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Drinking ordinance
passed for July 4th
by Dan Ward
In a special Black Mountain
Town Board meeting marked
by political volleys and par
tisan divisions, the board
voted June 23 to adopt an
ordinance on public drinking it
had rejected June 20, retain
the firm of Crawley, Johnson,
Price and Sprinkle as
auditors of the towns 1976-77
ledgers, and heard questions
and comments from the public
on the felling of trees in a
picnic area on Lake
Tomahawk.
PUBLIC DRINKING
The meeting was called by
Mayor Margaret Slagle to re
evaluate the boards earlier
decision to reject an ordinance
against public drinking and
iisplay of alcoholic beverage
containers as unenforceable.
Mrs. Slagle cited possible
abuse of alcohol at the up
tyning July 4 activities as the
eason for an immediate
nee ting.
The board heard testimony
rom Inspector Bill Stafford
hat there is now no state law
igainst public drinking-only
oublic drunkenness. He added
hat the current policy for the
wlice to wait until a public
drinker becomes drunk is
costing the department a
;reat deal of time. Public
trunks must be transported
>y police to Detox in Swan
lanoa.
In addition, Stafford said
dinance Sp plying to littering
tould be more effective than
he present littering law and
vouJd be enforcable.
Under the suggestion of Aid.
Tom Sobol, the golf course and
park areas designated by
Town Manager Jon Creighton
would be exempt from the
ordinance.
The ordinance, setting a $50
for public drinking, passed
unanimously.
AUDITOR
The boardk decision to
accept a bid of $2400 submitted
by Crawley, rather than on* of
$2200 submitted by the firm of
Don Williams, was brought up
again due to what Mayor
Slagle called a “misun
derstanding.’She said that the
person who was familiar with
the towns records was no
longer with Crawley, making
the rationale that Crawley
was best able to audit Black
Mountains books invalid. Aid.
A.F. Tyson said Mrs. SlagleS
information was wrong.
Another vote was taken,
rresulting in an identical tally
of 3 to 2 in favor of accepting
CrawkleyS bid.
TREES
A number of persons
commented on the felling of
trees in a picnic area adjacent
to the clubhouse on Lake
Tomahawk. Most asked why
the public hadnt been in
formed of plans to cut the
trees, questioned why that
area had been picked to create
a parking area, and why the
board had not voted on the
measure. Mrs. Slagle ex
plained that the matter was
not one that needed board
approval-it should be handled
by the town manager.
Rather than address further
questions to Jon Creighton,
the town manager, the
audience and members of the
board engaged in a debate
concerning the authority and
judgement of the town
manager-as well as inuendos
and counter-inuendos about
the disappearance of the
recreation plan for Lake
Tomahawk from the town
records.
Betty Tyson, who is working
on a plan for the area with the
recreation committee, said
some trees will be planted and
that tables and grills will be
placed in a new picnic area
near the old one. Trees will be
planted around the 25-space
parking lot, she said.
The meeting was adjourned
and the board went into
executive session to discuss
personnel.
Although the meeting was
announced on June 21 by a
bulletin displayed at Town
Hall, the News was given no
notice prior to the meeting
that it had been called.
Public Drinking rule
Bill Stafford of the Black
Mountain Police Department
said Monday that the towns
new public drinking ordinance
will be enforced at the July 4
street party. The ordinance
follows.
WHEREAS, it shaU be
unlawful for any person to
drink, or to titer a drink to
another person or persons, of
any intoxicating liquor, as
such term is defined in Section
18A-2( 4) Article 1, Chapter ISA
of the Statues of North
Carolina in any public park,
parkway .public street, public
allyway,public lot, or any
other property owned, con
trolled, or maintained by the
Town of Black Mountain.
WHEREAS, the terms and
provisions of this section shall
not apply to the following
locations described below:
1. Those locations where the
state board of alcoholic
control Authority or any other
duly constituted authority has
issued or hereafter issues a
permit or license pursuant to
the laws of the State of North
Carolina.
2. Those locations undo- the
supervision and control of the
Director of Parks and
Recreation which said
Director designates as per
mitted locations under such
regulations as said Director
establishes.
WHEREAS, it shall be
unlawful for any person to
drop, throw, cast or deposit or
in any manner container of
whatever nature, and whether
containing intoxicating liquor
or not, upon, or in any public
park, parkway, public street,
public alleyway, public
sidewalk, public parking area
or lot, or any other property
owned, controlled, or main
tained by the Town of Black
Mountain or upon the private
property of another without
permission of the owner,
tenant or person in control of
such private property.
Youth charged with murder
A 16-year-old Black
Mountain youth has been
charged with the murder of 12
year-old Johnny Keith An
derson of Black Mountain.
$100,000 bond was set for
Jack Michael Gragg, who is
charged with first-degree
murder in the shooting death
of Anderson on the 4ught of
June 26. Det. Bill Stafford of
the Black Mountain Police
Department said he has not
yet been able to question
Gragg fully about the par
ticulars of the shooting, which
took place at Graggk home.
Anderson was shot with a 30
JO rifle, Stafford said.
Bond was set June 27 when
Gragg appeared in court to
answer a charge of breaking
and entering of the golf house
at the Black Mountain Golf
Course on June 21. He was out
without bond, on a promise to
appear, on that charge at the
time of the shooting.
Gragg is a rising sophomore
at Owen High School.
A probable cause hearing
will be held July 11 for Gragg.
Asheville Police reported
that Luther Watson Hensley
Jr. of Black Mountain was
shot in the chest June 27 by a
person he would not identify.
According to a police
spokesman, Hensley gave
three different locations of
where the shooting took place,
named an assailant he later
said did not shoot him, and
refused to press charges.
Hensley was taken to
Memorial Mission Hospital
and was reported in
satisfactory condition.
The Black Mountain Police
Department issued one
speeding ticket, one ticket for
unsafe movement, and picked
up two for public drunkenness.
Accidents were reported at
Cherry Street and U.S. 70 west
last week, resulting in $250
and $1200 damage respec
tively.
' ■ Happy 201st, America!
i
The Old Depot, as sketched by Belle Mordell. The Depot will be dedicated
July 4 as part of a day-long celebration.
July booms in
July will arrive with a bang
in Black Mountain as plans for
various festivities are being
completed.
FAIR
On July 1 and 2, the
Swannanoa Valley Medical
Center Fair will take place at
the Black Mountain Primary
School. About 50 booths will be
selling everything from arts
and crafts to ham biscuits. In
addition, a number of
educational displays and free
blood pressure test will be on
hand. i /
A free drawing of gift
certificates will be held every
hour. The fair will be in
progress from 10 ajn. to 6
p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Proceeds from the fair will
go toward the Medical Center.
Fairs for the last eight years
have helped pay for modern
equipment at the center, in
cluding an emergency room
and x-ray facilities.
DONKEY BASEBALL
Also on Saturday, July 2,
the Black Mountain Fire
Department will play the
Black Mountain-Swannanoa
Jaycees in a game of Donkey
Baseball. The game will begin
at 4 p.m. at the Black
Mountain Athletic Field.
Advance tickets are on sale
from the Jaycees or firemen
for $1.25 for students and $1.50
for adults. The cost at the gate
is $1.75. Pre-schoolers may
watch free.
Proceeds will go toward
Black Mountain Fire
Department Rescue Squad
equipment.
PARADE
A parade put on by the Town
of Black Mountain, Cherry
Street Merchants, and the Old
Depot Committee will leave
the Town Hall at 2 p.m. on
July 4, travel down Cherry
Street and end at the depot.
Mayor Margaret Slagle will
cut a ribbon dedicating the
depot at 2:30 pjn.
STREET PARTY
A street party featuring a
sidewalk art show, craft sale,
hourly raffles, antique car
display, baked goods sale and
a beard contest will be in
progress all day July 4 on
Cherry Street. Live music by
the Bear Creek Ramblers, the
Starlight Mountain Boys,
Pam, Smyrna, Five Star
Destiny, Captain Torn, Elena,
Anita and Owen and Jerry
Reed Smith will take place
from 10 ajn. to 9 p.m. Jerry
Reed Smith will also have a
number of his hand-made
dulcimers on display and for
sale.
Raffle prizes have been
donated by a number of local
merchants.
DEPOT
The 100 year old Black
Mountain Depot, after its
dedication at 2:30 July 4, will
be open to the public, with
various arts and crafts on
display inside.
Traveling exhibits from
Southern Railways and the
Asheville Museum will also be
on display.
Fire bounds expansion
to be decided June 30
by Du Ward
The Buncombe County
Board of Commissioners will
meet June 30 at 10 ajn. to act
xi the proposed expansion of
the Swannanoa fire district,
now amended to end just east
if Singer-Kearfott, and the
expansion of the Reynolds fire
district to take in part of
Eticeville.
Fred Myers, president of the
Swannanoa Fire Department
Board of Directors, told the
board at its meeting June 28
that the state Rating Board
has approved an amended
, map that would allow
Highland Farms, the shopping
center and other homes and
businesses between Black
Mountain and Swannanoa to
continue receiving service
from Black Mountain Fire
Department.
Ihe board heard objections
from others still within the
proposed expansion district
Montreat board
passes budget
by Elizabeth Maxwell
The Board of Com
missioners of the Town of
Mon treat in special session on
June 23 heard the third
reading of the proposed
budget for 1977-78 and, after
one change, adopted the
$118,500 budget baaed on a tax
levy of 65 cents per $100
1 rees controversy
focuses on Manager
by Dan Ward
Felling by the Town of Black
Mountain of a number of trees
in a picnic area near the
clubhouse on Lake Tomahawk
drew a great deal of criticism
and controversy within the
town board last week.
Town Manager Jon
Creighton, who ordered the
removal of trees in the picnic
area to make room for a
parking lot, was the target of
complaints, (see Readers
Speak column on page 2)
Creighton said he chose the
spot to alleviate parking
problems because an area on
the other side of the tennis
courts was too great a
distance from the clubhouse
for senior citizens, who eat
lunch there daily, to walk. He
said a filled area on the other
side of the clubhouse has not
settled enough to use for
parking. That area, once it has
settled, may be used for
building or additional tennis
courts in the future, he said.
Creighton also said that he
had received numerous
complaints from residents
prior to removal of the trees
that the park was a haven for
drunks and was so close to the
street that it endangered
small children who played
there.
A number of persons
complained at a special town
meeting June 23 that
Creighton should have cleared
the decision to cut trees with
the board.
Highway Patrol
gears up for 4th
The State Highway Patrol is
preparing for a record volume
of traffic during the long July
4th weekend, according to
Patrol Commander John T.
Jenkins. He said that traffic
usually increased on any
given weekend, but with the
activities normally associated
with July 4, the highways this
year are expected to be very
crowded. Traffic is expected
to be heaviest on Friday night
and the evening of tl«e 4th,
Jenkins said.
The Patrol is not planning
any special programs to cope
with the traffic except that
every available man will be on
duty. Jenkins said the Patrol
is going to make travel as safe
as possible during the holiday
by strictly enforcing all motor
vehicle laws. Special attention
will be given to speeding
motorists and drinking
drivers.
According to J. Phil Carlton,
Secretary of the Department
of Crime Control and Public
Safety, 19 persons los> 'Jiier
lives on the highways during
the July 4 weekend last year.
At that time, a lively debate
developed between Mayor
Margaret Slagle, who
defended Creighton* ability to
make decisions, and members
of the audience and the board.
Creighton also drew
criticism for giving the wood
to town employees. He said
the wood was given to
anybody who wanted it, and
said a pile of wood cut on the
golf coarse last year laid
around a number of days
before anyone took it away.
A new picnic area will be
created, Creighton said. He
also said that trees will be
planted around the periphery
of the parking area.
valuation. This levy
represents no change from
last yeart rate. The main
categories for expenditures
are as follows: General
Government $9,427; Police
Department$60,587; Steet
Lighting $6,800; Street
Department $33,228;
Sanitation Collection $47,956;
and Special Appropriations
$520.
Appreciation was expressed
to Commissioner E.E. Crisp
and others who contributed
information and recom
mendation lor the
preparation of the budget.
The board granted a permit
to the Mountain Retreat
Association to hold a parade
on town streets on July 4.
The mayor, Elizabeth
Maxwell, reminded those
present that Dr. Larry Wilson,
mayor pro temp, will assume
the duties of the mayor during
her absence in July.
The meeting was adjourned
until the next regular session
on July 14.
that taxes and fire insurance
would increase if Swannanoa
were to begin serving them.
George Nalesnik, manager
of the Singer-Kearfott plant,
said that the question was not
one of quality of fire fighting,
but of an increase of $8000 to
$10,000 for fire insurance at his
plant. He also denied that
Kearfott would move its plant
if it fell within the Swannanoa
fire district, saying “weVe
been here 22 years - we hope
to be here 22 more."
Grady Roselle, vice
president of the Swannanoa
Fire Department, said that
dissenting persons in the area
in controversy were risking
not having protection by not
coming into the Swannanoa
fire district. Blade Mountain
protects these areas on a
contractoral basis. He also
stated that the Swannanoa
Fire Department was in sound
financial shape, with a years
payment toward the mortgage
in escrow. Barbara Settle of ,
the Ladies Auxiliary backed
Rosellei statement, and said
she has a complete financial
statement for the department
available.
The Board of Com
lssioners put legal and
technical help at the disposal
of the departments, and asked
that they try to settle dif
ferences before the meeting
Thursday.
Also at the meet :,,, w^-oup
of persons objected to a
proposal by the Reynolds Fire
Department to take part of
Riceville into their district.
Comment was made that the
Swannanoa firemen know the
area much better and have
done a good job, and that they
can reach the area more
quickly and easily than the
Reynolds department. The
board will also decide on that
issue June 30.
Faces fascinate portrait artist
by Dan Ward
When Danny Pressley tent
working at the Old Fort
Finishing Plant, he is the
practitioner of an art form
that has all but disappeared
with the advent of
photography.
Danny Pressley is a portrait
painter.
“There* not many portrait
painters around,’ Pressley
said. Most people work with
landscapes now.
“Faces just fascinate me—
especially the hair and eyes,’
he said.
Pressley, an Owen High
School graduate who has
taken ltt years of art classes
at Warren Wilson College, has
painted 27 portraits of Bun
combe County residents. In
addition, die Blade Mountain
resident has been com
missioned to do many more in
neighboring counties.
He spends six to eight hours
a week painting portraits
ranging from $50 to $80, and he
has a backlog of requests.
“Bn pretty well booked up,’
he said. “Last year I was 30
paintings behind.’
Pressley regards the
« - • -'W
DANNY PRESSLEY
popularity of his work-he has
never received a complaint—to
be the combination of an
emphasis on realism with an
eye for the flattering aspects
of a persons appearance.
“I try to paint realistically
I try to capture whatft really
there,’ Pressley said.
He said he has even painted
portraits of dogs. One woman
wrote him to say that the
portrait of her dog done by
Pressley “looked so real that
it seemed to want to bark at
you.’
Although he will paint from
a photograph, Pressley said
he prefers live models.
"The camera washes out
many of the things you see in
life,'he explained.
Pressley plans to have some
of his work on display during
the July 4 street celebration in
Black Mountain, as well as in
the Old Depot gallery when it
is completed.
Pat Peters, one of Pressleys subjects, with her
portrait.
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