North Carolina Newspapers

tlurp hy Carnegie Library 4-7' Peachtree Street Murphy, N.C., 28906 14 Pages Two Sections 15* per copy The Cherokee Scout and Clay County Progress i Volume 79 - Number 19 - Murphy, North Carolina, 28906 - Second Class Postage Paid At Murphy, North Carolina - Thursday, December 10, 1970 NEWSPAPER Counties Apply For Jail Grant By Wally Avett afternoon after lengthy .re^M Staff writer discussion agreed to apply for a reluetant about ^ idea and County commissioners of federal grant to build a regional t0 ST^y Clay -i. ' "" " * lurPh-v Swearing Ceremonies The rotunda of theCherokee County Courthouse was crowded Mem day morning, as the winners of the November election were sworn in. Jimmy Howse, left, new Clerk of Court, is shown administering the oath to the three commissioners, W.T. Moore, Jack Lovingood and Jack Simonds. (Staff Photo) Golfers Launch Fund Drive A fuml-raising drive was started last week to get the Cherokee County Golf Course oat of debt. Bud Brown of Murphy, a member of the Rural Renewal 'Authority which built the course, conducted the meeting at the Power Board Building launching the drive. About SO golfers attended. Brown said the course owes about $5,000, which includes $2,500 paid recently for five new golf carts. He said it is desirable for the course to be out of debt andstart fresh in the Spring, when golfing and fees from golfers can be expected to increase, as well as maintenance costs. Murphy attorney Herman Edwards was selected to head the drive, which is supposed to be finished within 90 days. Brown said a check for $500 fru:n <ui anonymous Uoiwi was turned in before the meeting. There was much discussion during the meeting of the problems of the course and it was pointed out that the relatively small number of golfers using the couse is the main factor. It was reported that only 117 users have paid their fees and another 57 on the rolls are delinquent in payment of fees. There were also indications at the meeting that Cherokee County industries will be asked to help subsidize the course. "We'll have to go to industry for help," one speaker said. Horace Cannon and Frank Atchison of Levi's in Murphy were named to head the drive for industry in Murphy and Peachtree. Dan Lamb and Bill Brackettof American Thread at Marble were named to lead the drive among industries in Marble and Andrews. Dick Davis of Murphy and Joe Khouri of Andrews were picked to raise funds among the county's civic and community development clubs. For merchants, motels and banks, Lloyd Cash and Joe Morrow were named to head the drive in Andrews and Jack Issacs and Gene Farmer in Murphy. Selected to contact citizens in their respective areas were: John Boring and Charles West in Andrews and Marble' Roy Weber and Wayne Holland in Peachtree; Everett English, Elmer Kilgore and Arthur Jones in Murphy; Jerry Kephart in Hanging Dog and Unaka; Wayne Watson and Larry McNabb for Suit and Culberson. Changing Of The Guard Claude Anderson, left rear, sheriff of Cherokee County for the pest 16 years, went out of office and handed die jail keys over to the new Sheriff, Blain Stale up, Monday morning. On the steps below them are Stalcup's deputies, Willard Bates, left, and Jess Mashburn. Mashburn, a former Andrews policeman, will serve as chief deputy. (Staff Photo) on the basis that they have done nothing binding and can back out at any time. The commissioners of both counties took their oaths of office Monday, along with other winners from last month's election, and disposed of other matters Monday morning before the joint meeting in Murphy in the afternoon on the regional jail. Beginning four-year terms in Clay are Howard Wimpey, Max Payne and Wayne West, all Republicans. Wimpey was chosen as chairman. In Cherokee the commissioners are Jack Simonds and Jack Lovingood, Republicans, and W.T. Moore, Democrat. Simonds was elected chairman. Charles Hipps of Waynesville, director of the Southwest Enforcement and Rights Service, attended the meeting and explained how the federal money can be obtained. It was agreed that he should make application for a grant only after the Clay delegation was assured that this is "to keep the door open" and told if the application is not made soon, the opportunity will be lost for another year. The Clay County group, which included the commissioners, County Attorney Gene Carter and Sheriff Hartsell Moore, said Clay citizens will be solidly against the regional jail if it means everyone arrested in Clay will be jailed in Cherokee. However, the discussion revealed that the large jail for long-term prisoners can be built at Murphy and a temporary lock-up type of jail constructed at Hayesville. This, it was explained, would mean that most people areested in Clay could be kept in the lock-up for a few hours until they sobered up or were released on bond and would never have to be transported to Murphy. Only the felony cases or cases which required a many staying several days in jail would require transportation to the regional jail in Murphy. Hipps said the "chances are excellent" for a 50-50 matching grant through the Governor's Committee on Law and Order from federal Safe Streets Act money. The regional jail "is a crying need of this area," he added, pointing out that both counties are going to be forced to do something about their present jails. But when the Clay representatives started asking about the maximum time a man Republicans Take Over Republicans took control of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Monday and named a whole new slate of county employes, from top to bottom. In the past the commissioners numbered six , but Monday that figure was reduced to three as W.T. Moore, Democrat and former chairman, took the oath with Republicans Jack Simonds and Jack Lovingood. The three commissioners began their meeting immediately after being sworn and the first order of business was to name Simonds, who represents District 3, as the new chairman. Then Lonnie Hoover was named county attorney, in place of L.L. Mason, who had served the Democratic administration. Ruth Sprung was named the county accountant and tax collector, replacing Democrat Barbara Stalcup. Paul Nave was appointed tax supervisor, replacing Democrat Andrew Barton, former commissioner. Frances Clark was named clerk to the tax collector and Barbara Hampton was named clerk to the tax supervisor. Even the courthouse janitor, Democrat Mack Gibson, was relieved of his job and replaced with C.S. Garland. Gibson, however, didn't miss a day's work as he turned up Monday afternoon as Democrat Sheriff Blain Stalcup's new jailer. Harry Ingram was named the county electrical inspector, provided the obtain the proper license, and the county chairman of the Republican Party, Leonard Ramsey, was named manager of the surplus food commodity warehouse. Then the commissioners named the tax listers for the six townships in Cherokee County. The They are as follows: Valleytown Township - Fred Haney and Mrs. N.L. Adams. Murphy Township - Milt English and Mrs. Carrie Kephart. Beaverdam Township ? Robert Hartness and Mrs. Shirley Chance. Shoal Creek Township - Roma Graham and Mrs. Austin Morrow. Notla Township - Arnold Hughes end Mrs. W.M. Mull. Hothouse Township - Mrs. Ed Adams and Mrs. Randall Mundy. Capt. Frank Swan of Andrews was reappointed to serve as county Veterans Service Officer fa- another four year term. He says he has held the post for 20-25 years and the commissioners agreed that he should keep it. Carlyle Matheson of Andrews, a former commissioner, and Dude Radford of Unaka, former deputy sheriff, have been appointed as magistrates by Resident Superior Court Judge Thad Bryson of Bryson City and met briefly Monday morning with commissioners. Cherokee Clubs Win Four Prizes Cherokee County community development dubs were among the winners recognised at the Western North Carolina Community Developments Awards luncheon held last Saturday at Asheville City Auditorium. There are four divisions of competition, three of them based on size of population and the fourth for youth activities. Cherokee County communities placed fourth in all four divisions. In Division A, for communities of 75 families or less, Tesana was fourth. In Division B (75 ? 100 families) Tomotla was fourth. Fourth place in Division C (over 150 families) went to Marble. All three communities won $100 apiece. Tomotla alao placed fourth in the youth activities competition, winning an additional $75. The contest was open to the 10 westernmost North Carolina counties, from Burke west No other county placed in more than two of the divisions. Congressman Roy A. Taylor provided a pleasant surprise for those attending from Cherokee County as he stood to introduce the featured speaker, Dr. Henry Ahlgren, Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture. Taylor departed from usual introductory remarks and took several minutes to commend Cherokee County, singling out this county as a "shining example" of progress and challenging the other counties to follow her. The Congressman was specific in his praise, mentioning the Cherokee County Airport, new industries, new and renovated hospital facilities and the Cherokee County Golf Course. He further stated that changes in attitudes and optimism can be felt among the dtixens of Cherokee as they work together on medical needs, roads, anti-pollution and other problems. could be held in a lock-up type of jail, Hipps emphasized that members of the governor's committee will look at the application and "If you want to call two local jails a regional jail just to get some of this good federal money they won't go along with it." At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Hipps should go ahead and make preliminary application for a federal grant in the amount of about $130,000 for construction of the jail, and lock-up to be matched with the $100,000 in bonds approved last month by Cherokee voters and the rest from the one cent sales tax in Clay. Hipps said by the middle of April the grant would be tentatively turned down or approved and at that time a more formal, detailed application could be made andthe counties could decide how the costs of maintenance of the jail and lock-up would be shared. Phone Cable Severed By Shotgunner A Westco Telephone cable was cut by shotgun blasts early Monday afternoon, knocking about 700 subscribers out of service. Bobby Joe Graves, outside plant supervisor for Westco in Murphy, said the shooting was deliberate and the telephone company is offering a $100 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of the guilty person or persons. "Anybody who saw a car parked under the cable in the straight beyond Scott Laney Mountain may be of help to us," he said. It was in this area that the cable was shot four times at one place and three times at another, about a quarter mile from the site of the first shooting. Graves said telephones in Brass town, Peachtree and the Slow Creek section were out of service until the cable was fully repaired about 11 Tuesday morning. Clay Commissioners Clay County Attorney Gene Carter, right rear, posed Monday with the new ly sworn Clay Board of Commissioners. Howard Wimpey, standing, was chosen chairman. Seated are Max Payne, left, and Wayne West. (Staff Photo) TVA Groups Fighting Rising Price Of Coal Two TV A groups will go to Washington next week to fight the skyrocketing price of coal, which has raised electrical rates drastically. John (Buster) Bayless, general manager of the Murphy Power Board, is one of the original members of the Emergency Committee for the Valley. This group is composed of representatives of each of the seven TVA states, and was recently expanded to include the mayors of the four largest cities in Tennessee. Bayless is scheduled to go to Washington with the Emergency Committee and also making the trip will be the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association delegates. They will meet with the Federal Trade Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Federal Power Commission and the Attorney General's office. Senators and Congressmen of the seven TVA states have also been invited to attend the sessions between federal officials and TVA groups, set for Tuesday and Wednesday. Bayless says several points will be discussed, foremost being the possibility of a "power monopoly", in that major oil companies have purchased the major suppliers of coal for TVA. Coal has jumped in price from $4 a ton to about $8 a ton, Bayless said, and another price hike is feared for next year. Electrical rates in Murphy, as well as all other places which use TVA power, have increased by about 23 percent as a result of the coal price hike. TVA power has always been relatively cheap, Bayless said, "But now with the increase some of our rates are higher than some private power companies." Deer Kill Affected By Weather Bad weather during the deer season cut down on the kill figure, according to Harley Martin, warden of the Fires Creek Wildlife Management Area. He said Tuesday tnat M deer were killed in the Fires Creek area during the two-week season for hunters with guns which ended last Saturday. Only one deer was killed during the earlier season on Fires Creek for bowhunters. This is less than last year's figure of 93 deer killed, Martin said, and is largely due to the two days of bad weather at the beginning of the season. Martin also said that Wildlife Commissioner T.N. Massey of Sylva sent a group of wildlife protectors to Fires Creek to help control poaching on the refuge and about 14 arrests were made during the deer season for trespassing on the refuge with a gun and without a proper permit. "It looks like the public is losing faith in the wildlife management area," Margin said. "If it wasn't for the refuges, in three years there wouldn't be anything left to hunt ? no deer, no bear, no nothing. "We need the cooperation of the sportsmen to help in controlling those few who are trying to destroy all the wildlife," he continued. "Sportsmen need to contact their legislators and ask for stronger game laws and more wildlife protectors." Chairman Honored Noah Hembree, center, chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Education, retired from the board Monday night after 27 years of service. He was commended by the board for his years of duty and presented with the plaque he holds. Dr. W.A. Hoover, left, and the Rev. Robert Barker were sworn in Monday as new members of the seven-man board and the Rev. Mr. Barker was elected the new chairman. Hembree Steps Down The Cherokee County Board of Education officially saluted Chaiman Noah Hembree for 27 years of service as he retired from the board Monday night. Robert Stiles read the resolution commending Hembree for "untiring devotion to duty" over 27 years and eight months as chairman of the county school board. Hembree was then presented with a engraved plaque marking the occasion. Lloyd Hendrix, who served as superintendent of county schools for many years under Hembree, attended the meeting and spoke of Hembree's calmnes under fire as the small country schools were consolidated in the '40's and '50's. Angry delegations from the schoolsbeing consolidated often attended the school board meetings, Hendrix said, but Hembree always remained cool and calm and kept the meetings under control. "He is a man of good judgment and was always interested foremost in the children of this county," Henfrlx said. The Rev. Robert Barker of Peachtree and Dr. W.A. Hoover, who were elected last month to the seven-man board, were welcomed in the meeting at OdeU's Restaurant and the Rev. Mr. Barker was elected as the new chairman. In other action the heart accepted both the new high school building at Ainhsws and the Round Til wli ft A ?? ?! nlgn oCnOOl, Building ~ It w Conservation Supervisor To Be Chosen An election will be held in Cherokee County on Thursday to pick one supervisor for the Cherokee County Soil sod Water Conservation District for a three-year term beginning January 4,1(71. in the county will be < vote in this election. I for this ? office are L.L. KissellHrg and L.F. Lochaby. Polling places will be located at: Martin's Creek;