- a "
%iim#
PROGRESS SENTINEL
VOL. XXXXV111 NQ. 18 USPS 162-860 KFNANSVHLH. NC 2KU* MAY 2. 19S5 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Open House For CT Scanner Unit At Duplin General
? .? t i- ? it. ? /T
An open nouse ior me puum. iu view mt nv?r
Scanner unit at Duplin General Hospital was held April
? 23. The unit is part of the Trans Nuclear Mobile ^
Company service now oeprat' g in five southern states.
The ST Scanner operates in a diesel tractor/trailer unit
and services Duplin General Hospital two half-days a
week. The tractor/trailer unit is one of two in North
Carolina of the Trans Nuclear Mobile Company offering
ST Scanner serivce. Rick Langon, X-ray technician said.
In addition to services provided Uupttn ucnerai
Hospital in Kenansville. Langon said the unit is
associated with hospitals in Smithfield, Dunn, Erwin
and Clinton. Pictured above. Rick Langon, Trans
Nuclear Mobile Company X-ray technician, explains
the uses of the ST Scanner, an advanced type of X-rav,
to Duplin residents. In addition to Langon, the unit
employs Patricia Barns. X-ray technician and Donald
Holland, assistant X-ray technician and unit driver.
Murder Trial Appeal Fails
*ln Death Of Wallace Boy
Three former U.S. Justice Depart
ment lawyers were denied permis
sion this past week to file a brief
I supporting the appeal of a Wallace
~ wtrniao convicted rf iqurdetjng a
Z-Jtar-old boy in her hv :!?. \
Pearl Alfreda West, 44, serving a
25-year sentence, is appealing her
r A second-degree murder conviction to
i the N.C. Court of Appeals. The case
stems from the death of Jason
Fillyow Feb. 9, 1984, after a domes
tic dispute involving the boy's
mother. Ingenue Fillyow, 19, Mrs.
West and her husband, the Rev.
Carlton West. The Wests lived on
Calico Bay Road near Wallace at the
time.
Mrs. West was found guilty of
^ second-degree murder by a Duplin
? County Superior Court jury Aprill4,
1984. Judge Mary M. Pope sen
tenced her to 25 years in prison.
Mr?. West testified in her trial
that immediately before the incident
she talked with her husband by
telephone and taid him she was in
JWb*hifc;gtuu, .tti.vwh she was in
""Warsaw. She testified thj^t she
returned home soon afterward and
found the child and his mother in the
bedroom.
Trial testimony indicated that
following a struggle between the
Wests. Ms. Fillyow burst from the
bedroom closet, knocking the door
off its hinges.
Mrs. West told the court that she
found the child on the bed under the
closet door.
She appealed to the N.C. Court of
Appeals following the conviciton.
Judge Pope refused to free Mrs.
West on bail pending the appeals
court hearine.
Mrs. West's case drew the atten
tion of three former co-workers, Jane
M. Edmisten, William A. Fried
landet and Crombie J.D. Garreti
wfc e lawyers in Washingt-w^jw
the justice Department when Mrs.
West was a legal secretary there
several years ago.
In a motion April 19, the three said
that they, "as a result of the high
regard which each has for the
character of (Mrs. West), were
shocked to learn of her conviction . .
the acts charged to her appearing to
be thoroughly inconsistent with her
character and disposition as they had
come to know them."
The motion said the lawyers were
"convinced" after studying the trial
transcript, that the conviction re
sulted from "clear and prejudicial
errors or law."
(Federal Court And Naturalization
Ceremony To Be Held In Duplin
On Thursday, May 2, at 11 a.m. in
the courtroom at the courthouse in
Kenansville, a special session of
^ U.S. District Court will be convened
by Senior Judge John D. Larkins Jr.
of Trenton. During the session, a
naturalization ceremony will be held,
at which approximately 50 new
citizens will take the oath of alle
giance. Among the new citizens will
be Dr. and Mrs. M.I. Ammar and
family of Kenansville.
The federal court and naturaliza
tion ceremony are being sponsored
by the Duplin County Bar association
? in observance and celebration of Law
Day 1985. The theme this year is
"Liberty and Justice for All."
Charles M. Ingram, chairman,
stated that this is a most historic
occasion in Duplin County in that
this will be the first time that there
has ever been a session of federal
court or a naturalization ceremony
in the county. "This is the first time
that I can recall when we have had
Duplin County residents participate
in a naturalization ceremony. We are
so proud of Dr. Ammar and his
family, and we are so happy to have
them in our Duplin County com
munity that we thought it would be
nice to have it here in Duplin County
so that their many friends could
attend."
Ingram continued: "W.hen we
started investigating the possibili
ties, we realized how difficult it
would be to achieve. Judge Larkins'
secretary told me that she did not
know of a session of federal court
ever being held away from the
regular seats of court in the Eastern
District. Also, we had difficulty in
getting the naturalization service to
assign a representative to attend.
"Judge Larkins was eager to
oblige our request though, because
of the fact that he had relatives in
Duplin County and spent much time
here as a young boy visiting them.
They lived where the Graham House
Inn now is located."
Ingram expressed appreciation to
Congressman Charlie Whitley. "I
am certain that without the inter
vention of Congressman Whitley,
the naturalization service would not
have agreed to assign a represen
tative here. His office was instru
mental in arranging for such a
representative."
Judge S. Gerald Arnold of the
N.C. Court of Appeals, is scheduled
to deliver the Law Day address. In
addition, there will be special music.
Mrs. Marilyn B. Phelps, an ele
mentary .school teacher in Warsaw,
will sing the national anthem. She
will be acoompanied by Clarence
Palmer, visiting artist at James
Sprunt Technical Institute. The
Sounds of Music of Wallace will
orovide special entertainment, and
Mrs. Lillie Pearl Brinson will sing
"Lord, Look Down on America,"
accompanied by Mrs. Alfair Brinson.
At the opening of court, a U.S.
color guard will troop the colors, and
the colors will be retired before the
benediction. Christine W. Williams,
register of decus, will deliver the
invocation, and John A. Johnson,
clerk of Superior Court, will deliver
the benediction. Special guests will
be recognized and several officials
will have remarks.
Ingram stated that in planning the
program, every effort has been made
to make it both educational and
entertaining and one that would
inspire patriotic feelings. "We have
issued a special invito '.on to the
school children ana to the general
public. We feel that this will be a
most historic occasion and one that
everyone will enjoy."
Following the ceremony, a recep
tion will be hosted by the Wallace
Women's Club, and Battle of
Rockfish chapter, national society.
Daughters of the American Revolu
tion.
EFThe public is invited and en
couraged to attend. For further
information. call Ingram at 296-1111.
I Turkeys Give
* All To Wallace
I ? ,W; . ??V" -
Duplin County turkeys did their
part to finance the proposed Wallace
community center gymnasium-audi
torium.
A turkey barbecue lunch and
I dintier were served at the American
I Legion building by the community
center building committee. Carolina
W Telephone and Telegraph Co. co
sponsored the benefit.
While there was traditional pork
? barbecue, the feature was barbecued
I 1 turkey, about 320 pounds of it. The
turkey's were donated by the
Beatrice Foods Co. (formerly Swift &
I Co.) turkey processing plant near
Wallace. Doug Sibbett, one of the
ooks, said 16 turkeys were donated.
"We cooked them all night from 6
I p.m. until about 4 this morning," he
(flj said Wednesday.
Committee chairman Frank Bul
I lard said the committee has about
I $25,000. It plans several other fund
I raisers. As the committee gathers
1 ^ *
funds, Bullard said, ii to
town and individual grants.
He sai<^ the planned building will
cost about $150,000.
"We hope to start the building
late this summer," Bullard said.
The center will be^built beside
Gement Street Park *n the south
side of Wallace.
"We need the building for our
recreation programs. Teams now
have to use the school gym" at
Wallace-Rose Hill High School, he
said.
"If we had the building we could
use it for things like this barbecue,"
he added.
The barbecue also advertised one
of Duplin County's principal pro
ducts. The county is one of the two
principal turkey-producing counties
in the state. It is headquarters for
two targe turkey-producting com
panies. One plant has operated for
several years. Another is in the
planning stage. 4 A
Roadblock Cleared For
Turkey Plant At Scotts Store
Carolina Turkeys Inc. can begin
building its $18 million turkey
processing plant in northern Duplin
County next month, Woody Brinson,
Duplin economic development direc
tor, said Friday.
From 800 to 1,000 people will be
employed when the plant gets into
full operation, Brinson said. Con
struction will take about 14 months.
A possibility that an environ
mental study might delay construc
tion was sidetracked Thursday
throuuh the efforts of state Sen.
Harold Hardison, Gov. Jim Martin
and S. Thomas Rhodes, secretary of
natural resources and community
development, Brinson said.
Brinson said he received assur
ances from the department Thursday
night that there was no justification
for delaying the project.
He said an environmental impact ;
study would have delayed construc
tion by at least nine months and that ,
"would have killed the project." I
Brinson said an environmental
review record has been made
The deadline for the review pro- |
cess was Friday. Brinson said. The
request for the impact study came
Tuesday from Jane Sharp of Chapel
Hill, head of the Conservation
Council of North Carolina. Brinson
said.
Wednesday night, the Duplin
County Commissioners conducted
one of two required public hearings
on the industrial revenue bond re
quest. Another hearing will be
required in about 60 days.
Meanwhile, Brinson said, the firm
can borrow construction start-up
money for a short term and repay it
with money from the industrial
revenue bonds when they are sold.
He said no starting date has been
set, but construction is expected to
begin next month.
The industrial bonds are sold by
the state. Because interest from the
bonds is not subject to income tax,
they have lower interest rates man
most other bonds. The companies
receiving the bond money pay the
bonds off. The interest rate is usually
about 70 to 75 percent of the prime
rate, Brinson siad. "There's usually
about a 3 to 3.5 percent differen
tial," he said. "That can amount to a
lot of money."
Brinson said $13 million in indus
trial bonds have been authorized.
The plant will be built on a
700-acre tract on Secondary Road
1501 near Scotts Store north of
Kenansville.
Duplin School Budgets
Given To Board
mm w
A 10-year $17,975,000 school faci
lu>es program was outlined by the
Duplin County Board of Education
for the Board of Commissioners in
Kenansville last week.
Top priority in the long-range plan
is adding to James Kenan High
School to provide space for the ninth
grade, which is now divided between
E.E. Smith School in KeansnvilL
and Warsaw Junior High School.
The commissioners also received
ibt- school system's 1985-86 fiscal
> .ur budget request of $3,314,905
for current expenses plus $461,574 in
capital outlay.
The budget calls for an increase of
about $600,000 from the 1984-85
current expense appropriation and
about $80,000 more than the current
capital outlay appropriation.
"Our facilities are great. You are
doing a good job but in the current
expense side we seem to be going
backwards. What would we have to
do to prove to you that the people of
Duplin County want this? They want
more for operations," Superinten
dent L.S. Guy told the commis
sioners.
Commissioners' Chairman Calvin
Turner asked Guy, "Do you think we
should increase taxes?"
County Manager Ralph Cottle said
a tax increase of 12 cents per $100 of
assessed value would be required to
fund the budget request.
"My constituents say they want no
more taxes whatever 1 do," Turner
said.
Commissioner D.J. Fussell asked,
"What are some of the priorities we
put ahead of schools that we
shouldn't? Where should we take the
money from to give to the school?"
The school budget calls for
$2,810,422 from the county property
tax. The remainder would come from
fund balances, interest and forfei
tures.
The facilities plan was adopted by
the school board last year and recon
firmed this year.
The plan covers a 10-year period in
four phases at a total cost of
$17,975,000.
Phase 1 includes the James Kenan
addition using modular chassrooms.
Guy said if enrollment continues to
decrease, the system eventually will
have to combine James Kenan and
Not th Duplin high schools.
He said the addition is nee led if
James Kenan continues as a high
school or if it becomes a noddle
school in the futu o The plan alls
for leaving grad"( -evrr? and eirb'jt
E.E. Smith and Warsaw junior hign
schools.
The second stage of Phase 1 calls
foran addition to North Duplin High
School to house the North Duplin
seventh and eighth grades on the
high school campus and discontinue
use of North Duplin Junior Hieh.
The addition is needed whether
North Duplin remains a high school
or is converted to a middle school,
Guy said.
A third stage of the phase calls for
building a band area f^r Charity
Middle School and converting open
classroom suites in five schools into
single classrooms.
Cost of Phase 1 is estimated at
$2,475,000
Phase 2 calls for an East Duplin
district plan with new kindergarten
to sixth grade buildings for B.F.
Grady and Beulavilie schools and
adding rooms for fourth, fifth and
sixth grades at Chinquapin Elemen
tary. A new East Duplin Middle
School would be built near East
Duplin High School. Cost of Phase 2
is estimated at $7 million.
Plans call for a;, auditorium at
Wallace-Rose Hill High School,
renovating the lifcfTool facility and
modernizing Charity Middle School
at an estimated cost of $1.5 million.
Guy said if growth in the Wallace
area continues, expansion of the
elementary school there may become
necessary.
The final phase calls for continued
monitoring of the curriculum and
possible combination of two schools
if overall enrollment keeps declining.
This phase *ould cost about $7
million. With lower enrollment in the
next six years, plans may be needed
for a new high school for a combined
James Kenan-North Duplin district.
Highway Accident Near
Faison Claims Driver's Life
A 69-year-old Orange County man
died Wednesday when his van ran
off N.C. 50, glanced off an embank
ment and overturned 1.4 miles
northwest of Faison in Duplin
County.
Edward Scott of Chapel Hill was
headed south around 6 p.m. when
his 1980 Ford van left the road,
according to Trooper S.P. McCor
quodale of the state Highway Fatrot.
Scott, who was not wearing a seat
belt, had faint vital signs at the scene
but was pronounced dead at a clinic
in Mount Olive soon after the wreck.
No one else was in the van.
McCorquodale said Scott did not
appear to have been speeding when
he entered the curve. He said Scott,
who was a diabetic, may have fainted
at the wheel.
Duplin Health Dept. Holds Open House
The Duplin County Health Department held open house
April 26 for the public to tour the facility and become
acquainted with thq services provided. As part of the
pen house, health department staff members offered a
hfpht and wei?hr screening to the 100 persons
attending. Pictured above during the afternoon open
house are health department staff members providing a
guided tour and information on medical services to local
citi^pns. .