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PROGRESS SENTINEL
VOL. XXXXVI NO 34 USPS 162 860 y KENANSVILLE. NC 28349 AUGUST 26. 1982 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Kenansville's Liquor By The Drink....
*The Quiet Referendum
Bv Sharon Overton
Staff Writer
In less than a week, the
citizens of Kenansville will
^lecide what should be one of
phe most controversial ques
tions in the town's history.
The people will vote on a
referendum to determine
whether or not mixed drinks
and malt beverages can be
sold in restaurants, hotels,
private clubs and convention
centers within the city limits.
The referendum should be
controversial, considering
that the town voted down a
^imilar state proposal in 1973
Hnd narrowly approved the
A.B.C. store here in No
vember. 1965. However, as
of last week, the town has
been relatively quiet on the
subject. Debate has been
minimal and the man's who's
talking the least, perhaps, is
the very one who sponsored
the petition calling for a
referendum.
Jesse (Bill) Brown, a
Kcnansville resident, mer
chant and former restaurant
owner, began circulating a
petition four months ago
calling for a town vote for or
against mixed drinks and the
sale of on-premises malt
beverages. According to law.
the petition must carry the
names of at least 25 percent
of the town's voting popu
lation before it becomes a
referendum. Brown collected
over 130 signatures out of
452.
Brown has declined sev
eral times to comment on his
efforts to bring liquor by the
drink to Kcnansville. saying
on one occasion that he
"didn't really know much
about it." The same reaction
came from local restauran
teur Dixon Hall, part owner
of the Graham House Inn.
Hall, who now has a brown
bagging license, did say that
he "probably would vote for
it. since it would increase the
tax receipts needed to fi
nance social programs in
town." Hall added that
mixed beverages would
probably increase his estab
lishment's sales as well.
Although Mayor Donald
Suttles has not yet officially
stated that he supports or
opposes the sale of mixed
beverages in Kenansville, he
admits that the idea has
several advantages.
"As long as liquor and
beer are being s...d in the
town and county, someone is
going to derive money from
it." said Suttles. "I think
Kenansville would benefit
from the tax revenue and
profit from sales of mixed
beverages. It might help de
fray personal taxes as well."
According to Benny Prince .
chairman of the Alcoholic
Control Board, the town
would benefit from a SI0.00
per gallon state lax which is
levied on alcohol used for
mixed beverages. Of the
$10,00, 25 percent goes to
the state and 45 percent of
the remainder to the county
and 55 percent to the gown.
This means that Kenansville
would receive $4.13 from
each gallon of liquor sold for
mixed drink purposes. This
is in addition to whatever tax
revenue Kenansville realizes
from increased sales.
Prince said he cannot esti
mate bv how much sales will
increase if liquor by the drink
is aDDroved. The local
A.B.C. Store now records
yearly sales of approximately
$275,000. $3,300 of which
goes to the town.
Suttles also said that he
feels liquor by the drink "will
create no more drinking
problems, probably fewer."
He explained that "studies
prove" that the high cost of
buying drinks individually as
compared to purchasing an
entire bottle and brown
bagging tend to deter heavy
drinking. He added thai
tablishments serving mixed
drinks would be "well
supervised by law enforce
ment officials."
en;.. .u?
1.111 v ?~j av. rviiv iiis i -~? iiiv
owner of the General Store,
one of the two restaurants in
town expected to be in
fluenced by the mixed drink
vote. Mrs. Zackheim agrees
with Suttles that liquor by
the drink would probably de
crease public drinking, but
says the issue doesn't affect
her business one way or the
other.
"As far as the restaurant
is eoneerned. I don't care if it
passes." she said. "I don't
believe I would ever want
mixed beverages on the
premises here. . .it just isn't
conducive to that sort of
thing. I might possibly apply
for brown bagging or beer,
but that's all."
When asked why she felt
debate concerning the tc
fcrendum has been so
limited. Mrs. Zackheim said,
"People here are very touchy
about this subject. The
people who arc trying to put
mixed beverages through are
also keeping it quiet for that
same reason."
. Duplin Board Sticks
'!
By Familiar Firm
The Duplin County Board
of Commissioners awarded a
^heavy equipment contract to
Pthe second lowest bidder last
week because of past ex
perience with service and
parts from the firm.
The board accepted the
$51,245 bid of Simpson
Equipment Co. of Wilson for
a new industrial waste-haul
ing truck, although the bid
was $473.35 higher than the
low bid of $50,771.65 from
^Sepcialty Waste Equipment
^nc. of Greenville. S.C.
David Undcrhill. county
landfill supervisor, recom
mended the Simpson com
pany. He told the board that
over the 10-year anticipated
life of the truck, the county
would spend more than the
$473.35 difference in the bids
in telephone calls to Green
ville for parts and service.
Countv Attornev Russell
>
Lanier Jr. said service and
parts availability nearby was
a valid reason for accepting
the Simpson bid.
Industries served by the
county waste pick-up pay for
the service, including the
cost of eo,uipment.
The board delayed action
on a heavy-duty front end
loader. North ^Carolina
Equipmen1 Co. spokesmen
complained that the way the
bid specifications were
written, no one but Gregory
Poole Co. could bid on the
equipment. However. North
Carolina Equipment bid
$107,900. $32,166 less than
the Gregory Poole bid of
$139.73'!. The two pieces of
equipment are dissimilar,
however. Underhill said the
equipment offered by
Gregory Poole would outlast
the other company's unit.
Commissioner Franklin
Williams said, "Personally,
I'm confused and I wouldn't
buy cither one of them today.
I'd just have to use a shovel
for a while it I didn't have
anything else."
The board plans to study
the matter and make a
decision at its next meeting.
Jimmy Summerlin of
Route 1, Kcnansville said
that while he listed his taxes
on time the county had filed
to include a truck he pur
chased a year ago. He was
charged a $2.17 penalty for
late listing of the truck. The
board agreed to remove the
penalty.
Social services director
Millie Brown received per
mission to accept about 9,000
pounds of suplus cheese and
1 ,b00 pounds of butter from
the U.S. Department of Ag
riculture for distribution in
the county. The Board of
Education has agreed to
store the butter in school
refrigerators. Ms. Brown
said 18 people will require
two days working time to
make the distribution.
Russell Tucker, county fi
nance officer, told the board
he will seek $9,990.38 from
the state as partial replace
ment of the state's increas
ing the property tax exemp
tion for the elderly. He said
the total exemption in ilte
county amounts to a
$bb. 602.50 reduction in
county tax collections. - ?
The county Municipal I
Association met last Thurs- '
day at the Rose Hill Res
taurant in Rose Hill.
The commissioners will
hold their next meeting at 9
a.m. Sept. 7. the first Tues
day of September, because of
the Labor Day holiday on the
?preceding Monday, the
regular meeting date.
Wallace Marks Site
For Rescue Squad Building
WALLACE - The Wallace
|city property lines on the
west side of the city hall
Hock were being surveyed
last week in preparation for
construction of a rescue
squad building on a portion
of the property.
The surveyor. Charles
Brooks of Wallace, also will
establish corner positions for
the proposed 3.400-square
foot rescue squad building.
The building will face East
Murray Street, the street in
front of the town hall. The
building will be set back 20
feet front the street, accord
ing to present plans. It will
have three bays opening on
to the street to house squad
vehicles.
Initial planning called for a
metal building. After inves
tigating costs, the town
board and squad members
found the cost of a brick
veneer structure would be
only slightly higher than a
metal building. Town
Manager Steve Routh said
plans now call for use of
brick.
Cost is now estimated at
about $80,000. The rescue
squad has $30,000 on hand.
"V
Town Attorney Richard
Burrows is drawing up a
lease agreement between the
town and the squad. Burrows
told the board tow ns can give
land to a ftre department but
not to rescue squads. How
ever. towns can ask rescue
squads to donate services
under a contract or franchise
agreement, according to
Routh. The lease will be
draw n for one year.
According to the squad
charter, the captain or chief
executive officer will sign the
lease. Dulan Murray is the
current squad captain.
The Wallace town board
also negotiated with East
Coast Construction Co. of
Jacksonville to eliminate
S5.411 from the pump and
pump house project for the
new city well near the citv
hall.
inc ooara awaraea tne ,
contract to the company for
$43,008.50. The original bid
was $48,420.50. The town
will supply a pump motor
valued at $1,650. chlorina
tion equipment valued at
$3,224 and eliminated 25 feet
of drainage pipe valued at
$537.50.
A test pump for the new
well is expected this week.
Construction of the pump
house and installation of
equipment can begin as soon
as water samples are found
satisfactory.
VOCATIONAL AWARD WINNER Robert
Tart, vocational director for Duplin County
schools, presents the Greenhorn Award to
Janet Jones for her accomplishment as the
Health Occupations Instructor at Extended
T\?ti TVso o??"sa?r4 ?sra11?> k?> tL i
state to a vocational educator exhibiting
outstanding teaching ability. Ms. Jones was
a District II HOSA advisor in 1981-82 and
was named Nurse of the Week in February,
1975.
Charlie
Whitley
Day In Duplin
Friday, Aug. 27, is Charlie
Whitley Appreciation Day in
Duplin County, and Whitley
campaigners invite the
public to attend the rally at
James Sprunt Technical Col
lege in Kcnansvillc at 6:30
p.m.
Duplin County Democrats
have lined up a- program of
distinguished speakers
headed by the guest of honor
ttluj is seeking his fourth
term in Congress. Music and
"down-home" style enter-,
tainment will be provided by
Charlie Albert son and his
band and other local musi
cians.
Tickets are S5 each and
barbecue dinners will be
served Roy Barwick. one of
many Whitley supporters
who has worked to make the
rally a success, urged a
'huge demonstration of
support" at the rally.
"Charlie Whitley has just
finished taking the lead in
Washington to save our
obaceo program." Barwick
>aid. "Now. let's show him
we appreciate it."
LIQUOR BY THE DRINK The sale of liquor
at the Kenansvillc A.B.C. Store currently
brings the town about S3.300 annually. If
Kenansvillc voters approve the sale of mixed
beverages in the August .fist referendum.
Hie town could gross S4.13 off of every gallon
sold to restaurant and hotel owners within
the city limits who obtain a mixed beverage
license.
Duplin To Raise
Ambulance Fees
Duplin County's ambu
lance fees for out-of-county
runs will increase sharply
Sept. I because of high costs
of maintaining the service.
The S25 fee for ambulance
runs within the county will
remain unchanged. Duplin
Counts furnishes ambu
lances for the community
rescue squads and retains
ou ncrship of the equipment.
The board of commis
sioners adopted a schedule
for out-of-county ambulance
runs providing for a mini
mum charge of S50 plus
SI.50 per mile for the dis
tance between the Duplin
County line and the ambu
lance's destination. The
present fee is $35 plus SI.25
per mile from the county line
to the destination.
?Hiram Brinson. county
emergency services coordi
nator. said a trip to Carolina
Memorial Hospital in Chapel
Hill takes 40-45 gallons of
gas and six linurs. "We
easily have $100 invested in
the trip after figuring the
cost ot gas. the wages of two
people at an hour and
their meals." he said
The county now charges
$148.75 for the trip. "If you
figure anv depreciation on
vehicles and equipment you
simply go in the hole." he
told the board. The new fee
lor this trip will be $141.
lite fees cover mileage for
one w ay of the round trip. An
ambulance charge can only
be applied while an ambu
lance is actually occupied by'
a patient.
The current charge for a
trip to Duke Memorial Hos
pital in Durham is $147.50.
After Sept. I the fee will be
$185.
The fee for transportation
to New Hanover Memorial
Hospital in Wilmington will
increase from $85 to $110.
Fees to other area hos
pitals and the increased fees
after Sept. I are: Pitt Me- ?
morial Hospital, Greenville,
$103.75 to $131: Sampson
Counts Hospital, Clinton,
$48.to $66.50: Onslow
Memorial Hospital. Jack
sonville. and Lenoir Memo
rial Hospital, Kinston.
$66.25 to $87.50: and Pender
Memorial Hospital. Burgaw.
$51.25 to $69.50.
Brinson said last year 551
patients were transported to
hospitals outside Duplin
County.
The collection rate on the
$72,836.70 billed to ambu
lance customers in 1981 was
less than 60 percent, he
added. The county collected
$43,103.35.
During December 1981.
the Wallace Rescue Squad
made 11 out-of-county am
bulance trips: the Warsaw,
Rose Hill and Chinquapin
squads, five each; Beulaville.
seven: Magnolia, three, and
the Duplin County Hospital
ambulance, 31.
Malpractice Charged By Duplin Man
A Duplin County man has
filed a malpractice suit
against a doctor he claims
performed dangerous and
unnecessary surgery that re
sulted in severe complica
tions.
Jon Sikes charges that
Horace G. Moore Jr., a New
Hanover County physician,
improperly treated him in
1979 for gastro-intestinal
problems.
The suit says Moore told
Sikes he had a peptic ulcer
that would require surgery
and said there should be no
serious after-effects. In fact,
the suit claims, this type of
operation has a history of
producing painful complica
tions. which Sikes later suf
fered. There were also other
/
methods not involving sur
gery that could have been
used, the suit says.
In addition to surgery on
the ulcer, the suit says,
Moore performed an opera
tion used to correct hernias.
Sikes did not have a hernia.
When Sikes complained of
complications after the
operation ? including nau
sea. vomiting and dramatic
weight loss ? Moore
'told him he would have to
"learn to live with the con
dition" and "let nature take
its course, "the suit says.
Sikes. who is seeking an
undisclosed amount over
$10,000, says in the suit his
condition has improved since
undergoing corrective
surgery performed by
another doctor.
McDaniels Wife To Tour Beulaville Aug. 27
Dorothy McDaniel. wife of
Third District Congressional
challenger Red McDaniel.
will tour Beulaville Aug. 27
as part of McDaniel's Fall
Kick-Off Day. She will arrive
in Beulaville at approxi
mately 3:30 p.m. by a special
campaign van. The van will
be parked beside the news
paper building behind the EZ
Mart.
Mrs. McDaniel will tour
the town, meeting Beulaville
citizens and giving out copies
of '.'Scars and Stripes." a
hook shout si*
years in a communist prison
in North Vietnam.
"I am honored to have the
chance to meet the fine'
people who are helping
Beulaville grow and pros
per," Mrs.'' McDaniel
remarked.