Newspapers / The Warren Record (Warrenton, … / Sept. 27, 1989, edition 1 / Page 1
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? arren tonUeai. Library X 17 S.Maln St. ?rrenton, N.C. 27589 I Uarren Eecorb Volume 94 25* Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, September 27, 1989 Number 39 $250,000 Awqrd Is Ordered Here In Death Of Man The Granville County man found guilty last year of murder ing a Warren County resident has been ordered to pay over (250,000 to the decedent's estate. Mark Williams, of 124 Gran ville Street in Oxford, last week was ordered by Judge E. Lynn Johnson, presiding judge in the Sept. 20 civil session of Warren County Superior Court, to pay a $256,949.04 settlement to the estate of Willie Bumette, Sr. Burnette, 63, was a resident of Rt. 1, Manson. An innocent bystander, he was killed on June 21, 1988, during a drug-related shoot-out at 126 Crescent Drive in Oxford. Eight weapons were con fiscated by the Oxford Police Department. On Oct, 5 of last year, Williams pled guilty to first-degree murder in Granville County Superior Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Williams was also sued for wrongful death last October by the estate of Willie Burnette, Sr. According to court documents, the summons was served by the Granville County Sheriff. When Williams did not respond to a summons issued by the Warren County Clerk of Superior Court, a default judgment was re quested last year by the estate. Neither Williams nor his attorney was present for last week's judg ment and award of damages. Senator Frank Ballance was the attorney representing the estate. A number of merchants in downtown Warrenton taped up their windows and moved their merchan dise to the back of their stores in preparation for Hurricane Hugo, as did the owner of Trifles. Although the storm bypassed Warren County, the surrounding area received rain and light winds as a result of the system passing through the state. (Staff Photo by Diane Davis) Strategic Planners Focus On Survey Encouraging, Discouraging Facts Are Found In Environmental Scan Nightspot Cutting Probed By Lawmen A Warren County man last weekend was brought by private vehicle to the Warren County Sheriff's Department to file a complaint, after sustaining cuts at an area nightspot. His alleged assailant took out a similar warrant on Monday of this week. Joseph Jones, 24, of Rt. 4, War renton, on Sept. 23 told sheriff's personnel that he had been stabbed by Vernon A. "Bullie" Alston, 24, of Rt. 3, Warrenton. According to Jones, the incident occurred at the Starlight Club located on Dr. Martin L. King, Jr Blvd. (SR 1001). The victim sustained cuts on the left side of his chest, his lower abdomen and his left shoulder blade. Jones was transported by the Warren County Emergency Med ical Service (EMS) to Maria Par ham Hospital, where he was treated and released. A warrant was drawn charging Alston with assault with a dead ly weapon/inflicting serious injury. Alston was arrested and brought before the magistrate on Monday. The suspect was released on a $500 unsecured bond and given a court date of Oct. 11. Before leaving the magis trate's office, Alston took out a warrant charging Jones with assault with a deadly weapon by stabbing. Alston said that he had sought medical treatment after having been stabbed by Jones. No addi tional information was available at press time. Stolen Vehicle Found A Warren County man, former ly of Baltimore, Md., was ar rested on Friday of last week for possession of a stolen vehicle and traffic violations after being stopped by Trooper R. A. Ennis of the N. C. Highway Patrol. Trooper Ennis reported that he stopped a 1983 Toyota being driven by Timothy Wayne Lang, 23, of Warrenton, for running a stop sign at an intersection on U. S. 1 at Manson. After Lang failed to produce registration for the vehicle, En (ContinuedonpageS) Members of Warren County's Strategic Planning Executive Committee gathered Thursday evening of last week for a marathon session to review the findings of the environmental scan prepared as as the first step of the multi-phase project. Strategic planning?a type of long-range planning?avoids de termining "what ought to be" and focuses on "the do-able." It is a means of managing change and using available resources to ensure the best possible future. Warren's $68,000 strategic planning effort is still in its earliest stages. A comprehensive environmental scan?which com pares Warren County to Bruns wick, Edgecombe, Lee and Northampton counties, as well as the state and nation?has been prepared by Shane Cochrane of the Council of Governments (COG). An overview of that docu ment was presented last week by Jerry Keir. Many of the findings of the scan were not encouraging: ? Although North Carolina will continue its growth rate, which is five-percent higher than the na tional rate, Warren County will have only moderate growth be tween now and the year 2000, and the county's population will have a larger percentage of senior adults due in part to in-migration. ? Tobacco and textiles?two of Warren County's "old line" industries?will decline national ly due to health concerns for the former and importing trends for the second. ? Although the median family income for 1989 has been esti mated at $20,400, Warren Coun ty's rate of 31.6 percent repre sents one of the highest levels of poverty rates in the state. ? Warren County's 4.4 percent rate of substandard housing in 1980 was five times greater than the state rate of 0.7 percent. In July of last year, 75 persons were classified as "homeless." ? The average teacher supple ment last year was $200, while supplements of up to $2,987 were paid to teachers In other North Carolina counties. ? Average SAT scores for War ren County's students have been over 100 points lower than the na tional average and some 60 points below the state average. ? While significant increases in the number of persons employed have taken place over the last decade, Warren County has con sistently maintained a higher level of unemployment than the state, and 1987 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) rank Warren's as the low est average salary levels of all counties in the state. Positive findings included: ? While the decline in textiles and manufacturing will affect those locales in which one large employer is the basis for a stable economy, Warren County's econ omy may be protected by its relatively large number of small businesses. ? The development and mar keting of Lake Gaston as a retire ment community could be used to strengthen Warren's econonuc condition. ? Due to a high level of state and federal contributions to the school system, Warren County ranked 27th out of 140 systems in per-pupil expenditures. (Exclud ing community services, adult basic education, capital outlay, transfers and refunds, however, the expenditure of only 26.7 per cent of its local resources in 1985-06 ranked Warren 81st out of 140 school systems.) ? The public school facilities will be upgraded following the passage in May of last year of a $11.35 million bond referendum. ? The small, but growing tour ist industry may be expanded by promotion of Warrenton's his toric business district and the number of buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. ? The rate of violent crime in Warren County in 1987 and 1988 was very low. According to Keir, the commit tee's next step will be the iden tification of three or four main issues to be studied by task forces. The task forces will analyze the data, develop goals and strategies for correction or enhancement. The committee agreed that in put from citizens will be sought. After objectives and strategies have been formulated, imple mentation plans will be devel oped, monitored and updated. The committee will meet 5:30-7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Private Security Guards Ordered Following Incident At Nightclub Reports of gunshots at an area nightclub last weekend have caused a Warren County business owner to take a stand by hiring private security guards to protect her establishment and enhance the service provided by local law enforcement officers. Mrs. Candies C. Rudd, Club 43 manager, said Monday that security guards will be on duty during business hours and other efforts would be made to ensure public safety. "We simply will not tolerate the actions of a few individuals who find sr'.rt in endangering the lives of our clientele," Mrs. Rudd said. According to Mrs. Rudd, the change in policy is a result of a report of gunshots early Sunday morning at Gub 43. Chief Deputy B. D. Bolton said Monday that sheriff''s personnel, as well as officers from the Nor lina Police Department and the N. C. Highway Patrol responded to the call received Sunday at 2:12 a.m. Arriving officers found a rowdy crowd of about 200 per sons outside of the club, but no shooting victims. (Continued on page 8) Services Of Health Department Are Shifted To Old Market Site A number of services ottered ai the Warren County Health De partment have moved into new quarters, according to Dennis Retzlaff, director. The Adult Health, Home Health and Environmental Health ser vices, which were formerly housed in the west wing of the Warren Medical Facility, moved into a temporary location at the former Best Bet building located on Ridgeway Street. All those persons who use these services are asked to report for appointments at the new location beside the Golden Skillet, Retzlaff said. i me uxerstyie program nas been put on hold indefinitely, un til the heating and cooling system in the new location is in working condition, he said. "Well be in (the new building) for at least a year," Retzlaff said, "or until renovations to the War ren Medical Facility are com plete." The completion date for the renovation project has been set for Sept. 1990. Persons may contact any of the health services personnel by dial ing 257-1538. Hurricane Fallout Had Effect Here; HelplsDispatched By THURLETTA M. BROWN News Editor Had Hurricane Hugo really unleashed its fury on Warren County last week, plans were in place to ensure the safety of area residents. Emergency Management Co ordinator Gary Robenolt said Monday that plans had been made to open Warren County High School as an emergency shelter. The outcome of a meet ing with the superintendent of schools, the director of social ser vices and the health director had been the decision to make the high school available to residents of mobile homes or other "non sturdy" structures. Robenolt said a social services employee was slated to man the reception area and a nurse would have been provided by the health department. "The gymnasium, cafeteria and other areas with large roof expanses would have been avoided since these areas would be likely to go ficst in high wind situations," he said. Accord ing to Robenolt, the interior hall ways of Warren County High School would accommodate an estimated 500-600 persons. First priority would have gone to residents of mobile homes and other non-sturdy structures, Robenolt said. Notification of the open shelter would have been an nounced on WTVD and WRAL television stations, he said. "Of course, in a real emergen cy situation, the county's law en forcement officers and fire fighters would have been dis patched with loud speakers to en courage residents to move into the shelters," Robenolt said. Priority was slated for resi dents of mobile homes or non sturdy structures because resi dents in "fixed homes" would likely not have problems. "In a severe tornado situation, how ever, continuous-care shelters would have been opened in the Lion's Den and other large facilities," Robenolt said. The emergency management coordinator monitored Hugo's progress all day Thursday from his office and residence. He re turned to the sheriff's office at 10:30 p.m., remaining until 4 a.m. on Friday. "By then it was clear where Hugo was going and that the storm would not affect War ren County," Robenolt said. Robenolt described winds in Warren County as "30 mph, if that." He said winds from a re cent summer storm had involved gusts of 60-70 mph. "But it is better to be safe than sorry," Robenolt said, urging Warren County residents to stay tuned to major television or radio stations in the event of a hur ricane. "And if told to evacuate, they should do so without delay," he added. When shelters are opened, residents should bring their own bedding, food and medications. "They should also take care of any pets before evacuating because no animals will be allowed." In addition to the plans made for the emergency shelter, area transportation and utility person (Continued on page 8) $10,000, Two Pistols Found Approximately $10,000 in cash, two .22-calibre derringer pistols and a small quantity of mari juana were confiscated on Friday afternoon of last week following a routine traffic pull by troopers of the N C. Highway Patrol. Trooper R. A. Ennis reported that the driver of a Lincoln Town Car, Randy Mason, 33, of Durham, was stopped for speeding 76 in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 85 near the Ridgeway exit. When he asked Mason for his license, Ennis reported that he appeared' 'more nervous than usual" for a driver being stopped for a speeding violation. Ennis then radioed for assistance from Trooper W. M. Martin, who had stopped another speeding driver who appeared to be traveling with the Lincoln. The two troopers asked Mason if they could search his car, where they found $10,000 in 20 and 100-dollar bills and a small bag of marijuana. They also searched Mason and found two .22-calibre derringer pistols in his pants pockets. The vehicle was impounded, and the weapons, cash and mari juana were confiscated. Mason was placed in the Warren Coun ty Jail under a $500 bond after be ing charged for speeding by Trooper Martin and for simple possession of marijuana by Trooper Ennis. Mri. Vivian Paynter, norse director at the Warren Ceanty Department, stocks ap sappUes on the shelves inside what formerly the cooler of the Best Bet convenience store. The Street from their former location Inside the Warren 1 ty. Those services will be offered at the i tions at the Warren Medical Facility are < (Staff Photo by Diane Davis)
The Warren Record (Warrenton, N.C.)
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