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Spotlight
Today’s PUot Spotlight is on a couple
whose business started with an orchid.
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Index
Books, 2-B; Church Calendar, 3-B;
Classified Ads, 10-15-C; Editorials, 1-B;
Entertainment, 4-6-C; Obituaries, 11-A;
Pinehurst News, 1-3-C; Social News, 2-
7-A; Sports 8-10-A.
Vol. 57, Number 19
46 Pages
Southern Pines, North Carolina Wednesday, March 9, 1977
46 Pages
Price 15 Cents
School Lines
Will Depend
On Bus Plein
A plan to make school
attendance areas more flexible
in order to reflect changing
population trends, and make the
best use of all existing school
facilities in meeting new
demands, is expected to be put
into effect in Moore County in the
coming school year.
Calling for the elimination of
attendance area lines for all
elementary and middle schools,
and their replacement with
school bus routes within Areas I,
II and III, the plan was given
preliminary approval by the
Moore County Board of
Education at its February
meeting, with final vote to be
taken at the regular meeting
March 29. This is the procedure
followed in making a major
policy change.
The traditional lines of the
three main areas, each with its
high school, will not be changed,
but within those bounds, the
children up through the eighth
grade will, as usual, take the bus
which runs nearest their home.
They will go to the school where
it delivers them-which may, or
may not, be the nearest, or the
one they have attended before.
No change is anticipated in the
high school attendance areas
within at least the next five
years.
As e^lained to the board by
Associate Supt. C. Edison
Powers, the plan has been
developed to insure equality of
education, with distribution of
pupils below the high school level
for maximum utilization of
program, personnel and
(Continued on Page 12A)
r
r
Disaster
Area Here
Designated
Congressman Bill Hefner
announced today that President
Carter has designated Moore
County an agricultural disaster
area.
The President’s designation
resulted from the severe bought
in North Carolina this past
sununer and the severe freezing
weather this winter across the
country.
According to' Hefner, the
designation means that livestock
farmers in Moore County may
appeal to the Agricultural
Stabilization and Conservation
Service for partial
reimbursement of livestock feed
costs under the emergency
livestock feed program.
Farmers who would like more
informatio; should contact their
local ASCS office.
In addition to Moore County,
five other counties in the 8th
Congressional District were
included in the designation. They
are Davie, Cabarrus,
Montgomery, Rowan, and
Yadkin.
Walter Fields of the ASCS
office in Carthage that
livestodrpmdticers would have
to meet certain standards to
obtain the payments for
purchase of feeds over the March
and April period.
(Continued on Page 12A)
Prison Term Given
In Drug Conviction
The last three days of the
criminal term held last week at
Clarthage, with Special Judge
Robert L. Gavin presiding,
featured only one jury trial, in
which Gregg Pierce was con
victed on two drug counts,
drawing two years in prison on
each.
The sentences, for possession
of MDA, and possession of
amphetamines with intent to sell,
are to be served concurrently.
Appeal was noted, then the notice
was withdrawn before the end of
the term. The court ordered that
drugs seized in the case be
destroyed.
In two cases, defendants
pleaded not guilty,' juries were
empaneled and in one case
state’s evidence was completed,
the pleas then being withdrawn
and guilty pleas submitted in
their place.
One case was that of Frank
Hales, charged with assault with
a firearm on a law enforcement
officer, who had attempted to use
a rifle on Carthage Police Chief
Allan Benner when Benner tried
to take it away from him. The
incident occurred on the cour
thouse square at a time when the
defendant was drinking. Defoise
counsel appealed to the judge
that, in passing sentence, he
recognize that his cUent had
problems of age, ill health and
alcohol. The sentence was 18
months, with .physical and
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Webster Elected Head
Of Arts Council Here
Terrell Webster, a local at
torney, is the new president of
the Sandhills Arts ciouncU.
Webster, who was elected at a
meeting of the Council board of
directors on Friday, succeeds
George Garrett as head of the
three-year old organization.
Other officers elected at a
meeting held at the Campbell
House, where the Arts Council
has its office, are Voit Gilmore,
first vice president; Mi;s. Archie
McLean, second vice president;
Cynthia A. McDonald,
secretary; Mrs. A. Reynold
Tucker, treasurer.
\9
Terrell Webster
Bond V ote
Opposed
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■■ ■■ .
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*
HUNT TEAM WINNERS — A record crowd turned out
here Saturday for the 20th annual Hunter Trials in
which there were also a record 17 entries in the hunt
teams, class nine. The Paddock Junior Team of (left
to right) Pat Darden on Granite Fox, Jane Packard on
r \>
Cordon Bleu and Leonard Short on Battle Bounce is
shown taking the last fence to win the class and
trophies, donated by Mr. and Mrs. R.D.
Webb.—(Photo by Emerson Humphrey).
Q&A On Moore Water Bond Issue
Questions raised about the
proposed county-wide water
system and the $12 million bond
referendum on March 29 have
been answered by the “Neigh
bors for Clean Water,” which is
promoting approval of the bond
issue.
Pamphlets containing
questions and answers have been
published and are being cir
culated throughout Moore
County.
Here are some of the questions
and answers:
Q. Does Moore County need a
county-wide water system?
A. Yes, our towns and rural
areas are now facing challenges
in water supply, treatment and
distribution. Fire protection is
inadequate for most of the
county. Water is essential for the
proper health and safety of
Moore County citizens.
Q. How will fire protection be
enhanced by this system?
A. The system will give us a
dependable water supply to fight
fires in certain locations. A
water supply is
to fight fires, par-
in major structures
schools, hospitals,
other em-
plentiful
essential
ticularly
such as
businesses and
ployment centers.
Plans were also made at the
board meeting for an Arts
Council Masque on ^ril 29, at
which works of arts will be
auctioned, along with en
tertainment and a dinner. Patsy
Tucker is serving as chairman of
the Arts Council benefit event.
Julian Long, executive
director of the Sandhills Arts
Council, reported that this year
there are more than 1200
members of the Council this
year.
Webster and his wife, the
former Leila McKimmon of
Raleigh, live on Bethesda Road
in Southern Pines. He is
with the law firm of Johnson and
Poole of Aberdeen and
Pinehurst. He and his wife are
the parents of three girls and two
boys, all either in coUege or
graduated. He is a member of
Elmmanuel Episcopal Church,
and is on the board of directors of
the Southern Pines Rotary Club
and the Pinehurst Forum.
Webster moved in April, 1973,
to Southern Pines from Conover
in Catawba County where he was
president of the Conover Glove
Manufacturing C^o., chairman of
the school board and served four
years on the Catawba County
board of commissioners.
Zone Vote
Hearing
Delayed
The recommendation of the
Moore County Planning Board to
the county commissioners,
delivered to them Monday by
Tony Carlyle, zoning admin
istrator, was that “a public
hearing be held at the earliest
possible date, to consider
amending the Moore County
zoning ordinance to require a
three-fourths vote in dealing with
zoning change requests, as
specified in the original 1966
ordinance.”
The motion had been
unanimously adopted by the
Planning Board at its March 1
meeting, made by William H.
Gentry, Jr., and seconded by
J.W. Cranford.
But the commissioners had
already decided to postpone all
meetings, hearings or any other
actions which had any relation to
zoning, until after the water bond
vote set for Tuesday, March 29.
Zoning is in some areas a
pretty emotional issue, and if any
emotions were going to be stirred
up between now and the
referendum, the board wanted it
to be on getting out an
affirmative vote.
They asked Carlyle to see that
he had a place on the agenda for
their regular meeting Monday,
April 4, by which time the water
bond issue will be decided; and
they would then set the date for
the hearing on the three-fourths
vote, also on a zoning meeting to
be held at Pinehurst.
People from Pinehurst,
Foxfire and surrounding areas
will be asked to attend, to hear of
(Continued on Page 12A)
Q. Will fire hydrants be in
stalled along the water lines?
A. Yes, hydrants will be placed
within five hundred feet of
customers in developed areas
along the county water lines.
Q. If the referendum does not
pass, what will happen to the
towns which need new or ex
panded water systems?
A. The towns will be required
to improve their independent
systems. The towns will tear the
financial burdens themselves
(some with bond issues, no
doubt) and service areas wiU be
limited to the town vicinity.
Further, overall higher rates in
the long run may be expected by
this independent approach to our
county-wide water needs.
Q. How will a new county-wide
water system help Moore
County?
A. The most pressing current
needs for water will be met and
our lifestyle will be maintained.
New businesses will be ac
commodated by an adequate
water supply, thus creating more
jobs for our citizens, particularly
our youth.
Q. Where will the system be
buUt?
A. A treatment plant will be
located on Drowning Creek
below Pinebluff. Water lines will
be built from the plant to
Pinebluff, Aberdeen, Pinehurst,
Southern Pines and Whispering
Pines. The County will extend
water lines from Vass to provide
service to the Lakeview area.
The existing water treatment
system of Robbins will be ex
panded and new lines will be
extended by the County to
Miss Linder Is Winner
UNC Morehead Award
Loretta Kay Linder, daughter
of Mrs. Ines G. Linder of 230 N.
Ashe St., Southern Pines, and of
Leroy 0. Linder of Carthage, has
received a Morehead Award to
study at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel HUl.
The announcement is made
today by Hugh G. Chatham of
Elkin, chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the John Motley
Morehead Foundation.
A senior at Pinecrest ^ High
School, Linder is president of the
senior class, a National Merit
Semi-Finalist and on the varsity
tennis team.
She is one of 66 high school
seniors who have received 1977
Morehead Awards presented to
students of superior achievement
and potential. Academic stan
ding, character, evidence of
leadership and service, physical
vigor and ambition are the
qualities looked for in a
Morehead scholar.
The scholarships currently are
worth $11,000 for North Carolina
students for four years of study
at UNC.
Loretta Kay Linder
Linder’s selection followed a
yearlong screening process
which culminated in final in
terviews in Chapel Hill Feb. 25-
28. All finalists who did not
receive Morehead Awards were
tendered North Carolina Merit
Tuition Scholarships funded by
the Morehead Foundation.
(Continued on Page 14-A)
THE
PILOT LIGHT
• HUNT - Governor Jim Hunt is
determined to get a 2 percent
reduction in the number of state
employes, primarUy in what is
known as the middle
management group, but he is
running into some problems with
the various departments.
Department heads are relying
to a large extent on division
directors and others to make
reduction recommendations, but
what they are getting are
proposed cutoffs at the lower
levels and practically none in the
middle range which was padded
out during the Holshouser
administration.
Governor Hunt is expected tq
tear down even harder in the
coming week to get the cuts he
wants, and one of the
departments targeted for
provide service to surrounding
areas, including High Falls.
Q. Where will the water come
from?
A. The southeastern portion of
the County will receive water
from Drowning Creek. Robbins
area will continue to obtain
water from Bear Oeek. The
water for the Vass area will
continue to be derived from
Little River.
Q. Moore County already has
enough people and enough in
dustry. Why should we en
courage gro^h by initiating a
county-wide water system?
A. An adequate water system
may be a factor in the future
growth of Moore County.
However, growth would expand
the tax base, as it has in the past
decade, and help us keep a low
tax rate.
Q. How much will the water
system cost?
A. The first phase of the water
system will cost $12,(K)0,0(X).
Q. Where will the money come
from to pay for the bonds?
A. Revenues from the users of
the system are expected to pay
for the bonds. Federal and State
grants and low-interest, long
term loans are anticipated to aid
in financing the system also.
Q. Will the system cause an
(Continued on Page 12A)
No School
The public schools of Moore
County will be closed on Friday,
March 11. Friday has teen
designated as one of the 17t^
Teacher Work Days of this school
year.
Originally, Thursday, March
10 was scheduled as the Teacher
Work Day and March 11 was to
have teen a leave day for
teachers. Schools were closed on
January 25 due to inclement
weather and that day was con
sidered as a leave day for
teachers. Thursday is being used
as a make-up day for the day lost
and the Work Day was moved to
Friday.
Exhuming
Of Body-
Ordered
Henry Turner, 35, of Southern
Pines, who was freed Feteuary
24 in Moore District court from
charges of arson and the murder
of his mother, was indicted
Monday by a Moore County
grand jury on both counts, re
arrested Thursday on voluntarily
surrendering himself in Moore
Superior Court, and on Friday
was transferred to Dorothea Dix
Hospital at Raleigh.
In addition to conunitting the
defendant to Dix for psychiatric
evaluation, over a period of up to
60 days. Special Judge Robert L.
Gavin signed an order for
exhumation of the body of Mrs.
Julia Turner, 70, for autopsy by
the state medicd examiner.
No autopsy had teen held at
the time of Mrs. Turner’s death
in a fire January 11 at the home
in Southern Pines which she
(Continued on Page 14-A)
A group of about 25 men and
women-including two or three
members who said they were
“just observers”-visited the
Moore (Dounty commissioners in
regular meeting Monday to
express their opposition to the
water bond vote set for March 29.
Mrs. Linda McFadyen of
Pinebluff, spokesman for the
group, said they included
representation from Scotland,
Hoke, Richmond and Robeson
counties as well as Moore.
She said they were concerned '
at the use, or possible abuse, of
waters whose tenefits are shared
among the counties, by the
Moore County regional waste-
water treatment plant now under
construction, and the proposed
clean-water filtration plant for
which the bond issue would pay.
Mrs. McFadyen said also that
“a lot of concern centers around
the residential and industrial
growth” the regional sewer and
water systems could promote.
Pollution by the wastewater
system, and overuse by the
clean-water system, of Drowning
Creek, on which both plants are
to be located, were feared by
members of the group.
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Cablevision Hiked;
Zone Change Heard
The Southern Pines Town
Council Tuesday night ten
tatively approved renewal of the
cablevision franchise of the
Sandhills Community Antenna
Corp., with some modifications,
including a rate raise from the
current $6.95 to $7.75 per month
for a single set.
The corporation had requested
$8 last fall, and following a public
hearing, and a concession to the
firm-allowing it to seek business
locally in door-to-door
solicitation-the council had
deferred action pending a con
ference of the town attorney with
James Doolittle, president of the
firm.
Tuesday night, Doolittle
proposed the $7.75 as a “holding
rate” for a period of “six to 12
months,” then, he said, “if we
find it necessary,” they would
return to the $8 proposd.
The council expressed little
faith that it would not be found
“necessary.” However, it con
curred with the $7.75 request,
with the proviso-proposed by
Councilman Earl Hubbard-that
there be no further raise in rates,
or request for one, for two years.
(Continued on Page 14-A)
Carter Radio Session
Gets Strong Approval
BY CRAIG LAMB
If a quick survey taken early
this week is any indication, not
many Southern Pines residents
were in the audience of President
Carter’s radio talk show debut on
Saturday.
However, actually hearing the
teoadcast does not seem to have
been required to understand the
point Carter made by doing the
show.
Nearly everyone who heard the
teoadcast, and many of those
who did not, thought it was a
good idea. The idea of a
President reaching out to the
people, trying to keep in touch
with the public is refreshing to
most, except one woman who
thought the broadcast was
“naive.”
Tony Parker, Moore (^unty
commissioner, was very pleased
with the broadcast idea. Talking
to the public in an informal,
relaxed manner is the kind of
politics Tony believes in.
“That’s the way I first saw him
when he visited here a couple of
years ago, when he was
Governor of Georgia,” Tony
said. “He walked around
Southern Pines all day meeting
people and talking with them. He
has always teen down to earth
and easy to talk to.”
Tony also appreciates the fact
that Carter will not double-talk
an answer to a question he
doesn’t know the answer to. It is
a down to earth quality to admit
occasionally that you don’t know
(Continued on Page 14-A)
attention is Human Resources.
There are 140,000 state
employes on the payroll and a cut
of 2 percent would mean
eliminating 2,800 jobs. At the
average state salary of $10,000
per year that would represent a
savings of $28 million.
The cuts do not necessarily
mean that employes will be fired,
but that vacant jobs will not be
filled. Personnel officers
estimate that during a normal
year there are about 6,000
vacancies to be filled.
ERA - Some of the Senate
proponents of the Equal Rights
Amendment, which went down to
defeat by the narrow margin of
26-24 last week, feel that not
enough pressure was put on two
(Continued on Page 14-A)
PEACHES DELAYED — Cold weather has delayed the peach blooms by about
three weeks in Moore County, but work continues. Floyd Smith of West End is
shown fertilizing a mixed variety of peaches on the farm of Clyde
Auman.—(Photo by Glenn M. Sides).