*
The publisher, editor and staff of
the Blach Mountain News wish our
friends throughout the Valley
at very Happy New Year!
BMM
Foihs brace /or the wtrtter months ahead as snow caps the
peahs and coid puiis thermometers down. This scene ioohing
south /rom Biach Mountain shows ciouds rising /rom the
mountain tops ieaving a bianhet o/ snow on tree fimbs and
ground. A mixture o/ weather /rom sieet, to snow to rain, and
/rom cioudy shies to ciear, and /rom near zero to the /ourties
had us aii guessing this past weeh. There's stiii promise o/ a
miid winter.
flashing warning signs fo
repiacefrac^er stop on Oicf Forf
w
by Cynthia Reimer
Information signs and flashing warn
ing signs will repiace the trucker
information stop atop Old Fort Moun
tain within the next couple of weeks,
according to Bob Hopper, supervisor of
the Western District license and Theft
Division of the Department of Motor
Vehicies.
Signs have been constructed and are
ready to be erected, Hopper said,
"provided the weather holds. " Signs to
be erected between Ridgecrest and the
station on top of the mountain wii!
include information signs showing the
location of the sand pits, speed limit and
other information. On the east downhill
side of the mountain, special signs will
flash if a trucker goes over the 35 mile
per hour speed limit, Hopper said.
Signs will also tell truckers to use the
shoulder of the highway to cool off
overheated brakes.
The information station was opened
last September to provide around-the
clock information on the mountain for
truckers. Hopper said that the manned
information station was a temporary
measure until the signs could be made
and erected Old Fort Mountain has
claimed over 20 lives in the past seven
years
State and federal Department of
Transportation personnel, the trucking
industry and law enforcement officers
I've been around the Valley
these past few days and have
seen some real dose-out, pre
inventory sales Hope you don't
miss out. Do some shopping
around and you'll probably find
everything you wanted right
here at home.
met about six months ago to discuss
safety measures. "The consensus
was," Hopper said, "that signs and
flashing lights were the desired tool to
get information to truck drivers."
signs and flashing lights were the
desired tool to get information to truck
drivers."
When the signs are erected, Hopper
said, "I'm sure our people will stay
there until we're sure they are
operable."
If the warning system is not effective
or sufficient, Hopper said that other
measures would be taken.
Drunk driver causes
Montreat woman's death
A Montreat woman and an Asheville
3 man were killed in a head-on collision
3 Dec. 23 on 1-40, one mile west of
3 Swannanoa.
Julia Neville Codington, 29, of Long
3 Circle, Montreat, and Orman David
Ponder, 40, of 63 Bellevue Road,
3 Asheville, collided in the eastbound
3 lane and were both killed on impact.
3 according to Highway Patrol reports.
: Both cars were destroyed in the crash.
3 Reports stated that Miss Codington
3 was traveling east in the eastbound lane
3 of 1-40 at about 12:45 a m. when her
3: 1979 Honda was struck by Ponder's
3 1977 Pacer which was traveling west in
3: the wrong lane. Reports indicated that
3 there were no skid marks.
Both drivers were alone in their cars.
3 There were no witnesses to the
3 accident.
3 According to reports, Ponder was
3 intoxicated when the accident occurred.
3 Miss Codington was bom in Kobe,
3 Japan She grew up in Korea and was a
3 graduate of Cornell Nursing School,
3 New York City She recently spent
three years as a medical missionary in
Bangladesh.
She was a nurse at Memorial Mission
Hospital in Asheville and was returning
home from there when the accident
occurred last Tuesday.
The quiet, gentle nature o/
Julia is captured in this 1970
photo tahen by her /riend
Harrietta Turner. Perhaps her
sudden death seemed untimely,
yet Julia had given more o/ her
li/e to others than most give in
seventy years or more. She had
prepared well through college
and nurses training and then
went out to serve as a medical
missionary to Bangladesh.
Returning here she worhed as a
nurse at Memorial Mission
Hospital. Julia Neville
Codington will be missed by the
many she has so willingly
served.
Drunk drivers
present hazards
during New
Year's hotidavs
It's two a.m. on New Year's day and
spirits are soaring as part of the group
breaks into yet another chorus of "Auld
Lang Syne."
Is anything wrong with this holiday
picture?
Not yet, but there easily could be if
one of the drunken revelers decides to
drive home. According to the National
Safety Council, drinking is a factor in
about half of all fatal traffic accidents.
In 1979, 25,000 Americans died as a
result of motor vehicle accidents involv
ing drivers who had been drinking.
National Safety Council reports show
also that during last year's New Year's
holidays, 493 persons lost their lives in
traffic accidents and 21,700 suffered
disabling injuries. The Council predicts
that this year 420 to 520 persons will
lose their lives and 19,000 to 23,000 will
be injured during the holiday weekend.
To help insure that your happy
holidays are safe ones as well, here are
some suggestions.
... If you decide to drink and drive,
know your limit and stay below it.
... If you go to a party with someone
else, one of you should either not drink
or should restrict the drinking to insure
a safe return.
... Do not drink on an empty
stomach.
. . . Elat something while you are
drinking.
If you are hosting a party this year,
the Institute offers these tips.
. . . Provide a non-alcoholic punch or
eggnog for those who either do not
drink at all or are choosing not to drink
because they are driving.
. . . Provide snacks or hors d'oeuvres
so that your guests will have something
to eat while drinking.
... Be prepared to either put up
guests for the night or to provide
alternate transportation for those who
should not drive.
Following these suggestions should
enable you to ring in the New Year in
both a merry ard accident-free manner.
Potice and fire report
Po!ice have cases
under investigation
Black Mountain
Police Department
Another break-in at the Grammar
Schoo! occurred December 23. The
building was entered through a class
room window. Desks were rummaged
through, as were storage closets in the
principal's office. Police found some
evidence at the scene and the case is
under active investigation. Another
break-in at the school was reported on
Dec. 21.
On Dec. 27, a Volkswagen was broken
into on Avena Road while the owner was
away from home. Tools were stolen
from the vehicle. Also on the 27th, a
break-in occurred at the Pizza Hut.
Police found footprints and fingerprints
and have the case under active
investigation.
Officer Allen Willet apprehended
three juveniles in a stolen car on Dec.
26.
The parents of a young woman,
Carolyn Simpson, who was reported
missing from Black Mountain on
August 1, request that anyone having
any information on her whereabouts or
disappearance contact the Black
Mountain Police Department. 669-8072.
Black Mountain
Fire Department
On Dec. 23, Black Mountain firemen
assisted the Swannanoa fire department
at a car accident on 1-40 at 12:52 a m.
On Dec. 24 and 29. the fire depart
ment was called to extinguish fires in
sawdust at Biltmore Woodworking.
A house fire at the Mike Tavener
residence at Oak Knoii on Oid U S. 70
caused approximately $200 damage on
Dec. 27. Hot ashes feii on leaves
igniting a woodpile, which in turn set
the house on fire, according to the
report.
A fire in a trash can brought firemen
to the Black Mountain Post Office on
Dec. 23. No damage was done by the
fire, the report stated.
A car fire was extinguished on Dec.
24 at the Juvenile Evaluation Center.
Firemen also answered five false
alarms at Highland Farms and the WNC
Hospital.
Rushes traffic tight
1 had stopped for the traffic light at
the intersection of Dougherty and State
Streets. A shrub on my left completely
blocked vision from the west, so when
the light changed I carefully inched
ahead. Sure nough, some guy ran the
red light, and was hugging the curb so
close he almost got me.
A police car was coming up State
Street from the ea^t and was preparing
to tum into the station parking area. Td
like to commend this officer for being
alert, and pulling across to block this
dangerous driver.
Getting stopped by the police may
have been the best New Year's citation
he's ever gotten. (T.V.M.)