persons whose
county of residence has changed, along with data on Medicare
enrollees and independent studies to estimate the population over 65
years of age. In addition, the bureau includes birth and death statistics
to estimate natural (as opposed to migratory) net population changes.
Other factors used in preparing the interim population reports include
resident students, military personnel and immigration from abroad.
The interim reports are estimates, census officials admit, but it is
generally agreed that these are the most reliable population estimates
available.
According to Census Bureau officials, this is the first time in this
decade that a revision of county estimates has been released. There
are so many factors which affect local population changes that it is
highly unusual for the rate of change for a county's population to re
main constant over a 10-year period. If the rate of population change
in Warren County had continued as it did from 1970 through 1977 un
til 1980, the county's population would have grown by 10.4 percent.
In fact, Warren County's population had increased by only 2.7 per
cent at the end of the decade
Two Warrenton
Locations Entered
Two Warrenton locations? one
a business and the other a resi
dence?were found Monday to
have been sites of unauthorized
weekend entry, Police Chief
Freddie Robinson said Tuesday.
The Warren Record on Monday
morning was found to have been
entered by a person or persons
who had apparently kicked in the
rear door of the building. Accord
ing to the report taken by Police
Officer Robbie Ayscue, the loss
was limited to a small amount of
cash and damage to the rear
door.
A similar unauthorized entry
into a garage apartment at the
Ridgeway Street residence of Mr.
and Mrs. Claude Bowers was also
reported Monday. Entry had
been gained through the back of
the apartment by splitting the
facing of the door, Chief Robinson
said. An earlier break-in at the
apartment had also been re
ported. According to that report
taken by Sgt. Officer George
Alston, about $10 in cash was said
to be missing.
sermSdw
SO' Indoor/Outdoor
Extension Cord
FALKNER BUILDING SUPPLY
Gametf & Court (Front of Courthouse), HENDERSON
As is the case for counties, changes in national and state popula
tion seldom remain constant over a 10-year period. If, for example,
the national rate of population were to continue at its current rate,
the number of persons living in the United States would increase by
10.8 percent by 1990. Whether or not this will occur remains to be seen,
census personnel have said. From 1970 through 1977, the national
population showed an 8.3 percent increase. If this rate had remained
level throughout the decade, the country's population would have in
creased by 10.2 percent from 1970 through 1980. Actually, the national
population grew by 11.4 percent from 1970 through 1980, a rate 3.1 per
cent higher than would have been the case.
State population changes are affected in the same way. If current
demographic trends remain level, the population of North Carolina
will have increased by 12.4 percent by 1990. An 8.7-percent increase
was seen from 1970 through 1977, and had that rate remained level
throughout the decade, the country's population would have increased
by 10.2 percent. Actually, an 11.4 percent increase was experienced.
Statisticians feel that population estimates for 1987 do indicate cer
tain general demographic trends. The Census Bureau had predicted
that the national rate of population growth would decline and that
has been the case. By 1990, the Census Bureau had predicted that the
national population would range from 245,743,000 to 254,122,000. At
some point in the next century, however, census officials have
predicted that the national population will become level and remain
at about 300,000,000.
Information released in the current population report indicated that
the population of Warren County is changing at a less-rapid pace than
it did from 1970 through 1977. During that period, the Census Bureau
estimated that population growth was 7.5 percent. If the current rate
of population change in Warren County continues through 1990, the
population of Warren County will have increased by 3.1 percent,
statisticians predict.
These three Warren County residents had major
roles at Farmers' Night held here on Friday night
by the Warrenton Lions Club. Shown, left to right,
are club president David Proctor; Lynn Carr, coun
ty executive director of the ASCS and main
speaker; and Lion Dorsey Capps, who directed the
roasting of barbecued pork served at the event.
(Staff Photo by Howard Jones)
Farmers, Lions Club Hosts Observe
Night With Barbecue And Speech
Some 160 Warren County farm
ers and their Warrenton Lions
Club hosts gathered at the Lions
Den here Friday night for a
meal of barbecued pork and an
in-depth look at provisions of the
1985 Farm Bill.
The occasion was the club's
annual Farmers Night and the
meal was prepared under the di
rection of veteran pig cooker
Dorsey Capps, a club member.
Lion President David Proctor
presided.
Guest speaker for the yearly
event was Lynn Carr, a Sampson
County native and executive di
rector of the Warren County
Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service for the
past two years. He was intro
duced by Lion Roy Pat Robert
son.
Carr, who said he decided to
speak on the 1985 farm bill be
cause "it concerns farmers and
landowners alike," told those in
attendance that the bill was
created by Congress to control
supply and demand of com
modities while protecting the
country's natural resources.
He said the bill is implemented
by the U. S. Department of Agri
culture, created by Abraham Lin
coln in 1862 "to serve not only the
farmer but every American
alike."
Carr focused his attention on
the conservation portion of the
bill, particularly the Conser
vation Reserve Program which
was created to take highly cre
dible land (HEL) out of pro
duction. He said fields which
erode severely on at least two
thirds of the acreage is con
sidered HEL land.
Annual payments from ASCS
are available to cover half the
cost of planting trees or fescue
on HEL land taken out of pro
duction. Carr said the 10-year
program is particular^ ,;ood for
absentee landowners.
To date, some 30 million acres
of USDA's 45-million-acre goal
have been entered in the pro
gram. In Warren County, about
5500 acres have been enrolled.
This acreage consists of one
third trees and two-thirds grass
land, Carr said, and represents
18 percent of Warren's total
cropland.
Carr also touched on the Sod
buster part of the farm bill, and
said it holds hope for a lot of
HEL land in Warren County
which does not qualify for the
Conservation Reserve Program.
Sodbusting, he said, means
breaking out or farming new
land with an approved con
servation plan from the Soil Con
servation Service that will keep
erosion at a minimum.
Carr said the SCS takes con
servation practices such as
waterways, diversions,
terraces, crop rotations and row
patterns and uses these in the
conservation plan. Persons with
HEL fields need to have a con
servation plan by Jan. 1, 1990.
In closing, Carr paraphrased
an automobile commercial cur
rently seen on television, saying
that the heartbeat of America is
agriculture, and commending
the Warrenton Lions Club for its
commitment to agriculture.
Comparison Counties Picked
Three of four counties expect
ed to be compared with Warren
County during a two-year plan
ning study were selected Thurs
day by members of the Stra
tegic Planning Executive Com
mittee meeting at the Courtyard
Inn.
Committee members direct
ing a long-range planning study
agreed to seek statistical data
from Northampton and Lee
counties in North Carolina and
Brunswick County in. Virginia in
carrying out the project, funded
primarily by * 940,000 grant
from the Rural Development
Center of North Carolina.
During Thursday's Ses
sion?the first following a day
long training workshop held
several weeks ago? committee
members voted to select two
counties with similar demo
graphic statistics to Warren, and
two with contrasting profiles. A
fourth, and final, county is ex
pected to be selected on April 6
when strategic planners meet
next.
Chairman Sears Bugg pre
sided over Thursday's well at
tended luncheon meeting. An en
vironmental scan discussion was
led by Shane Cochrane of the
Kerr-Tar Council of Govern
ments. County Manager Charles
J. Worth reported on staffing
consideration for the project.