PROGRESS SENTINEL
^?^^VOUXXXXVNOJO^ uspsv62^aaO KENANSVIILE. NC 28349 JUNE 25. 1981 18 PAGES THIS WEEK ^^^^locents pi US tax
^ISTC NURSING INSTRUCTOR RETIRES WITH 19
YEARS' SERVICE - Susan H. Saunders, a nursing
instructor at James Sprunt Technical College, was honored
with a service plaque from the institution during a
reception held last week. The reception was given by the
'ctr Health Occupations Department in honor of the
retiring instructor. Pictured, left to right, JSTC Dean of
Instruction Gene Ballard presents Susan Saunders with a
plaque for 19 years of service at James Sprunt. She is
accompanied by her brother, Dallas Herring, and JSTC
Director of Health Education Gayle Weeks.
New County Library
Facility To Open June 29
By J on I Nethercutt
"We will be ready," said
Roberta (Bobbie) Williams as
she sat amid stacks of books
piled all over the floor.
Williams, director of the
Dorothy Wightman Duplin
County Library, announced
^that the library will reopen
Won Monday, June 29 at its
new location in Kenansville.
The Duplin County Library
closed June 12 and began the
moving process the following
week.
"This new facility is a vast
improvement over what we
had," said Williams.
Before, a lot of our equip
ment was not readily access
ible due to lack of space,
PWilliams said, adding that
several of their books, etc.
had been cramped in the
aisles and reading areas.
Most of the furniture and
shelving in the new library
are the same as were in the
old library with some new
additions, some of which the
library had, but had lacked
the room to use prior to the
move. There are portable
I shelves that make more
' readily accessible fie ion and
paperback books, com
mented Williams. There is
also new record storage for
the numerous albums in the
library, with the children's
records also more accessible,
Williams added.
Added in the new library
will be some additional
shelving and a circulation
desk which were built at
Omega Enterprises jn Rose
Hill. The circulation* desk is
beautifully made and well
equipped. "We have grown
considerably in this area and
definitely needed the room,"
remarked Williams. "We
will be able to do a lot more
things more efficiently."
On Friday, everything had
been moved to the new
facility and the children's
section was completed, with
four sections of children's
books and two reading
tables. The library staff was
busily working replacing all
of the books on the shelves.
Library assistant Mrs. Ethel
Kelly remarked, "We have
really shifted and moved
boxes this week."
The audio-visual equip
ment has a place of its own
now in a large storage closet
where it can be efficiently
filed and more readily ac
cessible. There is also a
reference room.
Williams commented on
the energy efficiency of the
new building with an auto
matic time set controlling the
air conditioning and heating
for off hours and weekends.
The new library has good
lighting and offers separate
restroom facilities.
"For the first time we have
a separate work area," said
Williams. "Before, our work
room-lunch room was located
in the reading rooms."
There will also be a new
photocopy machine, she
said, with the charge for use
remaining at ten cents.
Williams expressed that
"without the cooperation of
the staff, the county main
tenance crew and the boys
from the correctional center,
we wouldn't be ready. They
have really worked hard."
The full library staff will be
working in the new county
library, and they include
Miss Williams and her
assistants. Mis. Ethel Kelly,
Mrs. Eva Miller and Mrs.
Marie C. Todd. Included also
among the staff is house
keeper Viola Moore and one
summer youth worker from
CETA, Marvella Johnson.
Miss Williams noted that
the opening day, June 29th.
is also the beginning date of
the library's summer story
hour. The programs, loca
tions and scheduled times
were listed in last week's
Duplin Times.
One final note ? Williams
said that during the first
week after re-opening, the
library will offer a "fine
free" book return.
>
Heat Killing Poultry
And Swine In Duplin Area
Area losses of pountry and
swine mounted, state
agricultural officials warned
farmers to protect their live
stock. and power companies
called for conservation as
unseasonable high tempera
tures toasted North Carolina.
The hot and humid days have
tied the records set in 1943.
WBLA. an Elizabethtown
radio station, reported a high
of 102 last week and C.M.
Outlaw, state weather ob
server for the N.C. Depart
ment of Agriculture, re
ported 105 degrees at his
home west of Kenansville.
Katie Perry, agricultural
meteorologist with the N.C.
Extension Service, said the
livestock weather safety in
dex reached the "emergen
cy" level last week, the most
critical. She said it meant
quick action was essential to
prevent heavy losses of
poultry, cattle and swine.
"What makes it so bad is
that both temperatures and
humidity are so high," she
said. "Farmers have to be
extremely careful under such
conditions because they can
really be deadly."
The sustained hot weather
has begun to take a toll of
eastern North Carolina
poultry and livestock and
may cause prices of poultry
and eggs to increase later in
the year.
Temperatures in excess of
100 degrees were reported
last week in Duplin County,
heart of the state's huec
turkey and broiler industry.
Keith Hinson of Watson
Poultry and Seafood of Rose
Hill said his firm had lost
3-4,000 breeder hens out of a
breeding flock of 85,000
birds. He said his growers
had lost at least 2-3,000
broilers. Most growers are
losing 50 to 60 birds per
house per day, he said.
"Take last week on Mon
day afternoon. The sun just
hung up there until 8:30 p.m.
with little or no breeze and
high humidity. You're just
going to lose birds under
those conditions."
Bizzell Johnson of Nash
Johnson & Sons Farms, Rose
Hill, said "We're losing
broilers and some turkeys."
Johnson said he knew of
3,000 turkeys and 5,000
broilers lost so far through
midday Tuesday.
Poultry production has be
come Duplin County's major
business. Last year the gross
return was estimated at Si25
(trillion. The county is also a
major hog producer in the
state, with swine adding SIS
million to $20 million to the
gross income of farmers.
Losses so far have been
much lighter than during a
heat wave three years ago as
growers have insulated
poultry houses and installed
large fans to stir the hot,
humid air. Swine producers
have insulated some houses
and have installed fogging or
misting equipment to cool
their animals.
Wendell Murphy of Rose
Hill, a large market hog
producer, said hog losses
have been higher than
normal, but "our pigs are
getting along much better
now than under the same
situation years back," he
sajd. "If we have some 80
degree nights, we'l> have a
more severe loss."
Helms Ridicules Claims Of
Influence On 1- 40
Sen. Jesse Helms ridiculed
claims he either could guar
antee or block funding of the -
1-40 project in the state and
questioned the wisdom of
new interstate highway
projects in a letter to the
Duplin Cowvty llbard-of
Xiomifiissioneni.
The letter, read to the
board last week by County
Manager Ralph Cottle, was
in response to the board's
request to the senator for
support of the Interstate 40
project between Benson and
Wilmington.
The letter stated, "1 have
been surprised at some of the
purely political comments I
have noted in the media
concerning this project.
Someone sent me a state
ment published in the Wil
mington paper recently to
the effect that all I had to do
was pick up the telephone
and call President (Ronald)
Reagan and the highway
would be completed. This
was an. absurd statement
teglrrdltss-of vrbieh politician
motivated {t. On the other
hand, some citizens who
oppose the project have been
led to believe I can block
completion of 1-40."
Helms wrote. "The deci
sions on this project and all
other highway projects in
North Carolina are made in
Raleigh and not Washington.
This is the truth regardless of
how ill-advised or wasteful a
highway project may be."
Helms denied elimination
of the discretionary highway
fund would kill the 1-40
project. His letter stated.
"Ray Barnhart, the new
federal highway adminis
trator, has emphasised that
this simply is not so."
Helms said th ?'{*' ? will
oontint to r- iin .ederal
"highway Cunus'auw it I-tx) i?
the high priority highway as
been stated, it can be
funded.
The letter added, "I con
fess 1 do question the wisdom
of spending millions of dol
lars of taxpayers' money on a
brand new highway. It seems
to be a more prudent course
would be to upgrade existing |
highways."
Sen. John East filed to
comment directly on the 1-40 i
situation in a letter he sent to i
the board in response tr :ts
request tor 1-40 suppo^
Gov. Jim Hunt and Rep.
Charles G. Rose III have said
the $300 million highway
probably won't be built
without the special fund. The
federa discretion.-*y fund
has S5 d m*tw.
for the highway, and the
state has matched that with
$25.8 million for a total
investment of $77.6 million.
Hunt declared the comple
tion of 1-40 one of his top
priorities during his re-elec
tion bid last year, but his
public statements on the
project have become less
Frequent in the face of the
Reagan administration's
efforts to slash federal fund
ng to highway projects.
Wallace Fails To Get
Quorum To Set Tax Rate
Only the mayor and two
town commissioners turned
out for the special town
budget meeting in Wallace
last week, ancf adoption of
the 1981-82 fiscal year bud
get was delayed.
Mayor Melvin Cording
said four board members
must attend a meeting to set
a tax rate. The proposed
budget calls for an increase
in tne town tax rate of 2
cents, from 65 to 67 cents per
S100 assessed valuation.
Cording set 7:30 n.m.
Thursday as a new special
budget meeting date.
Commissioners Lloyd
Boone and Arnold Duncan
were present Thursday
night. Absent were Commis
sioners N.H. Carter, Charlie
Blanchard and Willie Biggs.
The 67-cent levy, if
adopted, will bring in
$295,973 from property as
sessed at about $45 million.
The town's proposed budget
totals $1,326,780. The dif
ference of slightly more than
$1 million between the ad
valorem tax receipts and the
budget total will be made up
from federal and state
frants, receipts of the water
cpartment and sales and
excise tax rebates. The
owner of property valued at
$50,000 win pay a city
property tax of $335 if the
rate is approved.
The budget proposes an
increase of SI 30,000 over the
1980-81 budget. Among
major increases are electri
city. $30,000 and gasoline
and oil, $15,000.
Salary increase will range
from 3 to 5 percent, with tne
lowest paia receiving the
highest percentage of in
crease. Tne total amount of
the salary increase cannot be
determined until final ap
proval of the budget by tne
board.
The water and sewer base
rates will be increased 15
percent. The minimum bill
has been $2.75 for 3,000
gallons per month. The
sewer rate is the same as the
water rate. The new mini
mum for both will be $6.33
per month. The garbage fee
will remain $3 per month.
The capital outlay budget
of $210,000 includes
$119,000 for a new well.
$49,000 to complete Clement
Park and $19,000 for new
police cars.
The proposed budget calls
for one new full-time position
in the recreation department
at $9,000 a year and con
verting a part-time position
at the library to a full-time
position at an annual salarv
of $7,600.
James Sprunt Summer
Quarter Begins June 30
James Sprunt Technical
College will hold summer
quarter registration on Mon
day, June 29. Classes will
begin on Tuesday, June 30.
Some summer classes are
divided into two six-week
sessions, enabling students
to schedule classes around
other activities and job com
mitments. And some of the
UNC-Wilmington courses
(general education college
transfer) are scheduled for
eight weeks beginning June
30 and ending August 21.
Evening courses offer a
variety of opportunities for
advancement and updating
skills in the business and
secretarial fields. The
courses begin June 30. end
September 16. and offer an
introduction to business,
beginning and advanced
typing, accounting, office
and transcription machines,
and office management.
More information can be
obtained through business
education technology in
structors Marty Fife and
Kathv Wrenn at 296-1341,
Ext. 215.
Kenansville Delinquent Tax Collections
Kenansville Mayor Doug
as Judge, on behalf of the
own commissioners, has
tuthorizet* the town tax col
ector to use all legal means
o collect delinquent taxes
lue the town. The tax col
ector is authorized to levy on
ind sell any real and per
sonal property of such tax
>ayers to satisfy said tax
ndebtedness due. The town
board at it's May regular
meeting appointed the police
department as assistant tax
collectors and authorized its
members to carry out any
levy necessary to collect de
linquent taxes due the town.
Judge stated that the town
is making an all-out effort to
collect these taxes so that the
town will be able to operate
within its budget and keep
the tax rate at the lowest
possible figure. He is asking
all cii is to check with the
towi collector at the town
hall and make sure that their
taxes are current so that no
type of levy or sale for
delinquent taxes will be
necessary.
Mary Anne Jenkins, town
tax collector, stated that she
would start actual levy within
the next few days.