Second ctass postage paid at Btach Mountain. NC 28711 hursday, October 19. 1978. Vo!. 24, No. 51. Serving * Black Mountain *Swannanoa * Montreat * Ridgecrest 15 cents per copy Fc/toofs appeal parent cow^acfed by Dan Ward The joint school committees the Owen District approved plan October 16 to show a de presentation and urge mediate renovation or )miding of Black Mountain unary Schoo) to the Bun mbe County Board of location. Fred Myers, a cnainnan of subcommittee appointed to ,'esdgate safety hazards at tschooi. showed a series of [or slides showing rotting tors, exposed wiring, rped beams and windows. Iling bricks, and piaces iere paint had peeled off of mp walls shortly after it is applied. rhose who viewed the slides proved of Myers' presen ts, and the only suggestion is that Myers stress that the hoot was scheduled to be built in the mid 60's. I don't think we should be oiogetic (about asking for iding) when we have a tiding that is dangerous,'' yers told the committees. Attending the meeting were tools Superintendent Andy liter and School Board presentative from the Owen istrict Grady Rotzell Committee members put e two on the defensive with nations about "frills" in the eynolds and Erwin school stricts. Miller said that many of the extras in schools there were authorized by earlier boards, and that the money could not be rechanneUed once frozen for those schools. Rozzell pointed out that only a hand ful! of persons were present at the reading of the schools budget for this year and that the board is not always aware of immediate problems at Buncombe Schools Miller told the committees that the best route to obtaining a new high school or elementary school for the Owen District is to campaign for passage of a local bond issue next year or the year after Miller said that a county bond issue, with proceeds earmarked before the referendum, may be voted on next fall. The county may chose to hold a bond referendum on the same ballot as a state referendum, more likely to pass, in the spring of 1980, Miller said. The only other route to' obtaining enough money for major improvements or new building is to convince the County Commissioners to re establish a contingency fund for schools, and then obtain some of that money through the school board. He pointed out that the current total school budget is ap proximatety $12 miUion per year, while the cost of a new high schooi is$8to9 million, and the cost of a new elementary school is $3.5 million. Rozzell suggested the committees study the possibility of applying for federal grant money through the Appalachian Regional Commission or ashing the school board for money from interest on capital im provement accounts. He suggested the committees ensure that the Owen District is represented in the audience at all school board meetings to remind board members of problems in the Valley' s schools. The committees approved a plan to send a letter home with every Owen District school child asking that all taxpayers attend the Buncombe County School Board meeting October 19 at 7 pjn. on the seventh floor of the County Building in when the Owe* given needs ctgfesentationwiHbe giist of immediate J Swannanoa Valley Schools wHl be given to the school board at that time, following the slidt presen tation. The school committee will meet again November 20 at 7 p m at the Owen High School library. Collins closing — a change in goals by Dan Ward A change in goals for the Mtins Department Store chain was the reason given for the closing of the Black Mountain Coilins store, ac cording to store manager Jeff Jennings. Jennings said that although t* store was showing a good profit, Coiiins executives chose to ciose the store as part << a pian to maintain only Mrge stores at urban shopping Enters. Raymond Coiiins, company President in Chariotte, said he *as busy and could not Provide an officiai explanation for closing the store, which hrgan a going-out-of-business aie October H. The only thing I've found from the main office is bat this store is too small,'' Jennings said Friday. "They had to go out of their way to. h"y for this store." Jennings said that since the CoiiiM store in Williamston hared down this year. Black Mountain's store has been the <dy smaller store ieft in the "R*" He said buyers would "a^e to buy more expensive for the other stores, **n make a separate pur j3**e of lower-priced items "* the store in Black Moun kin. Jennings said that stores "*h as Black Mountain's *re common in the Ms and but that a change in Aphasia has resulted in construction of large new Chores, and phasing out of the "nailer ones. Jennings said new Coiiins stores are "*der construction now. Employees at the local store 'ere given notice three weeks ago that the store was to ciose, although "this has been in the planning for years now,' ' Jennings said. He said the employees will be given severance pay and that the company is trying to find them new jobs. He will be tran sferring to a Collins store at Myrtle Beach, S.C., Jennings said. Jennings said the close-out sale will continue until all merchandise is sold out, perhaps for weeks A.F. Tyson, owner of the building now used by Collins, said that no new tenants have been found, but that he and Collins management have been talking to possible leasees. Hunt to speak Gov James B Hunt, Jr. will make several stops in Western North Carolina next week in support of the can didacy of Lamar Gudger for re-election to the US. Congress from the North Carolina 11th District After addressing the League of Municipilities at the Inn on the Plaza on Tuesday, October M, Gov. Hunt will come to Black Mountain to attend a reception in honor of Congressman Gudger from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Black Mountain Clubhouse. The public has been invited to attend. renewed The Buncombe County Council on Aging has received notification of grant awards totaiing (75,471 for two transportation programs under Title H!, Older Americans Act. Forma! notification has bean received from the North Caroiina Division on Aging through Laqd-Of-Shy Regions) Council The two grants under (cont. on page 10; .4 ^*oodp^cher digs /dr a meat in an aging appie tree during one o/ the sunny, but crisp, days iast weeh. ^Dan Ward) Montreat water talks shelved, property settlement set by Dan Ward The Montreat Town Council at its October 16 meeting honored a request from the Mountain Retreat Association to put off negotiations for the town's water system, and agreed to meet with association executives for a quiet court settlement of right of-ways deeded to the town. Due to a current dispute between trustees of the association and the U S. Presbyterian Church over the right of the trustees to seil property, the association has asked that negotiations for the town to take over the association operated and maintained water system be postponed. The church and association are awaiting an opinion from the Attorney General's oKice concerning the sale of two buildings by the association trustees to Montreat Anderson College. The opinion is expected to have bearing on other real estate transfers by the trustees On the suggestion of the town attorney, Phillip Carson, the board agraed to meet With executives of the Mountain Retreat Association and try to Bizarre ciiase ends iyt OM JForf by D*n Ward and Sand! Mclnnis Two police were injured and three vehichle's damaged in a high speed chase that took Black Mountain Police and two sheriff' s departments across two counties early October 16. Before a series of incidents that began at 1:30 a m. came to a close in Old Fort, Black Mountain Officer Randy Halford and Buncombe County Deputy Rex Gregg were treated and released from Memorial Mission Hospital. Events began Monday morning when Halford and Officer Burt Stone saw a four wheel drive truck run a red light at State Street and Montreat Road. The truck proceeded to weave across the center line as it traveled west on US 70, police reported. The truck failed to yield to a blue light and siren when the police pursued, and in fact hit the side of the poiice car when it attempted to pass. The officers finally managed to puli ahead of the truck and stop it on Old US 70, police reported. As the officers walked back to the stopped truck, it backed up, and sped toward Swannanoa. The police ran back to their car and chased the truck to the Swannanoa Mr. Zip, around the gas pumps there, and back on US 70 toward Black Mountain. With assistance from Gregg, the truck was again stopped near Burger World, boxed in by the county and Black Mountain police cars. As Gregg got out of his car, Halford attempted to get in the truck from the passenger side, police reported. At that moment, the driver backed into the county car, injuring both Gregg and Haiford, then pulled forward, knocking the Black Mountain Poiice car out of its way. Black Mountain Det. Don Ramsey and Assistant Chief Jim Wiseman, responding to a call for assistance, joined Stone in chasing the truck east Biach Mountain Poiice car damaged during a chase ^Chariie Tayior) toward Oid Fort on US 70, police reported. McDowet County Sheriff's Police, responding for a call for help, pulled a tractor-trailer across the 1-40 at Parker Padgett Road as a roadblock. Apparently learning this over a CB radio, the driver of the truck got off at the exit before the roadblock and drove toward Old Fort, with Black Mountain Police in pursuit. As luck would have it, the truck was stopped by a train at a crossing, where Black Mountain Police persuaded the driver to give up, police reported. The driver, Eric Todd Foster, 16 of Marion, was charged with running a red light, failing to yield to a blue light, driving without a license, reckless driving, hit and run, possession of marijuana, damage to real property, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon (the truck). Buncombe County Police Ned the same charges, plus assault with a deadly weapon with Intent to do serious In jury. The truck was not Foster's, police reported. Our Valley arrange a settlement in judge' s chambers of right-of-ways transferred to the town by the association when the town was chartered. Although the board was hesitant to enter into court action over right-of ways, Carson suggested that it would be a service to the citizens to setHe quick and finally any < question of what land was 1 deeded, and what was not. The quesdon of ownership arose when a group of property owners complained before the Board of Ad justments that the Mountain Retreat Association had sold land that was actually part of a street right-of-way deeded to the town. Aid. A.E. Andrews, in other acton, told the council that flood repair work to streets and stream diversion had almost been completed. He noted however, that the board has only recently been advised that it has only until November 9 to complete flood repairs funded by a $27,090 federal grant. Andrews said that jQile most work Should t*e cd^pieted by then, some may not. The board agreed informally to ask for an ex tension of the deadline, con sidering it had not been notified of the time limit earlier. Andrews also noted that he has received a number of complaints from persons about the water system, in cluding cases where water has been shut off due to sediment or inadequate suppiies. At the suggestion of Ed Crisp, the board agreed to send out a questionaire on the water service provided by the Mountain Retreat Association with the December tax bilis. Information gathered from the questionaire wouid be used in negotiations for the water system. The council also agreed to ask the Biily Graham Association for a donation toward a $4000 asphait compactor for patching streets. Pete Post, Public Works Superintendent, toid the board he had ordered a 1979 Chevrolet Nova from Mc Murray Chevrolet for the Police Department. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor John Aber nethy surpris&l Susan Neville, who acted as town clerk for 10 years, with a plaque of ap preciation from the town. It was also noted at them meeting, that the town has no provision for leaf removal, but that the town may be able to have leaves removed at the expense of the individual homeowners. Aid. Ivan Stafford suggested persons either see that the leaves are used as mulch, or bag them to be picked up as trash. He added that Mon treat-Anderson students, for a fee, will clean ditches of homeowners who do not wish to clean their own. Personality clash results in firemen quitting by Din Ward A personality rift between factions of the Swannanoa Fire Department resulted in a handful! of the department's moat experienced firefighters quitting after the last meeting of the all-volunteer depart ment* s Board of Directors October 12. From non-attributed sources and an anonymous caller, the News has learned that a dispute beginning with an order by former chief Ken Crawford, that the station be kept closed except during fire calls, began a series of disputes that led to the resignation of Dwight Bar nhill, Max Coffey, Ooyce Settle, Barbara Settle and Ronnie Settle from the department Thursday. Other incidents, inciuding discipiinary action against a fireman and procedure at a fire, divided the force further. The iatest incident, action by the board to amend the by laws to aiiow acting chief Jim Adams to vote as a member of the board-a right reserved for the chief- apparently spurred the resignations. The board is now taking applications for a new chief, according to Adams, who said he preferred not to comment on the dispute because he has his own opinions of why the firefighters quit. Barbara Settle, who is also a member of the board, said she is still too upset over events to comment Water pollution ends clear streams by Bill Penfound and June Hodge Early agriculture was characterized by the production of food crops, mainiy beans, corn and potatoes. Over one-fourth of the area consists of stony, rough iand of virtuaiiy no agricuiturai use. However, a iimited acreage of aiiuviai and terrace soii is included which is intensiveiy used for crops and pasture. On hiliy areas many fieids were eroded beyond the possibiiity of further cultivation. As another result of soil erosion, the sediments from these fields often polluted and shoaled the nearby streams. Alleviation of soil erosion has inciuded a change to sow crops, contour cropping or the deveiopment of pastures. Contour farming has not been utilized to any extent in The Valley, but the development of pastures on hilly iand has been employed with considerabie success. "Before our Valley was industrialized, the clear, clean waters of the Swannanoa were ideal for swimming on hot summer days"(Reed, 1967) However, Buncombe County, with several chemical plants in the area, is the largest producer of chemicals in North Carolina The products comprise "agricultural chemicals, drugs, plastic materials, synthetic resins and fibers, toilet preparations.. industrial chemicals, paints and var nishes and gum and wood chemicals' ' (Lonsdale, 1967:135). As early as 1939, the Asheville Citizen reported that fish were dying in the Swan nan oa River just above its junction with the French Broad, killed by the effluent of a manufacturing plant. Unfortunately, these fish kills have occurred many times since 1939. In agrtculture. the runoff from ficids wtth abundant fertilizer, from feediots, from barns with livestock, causes streams to become covered with algal blooms, which reduce the oxygen content of the water, which is then of little value for aquatic life. Until 1972 the effluent from the pig bams of Warren Wilson College was allowed to pour into the Swannanoa River by way of a ditch. In 1972, however, a holding pond was constructed for the pig effluent. This material is then pumped out periodically and used as a fertilizer for farm crops In (cont. on page 10)

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view