New Sun? This photo of the solar eclipse was taken in Greensboro by a Parkton resident thai works in Raeford at Faberge. Jim Skinner took this hiding sun shot as it was reflected onto a piece of white cardboard through a telescope. Taken at about 12:35 p.m., the picture shows the sun just as the moon moves across during the eclipse on May 30. . . .Meeting on US 401 widening urged (Continued from page 1) dangerous areas of the stretch, Hollers said. "Now is the time to push with Rufus (Democratic Party guber natorial nominee Rufus Edmisten) and with Billy Rose," Hollers said. Other federal funds might be available for the widening of Highway 401 , but the money could not be used for purchasing rights of-way for a four-lane road, she said. Hollers was unsure whether any land for a four-lane highway had been purchased during the late 1960's and 1970's when the project was funded by the state highway department and scheduled for con struction. If the land, was owned by the state, perhaps more money could be obtained for the widening pro ject. Additional federal discretionary funds might have also been available for the project earlier, but Hollers says that President Ronald Reagan eliminated the use of the money. "If Reagan hadn't eliminated the money, we might have been able to get money to widen 401 as an evacuation route for Ft. Bragg," she said. Local officials and others in Hoke County believe that a widen ed thoroughfare connecting Raeford with Cumberland County is vital to the growth of the area. County's unemployment rate drops below 10% By Ed Miller For the first time in at least nine months, unemployment figures in Hoke County dropped below the double digit mark to 9.9% during April. The jobless rate in the county was down for the second straight month in April, according to figures released recently by the state ftm>nyittuni Security Com mission (ESC). Out of a labor force in Hoke County of 8,260, 7,440 were work ing with 820 still on the jobless rolls. This county has seen increased employment in trade and construc tion, said ESC spokesperson Deb bie Fanner. Industries in the county are not laying off and the turnover in plants is not as high as it has been in past months, Farmer said. Construction-. in the county it also on the rise because of good weather, she said. "There have been a lot of col lege and high school students hired for summer jobs also," she said. As to the reasons why the drop in unemployment has occurred, Farmer said: "I think the overall economy is getting better." In April, the unemployment rate for Hoke was 9.9 ft as compared to 10.8ft in March and 1 1 .2ft in February, ESC releases say. According to the ESC report, Burlington County was the only county in the state that had an in crease in the unemployment rate and that was only by one-tenth of 1*. The report termed this increase as "insignificant." Although the number of jobless in the county is down, Hoke and Robeson counties are tied for the highest unemployment percentage rate in the surrounding six qptipty. area; however, there are still nine counties in the state where that figure is still over 107*. Canners need pressure check By Ellca S. WIIUs Hook Extcaaioa Agent WHY BLANCH VEGETABLES There's one step in the freezing of vegetables that some homeraakers think they can ignor. And that step is blanching. But blanching - that is scalding of vegetables in hot water or steam before you put them into the package - is a must. Here's why! Blanching inactivates most of the plant enzymes that might otherwise cause toughness, change in color, mustiness, loss of flavor, softening and loss of nutritive value. And blanching vegetables before freezing reduces the number of micro-organisms in the food. Also blanching can enhance the green color vegetables, including peas, broccoli and spinach - giving them a fresh-from-the garden look. It also wilts leafy vegetables, such as spinach and other greens, making them easier to pack into the freezer container. In addition, blanching displaces air that is trapped in the tissues of vegetables - and it saves and preserves the flavor of fresh vegetables. So if you're thinking about sav ing a step - and not blanching your vegetables - reconsider. And blanch. Cream Cheese Pound Cake (Agnes Walters) 1W cups butter flavored shorten ing 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (soften ed) 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 1 tablespoon butter flavoring 2 cups plain flour 1 cup self-rising flour Cream butter flavor shortening and softened cream cheese. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, two at a time. Add butter flavoring. Add flour gradually un til all has been mixed in. Put in greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325? for 1 Vi hours. Cream Cheese Sheet Cake (Agnes Walters) 1 stick margarine (melted) -l