Index
Books, 2-B; Church Calendar, 3-B;
Classified Ads, 8-11-C; Editorials, 1-B;
Entertainment, 4-5-C; Obituaries, 7-A;
Pinehurst News, 1-2-C; Social News,
2-6-A; Sports, 8-9-A.
Vol. 57, Number 13
H
LOT
Sunny and Breezy
Is the forecast for today with
temperatures in the low forties; the low
twenties tonight. Near zero chance of
rain today; only 10 percent tomorrow.
38 Pages
Southern Pines, North Carolina Wednesday, January 26, 1977
38 Pages
Price 15 Cents
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER — This painting of the new President of the
United States is hanging at Bob’s Pizza at Skyline. It was painted by the
proprietor’s wife, Bertha Newcomer.
An Aura Of Good Feeling
At Carter’s Inauguration
BY VOrr GILMORE
Inauguration week in
Washington was some of
America at its best. If you
weren’t there, whatever your
political persuasion, you missed
a great drama. Even in the Riggs
National Bank inaugural parade
stands adjacent to the White
House, laced heavily with
Republicans, I sensed an aura of
good feeling about our land.
The new President, preceded
by his empty limousine and
quick-paced Secret Service
escort, walked past, separated
from his wife by Amy who
grasped each parent’s hand and
joyfully leaped her way along
Pennsylvania Avenue. Warmth
flowed from crowd to Carters
and back again, and it seemed a
moment when America was
suddenly simpler, more genuine.
more manageable.
As numbed viewers sat or
stomped feet in the arctic wind
through three hours of bands and
floats I felt almost wicked being
able easily to .slip inside to the
bank’s day4ong buRet~wid its
teller witl^WS 'Which had been
labeled “drink teller’’ and were
dispensing spirits, not money.
There I heard much praise for
Carter’s gracious opening words
about Ford. And I encountered
Luther Hodges, Jr., busily
pushing his plan to replace Jesse
Helms as senator in 1978.
All week in Washington was a
(Continued on Page 13-A)
Many From Moore
Share Experience
BY SALLY AUMAN
After a memorable trip to the
Inauguration on Thursday in
Washington, it is my opinion that
every American should make
every effort to attend this event
at least once.
Phyllis George To MC
Hall Of Fame Banquet
Phyllis George will be the
mistress of ceremonies when two
persons from Southern Pines will
be inducted into the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame at
Charlotte on Feb. 17.
Miss George, a CBS sport-
scaster and former Miss
America, will preside when
Mickey Walsh, the noted horse
trainer, and golfing great Peggy
Kirk Bell, along with three
others, are honored. Mrs. Bell
will be introduced by golfer
Patty Berg.
The annual induction banquet
will be held at the new Radisson
Plaza Hotel in Charlotte and is
sponsored by the Charlotte
Qiamber of Commerce. About
650 persons are expected to at
tend, including a large con
tingent from the Sandhills area.
The 8 p.m. induction ceremony
will follow a 7 p.m. reception.
Other inductees this year are
George Barclay, former UNC
All-American gridiron star and
Phyllis George
coach; former New York Yankee
pitching star Tommy Byrne (to
be intr^uced by Mel Allen, “the
(Continued on Page 14-A)
THE
PILOT LIGHT
HUNT-Governor Jim Hunt
has a campaign commitment to
tighten tq) the administration of
state government and he already
has told department heads to
show some results by some time
in March.
This could mean a reduction in
personnel for several depart
ments, but if the usual
procedures are followed this will
come about by general attrition-
resignations and retirements -
with the jobs being left unfilled
whenever possible. Some em
ployes will be laid off, however.
During the campaign
Governor Hunt talked about
making state government
“leaner and more efficient,’’ and
he wants to see some headway
made along this line.
AUMAN-Rep. T. Clyde
Auman came back from the
Carter inauguration in
Washington last Friday and
entered Moore Memorial
Hospital Saturday morning.
At the time he was running a
fever, and on Monday it was not
known how long he would be
away from the General
Assembly because of the illness.
COURTS-A bill has been in
troduced in the Legislature
which would require all cases to
be brought to trial in the courts
(Continued on Page 13-A)
Not Much Snow -- Enough
To Stall Sandhills Region
It wasn’t much of a snow-not
much more than an inch-but
combined with sleet it had a
paralyzing effect on the Sandhills
late Monday afternoon and night.
There was a rash of automobile
accidents all over Moore County
and during the afternoon and
night there were 21 persons
treated at Moore Memorial
Hospital for accident injuries.
There were no serious injuries,
however, because of the icy
condition.
Schools were closed on
Tuesdav and reooened one hour
late today (Wednesday). The
schools had been closed on
Monday for a teacher work day.
Most business places in the
Sandhills closed early Monday
afternoon when warnings went
out about the hazardous driving
conditions on the highways.
The State Highway Patrol and
the police departments in
Southern Pines and Aberdeen
were kept busy with accident
calls and traffic stalls.
Most of the accidents were
from cars sliding into ditches or
into other vehicles because of the
ice on the streets and highways.
At one place near Carthage
traffic was blocked for quite
awhile because of a five-car pile-
up. Another traffic snarl
developed on Highway 22 out of
Southern Pines late in the af
ternoon when several cars were
involved in an accident.
Derry Walker, public in
formation director, said that
most of those brou^t to Moore
Memorial Hospital were treated
for minor injuries and released.
There were no reports, he said, of
major injuries fi'om sUps or falls
on the ice.
The Southern Pines Fire
Department was called to
several wrecks to wash down the
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Youth Held In Eight Arson Cases
After Rash Of Costly Home Fires
Robert L. Stuart, Jr., 18, of
Southern Pines, has been
arrested in connection with eight
cases of arson and unlawful
burning after an intensive three
week investigation by the
Southern Pines Police Dept., the
Southern Pines Fire Dept, and
SBI agent R. E. Adams of
Southern Pines.
Stuart, a Pinecrest senior, was
charged Sunday with two felony
counts of arson and five felony
counts of unlawful burning, by
the Southern Pines Police Dept.,
and one count of arson by the
Pinehurst Police Dept.
Young Stuart was initially put
under a $4,000 bond, and was out
of jail, reportedly staying with
his father who had moved to a
condominium in Pinehurst, until
Tuesday when Superior Court
Judge William Z. Wood ordered
Stuart’s bond revoked and
papers to be prepared to have
him committed to Dorothea Dix
Hospital in Raleigh for 60 days
for evaluation.
The fires connected with the
charges are the Dec. 21 fire at the
Stuart house at 725 Ohio Ave.,
where damage was reportedly
extensive to one room; the Jan. 1
fire at the Edgar B. Smith house
at 605 Midland Rd., vdiere the
house was nearly destroyed; the
Stuart house again on Jan. 6, this
time gutting the entire building;
and five additional fires started
Sunday, Jan. 23, the day of
Stuart’s arrest.
The fires Sunday included the
Susan Talbert house, which had
Hie news media gives an
excellent coverage, but it is the
enthusiasm of toe people that
gives momentum to toe occasion.
It is impossible to portray the
mass of some 350,000 persons, all
happy, even amid cold, over
crowding and weariness.
The Washington police
remained calm and gave
detailed instructions to those who
needed help. The department
reported that only six arrests
were made during toe day and
none of those were for violence.
The North Carolina
Congressional delegation rolled
out toe red carpet for some 2,000
Tar Heels. It began with a
Wednesday evening buffet in toe
Caucus room of toe Cannon
Building. Senator and Mrs.
Robert Morgan hosted a ireak-
fast in toe Cannon Building on
Thursday and coffee, doughnuts,
and cooUes were on tap in toe
(Continued op Page 13-A)
Woman, 39
Reported
Missing
Betty Ann Kennedy, of Rob
bins, Rt. 1, has been reported
missing since Jan. 22.
Mrs. Kennedy, who is
described as white, age 39,5 foot,
5 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds
with hazel eyes and black hair,
was last seen at toe Super Dollar
Store in Robbins on Saturday,
Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. Sie was
reportedly wearing a short
length brown leather coat and
slacks at the time.
Sie was reported to have had
between $200 and $300 with her.
She was reported missing by
her husband, Charles M. Ken
nedy, on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 9
(Continued on Page 13-A)
Deputy Case
Sheriff C. G. Wimberly said
this (Wednesday) morning that
he has not received a resignation
fi-om Deputy Walter Smith.
There were reports that Smith,
a former undercover agent in a
drug investigation, was involved
in a mistaken identity search
warrant incident.
Chamber Is Told Zoning
Only Answer For Moore
“There is no word in local
politics more disliked than the
word ‘zoning.’ However, that is
toe only procedure left to you if ‘
you are going to maintain the
character of the county.”
With those words, James E.
Harrington Jr., a former
Pinehurst resident and now a
Raleigh businessman after
serving four years in toe ad
ministration of ex-Gov. James E.
Holshouser, made a point to a
Southern Pines audience
Tuesday night in explaining why
a comprehensive plan is needed
for toe future development of
Moore County so that toe San
dhills will not become a less
desirable place to live.
I^eaking to about 200 persons
at the annual dinner meeting of
toe Sandhills Area Chamber of
Commerce, Harrington said
Moore County already had most
of toe qualities of good living that
other communities were looking
for now. But, he warned, unless a
comix'ehensive plan to guide and
(Continued on Page 13-A)
Meet Set By Council
To Make Future Plans
A meeting of toe Southern
Pines Retail Council to discuss
plans for toe future has been
called for 8 a.m. Friday in toe
CouncU Room of Town Hall by
Chairman Joann Duffield.
Spurgeon Cameron and Peter
Batchelor of N. C. State
University, who have proposed a
downtown study with recom
mendations to toe Town Council,
will be at toe meeting to discuss
their proposal.
In calling the meeting, Mrs.
Duffield said:
“We’ve just come through a
very interesting business year.
We have been coming out of a
business recession, faced
competition fi'om a new regional
mall, increased parking
problems, a community study
program called RUDAT,
proposals from toe Town Council
based on toe Wilbur Smith
Traffic and Parking Study, talk
of a new shopping center at
Pin^urst, and rumors of at least
two others, etc.
“The time has come for the
downtown business community
to come together and talk about
what we want to do, what we
think should be done and to find
out toe thinking of our Town
Council as to possible steps that
can be taken to improve our
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Miss Linder Is Finalist
For Morehead Award
Loretta Kay Linder of
Southern Pines, a senior at
Pinecrest Hi^ School, is one of
toe finalists for a Morehead
Scholarship at toe University of
North Carolina at Ch{q>el Hill.
She is the daughter of Mrs.
files G. Linder of 230 N. Ashe St.,
and Leroy 0. Linder of Carthage.
Miss Linder was one of six
nominees for toe hi^y regarded
Morehead Award from District
m.
The announcement was made
by Mebane Pritchett, executive
director of toe John Motley
Morehead Foundation.
Selection of finalists is made on
the basis of academic
achievement and potential
evidence of leadership and
service, character and itoysical
vigor.
The finalists were selected -
from 23 nominees picked earlier
by county committees from 12
counties in District III. In
terviews were conducted by toe
District Selection Committee in
Elizabethtown on Tuesday, Jan.
18. District HI is composed of
(Continued on Page 14-A)
at one time been owned by
Stuart, at 535 E. Delaware Ave.,
with extensive damage done to
toe structure; toe C. C. Mc
Donald house at 650 E. CMiio Ave.,
and the McDonald’s car,
estimated damage to toe house
$5,000 with the interior of toe car
completely destroyed; toe Edgar
Smith house on Midland
again; and a condominium
structure housing several
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Water Vote
Hearing
Is Called
The Moore County com
missioners, in a - brief called
meeting Tuesday morning, set a
public hearing for Tuesday,
February 8, at 7:30 ip.m., on
holding a bond referendum on
toe proposed county-wide water
system.
The vote, tentatively set for
March 29, would jx'ovide for a
$12-million bond issue, to finance
construction of Phase 1 of a long-
range plan developed by
engineers over the past severe
years, designed to meet toe
county’s water needs to the year
2000.
The board’s action followed a
report by D. Parker Lynch,
county public works director,
that the Local Government
Commission had approved their
application so far, recom
mending the March 29 voting
date as the earliest feasible.
The commissioners, who
published on January 5 their
“Notice of Intent” to file followed
up Tuesday with adoption of two
resolutions required by toe Local
Government Commission.
Phase 1 calls for construction
of a water filtration plant on
Drowning Creek, with lines laid
to serve Pinebluff, Aberdeen,
Pinehurst, Southern Pines and
Whispering Pines; also lines laid
along nearby highways from the
Robbins filtration plant, and in
toe Vass-Lakeview area, from
(Continued on Page 14-A)
ARSON CHARGED — This is what remains of the
Edgar B. Smith home at 605 Midland Road following a
second fire, in which Robert L. Stuart Jr., 18, is
charged with arson.—(Photo by Glenn M. Sides).
School Plans Aired
At All-Day Meeting
Slick and icy roads in all areas
of Moore County on Tuesday
didn’t deter the Moore County
people interested in toe long-
range improvement of toe county
school system.
The group-numbering up to 50
persons at times-met all day at
toe administration building of
toe school system near Carthage
to discuss the needs of all 19
schools in all areas of improving
toe quality of instruction to toe
students.
All members of toe school
board were present at the
morning session, as were three of
toe five county commissioners.
Also present were advisory
(Continued on Page 14-A)
$3 Million Shopping Center,
Housing Complex Announced
Plans for a $2 million shopping
center on US 15-501 across from
Pinecrest High School and an
adjoining $1 million con
dominium complex were an
nounced this week by l^irley
Manning.
Mrs. Manning, who has been
engaged in real estate
development in Southern Pines
t-' '■*/
; ■
for the past several years, said
that she has purchased a 40-acre
tract on US 15-501 and Morganton
Road which is not now zoned.
She plans, however, to present
her plans and proposal to toe
Moore County Planning Board
“as a courtesy” this (Wed
nesday) afternoon at 3 o’clock. “I
will seek their Idessing,” she
said.
It will be a “controlled type”
shopping center of from 10 to 12
acres, Mrs. Manning said, with
100,000 square feet of shopping
space, which will also include an
enclosed mall.
The townhouse type con
dominiums, 20 in all, will be
(Continued on Page 14-A)
FENCE A TARGET — This fence along the property of Dr. and Mrs. Anthony G.
Hucks-Folliss on East Connecticut Avenue has been a special target for
automobiles failing to make the curve at Duncraig Manor, where the sign at right
was erected. Mrs. Hucks-Folliss said their fence has been knocked down five
times in the past three months, the latest this past Friday night.