' .
A Good Time For Cleaning Up
April is a good time for the statewide
and local county clean up efforts which are
underway. It's the first month in which we
in the mountain counties can be reasonably
sure of warm, spring-like weather.
The flowers have pushed up from
underneath the ground and are adding color
and life to what was for months a bleak and
lifeless landscape. Trees and shrubs are
budding and blossoming; renewing the land
with beauty and pleasant fragrances.
Newborn calves wobble along the fresh
green hillsides and nibble at the spring
grass in that transition from mom's
nourishment to earth's provisions.
Mother nature's metamorphosis
touches man and beast alike and stimulates
our human awareness of rebirth and new
growth taking place all around us.
So, it's an appropriate time to throw out
the old and dispose of the discarded, and
spiffy up the outward apearances of our en
virons.
Many groups and organizations began
clean up projects this week and will con
tinue their efforts through the rest of the
month. They can use, and will appreciate,
your help. It's an opportunity to join
neighbors and friends in an effort that will
benefit both residents and visitors in
Madison County. Elsewhere in these pages
are tip6 on what individuals and groups can
do to aide in the clean up campaign. They 're
worth reading and putting into action.
Easter also comes in April this year ?
this weekend. It affords us a time to reflect
on our Christian heritage and to focus on a
different kind of cleaning up ? an inner
cleaning of ourselves as human beings:
parents, neighbors, friends, government
leaders, business associates, and other
roles we assume.
Surely we can take some pride in clean
ing and beautifying our surroundings, but
how can we be proud of ourselves if we don't
clean out some of the inner garbage that has
accumulated over the years? It would do us
well if we worked on both projects this
month.
The First Step
Psychiatrists use to say the first step in
solving a problem is to admit or recognize
that you have one.
In a two-week period beginning March
27 there were five reported drug overdose
cases in Madison County. Two men died,
one just 19 years old, from drinking a mix
ture of methadone and alcohol. Murder
charges have been filed. A high school stu
dent suffered from an overdose of "angel
dust" at a party. Allegations have been
made that the chemical was slipped into a
drink without the student s knowledge. No
charges have been filed. Two youths
allegedly at the same party wrecked their
car in another county that night.
Illegal drugs and so-called "controlled
substances" have become a part of every
day life, and death, in our society today,
even here in Madison County. Pretending it
doesn't exist or thinking "it can't happen in
my family" will only perpetuate the pro
blem.
A community or society, like an in
dividual, must recognize a problem exists
before there is any hope of finding a solu
tion. And, to quote another saying, "the first
step is the hardest one."
Living and Growing
'Spring Feisties'
T ? Id
t ' f
I ? r. ?
Self- Induced
By CARL MUMPOWER.
M.S.W.
Watch out world, I'm feeling
dangerous. Feisty might be a
better word, but whatever the
condition, I've got it.
It's those darn yellow
flowers that did it. You know
the ones I'm talking about.
They look a lot like onion
plants and they usually are the
first colorful thing we see in
the spring. I don't know what
it is about a Jonquil, but it
does it to me every time. A lit
tle bit of visual exposure, and I
start getting these funny
tingles in my stomach. My
pulse quickens and a grin
starts spreading all over my
face. Before you know it I
come down with an acute case
of spring feisties.
Don't get excited, it's not
terminal. It is, however, very
catching. One grinning person
can infect a whole crowd if
they're not careful. The symp
toms are fairly typical and
easy to spot. Feelings of ela
tion are to be expected. You'll
probably also see a tendency
to look at the good things
about life instead of excessive
ly worrying about the bad.
A positive outlook toward
the future is common, as is a
sense of excitement and en
thusiasm. Your energy level
tends to go up instead of down
and many people with the in
fection seem , to sleep better.
There is sometimes a distinct
urge to pursue members of the
opposite sex. Finally, older in
dividuals who are exposed to
the bug often develop an ex
cessive yearning to go out and
dig in the dirt, trim shrubs,
and push lawn mowers.
As you can see, the symp
toms are varied and insidious.
Fortunately, the spring feisty
bug seems to be a short lived
one. Most people can expect to
return to normal within a
week or two. It's a pity, isn't
it?
The majority of us don't get
enough of those kinds of feel
ings in their lives. En
thusiasm, excitement, con
fidence, optimism, and that
"happy to be alive*' feeling
are too often replaced with
depression, hopelessness, in
security, and a negative
outlook on life.
Carl Mumpower
We can thank Mother
Nature for being kind enough
to give us things like the spr
ing feisty bug to jolt us around
every once in awhile, but how
much can we depend on her to
keep us on track?
You see, the spring feisties
can be a permanent and self
induced condition. If we try
hard enough, we can get turn
ed on like that a good bit of the
time. By building some mean
ingful purpose in our lives, by
breaking the "all American"
habit of obsessing about
what's wrong vs. what's right,
by trying to give instead of
always take from life, and by
making happiness a priority,
we can take the bug with us
throughout our lives.
Spring is a time of rebirth
and growth. After a period of
death and dormancy, nature
begins to do its thing. Could
that pattern of dormancy fit
you? Are you about due to
blossom? Go ahead and do it.
It's a whole lot more fun that
laying around in the dark
covered in dirt. Besides, hap
py and excited people are a
valuable commodity and we
need all of you we can get.
Editor s Note: Living and
Growing is a regular feature
column In this paper and is of
fered as a service to our
readers. If you have enjoyed
this or previous columns and
would like Carl Mnmpower to
make a related preseulation to
your club or organization, give
him a call at 252-S3M. He
would be happy to bring his
"living and growing" theme to
your group.
The News Record
ESTABLISHED 1901 ? NON-PARTISAN IN POLITICS
Box 369 ? Marshall, N. C. 28753 ? Ph on*. (704) 649-2741
Q. NICHOLAS HANCOCK. EdHor
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Heard and Seen
f.
By POP STORY
Millions of people watched the space
shuttle Columbia successfully go into orbit
Sunday in what was termed a flawless
flight. As this column is written, the two
astronauts, John Young and Robert Crippen
are still aloft and everything is reported in
great shape. The Columbia is expected to
return to earth Tusday afternoon.
Death claimed the life of boxing great
Joe Louis Sunday at the age of 66. He was
one of the world's most popular
heavyweight champions of all time. Heart
failure was given as cause of death.
I admired the ex-champ who had a 35-1
record which included 31 knockouts. I hap
pened to be in New York when the Louis
Walcott title bout was scheduled at Madison
Square Garden. I even bought my ticket
while Bill and I were vacationing in New
York. However, the bout was postponed and
I never got to see the bout since Bill and I
had to come home. Nevertheless, at the
weighing-in ceremonies the day before the
postponment, I was within ten feet of Louis
at the weigh-in. I later had the thrill of walk
ing beside Joe Walcott on 8th Avenue as he
returned to his hotel.
Time really flies by, doesn't it?... In
less than two weeks, (on April 26) it's time
to turn our clocks forward one hour to
Daylight Saving Time.
Jan Hager, of 35 Panola St., Asheville,
was honored on April 8 with a three-column
picture on the front page of the Asheville
Times. She was pictured enjoying a hedge
of forsythia near her home. She, herself, is
as pretty as the flowers. Jan is well-known
in Madison County for her work as a Girl
Scout official, and has many friends in this
area. She formerly resided in the Paint
Fork area.
Just a tip: Callers should let the phone
ring at least six times before hanging up.
All too often when the phone rings, I hurry
as quickly as I can to the phone, only to have
the caller, hang up after three rings... just
too few rings, especially if I'm some
distance from the phone. Worse still, is to
have someone hang up when I answer
"hello". I've heard others complain about
this practrice, so I'm not alone in this
criticism.
Always welcome is a greeting from so
meone who says, "Have a good day" when
you speak to them in the mornings.
Letters To The Editor *
- \ '/
Editor:
Rather than "outsider" or "insider" of this
county, I consider myself and others to be involv
ed people of Madison County.
I have had the opportunity to work with ex
isting ambulance personnel to make this county's
ambulance service more skilled and respected. In
a county without a hospital, with limited clinic
hours and long distances between homes and help,
it seems to me that trained, tolerant and compas
sionate people would be the logical choice as am
bulance staff.
I fail to see why a person who Wants to make
this county home, pays taxes, is involved with
friends and neighbors and is trained as an
emergency medical technician should be
overlooked because oAheir place of birth. How
many people from Madison County have gone to
Detroit, made their money, and returned here to
finish raising their family? I hope that future ef
forts will be directed towards positive hiring prac
tices based on qualifications rather than where a
person wasn't born.
I thank friends, family and acquaintances '
who have helped me live and work here. Their ac
ceptance is the basis upon which we all, people of
Madison County, can help create efficient, '
cooperative county services.
"Tom, Dick or Harriet"
(Catherine M.Jellkoe
Marshall, N.C.
General Assemblin '
Snake Handling And Struttin'
By JINCY MESSER
Every April 5 Secretary of
State Thad Eure struts out in
his straw hat to mark the of
ficial beginning of spring in
Raleigh and to memorialize
his late dad's birthday.
Sunday was the day and
Capitol Square was a picture.
The green grass, tulips and
pansies were at their prettiest
and the azaleas and flowering
trees are elose behind.
Dogwoods are ready to
dogwood. Maybe the potholes
won't get any bigger and the
state revenues will take an up
ward surge now that the sap's
a-risiii'.
Although they both repre
sent Columbus County, Sen.
R.C. Soles and Rep. Richard
Wright don't always see eye to
eye. Wright introduced a bill
dealing with the election time
Minimum Wage Bill
Halted In Committee
RALEIGH - The state
House retrieved from
parliamentary Umbo sent
back to committee Friday a
bill that would increase the
state minimum wage while ex
empting the elderly and the
young from its prov ismns.
The House voted by the
naadad two-thirds majority to
following a ruling Thursday
by Home Speaker riitoii
out exemptions for the young
and old
The bill would exempt per
70 yen* old and over
from the state's minimum
1?. It alio would lower
the minimum wage for
fuiltimei
l by K
-Ma IJ.90 an hour to 1.10 an
of and compensation for
school board members. Grinn
ing broadly, Wright arose on
the House floor to plead,
"House members, it's no
secret that my Senator and I
don't always agree. Eight now
we do. Won't you pass this bill
quick before he changes his
mind?"
His bill passed and went
over to the Senate. Women
don't have all the options on
mind changing.
Sen. Ollie Harris of"
Cleveland whamped up a
snake bill that didn't fare so
well in the House. When House
Speaker Liston Ramsey called
upon Rep. Vernon James to
explain the bill, James
blurted, "I'm sorry, Mr.
Speaker, I'm not quite ready.
Will you pass over the bill for
the time being?" "Well,
alright," Ramsey consented.
"But get ready."
Pretty soon it was time to
come back to the snake bill.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Speaker," the
gentleman from Pasquotank
apologized, "but that snake
had me charmed." He went
ahead to explain that under
the proposed bill health
amine captured reptiles to see
if they are poisnonous Rep
Sam Bundy of Pitt wanted to
know what effect the MB
Jincy Messer
Nobody wanted to handle
those reptiles. To aave face
and the bill, James backtrack
ed it to committee. I expect
it'll languish away there.
Freshman Rep. Martin
Nesbitt was feeling strongly
about the many-aided com
parative fault bill, and he
arose to tell about a client who
scooted off an unlevef
restaurant bench and injured
her back. Rep. Howard
Chapin of Washington inter
jected, 'it might be safer to
let visitors stand up." "Yes, or
be sure to provide them safe
seats " Nesbitt added
questions, the Buncombe
lawmaker was getting
frustrated. "Mr. Speaker,
they sure do make it hard on*
fun," Neebitt Mid and he
finished without further inter- .
ruption. ^
Nathan Yelton is only BP'
years old and he can't get a
chance to retire. He currently
heads the division of aging to
the Department of Human
Resources and was response
We for setting up the state
government retirement
Governor Jim Hunt
declared Arpil 3 Nathan
Yeiton Day in honor of Us SO
years service to state govern*;
ment. For his Mrhtday party
he'd penned a poem, "Life
Begins at ?>" which he read to