, 3*uplm '
PROGRESS SENTINEL
VOL. XXXXVIII NO. 5 USPS 162-860 KENANSVILLE, NC 28349 FEBRUARY 2. 1984 ' 14 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Farming Short Course Delegate
Chris Pickett of Beulaville will be the Dunlin delegate to
the Modern Farming Short Course at North Carolina
State University in Raleigh Jan. 30 - Feb. 10. Tuition for
the course is provided by all Duplin County banks. The
P short course will include seminars on crop science,
poultry science, waste management, land-owner
liability, a tour of the Veterinary School of Medicine,
pesticide uses, meteorology, debt structure and
repayment from a lender's point of view, bankruptcy.
income tax management, farm records and other
related topics. Chris is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan
Pickett of Beulavillc and he has an associate degree in
animal science from James Sprunt Technical College.
He currently farms with his father in Beulaville.
Pictured above, left to right, Chris Pickett receives a
check for the tuition cost of the farming short course
from Thomas Murphy, key banker representing all
Duplin banks. Murphy is vice-president of United
Carolina Bank of Rose Hill.
Watson Seafood & Poultry CO.
, Equipment Auctioned
More than 100 people listened to
the sing-song drawl of Kenneth
Boyette Friday 'as he auctioned
equipment that once belonged to
Watson Seafood & Poultry Co.
In the feed mill yard, the auction
eer worked his way along the edge of
a flatbed trailer, selling jack stands,
tire rims and reds of wire. A light
k dci-Dik fell he ? rows a ti'Wfl|rtle
W crooned",*'I got 27-50, do I hear 30? I
got 30, do 1 hear 32 and a half? I got
32. .."
Watson Seafood & Poultry Co.
filed for bankruptcy in April 1983.
The company's failure means an
estimated loss of $15 million a year
to the area's economy.
At one time, 285,000 broilers were
grown out under contract with about
120 farmers. Processing the chickens
provided employment for a shift of
> 200 workers at the Rose Hill Poultry
P Corp.
A semi-trailer truck with two flat
tires sat low in the yellow mud. The
red and white chicken head, the
Watson symbol, smiled cheerfully
from the truck's side.
The auction began a little after 10
a.m. Friday. Boyette explained the
rules to potential bidders. "Every
thing is being sold as is, where is.
When you bid. bid your pleasure."
Two. garages housed the boxes of
oil filters, "brass fittings, wrenches
and chains. Several pieces of scrap
metal and a 16-foot auger leaned
against a wall. Farmers ambled
around the tables stacked with hand
tools, batteries, micrometers and
hydraulic presses.
Bargain hunters slowly cruised
among the lawn mowers, tool chests,
and steam cleaners. Taking notes on
item numbers and conferring with
friends, the bidders finally gathered
around two flatbed trailers on which
cables and hoses coiled like snakes.
Sometimes, two bidders deter
mined not to lose to each other will
actually end up paying more for an
item than it costs, said Andrew
Moore, a farmer from Ivanhoe. He
came "to see what I can buy, what it
brings. You learn a lot what people
are paying for different items, what
things are worth."
Others came to watch because ' e
rain made their farm chores impos
sible. Some came to stock up on
truck and car parts for their repair
shtjps.
Squinting eyes peered from under
the brims of caps marked TRW,
Fa:i" Bureau Insurance and Miche
lin, watching Boyette. Bidders raised
fingers or whistled to up the price. A
canvas tarp sold for $37.50. Two jack
stands sold for $57.50 each.
Ebern Watson Jr., who ran the
company, stood in one of the garages
watching potential buyers f\n
eighth-inch bolts, examine lenethsof
rusty chains and discuss the merits
of a riding lawnmower.
"It would have been a struggle,"
he said, but he thinks the company
could have become solvent again if it
had more time to pay off its debts.
"We asked them over and over but
they said no," Watson said about
Coastal Production Credit Associa
tion, to whom about $2.5 million was
owed.
Meanwhile, the bidding con
tinued. Item No. 92, a steel propane
canister, sold for $10. Five C-clamps
brought $24.50. And four truck
brakeshoes sold for $17.50.
Another auction of the company's
property was held Saturday and two
more are planneu for this Friday and
Saturday.
i Swift's Turkey Outlook Isn't
Bad, But Could Be Better
While not the greatest in the
world, turkey prices are better than
at this time last year, an official of a
major processor said.
Dave Bray, manager of the Swift &
- Co. turkey processing plant about
V five miles west of Wallace, said the
turkey price outlook seems better
although the prices of pork, beef and
chicken affect the price of turkeys, so
there is considerable uncertainty
ahead.
Stocks of frozen turkey are the
lowest in 10 years, which means
more turkey was consumed than was
produced last year, bray said. It also
means producers are getting more
money, which partially offsets the
|)i higher feed costs.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
statistics indicate cold storage sup
plies of turkey totaled 248 million
pounds Dec. 1, 1983, 46 percent less
than the 460 million of Dec. 1, 1982.
"Turkey prices are not the great
est thing in the world in relation to
feed prices, though." Bray added.
He said tne wholesale price drop
ped seven cents a pound last week
after holding up well following the
year-end holidays.
Q Toms are 71 cents and hens 69
cents on the wholesale market, he
said Monday of last week.
While these prices are much
? higher than "the low 50 cents area of
this time last year," Bray addpd,
feed prices are much higher than a
year ago.
Corn laid into the feed mill in
Wallace costs $3.90 to $4 a ton, 60
cents more than the Chicago price,
because of transportation costs and
A other factors. "March corn futures
are $3.23 a bushel and you have to
add 60 cents a bushel to that to get
the corn here," Bray said.
Soybean meal, another important
poultry feed item, costs $245 to $250
per ton, Bray said.
At the end of 1982 corn cost $2.75
to $3 a bushel and soybean meal
$200 a ton.
"It takes a 67- to 69-cent (per
pound) market for a processor to
come out at present, and it's hard to
tell whether prices can be main
tained." he said. ,,
Growing out a turkey hen at
present feed grain prices costs about
45 cents a pound. Bray said. The
remaining 22 to 24 cents is needed
by the processor for costs of dressing
and marketing the birds and for
covering the 20 percent loss of
weight between the life and the
dressed bird.
Bray questioned the,4ederal fore
cast of about a 3 percent increase
this year in turkey production. "I
don't see where it is." lie said.
The Associated Press reported last
week that turkey prices had not
shown their usual post-holiday
January slump.
"Strange things are happening,"
Rick Vanderspek, general manager
of the Cuddy Farms processing plant
in Marshville, about 10 miles cast of
Monroe in Union County, told The
Associated Press. "Right now,
everything is topsy-turvy."
Earlier U.S. Department of Agri
culture projectsions called for a
tough ftrst half of 1984, with turkey
feed prices up as much as 35 percent
over last year and turkey demand
down in the face of lower beef and
pork prices.
Industry officials say the deadly
avian "flu" outbreak has contri
bntred to the stronger than expected
January turkey market. Millions of
chickens and thousands of turkeys
have been destroyed as federal and
state officials have attempted to
prevent spread of the disease from
Pennsylvania and the Shanandoah
Valley of Virginia. As a result,
chicken prices have risen. Turkey
prices usually rise with chicken
prices.
Two Face Drug Charges
Two men, charged with trafficking
in marijuana, conspiracy and carry
ing concealed weapons, remained in
Duplin County jail in Kenansville
under MIX),000 bond each.
Mark Yankowisk, 24, 5639 Carson
Drive, Fayetteville. and Everett
Angelo Smith, 29. Route 3.
Cameron, were arrested in the
parking lot of a Warsaw fast-food
store about 9 p.m. Monday of last
week.
Warsaw Police Chief R.P. Wood
f
saiu two men attempted to sell
marijuana to undercover agents in
the parking lot. He said Duplin
County sheriff's deputies. State Bu
reau of Investigation officers and
Warsaw police had the area under
surveillance.
The wart ant charged that between
100 and 2.000 pounds of marijuana
was involved.
Officers found $29,000 in $20, $50
and $100 bills on the suspects, the
chief said. No marijuana was found,
he added.
Goshen Medical Center
Administrator Resigns
By Emllv Killette
The Goshen Medical Center Board
of Directors accented the resigna
tion of the administrator at the
health services facility. Jane Silver.
The resignation was brought before
the board January 23 in Faison.
Silver's resignation will become
effective March 16. Currently Silver
is working as administrator for both
Goshen Medical Center in Faison
and Plain View Medical Center in
Greenevers under agreement of both
health facilities boards of directors.
The resignation comes after Silver
was named in connection with
management problems at Goshen
Medical Center by an audit and
review by U.S. Public Health
Services and presented to the
directors January 10. U.S. Public
Health Services is the funding
agency for the medical center in
Faison.
The board requested Silver begin
advertisement for the administrative
position at Goshen and arrange
interviews for qualified applicants.
Goshen Medical Center Director
Frances Parker reported the Per
sonnel Committee would soon be
forwarding a written job description
for the position of administrator of
the clinic to officials of the Rural
Health Initiative program. The final
job description will be reviewed by
Carol Hawkins, attorney for Goshen
Medical Center, before mailing to
Rural Health Initiative.
On the recommendation of the
personnel committee, the medical
center directors voted to purchase a
lime clock. Directors agreed working
hours would be set 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. with 30-minute lunch.
"I would like to see the purchase
of a time clock. Frances Parker said.
"The personnel committee feels the
time clock will help solve the
problem of overtime. We would like
to see employees report at opening
and leave at closing time unless they
are working directly with a doctor or
dentist and the patients."
The medical tenter is currently in
the process of settling a S19.773 suit
with the U.S. Department of Labor
filed on behalf of nine Goshen
employees for overtime wages.
Directors also approved a letter to
ask for reconsideration of the 1984
Goshen Medical Center grant from
Public Health Services. Funding was
deferred awaiting the directors'
action on the audit and review. Grant
monies were extended the medieal
center by Public Health Services
through February until directors
made a decision to continue as a
federally supported health facility or
become a private self-supporting
unit. In order to maintain the present
medieal services offered by. the
medical center, directors unani
mously approved continuing as a
federally supported health facility
January 18.
Goshen Medical Center has been
in operation three years. The facility
was designed to support two physi
cians and one dentist. The SO.OOO
square-foot building was constructed
with a medical and a dental wing,
according to information released
during groundbreaking ceremonies
held Mav 10. 1980. Land for the
medical center was donated bv the
Luther Taylor family and money to
construct the facility was in the form
of a grant from the Rural Health
Initiative program of U.S. Public
Health Services. A total of $312,000
in grant money financed the medical
center building and $80,000 to
$90.0(H) was used in equipping the
health facility.
Agribusiness Council Installs Officers
New officers were installed a the
general meeting of the Duplin Agri
business Council Thursday nig.,t at
the Farm Credit Building in Kenans
ville.
In the absence of the retiring
president, Lois Britt, the vice presi
dent presided and installed Roy
Houston, president; Robert Grady,
vice-president; and Ruth Wells,
secretary and treasurer. Directors
are Arliss Albertson of Beulaville,
Lloyd Barnwell of Route 1, Faison,
Ivey Fields of Kenansville, Lewis
Smith of Route 1, Mount Olive, and
Jay Thomas of Rose Hill.
Britt applauded the retiring offi
cers and complimented them on their
accomplishments. In summarizing
the year's activities, she announced
employing James O. (Jimmy) John
son as fair manager for 1984. Jimmy
brings to the newly-created position
valuable experience acquired from
his years as manager of Duplin's
outdoor drama, The Liberty Cart..
With the geographical location of the
two productions, Johnson will be
manager of both ventures.
Other accomplishments included
publicity for National Ag Day, ob
lamed articles of incorporation for
the fair, sponsored guidance coun
selors' tour, sponsored two FFA
boys to their national convention, set
up bookkeeping systems for the
Council and for the Fair, sponsored
T-shirt sales, appropriated funds for
roadside signs, and last, but prob
ably most important, sponsored the
Duplin Agribusiness Fair.
The Council anticipates many
more worthwhile activities for this
year and urges all persons interested
in agribusiness to join or (fencw their
membership.
Duplin County Jury Returns $45,000
Verdict In Wrongful Death Case
Donnie Devone Garner, adminis
trator of the estate of his son, James
Dean Garner, was awarded $45,000
by a Duplin County jury in a
wrongful death suit filed against
Donald Keith Tucker and Alene Hill
Stokes.
Garner had alleged negligence
against both defendants, Tucker and
Stokes, arising out of a collision
which occurred on April 16, 1982,
resulting in the death of his son.
The case was tried before Superior
Court Judge Richard B. Allsbrook of
Rich Square and lasted for five days.
The jury only deliberated for 55
minutes before finding both defen
dants liable for the death of James.
The plaintiff was represented by
E.C. Thompson 111 of the law firm of
Thompson and Ludlum of Warsaw.
The defendant Stokes was repre
sented by Tommy Morris of the law
firm of Morris, Rochelle and Duke of
Kinston, and defendant Tucker was
represented by Jim Kimzey and Ray
Briggs of the law firm of Kimzey,
Smith and McMillan of Raleigh.
Wreck Victim
Is 'Serious'
Elmer Aubrey Rivenbark of
Wilmington was in serious condition
Sunday at New Hanover Memorial
Hospital where he is being treated
for injuries in a wreck Saturday in
Pender County.
Rivenbark, 82, was one of three
people injured in a three-car collision
at the intersection of U.S. 117 and
N.C. 133 about 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Shiver was headed north in a 1975
Chevrolet station wagon on U.S. 117
and turned left in front of the
Rivenbark's 1980 Datson pickup,
according to State Highway Patrol
Trooper E.J. Turner. The Datsun
was knocked into the path of a 1982
GMC Dickon being driven north on
U.S. 117 by James Kenneth Blan
chard of Wallace.
Seven Hurt In Crash
Four adults and three children
were injured in a rear-end collision
about 2 p.m. Sunday north of
Wallace.
Injured were Heneretta Murray,
25, of Wallace and her 6-year-old
son, Kalvin. Anthony Stokes, 23 of
Rose Hill, Willie Bryant, 24 of
Teachey, and Essie Farrior Days, 47.
Stanisha Days, 6. and Teann Mills,
8, all of Route 2. Rose Hill.
All were treated at Duplin General
Hospital and released except Mrs.
Murray and her son. who received
additional treatment at New Hanover
Memorial Hospital before being
released Sunday. Robin Days. 10, of
Route 2, Rose Hill, was listed as
injured but did not require hospital
treatment.
Essie Days was headed north on
U.S. 117 and slowed to make a left
turn when her ear was struck from
behind by Stokes' ear, also headed
north on U.S. 117. according to State
Highway Patrol Trooper K.A. Gard
ner.
Stokes was charged with failure to
reduce speed to avoid an accident.
Kelly Farrior House
At the future site of the Cowan Museum and the
Duplin Arts Council, workmen are putting the finishing
touches on the exterior of the house this week. The
interior is hoped to be completed by this summer and
the museum artifacts moved in. Some of the inner walls
must be moved or eliminated to house the array of tools
and memorabilia of the past in the Cowan collection.
The house is located near Liberty Hall and plans now
are to construct or move in some oqt buildings such as
would be found around an old plantation. The spring or
summer of the year a Plantation Day (or Week) is in the
making. This will bring in craftsmen to demonstrate
how things were done in the early 1900's or late 1800s.
A1IJ the details are not yet bomplete.