Second ciass postage paid
at Biaclc Mountain, NC 2S71J
Thursday, October 1, 1981, Volume 29, Number 40
Member of the NCPA
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Swannanoa company has
Internationa! business
by Cynthia Reimer
It was an emergency at the Astro
dome in Houston, Texas. The tights
kept vibrating and shaking themselves
loose. An important game was going to
have to be cancelled, when Wright's
Machine in Swan nan oa saved the day.
In two days, Wright's designed and
built a part to tighten up the lights,
testing it carefully on a shaker machine.
The part worked . . and the game
went on.
Wright's has its products all over the
worid, including Italy, Ireland, Japan,
Costa Rica and Brazil.
The company has machined parts for
ejection seats in F-16 fighter planes and
pistons for pumping distilled water in
nuclear submarines.
Members of the Swannanoa Valley
Chamber of Commerce were guests of
Wright's for a tour Monday, led by
owner Frank W right.
Generally, parts are designed and the
designs sent to Swannanoa for manufac
ture, but, Wright said, "Lots of times
we ll improve it as we go along. "
Although there are about 60 employ
ees in five departments, much of the
work at Wright's is done by computer
programmed machines costing up to
$200,000. While there is no R2-D2
version of Rosie the Riveter, there are
machines that even change their own
tools when they finish an operation.
The eight year old company was
begun by Frank Wright on Bee Tree
Road. After accumulating experience at
several area industries, Wright felt
ready to open his own. "I always
wanted to get in business," he said.
Representing an investment in the
millions of dollars, the manufacturer
covers 28,000 square feet. Wright has
begun an addition of 12,000 square feet
which will house an assembly area,
maintenance shop, holding area for
materials and a monorail system.
A quality control area at the plant
checks and inspects finished products
by computer. One machine, which can
read in metric or English measure
ments, is accurate to within a 50
millionth of an inch.
Fire engine
rides at
open house
Open house will be held from 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Black Mountain
fire station in honor of National Fire
Prevention Week. Rain date is Oct. 11.
Fire equipment will be on display.
Fire prevention programs and demon
strations will be given. Literature on fire
prevention will be available. Refresh
ments will be served.
The highlight of the afternoon, ac
cording to Fire Chief Gary Bartlett, will
be fire engine rides for kids (and the
"kids at heart" Bartlett said). The
whole community is invited.
S!ag!e and Beg!ey seek another term
Margaret $!ag!e
Margaret Slagle will seek re-election
to Black Mountain Town Council, she
announced this week.
"My main interest is equality for all
in making decisions, including the
budget. I am willing to voice my opinion
on Issues," Mrs. Slagle said. "I will
work for a total water system and
Stogie
getting the most coverage for the
dollar."
Mrs. Siagie has been on the town
council since 1970. She served one term
as mayor. Her grandfather was mayor
of Black Moutnain in 1893.
Mike Begiey
Incumbent alderman Mike Begley
announced he will run for a third term
on the Black Mountain Town Council.
Begley, 29, is a lawyer with the firm
Brock, Begley and Drye, P.A.
Begley stated, "I would like to help
direct Black Mountain out of its current
financial crisis and help plan sensibly
for our future so that such a crisis does
not ever happen again.
"Secondly, I believe responsibility
should be restored to the department
heads for administration of department
affairs and managing department bud
gets. Furthermore, I think it is critical
for the Council to start listening again to
recommendations and opinions from
our department heads and special
committees."
The Black Mountain native also has a
bachelor's degree in business admini
stration.
Beg!ey
Teenager saves accident victim
A 16-year old fishing at Lake Sher
wood in Swannanoa is credited with
saving the life of a 46-year oid man
Saturday.
Donnie Osiey was fishing with a
friend Saturday morning when he heard
a pick-up truck go into the iake.
According to the Buncombe County
Sheriffs Department, the pich-up hit
the lake about 10:14 a m. and went
about SO feet out into the iahe, turning
completely around.
Congressman Hendon to
speak on Socia) Security
Social Security will be the topic for
the AARP meeting at the Black Moun
tain Library on Friday, Oct. 9. The
speaker wiH be Bill Hendon, Congress
man from this district, who will speak
and respond to questions. The social
hour at 9:30 a m. will be followed by the
program at 10.
Bill Hendon was bom in Asheville
and attended public school and Ed
wards High School. He went to the
University of Tennessee, earning both
bachelor's and master's degrees. He
taught for a time, at Tennessee and
Western Carolina Universities. Going
into business, he became general
manager for H. Putsch & Co. of
Asheville. He has served on the boards
of many Western Carolina organiza
tions, including Memorial Mission Hos
pital, the Transit Authority, Chamber of
Commerce and Republican Party.
Mr. Hendon was elected to Congress
from the Eleventh District in 19BU. He is
a member of the House Committee on
Interior and Insuiar Affairs, and of the
Select Committee on Aging. He has
opportunity to investigate and oversee
the Social Security Program, the Older
Americans Act, and other programs of
special interest to Senior Citizens.
Questions from the audience will be
presented by a panel consisting of Lois
Cook, Fred Lamb and Ed Torrence. The
entire program has been prepared by
the Legislative Committee which in
cludes, in addition to the panel mem
bers, Paul Griffith, Winston Jennings,
Sibyl Thompson and Hugo Thompson,
chairman.
All people interested in Social Secur
ity problems are urged to attend.
Western Caro!ina Center
Emptoyees rece!ve awards
by Theresa Dillingham
The employees of the Western Caro
lina Center, Black Mountain Facility
celebrated their Second Annual Awards
Ceremony on September 25 at the
Monte Vista Hotel. Staff members
enjoyed a buffet dinner and music of
ragtime pianist Edchardt Calder.
Black Mountain Facility Director
Wayne M. Williams served as master of
ceremonies. Representative Gordon H.
Greenwood delivered the keynote ad
dress. Mayor Tom Sobol extended
greetings onbehaif of the Town of Biadt
Mountain to the employees of the Biack
Mountain Facility. Other special guests
included Representatives Marie Colton,
Narvel Jim Crawford, Martin L Nes
bitt, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Seagle,
chairpersons of the Facility's parents'
Association, Ms. Mary Lyne Morrissey,
past chairperson of the facility's Human
Rights Committee, and Sheriff Tom
Morrissey.
Outstanding employees from units
within the facility received a plaque of
recognition. Kathleen Twitty, a licensed
practical nurse, received the "Bnploy
ee of the Year" award. Kathleen was
presented a plaque and also had her
name added to the "Employee of the
Year" plaque displayed in the admin
istrative lobby.
Outstanding employee awards were
presented to Harold Conner, Lou Kar
nas, Wesley Rice, Bonita Bartlett, Pat
Gray, Homer Bradley, Mary Ellen
Smith, Alice Mayhew, Althea Bucking
ham, Jeannie Pack, and Evelyn Har
wood.
Green Stamp Awards were also
presented during the ceremony. Judith
F. Benfield, standards and certification
specialist, was presented the Green
Stamp plaque as the employee receiving
the most green stamps during the
1980-81 fiscal year. Jane Duncan,
recreator on the Rasberry 1 ur.it, was
recognized for sending the most green
stamps. The Green Stamp is the
Facility's incentive program for docu
menting employees' outstanding per
formances.
The awards ceremony was sponsored
by the Evaluation and Incentive Com
mittee. Members of the committee are:
Theresa Dillingham, chairperson, Rob
Thomberry, vice-chairperson and trea
surer, Mike Omdoff and Ned McGim
sey. Fund-raising efforts by the Evalu
ation and Incentive Committee made
the ceremony possible.
Bart!ett to enter
town counci! race
Cad Bartlett, long-time community
leader and iocal businessman, an
nounced as a candidate for the Board of
Alderman In the municipal election in
Black Mountain this week. Bartlett is a
veteran of 20 years in the financial
business andd is presently vice presi
dent and city executive of the North
western Bank in Black Mountain.
In announcing his candidacy, Bartlett
stated, "We must have better financial
planning. He Board should set policy,
guidelines and long range goals for the
town. Department heads should be
allowed authority to competently man
age daily functions of their department.
The town has consistently gone from
crisis to crisis before action is taken. We
must pian for people's needs, cares and
concerns."
Bortiett
The victim said iater that he feit a
sharp pain in his lower back and
momentarily lost condousness. A Swan
nan oa emergency medical technician
said the victim was subject to seisures
and had apparently suffered one while
driving the truck, causing the accident.
Donnie Osley swam out to the truck
and attempted to release the victim. He
was unable to open the door or break
the glass in the window, so he swam
back to shore.
After stopping a passing car and
advising them of what had happened,
Osley again swam back to the truck. He
was able togetthe windowdown slightly,
open the door and free the victim.
Osley's companion called the Swan
nanoa Rescue Service, and when they
arrived Osley had the victim on shore.
"Very deHnitely, the boy saved the
man's life," the investigation officer
stated.
The water level was about halfway up
the window of the truck when Osley
pulled the man from the water, and just
inches from completely covering the
truck by the time emergency medical
technicians arrived.
Osley is the son of the David D.
Osleys, Reed Road. He is a student at
A. C. Reynolds High School.
The accident victim was treated at
Memorial Mission Hospital for minor
injuries and remained there in satisfac
tory condition at press time.
Theatre
seminars
offered here
The Theatre Arts Department of
Mars Hill College will offer a series of
seminars this fall at the Black Mountain
Public Library for anyone interested in
developing a better understanding of
theatre and drama. The eight informal
meetings will focus on play production
from an audience's perspective, includ
ing discussion of dramatic structure,
rehearsal techniques, theatre history,
and such other activities as might help
people broaden their appreciation of
drama.
The seminars, supported by a grant
from the National Endowment for the
Humanities and led by Professor James
Thomas, chairman of the Theatre Arts
Department of Mars Hill College and
managing director of Southern Appala
chian Repertory theatre, will include
attendance at rehearsal and perform
ances of area theatres. The seminars
will be held on Thursday afternoons
from 3 30-5:30 in the Black Mountain
Library Oct. 1-Nov. 19.
For further information, write or call
Jim Thomas, P. 0. Box 53, Mars Hill,
N.C. 28754, (704-689-1203), or call the
Black Mountain Public Library
(869-2652,) or Jed Bierhaus (669-6711).