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)