Second c)ass postage paid
at Black Mountain, NC 28711
Serving—
i*r Black Mountain
*Sw annanoa
* Montreat
^ Ridgecrest
15 cents per copy
______
The /o^ crept on !itt!e cat /eet around roo/tope ae drizzte he!d on tact weeh. ^Dan Ward^
TVeM? RTTDgraMf
by Dan Ward
The Black Mountain Town
Board, at a special meeting
November 27, gave the go
ahead for a new set of Com
munity Deveiopment grant
hearings, upped its settlement
offer to a couple whose house
was destroyed by a town fire
truck August 1 (see related
story on page one), and ap
proved the purchase of a new
police car.
The board formally ap
proved reapplying for a
Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD)
Community Development
grant of up to $500,000. To
reapply, the board must call
two public hearings on what
the grant should he used for.
TVew damage gcM/cmcnt rcyccfed
by DM Ward
The latest setttement offer
given by the Biack Mountain
Town Board to an eideriy
coupie whose house was
destroyed by a fire truck has
been rejected, according to
John McMahan, representing
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.E.
McMahan, whose home on Oid
U S. 70 was destroyed.
John McMahan approached
ihe board *ta special meeting
November V with an updated
iist of expenses of removing
and replacing the house
destroyed by a Biack
Mountain fire truck driven by
fireman-in-training Brad
Norton August 1, and toid the
board an earlier offer of
(20,741 was unacceptabie.
McMahan said the cost of
removing the oid house,
putting in a $17,000 modular
home, and replacing shrub
bery has come to $H,11$. He
asked the board for $29,061 to
cover unexpected expenses
and as some compensation for
time he has taken from work -
worth an estimated $0000 - to
supervise rebuilding.
The fair market value of the
former house was appraised
at $16,$70.
Noting that the town con
tingency, or reserve, fund
contains $13,000, and that
Maryland Casualty, the town's
insurance company, will pay
$10,000, Aid John Klutts
proposed the board offer
$22,M0. This, Kluts said,
would leave $500 in the town
budget for emergencies over
the next six months.
Aid. Ruth Brandon offered
another proposal-to give the
McMahans the total
replacement cost of (28,116.
Her motion died for lack of a
second. ,
Kluttz's proposal carried by
3 to 1. Aid. A. F. Tyson did not
attend the meeting.
John McMahan said
Tuesday he would consult with
his lawyer to decide whether
to push ft# a higher offer or to
take the settlement to court.
He said he feels the town Is
exempt from governmental
immunity because the truck
was being used for a training
drive, not a fire call. Town
Attorney Bill Eubanks, at the
meeting Monday, said he feels
the town ts exempt from a suit
under state iaw.
McMahan and Aid. Brandon
argued that the coupie should
be compensated for all costs
incurred in reestablishing
them in a living arrangement
similar to that they enjoyed
before the accident. Other
board members and Eubanks
said that, if the full coot were
paid, the value of the property
wouidbe increased by (13,000 -
- at the expense of taxpayers
Eubanks said it was standard
procedure to compensate
accident victims for the cost of
lost property - not
replacement costs.
An earlier request by the
McMahans for the town to pay
(551 in medical expenses
incurred as a result of the
JEC runaway rate down
There has been a significant
decrease in admissions and
runaways at the state's five
training schools for delinquent
youth in the past few months.
The schools are operated by
the N.C. Department of
Human Resources'Division or
Youth Services.
The Juvenile Evaluation
Center, in Swannanoa, ex
perienced a considerable drop
in the runaway rate, ac
cording to Director Don
Padgett.
According to Padgett, the
number of runaways dropped
from "somewhere in the
neighborhood of 96 "in July to
nine in September and "about
10 "in October.
Since status offenders are
no longer admitted to the state"
s training schools, we are
experiencing a decrease in
student population,' ' said
Robert Atkinson, assistant
director for Institutional
Services in the division.
Prom July through October
1977, there were 363
youngsters admitted to the
five training schools. For the
same four-month period m
1976, there were only 222
admissions.
Status offenders are those
who commit crimes for which
an adult would not be
arrested, such as truancy or
running away from home.
Beginning in July status of
fenders could no longer be
sent to the training schools by
the courts Instead, they are
referred to community-baaed
alternative programs such as
specialized foster care, group
homes and others.
This reduction provides
additional flexibility to the
staff to work with the
students,' ' said Atkinson.
Better incentive programs
can be operated, for example,
when staff is available to
supervise and transport
students to activities they
have earned the opportunity to
enjoy. When the population is
high, the school* have to
curtail extracurricular ac
tivities becauae of lech %
staff. This creates an at
mosphere of boredom for the
children." he stated.
According to Atkinson, the
training schools are also
experiencing a decrease in
runaways. In the past two
months, there has been an 00
percent decrease in the
number of students who run
away. The schools, which had
previously been averaging
around 30 to 40 runaways per
month, now average eight to
1! per month.
Stonewall Jackson School in
Concord and Juvenile
Evaluation Center in Swan
nanoa showed the most
significant decrease followed
by Dobbs School in Kinston.
C.ADillon School in Butner
and Samarkand Manor in
Eagle Springs also showed
decreases.
"We fee! that the recently
added personnel and the
donMe coverage of students In
the cottages has helped us
reduce the number of
runaways,'' said Atkinson.
"Time and money have also
been saved In looking for the
runaways - we don't have the
extra expense of going 50 to
100 miles to pick up an ap
prehended child. We have
also saved on the damages
committed on citizens'
property by the students when
they run,"he stated.
Atkinson said that based on
reports given to him by the
schools, double coverage of
the students has increased
morale particularly among
the cottage parents.
Governor Jim Hunt added 54
cottage parent positions to the
Chamber banquet
set for Monday
Approximately 200 persona
are expected to attend the
annual Chamber of Com
merce Banquet at Assembly
Inn in Montreal December 4,
according to Swannanoa
Valley Chamber of Commerce
President Bob Dickey.
Tickets for the banquet, the
19th annual, went an sale last
week. All tickets are sold by
reservation only.
According to Chamber
Manager Ed Weber, the Inn
will be decorated for the
Christmas season for the
banquet. Fred Bentley,
president of Mars Hill College,
will be guest speaker
A social hour will precede
the banquet at 6:30 p.m.
Featured at the banquet will
be the installation of new
directors and officers for the
upcoming year, and an outline
of goals by President-elect
Carl Bartlett Weber said
other plans for the evening are
still in the malting.
Tickets for the evening are
available at the Chamber of
Commerce and at all local
banks.
five schoois following the
death % an employee at
Juvenile Evaluation Center
and alleged secual in
volvement between students
and staff at Stonewall Jackson
School. These two schools
received the majority of new
positions.
acctoent was dropped, when
that amount was paid by
Maryland Casualty.
John McMahan told the
board Monday that he
believed they reneged on an
unwritten agreement to
replace the house and supply
town employees to do some of
the work.
Dates for those two hearings
have been set for December 7
and January 4, both at 7 p.m.
at Town Hail. Based on input
at those hearings, the town
wili submit an application for
a project to imorove iiving
conditions for iow to moderate
income persons.
Resuits of those hearings is
expected to iead to reap
piication for money to instaii
iO inch water tines and fire
hydrants in the Cragmont
Community.
An earlier application for
water improvements to the
Cragmont area was rejected,
along with ali but two other
grant appiications from the
western part of the state.
Becky Wiiiiams, grants
Two SVFD directors quit
Two members of the
Swannanoa Volunteer Fire
Heoartment Board of
Directors resigned at the
November 24 meeting of the
board - apparently spurred by
th confirmation of Jim Adams
as chief.
Ralph Coffey and Ken
Crawford, both of whom had
earlier resigned as
firefighters, resigned Friday
as directors after voting for
four applicants for chief went
in favor of Adams, who has
been acting chief for the last
three months.
Coffey could not be reached
for comment.
Crawford, a 5% year
veteran of the department,
said his decision came as the
resuit of "a !ot of iittie things
that just came to a head.
"They've got guys in there
who don't know how to do the
job. There's some who tike to
run red lights and the sort, i
just got a beiiy fuli,"he said.
"It seems to me the board is
split, and they want somebody
there who won't do the job, "he
said. Crawford did not
criticize Adams, but
noted that Adams has only two
yearn experience on the force.
Crawford, Barbara Settle,
and David Strickland had also
applied for the chiefs position.
Barbara Settle, although she
resigned earlier from the
force along with her son and
husband, has remained on the
board of directors.
The recent resignations
foilow resignations over a
month ago of a handfuii of
firefighters as a result of an
apparent division between
factions of the department.
One fireman who remained,
Barry Roberts,, said iast week
that "the department is
running as smooth now as it's
ever been. "
Acting directors to repiace
Coffey and Crawford wili be
appointed by the remainder of
the board to serve out the
remaining terms, which ex
pire in June, Crawford said he
did not know whether he wili
run again for director in June.
Santa Oaus was in the news
in Cte mack Mountain News 30
years ago this week.
The polar philanthropist
was due to arrive for his
yearly visit, sponsored by the
Black Mountain merchants
and the Junior Chamber of
Commerce, on a trailer loaded
with candy. The News was
accepting letters to Santa.
Southern Bell announced
plans for a Black Mountain
phone directory-the first
ever. The directory would be
geared toward Black
Mountain, but would include
Asheville listings. Southern
Bell decided to give the town
its own listing because sub
scribers had jumped to 613,
with 264 on the waiting list.
ihat amount was up from 200
in 1940.
The Swannanoa Men's Club
Minstrei set for Friday was
billed as the "greatest benefit
minstrel since A1 Jolson.'' E.
N. Howell, publicity man for
the amateur production,
claimed half a dozen
Broadway talent scouts would
be at the show. Proceeds were
to go to the Swannanoa
Community House.
Cecil Nanney, in one of the
few articles carrying a by
line, lauded the undefeated
Black Mountain Darkhorses
and listed the season stan
douts. First names were not
always included. Standouts,
in order of importance given
by Nanney. were Capps,
White, Milbee and Charlie
Reese. Capps scored 10 touch
downs during the season,
averaging 44 yards for each
one - two of those for 80
yards. A photo on page seven
showed modem day pilgrims
arriving for Thanksgiving - a
ship load of displaced
Europeans beginning a new
life in America.
A feature story in the second
section was about Duke, a
police dog trained by Nazis in
Germany and brought to the
U S. by George Ennett of
Montreat. The war ended
before Duke could do his duty
to the Reich. He became the
first animal member of the
Black Mountain ASPCA.
In advertising, the News
was selling Christmas cards,
Ellington Studios was doing
Christmas portraits for (6,
and Viverett Radio featured a
Santa saying, "I'm plugging
electric appliances for
Christmas '
For 35 cents, adult could
watch any of five movies,
including State of the Union
with Spencer Tracy and
Katherine Hepburn, and Hold
That Ghost, with Bud Abbott,
Lou Costello and the Andrews
Sisters. Children could get in
for 15 cents, tax included.
Western Auto was
promoting "practical gifts, "
such as a mixer or iron, for
Mom for Christmas. Rice's
Quality Store had Lionel train
sets for 315.95.
And that's the way it was.
coordinator for the Land-of
Sky Regional Council, toid the
board that the fact that HUD
has moved the grant deadline
up to eariy January, a
favorable rating on the town's
earlier application, and
pressure put on HUD after the
high percentage of rejections
of grant applications from the
mountain area earlier all
indicate Black Mountain' s
chances of acceptance are
very good this time. Out of a
500-point scoring system,
Black Mountain came only 35
points from being awarded a
grant last time, she said.
Mayor Tom Sobol noted that
the town's chances are better
now that the board has
adopted an affirmative action
plan for minority hiring.
Ms. Williams said that the
area that hurt Black Mountain
the most was a lack of either
assisted housing or housing
rehabilitation programs. In
that respect, she said, the
HUD rules discriminate
against smaller cities and
towns, where urban-type
slums do not exist.
She added that, should
Black Mountain receive the
HUD grant, the town will
stand better chances of
receiving Appalachian
Regional Commission ( ARC):
funding. The town now has an
application pending for ARC
money to bhiM a 1 miilion
gallon water reservoir.
Police car
The board accepted a bid of
$6,895 83 from McMurry
Chevrolet for a new Malibu to
replace a 1975 Chevrolet with
over 100,000 miles now used
by the police department.
Aid. Mike Begley at first
protested buying a new police
car until the McMahan set
tlement was finalized, but
iater voted with the board to
buy the car. A lower bid of
$6570 for an LTD was sub
mitted by Woodcock Ford, but
Assistant Police Chief Jim
Wiseman said the police
preferred the smaller Malibu.
Because the Town Board
allocated only $6000 toward
purchase of a new car, the
police will have to find the
additional money within die
department budget.
The board voted 4-0 in favor
of the long planned purchase.
Aid. A-F.T^son was absent.
Russell and Rose Hilliard
TwtsstoMaWes Zeave/vr crMMc
by Dan Ward
Russell and Rose Hilliard of
Montreat left Tuesday for a Id
month voyage that will begin
in the Carribean, travel the
east coast of South America,
and end up in Europe.
But the brother-sister team
won' t be hob-nobbing with
millionaires and dining on
caviar. They will be hard
working members of a team
selling books and Christianity
at every port.
The voyage is not a first for
Russeil. Two years ago, at 19,
he sailed aboard the N.V.
Doulos, Greek for "bond
servant,'' around Africa as
part of the staff for the book
exhibit ship belonging to
Operation Mobilisation.
The ship, like the N.V. Logos
("word") that will cruise the
South American coast, was a
sort of traveling library
bookstore. Most of the books
on board are textbooks and
classics for countries where
school books are hard to come
by. The other 40 per cent are
Christian books, making the
ship a roving mission.
"Our communications are
very low key,"Russell said of
the visits, "mostly personal
conversations.'' Before the
ship arrives, an advance
publicity person gets the word
out that the ship is coming it
is usually arranged to have
the president or other official
open the exhibit on arrival.
After that, Russell said, it is
up to the staff to go out and
personally invite people to the
ship to look over the books and
discuss Christianity.
The ship, he said, is a
miniature Christian society
made up of people from all
over the world.
"Something of interest is
that all of the crew is
Christian, also,' ' he said.
"They've given up tremen
dous salaries to work on the
ship."
More interesting, perhaps,
is how the voyage is financed.
Operation Mobilization does
not advertise a need for
donations, Russell said.
Rather, they ask everyone to
pray for money - and
somehow it all comes in. The
Doulos, at half the size of the
Logos, costs (2000 per day
alone to operate, Russell said
All the staff, in addition, are
expected to pray for enough
donations to cover their room
and board.
Russell and Rose, at 21 and
22, respectively, will be two of
the youngest members of the
Logos staff The average age.
Russell said, is about 29, and
almost half are married.
Schools on board teach staff
menbers' children in English,
Swedish or German. The ship
also has its own hospital.
"The reason so many people
from different backgrounds
can live together is that
Christianity unites us, "Russell
said. "Sometimes, when
people hear it's a Christian
ship, say ' that must be
heaven on earth.' It isn't ,
obviously - we aren' t all
perfect. There is a lot of work
to be done, and we all get very
tired "
The rewards, however, are
worth the work, Russell said.
Most ports, he said, give the
ship a "very warm reception."
And, as can be expected, staff
members have some very
unusual experiences along the
way.
One, he recalled, occurred
when he and others were going
door-to-door in a Moslem
neighborhood in Capetown,
South Africa, on his last
voyage. Failing to find
anyone at home, they went to
the local mosque, where a
religious leader agreed to let
them speak at the evening
Koran reading.
That evening Russell stood
before the packed mosque and
invited them to the ship. Then
he toid them what Christian
beiiefs are.
"It was very quiet. You
could hear a pin drop, "he said.
His fear of talking to a hostile
audience was unfounded. "To
my surprise, when I finished,
they ait came up to me for
invitations to the ship,' ' he
said.
Russeil and Rose, having
spent their eariy years as
children of missionaries in
Spain, iooh forward to using a
language they teamed before
English