T'own
opics |
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Among those from here who at
tended the funeral of Mrs. Bertha
Evora Reynolds in Tyrrell County
Wednesday of last week were R. F.
Lowry, Mrs. Robert Klass, jr., Miss
Sue Underhill, Mrs. Roscoe Gay
lord, Mrs. Ada Virginia Cahoon,
Mrs. Ursula Spruill, Misses Marie
and Maxine Baynor, Mrs. A. L.
Whitehurst, Mrs. Ralph Basnight,
Paul Frymier, Miss Evelyn Bas
night, Mrs. Murray Liverman (of
the local faculty) and Mrs. TCcl
Pinner.
4' Mrs. Cooper Owens, of Plymouth,
left Tuesday afternoon for Rocky
Mount to meet the train bearing
the body of her only brother who
died as the result of a kick in the
chest from a mule, while working
in a Florida orange grove. A sister
of Mrs. Owens is gravely ill in a
Rocky Mount hospital, meanwhile.
The funeral is to be held near Tar
boro, it is understood, but arrange-I
ments had not been announced, nor i
were details of the accident avail
able to this paper as it went to
press.
Mr. and Mrs. Farley M. Bowers,
who lived in Plymouth for a num
ber of years while Mr. Bowers was
employed at the pulp mill here, are
making names for themselves in
Silsbee, Texas, where they now
live. Mrs. Bowers was recently
elected president of the Azalea
Garden Club there at a meeting in a
home on Bowers Road. Mr. Bowers
represented his company, East
Texas Pulp & Paper Company, in
building 150 new homes in Wood
lea Addition there, and the Bowers
^iad mentioned in the article was
named for him.
There was one important omis
sion in the list of Washington
County honor students furnished
this newspaper by East Carolina
College officials and published last
week. The name of Miss Eleanor
A. Kinard, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. J. D. Kinard, of Wenona, was
left out, although she was one of
two students from this county to
make the dean’s list, signifying
superior academic work during the
winter quarter. Reason for the
omission is that, although the Kin
ards live in Washington County,
their mailing address is through
the Pantego post office, which is
in Beaufort County. For that rea
son, college officials included her
name in the list of Beaufort Coun
ty honor students. Miss Kinard at
tended high school in Plymouth,
graduating in 1954 as valedictor
ian of her class.
Post Supervisor Jesse Rawls lists
eight members of the Roper „
Ground Observer Corps who quali
fied within the past week for wings 1
and certificates denoting complet
ion of certain training require
ments. They are: Mrs. Mary H.
Trueblood, W. A. Koonce, Jackie
*ruill, Arthur Spruill, Wade Har
on (assistant chief), Allan Mod
lin, M. B. Wallace and F. Bryan C
Harris. s
Those from Plymouth who at
tended the funeral of Mrs. Ada
Eliabeth Rose in Norfolk, Va.,
Thursday of last week were A.
Lloyd Owens, Edward L. Owens,
Mrs. A. J. Byrd and the Rev. and
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Seek To Relieve
Homeless Family
Fire Burned Oui
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Roper Firemen and Roper
Ruriian Club Join in
Sponsoring Fund-Raising
For Gaylords
Two Roper organizations—the
Ruritan Club and the Volunteer
Rire Department—are seeking to
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left homeless by fire.
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald G. Gaylord
and family lost their dwelling
house and practically all furniture
and clothing in a late Saturday
blaze of undetermined origin, it is
reported.
The 116-year-old Gaylord home
place—virtually a landmark—on
US 64 west of Roper was gutted
by the fire. Volunteer firemen
from both Roper and Plymouth
departments answered the alarm
but were unable to save much of
any value. J. II. Gaylord was the
only member of the household at
iwme at the time the fire was dis
covered.
Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord and their
two children are staying temporari
ly with Mrs. Gaylord's relatives,
while Mr. Gaylord’s father, J. II.
Gaylord, is staying for the present
with his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Beu
lah Gaylord.
No insurance was carried on the
house or its contents, reports state.
Sid Spruill, a member of both
sponsoring organizations, is serving
as treasurer of the fund. Mr.
Spruill joins the president and
members of the Ruritan Club,
Roper Fire Chief J. S. Leary and
other Roper firemen in asking that
all who can and feel so disposed
send their gifts to G. G. Gaylord
Fund, Roper, N. C., in care of Sid
Spruill, treasurer.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
HSS-j
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A hone newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
jjj County and Ms 13,MH) people.
VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 8 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, February 23, 1956
ESTABLISHED 1889
I
BIG CHECK:
Manager Marvin Weaver
and Teller Bessie Browjt
thought Leroy Bateman
kidding when he walked into the Planters Bank here recently and
presented the big check above for payment. After close scrutiny,
it was decided the check was good and Leroy got the $10 it called
for, also $1 for a similar check made out to his wife. Mr. and Mrs.
Bateman received the huge checks at a sales meeting of the Panther
Oil & Grease Manufacturing Company in Fort Worth, Texas, on
January 6, as part payment of their expenses to the meeting. Mr.
Bateman is division sales manager of the firm for North Carolina,
Tennessee, West Virginia and Ohio, and his division set a new high
record for sales during the past year.—Staff photo.
13.7 Percent Increase
In Peanut Allotments
Herbert Bonner!
Again Candidate!
In a letter to The Beacon this
week, Congressman Herbert, C.
Bonner writes that he sent his
filing fee to the State Board of
Elections on February 1 for re
election as First District Repre
sentative. This was in reference
to an article in The Beacon last
week which stated he had not
formally announced but was ex
pected to do so very soon.
Mr. Bonner said he intended
to send notices that he was fil
ing to all local papers in the
district, but overlooked it in the
rush of work there. “The moral
of this,” he concluded, “Is that
I pay more attention attending
to other people’s business than
I do my own ... I will do better
next time.”
reachers Added
At Two Schools
Miss Ethel Poe Mercer and Miss
arolyn White Moore have been
;cured to fill faculty vacancies in ,
le county school system, it waj ,
nnounced this week by the county (
iperintendent’s office.
Miss Mercer, whose home is at
Washington, has been employed to |
II the third grade vacancy at the
lymouth School, while Miss ,
oorc, of Fountain, will teach first .
-ade at Roper. j
Both Miss Mercer and Miss
oore are graduates of East Caro- j
na College, Greenville, and are
cepting their first work follow- 1
g graduation this week.
Superintendent R. F. Lowry ex- .
ained that Miss Mercer is an j
Iditional teacher earned last fall, v
hile Miss Moore is taking tne
>sition Mrs. Frances House Ethe- £
dge held before moving to Tar- (
>ro. Mrs. Grace Chesson has been t
ibstituting in the first grade since
rs. Etheridge resigned. I
It was also announced that Mrs. ^
leanor M. Marriner has assumed
e position made vacant through '
e resignation of Miss Amanda E. _
;ynolds, in the office of the coun
sunerintenrient Mrs Mnrrinor *
formerly held the position
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Road Relocation
Proposal Okayed
The county commissioners, in
special session here Monday night,
approved and ratified a proposal
filed with the commissioners by the
State Highway and Public Works
Commission for relocation of a cer
tain dirt road in the county.
The road in question leads off
the Mill Neck Road in Lees Mill
Township in the vicinity of the
Swain Dairy, it was explained. The
commissioners’ resolution states in
part, “It appears that the reloca
tion is for the best interest of the
road system of Washington Coun
ty.”
Chairman Frank L. Brinkley,
who had previously been given
full authority by the board to sign
any necessary papers in connection
with the new county health center
project, reported to the board that
Contractor J. G. Kellogg, of Man
teo, had begun work on the new
center which is to be built by
federal, state and county funds on
a lot on Washington Street ad
joining the old county home prop
erty which was,. sold to Jack
Horner. »
North Carolina Growers To
Benefit To Tune of 22,
845 Acres, Valencia, Vir
ginia Types Affected
Good news for peanut growers!
The United States Department
of Agriculture announced Tues
day of this week that acreage al
lotments for North Carolina pro
ducers of Virginia bunch type pea
nuts have been increased by 13.7
per cent.
The increase means an acreage
hike of 22,845 acres for state pea
nut growers—from an announced
allotment of 168,813 acres to 191,
558 acres.
The action Tuesday followed by
about a month an appeal by North
Carolina and Virginia growers for
an increase in acreage allotment
for Virginia-type peanuts for the
1956 crop year. The increase asked
by growers was 14.6 per cent.
The request for additional acre
age was made at a hearing con
ducted by James E. Thigpen, di
rector of thq oils and peanuts di
vision of the department of agri
rnlture at which acreage quotas
'or all types of peanuts grown in
his country were reviewed.
In a joint statement read at the
icaring the North Carolina and
Virginia growers associations urged
hat acreage allotments not be in
ireased for Spanish and runner
ype nuts “because they are at
>resent in surplus production . . ”
The acreage increase announced
py the agriculture department cov
red seven of the 16 states in which
Virginia and Valencia-type nuts
re grown and brings the total al
otment for both types to 1,650,342
-an increase of 40,342 acres over
he allotment of 1,610,000 acres
proclaimed last October by the
Secretary of Agriculture
A department spokesman said
'uesday that the added acreage
or Virginia and Valencia peanuts
ms authorized because both types
re in short supply. He said the
epartment does not contemplate
lereasing acreage allotments for
panish and runner-type nuts.
North Carolina received the
irgest allotment increase, with
irginia second in size of increase
-15,103 acres. Total acreage allot
lent for Virginia growers now
tands at 120,645 acres, it was ex
lained.
Take No Action on
Hospital Addition
At Board Meeting
4
Motion To Apply for Feder
al and State Aid in Add
ing Hospital Beds Fails
To Get Second
A motion for Washington County
to apply for federal and state funds
to enlarge the county hospital here
died for lack of a second at the
special meeting of the county com
missioners Monday night.
The motion was made by Com
missioner A. R. Latham of Plym
outh, but failed to receive a second
from the other commissioners,
present, J. C. Knowles, H. L. Dav- 1
enport or Phillip M. Spruill. '
Chairman Frank L. Brinkley had
brought up the matter and indi- 1
cated he favored making the appli- i
cation although he was unable to
second the motion since he wasj ‘
presiding. !
Mr. Brinkley said he had been !
in telephone communication with 1
Dr. Ferrell, of the State Medical *
Care Commission, who indicated .'
the county was eligible for state
and federal funds for construction i
of an addition to take care of 8 to 1
12 more beds. Estimated cost of an 1
addition is $5,000 per bed, of t
which the county would pay 23.6 1
per cent, with the state putting up 1
26.4 per cent and the federal gov- I
ernment 50 per cent. i
Size of the addition to be ap- *
proved would be determined by the
Medical Care Commission after a'1
survey here, Mr. Brinkley said. He jc
urged immediate application so11
that funds for this county could *
be earmarked before the state aid 5
fund is exhausted, probably within s
the next two months. 1
County Auditor E. J. Spruill, [
who was present at the meeting, <j
said that the county hospital was v
operating “in the black” at pres- ],
ent, and if it continued to do so s
no additional funds from the coun- f
ty would be required to pay for c
an addition of 6 to 8 beds. While j
none of the commissioners express j,
ed active opposition to making the j'
application, the matter was left up 0
in the air when Mr. Latham's
motion was not seconded.
County Board Will Resume Study
Of Bond Proposal at Next Session
Strong Case Made
In Favor of School
ImprovementHere
Good Teachers and Good
Buildings Go Hand in
Hand, Rotarias Told Tues
day by Dr. Furgurson
“We need good schools in order
0 give every individual the kind
)£ education he wants and needs.”
That’s what Dr. E. W. Furgurson
old Plymouth Rotarians and their
luests here Tuesday night.
“Also,” noted Dr. Furgurson,
we (an't afford to let the Com
munists get ahead in the field of
cience even for a short while. We
must have good schools, not only
or the fulfillment of our ideals,
iut for our very survival.”
The speaker prefaced his re
narks by stating that in spite of
ack of many facilities in the local
ugh school, over 50 per cent of
he 1955 graduate^ went on to col
ege. This compares favorably with
he overall average of only four
er cent of high school graduates
a eastern North Carolina who at
snd college.
Many Plymouth graduates have
lade excellent records in schools
f higher learning, Furgurson
ointed out. He cited as examples
.ouis Sitterson, class of ’49, who
erved later as president of the
tudent council at East Carolina
■ollege, Greenville; Ann Mayo who
osted the highest grades ever at
lined at East Carolina; Betty Rid
le, Jimmie Barnhill and others
fho have earned Phi Beta Kappa
eys at some of the larger univer
ities; Joe Reid who served as edi
>r of an N. C. State College publi
ation for two years; and Rogers
1 who has won numerous , ho- ,
w.hips for liis outstanding w'(.?a
1 the field of science. "These are
illy a few,” the speaker said.
See FURGURSON, Page 5
Pulp Plant Truckers
Get Safety Citations!
i
The over-the-road trucking de
partment of the N. C. Pulp Com
pany, supervised by Ed Bagans
proudly announced this week thal
Curtis D. Johnson and James H
Lancaster have completed four full
years as of February 15, 1956, with
out a lost-time accident, to anyone
else or to themselves.
All hours of over-the-road truck
driving are counted as hours ol
exposure for the plant’s safety pro
gram which as of Tuesday of this
week had reached 1,356,916 hours
without a lost time accident. This
record has been made the hard
way, as many papermakers are be
ing worked extra hours as pipe
fitters and construction men while
trying to get the new paper ma
chine into operation. At present
there is no set work schedule for
the men in this section and un
familiar tasks are being performed
by them.
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Lancaster
are listed under the National Safe
ty Council’s Safe Driver Award for
professional safe driving perform
ance and both have received from
the president of the National Safe
ty Council, Ned Dearbon, a letter
of congratulation and a bronze pin.
These drivers have operated,
over the roads of North Carolina,
Virginia, and Maryland approxi
mately 85,000 miles each year, or
a total of 340,000 accident free
miles. The total of the two would
be 680,000 miles or 27 times around
the world at the equator.
Mr. Bagan’s department has
operated eight trucks constantly
for four years over some of the
most dangerous roads in the coun
try without personal accident to
any of his 14 drivers. The trucks
| have operated through all types
! of weather conditions including
ice and four hurricanes and have
accumulated over four million
man-hours without injuries.
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These drivers were chosen for
employment because of their fine
previous records of safe driving
ability. It can be readily seen that
the North Carolina Pulp Company’s
Safety Program and its constant in
terest in safety work also contri
butes to safety on the highways.
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Outlines Basic Needs j
Of Schools in County j
In a talk given at the regular meeting of Plymouth Rotary j
Club at the Mayflower Tuesday evening Dr. E. W. Furgurson, j
of Plymouth, outlined the following “immediate basic needs” j
for school improvement in Washington County: j
1. A county-wide bond issue. [
2. A county-wide citizens’ advisory board. •
3. The active support of all churches and civic organizations. :
4. A mass of people willing to do a lot of hard, dull work. I
Start Work on Alum:
Plant Here March 15
E. J. Walsh, Who Is To]
Be Local Manager, Saysj
Work Will Require About
Four Months
Construction will begin about
March 15th on the new liquid
alum plant for the American Cya
namid Company, it was learned
last week from E. J. Walsh, who
is to be manager of the new plant.
Mr. Walsh, accompanied by his
wife, spent last week in Plymouth
going over plans for beginning the
work.
The new plant is to be located
adjacent to the plant of the North
Carolina Pulp Company, about one
mile west of Plymouth in Martin
County. Mr. Walsh, who left last
week-end for company headquar
ters in New York City, expects to
return and be here during the per
od of construction as representa
tive of the company. He said about
tour nontbs woi .d be required to
rumpiete construction.
He said the new plant would be
built just across the railroad track
jack of the pulp company's filter
dant. One main building to house
nost of the equipment and the of
ice is planned, according to Mr.
iValsh. Few details are available
ust now, he said, but more infor
nation will be made available later.
Announcement that the liquid
ilum plant was to be located in
’lymouth was made from company
icadquarters in New York City
ast December 12th. At that time
t was stated the decision to locate
ere was prompted by the rapid
rowth of the paper industry in
lorth Carolina and Virginia, and
he new plant is to be of sufficient
ize to care for the current and cx
anding needs of that industry.
The North Carolina Pulp Com
any here is presently using a size
ble amount of liquid alum pro
uced by the American Cyanamid
See ALUM PLANTTPageTlO^^
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G
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republicans of County
To Convene on Friday
The county convention of the
epublican party is set for 7:30
m. Friday at the courthouse
sre.
County party officers and dele
tes for state and congressional
inventions will be elected. The
ate convention is to be held at
urham and the congressional
invention at Washington, it was
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Letters Hailedj
For Heart Drive j
Mrs. Ben Ganderson who is
chairman of the Heart Associa- i
tion Drive for Washington Coun- j
ty, stated this week that no so
licitations wonld be made in
town or county. However, 500 I
letters were mailed to indivduals I
during the week, seeking contri- ]
butions to the fund. <
Mrs. Ganderson said that any- 1
one wishing to make a donation j
should make a personal check <
payable to "Heart Association i
Drive, P. O. Box 621, Plymouth, <
N. C.” Donations are deductible ]
items on income tax returns, the (
chairman reminded. <
:nc;.mC3i Seeks
To Succeed Sell
The political waters in this coun
Y, largely untroubled as yet, got
ripple this week with the an
ouncement from Incumbent J.
Robert Campbell, of Plymouth, that
e will be a candidate for the of
ice of register of deeds subject to
ic Democratic primary May 26.
Mr. Campbell has held the im
ortant county post since January
, 1943.
In making the announcement,
ampbell stated, "If nominated and
lected, I will try to render con
tentious and unselfish service to
le people of my county and it
ill be my purpose to continue to
ive the same prompt service as I
ave tried to give since I have
een in office.”
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In this county, officers to be
iminated in the May primary in
ude the representative in the
eneral Assembly, register of
;eds, judge of recorder’s court,
vo members of the five-man board
county commissioners and two
embers of the county board of
lucation, also a five-member
)dy.
The only other county jnan yet
announce for public office sub
ct to the primary is Edward L.
vens, of Plymouth, who repre
nted the district in the State Sen
b two years ago. Robert H.
iwen, Williamston mayor and at
rney, also has come out for one
the senatorial seats to be filled
mi the district in May.
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GIVE CONCERT:
Shown here is the Plymouth High School band which will give a free concert Tuesday night of next week
in the high school auditorium, beginning at 8 o’clock. The band, under the direction of Bernie Ham,
will play music such as “Washington Post,” “Londonderry Air,” “Design for Autumn,” “Trocadero” and
probably several currently-popular hit tunes. The band director and members are anticipating a good-sized crowd for the occasion and a hearty welcome is being issued
to all. Pictured above, left to right, front: Jean Tetterton, Robin Horner and Janet Bruce; same order, second row: Bernard Ham, director; Mary Frances Peed, Betty
Lou Davenport and Tommy Ragland; third row: Mary Stuart Joyner, Marilyn Ragland, Nancy Jackson, Marion Ragland, Patsy Holliday, Betty Jo Tetterton, Linda Lips
comb, Lynn Magee, Mary Eleanor Sanderson and Gloria Roberson; fourth row: Marion Allen, Steve Hopkins, Katherine Keel, Henry Turner, Beulah Cratch, Bill
Cheshire, John Jackson, Larry Allen, Warnie Gurkin, Bobby Kelly; fifth row: William Whitley, Harry Ward, Lowell Bowen, Gilbert Tetterton, Bobby Ange, Bobby Ladd
Phyllis Spruill, Frank Dew, Howard Walker, Barbara Johnson; sixth row: Burton Ange, Ronnie Matheny, Harvey Lucas, Billy Tetterton, Tommie Terry, Ben Windlev!
Burl Walker, Phil Ange and Billy Waters.—Photo by Weaver Studio. y’
No Decision Reached ai
Special Meeting Monday;
Effect of Bond Issue on
Tax Rate Is Considered
After studying a request for a
special school bond election from
the county board of education for
several hours at a special meeting
Monday night, members of the
Washington County Board of Com
missioners deferred further con
sideration until their regular March
neeting, set for Monday, March 5.
J. W. Norman, acting chairman
>f the board of education, and At
orneys Carl L. Bailey, sr., and
-arl L. Bailey, jr., explained the
esolution adopted by the educa
ion board at its meeting February
ith, which requested the county
•ommissioners to call a special
election for county voters to pas*
in issuance of up to $500,000 in
>onds for school construction proj
;cts in the county.
Chairman Frank L. Brinkley pre
sided at the special meeting, which
vas attended by all the commis
lioners: A. R. Latham of Plymouth,
r. C. Knowles of Lees Mill, Hu
>ert L. Davenport of Skinnersville,
ind Philip M. Spruill of Scupper
long. Motion to defer further con
lideration until the regular March
neeting was carried unanimously,
ollowing a motion by Mr. Spruill,
econded by Mr. Davenport.
Prior to the vote, and following
he board of education’s presenta
ion by Messrs. Norman and the
iaileys, County Auditor E. J.
ipruill submitted figures showing
iow the proposed bond issue would
iffect the tax structure of the
ounty. Two schedules of bond
ssuance and retirements were
tudied, one prepared by W. E.
lasterling, secretary of the Local
lovernment Commission of Ral
igh, and the other by the county
uditor.
The auditor reviewed the present
inancial condition of (he county,
s it relates to the county’s bond
d indebtedness and tV* levies pro
ected for debt service. This re
>ort showed that the total bonded
ebt at the end of the current fis
al year would be $414,500, of
diich $255,000 was in school bonds
nd notes. This debt will be re
red in its entirety by the fiscal
ear 1967-68.
Mr. Spruill said the peak of the
ix levy for debt service would
ill in the next three fiscal years,
ith approximately $66,000 per
sar required for bond retirements
id interest on outstanding bonds,
fter the fiscal year 1959-60, the
nount required for debt service
ich year will drop sharply, it was
S e (PbOND~ISSUE ^ Page 10
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Dollar Day Event
Here Three Days
A group of Plymouth merchants
inounces an old-fashioned bar
lin event for Thursday, Friday
id Saturday of this week.
“Dollar Days” will find several
Dthing, furniture, drug and per
ips other retail firms offering
e shopping public some outstand
g values during the three big
ys.
Special merchandise has been
iced on shelves and counters in
me instances in anticipation of
is trade event, it was said.
The three-day promotion has
en rather widely advertised
uiiuuyu use oi various media and
unusual traffic is looked for. Co
operating businessmen, naturally,
are hoping for fair weather. But re
gardless of the weather, really
worthwhile bargain offers are as
sured all who make Plymouth a
trade mecca this week-end.
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Support Sought
For X-Ray Work
Letters went out this week to
all churches and civic organizations
in Washington and Tyrrell Coun
ties urging support for the coming
mass chest x-ray campaign in the
two counties.
Miss Iris A. Turlington, of Ra
leigh, who is publicity clerk with
the Tuberculosis Section of the
State Board of Health, said the
cooperation of all school organi
zations will also be sought to bol
ster the x-ray campaign.
Three mobile x-ray units will lo
cate in the two counties from
March 3 through 17. One unit will
be near the Plymouth Post Office,
another will alternate between
Roper and Creswell and the third
will locate at the Agriculture
Building in Columbia. Hours at
all places will be 11 a. m. to 9
p. m. Tuesday through Saturday
of each week.