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^OL. XXXXIV NO. 50 USPS 162-860 KENANSVILL& NC 28349 DECEMBER 13. 1979 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
I New Doctors To
ComeTo Warsaw
On Saturday, Dec. 8, Drs.
! R. Stephen Griffith and Clark
B. Hanmer informed Duplin
County Physician Recruit
Mfenent, Inc., Dr. Edwin P.
'Ewers, and the Warsaw
Chamber of Commerce Phy
sician Recruitment
Committee of their decision
to locate in Duplin County
and establish a medical
practice in conjunction with
J^Dr. Ewers in Warsaw upon
completion of their specialty
training in Family Practice in
July, 1980.
Dr. Griffith and his wife,
Nora, have one child and are
expecting their second. They
Aare formerly from Missouri,
and are presently living in
Tuscon, Ariz. Dr. Hanmer
and his wife, Debbie, have
a daughter, and they are
formerly from Michigan and
are presently living in
^ Fayetteville.
V Both doctors plan to prac
tice as family physicians
including the practice of
obstetrics.
Family physicians are
trained to fill a unique and
specific role in the delivery of
Mmodero comprehensive
services. The residency pro
gram in family practice re
quires a total of three years
of training following gradua
tion from medical school.
. Suob .training usually in
cludes training :'in famih
Jpmedicine, internal medicine,
pediatrics, psychiatry, ob
Dr. Stephen Griffith
Dr. Clark Henmer
TO BEGIN PRACTICE IN WARSAW - Dr. Stephen
Griffith (left) and Dr. Clark Henmer (right), two of the
three physicians to visit Duplin County Dec. 1-2, have
announced intentions to begin a family-type practice in
Warsaw. Both doctors plan to practice.in the building with
Dr. Edwin Ewers of Warsaw, and will arrive in July, 1980.
sletrics and gynecology,
basic surgical principles, ?nd
community medicine,
according to R. E. Harrell,
executive director of the
Duplin County Physician Re
cruitment, Inc., and adminis
trator of Dufffin General
HospitaJ. - *
Charges Dropped
Against Mayor Godwin
By Emily Killette
Charges against Warsaw
Mayor Sam Godwin were
dismissed by Judge F.T.
Dupree, Chief U.S. District
Judge, after Godwin testified
on behalf of C. Gilmer
Parrish of Dunn who had
plead guilty on two counts of
the indictment of six
charges.
During the hearing Mon
day. evidence was presented
which established that
Godwin had received no
monetary benefit as the con
tractor of Johnston County
Memorial Nursing Center,
and had not conspired with
Parrish to inflate the con
struction costs of the nursing
center on a cost report which
was submitted to H.E.W.
Parrish and Godwin were
indicted by a grand jury on
six charges of attempting to
defraud the federal govern
ment by inflating the cost of
building the nursing center.
Parrish plead guilty to two
counts, and other charges
were dropped by Judge
Dupree and Assistant
District Attorney Jack B.
Crawley, Jr.
Godwin was released of all
charges following the
explanation of certain checks
paid to Parrish during the
building of the Johnston
County Memorial Nursing
Center for amounts of
S75.000. and establishing
that Godwin had not helped
in any way to prepare cost
reports which were sub
mitted to Blue Cross and
Blue Shield, which acts as
agency of H.E.W. on
Medicaid and Medicare
costs. The cost of the build
ing of the nursing home,
along with other factors,
such as the interest on the
loans to construct the facility,
the daily patient care cost,
and depreciation of the
building, are considered by
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
when setting a rate of repay
ment to homes for patients
on Medicare and Medicaid,
testified an HEW auditor,
Joseph Safaday. According
to him, the costs of the
Johnston County nursing
home had been inflated with
cos is from the building of
Parrish's private residence,
which was being constructed
at the same time as the
nursing home. The cost
report submitted to Blue
Cross and Blue Shield was
inflated by S142.22I, which
was found to be the cost of
paint, shingles, concrete
blocks, landscaping and
other items used to build the
Parrish residence, Donald A.
Burgman, HEW investigator
testified. Parrish later testi
fied that the cost reports
which were submitted to
HEW with the inflated
figures had been prepared by
certified public accountants
employed by him.
Three checks, two for
$25,000, were explained by
Godwin as payment to
Parrish for services as a sub
contractor, and a third was
for $25,000 worth of stock in
the Johnston County
Memorial Nursing Center,
which was part of the con
tract to build the facility,
testified Godwin. Evidence
showed that Parrish worked
as a subcontractor for
Godwin and received $50,000
for his services. Godwin re
ceived $65,000 for his ser
vices which had been part of
the contract.
Investigator Safaday testi
fied that on the inflated cost
of the building, the govern
ment overpaid $19,345.
$16,040 on Medicaid
patients, and $3,341 on
Medicare patients in 1976
alone, and for the three
years. 1975-1977. the
government overpaid
Johnston Memorial Nursing
Center $40,035. Since the
investigation in the Johnston
Nursing Center, Memorial
Nursing Center of N.C. and
Parrish began a year ago,
Parrish has paid the govern
ment $60,000 in refunds.
As Parrish stood before
Judge Dupree for sentenc
ing. he commented that he
had not knowingly or will
fully defrauded anyone or the
government, and he would
continue to repay any money
which was due (he govern
ment as the HEW audit of his
books continued. Parrish.
who became licensed as an
administrator of nursing
homes after the construction
of the nursing homes in
Johnston County and Dunn,
is the owner of the Memorial
Centers Nursing of North
Carolina, which has assisted
in the construction of other
nursing homes across the
state.
Parrish was sentenced by
Judge Dupree on counts
three and four of the indict
ment. which were the
charges of inflating the
building costs, along with his
corporation, the Memorial
Nursing Centers of North
Carolina. The corporation
was fined $10,000, and
Parrish was sentenced to a
three-year suspended
sentence, along with a
$10,000 fine. As a condition
of the three-year probation.
Parrish is to participate in a
community service, which
will be specified by the
probation office, one day
each month. The community
service will be outside of the
nursing home and church
activities.
Board Of Education
Appoints Panel To
*
Review Fund Raising
^ A committee to review all
requests for fund-raising
projects for special school
activities and to study past
projects was named by the
Board of Education last
Tuesday ,at their regular
^Phieeting.
The committee includes
board members Fred Rhodes
and Graham Phillips. It also
will include some school
principals and some
members cf the administra
tive staff.
w The action resulted from a
request by the county board
of commissioners to halt all
selling projects in grades
kindergarten through six.
Sales of candy, cookies,
magazines, ball point pens-.
Christmas trees, yearbooks,
oughnuts and calendars as
well as bookfairs, car washes
and other projects have been
conducted periodically to pay
for special school activities
not funded under the regular
Jtudget.
?k Boardmember Patricia
Broadrick made a motion
that was approved by a 4-1
vote to invite the county
commissioners to discuss the
question of sales projects
with the school board.
?hodes voted against the
lotion. Voting for it were
Phillips, Mrs. Broadrick,
Jimmy Strickland and E.L.
Boyette.
Rhodes said the Holloween
Festival at B.F. Grady school
in October netted $9,000.
M Four counselors, a super
visor and secretary, have
been hired to implement a
special program funded by a
$125,000 CETA grant to
assist disadvantaged and
low-income students
complete vocational courses.
The primary goal, the board
was informed, is to encour
age these students to com
plete their training rather
than to drop out due to
discouragement or lack of
interest.
The director is Austin
Carter of Faison. Counselors
are Ike Baker for Wallace
Rose Hill High School; Roma
Kenan. East Duplin; Nadine
Blanton, North Duplin; and
Judy Malpass for James
Kenan.
Gary Sanderson, asst.
superintendent, reported a
state accreditation com
mittee reviewed Duplin
schools last week and told
him the' system will receive
one level of state accredi
tation at present and a higher
level of accreditation in July
1980.
Sanderson said reports on
65 high school graduates
attending colleges at present
showed a composite average
grade of 2.65. A grade of A
carries four points. B carries
three points, and C carries
two points.
Keith Hinson of Rose Hill
was appointed to Charity
School's advisory committee
and E.C. Thompson. Ill of
Warsaw to the James Kenan
High School committee.
Doug Clark was elected
Duplin County Representa
tive for a two-year term in
November of 1978. The next
primary will be held May 6.
1980, with the final voting in
November. Clark formally
announced his candidacy for
re-election on the east steps
of the county courthouse in
Kenansville Monday.
Clark won the seat in 1978
with 4,487 votes, defeating
the incumbent Tommy
Baker. While in Raleigh,
Clark was seated on the
House agriculture and
education committees.
Clark said in his speech
from the courthouse steps,
"I have been your advocate
by promoting Duplin County
by word of deed all across
this slate, and by trying to
get more elected and ap
pointed officials to become
aware of Duplin County's
accomplishments and poten
Files For Re-Election
Doug Clark
fial ??
As part of his effort to
assist the county, Clark says
he is working to achieve
better roads, especially
Highways 117 and 24. and il>
?
obtain gixxl connectors
between 1-40 and the Duplin
towns. Clark is also pan of
the Physician Recruitment
Committee, which has been
successful in recruiting two
young physicians to Duplin
County, with both planning
to practice in Warsaw.
Kenonsville Board
Discuss Water Project At Meeting
By Emily Killette
During the monthly meet
ing of the Kenansville Town
Board on Dec. 3, the com
missioners, the mayor and
the town administrator.
Woody Brinson, answered
questions concerning the
proposed water project.
Brinson explained that the
water system will pay for
itself, and that taxes are not
going to be affected by the
system, according to the
proposed plans. However,
part of the plans for the
water system does include a
rate, increase for water,
which will go toward the
payment of the bond from
the FmHA. Also, a dual
water rate will be required,
which will help pay for the
bond. The dual rate will
separate residential users
and commercial users, and
charge different rates. The
non-residentia) customers
expected to be added with
the completion of the system,
will pay one-and-one-half
times the rate charged resi- 1
dential customers. A third
way the town proposes to pay
the bond is through the
savings in maintenance cost
which is estimated at SI,800.
Brinson said.
According to Brinson,
money to fund this project
will come from a grant from
the FrnHA for $356,500, with
the town of Kenansville
receiving $170,000 in general
obligation bonds from the
FrnHA, a North Carolina
Clean Water grant for
$169,500 and a Coastal
Plains Regional Commission
grant for $73,000, and the
total cost will be $769,000.
Through the Coastal Plains
Regional grant, the town
will benefit from eight-inch
lines, where the FrnHA
would only fund six-inch
lines. The grant will also
fund the difference between
a 150,000- and a 250.000
gallon storage tank. Brinson
said. The grant will supply
additional waterlines (o a
planned apartment complex
near Whaiey's Rest Home.
Plans are to build 20 apart
ments, four buildings each
with four two-bedroom
apartments, and one build
ing with four one-bedroom
apartments.
Brinson explained that the
state Division of Health Ser
vices recommended that
Kenansville space their
well-sites about a mile apart
so the wells would not be
supplied by the same stream.
Sites which have been pro
posed but not tested are one
ntile outside of town on
Highway 11 north, near the
proposed industrial site on
Highway 24. and near the
new Kenansville Elementary
School. Brinson said. How
ever, he stated that the
storage tanks are planned to
be placed inside the town
limits.
Mayor Douglas Judge as
sured citizens that the pro
posed water project in
Kenansville did not relate to
the planning of a county
wide water system unless the
citizens in Kenansville
wished to connect to the
project. Brinson explained
that the county had received
a HUD grant to install a
waterline from Kenansville
town limits to Greenevers
and to the landfill near Rose
Hill. The town would be
asked to hook to the master
meter at the Kenansville
town limits, but would not
have to supply water. Brin
son explained that the
master meter would meter
either way. allowing I
Kenansville to buy water if
there arose a need for more ,
water than the town pumps
could supply.
Judge said, "if we had oik
users taken care of and the I
county could use the water, it -
would benefit the town to sell ?
them the extra water." i
Judge said that any agree- j
ment to furnish water for the i
county would give the citi
zens in Kenansville priority.
Brinson said the county
commissioners and members
of the Duplin planning board
would meet with the Kenans
ville town commissioners to
further discuss the possi
bility of connecting the
HUD-funded line to the
Kenansville system, in
January.
A revitalization project of
the Kenansville Area
Chamber of Commerce was
brought to the attention of
the board by Brinson. He
said he had been contacted
by Kermit Anderson of
CP&L, who had been
working with the Chamber,
to explain the project. The
project is to change all
downtown mercury vapor
lights to sodium vapor lights,
which will show truer colors
and giye five percent more
lights. However, the change
will cost about $400 a year
more than the mercury
lights. The hoard agreed to
visit Warsaw or Clinton,
where the downtowns have
installed the proposed lights,
and make a decision at the
next meeting.
Farmers To Vote On
Referendum Dec. 18
By David English
Flue-cured tobacco
growers will cost their votes
for the future of acreage
allotments and marketing
quotas on Dec. 18. The
referendum covers 1980.
1981 and 1982 marketing
years, and requires a two
thirds majority of the votes
cast to carry. ASCS estimates
show about 125.000 growers
in North Carolina will be
eligible to vote in the refer
endum.
The Tobacco Associates
will conduct a referendum in
conjunction with the market
ing quota referendum.
Tobaccv Associates, Inc., is
the farmers' organization
which proibotes expanded
cvpuri marketing of
flue-cured tobacco.
Polling places have been
designated by each county
ASCS office in counties
where flue-cured tobacco is
grown.
Polling places in Duplin
County Are: A-Albertson,
Albertson Fire House;
B-Cypress Creek, Mill
Swamp Community Build
ing; C-Faison, Faison City
Hall; D-Glisson. W.E. (Bill)
Waller's Store; E-lsland
Creek. G.B. Hanchey's
Store; F-Kenansville, Duplin
County ASCS Office; G
Limestone. Beulaville Town
Hall; H-Magnolia. Magnolia
Town Hall; J-Rockfish,
Rockfish Community Build
ing; K-Rose Hill. Rose Hill
Town Hall; L-Smith, J.D.
Kennedy's Store;
t^I- Warsaw, Old Warsaw
Town Hall; and N-Wolf
scrape. Oak Wolfe Fire De
partment.
ASC Community Referen
dum Committeepersons will
conduct the referendums at
689 polling places in North
Carolina from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. on the announced date.
A "Yes" vote by pro
ducers will guarantee
acreage-poundage market'
ing quotas fur the next three
flue-cured crops and price
suppott availability for
eligible tobacco growers. A
"No" vote ivill mean un
limited production possibili
ties and no price support.
Producers overwhelmingly
favored acreage allotments
and marketing quotas three
years ago by 99 percent
"Yes" votes.
Williams
Announce
Candidacy
Christine Williams
Mrs. Christine w.
Williams has announced her
candidacy for an eighth term
as Duplin County Register of
Deeds, a job she describes as
creating and maintaining
records of life and death and
many of the most important
events in the lives of people
of Duplin County between
birth and death.
In announcing her candi
dacy for another term, Mrs.
Williams stated: "I am very
grateful to the people of the
County for giving me the
opportunity ro serve you as
Register of Deeds since 1952
and I am running again on
my record of service and
experience. If re-elected to
another term, I promise to
contipue to devote my
energies to studying the laws
affecting the office and study
the best methods of record
keeping available to continue
to create and maintain the
best set of records possible to
meet the ever-changing .
needs of the people. Your
vote and support will be
rewarded by the best efforts .
of myself and the fine people
who arc assdetated with me
in the office."
Jt ii ?'?1
Only
DAYS
'til Christmas