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★ Black Mountain ★ Montreat
★ Ridgecrest ★ Swannanoa
I Thursday. July 22, 1976. Volume 31 Number42
SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT BLACK MOUNTAIN. N.C. 28711
15 CENTS
I
July 24
Southeast’s Largest Dog Show Slated
At Juvenile Evaluation Center
VARIETY
GROUP
f--£r° Autiam
ST
DOG SHOW — Nancy Thompson is shown here with her outstanding Cains
Terrier, Ch. Gayla Calrni O'Tilly. Tilly holds the all time breed record for
Best-In-Show and Terrier Group wins. Tilly is entered in this week’s show.
f. •» ■ ’ •'
-. in . . . . —.-.
Black Mountain Man
Ninth Victim
Of Prison Fire
A Young Black Mountain
man, 'William Eugene
Pressley, 27, of Lakey Gap
Road, died Friday July 16
from bums he received in the
June 30 fire at the McDowell
County Prison Unit. He was
the ninth victim to die from
the fire. Department of
Corrections officials in
Raleigh reported his death in
Memorial Missions Hospital
at about 2:45 p.m.
Richard Kiel, chief of prison
health services, said that 20
other victims of the fire
remain hospitalized
elsewhere. He said all are
reported in satisfactory
condition.
DOC officials, meanwhile,
raised the possibility that the
fire, set by inmates, could
have been part of an escape
plot.
They also announced Friday
that the McDowell unit will be
repaired and expanded with a
new 24-bed single cell inmate
section added, to increase its
holding capacity to 99
phsioners. Some inmates,
said W.L. Kautzky, deputy
director of the DOC, will be
assigned to the construction
crews to renovate the existing
dormitory structure.
Kautzky said one or more
jomates involved in the fire
have testified to the effect that
'he fire, in which highly in
flammable polyurethane
mattresses were burned, was
sei as a lure to attract a guard
!° h* captured and held as a
hostage to set the stage for a
breakout of prisoners.
Kautzky said he does not
kno» whether the
creditability of the story is
acceptable, nor whether the
mmate .who told it would
■estify (he iSame jn eHurt or
It would place a person
‘ e that in jeopardy,”
aatzky said, “by giving him
the status of a ‘rat’ to other
inrr.'tS."
J.N. Minter, in charge of the
SBI western district office in
Asheville, said Friday his
agents have uncovered
nothing to point to a breakout
attempt — but that he would
not rule out such a possibility.
Interrogation of guards and
prisioners in this area, Minter
said, still indicates the fire
resulted from anger over loss
of privileges; the cutting down
of yard time outside, curfew,
curtailment of television and
radio privileges.
Kautzky noted that setting a
fire as part of a breakout
attempt is not unusual, having
been done previously in the
system.
The deputy director said
North Carolina has only three
facilities for misdemeanant
lockup prisioners, and without
the McDowell unit in
operation “we are seriously
overcrowded.”
He said work on the new
single-cell structure, for
which funds were approved by
the Advisory Budget Com
mission in December, will
begin in August. When it is
completed, Kautzky said, the
McDowell unit’s staff will be
increased by 10.
The ninth fire victim,
Pressley, was sentenced in
Buncombe County in 1975 to
two years for breaking and
entering. His record also
showed two escapes, the latest
on June 3 from the Henderson
County camp. He was
scheduled for release in
December, 1976.
Four men had died the night
of the fire: David Rice, 19,
and Clyde Brazil, 20, both of
Asheville; Robert Denton,
19, of Hendersonvi:ie; and
1 Minnie Potter, 18, of Todd.
Victims since then include
Gary Lowe of Hildebran,
Charlie Eugene Watson of
Lenoir, Ronald Denny of
Greensboro and Archie
Williams of Mt. Airy.
Funeral services for
Pressley were held Monday in
the Chapel of Miller Funeral
Home with burial in the Black
Mountain City Cemetary.
1966 Class Reunion
The Class of 1966 of Charles D. Owen High School
will be returning this weekend for their 10th year
reunion on July 24th at the Sheraton Motor Inn in
Asheville.
More than 12S persons are already known to be
coming and have made advance reservations. Mrs.
Linda Bartlett Blankenship said Monday that
although the deadline for reservations was past they
could still make arrangements for graduates
wishing to attend if they would call her at 29841555 or
Mrs. Anne Davidson Craig 686-3981 before Saturday.
The affair will get underway with a social hour
beginu|ng at 6:30 followed by a dinner buffet at 7:.' 10.
Dancing to old and new tuneswili be from 9 p.m. to
I a.m.. with music by “Topa*".
The largest dog show ever
held in the Southeast, will be
at the Juvenile Evaluation
Center Swannanoa on
Saturday, July 24. Sponsored
by the Asheville Kennel Club,
the show has 2616 dogs entered
with a total of 2693 entries in
109 different breeds or
varieties. What a marvelous
opportunity to see so many
breeds and outstanding
animals at one time.
Judging will begin at 9:00
a.m. and variety groups will
start at 4:30 p.m. The show is
scheduled to be over at 7:00
p.m. Food will be available
Friday afternoon and alt day
Saturday. Spectators are
invited to bring their own
chairs and spend the day.
Booths will have a complete
line of pet supplies, crates,
etc. Admission is $1.00 for
adults and 50c for children,
who must be accompanied by
an adult.
Obedience judging takes
place all day, with the most
advanced vitality work
starting at 9 a.m. There are
59 dogs entered in Obedience
Classes.
Breed entries range in size
from the giant Irish
Wolfhounds to the tiny
Chihuahaua. Ther are 148
Doberman Pinschers, 144
Poodles, 117 German
Shepherds, 80 »tghan Hounds,
78 Boxers, 72 Dachshunds, 72
Cockers and 40 Boston
Terriers. There are also en
tries in Brussels Giffons,
Black an Tan Coonhounds,
King Charles Spaniels and
Tibetan Terriers.
If further information
concerning breed judging
time is desired, please call
Nancy Thompson at 669-6578.
Valley Democrats Gather
For Fun And Fellowship
By Joe Compton
Democrats from six
precincts gathered at Charles
D. Owen High School Saturday
ight for a good old-fashioned
political rally. The entire
night was reminiscent of the
Democratic Convention in
Madison Square Garden, with
aH gf the spirited oonfusion
pomp that often' attends
political rallies. About 40
candidates turned out fpr the
gala event.
There were no speeches
much to the relief of the
erowd, but the entertainment
was lively. The Morris
Brothers, "Viley and Zeke got
things rolling when- they
played and sang "On Top of
Old Smokey.”
Former Black Mountain
Mayor Richard Burton Stone
served as master of
ceremonies in the absence of
Mak 0. Cogburn, Democratic
party chairman.
Cogburn missed the event
because of illness, it was
reported.
h our of the candidates tor
governor were represented,
Jim Hunt by Rep. John S.
Stevens; George Wood by B.J.
Lefler; and Edward M.
O’Herron by A.F. Tyson and
Tom Strickland by Leon
Williams.
All the congressional
candidates were there: Glenn
Brown of Waynesville, Roy
Gibbens and Lamar Gudger of
Asheville, Royce P. “Bo”
Thomas of Hendersonville and
Michael E. Vaughn of
Asheville.
Waverly Akins of Fuquay
Varina was the only one of the
eight candidates for lieutenant
governor at the meeting, but
Rep. John Jordan of
Saxapahaw was represented
by his wife, Margaret.
Legislative candidates
present included Mrs. Marie
Colton, Narve! J. Crawford,
Gordon H. Greenwood,
Francella Poston, Zachary
Winston, I.C. Crawford,
Howard Collins, Helen Reed
and Robert S. Swain, the last
four for the 26th Senate
District and the others for the
43rd House District,
J. Ray Ehngburg and Roy
M. Trantham, seeking
nomination for chairman of
the Buncombe County Board
of Commissioners; and Dan
M. Cathey, Tom J. Donoho,
Raleigh J. Fish, Mrs. Doris
Giezentanner, J.W. “Bill”
Oglesby, James H. Parks,
Robert S. Sales, J.W. “Bill”
Rutherford and Carol Mc
Curry for the four board
nominations.
Also Max Cqfland, William
E. Digges Thomas EUer and
Ray Stepp for register of
deeds, and several of the
candidates for the school
board.
PAT OAKS, COORDINATOR for six precincts in
the Swannanoa Valley, organized the rally which
was staged for Democrats from all around.
■ iianii
HHHHUBMMHI&j
POIJT1ANS FROM AM. over the valley came to the Democratic Hally at
Owen High School Saturday night to mill around with the crowd and express
and exchange views.
MIKE HARTIS, front center, receives, a $25 U.S. Saving^ Bond from Black
Mountain Chamber of Commerce President Lee Clapp. Others in the photo are
left to right, Leonard Keever, Principal of Black Mountain Primary School,
Mrs. Jean Standley, Mrs. Jean Roberts and Gene Dillinger, Principal of Black
Mountain Grammar School.
Mike Hartis
“Great Ballon Ascension” Winner
Kemember the Great
Balloon Ascension, when
approximate 1000 youngsters
released helium filled red,
white and blue balloons last
April???
This project was a part of
the Bicentennial program
staged by the Black Mountain
Elemgplary and Grammar
Schools last 'April'
Each balloon contained a
coupon with the name and
League Of
Women
Voters
SIERRA CLUB TO
HAVE CANDIDATES’
NIGHT JULY 29
All candidates for U.S.
Congress from the eleventh
district have been invited to a
public meeting by the Sierra
Club. It will be held at the
Humanities Building of the
University of N.C. - Asheville
at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July
29th. Among the topics
scheduled for discussion are
Energy Policy, .Wilderness
Areas, National Parks, Land
Use Planning, and National
Forest Management.
MEET CANDIDATES
FOR COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
The League of Women
Voters and Common Cause
are jointly sponsoring a
Forum at which all the can
didates for County Com
missioner are expected to
appear. It will be held at the
Court House on the fifth floor
at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July
28. You will have a chance to
see those who are running for
these important offices and
hear their views on county
problems. Ample time will be
provided for your questions.
COFFEE FOR
HELEN REED
All interested persons are
invited to attend a coffee for
Mrs. Reed, candidate for one
of the two seats in the North
Carolina Senate from our
district. Resident of Asheville
for thirty years, Mrs. Reed
has been active in many civic
organizations, serving on
various boards. A professional
economist who served with the
national government before
coming to Asheville, Mrs.
Reed is a graduate f the
Fletcher School of l.iw amt
Diplomacy. Her academic and
civic story is too extensive to
recount here. The coffee will
lie at Sliejtard House, Warren
Wilson College, Tuesday
morning. July 27lli, from 10 lo
11:30.
address of the “launcher” and
asked that the finder please
reply to the name enclosed.
The Black Mountain
Chamber of Commerce
promised a $25 U.S. Savings
Bond to the youngster whose
balloon traveled the greatest
distance.
ceremony
Lee Clapp presented the bond
to Mike Kartis.
Mike’s balloon traveled
approximately 150 miles to
Cassette, S.C. It was found by
eek'in
Chamber
a man, Trent McLaughlin, two
miles out of Cassette, a small
town about 14 miles north of
Camden on April 22 ten days
after the launching.
Mike, a rising sixth grader,
is 10 years old, will be 11 in
September, he’s quick to say,
and is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Jerry .. Hartis of Black
Mountain'
Mrs. Raymond(Jean,
Standley and Mrs. Steve
(Jean) Roberts were co
chairpersons for the balloon
project.
Church To Honor New Minister
The congregation of the
Swannanoa United Methodist
Church will honor its new
Pastor, the Rev. John Jones
and his family with a tea and
get-acquainted reception in
the Church Fellowship Hall on
Sunday afternoon July 25 from
2 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
An invitation is cordially
extended to all neighboring
churches in the Valley,
pastors and congregations, to
join them in welcoming the
new minister and his family
into the community.
Flu Shot Drive
Plans Take Shape
Flu vaccine should be
available for elderly and ill
persons by late August, Dr.
James Tenney, director of the
Buncombe County Public
Health Service, announced
Friday.
The vaccine will provide
protection against both swine
flu and A-Victoria, the flu type
prevalent in recent years. Dr.
Tenney told a meeting of
Community Influenza Ad
visory Committee.
The “bivalent” vaccine is
for high-risk persons —
elderly and ill persons who are
more vulnerable to flu end
more seriously affected by flu,
the doctor said.
“We expect the monovalent
vaccine soon afterward,
hopefully by early Sep
tember," Dr. Tenney said.
The monovalent vaccine is
being produced for a national
flu immunization program
and will be offered to the
general public by the Bun
combe County Public Health
Service.
The committee is working
with the health service to
establish a county-wide
vaccination plan for Bun
combe County.
No date has been
established for the county
program, how»ver, because
the national health service has
been unable to tell local of
ficials when to expect the
vaccine. Dr. Tenney said.
Marge Pleinmons, United
Way representative on the
committee, reported on the
planned immunization plan.
The plan now calls for
vaccination of children in
school clinics with parental
consent and then a two-day
county-wide program in
volving piivate physicians, ,
hospitals, nursing homes and
public clinics operating from
schools, she said.
Linda Stone, Land of Sky
Regional Health Council
representative on the com
mittee, said that a “Swine
Line” is now open at the
buncombe County Public
Health Service.
The telephone number is
255-5107. Doctors, nurses and
other persons who would like
to volunteer their services for
the mass immunization clinics
should call that number, Miss
Stone said. -
Persons with quesflg>s
about the immunization
program can also call that
number, she said.
Medical experts are
predicting a national flu
epidemic for this fall. A
Victoria is the flu type ex
perienced during the last fen.
years. Dr. Tenney said.
Swine flu is believed to be
the type of flu that will be
prevalent this fall. That type
is believed to be similar to
other types of flu, but
stronger, he said.
Plans for the county-wide
immunization program will be
announced when the arrival
date of the vaccine is
specified, he said.
The vaccination program,
Dr. Tenney said, will be
proceeded by an educational
program to help area
residents determine if they
should take the shots and
when ami wlterc the shots will
tie available.