North Carolina Newspapers

12 I PAGES : ,*? The Cherokee Scout i0< , and Clay County Progress p c r c ? p y Volume 79 - Number 48 - Murphy, North Carolina, 28906 ? Second Class Postage Paid At Murphy, North Carolina -THURSDAY? JUNE 19, 1969 I Tri-County Shows Rapid Growth In Four Years During the past four yean, more than 4000 citizens residing in the Tri-County are* have received some type of training offered by Trt-County Technical Institute. In the first year of operation, 1965-66, there were ?ight extension classes, all of them meeting two nights per week at Murphy High School. These courses included: typing, shorthand, bookkeeping, and adult basic education, with a total enrollment of approximately 170 students. Adults from Cherokee, Clay, Green Beret Trooper Missing The search continues for Staff Sergeant John P. Soychak who was reported missing during a training mission on Nantahala Lake late Sunday night. Staff Sergeant Soychak, 27, was with "C" Company, 6th Special Forces Group from Fort Bragg, N. C. which is in the area on field training maneuvers during the month of June. The sergeant was reported missing after the boat which he and two companions occupied struck a floating log and overturned about 11:20 p.m. Sunday. The aluminum "ttfety" boat owned by Dr. C. O. Van Corder was being used on a routine training mission during the small boat training phase of Field Training Exercise in the Nantahala National Forest. It was being used to accompany a number of rubber rafts across the lake when the accident occured. According to reports, the two companions of Soychak managed to get safely to shore but the life preserver worn by Soychak failed to function properly and he started swimming toward land. After getting to within, ten feet of shore he apparently panicked and went under. Those present immediately dived for him but were unable to find him in the dark, according to members of the "Green Beret". Members of the Andrews, Murphy, Franklin, and Wayah Rescue Squads are asristing Army Scuba Teams in the search for Soychak's body, with divers being sent down into areas where the water is over 200 feet deep Soychak, a native of Pennsylvania, was making his home on base at Fort Bragg before being sent on this training maneuver. He hat served a period of time in Vietnam and had returned home only a few months prior to this assignment. According to reports, he was previously with the Signal Corps, and had been with the Special Forces Group only a short time. Monitoring Course To Be Held At Sylva A Radiological Monitoring Training Course will be offered for key personnel in the rix Western Counties of Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee. The course is scheduled to begin Monday, June 23rd, at the Robbinsville Rescue Squad building with Mr. R. G. Robinson Instructing. The comprehensive 16 hour course will be completed in four meetings from 6:30 to 10:30, Monday through Thursday. Certificates will be issued upon completion of this program. Members of Fir* Departments, Rescue Squads, Civil Defense Personnel, Law Enforcement Agencies and many other service personnel operate at the mercy of "hick" without trained monitors. Mr. George Maddrey, State Civil Defense Director has given whole hearted support tor this training prefMtt. Than It no coat for this Graham, and the NanUhala area of Macon County were enrolled in these classes. Full-time curriculum courses began in the summer of 1966 with two training programs: masonry and carpentry. These classes met five days per week for twelve months and were held at Tri -County Technical Institute. The total enrollment was 21. Enrollment and the number of curriculum training programs continued to increase through 1966-67; 1967-68 and the present year 1968-69. We now have six full-time training programs with a total enrollment of 79. All of the classes are meeting at Tri-County Tech, five days each week, for at least one year or longer. During this same time from July 1, 1968 through June 1969, we have had a total of 139 classes in extension. These classes have been meeting one to two nights each week for short periods of time from 30 to 150 hours. Meetings are held in various school and community buildings located in Hayesville, Robbinsville, Andrews, Marble, Hiwassee Dam, Martins Creek, Unaka, Peach tree, Murphy, White Church, Mountain View, Stecoah, Shooting Creek, Snowbird Community, Elf, Fontana, Ogden, and other communities. The total enrollment in these extension dasaes has been 1909. According to officials at Tri-County, requests for new training and educational programs are coming into the office almost daily. These include full-time curriculum programs as well as extension courses. They said that any new full-time curriculum programs can be offered at the Inctitute, it will be necessary to have additional ground space and buildings. The present buildings are now being used to maximum capacity. Parking space is also at a premium. The present site, former State Prison Camp, was purchased by Cherokee County from the State of North Carolina in 1965. The original dte included four buildings. Since that time three buildings have been constructed in an effort to provide training porgrams that the people were demanding. The fact that all these buildings, including the three new ones, are not adequate to meet the needs is a definite indication of the unusually rapid growth in enrollment and training programs during the short period of time Tri-County Technical Institute has been in operation. Summer Classes For Retarded Children To Begin On June 30 "Camp Butler", a program for mentally retarded children will be held this summer at the Murphy Elementary School. The project is financed by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title VI. Children from Graham, Clay, and Cherokee county will attend. Chil<ken will start classes on Monday, June 30. Closing date will be August 1. School buses wDI transport children from surrounding counties to Murphy. Classes start at 9 o'clock each morning and last until 1:30 each afternoon, Monday through Friday. Lunch will be served daily free of charge, to all children who attend. The school hopes that more children will attend classes this summer, because, the day camp offers much to children who rfiara the same problems. Teachers an asked to report for pre-planning on June 25, 28, 27. Teachers participating In the project are: Bill Hughes, camp director; Bob Hendrix, phy. ed Instructor; Mrs. Agnes Price, classroom Instructor; Mrs. Kathleen Davidson, musk teacher; libs. Mary Morrow, riMNM Instructor Asriattna the tochers will be two teachen aides, and one social woHmt to Hi appointed later. Three North Carolina State Forest Rangers are shown working on the Forest Ranger work center at Peach tree. The Rangers are doing their own construction work because of lack of funds. The building will consist of three offices and a workshop. A 1500 foot air-strip will be located directly behind the building. State Forest Rangers Building Work Center North Carolina State Forest Rangers from Cherokee, Clay and Graham Counties are in the process of constructing a work center headquarters in the Peachtree section of Cherokee County. The work center will consist of three offices, and a fully equipped workshop, where the Rangers will be able to do their own welding, grinding of tools and repairing of equipment. The center will have a 98 foot tower for communication Seperate Accidents Injures Four Persons Three persons were injured in a freak accident Saturday at approximately 5:30 p.m. when they fell from a truck loaded with hay. According to witness, the truck was traveling. East from Murphy on Highway 64 when the load of hay shifted Six Communities Compete In Program A total of 98 organized communities in 16 counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation are participating in the 1969 Western North Carolina Community Development Program, according to an announcement by Monris L. McGough, executive vice-president of the Asheville Agricultural Development Council and William Parton of Drexel, area chairman of the program. Entry deadline was May IS. Six communities in Cherokee county are among the entrants this year. These are Happy Top, Marble, Peachtree, Texan na, Tomotla and Unaka. throwing the youths to the pavement. Paul Smith, 25, is in an Atlanta hospital suffering from a broken jaw, and serious face abrasions. Steve Wells, 16, suffered a fractured thumb and bruises. Johnny Palmer, 13, is in the Providence Hospital suffering from a fractured arms and serious face abrasions. City Policeman Tommy Palmer, a witness of the accident, said that it was lucky that no one was killed. In another accident reported, Clyde Willis Reid, 31, of Rt. 4, Murphy was injured in a motercycle-automobile collision, Monday morning at approximately 7:55 a.m. According to policeman, Roy Almond, Kenneth James Teague of Rt. 1, Murphy was attempting a left turn at the square in Murphy in the direction of Peachtree when Reid, approaching the red light from the west, struck the automobile. Reid was taken to the Providence in Murphy suffering facial and head injuries. He is reported in good condition. Teague was charged with failure to yield-right-of-way. Commissioner Election Bill Is Put To Rest THe ghosts of a bitter partisan battle over the method of electing commissioners in Cherokee County were resurrected Tuesday ? just long enough to give the controversy a decent burial. The two bills with which Democrats and Republicans conducted warfare for weeks were resting peacefully side by side in the House Local Government Committee until Tuesday. Such had been their fate since a truce was declared some time ago when a "compromise" measure to elect three commissioners from realigned districts was enacted by the General Assembly. Neither of the major participants in the now-dead controversy ? Democratic Rep. Ernest B. Messer of Canton and republican Sen. Herman H. (Bull) Wert of Murphy ? were present for the last rite*. Mesaer and West, now friendly to the extent they can ioke about partisan politics with each other, were busy with other matters. Both want to see Gov. Bob Scott's cigarette tax become law. Reps. Liston B. Ramsey of Marshall, chairman of House Local Government Committee, was attempting to clear his box in preparation for adjournment of the General Assembly. Ramsey hauled out the conflicting Cherokee County bill, informed the committee that the introducers had requested indefinite postponement of their measures in view of settlement of the controversy with legislation introduced by Rep. William Bradley of Hayesville. But ''indefinite postponement" doesn't wind up the committee's work and Ramsey called for a motion to ct the Cherokee matter to rest. Without commotion, the committee ? composed of Democrats and Republicans ? voted unfavorable reports for both bills purposes within the three county area. A 1500 foot air-strip at the center will provide landing for the North Carolina Forest Service plane which is stationed in Asheville. The offices will be used by Rangers from Cherokee and Clay Counties. Graham County will have use of the workshop. Ranger Headquarters in the past have been located at Ranger Harold Hatchett's home in Murphy on the Andrews Highway. Seven Rangers and their assistants from Cbr okee, Clay and Graham counties are constructing the building themselves because of the lack of funds. According to Cherokee County Ranger Harold Hatchett they only had $10,000 to apply to the material and construction of the building after purchasing the property for the site from the North Carolina Highway Commission. Hatchett said he had been working for this for the past 20 years. He said the people were not as concerned as they should be about protecting their forest, "they spend pennies to protect our forest while millions are being spent to encourage tourists to come to this area and view our beautiful mountains". Ranger Hatchett said he hoped to have a fire plow and a hauling unit by the beginning of the fire season, which begins around the first of October and lasts until the end of May. "With the additional equipment and facilities we should be better equipped to do a more efficient job than we have been able to do in the past1' Hatchett said. He said that additional funds were desperately needed to carry out their planned program and that the North Carolina Forest OCI ? IVC Iiccucu auuiuuiwi personnel to fight the Southern Pine Bettle. "The Pine Bettle could deal ? fatal blow to the pine timber in Western North Carolina which would cost the people millions of dollars if they are not exterminated." Special Forces Group Aid In Search For Boy The 6th Special Forces Group from Fort Bragg, N. C. who are presently stationed in our area are assisting in the search for the 7-year-old boy lost in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Mr. Mike Meyers, Resource Management Officer for the park, requested the aid from the group's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel H. D. Kinney who immediately dispatched an initial party of approximately 40 highly-trained "Green Berate" to aid in the tearch. In addition to this and other rescue workers, two Army UH-1 helicopters and one communication van has been dispatched to the scene near Cade* Cove in the park, |?st across the Tennessee state line, near Gatllnburg. Driving Under The Influence Heads Court Docket Again The Cherokee County District Court met in regular session Monday, June 16, with the Honorable Robert Leatherwood, III presiding. Of the 98 cases before the court, driving under the influence topped the list with public drunkeness second and q>eeding third. Proceeding* before the two day court were: State-vs-WiUard Crawford, charged with assault with deadly weapon, case continued. State-vs-Cari Harry Hie key, charged with Breaking, entering and larceny, case continued. State-vs-Wayne Dockery, charge, Breaking, entering, and larceny, case continued. State-vs-Delbert Wayne Hie key, charge, breaking, entering and larceny, case continued. State-vs-Carl Dockery, charge, breaking, entering and larceny, case continued. State-wJ. R. Chambers, charge, driving under the influence, case continued. State-vs-Lawrence Loran Lyles, charge Driving under the influence, and concealed weapon, case continued. State-vs-Oscar McClure, charge Public Drunkness, plea not guilty, sentenced 30 days to 6 months. Appealed to Superior Cour. State-vs-Allen Wise, charge, possession stolen goods, plea nol pros with leave. State-vs-Gariand William Piercy, charge driving under the influence, plea not guilty, found guilty, fined $100 and cost and surrender drivers license. state- vs-ueraia uan wnitt, charge, speeding 70 in a 55 miles zone. Continued until next session. S t a t e ? v s - John Dee McDonald, charge driving under the influence and possession , continued. State-vs-Billy Ralph Owenby, charge driving under the influence, called and failed judgement absolute on cash bond. Defendent, resident of Ga. Nol Pros with leave. State-vs-Brenda Sue Price, charge, driving under the influence, fined $125.00 and cost. State-vs- Howard Vincent Jones, charge, exceeding safe speed, pay cost ^ State-vs-Andrew Green, charge Fail to stop for accident, Nol pros. State-vs- Anthony William Hunter, Forest Park, Ga., charge speed excess 120; reckless driving; fail to stop. Called and failed judgement absolute on cash bond nol pros with leave. State-vs-Ray Reagan, Pigion Forge, Tenn, charge, Driving under the influence, called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond. Nol pros with leave. State- vs-Ronald Burt Mclnturff, charge driving under the influence, and revoked license, continued until next session. State-vs-Thomas B. Smith, Tennessee., charge Speeding 79 in a 55 mile zone, continued until next session. State-vs-Leonard Clontz, charge, threaten state witness, continued until next session. State-vs-Mrs. Henry Dotson, charge disorderly conduct, continued until next session. State-vs-Joseph Bryant, charge reckless driving, called and tailed and judgement absolute on cash bond, nol pros with leave. State-vs-J. V. Palmer, charge, public drunk ness, sentenced 30 days to 6 months appealed to Superior Court. State-vs- Albert Walden Hatchett, charge, driving under the Influence, 2nd, case continued. State-vs-Robert Lee Berrong, charge speeding 75 in a 55 mile zone, found guilty and court cost, <25.00 fine and surrender license. State vs-Kenneth James, charge public drunkness, sentenced 30 days to 6 months and appealed to Superior Court State-vs-Paiil Hidden, chaff* pttMlc dm n knees, fined 10.00 and coat State-vs- Herbert Michael Hogan, charge driving while license revoked, continued until next session. State-vs-Tut McArthur Westmoreland, Chatsworth, Ga., charge, driving under the influence, called and failed judgement absolute on cash bond, nol pros with leave. State-vs-Randall Barton, charge, resist arrest, sentenced 90 days suspended 9 months fined $25.00 and court cost. State-vs-Randall Barton, charge public drunkness, fined $10.00 and cost. State-vs-Dallas Wilcox, charge hit and run, continued. State-vs- Daniel Wade O'Dell, charge fail to give audible signal, plea not guilty, pay court cost and repair own damages. State-vs-Thomas Marshall Jacobs, charge, fail to see if movement could be made in safety, plead not guilty, found guilty, pay court cost and repair own damages. State-vs-John Kyle Mason, Jr., charge, no insurance, no inspection, improper registration. Pay Cost for registration, and charge of no insurance, nol pros. State-vs- Celeste Martin Rast, charge fail to decrease speed to avoid accident, continued until next session. State-vs-Gene Allen Hatchett, charge, speeding 75 in 55 mile zone, driving under the influence. Guilty, pay cost plus $125.00 surrender license, second charge 90 days, suspended for 9 months, fined $25.00 State-vs-Hugh Thomas Penland, charge driving under the influence, continued until next session. Hugh Thomas Penland, charge driving under the influence, continued until next session. State-vs- William Mitchell Hughes, charge, speeding 75 in 55 mile zone, called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond, nol pros with leave. State-vs-Wayne Ladd, charge driving under the influence case dismissed. State-vs-William Francis Stalcup, charge driving under the influence, continued until July 22. State-vs- Vernon Waldroup, charge driving on wrong side of road, pay cost. State-vs- Varnell Rufus Waldroup, Robbinsville, charge feeding 70 in 55 mile zone driving under the influence.' Fined $125.00 and cost and surrender license, speeding hcarg fined $15.00. State-vs-Tom Nelson Craig charge speeding 70 in 55 mile zone, , guilty, $125.00 fine and surrender application for duplicate license, driving under the influence , pay $15.00 fine. State-vs- Clifton Ray McCray, charge speeding 68 in 55 mile zone; license revoked, pay $15.00 , case continuted. State-vs- Williard Taylor, charge, Trespass, Prayer for judgement continued for 18 months on conditions that he pay cost and not trespass on lands of prosecuting witness. State-vs-Ruth Painter, Public druckness, Sentence not less than 30 days or more than 6 months to be assigned to custody of Commissioner of Correction Womans Division and appealed to Superior Court. State-vs-Homer Amos Long, Tellico Plains, Tenn, charge driving under the influence called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond, nol pros with leave. James Clifford Rogers, charge, exceeding safe speed, plea not guilty, guilty verdict! fined $50.00 and cost pay repair bill of prosecuting witness automobile. State-vs-James Ronny Killian, charge speeding 78 in 55 mile zone. Fined $30.00 and cost surrender license State- vs-Roy J. Stanley, charge driving under the influence, fined $100.00 and coat and surrender license StatewT. C. Beams, charge public dnickneaa, plea fuHty, found in contempt of court sentenced 20 days. State vs-Frank Palmer, c **' damage to personal Property, sentenced 9 moaUu ?yxted two years, pay coat and make restitution State-vs- James (Peg) Palmer, charge public drunkness, sentenced 30 days to 6 mo. appealed to superior court. State-vs-Lee Ellen Pearson, charge, public drunkness, plea guilty, fined $10.00 and cost. State-vs-Hayden Johnson, charge public drunkness. cost $25.00 and court cost. State-vs-Hoyt Rowland, charge public drunkness, guilty, court cost, $50.00 fine, 30 day to 6 months suspended for 12 months. State-vs-Robert Estip, charge driving under the influence, continued until next session. State-vs-John Lee Colvard, charge driving under the influence, case continued. State-vs-Jack Dean Dockery, charge, driving under the influence, continued until next session. State-vs-Bobby Joe Nelson, charge, speeding 73 in a 55 mile zone, called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond, nol pros with leave. State-ts- Walter Drury Tyree, charge speeding 73 in 55 mile zone, called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond nol pros with leave. State-vs-H. G. Curtis, charge, worthless check, case continued. State-vs-Frank Palmer, charge drunk and disorderly, plea not guilty, sentenced 20 days suspended on condition that he pay fine of $25.00 and cost. S t ate- vs-W i llard U. Southard, charge driving on wrong side of road, called and failed. State-vs-Elmo Boyd Riddle, charge reckless driving, fined $25 00 and cost. State-vs-Melvin Bruce Carver, charge speeding 90 in 55 mile zone, fined $100.00 and cost and surrender license. State-vs-Ray McClure, charge with public drunkness, called and failed and judgement absolute on cash bond, capias to issue and double the bond. State-vs-Kenneth James, charge with public drunkness, sentenced to 30 days to 6 months. Appealed to Superior Court. State-vs-Roy James Stanley, charge N.O.L.; No. Reg. No Ins.; No Insp. prayer for judgement, continued on payment of cost. State- vs-Michael Vasques, charge N.O.L.; follow too close, he is to pay cost of repair bill for two automobiles, court cost and $25.00. State-vs-Jerry George Leming, charge, transporting beer, plea not guilty, verdict guilty, fined $25.00 and cost. State-vs-Albert McClure, charge public drunkness, called and failed. State-vs-Climpson Moss, charge. Driving with license revoked, fined $200.00 and cost. State-vs-Paul Charles Crisp, charge speeding 65 in 55 mile zone. $10.00 fine, reckless driving, $50.00 and cost. State-vs-Gary Virgil McClure, charge reckless driving, fined $25.00 and cost. State-vs- Richard Carter, charge injury to personal property, case dismissed. State-vs-Marilyn Anita Postell, A&A, driving under the influence, called and failed. State-vs-Pat Jones, charge assault, pleas not guilty, found not guilty. State-vs-Ralph Roberson, Obstruct Officer, plead not guilty, verdict not quilty. State-vs- Marie McKinney, charge, resist, plea not guilty, verdict guilty, sentenced 30 days suspended 6 months fined $50.00 and cost and ordered to keep the peace. State-vs- Leslie McKinney, charge, resist, plea not guilty, verdict guilty, sentenced 30 days suspended 6 months, fined $50.00 and court cost. State-vs-Billy McKinney, assault on female, plea not guilty verdict guilty, fined $50.00 and cost and keep the peace. State-vs-Oscar McClure, charge public drunkness, plea not guilty, sentenced 30 days to 6 months and appealed to Superior Court. State- vs- Vaughn Grant, public drunkness, pay cost of court. State-vs-Ernest Byers. charge public drunkness, $50.00 and cost. State-vs-Paul Hedden, charge public drunkenss, $10.00 and cost. State-vs-Edgar Nichols, public drunkness, fined $10.00 and cost. State-vs-James Palmer, charge public drunkness, sentenced 30 days to 6 months appealed to Superior Court. State-vs-Oscar McClure, charge public drunkness, plea not guilty, sentenced 30 days to 6 months appealed to Superior Court. State-vs-Oscar McClure, charge public drunkness, plea not guilty sentenced 30 days to 6 months. Appealed to Superior Court. State-vs-Oscar McClure, charge public drunkness, previous sentence placed into effect The next session of District Court will be July 7-8. RONALD HALL ROBERT DODD Two Duke Divinity Students To Minister In Campgrounds Two Divinity Students from Duke University will be working in our area during the summer months. They will be working in two of our local campgrounds providing worship services for campers. Ronald Hall, a senior at Duke Divinity School will be involved In a camp ministry at the Jackrabbit Mountain Campground in HaywHIe. He will be holding services each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at the campground. He la Hvtng hi > HayecviUe and will have responsibilities in various local Methodiet Churches. Robert Dodd, a middier at Duke Divinity School, it working on a summer internship in our area also. He will be conducting a ministry at the Hangiag Dog Campground, where be will be visiting various cam pd tat aod holding wocahip taitleat for