BlflCK ^Thursday, July it, i98i, Volume 29, Nunfcer 29_Second class postage paid at Black Mountain, NC 28711 J Workmen were silhouetted in the morning sun last week, as they attached the crane to the chimney flue, (photo by Cynthia Reimer) New chimney going up The Black Mountain Middle School will have a new chimney before school opens next fall, according to Principal Gene Dellinger. The chimney was struck by lightning about 8:15 p.m. June 2. Because of the danger of falling debris, school was cancelled for middle school students for the few days remaining in the semester. Last week a crane arrived in the school yard and the 30-foot chimney was tom down to the roof line by Cooper Enterprises of Asheville. Dellinger said the replacement, to be built during summer vacation, will be a shorter model. The old one was built in 1927 to handle smoke from a wood-and coal-burning furnace, he explained, while die new one will be built for a oil furnace and does not need to be as tall. “Everyone’s anxious to know if it will be ready when school open,” Dellinger said. New director appointed at Marjorie McCune Center The board of directors of WNC Lions Inc. has appointed Diane Lewis to suceed Lanny Armstrong as director of the Maijorie McCune Home for the Blind and Handicapped. Lewis, a licensed practical nurse, has served as director of nursing at the center for the past year and a half. A Michigan native, Lewis worked at Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital and Highland Hospital in Asheville after moving to this area. She is married to A1 Lewis, and the couple resides on the grounds of the McCune Center. The McCune home has 40 residents, either handicapped or blind, and is filled to capacity, Lewis said. It was founded in 1979 by the Lions and continues to be funded by that organiza tion. Former director Lanny Armstrong left the center May 15th after serving as director of the home since it opened. Review to feature 'old Montreaters' This year’s Montreat Madness Review Will feature performances by “old Montreaters” who have performed in former shows. “Hie review will begin at 8:15 Saturday, July 18 in Anderson Auditorium in Montreat. Director of this year’s review is Margaret Wardlaw Gilbert. The review is open to the public. Tickets are $2.50 at the door, or $2 if purchased in advance at the Assembly Inn’s front desk. mm mi **-• ■? i,. hi lam in——i jw^iiji ini' 11 ji »') Margaret Wardlaw Gilbert (director of this year’s review) and Henry Wilde performed in the 1J50 version of “Madness Review.” A 4 Town Council Use less water. Board asks by bill Studenc Jr. Blade Mountain Town Council voted Monday night to allocate up to $18,000 to make the new well at the golf course operable as soon as possible. The money will go toward purchase of pumps, electrical hook-ups and other necessary equipment to make the new well, located on the fifth fairway, functional. The well will not be part of the water project funded by a Farmers Home Administration loan and an Appalach ian Regional Commission grant. Be cause it was not drilled to the specifica tions required by those institutions, money for the well will have to come from the town’s own resources. The board dedded to act on this measure with haste, partially due to new information by Water Department head, A1 White,concerning the town’s water supply. White predicted that at the town’s current rate of water usage (over 400,000 gallons a day), Black Moun tain’s reservoir will be dry by the first of August. It will take about 30 days for the new well to be tapped into the existing water system once work is begun. The board also decided to ask for volunteer cutbacks in water consump tion, and especially to ask users of Black Mountain water to restrict water-wast ing activities including car-washing and lawn-watering. Mayor Tom Sobol spoke against man datory cutbacks, saying, “If we pass a set of restrictions, we also have to pass the means to enforce them. So we’ll keep it on a volunteer basis.” He added that mandatory cutbacks will be enacted if the need arises. Street paving In other action, the board awarded a street paving contract to W arren Broth er’s Company, with the lowest bid of $47,570. The contract includes paving or repaving and repair of 14 streets in Black Mountain. Sourwood Festival Mayor Sobol officially declared August w 5-8 Sourwood Festival W eek and invited everyone to join in the events and festivities. Traffic lights The mayor also read a letter from the Department of Transportation concern ing placement of traffic lights at the intersection of Sutton Avenue and Highway 9 and at the Ingle’s Shopping Center entrance on Highway 9. Accord ing to the DOT, no lights can be installed until any dangerous accident patterns are detected. Lake safe for boating Alice Schweitzer, head of the recrea tion department, reported that Lake Tomahawk has been deemed ‘ ‘safe” for water sports by the Department of Health and asked permission to hold supervised boating events on the lake. Possible activities could include a homemade boat race during the Sour wood Festival and a caioe safety clinic. The board hesitated to grant permis sion until the possibility of town liability in case of an accident could be determined. Sign request Action on a request by the McDonald’s Corporation for a 100-foot sign at the new restaurant to be located at the Ingle’s Shopping Center was passed on to the Planning Board. The proposed sign exceeds the height limit set for signs in Black Moutain, but, said Alderman Doug Stafford, is neces sary to attract enough interstate traffic to make the restaurant a success. Vacancies filled The board elected George Venturella and Walter Hall to fill vacancies on the Planning Board created by expiration of the terms of former board members Sam Lackey and Steve Roberts. The board also elected James Osteen to replace Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Chairman Stanley Garland whose term expires next week. Fire report Smoking starts fire in mattress A house fire on Flat Creek Road occurred when an occupant smoking in bed set a mattress on fire July 12. Damage was contained in one room. Two engines and 19 men were dispatch ed to the blaze. False alarms at the Western Caolina Center on July 9 and In-the-Oaks on July 11 were apparently the result of systems malfunctions, according to Fire Chief Gary Bartlett. A car fire occurred July 11 on Broadway behind the Western Auto Store. At 10 p.m. Monday, firemen answered a call at a tractor-trailer about a mile west of the N.C. 9 exit on 1-40. Brakes on fire caused minor damage to the rig. Blade Mountain firemen practicing fire-fighting techniques Monday night burned a house on Flat Creek Road and Cotton Avenue. Swannanoa, Riceville and Broad River Volunteer Fire Departments also participated. (Photo by Dennis Harris) Ma Bell to ask increase Southern Bell notified the North Carolina Utilities Commission this week that it intends to file for a general increase in telephone rates in North Carolina on or about August 3. The Company said it had not finally Man arrested for assault on girl, 12 A McCoy Cove man was arrested Friday night in connection with a sexual offense involving a 12-year old girt. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department arrested Billy Eugene Wright, 36, in connection with the alleged June 27 assault. Buncombe County Social Services was contacted by the girl’s mother when she became aware of the alleged assault. The district attorney’s office was in formed and they instructed the Bun combe County Sheriff’s Department to investigate the case, according to a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Depart ment. Wright was held in the Buncombe County Jail over the weekend. A district court hearing was held Monday morn ing and no bond was set at that time. determined the total amount that will be sought or the specific increases that would be applied to categories of service. Hie filing complies with a North Carolina requirement that notice be given at least 30 days prior to a general rate request. Southern Bell’s most recent rate request was filed in September, 1980, based on a 12-month test period that began in August, 1979. At the time of that filing, the Company provided documentation to substantiate $110 million increase in annual intrastate revenues. However, on April 16, 1981, the Commission ordered an increase of only $42.7 million, following nearly nine months of investigation and hearings. Weath@ i review July 7--high 84, low 61 degrees; .02 inches precipitation. July 8-high 88, low 60 degrees. July 9~high 89, low 63 degrees. July 10~high 87, low 66 degrees. July 11-high 89, low 63 degrees. July 12~high 88, low 64 degrees. July 13-high 88, low 64 degrees. Weather Information courtesy of WFCW Radio, Black Mountain. Hours changed for dog warden services Beginning June 29, the Black Moun tain Dog Warden will handle all calls on dogs and other animals only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings of each week. Anyone having an animal for the Dog W arden to pick up may call City Hall or the Black Mountain Police Department, and leave name, phone number, address and message. The Dog Warden i will return these calls on either Tuesday or Thursday mornings, and, if neces sary, pick up any unwanted or stray animals on the same morning. An exception will be made, however, if the call concerns an emergency or involves an animal that has bitten someone. In these cases, the calls will be returned as soon as possible. ) Miss Twig to be named A contest to select Miss Sourwood Twig for 1981 will begin this week. Participants must be three or four years old as of August 1. They will be expected to be present at activities during the Sourwood Festival August 5-8, including the parade, horseshoe pitching contest and special events at the Depot Winners will be announced at the Black Mountain street dance Saturday night August 8. Cash prizes will be awarded. Interested people should call the Recreation Department (669-2052). by the deadline for entry, 4 30 p.m. July 17. Hendon aide to hear issues here Bob Orr, district assistant to Congress man Bill Hendon, will meet with constituents and local officials in Black Mountain at Town Hall at 9 a.m. July 20. Orr will be visiting many communities and towns in the 11th Congressional District during July. The purt oae of the visits, he said, is to discuss problems or issues which concern citizens. Everyone is invited to attend the meeting. f