The News record SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY On tha Inside . . . To Find Out Who Won Marshall Swim Meet Turn To Page 9 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL. N C. THURSDAY, July 31, 1980 15' Per Copy School Opening Draws Nearer | I School bells and buzzers will sound at 8:30 Monday morning, August 11, heralding the beginning of the 1960-1981 school year for some 3,000 students in Madison County. County School Superintendent R.L. Edwards said all schools K-12 will begin classes on that day, while teachers and administrators will report to work on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 7 an 8. Teachers will spend Thursday and Friday attending workshops, preparing pupil records and making final student assignments for the academic year. Madison High School enrollment will total 928 students for the beginning fall term The school calendar lists the following clos ings and holidays to beotiServed this year: Sept. 1, Labor Day ; Friday, Sept 26, N.C. Association teachers meeting; Tuesday, Nov. 11, Election Day; Nov. 27 and 28, Thanksgiving. Christmas holidays begin at 1:30 p.m. Fri day, Dec. 19 and run through Monday, Jan. 5. Easter vacation and spring break will begin Monday, April 20 and continue through Friday, April U. Both Christmas and Easter holidays will de pend on the number of school closings caused by snow or inclement weather this winter and spr ing. The date for year-end closing is set for June Madison Schools Accredited The Madison County Schools have been awarded full ac creditation by the' North Carolina State Board of Education. The Level III ac creditation which was award ed to ghe schools is the final step in the state accreditation process and is "recognition that the school system has developed and implemented a comprehensive educational plan which results in improv ed learning for students.'' R.L. Edwards, superinten dent of Madison schools, Ed ward Gentry and Gerald Young, members of the Madison County Board of Education, and Dr. Bobby Jean Rice, supervisor of WINFRED G. SHEPHERD of Mars Hill reminisces about days gone by. (Photos by N. Hancock) schools, appeared before the State Board of Education on July 3 to present accreditation reports. Edwards introduced his per sonnel and guests and made introductory remarks concer ning the Madison County schools. Ms. Rice presented the evaluation report to the state board and answered questions concerning the ac creditation process. Dr. Craig Phillips, state superintendent of schools, notified the Madison County Board of Education by letter of the accreditation. In his let ter, Phillips stated, "Accreditation by the State Board of Education is a tribute to the aspirations of the community and to the . dedication and efforts of the patrons, the students, and the staff of your schools ad ministrative unit. We com mend all who have par ticipated in this achievement and share with them the satisfaction that comes with this accomplishment. ' Sheriff Makes Record Haul Of Marijuana By NICHOLAS HANCOCK The Madison County Sheriff's Department confiscated the largest load of green growing marijuana in its history this past Monday after noon. A total of 3,836 marijuana plants, many measuring over six feet tall, were pulled up by deputies from a large garden located in the Cut shall community of the Shelton Laurel area in the northern part of the county. The Sheriff s Department was notified by law enforcement helicopter pilots from Kingsport, Tennessee about 11:30 a.m. that they had spotted a large field of marijuana growing inside the Madison County line. The helicopter had strayed off course in a dense fog, and the pilots realized they were over Madison County when the fog had cleared. Deputies Frank Ogle and Clayton Grind staff, along with Danny Goforth, were dispatch ed to the area and worked from noon until 7:00 p.m. pulling the marijuana plants by hand and loading them onto available trucks in order to haul them back to the sheriff's department where they will be destroyed. According to Ogle and Grindstaff, the plants were growing in a garden among corn and beans on farmland owned by C.G. Shelton of Plagpond, (Continued on Page 2) KEN HONEYCUTT of North S-'-' display featuring his Honey T." ? v >? DEPUTIES Grindstaff and Cook examine some of the several truckloads of marijuana plants brought to the Madison County Sheriff's Department Monday. (Photo by N. Hancock) Hancock Joins News Record G. Nicholas (Nick) Hancock of Asheboro has been named editor of The News-Record. Hancock started his duties here this week Hancock, a graduate of Asheboro high school, attend ed the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has had training and ex Mars Hill Man Stabbed A Mars Hill man was listed in satisfactory condition at Memorial Mission Hospital Sunday after suffering a stab wound Saturday night in the Weavervilie area. Harold Dean C handier of Mars Hill was stabbed in (he lower abdomen, the sheriff's department reported. No ar rests had been made in the in cident Sunday night as an in vestigation continued. perience in North Carolina Juvenile Justice System and Effective Parenting at Ran dolph Technical College He has also worked in counseling in private schools and directed a non-profit com munity organization working with troubled youngsters and juvenile delinquents. He has had four years ex perience in library work at Asheboro-Randolph County Public Library and six years' experience in the printing trade in areas of typesetting, composing and makeup ? Hancock comes to The News-Record from The Courier Tribune in Ashe bo ro (Continued on Page 2) 115 Entries In Auto Show More than 115 entries participated in the 9th Annual Mart Hill Fire Department Auto Show held last Saturday and Sunday at Mars Hill Elementary School. The show was held to raise funds for purchas ing new fire department equipment and to upgrade existing equipment. Phillip Briggs of the Mars Hill Fire Depart ment reported winners in the following classes: Best Engine Compartment ? Wayne Rogers, Leicester , N.C., 1970 Chevy Pic** Best Custom ? Jerry Calhoon, Newiana, N.C., 1974 Camera Z-28. i Best Antique - Perry Burnette. N.C., 1? Model A Ford. Best Undercarriage l Iwaro Marshall, N.C., 1?2 Ford Sedan Auto enthusiasts of ail ag< s turned out 1 event which was blessed with