Serving—
at Black Mountain. NC 28711 ^BBffiBB^BpPEMjBffKWfe^Pvy *“j||, ^SWMBI ★ RidgeCreSt
Thursdav, Julv 27. 1978 Vol 24. No 39 Kjg^^jl^vle^fe'^'jIK^^^KflMWK ^"T^*®
15 cents per copy
ABC petition
spurs board
indecision
by Du Ward
Rumors of a petition drive to
a referendum to close the
Slack Mountain ABC store
aused the Black Mountain
own Board to table action on
he Golf Club House and
•herry Street sidewalks until
fter the September 12 mixed
Irink referendum.
Before ABC income
msgivings we.e voiced by
dd. Jim Norton, the board
iad approved appropriating
etween 12500 and $4400 to
iave an off-duty Carolina
>ower and Light employee
nre lights at the existing
emus courts.
The board developed cold
eet about spending when
(orton noted that he’d heard
hat a group was passing a
etition asking for a
eferendum to abolish the
Hack Mountain ABC store
pparently a counter
uanuever to ah upcoming
eferendum to decide whether
-died drinks should be soldi
ere.
Recreation is the first to
o, anyhow. We stud to lose
85,000 if we lose that store,’
iorton said.
The only board member to
ay he had seen tiw petition
i as Mayor Tom-^ietwl.-wfee
Pled out that it is past the
ird of Elections filing
dline to set a store
referendum on the September
12 ballot with the mixed-drink
referendum. However, Sobol
voiced concern that both
referendums could con
ceivably pass,with abolition of
the ABC store necesitating
discontinuance of mixed
drinks.
“ It’s actually more money
than this year’s $SO-something
thousand,'Sobol said. 'You’re
looking at well ver $125,000 (in
revenues lost), including the
tax on beer and wine.’
" It $ going to throw the
whole town into chaos, there’s
no doubt about it, ’he added.
He compared the possible cut
to Proposition 13 in California.
No board member could say
who was circulating tho
petition,although Aid. Ruth
Brandon, eh only board
member against the mixed
drink referendum, said she
thought" about six churches’
were involved.
Because of the uncertainty
over possible budget cuts if
the ABC store closes, the
board chose to table ac
ceptance of bids to renovate
the golf clubhouse and another
proposal to use town emptyees
to put as many feet of brick
sidewalk on Cherry Street as
possible for $3606.
The board voted in-takatep
both proposals again after the
September 12 vote on mixed
drinks is analyzed. \
Gov- Jiro Hunt chats with the Rev. Billy Graham of Montreat prior to the
dedication of 1-40 Black Mountain- Swannanoa bypass. (Dan Ward) a
r avoritism charged in police action
by Dan Ward
An accident incolving the
ather of Black Mountain is
issistant police chief has led
o charges of favoritism in the
lepartment and coun
ercharges of private in
lividuals going out their way
0 harrass police.
William Burnette of Black
lountain has said that Black
iountain Police Officer
lyron Fineberg showed
referential treatment in not
barging Harold Wiseman
01 Black Mountain with
Iriving under the influence
fter a car driven by Wiseman
'as involved in an accident
[ith that driven by Chris
Carrier of- Black Mountain
Inly 7.
Burnette, who appeared at
be scene of the accident
hortly after it occurred,
allowed Fineberg as he took
iiseman and Carrier to the
alice station, and later
illowed Black Mountain Det.
)on Ramsey as he took
I'iseman, the father of
uutant Chief Jim Wiseman.
»Detox.
Fineberg saiu that he felt
“at the elder Wiseman,
“cause of his attitude and
dative sobriety, should not
* charged, but listed “ unsafe
wvement ’ on the part rf
•iseman as the causeof the
ccidnet in his report.
Assistant Chief Wiseman
ud that Fineberg showed no
,v°ritism in failing to charge
is fattier. Wiseman said that
tneberg called him to the
tene shortly after the ac
“fent, at which time Jim
'«man told the officer to “
10 what you think is right,
with no hard feelings if you
charge him,’Wiseman said.
Wiseman said he backs
Fineberg k judgement in the
matter.
Fineberg also, said that ,
because ne witnesses came
forward and the elder
Wiseman was not inside his
car when the officer arrived,
Wiseman could not be charged
with driving under the in
fluence (DUI). Fineberg did
say there were “ a bunch of
kids nearby! but that it is not
usual procedure to ask for
witnesses at the scene of a
minor accident. He added
that Burnette, who is his next
door neighbor, was carrying
out a vendetta against him.
Fineberg added that Carrier
had agreed with his decision to
take Harold Wiseman to Detox
rather than charge him.
Carrier said he had been
under the inroression that
Wiseman had been charged
when he agreed the man
should be taken to Detox.
Upon learning that Wiseman
was not charged, Carrier, a
Republican candidate (or
clerk of court, called for the
resignation of Fineberg, Town
Manager Mack Kirkpatrick
and Mayor Tom Sobol.
Kirkpatrick supported
Fineberg S action, but noted
that he thought it was
customary to ask bystanders
at an accident scene if any liad
seen the accident.
“ I can t say I totally agree
that he (Fineberg) did the
right thing, but I back up his
judgement, “ Kirkpatrick
said.
Sobol said that as soon as
Burnette had complained of
the incident to him, he asked
Kirkpatrick, Police Chief
Crait Slagle and Assistant
Chief Wiseman to carry out an
investigation.
“ As far as I In concerned, if
Carrier is calling for my
resignation, it S because he is
running for office and wants to
make a name for himself, ’
Sobol said.
Sobol added that , as of
Monday, he had not yet seen a
report of the investigation.
Fineberg denied that
Wiseman had been given
treatment different from
anyone else.
“ There are a lot of people
the police will just send home
with their families. I Ve even
picked some up from Mc
Dowell County and had their
family come to take them
home,’he said. He added that
it is customary in police
departments throughout the
state to simply release per
sons thoutht to be drunk to
their families or take them to
Detox if they show a “ good
Voluntary cuts
in water asked
by Dan Ward
Black Mountain Town
Manger Mack Kirkpatrick has
asked that persons receiving
Black Mountain water
voluntarily cut back on water
consumption because the level
of the town’s reservoir last
week dropped to five feet
below the spillway.
Although approximately 13
feet of water remains in the
reservoir, Kirkpatrick said he
feared that the water table is
drying up because of the long
period of dry weather here.
He added that a great deal
of water was lost when a main
Police Report
Black Mountain police were
a6am involved in a high speed
*ase last week as Officer Bill
' ortune and Det. Don Ramsey
“Pprehended two Swan
youths for drag-racing.
Michael Nitchman, IS, was
tharged with willful speed
competition with another
vehicle, failure to yield to a
blue light and driving 100 mph
in a 45 mph zone.
Timothy Scott Bradley, 17
was arrested on the same
charges, plus driving under
the influence.
Two Black Mountain youths
were arrested Monday for
breaking into a candy
machine near Hobo Cat*Vash
Monday, according to Det.
Ramsey. Tommy Cornett, 18,
and Charles Craig, 17, were
both charged with damage to
a coin operated machine and
larceny of its contents.
Police responded to one
accident and received 258
calls last week.
line DroKe recently, and again
when a fire hydrant broke last
week. He did not, however,
predict a need for mandatory
water rationing such as im
posed last year.
In other action concerning
Black Mountain water, Kirk
patrick said that approval of a
well site on town property
behind Pizza Hut was with
frawn by the County Health
Department last week when it
was learned the site is in a
flood plain.
Kirkpatrick said that the
town may be able to retain the
site if it relocates a short piece
of sewer line and creates a
bem to keep out flood water.
He said he has been given no
decision by health officials as
of Monday, but that the town is
considering another site south
of State Street for an ad- .
ditional well.
attitude.’
He added that he thought
Burnette followed him and has
made the allegations of
favoritism because of dispute
going back years. Burnette
denied having bad feelings
toward Fineberg or Wiseman,
saying he was only anxious to
see everyone got the same
treatment.
Sidewalks, streets, police
seen as Swannanoa needs
by Clint Williams
Better police protection and
better streets and sidewalks
are the primary concerns of
residents of the Swannanoa
community, according to a
survey conducted by the
Swannanoa Community
Council.
This spring, the Public
Affairs Committee of the
Swannanoa Community
Council mailed 1418 surveys
and 144, or slightly better
than 10 per cent, of the
questionaires were returned.
“ The Community Council
had gotten to a pa int where it
felt like it may have been
away from the pulse of the
community,’explanined David
Alexander, a spokesman for
the Swannanoa Community
Council
One of the more surprising
findings of the survey,
especially in the wake of
Proposition 13, was the desire
for more government in
Swannanoa.
The majority of the
respondents, 61 per cent,
favored more community
government in Swannanoa,
while only nine per cent
favored less. The remaining
portion, 29 per cent, favored
the same amount of com
munity government.
When asked in what way
could the Community Council
become more involved for the*
benefit of tlfe community, 29’
per cent of those replying to
the questionaire said that the
Council should solicit federal
funds, and 23 percent favored
the Couuncil wedding more
political influence. The ways
the community feels the
Council could be more ef
fective might suggest a desire
for more government in
volvement, not less as
suggested by the tax payers’
revolt in California.
One of the other areas the
survey suggested that the
Council could do more was in
further development of the
clubhouse square area in
Grovemont. 26 per cent of
those who responded to the
survey favored this.
Streets and traffic are
considered the bjgpst problem
in the Swannanoa community
by 32 per cent of the respon
dents. Crime was considered
the biggestproblem by 23 per
cent of the community, zoning
by 19 per cent, taxes by 14 per
cent, and water and sewers by
12 per cent of those answering
the survey.
Almost two-thirds of the
community would favor in
corporation over annexation
by another community
(Asheville or Black Mountain)
while 14 per cent would oppose
the idea. One-fourth of the
respondents had no opinion.
A somewhat surprisingly
large minority, 29 per cent,
were oposed to more industry
in the Swannanoa area. 64 per
cent were in favor of more
industry moving in the area
and 7 per cent had no ODinion.
Swannanoa Council
‘We stay low key’
by Clint Williams
The Swannanoa Community
Council was formed “ about 40
years ago! according to David
Alexander, to provide “
welfare for families of the
community during specifice
hardship.’
Although the providing of
food and fuel for hardship
cases is still a major role of
the Council it has evolved
into much more than a
community welfare agency.
The Council, funded soely
through the United Way, also
supports a school nurse at the
Swannanoa Elementry
School, supports the- Swan
nanoa Community Center,
makes a donation to the
Swannanoa Valley Medical
Center and acts as a co
ordinating agency for various
county-wide projects such as
Quality Forward.
Because Swannanoa is air
unicorporated area, it is
ineligible for 90 per cent of the
federal fund* earmarked for
community improvements,
according to Alexander.
Consequently, one of the
primary functions of the
Community Council is to act
as a lobbying group to
represent the interest of the
coummunity.
“ The community needs
help because it dosen’t have a
source of funds to go to,’’said
Alexander, “ and it has been
proven over the last 40 years
that we (the Council) have
accomplished things, tangible
thingsun the community weVe
gotten and we want to con
tinue to do that.’
Alexander pointed out the
new four-lane bridge to be
built in Swannanoa and the
direct road to be built to the
Bee Tree Industrial Park as
examples of effective action of
the Council.
Despite its’ lobbying func
tion, the Swannanoa Council is
not intended to be a political
are, said. Alexander.
1 “ The Council has chosen tc
retain a low-key profile,
Alexander said. “The Council
has functioned over the years
as an orginization which is
open and availible to all the
citizens of the community.’
Alezander said that
representatives from area
schools, churches, clubs,
indutry, and businesses attend
the the quarterly meetings
. and that there is no set
limitation on the number of
people that can be active
members of the Council. The
only requirement t for
membership, Alexander said,
is that one be a member of the
Swannanoa community.
I-40 opened at last traffic jam
by Dan Ward
Local dignitaries
hobknobbed with Governor
Jim Hunt June 19 as interstate
traffic once again crept
through Swannannoa and
Black Mountain during the
official opening of the segment
of 1-40 bypassing Black
Mountain and Swannanoa.
The Rev., Billy Graham of
Montreat began dedication
ceremonies for the 6.4 mile
section of highway with an
invocation. The well-tanned
evangelist praised the high
way for the safety it will bring.
Black Mountain Mayor Tom
Sobol preceded Hunt with a
short address in which he
forecast a prosperity for the
‘Tigers’ tales never get old
by CUnt Williams
“ We got into Minchou and a
Japenesse soiider got into one
of the chow lines with us. One
of the Chinesse officers saw
him and shot him right in the
line, just about three people in
front of me. I didn’t eat any
supper that night.’
That is just one of the many
stories that will probably be
re-told by Leo n Williams
when he travels to the 31st
convention oi the 14th Air
Force Association being held
in Duluth, Minn. July 26-30.
Williams will be among 600
former servicemen who
served in China during World
War II attending the con
vention.
The 14th Air Force was the
first Air Force to be formed
overseas, according to
Williams, and was formed
from the American Volunteer
Group-better know as the
“Flying Tigers.’ Originally,
100 pilots and 200 ground
crewmen were recruited to
aid the Chinesse against the
invading armies of Japan.
The men were notofficial
American military
representatives, but mer
cenaries who were highly paid
and recieved and "unofficial
bonus of $500 for every
enemy plane shot down.
During three years of
service in China, Williams
said, the 14th Air Force
lost 500 airplanes to all cause
while destroying 2,600 enemy
planes and probably
destroying an additional 1,500.
The 14th also sunk over
twomillion tons of enemy
merchant shipping, 44 naval
vessals, and 13,000 river boats.
They destroyed 573 bridges
and killed over 66,000 ememy
troops.
During the entire war there
were only 33,000 Americans in
China, Williams said,
Williams arrived in China in
Febuary of 1944 with the 36th
Fighter Control.“...we homed
in planes that got lost...; and
later transfered to the 16th
Fighter Squadron, where he
served as a radio operator.
Williams spent most of his
time in Kweilin where he
guided in lost figher planes
and “ ferryed troops intj
Manchuria.’ Although a
Japanese bomber base
wasonly 25 miles away and his
base was the frequent target
of bombing raids and
strafing sorties, the greatest
danger Leon was in was in the
United States.
“ The only time I ever got
shot down was yp in Norfolk,
Virginia. I was pulling tow
targets. The fighter pilots
werent suppossed to shoot
within 10 degrees of the tow
target ship, but this one pilot
in a P47 came in and shot the
whole tail off the dang thing an
d put us down,’Williams ex
plained.
The plane and crew were
able to land safely, he con
tinued, laughing.
In 1975, at a convention in
New Orleans, Leon Williams
was awarded the Chinese
War Memorial Medal.
“They (the Chinese
government) awarded the unit
the medal right after the war,
but the orders were lost and
not found until almost 30 years
later,’Williams said.
Leon and his wife were
among 250 members of the
14th Air Force Association to
be the guest of the Republic of
China (Taiwan)’ Air Force in
1976. The members of the
association were “ treated
royally ’ during the visit.
Williams is in cnarge of the
arrangement of the 1979
convention to be held August
1-5 at the Grove Park Inn in
Asheville, There he will get
the chance to ‘host, a group of
friends who mutal experience
and teh passing of thehave
drawn closer together.
valley and a better attitude
toward what has been
regarded more as a bottleneck
than a relaxing place to stop.
Sobol added a note of humor to
the event by alleging that he
had ‘ ‘seen folks line up in
Ridgecrest on Sunday mor
ning and not get to their
prayer meetings until Wed
nesday afternoon. “
Secretary of Transportation
Thomas W. Bradshaw. Jr.
acted_as emcee for the
speeches. Bradshaw credited
the Hunt administration with
encouraging good highways,
particularly in the Western
part of the state.
Included among dedication
dignitaries was John Ingram,
commissioner of insurance
and Democratic candidate for
the U.S. Senate.
Top attraction at the hour
long ceremony however, was
the governor.
Hunt mingled with spec
tators prior to the ceremony,
shaking hands with most
Black Mountain aldermen and
kissing former Mayor
Margaret Slagle. He spoke
for some time with Graham.
Hunt told the audience that
completion of the bypass is an
important milestone in a goal
of connectiog ends of the state
with four-lane highways. He
said he had to fight east-state
influence to push for better
roads in the' mountains, a
statement that drew applause.
‘ ‘ The counties of Western
North Carolina are no longer
the lost provinces of the state,”
Hunt added.
Other persons recognized at
the gathering included
Montreat Mayor John
Abernerthy and N C.
Rep.Gordon Greenwood of
Black Mountain.
Representatives of the
Department of Tran
sportation, Asheville
government, and com
missioners from Buncombe
and McDowell counties were
also recognized.
(see photos inside)