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8i?t Year No. 48
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N.C.
WEDNESDAY, December 10, .1982
15c Po Copy
House Democrats Renominate Liston Ramsey
Caucus Vole Assures Second Term As Speaker Of N.C. House
North Carolina House Democrats met in
caucus Thursday and renominated Rep. Liston
Ramsey for a second term as speaker Of the
House. Ramsey's selection by the 102 House
Democrats assures the 11-term Madison Coun
ty representative of a second term as Speaker
of the House beginning in January.
The Marshall native will face no opposition
from Republicans who control only 18 seats in
the state House of Representatives.
Ramsey was nominated by Rep. Charles
Beall of Clyde. The nomination was seconded
by Rep. Narvel Crawford of Asheville and ap
proved by all 102 members..
When he begins his second term in
January, Ramsey will become only the second
speaker in modem times to serve two terms.
Ramsey's predecessor in the office, Rep. Carl
Stewart of Gastonia, served two terms as
speaker in the 1977-78 and 1979-80 sessions.
Ramsey will begin his 11th term in the State
House when it convenes in January. The
63-year old Marshall native was first elected in
the 1960 election. After sitting out the 1965 ses
sion, he returned to Raleigh in 1967. Madison
County voters have retained Ramsey in his post
ever since.
The speaker expects the upcoming session
in Raleigh to be a difficult one for the represen
tatives. Speaking after the Thursday caucus, he
told reporters, "To say that the 1963 session will
be a rough one would be to put it mildly."
The state's economy will be the first con
cern for the returning legislators. Ramsey said,
"Economic conditions have created one of the
most severe budgetary problems this state has
faced during the 20 years I have been hero. We
will be hard-pressed to continue funding ex
isting services, much less fund any new or ex
panding services."
Speaking to the caucus, Ramsey urged the
' renomination of five House officers from the
1960-81 session. Nominated along with Ramsey
were Rep. Allen Barbee of Nash County for
speaker pro tempore, Grace Collins as prin
cipal clerk, Samuel Burrow as reading clerk,
Rep. Jack Hunt of Lattimore as Rules Commit
tee chairman and Larry P. Eagles as sergeant
at-arms.
Formal election of all House officers will be
conducted by the full house membership in
January.
With his second term as speaker about to
begin, many state representatives are urging
Ramsey to run for a third term in the 1985-86
session.
Speaking of Ramsey, Rep. Jeff Enloe, Jr. of
Franklin said, "I don't think there's any doubt
he'll be elected. He knows the rules of the House
better than anybody. He's the only man in the
whole legislature who lists his occupation as
politics."
Ramsey told reporters that about 75
members of the House have urged him to run
for the speaker's post in the next session.
Although he declined to confirm his plans, he
told reporters, "I never go against the majority
of Democrats. He said that he would wait until
after the House opens the new term on Jan. 12 to
announce his plans for the future. He denied
reports that he might seek a higher office, say
ing, "I'm satisfied as the speaker. North
Carolina has two U.S. Senators and 11 con
gressmen, but they don't have but one
speaker."
The speaker announced that he would. make
some changes in committee chairmanships in
the upcoming session, but that the changes
would not be announced formally until Jan. 12.
Court Dismisses Hendon Election Challenge
By ROBERT KO?NIG
A Federal District Court
Judge in Asheville Monday
dismissed the challenge to the
state election law brought by
attorneys for U.S. Rep. Bill
Hen don
Judge Woodrow W. Jones
made his ruling on Friday,
and it was received in the
Ir*?1 c!s* of,.cou!rts off,f!
Monday. The ruling dismissed
with prejudice a suit brought
by Hendon challenging the
constitutionality of the state
election law which gives
precedence to a straight party
vote over a crossover vote
cast on the same ballot.
Attorney Robert Long, argu
ing in Hendon's behalf, had
contended that the law had
cost Hendon the election. The
Republican congressman lost
his November race for the 11th
District seat by a margin of
1,324 votes to Democratic
challenger James McClure
Clarke.
Hendon has asked for a re
count of ballots in five
Western North Carolina coun
ties following his narrow
defeat. All five counties
denied his request, setting the
stage for a court challenge of
the state election law.
In his ruling, Judge Jones i
found "no arbitrary or in- c
vidious discrimination in the c
statutory scheme for vote r
casting and counting under 1.
state law." He also found that t
voting instructions were made t
clear. Stating that "The state r
has a compelling interest in f
adopting a system of voting \
which wfll permit the voters to
vote without undue delay, to
count the votes within a |
reasonable time and to pre- ;
vent fraud and illegal pro- s
cedures," Jones dismissed the '
suit. i
MADISON COUNTY HONOREES
at the Commuity Development
Program's awards ceremonies
Saturday were, from left, Jeff
Bailey, Upper Laurel Youth,
Marie Osteen, Sleepy Valley, Dr.
Larry Stern of Mars Hill, Emma
Lou Wambles of Walnut, Lloyd
George and Tammie Young of
Greater Ivy.
Last week, attorneys for
lendon ammended their suit,
taiming that present state
lection law violated citizens'
ight to due process under the
aw. Judge Jones answered
he Hendon contention saying
hat the present law does not
each the point of patent and
undamental unfairness that
rould violate due process. ,
In his opinion," JoOes a .
>ressed reservations about
K>me aspects of the current
itate election law. He wrote,
'While there are valid
irguments for and against the
wisdom of the present
statuatory rule, it is for the
North Carolina General
Assembly, and not a federal
court, to determine how a
straight party crossover vote
will be counted. The
arguments advanced by the
plaintiffs (Hendon) are ap
pealing. aodif this court were
a member of the General
^Assembly, serious considera
tion would be given to voting
to repeal the 1979 statute."
The court's decision lifts the
ban on the official certifica
tion of the November election.
Earlier, the court had delayed
state certification of the
results pending a decision on
Hendon's motion.
Hendon's attorney, Robert
Long of Asheville, notified the
court that he will appeal the
decision. The next step in the
appeal process, which Hendon
h*q. wjri . copld reach the
Supreme Court, is the 4th
Federal District Court of Ap
peals in Richmond, Va. No
date tor a hearing has been set
at this time.
Herbert Hyde, the attorney
representing James Clarke in
the case, told reporters Mon- <
day that the Virginia court has i
a special expediting panel of <
.1
three judges which will hear i
the case.
Hendon has also taken his
challenge of the election result
to the U.S. House of Represen
tatives. On Friday, the
Republican congressman filed
a notice of iatent with the
House to challenge Clarke's
apparent victory. The U.S.
House is en powered to judge
the qualifications of its
members. The House Ad
ministration Committee will
Sewer Project Is Delayed
The Town of Marshall's
sewage problems was once
again the main topic of discus
sion at the monthly town coun
cil meeting Monday evening.
Downtown parking, unpaid
water bills and the towns in
creasing electricity bills were
also discussed, and town
residents questioned the
town's engineering consultant
on the proposed $1.2 million
sewer project Marshall voters
approved in September.
Gary McGill of Butler
Associates, the town's
engineering consultant for the
project, delivered a report to
the council on the present
status of sewer renovation.
McGill told the meeting,
"When we proposed the bond
issue, I had estimated that we
could have started the project
in the neighborhood of 60 days.
We're beyond that now. The
approval of the different agen
cies has taken longer than was
expected, the EPA (En
vironmental Protection Agen
cy) has participated in the
design of the project, but is not
participating in the construc
tion of the project. We're try
ing to satisfy two situations.
Everything has been shipped
to Raleigh. We're waiting for
them to tell us to go ahead.
Hopefully, we'll have
everything situated this
month. We're doing
everything we can to get it
cleared up. Price-wise and
time-wise, I don't think the
delay has hurt us."
McGill told the meeting that
work on the project won't
begin before spring because
contractors would not want to
start a project of this sort dur
ing the worst winter months.
He said bids would be taken
during the winter so work can
begin as soon as weather per
7T \
mits.
Before McGill delivered his
report on the $1.2 million
foliar project, he spoke of a
smaller project funded by a
135,000 grant from the Ap
palachian Regional Commis
sion to provide sewer lines to a
number of rehabilitated
tomes in the Rollins com
munity. The houses to be fur
nished sewer lines are bet
ween Rollins Rd. and U.S.
25-70.
McGill ufged the town
aldermen to approve the pro
ject. He reported that Wheeler
Construction of Weaverville
has submitted a low bid of
$43,145. The bid is 98,145 above
the project's budget, but
McGill assured the council
that changes could be made to
the original contract to bring
the cost within budget.
The aldermen voted
unanimously to approve the
project for not more than the
$35,000 budget.
McGill said the $$5,080
sewer project would eventual
ly tie into the line to be con
Continued oh Page 9
conduct the hearings into the
matter should Hecxkm file a
challenge. Clarke has 30 days
to respond to the Hendon
notice of intent.
Clarke was reported to be in
Washington Monday attending
orientation sessions for new
members of Congress and was
unavailable for comment.
1
Burley
Rules
Changed
RALEIGH- The USDA Fri
lay rescined an order on
lirection'of the secretary of
igiculture which chsaltowed
[r a ding of burley tobacco in
heets. Leaf without a grade is
lot eligible for price support
Dans.
According to North Carolina
Commissioner of Agriculture
im Graham, grading will
iow be permitted on burley
rbether hand tied, balled or
heeted for the remainder of
"Due to complaints by
warehousemen in Kentucky,
he secretary of agriculture
irdered that tobacco offered
or sale in sheets wouls not be
eligible for grading and
herefore price supports,"
iraham skid "The
warehousemen claimed not
(Continued On Page 6)
Larry McFarland : Madison County Music Man
By CHERYL KOENIG
Have you ever stood in line
at the grocery store and
caught yourself humming the
tune to a familiar commer
cial? If you live in Madison
County, the chance* are good
that the fellow in line behind
you could tall you every note
Larry McFarland, a native
of Madison County, has come
home to found a family music
business with his father,
Oharles McFarland. I add
n tea long list of other at
in music
Ijarry has writtoo the music
'?I went to Flat Creek
Elementary School. All the
guys used to call me a sissy for
playing the piano. Every
Wednesday when I had a
lesson, I wore old clothes to
school because I knew I was
going to get in a fight, but I
bad always wanted to play the
piano and to me, learning to
play the piano was worth all
the teasing and fighting,"
?piano player has a huge bowl
on top of the piano {or tips. In
some places, they have to rely
on tips alone for pay, but in
spite of the obvious bowls on
. the piano, people have a
tendency to buy the piano
player a drink, rather than tip
him. So I devised a system to
get around this. I would ar
range with the bartender to
bring me tea instead of a
i nk. At the end of the night,
the would give me
the money people had spent to
. innk ? , ?r,U i,
' a iving am! the
Midwest and steadily expand
ed his territory to include Las
Vegas. While he was
employed with them, Chicago
Music was purchased by a ma
jor conglomerate in the music
and entertainment field.
While traveling, Larry
wrote a promotional record
that was used to demonstrate
organs, and got to know fee
there were two people who
would never amount to
anything, one was a fox hunter
and the other was a musician
I hope I have proved them
wroM T ?
"My music has allowed me
to do what I have done and
what I am doing now. I felt as
if I had to do well. But at the
same time, I also felt as if I
had to do well at what I
. /
plan to open another store in
Aaheville within the next six
months. McFarland's to a true
family venture. Larry and the
senior McFariand manage the
stores, Mrs. McFariand to a
salesperson in the Mara Hill
store and Larry's sister, Mar
sha McFariand Boone, gives
music instruction.
The stores carry a wide
section of musical in
struments. but as Larry will