Newspapers / The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.) / Nov. 5, 1981, edition 1 / Page 1
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The News Record SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY 80th Year No. 45 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N.C. THURSDAY, November 5, 1981 15c Per Copy In Municipal Mayoral Contests Ponder, Baker, ? ? M1*m Comity LtVrnry 9/81 Al KC 28753 -/ r ow By NICHOLAS HANCOCK Editor two incumbents and a newcomer won mayoral posts in Madison County's three municipal elections yesterday as voters turned out in strong numbers to cast their ballots before the polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Incumbent Mayor Lawrence Ponder received better than 68 percent of the votes cast in Marshall to soundly defeat three challengers and secure his third term as mayor of the county seat. Total votes in the mayor's race were Ponder, 288; Charles Crowe, 82; Marion Jones Wallin, 27; and Albert Rector, 14. Newcomer Deborah Ponder Baker captured 58 percent of the vote in Hot Springs to become the first woman mayor in the town's history. Mrs. Baker's 154 votes easily defeated Frank Robert's 27 and Richard Waltz's 79. In cumbent Hot Springs Mayor Swann Huff did not seek re election. Incumbent Mars Hill Mayor William Powell had no oppo nent in the election, and neither did the town's three aldermen. Consequently only 70 people showed up at town hall to vote. After a mere 10 minutes tally, final figures showed Powell with 69, Alder man Carl Eller with 69, Alder man Art Wood with 67, and Alderman Gordon Randolph with 70 votes. The contest for the three aldermen's seats in Marshall was anything but cut and dried as Ave of the 10 can didates remained almost neck and neck until the last 45 minutes of the vote counting. Voters finally elected incum bent Jackie Davis, John Dod son, and incumbent James Penland as their aldermen, but Sammy Lunsford and Ed Niles proved to be strong con tenders in the race. Incumbent alderman S.L. Nix was solidly beaten by newcomer Dotson. Vote totals in the Marshall aldermen's race were Jackie Davis, 190; John Dotson, 183; James Penland, 173; Sammy Lunsford, 154; Ed Niles*, 129; Cleophas Ward, 95; James B. Marlar, >8; Roy Reeves, 76; and Harold Apders, 12. In the Hot Springs aldermen's race, incumbents Jerry Ramsey and Wesley H. Staude and one-time alder man Ernest D. Autry defeated four other candidates by bet ter than a two to one majority. Each of the aldermen-elect j received more than 62 percent , of the 164 votes cast there. i Hot Springs aldermen totals District Visit BOB ORE, district assistant for Con* 1 gressman Bill Hendon, will be in Marshall Thursday, Nov. S to listen to any problems local citizens may have with which Rep. Hen don may be of help. Orr will be at the Town Hall in Marshall at 9 a.m. and said he i welcomes anyone who would like to discuss i federal government. Lawrence Ponder Deborah Ponder Baker William Powell were Autry; 166; Ramsey, 174; Staude, 171; Rex BrencUe, 36; Franklin S. Holmes, 62; Authur Roberts, 44; and Cur tis Roberts, 66. Although Mrs. Baker has become the first woman ever to be elected as mayor in Hot Springs, she is certainly no novice at Madison County political life. Currently a Hot Springs alderman, she is a member of the long-time politically influencial Ponder family. Her father, R.Z. (Bobby) Ponder, is chairman of the Madison County Board of Education, and her great un cle, Zeno Ponder, is known throughout the state as the political "king pin" of Madison County. Another great uncle, Sheriff E.Y. Ponder, has been re-elected to that office for 20 some years. Mrs. Baker, 24, is married to Clayton W. Baker and she is employed as director of the Madison County Food Service program. More than SO percent of registered voters turned out in both Marshall and Hot Springs for the election Ernest Messer Sworn In As Division Of Aging Director By NICHOLAS HANCOCK ASHEVILLE - Assuring Gov. Jim Hunt that he would do his "dead level best," Ernest B. Messer of Canton became the state's new direc tor of the Division of Aging and assistant secretary of the N.C. Department of Human Resources in a swearing in ceremony Friday in Ashevilie. Hunt appointed Messer to the position Oct. IS, and upon being sworn in by Buncombe County District Court Judge Peter L. Roda, Messer gave up his 44th District House seat ending a 19-year career as representative from Haywood County. Messer told reporters he plans to keep the state's elder ly citizens busy and to teach them good eating and exercise habits to keep them from get ting sick. He said many of the state's 100,000 residents over 65 years Did have nothing to do. "They need motivation and involv ment," he said. One of his goals is to get the elderly in volved in volunteer work in various community activities. Hunt told pewsmen and Messer's friends at the ceremony, "You are going to see and you are going to hear from this man ail over the itate." Messer, a Democrat, served as chairman of the House Committee on Aging in the General Assembly for the past four years. To date, no one has been appointed to replace him in the House. Messer began work in his new office Monday, but he began to feel the responsibility of his position Friday when confronted with questions regarding the impact of state imposed restrictions on the number of drug prescriptions the elderly can receive with Medicaid funds. That number will be limited to four per month. Messer said the state has received a mandate from the federal government to take $25 million out of the Medicaid program. And, rather than completely eliminate some of the programs, "the ad ministration and the General Assembly agreed to cut all of them rather than deprive the people of some service," he said. He said the state has cut Medicaid coverage for outpa tient hospital care from 90 per cent to 80 percent, the number of visits to doctors and mental health centers to 18, the dental program by "several million dollars," and the drug prescription program to four prescriptions per month. Messer said he has been told that four prescriptions per month "will be satisfactory for about 95 percent of the peo pie" and people should realize that "pharmacists have a vested interest in selling drugs" when they hear phar / macists saying that some elderly persons may die as a result of the cutback. "If we have problems, it may be possible that we can change it (the restriction) so some of them can get more than four," he said. SWEARING IN - Ernest B. Messer (left) takes the oath of office as director of the North Carolina Division of Aging Friday at the Governor's Western Office in Asheville. Buncombe County District Court Judge Peter L. Roda administered the oath to Messer. School Board Authorizes 'Choice' Menu At High School By NICHOLAS HANCOCK MBit hurt lunchroom tales is debatable, but tchooi officials took measures V: \y to overcome a 17 percent dnp In Sales at Madiaan High School and increase , participation and revenue" in the students would have a choice of two Type A meals with the opportunity to buy extra items. In granting the request for the new meal plan, board members said the plan would not sacrifice the dietary needs of students nor increase the coat of the meals to the school system. > ? .? ?, ? ? ?? ' .said. If student participation in the lun chroom program continues to slump, the school could face laying off some members of the cafeteria staff since all programs must gat?e their employe* hours according to how many lunches are served. Board chairman Bobby Ponder ? ! was taken out of the budget since the board declined to enter the Adopt-A School" program authorised by the state. Budget amendments concerning federal Inonies totaled *20,W7M for two categories: Youth Opportunity Specialist, ?M? <*<* salary, benefits travel a supplies); and Gifted and Talented, ft.Ml ? ?Approve a M.MO contract with
The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.)
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