News deadline 5 p.m. Mondays a Thursday, August 27, 198!, Volume 29, Number 35 Second dass postage paid at B!ack Mountain, NC 28711 Second degree burns Potice chief injured Black Mountain Fblice Chief Crait E. Slagle Jr. was rushed to the hospital FYiday evening after a gasoline explo sion resulted in second degree bums on his hands and legs. Slagle was fueling a lawnmower at his home on Padgettown Road when the fire occurred. The engine of the lawnmower was apparently hot, igniting the gasoline, a witness said. On Tuesday, the Memorial Mission Hospital reported that Slagle was in satisfactory condition and "had had a good night" Monday. No release date has been set. Second degree bums involve injury to deep layers of the skin and to capillar ies, small blood vessels connecting arteries and veins. Blistering occurs, but little scarring results and skin grafting is not necessary, according to a manual used by emergency medical technicians. The manual also states that second degree bums can make the patient "very ill and can present serious problems." Gary Davis returns from Russia by Cynthia Rehner After a visit to specialists for treat ment in Moscow last month, Gary Davis has noticed a slight improvement in his vision. Davis is afflicted with a rare disease, retinitis pigmentosa, which eventually results in blindness. There has been no cure, no way even to arrest the disease, until doctors in Moscow recently pioneered a treat ment, available only there. Davis travelled to Moscow on July 12, accompanied by his father Charles. They stayed at the Leningradska Hotel, built by Lenin after W orld W ar 1. "It had dark, huge ceiling," Davis said. "The bathtub leaked, and the first week there was no hot water.'' The cost: (75 a day. A Russian citizen could have the same room for about $15, Davis was told. Hie hospital where Davis received treatment, the Helmholtz Institute, was a short distance from the hotel. To be able to communicate with the doctors during the tests he received the first two days, Davis had to hire an interpreter. Tanya, a guide for Russian tourists abroad, spoke Biglish extremely well, he said, and gave him much informa tion about Soviet life. There were no forms to sign at the hospital, Davis said. He simply agreed verbally to the treatment. Five days a week he received an injection in his hip at 11 a.m, in his eye at 11:30 a m. and again in his hip at 2 p.m Davis said although some experienced pain, he did not feel the injections. Between treatments, Davis and his father saw Red Square, Lenin's tomb, the home of the Bolshoi Ballet, looked in the stores and searched for food. Temperatures of 90-100 degrees, the hottest in Moscow in 100 years, sent them to join Russian citizens sitting in the parks and lining up for ice creams and lukewarm drinks. "There's a line of people to get anything in Russia," Davis said. A popular non-alcoholic Russian drink which Davis learned to like, kbac, was made from bread and yeast. A vendor pushing a white cart with a tank on it would pour the customer a glassful, wait until he downed it, wash the glass and fill it for the next person in line. Rather than eating in the very expensive hotel dining room, the Davises took meals at a small restaurant nearby frequented by Russians. "You got in one line to order, one to wait for the food and another pay," Davis said. "We would order different things, but we got what they had. "You learn in Russia 3 take what they have . " For a satisfying meal of ground meat, noodles, a large bowl of soup and a drink, the cost was about 90 cents. Although food and other basic neces sities in Russia are very cheap, luxuries are extremely expensive. The cheapest model automobile, Davis said, costs over (11,000 and must be paid for in cash. He saw one television set while he was in Moscow, and never saw it turned on. Another rarity, he learned, was a refrigerator. There are no fixed hours for shops, Davis said. On their way to work, Russians carry a suitcase or totebag. "If they see a store is open and has food, they go in and buy,'' he said.'' they wait in line a long time for bread, and then in another store they wait for fruit. " Davis was told the number one problem in Russia is alcoholism. "You see a lot of drunks on the streets," he said. "No one pay much attention." One 3f the things that Davis noticed often was an air of depression about the people. "There's not a whole lot to do but sit in the park and wait in line," he speculated. "They don't see much chance to improve their lives. " The average Russian makes 150 ! rubles, or less than (200, a month. Davis did not notice a single movie theatre in the capital city, or any other form of entertainment. He also noted the contrast of the old and shabby and the new and ultra-mod em. As an example, he cited a scene he had witnessed, hi front of the huge glass-fronted new airport, built for the last Olympic games, an old woman swept the street with a homemade broom. Davis stayed in Moscow for three weeks of treatment. He must return three more times, the next in about a year. Davis said he was grateful to the businesses, individuals and dubs who helped him make this trip, making possible the hope of continued sight. Season starts this weekend ft, Owen High Schoo! 1981 footba!) hopefuis R. A. Motym, assisted by TMna O'Donnell, measures the taiiest sunflower at 10 feet 2 Inches. Jumbo sunf!owers grown on test p!ot You've heard of Erma Bombedt's book, "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank." So had R.A. Morgan, and the veteran sunflower grower decided to try this theory out on a few of his sunflowers this year. The tallest in the "test plot" meas ures 10 feet plus a few inches. The heavy heads have caused the giant stalks to bow a bit, so Morgan has tied them to a support. Morgan grows the sunflowers in his garden on North Fork Road to feed the ' birds in the winter. Last year, he grew a head that measured 22 inches across. This year's jumbos came in under the record at 18 inches. Dance for Jerry s kids on Saturday The Black Mountain Chapter of the Women of the Moose will sponsor a street dance for Muscular Dystrophy, to be heid on Saturday, Aug. 29th, in the Ingle's Shopping Center parking lot from 7:30-11 p.m. Music wiU be provided by The Moon River Junction. The iadies wiU se!l hotdogs, homemade chili, candy, coffee and sodas. Ail proceeds will go the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Reservoir up six inches Water ban tiffed X is no longer illegal to wash your ear or your dog, but Black Mountain officials are still asking water users to conserve voluntarily. A new pump installed last Tuesday at Gardening is subject for first iecture atWWC "Down the Garden Path (Past and Future)" begins the Warren Wilson College '81- 82 Staff Lecture Series at 7:30 Monday in the Bannerman Lecture Hall at Warren Wilson. Ian Robertson, director of horticulture at Warren Wilson, will present the lecture. Robertson holds a National Certifi cate of Agriculture from the Stafford shire College of Agriculture in England. He will present a personal look at gardening methods and their develop ment, interspersed with poems of a "garden nature." The Staff Lecture Series will be held the last Monday of each month at 7:30 in the Bannerman Lecture Hall at Warren Wilson: The public is invited to all lectures. Admission is free. Weather review Aug. 17-high 71, low 60 degrees. Aug. 18-high 71, low 60 degrees. Aug. 19-high 65, low 59 degrees. Aug. 20-high 74, low 58 degrees; .02 inches precipitation. Aug. 21-high 70, low 58 degrees. Aug. 22-high 77, low 46 degrees. Aug. 23-high 81, low 48 degrees. Weather courtesy of WFGW Radio. Black Mountain. the well on the golf course has increased water flow there, allowing the level of the Dunsmore Cove reservoir to stabil ize. According to water department head A! White, the level of the reservoir has risen six indies in five days, prompting aldermen to lift the ban on water use Monday. On Monday, only about 1,000 gallons of water used by the town came horn the reservoir and 495,000 from the wells. Voluntary conservation is still being urged because officials fear an upsurge in usage following the removal of the ordinance will affect the reservoir. There's enough water to meet town needs now, said White, if it is used wisely and not wasted. Swannanoa VFD approves officers In their August meeting the Board of Directors of the Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Inc. approved the following fire and rescue officers for the coming year at the recommendation of Chief David Trexler: Ronnie Settle, assistant fire chief; Ralph Coffey, assistant rescue chief; Ray Grant, training officer; Jerry Pen land, captain fire; Max Coffey, captain rescue; Doyce Settle, captain traffic; Bill Metcalf, lieutenant fire; Barbara Settle, It. rescue; Scott Denison, It. traffic; Joe Anderson, It. pumps; the Rev. James Rogers, chaplain; and James Dockery, supply sergeant. The only no vote was cast by board member Leon Rice. This 1981 GMC-Mini-pumper "Quick out tnuck" was delivered to the Swannanoa fine department on Aug. 19. Here, Steve King, sales representative, turns the keys over to Fire Chief David TYexier. The fou^wheei drive vehide with a 250 gallon water tank will enable firemen to reach places the larger trucks can't. Purchase price for the truck was $55,500. Tht* fHnc!c WfoMHtwiM iVews staff wiH be taboriwg vtt LABOR BAY. . . bttf the office Mpiti be CLOSED Eridop, Sept. 4

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