THE YANCEY JOURNAL
VOL. 3, NO. 42
Asheville Youth
Arrested, Charged
A 17-year-old Asheville
youth is in Yancey County jail
charged with armed robbery,
Sheriff Kermit Banks repor
ted Thursday night, October
Tenth.
Harry Eugene Godfrey
was arrested and charged
'approximately 9:00 p.m. on
October 10 on US 19E by
Banks and Harold Bailey of
the District Attorney’s office.
Banks said Godfrey, of
1298 Old County Home Road,
Asheville, is charged with the
robbery at gunpoint of Rev.
Burgess Shelton of Erwin,
Tennessee on October 8.
Shelton told lawmen,
Banks said, that he picked up ✓
Godfrey near Burnsville and *
had driven him toward Pen
sacola on NC 197. Allegedly
Godfrey then pulled a gun on
Rev. Shelton and forced him
into an abandoned church at
Concord near Pensacola. He
UF Adds
Names To
Honor Roll
The mercury on the United
Way thermometers standing
on the Burnsville square now
stands well above the $6,000
mark. According to campaign
co-chairmen Virginia Boone,
Romie Burns and David
Mclntosh things are going
well in this, the twentieth
annual community fund rais
ing drive. They give credit
both to the efforts of the many
volunteer workers who are
conducting the drive, and to
the generous spirit displayed
this year by contributors.
The two handsome signs
on the town square carrying
the United Fund thermome
ters were contributed by the
Trades and Industry Depart
ment of the Cane River High
School. The professional qua
lity of these signs, which
would be a credit to any
commercial sign painter, is
what Yancey County citizens
have learned to associate with
all the student work turned
out by this school department.
Additional names have
been added to the United
Fund Honor Roll, shown
below:
UFSPONSORS
(Contributors of SSOO or more)
Mohasco Mill
Mr. and Mrs. Mack B. Ray
Dr. Garland Wampler
UFPATRONS
(Contributors of S2OO to $500)
Drs. David and Carolyn Cort
Bob Helmle
Maxwell Home Furnishings
Northwestern Bank
Pollard’s Drug Store
Dr. Fergus Pope
Styles & Co. & Styles Auto
Supply
CENTURY CLUB
(Contributors of SIOO to $200)
Burnsville Fum. & Hardware
Edward L. Greer
Johnson & Company
Hazen Ledford
Riddle Fuel Oil Company
Yancey Builders Supply
Glenn A. Morris (State
Representative for Yancey
County)
Dover R. Fouts
Notice
There will be a power
interruption, weather permit
ting, on Sunday, October 20,
1974, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:40
am. which will affect the
following areas: Burnsville,
Cane River, Bald Creek,
Pensacola. This interruption
is hecessary for maintenance
work in the Burnsville Sub-
Station.
was robbed of $22.00. a watch
and a ring, and Shelton said
he was then asked by Godfrey
to lie down on the floor. Rev.
Shelton said he resisted and
Godfrey fled on foot dropping
a 32 calibre revolver.
Godfrey was arrested after
an intensive three-day search
by the Sheriffs Department,
Burnsville Police Department,
the Highway Patrol and the
State Bureau of Investigation.
Godfrey is being held in
the Yancey County jail and his
bond is set at $20,000.00. A
preliminary hearing is set for
October 16 in District Court.
Count The
Children’
Drive Set
The 1974 General Assem
bly of North Carolina ratified
Senate Bill 1238, better
known as the Equal Education
Opportunities Act. This bill
calls for equal educational
opportunities for every child
regardless of his handicap, no
matter how severe it may be.
And it calls for a census of
“children with special needs”
so that a plan for providing
education and services can be
drawn up. "
In Yancey County, as in
the other 99 counties of North
Carolina a tremendously im
portant “Registration cen
sus” is being conducted. This
is a joint effort by the
Department of Human Re
sources, the Department of
Public Instruction and PPHC
(Parents and Professionals for
Handicapped Children). The
census, aimed at counting all
children in the state, county
by county, who have special
needs. Then plans can be
drawn up at state level for
providing the educational
services needed.
Marilyn Kunzweiler of the
Yancey County Department of
Social Services has stated
emphatically that “The regis
tration is not a threat to any
satisfactory program for
children with special needs
that is already in existence.”
She added that it is not “an
effort to take a child from a
situation in which he is
developing and place him in a
school or program where his
needs will not be met.” But
Miss Kunzweiler stressed
that it is an open, straightfor
ward effort by parents, the
[Cont’d on page 2]
Trout Booth
At Fair
The Southern Appalachian
Trout Growers Association
will sponsor a booth at the
North Carolina State Fair in
Raleigh October 18 through
26. H. W. Higgins of
Pensacola and L. G. Tr6xell of
White Oak Creek, members of
the association, will be in
charge of this portion of the
Food Section at the Fair and
will serve smoked and deep
fried trout filet dinners. Mr.
and Mrs. Dean Hicks will also
be helping.
Mr. and Mrs. Troxell’s
sons are in charge of fileting
the fish: Chris, Raymond, Tim
and Andy.
Higgins said a variety of
posters and pictures of
Western North Carolina will
be used in the booth to further
advertise the mountain re
gion.
The SATGA has a mem
bership of 80 throughout
WNC and neighboring trout
producing states.
BURNSVILLE, N.C. 28714
--. ‘Wife** Jl4
Homemakers Tour Homes
More than fifty Yancey County Homemakers enjoyed a Home Furnishings Tour on
Tuesday, October 8, right here in their own area. Homes visited included those made of logs
in Byrd’s Rhododendron Park, where the homemakers observed site selection and style of
architecture. The Hazlett’s retirement home, a rustic and modest home with bright colors
and clever storage ideas, was seen on the tour. Also the Newell Oakes home in White Oak
Creek—a new brick home designed for easy movement throughout the living areas-was
observed and appreciated. The John Alessi residence in Celo was furnished with an
outstanding collection of antique furniture in oak. In the Seven Mile Ridge section, the
homemakers visited the elegant brick home of the Lawrence Kellys, who have taken full
advantage of Yancey County’s scenery with windows galore, and who included an art gallery
in the interior. The Vandecarr’s reconstructed log house gave the visitors an opportunity to
hear interesting history of original log buildings and the A-Frame home of the Warners
showed a very attractive landscape planned for a sloping hillside. All in all, the homemakers
had an eqjoyable and information-filled day. Pictured above are the homemakers observing a
log home in Byrd’s Rhododendron Park and on the deck of the Warner’s A-Frame in White
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‘Miss 7-Up’ Visits Kindergarten
Mlcavllle's Kindergarten had an unusual visitor on
Thursday, October 10. “7-Up, a pet nanny goat belonging to
Tanya and Todd Robinson, son and daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1974
Ronnie Robinson of Newdale, came to visit. She got her name
from the white marking on her head. The kindergart'ners
thoroughly enjoyed “7-Up’s” visit.
Explosion And Fire Are
Fatal To Yancey Youth
A 15-year-old Yancey
County boy was fatally burned
in a house fire in the Brush
Creek section on Thursday
morning, October 10.
The death of Michael
Riddle, a 10th grade student
at Cane River High School,
came only about seven hours
after his father, Clyde Riddle,
had suffered a heart attack.
Mrs. Riddle accompanied Mr.
Riddle to Oteen VA Hospital
where he was admitted for
treatment and they were there
when the fire broke out.
Thomas Storie, assistant
chief of the Burnsville Volun
teer Fire Department, said
the fire started about 9:30
a.m. in the living room wood
stove where Michael had
apparently used some type of
FBEMC
Price
Increase
Consumers receiving
electrical service from French
Broad Electric Membership
Corporation serving portions
of Buncombe, Madison, Yan
cey, Mitchell, Unicoi, and
Cocke Counties will be subject
to a rate increase for ele'-trical
energy consumed within their
premises. The increase for the
average farm and home
resident will average 7.35%.
This action was taken by
the Board of Directors of the
Corporation after reviewing
the tremendous increase in
the cost of materials and other
operational requirements for
which, and up until this time,
the Cooperative had absorbed
within its operating budgets.
However, due to the high rate
of inflation that has been
experienced in the past 24
months, it is no longer
possible for French Broad
Electric Membership Cor
poration to absorb these
costs.
The Cooperative has en
deavored to furnish power to
its consumers at the lowest
possible cost, and even with
this increase the electrical
service provided by French
I Broad EMC will be less than
* the average power cost in the
surrounding areas.
*<>•*»'* » «-aL*» v mi
*****
Mike Riddle
fuel that exploded and en
gulfed the room in flames.
The boy apparently tried to
escape through the kitchen.
Storie said the body was
found in that area after the
fire was contained.
The six-room, one story
Autograph Party
At Country Store
An Autograph Party is
“happening” at the Yancey
County Country Swire on
Saturday, October 19 from
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
According to Capt. and
Mrs. G. A. Downing, proprie
tors of the Country Store, no
less than eight authors will be
here for their “happening” to
meet the people, and to
discuss and autograph copies
of their books.
Included in this special
literary group will be Drs. Ina
Van Noppen and John Van
Noppen, authors of “Western
North Carolina Since the Civil
War” which has been hailed
as “a proud, positive history
of a proud and independent
people...” The Van Noppens
spent eight years of research
in writing this book, which
includes fine old prints and
tintypes from early journals in
its illustrations.
John Beecher, well known
poet who has been acclaimed
as “an authentic American
folk hero..” by the Philadel
phia Evening Bulletin, and an
“American Master, the best
poet the South has ever
produced.” by the Louisville
Courier-Journal And Times
News From
Democrats
Last Thursday night, Oc
tober 10, 1974, the Young
Democrats of Yancey County
sponsored a “Meet the
Candidates Rally” at the
Yancey County Democratic
Headquarters. Guest speak
ers were the Democratic
candidates of Yancey County.
Speaking to a crowd of
approximately 200 people,
Lamar Gudger, I. C. Craw
ford, and Glen Morris asked
the Democrats of this county
for their support in the
November election. Speaking
also were the party’s local
candidates v/ho urged Demo
crats to vote in this coming
election.
Free cake and coffee were
served.
The next Young Democrat
meeting is Monday, October
21, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Democratic Headquarters.
Also slated for Monday,
October 21 at 7:30 in the
Democratic Headquarters is a
Burnsville Township meeting
for all interested Democrats.
It will coincide with the Young
10 c
frame house, about six miles
northeast of Burnsville, was
burning brightly and the roof
was caving in, Storie said,
when the firemen reached the
scene. Although a nearby
creek made plenty of water
available, the house was
completely destroyed, Storie
said, along with all clothing
and furnishings.
Surviving in addition to
the parents are Michael’s
three sisters, Misses Gail,
Dianne and Linda Riddle of
the home; two half-brothers,
Roger Chandler of Green
Mountain and Dean Chandler
of Asheville. The maternal
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Lee Hensley of Burnsville also
survive.
Funeral services were held
Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in
Covey Rock Baptist Church.
Revs. James Ferguson and
Bernie Jones officiated and
burial was in the Mclntosh
Cemetery.
wUI be present and will
autograph all his books
including the latest “Collec
ted Poems 1924-1974”.
If you haven’t read “Bits
of Mountain Speech” by Paul
M. Fink, you should take
advantage of this opportunity
to purchase your copy and
have it autographed by Mr.
Fink-a leading citizen of
Jonesboro, Tennessee. This
book is a “bodacious collec
tion of tidbits of mountain
speech carefully gathered and
preserved by Mr. Fink from
1910 to 1960. Well worth
reading.
Harold Warren, author of
“A Right Good People” will
be at the Country Store. His
book has been remarked as a
penetrating and insightful
[Cont’d on page 2]
Holshouser
To Speak
Governor James E. Hols
houser, Jr. will be the
featured speaker for the
Yancey County Republican
Dinner and Rally on Friday,
October 25,1974, at 6:30 p.m.
at the East Yancey High
School.
All citizens are invited to
visit with Governor and Mrs.
Holshouser and hear the
Governor.
Tickets for the dinner may
be obtained by calling 682-
3819 from 10:00 a.m. until
3:00 p.m. each weekday or by
contacting Messrs. R. C.
Parsley, Ellis Moody or
Gaude Vess.
Hughes In
4th Place
Mrs. Louise Hughes, Yan
cey County Teacher of the
year, placed fourth in the
District I Teacher of the Year
selection. She received spe
cial recognition at the NCAE
meeting in Asheville on
October 4.
Mrs. Bonnie Shook, a
veteran of 40 years teaching,
Haywood County, was named
top teacher.
Mrs. Nancy Coward of
Jackson County, and Mrs.
Thelma Wallin of Buncombe
County also received recogni
tion.
entries in seventeen Western