The News record
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY
On thm Insldm ? ? .
Temporary' foster
care sometimes isn't
...see page 2
78th Year, No. 16
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL. N C
THURSDAY, April 19, 1979
15* Per Copy
MIKE HENDERSON, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Edgar Henderson of
Marshall, is pictured with Dennis
Hill, associate dean of admissions
and enrichment of Mars Hill
College. Henderson was awarded
a $400 president's scholarship to
attend Mars Hill.
French Broad EMC
To Meet Here Saturday
French Broad Electric
Membership Corp. will hold
its annual meeting of the
members this Saturday at the
Madison High School
Registration will begin at 10
UL and continue until l p.m.
?Kh the business session
getting under way at 1 p.m.
There will be reports to the
members, election of three
directors ai)d prize drawings.
Hie grand prize will be $200
credit on the member's
electric account, plus many
small prizes. The prize
drawing is for members only
and they must be present to
win.
CLIFFORD "CLIFF" BATES
Put Commander
Members are urged to bring
the registration card that will
be mailed to them with the
annual report. If you plan to
vote proxies, you can speed
up registration on the day of
the meeting by pre
registering these proxies at
either office in Marshall,
Burnsville or Bakersville, 8
a.m. witil 4:30 p.m. through
April 20.
CRAFT SHOW TO
FEATURE PEARL
DIVE
An arts and crafts show will
open at 10 a.m. in the school
cafeteria. There will be many
craft items for sale. These
will include paintings, stained
glass, plaques, tote bags,
gourds, walking sticks and
many mare. A unique Pearl
Dive will also be held spon
sored by Gordon and Helen
Clauss.
MUSICAL
ENTERTAINMENT
There will be an hour of
musical entertainment bet
ween 11:45 and 13:45. You will
hear 30 minutes of good
gospel music by the Singing
Patriots of Asheville and
some of the best in bluegrass
by the Carolina Cut-Ups of
Weaverville.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
MOBILE DI8PLAY
On the school grounds there
will be a mobile display on
energy management covering
insulation, ventilation, storm
doors and windows, solar
energy, lighting, heat pump
and many others. This display
will also open at 10 a.m.
Mrs. Ethel Wallin, Madison
County home extension agent,
will demonstrate the use of a
blender. She will point out
time and energy management
as well as a cost companion
of preparing items with a
blender versus buying
packaged items.
Marshall Eastern Star
Chapter will have food for
sale in the school cafeteria.
Everyone is invited to at
tend.
Mars Hill VFW
Picks Officers ;
Bales Reelected
Member* of the Mara Hill
VFW Poet MB re-elected post
Commander Clifford "Cliff"
Batea to aarve another year at
? mimtlllg of the organization
at the April 10 meeting held In
ftc Man Bill School
Underwood; quarter muter,
James R Phillips, adjutant,
C.N. Willis; chaplain, the
Rev. Ralph Hogan; post
advocate, Harold WalHn;
Board of trustees: Leonard
Brigp (three yean); Jonas
Chaadter (two yean); C.N.
Willis (one year).
James T. Ledford, out***
Authorities Say Officer
Couldn't Handle Public
Marshall Mayor Lawrence
Ponder and the aldermen
James Penland, Buford
Marler and Jackie Davis
were interviewed by this
newspaper Monday morning
regarding the recent
discharging of Marshall
Policeman Leroy Gosnell.
The four town officials
stated that Gosnell was
unanimously discharged
"because of his inability to
deal with the public and
failure to follow instructions
from his authorities."
The motion to fire Gosnell,
43, of Route 4, Marshall, was
made by Alderman Davis and
seconded by Alderman
Penland.
Gosnell has implied that he
was fired for his strict en
forcement of town speeding
laws, but the aldermen said
Monday that Gosnell was
fired for his treatment of
citizens while on duty.
"It's not that he's done
anything real serious, it was
just a long string of things,"
one alderman said.
One alderman said com
plaints from the public made
against Gosnell included
unnecessary stopping of cars,
searching cars without a
warrant and rough treatment *
of citizens he stopped.
"It seems like just about
every regular meeting we had
that's all we could get done,"
Alderman Davis said,
referring to discussion of
complaints made by citizens
attending town meetings.
The three aldermen agreed
that Gosnell was a dedicated
and conscientious police of
ficer, but they added that his
performance would waiver
from time to time from
satisfactory to unsatisfactory.
When complaints from the
public about Gosnell kept
coming up at board meetings
they decided that he had to be
relieved, the aldermen said.
Mayor Ponder was quoted
as saying Gosnell had
previously worked for and
been fired from the Madison
County Ambulance Service,
but Ernest Snelson, who
doubles as county ambulance
and tax supervisor, stated
that Gosnell never worked for
the ambulance service.
Snelson said Gosnell ap
plied for a position in the
county ambulance service
about two years ago but there
were no vacancies at that
time.
PONDER EXPLAINS
Mayor Ponder told this
newspaper Monday that he
did not tell a reporter of a
daily newspaper that Gosnell
*had ever been fired from the
Madison County Ambulance
Department. "I did tell a
reporter that Gosnell had
sought employment with the
ambulance service," Ponder
stated.
OPEN MEETINGS
The mayor and aldermen
stated Monday that all town
meetings are open to the
public and that Gosnell should
have known he was welcome
at any meeting. One alder
man stated that Gosnell was
notified and invited to the
town meeting on April 2, but
he did not attend. "He
(Gosnell) was in town that
Monday night but did not
show up at the meeting," an
alderman said.
The mayor and aldermen
stated Monday that they were
unaware that an Asheville
television station would be in
Marshall to "cover" the
controversial matter and if
they had known that
television wanted to interview
them they would have been
glad to cooperate.
Alderman Marler said he
"just happened', to be at the
City Hall when the television
people visited Marshall and
he was interviewed.
The town officials stated
that Gosnell was hired with
the agreement that if his work
as policeman "was not
satisfactory he could be
relieved."
"We did the best thing we
could for what we thought the
best interests of Marshall,"
the officials stated.
Gosnell Makes Statement
Leroy Gosnell, former
Marshall policeman who was
recently discharged, said this
week that he would like to
clarify several statements
which were allegedly made
by town officials and
published in newspapers.
"Some remarks about the
jurisdiction of policemen
outside the corporate limits
would indicate that I had no
business on the Marshall
bypass or in the shopping
center parking area," Gosnell
said.
"I took an oath when I
became a policeman, to-wit:
I, Robert Leroy Gosnell, do
solemnly swear (or affirm)
that I will support and
maintain the constitution and
laws of the United States and
the constitution and laws of
North Carolina not in
consistent therewith, and that
I will faithfully discharge the
duties of my office as
policeman, so help me God.
This the 10th day of October,
1978. The oath was ad
ministered by Loyd Fowler,
magistrate," Gosnell stated.
He further explained that
he was instructed to patrol
this area, especially at night.
Gosnell pointed out that signs
on the shopping center
parking area read, "No
trespassing, 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.,
No Littering or Loitering
Anytime. Police Enforced."
In the published accounts of
Gosnell's dismissal, an
alderman was quoted as
saying, "He'd hit a few with a
blackjack and pulled his gun
a few times while making
arrests."
Gosnell said last Friday, "I
have used a "slapjack," not a
blackjack, only one time
which was given me by of
ficials and the person I struck
with the "slapjack" was
charged with DUI and
resitting arrest. I felt I was
discharging my duty as my
oath of office requires,"
Gomel] said.
It was also reported that
Mayor Ponder stated that
Gospell had previously
worked for and had been fired
from the Madison County
Ambulance Service, but
Ernest Snelson, who doubles
as county ambulance and tax
supervisor, stated that
"Leroy Gosnell has never
worked for the Madison
County Ambulance Service,
however he did apply for a job
with the ambulance service
about two years ago and there
was no vacancy at that time."
"I just want to let the
citizens of this county know
these facts," Gosnell said
Friday.
JOHN C.
missiooer. to shown above, (Ml), |
on-the-job trainees at Arte* Manufact
Co. on Skyway Drive here
At extreme right is William 'Bin' Stump
owner and president at Arbaa. Brooks, ??
other Department of Labor officiate, toured
the Mar?hall plant where they reviewed the
program. Trainee*, left to right, are
Harreii Larry Davfe, Boyce Mayhew
Merrill and Tony Keller. (Photo by
JOHN P. RAMSEY, a native of
Marshall and a member of the
Etowah Lions Club, is shown
above as he was the guest speaker
at the 10th charter night ob
servance of the Mars Hill Lions
Club Monday night in the school
cafeteria. Others pictured at the
speaker's table are, left to right:
Jack Radford, president of the
Mars Hill club; Dr. Harley Jolley ;
Mrs. Jolley; the Rev. Ralph
Hogan; and Mrs. Hogan. (Photo
by Jim Story)
Mars Hill Lions
Charter Night Held
More than 50 Mars Hill
Lions, Lionesses and guests
attended the 10th Charter
Night observance of the Mars
Hill Lions Club Monday night
in the beautifully decorated
school cafeteria.
Jack Radford, Lion Qub
President, presided.
The large crowd was
treated to a program of vocal
music by the New Beginning
Singers of Mars Hill College
under the direction of Jerry
Anderson The group ren
dered a variety of songs and
hymns and received applause
following each number. The
group was introduced by Dr.
Harley Jolley, of Mars Hill
College.
RAMSEY SPEAKER
The guest speaker for the
program was John P.
Ramsey, a native and former
Lion, of Marshall. Ramsey, a
member of the Etowah Lions
Club, and 1951 graduate of
Marshall High School, praised
the Mars Hill Club on its 10
years of service to people and
emphasized the importance of
encouragement and
dedication of purpose in the
years ahead. He spoke of
Lion ism and its great ac
complishments. His topic,
"Pebbles To Be Picked Up"
was well delivered. He paid
tribute to the late Marjorie
McCune, who totally blind,
was an inspiration to
thousands. He mentioned the
fact that the Marshall Lions
Gub sponsored the Mars Hill
Club and commended both
clubs on their ac
complishments. He was in
troduced by Lion Hughie Ray,
of the Mars Hill Gub.
Other special guests
present were Lion Johnny
Gark, of the Haw Creek Gub,
who is a candidate for
Governor of 31-A; and "Bo"
Thomas, of the Hen
derson ville Lions Gub.
Other visitors included Lion
Tom Wallin and wife; and
Jim Story, both members of
the Marshall Gub.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Prior to adjournment,
Charter members of the Man
Hill Club were recognised and
presented Service Citation*
for their ten years in the dub
and their dedication to the
dub.
Labor Commissioner
Brooks Views STIP
At Arbee Plant