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PROGRESS SENTINEL
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VOL. XXXXV NO. 26 USPS 182-880 KENANSVILLE. NC 28349 JULY1.1982 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
18 Sentenced In
1 Drug Investigation
Sentences were handed
down Friday to 16 people in
Duplin County Superior
Court, following a 10-month
long undercover drug in
vestigation which culminated
with arrests in May.
k All the defendents pleaded
guilty before Judge James
Strickland. Of a total of 26
warrants issued, these are
the first to be brought to trial
for felony charges involving
cocaine, LSD, marijuana and
other drugs.
The charged parties re
ceived various sentences, but
most were reduced to proba
tion and coupled with re
quired public service work
Jjlays.
Many of the defendents
also will receive fines and be
responsible for repaying the
court for the amount under
cover agents paid in the dr g
buys. In some cases, drivers
licences were suspended.
All the defendents were
ordered to stay away from
drugs and drug users and
required to pay the cost of
bcourt.
The following sentences
were issued Friday:
. Scott Dunn of Kenans
ville,1 found guilty of sale,
delivery and possesion of a
counterfeit substance
fashioned as amphetamines.
Received two years sus
g rnck*-1. sentence, With ffvti
years probation. Must spent
four days in jail and pay a
$250 fine, along with $25 to
ptne Sheriffs Department to
repay for drug buys. Twenty
five hours of public service
work for Kenansville or
Duplin Co,
. Tommy Knowles. Rt. 2,
Rose Hill. Guilty of sale,
delivery and possesion of
LSD; sale, delivery and pos
session of marijuana. Five
Years suspended sentence;
five years probation; three
years active sentence; $250
fine; repay $135.
. Alice Knowles, Carol C.
Trailer Park, Wallace. Guilty
of sale, delivery and posses
sion of marijuana. Two years
suspended sentence; five
years probation; two days in
jail; $100 fine; repay $10;
suspended drivers license for
30 days; 48 hours work.
. Cregg Knowles, U.S.
117, Wallace. Guilty of two
counts of felonious posses
sion with intent to sell and
deliver marijuana; two years
suspended sentence; five
years probation; four days in
jail; $500 fine; repay $115;
suspend driver's license for
30 days; 100 hours work for
town of Wallace.
. Dianne Walker Knowles,
206 College St., Wallace.
Charge of sale and delivery
was reduced to a misde
meanor simple possession of
marijuana; $100 fine.
. Robert Lee Knowles, Col
lege St., Wallace. Guilty of
two counts of sale and de
livery of marijuana; two
counts of possession; two
years suspended sentence;
must serve six months active
sentence; v rk fe'ease al
lowed with five year proba
tion; $280 fine; $750 repay.
. David Harrell of Kenans
ville. Guilty of sale and
delivery of cocaine and pos
session of cocaine; two
counts of sale, delivery and
possession of methaqualone;
nine years suspended sen
tence;five years probation;
six years active sentence;
repay $3,849.
. George Craig Craft, Box
6, Kenansville. Gir'ty of
three counts of sale, delivtry
and possession of marijuana;
three years suspended sen
tence; five years probation;
10 days in jail; $750 fine;
repay $112.50; suspended
driver's license for 90 days;
150 hours work.
. James Owen Johnson,
Jr., P.O. Box 465, Kenans
ville. Guilty of conspiracy to
sell and deliver marijuana,
two counts. One count of
sale, delivery and possession
of marijuana; sentence of two
years suspended; five years
probation; four days in jail;
$500 fine; repay $37.50; sus
pended license for 60 days;
75 hours public service work.
. Douglas Hall, Rt. 1,
Beulaville. Guilty of sale and
delivery of methaqualone;
sale, delivery and possession
of cocaine; six years sentence
suspended; five years proba
tion; $1,000 fine; repay $380;
72 hours work.
Lindsy Hall, Rt. 2, Box
183, Rose Hill. Guilty of sale,
delivery and possession of
marijuana; two years sus
pencjed sentence; five years
probation; $250 fine; repay
$10; driver license, sus- .
pended for 30 days; 48 hours
work.
. Martha Foy, Rose Hill.
Guilty of sale, delivery and
possession of marijuana.
Two years suspended sen
tence; five years probation;
four days in jail; $250 fine;
repay $10; driver's license
suspended for 20 days.
. George Dwight Kinsey.
Rose Hill Trailer Park. Guilty
of sale, delivery and posses
sion of marijuana (two
counts); two years sus
pended sentence; five year
probation; four days in jail;
$250 fine; repay $100;
driver's license suspended
for 60 days; 35 hous public
work at town of Magnolia.
Armand Carl Fussell,
Rose Hill. Guilty of sale,
delivery and possession of
counterfeit amphetemine
substance; sale, delivery and
possession of marijuana (two
counts); two years sus- ?
pended sentence; five years
probation; six days in jail;
$600 fine; repay $75; 75
hours work.
. Farriss Blizzard of Beula
ville. Guilty of sale, delivery
and possession of marijuana;
sale, delivery and possession
of methaqualone. five years
probation; three years active
sentence; $1,000 fine; repay
$210.
. Ralmon Lee Sanderson,
of Rose Hill. Guilty of sale,
delivery and of marijuana,
also intent to manufacture.
Four months active sentence;
five years probation after jail
term: repay $4.
. Larrue Hanford, Chin
quapin. Guilty of conspitac
possession of marijuana: !"*<
years suspended sentence;
five years probation; $250
fine; two days in jail.
Jessie Mae Sutton.
Faisori. Guilty of possession,
sell and delivery marijuana;
possession, sell and deliver
LSD; three years active sen
tence; repay $30 to Sheriff's
Department.
Duplin Board Adopts Budget
r KENANSVILLE-One com
missioner's opposition to
some spending provisions
was not enough to prevent
adoption of a 1982-83 fiscal
year budget of $8,533,855 by
the Duplin County Board of
Commissioners Monday.
The Vote to keep the tax
rate at 70 cents per $100
assessed valuation, the same
. as for the current fiscal year,
^was unanimous. The owner
of property valued at $50,000
will be billed for $350 in
county property taxes this
fall.
Voting for adoption of the
budget were Commissioners
Franklin Williams, W.J.
Ccstin, Allen Nethercutt and
Chairman Calvin Turner.
Voting against the budget,
> yet approving the tax rate,
f was Comminsioner D.J. Fus
sell, who, without elabor
ating, said he disagreed with
some of the spending called
for'in the budget.
The new budget exceeds
the current budget by $255,
987 with increases spread
across the board.
Residents of Oakwolfe Fire
District in northern Duplin
will pay 76 cents per $100
valuation to support the
volunteer fire department.
The added 6 cents is ex
pected to bring in $8,404.
County employees will re
ceive an increase in $400
each in pay. Employees paid
partially by the county will
receive an increase propor
tionate to the percentage of
their salaries paid by the
county.
The county expects to col
lect $4,416,370 from the 70
cent t tx on the basis of a 95
percent collection rate and an
assessed valuation of $664,
115,833. A 100 percent col
lection would bring in an
additional $232,440. Last
year, the levy brought
$4,255,193.
The county expects $837,
095 from federal revenue
sharing funds. Last year it
received $931,769. The
revenue-sharing fund is
being used in the county's
current budget, such as
$546,800 for social services
and law enforcement. $240,
000 for school capital outlay
and $76,055 for James
Sprunt Technical College in
Kenansville.
The school system will
receive $1,890,586 in currect
expense and $235,664 in
capital outlay funds. An ad
ditional $100,000 will be
placed in a special capital
reserve account for future
school construction. Last
year, the school system re
ceived $1,747,200 in current
expense and $246,600 in
.capital outlay funds from the
county. The school system
allocation is the equivalent of
35.28 cents of just over half
the tax rate.
James Sprunt college will
receive $282,550 in current
expense and $76,055 in
capital outlay funds from the
county.
Law enforcement. in
cluding the sheriff's patrols
and the jail, will receive
$631,148.
Tax supervisor Frank
Moore said 22.500 tax bills
will be mailed from his office
June 30.
Williams Replaces Atkinson
As Head Of NDHS
I By Sharon Overton
Johnny Williams Jr., for
mer principal of North
Duplin Junior High School,
took over as head of North
Duplin High today. He is re
placing Jake Atkinson, who
announced his retirement
early last week after he was
offered the junior high posi
tion.
K Atkinson, 59, said he was
;not pressured into retiring.
["They (central office) said I
had a job," said Atkinson.
l"But 1 already had the job I
| wanted. If 1 had wanted to go
' to the junior high, I'd have
[gone. I decided it would be
Fbest to retire."
Atkinson has been princi
pal at North Duplin since
11975. He was asked to trans
fer to NDJH because of what
P>uperintendent L.S. Guy
(called "a need to strengthen
the program (at the high
school) through some ad
ministrative changes." Guy
said there was "no major
problem" with Atkinson's
work, but that the adminis
tration "lacked long-rangi
planning."
"We wish he (Atkinson)
would stay. He's been very
good to us," said Guy.
Williams, who has been
principal at NDJH for the
past eight years, was the
only candidate considered for
the high school job. "Mr.
Williams has strengths in
construction," said Guy. v
' "He's an outstanding public
relations person and a great
organizer and planner."
Williams is a native of
Teachey and a graduate of
Charity High School. He was
drafted into the Army fol
lowing high school and spent
most of his time serving in
Korea. He later attended
A&T State University in
Greensboro where he re
ceived his BS degree in
biology.
Williams' career as an
educator began with a teach
ing position at Rose Hill
Elementary. He was even
tually promoted to vice
principal at the Rose Hill
Magnolia school. In 1974, he
received his certification in
administration at A&"p and
took the job as principal of
North Duplin Junior High.
Williams and his wife
Lottie have two sons, an
eighth grader at Charity
Middle School, and a junior
at A&T. Mrs. Williams
teaches at Rose Hill-Magno
lia.
Williams has high expec
tations of his new position at
NDHS "It's a challenge that
I'm looking forward to," he
REHEARSALS ARE UNDERWAY for The Liberty Cart's
seventh season which begins July. 9th. Randolph
Umberger's colorful drama about the development of
easter North Carolina and the nation will be performed
every Thursday through Sunday evening at 8:15 p.m. in
the William Rand Kenan, Jr. Memorial Amphitheatre in
Kenansville. The 1982 summer season will also include
five performances of the popular rock musical Godspell by
The Liberty Cart's professional cast and crews. Godspell
will open on Wednesday, July 21 and will be performed
on the following four Wednesday nights. For information
call: (919) 296-0721, or write: The Liberty Cart. P.O. Box
470, Kenansville, NC 28349.
County Fair Solicits
Business Support
The "Duplin County Fair is
hoping to gain support from
? area businesses through an
ad campaign which they
kicked off at a special
meeting last Thursday night.
Salesmen will be contact
ing businesses in the Duplin,
Wayne and Lenoir areas
concerning the purchase of
ads in the fair program. They
will stress the theme of
unification of Duplin County
and pride in its number one
industry, agriculture. Mer
chants are encouraged to
{ferticipate in the program as
a means of "keeping Duplin
money in Duplin."
The tabloid will contain 16
pages, ten of advertising and
six of information, and will
be circulated to 17,000
households through the Wal
lace Enterprise and The
Duplin Times. 8.000 addi
tional copies will be distri
buted the week of the fair.
Classes at James Sprunt
Technical College have vol
unteered to do the layout
work, decreasing the cost of
production.
Merchants can purchase a
full-page ad for $400. a half
page for $200, a quarter page
for $100 and a 5"X2" and
there will be no political
advertising. The deadline is
August 1.
For more information, con
tact Kenneth Lanier at Pro
duction Credit Association in
Wallace.
The Agribusiness Council,
sponsors for the Duplin
County Fair, also encourage
businesses to set up booths
and exhibits on fair grounds.
Commercial booths will be
available for S50 and S65
inside of Kenan Auditorium.
Booths must remain on dis
play the entire time of the
fair. October 4-9 from 4 p.m.
until 10 p.m.
Space for larger displays
such as farm equipment will
be available outside. To re
serve these areas, the council
requires only that 'he ex
hibitor be a niemb r of the
Agribuiirtess Council and an
advertisor in the fair pro
gram.
"The hardworking agricul
tural community of this
county has achieved the en
viable feat of making Duplin
County number one in agri
culture production among
the 100 counties of North
Carolina and one of the top
50 in the whole United
States," said David Byrd,
commercial exhibit Chairman
for the fair committee. "This
tremendous earning power of
Duplin County, more often
than not. goes to reward
business in tire neighboring
counties. We are convinced
that a successful county fair
will do a lot toward making
people aware of the excellent
opportunities for business
and trade right here at home.
It is because of this that we
are asking you to support and
take advantage of the fair to
advertise your business."
The next regularly sched
uled meeting of the fair
committee will be Thursday,
June 8 at 8 p.m.
Duplin Youth Drowns
Vincent Colon Pickett, 17,
of Route 1, Chinquapin, son
of Willie Pickett, drowned
last Monday.
Hiram Brinson, Duplin
County emergency services
director, said the drowning
occurred shortly after 2 p.m.
Monday in a rain-swollen
creek near Cleveland Bridge
on N.C. 50 two miles south of
Chinquapin.
Brinson said several
youths were at the bridge.
Pickett jumped in the
normally small creek from
the bridge railing. The swift
current carried him further
than he expected and he
panicked, according to Brin
son.
Brinson said the other
youths jumped in the water
to pull him out but were
unable to do so.
All the small streams in
southern Duplin County and
the Northeast River are re
ported to be swollen from
recentyains.
Brinson said the Chinqua
pin Rescue Squad was called
at 2:56 p.m. The Rose Hill
Rescpc Squad, which , also
has a boat, was called to
assist. The body was re
covered at 5:57 p.m. Mon
day.
NDHS GETS NEW PRINCIPAL-Johnny Williams closes
out his office at North Duplin Junior High School in Faison
and prepares to move into a new one at North Duplin High.
Williams was named principal at the high school after Jake
Atkinson resigned early last week.
said. "It will be different,
but 1 feel I can meet that
challenge."
Supt. Guy stated that, as
of last Tuesday, no candi
dates were being considered
to fill the vacancy at the
junior high
I
CUCUMBER HARVESTOR-Calypso farmer
W.R. Keebaugh has one of three existing
cuke pickers. This machine will pick the
cucumber from the vine and not damage the
vines. Keebaugh says the machine is made
in Clyde, Ohio by Mach-Weld. Though it is
made in Ohio it was designed by engineers
at N.C. State University. The original
machine is still doing its job near La Grange,
it was put together at NCSU. For the
machine to operate properly the cukes have
to be in 60 inch middles, normally cukes are
in 38 to 40 inch middles. The machine also
trains the vines to stay on the rows, not to
wander in the middles. This means the
machine must travel down each row at least
every three days. A single driver or operator
can tend 25 acres qf cukes with the machine.
According to Keebaugh the machine will pay
for itself in about three years. The c0St
around 530,000. A problem with this yeays
operation, the wetness of the fields. The
machine will gather about 10 acres of cukesa
day. A crew of 10 workers will gather about
two and a half acres a day.