Happy Netc Tear
■LOT
Oood Luck.
Vol. 59, Number 9
52 Pages
Southern Pines, North Carolina 28387
Wednesday, December 27, 1978
52 Pages
PRICE 15 CENTS
Hospital Can
Spot Poisons
More Quickly
There are about 175,000 ac
cidental opportunities for
poisoning yourself this year; at
least, that’s the number
described in Moore Memorial
Hospital’s new “Poisondex”
system, the latest addition to the
Emergency Department.
Accidental poisoning is
nightmarish, especially for
parents of small children who
have swallowed or inhaled an
unfriendly substance. Thanks to
the new system, an alarmed
pai'ent can call the Moore
Memorial Emergency Depart
ment and learn, in minutes, how
much danger th? child faces, and
what immediate action is
needed.
Moore Memorial emergency
personnel already know how to
manage many poison probleins,
but some episodes could require
hours of research, when such
hours could be critical for the
victim. Accordingly, “Poison
dex” is a welcome addition, says
Dr. Robert Jacques, one of four
Emergency Department
physicians at Moore Memorial.
“Not only can we immiediately
identify the poisonous substance,
we can, at the same time, review
the recommended emergency
treatment for any one of nearly
175,000 items. This means that,
when someone calls in a
(Continued on Page 8-A)
Auto Tags
Sale Opens
On Jan. 2
The Division of Motor Vehicles
of the North Carolina
Department of Transportation
reminded motorists today that
validation stickers and plates for
1979 will go on sale throughout
the state on January 2.
Renewal cards necessary for
obtaining a 1979 sticker or plate
were mailed December 18 an
should be received by December
29. Anyone not receiving a
renewal card should notify the
Division of Motor Vehicles in
Raleigh by mail at 1100 New
Bern Avenue or by telephone at
(919) 733-3025.
Elbert L. Peters Jr.,
Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles, said, “It will take from
ten days to two weeks to obtain a
card and new plates or stickers
must be displayed by midnight,
February 15.”
Newcomers to North Carolina
or those buying a car for the first
time should make application for
a license plate at the nearest
(Continued on Page 16-A)
New Facility
For Airport
Nearly Ready
SKYLINE AT SKYLINE — There’s a special
quality to a late December sunset, and here’s a
scene which Pilot Photographer Glenn M. Sides
caught on the US 1 by-pass, looking southward.
Note the car which appears hemmed in by two
trucks on the highway.
New Year’s
Holidays
Coming Up
Another holiday-New Year’s
Day-will follow on the heels of
our major holiday of the year.
For almost everyone, however,
the holiday will be one day only,
although this year it represents
another long weekend.
Monday ^ be a holiday for
most public offices, ranging from
municipal and county
government to state and federal
offices.
Post offices will be closed for a
complete holiday, which means
that no mail will be received and,
none will be dispatched. There
will be no home delivery and no
windqw service in the post
offices.
Monday will be a holiday for
the Moore County schools, but it
will mark the end of a week and a
(Continued on Page 13-A)
BY FLORENCE GILKESON
If the weather cooperates, the
local airport may move into its
new facilities by Feb. 1.
Moore County Administrator
W. Sidney Taylor believes the
terminal building and hangar
may be occupied as early as the
Jan. 15-20 period. Jim Meals,
executive vice-president of
Resort Aviation, is a little more
cautious in his predictions but
admits the move is only a few
weeks away.
The structures are “imder
roof” and the plumbing and
electrical work has been com
pleted at the terminal. Meals
reports. The offices have been
framed-in, but the siting, mill
work, and finish remain to be
done. The hangar doors have yet
to be installed, and the main
tenance offices and work area
are not complete, according to
Meals.
Meals states that construction
work has been delayed from two
to three weeks, largely because
of a rainy period in late
November. Myrick Construction
(Continued on Page 8-A)
Sewer System Note Is Extended;
Tax Favors Given New Industry Young Vass Man Killed
By Pistol On Christmas
Two At Sandhills Named
For Distinguished Award
Albert Einstein once wrote-“It
is the supreme art of the teacher
to awaken joy in creative ex
pression and toowledge.”
Sandhills Conununity College
each year presents two
prestigious awards to members
of the faculty deemed out
standing in their ability to
“awaken joy in creative ex
pression and knowledge” in their
students. Nominated for the
honors by fellow instructors and
students, and selected by a
special committee, the two are
named recipients of the C. Foster
Brown Jr. and the John R. Sibley
As result of county com
missioner action on Dec. 20, a
grant anticipation note will be
renewed for $020,000 water and
sewer lines will be extended to
the community’s newest in
dustry, and matching funds for
the airport will be accepted from
the State Department of Tran
sportation.
’The Moore County Board of
Commissioners held a called
meeting last week to act on
several emergency and last
minute items. The board will
hold its regular January meeting
on Tuesday rather than on
Monday, which is a holiday.
Parker Lynch, county public
works director, appeared before
the board with a resolution for
renewal of the $620,000 portion of
the Series A note and covering
retirement of $130,000 from that
note. The resolution passed
Unanimously on a motion by
Commissioner Arthur Purvis
and a second by Carolyn Blue.
Estimated completion date is
June 1, when construction on the
waste water plant should be
“Distinguished Professorships.”
Each award carries a stipend of
one thousand dollars.
The 1978 awards were
(X'esented by Ik*. Raymond A.
Stone, president of Sandhills
Conununity College, at a general
faculty meeting December 19. ^ , ,
Arthur E. Bryant, instructor in n IC
physics, was presented the C.
Foster Brown Distinguished
Professorship. It was established \jrlV0 X CStS
in 1967 by Mrs. Joseph Davidson
as a tribute to her first husband
who was instrumental in
securing the campus on Airport
(Continued on Page 16-A)
Masseuse Brings Warning
Of Massage Parlors Here
Retiring Dean of Judges
Voices Ideas On Courts
BYBILLNOBLITT
The extremely high prison
population in North Carolina is
more due to political and public
pressure on the state’s judges
than any other factor says the
retiring dean of superior court
> judges.
The “politically sensitive”
nature of the job causes judges to
reach to popular demands for
stricter punishment, according
to Hamilton H. Hobgood of
Louisburg.
Hobgood retires soon from a
career on the bench which has
seen him called upon to exercise
his widely regarded even hand
and judicial temperament in
such volatile situations as the
trial of Joan Littie on a murder
charge.
He took the occasion at a
recent meeting of the (jovernor’s
Crime Ctonunission which he
serves as a member to offer what
he termed some blunt but
necessary comments on where
this state is now, and where it is
going, in terms of criminal
justice.
His years on the bench, his
membership on the crime
commission and on legislative
study commissions, leadership in
(Continued on Page 16-A)
THE
PILOT LIGHT
DEMOCRATS-Letters have
gone out from Governor Jim
Hunt to a number of leading
Democrats around the state
^ging them to attend the third
annual Democratic Gala to be
held in the Raleigh Civic Center
on Jan. 10 from 7:30 to 11 p.m.
The Gala will be held on the
same day that the 1979 General
Assembly convenes, and the
Governor and Mrs. Betty Mc
Cain, State Democratic chair
man, are hoping that will help
fattract a record number for the
*$100 per couple fund-raising
event.
Appointed state co-chairmen
for the Gala were State Senator
James Garrison of Albemarle
and Mrs. Martha Speed of
Louisburg, wife of State Senator
James D. Speed and current
president of the Sir Walter
Cabinet.
Both the Governor and Mrs.
McCain said the fund-raiser is
needed to retire some campaign
debts and rebuild the campaign
chest for the future. Both also
stressed “it is also important
that we have as much party unity
as we can in the 1979 (ienerd
Assembly and the Gala will serve
that purpose, too.”
WHICHARD-As matters now
stand State Senator Willis
Whichard of Durham is a likely
candidate for the Democratic
nomination for Lieutenant
Governor in 1980.
Not long ago Whichard
publicly said that he is giving
serious consideration to making
(Continued on Page 12-A)
In March
It won’t be long until students
in grades 1,2,3,6, and 9 in Moore
County will be gearing up for the
second administration of the
annual testing program.
Approximately 500,000 North
Carolina students will
participate in the annual testing
that will be administered
between March 20 and April 9.
Approximately 500,000 students
took the test last year.
Students will be asked to
demonstrate their skills in the
basic subjects as part of the
annual testing program.
First and second graders will
take a criterion-referenced test.
This type of test is designed to
reveal whether or not students
have mastered, or learned,
certain specific objectives. This
format will indicate specific skill
weaknesses and strengths of
students, which will help
educators in the planning of
instruction. Third and sixth
graders will take a
norm-referenced test, which will
compare the performance of
North Carolina students with the
performance of a national
sample representing students at
(Continued on Page 8-A)
Several subjects arose at a
called meeting on Dec. 20 which
are expected to appear on the
future agenda of the Moore
County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Tony Parker
expressed his opposition to
establishment of massage
parlors in Moore County and
recommended that the board
consider prohibiting such
businesses in the land use
ordinance.
The subject arose when the
board considered additional
conununications concerning a
request for a permit from Gail
Braithwaite, who is a Swedish
masseuse. At the November
meeting Ms. Braithwaite
appeared to request licensure,
only to be advised that there is no
law prohibiting the service she
offers, which is quite different
from that offered by latter day
massage parlors. The massage
which Ms. Braithwaite
provides is a form of physical
therapy for women and is carried
out in the homes of her clients.
While expressing no specific
criticism of Ms. Braithwaite and
her service, Parker cUUed this a
possible “foot in the door” for the
same type pf thing existing in
Cumberland County. He reported
receiving one expression of
(Continued on Page 13-A)
Criminal Court Session
Will Open Here Tuesday
complete and the permanent
water supply readied. Lynch
reported. The project,
operational almost a year, has
been approved by the En
vironmental Protection Agency,
which is expected to release a
federal grant covering the full
amount of the note prior to Dec.
28, 1979.
Lynch told the board that the
due date had been moved up
from Jan. 1 to Dec. 28 because of
the holidays. The resolution was
prepared with assistance from
tile Bond Council and the Local
Government Commission.
As of Dec. 28, the county will
pay $130,000 from the note, plus
interest, to the Carolina Bank,
and the remaining $620,000 will
be renewed. Lynch called the 5(^
interest rate “an excellent rate”
reflecting the good experience
the bank has had with the local
county government. He noted
that the best interest rate on ad
valorem tax bonds in recent
months has been 5.57 percent,
and this rate is usually better
than that for a grant anticipation
note, which is considered riskier.
In response to a question from
Commissioner Tony Parker,
Lynch stated that the well for the
water supply is being drilled and
the lines are being laid. Lynch
said the county has been
(Continued on Page 12-A)
Tragedy struck a Vass home
on Christmas night when
21-year-old Richard Lee Black
died of a gunshot wound.
Investigation by the Moore
County Sheriff’s Department is
continuing into what appears to
have been an accidental
shooting.
Black, a student and
construction worker, was
declared dead on arrival at
Moore Memorial Hospital a short
time after the shooting occurred
at 9:10, according to a
spokesman for the sheriff’s
department. He was transported
by the Carthage Rescue Squad.
The victim was shot one time
through the neck with a .357
magnum revolver while visiting
in the home of Louis Granville
King, near Carthage, the
sheriff’s spokesman said.
Coroner James E. Andrews
told The Pilot that the bullet
entered the left side of the neck,
emerged from the right jaw and
entered the right arm. Death was
(Continued on Page 8-A)
Broken Coupling Causes
Train To Block Traffic
A real Southern Pines
traffic jam occurred on
Wednesday afternoon when a
Seaboard Coast line freight
train was stalled for hours
blocking every crossing between
E. Broad St. and W. Broad St.
Traffic was backed up for
blocks on Bennett St. with cars
coming into Pennsylvania Ave.
The intersection at Morganton
Rd. and Broad St. was januned
with automobiles as the
Morganton Rd. bridge was the
only way to'get across Broad St.
Moore County Superior Court
will crank up Tues^y morning
for its first criminal session in
1979.
Court will convene at 10 a.m.
Tuesday with Judge Ronald
Barbee of Greensboro presiding.
On subsequent days court will
(x-obably begin at 9:30.
Four felony cases, constituting
an unusually short docket, will go
to the grand jury for possible
bills of indictment. Those cases
which are found to be true bills of
indictment will be worked into
the trial docket later in the week.
Fdohy cases listed on the bill
calendar include these: Richard
Francis Hess, possession of
marijuana; Marvin McKinnon,
breaMng, storing and larceny;
William C. Ingram, assault with
deadly weapon inflicting serious
injury; and Bobby Howe Grannis
Jr., larceny of motor vehicle.
The calendar was prepared by
District Attorney Carroll R.
Lowder. No cases are scheduled
for Thursday and Friday of next
week, and those cases docketed
for trail on Tuesday and Wed
nesday but not tried on those
days are subject to consideration
on Thursday or Friday.
Forty cases are docketed for
trial Tuesday. They include:
Gregory Lee McLean ((Charles
(Continued on Page 16-A)
Day After Is No Letdown
BY PATSY TUCKER
Much is seen and much is said
about the built up excitement on
the days before CSvistmas. The
hurry and scurry of last minute
shoppers-the pitdi of excitement
that finds itself reaching a peak
on Christmas Eve-then the
stuffing of stockings, opening
presents, Christmas dinner and
then the letdown begins.
What do you do the day after
Christmas? To some it’s a
wonderful day of relaxation to
others it’s a didl day with nothing
to do-that is if you don’t have to
teach somebody to ride a bicycle
or learn to play a game.
Our town is the quietest I’ve
witnessed this day after
Christmas. Even the l^ketball
court at the town park is empty.
The tennis courts have only two
people playing. No doubt they got
rackets for Christmas. The
churches are quiet, the streets
are quiet. The houses are quiet.
But tiiere are a few people on the
streets. A few people who are
seeking exchanges or first
person sale items.
What does the man on the
street think and feel this day
after Christmas?
“I’m in a terrific mood. We’re
just shotting around. We’re new
to the area and it’s fun looking in
the shops that are open,” said
Dawn Leinin.
“Perfectly wonderful,” said
Mrs. Le Fever of Pinehurst. “Of
course we are very much
prejudiced to this area and it’s
just a marvelous day.”
“I feel good, but when you’re
used to snow at CSiristmas it’s not
quite the same,” was the com
ment from Alma Dreyfus who
spends the warmer months in the
North. “The church services
(Continued on Page 16-A)
May St. was a steady stream of
traffic.
According to the railroad
dispatcher in Raleigh, the coup
ling on the long freight train
broke, stalling it from around
3:30 to about 7:30 that night.
Another engine was sent down
to replace the one that failed and
the train finally moved from the
crossing four hours later.
A second train coming from
the south was also halted
because of the stalled freight in
the downtown area.
' A > '
1
presentation — Governor Jim Hunt (left) presents to his
predecessor, former Governor James E. Holshouser Jr., of Southern
Pines, the first copy of the book of published public papers of
Holshouser during his term as Governor from 1973-77. The ceremony
took place in the Archives and History-State Library Building in
Raleigh on Dec. 15.