Local News Drivers urged to exercise caution i CHARLOTTE, NC? According to estimate issued by the N.C. State Mo tor Club, IS North Carolinians may lose their lives in traffic accidents over the 76-hour Easter Holiday weed-end, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Fri day, April 17 and ending 12:00 mid night Monday, April 20. Last year 16 were killed and 999 in jured during a similar period with speeding and DUI-Alcohol leading causes of fatal accidents. Traditionally, Easter signals the beginning of spring vacations and an increase in recreational travel. "Un fortunately, it is in this vacational travel area that more vehicle acci dents occur," said Dr. John G. Fra zier, III, president of the statewide motor club. Enforcement of safe driving laws will be intensified over the holidays, however, the greatest contribution to safety is the voluntary action of indi viduals of all ages. To help insure a safe and happy spring holiday, Frazier urges all drivers to observe speed limits, use safety belts, don't (hive and drink, and if possible travel during then non-rush hours. With the recent passage of the highway bill, an increase in the speed limit to 65 miles-per-hour on some ru ral and Interstate highways will be permitted. "There is no doubt that there will be areas in North Carolina where the speed limit will be raised," DR. Frazier stated. "The routes which can accomodate a higher limit with safety must be carefully se lected, and we are hopeful that a very critical look will be taken at the num ber of accidents and fatalities before the limit is raised," he added. Based on Federal Highway Admin istration figures, it is estimated that North Carolina has 628 miles of rural Interstate eligible for 65 miles-per hour speed limit. "It is every drivers personal re sponsibility to drive safely," Frazier stated. "We urge all motorists to keep this in mind as they travel to their destinations this week-end, and realize that only the drivers them selves can help reduce the morbid figures showing the loss of life." To date 334 fatalities have been re ported due to traffic accidents in North Carolina. Artifical reefs placed RALEIGH? A two-year, $500,000 project to sink 209 discarded railroad cars off the North Carolina coast for use as artificial fishing reefs has been completed by the Department of Natural Resources and Commu nity Development (NCRD). Tommy Rhodes, Secretary of NRCD, said additional reef projects are underway by the Department's Division of Marine Fisheries in coastal and off-shore waters from Dare to Brunswick counties. The ex pansion of the artificial reef program is one of Governor Martin's major proposals to improve commercial and sports fishing along the coast. The state funds have been spent to transport and sink 209 railroad cars donated for the artificial reef pro gram by CSX Transportation, for merly Seaboard System Railroads. The reefs are now located at 20 spots on the ocean side of the Outer Banks. Rhodes said the state is preparing to expand the artificial fishing reef preogram by sinking a 125-foot barge for the Manteo region, a 105-foot tug off Hatteras, and a 440-foot Liberty ship off Cape Lookout. Division officials are working with Brunswick County officials to free $12,000 from the state program to help offset costs already incurred in the moving of a damaged draw bridge to serve as a fishing reef off Southport. Brunswick County, the most active of coastal counties in artificial reef placement, already had sunk four 30 ton steam boilers, a 180-foot oil barge, and a large dredge donated for reef projects. Jones begins search Elizabeth Jones announced last week that she is beginning a search for memorabilia to create a historic tableau highlighting the career of her husband, Congressman Walter B. Jones. The Congressman, she said, has been elected to offices beginning with the Town Council in Farmville, N.C. he went on to become Farmville's Mayor and held seats in the N.C. House of Representatives, the N.C. Senate the U.S. House of Representa tives, the N.C. Senate the U.S. Huse of Representatives. He is serving his 12th term in Washington, D.C. "Wal ter Jones must be doing something right in public office," she said. "The people keep electing him to serve. And he really tries to serve them hon estly, openly and industriously. He has been a represntative of the peo ple for over 40 years. The people of the First District are his life." "A vibrant and active Member of Congress," Mrs. Jones said, "he is Chairman of one committee? the House Merchant Marine and Fisher ies Committee? and is a ranking Member of the Committee on Agri culture." Mr. Jones is also Dean of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. "As one of the most senior Mem bers in Congress," Mrs. Jones said, "Walter is in a position to bring even more assistance to the needs of North Carolina's people. Recently, he was national co-chairman for a benefit at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Gala raised over $120,000. The funds will go toward the new Roanoke Island Center for the Arts," she added. The Joneses are currently tourning the First District in an effort to foster economic development in Eastern North Carolina. Mrs. Jones explained that she is collecting photographs, newspaper articles, letters, political campaign artifacts, etc. from his political ca reer career, and from the early years 1 when he was a child in Fayetteville, N.C., later a student at North Caro lina State University, the owner of an office supply business and a referee at football and basketball games. She said contributors will receive a cer tificate of appreciation and be appro priately acknowledged by the Con gressman. For now, the artifacts will be on display at the Jones' home in Farm ville, N.C. ; Dep. Secretary named , RALEIGH? Secretary of Trans portation James E. Harrington re cently announced the appointment of Thomas J. Harrelson of Southport as Deputy Secretary. Harrelson, 46, joined the D.O.T. on April 8. He is monitoring and direct ing selected matters, concentrating on the department's day-to-day oper ations Secretary Harrington cited Harrel son's governmental and business ex perience as a major factor in his se lection. Harrelson is a former member of the North Carolina Gen eral Assembly and served as Chair man of the State Environmental Management Commission. He is I president of Harrelson's Appliance Center in Southport. "Tommy Harrelson is well re garded and highly respected," Har rington said. "His experience is an asset to the department, and his per spective as a well-read, well-traveled citizen of North Carolina is of great benefit. I have long counted Tommy as a close friend, and look forward to the opportunity of working with him. I am delighted that he agreed to join the department." Harrelson became one of two dep uty secretaries for the department. The other deputy position is held by William W. Cobey. PERQUIMANS COUNTY PUBLIC NOTICE Except for the Sheriffs Department and Dispatch of fice, all coonty offices in the Perquimans County Court house, Social Services, Agricultural Extension Service, Perquimans County Library and Perquimans County Rec reation Department will be closed on Monday, April 20, 1987 for observance of Easter. The Water Department office will be closed but emergencies ma/ be reported to the Dispatch Office by calling 426-5751 . The Perquimans County Board of Commissoners' regu lar meeting has been changed from Monday, April 20th to Tuesday, April 21st at 8:00 p.m. Randy Keaton, County Manager * Pictured is Joe Brickhouse being presented with Mercury Marine's Prestige Master Mechanic award by his area tech nical service representative Rusty Cheeh. The award is given for outstanding performance in providing the highest standard of service on Mercury outboards and Mercruiser stern drives. Joe Brickhouse is the owner of Hertford Marine in Hertford, N.C. Budget transfer to cut federal funds The N.C. Wildlife Resources Com mission could lose up to $230,000 in rederal funds this year if Congress ipproves a U.S. Department of Inte ?ior Budget proposal to transfer $25 nillion from a wildlife trust fund to .he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under the Interior Department's sroposal, $25 million of $174 million inticipated as proceeds for the 1988 iVallop-Breaux Trust Fund would be iiverted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service's basic operating account for general fish and wildlife programs. The Wallop-Breaux Trust Fund is designed to provide money to the 50 .tates for specific projects that en hance boating and fishing opportuni ies. That includes improving access :o lakes and rivers and improving the ishery resource. States must match Jie money received from the Wallop Breaux Fund. Of the amount dispersed to the 50 states, North Carolina received a to al of $974,210 last fiscal year, with (557,567 going to North Carolina's Di vision of Marine Fisheries. If the funds are transfered, Marine Fisher ies would also lose their share of the money. Donald J. Tobaben, program man ager for the Commission's Division of Boating and Inland Fisheries, said his division would have to cancel some soon-to-be-implemented pro grams to build fishing piers, boating ramps and lake and stream access areas across the state if North Caro lina loses the funds. The Wallop-Breaux amendments to the Dingell-Johnson Fund legis lation in 1984 resulted in significant increases in the level of funding for states. The trust fund was created when boaters and fishermen agreed to contribute to the fund through ex cise taxes on fishing tackle and mo torboat fuel if they were direct bene ficiaries of the money. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already receives 6 percent of the Wallop-Breaux funds for administra tive purposes. Board to hold meeting ASHEBORO? The North Carolina Board of Transportation has allo cated more than $12 million to cover the cost of snow and ice removal this past winter and early spring. The board approved the allocation at its April 10 meeting in Asheboro. The snow removal funds are part of (234 million approved by the North Carolina General Assembly in July for highway and bridge mainte nance. The board annually reserves money to cover weather related Jther unexpected maintenance costs. This year's snow and ice removal :ost is almost three times the $4.4 million spent by the department last winter for clearing state primary, ur sa n and secondary highways. The board also awarded highway improvement contracts for $7.7 mil lion for work in 21 counties statewide. Included were contracts for con struction of an interchange on US-l 34 at Cary Parkway southwest of Ra leigh for $2.2 million, demolition of the existing bridge over the Bogue Sound between Atlantic Beach and Morehead City in Carteret County for (975,000 and construction of a bridge jver the Northeast Cape Fear River in NC-2S east of Kenansville in Du plin County for $626,098. The board awarded contracts for work in Northhampton, Duplin, Wake, Mecklenburg, Carteret, Hert ford, Edgecombe, Halifax, Ashe, Rowan, Dqavidson, Davie Forsyth, Stokes, Alleghany, Surry, Yadkin, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga and Wilkes counties. Members of the state Board of Trans portatin are: Philip P. Godwin of Gatesville; Randy D. Doub of Greenville; Tommy Pollard of Jack sonville; John E. Bishop of Rocky Mount; Elwood Goodson of Mount Olive; James M. Peden, Jr. of Ra leigh; Nancy Rand of Durham; H. Terry Hutchens of Fayetteville, W.B. Buchanan of Graham; John Thomas, Jr. of High Point ; Richard K. Pugh of Asheboro; Herman G. Thompson of Southern Pines; Charles M. Shelton of King; James E. Nance of Albe marle; John W. Harris of Charlotte; James B. Garrison of Albemarle; Brent B. Kincaid of Lenoir; Lucy C. Everett of Elkin; Harry Robertson of Taylorsville; Ken Younger of Cher ryville; Joseph H. Palmer of Clyde; John R. Sutton, Sr. of Candler; and James P. Myers, Sr. of Bryson City. Secretary of Transportation James E. Harrington serves as an ex-officio member and is chairman of the 24 member board. The Spanish ones believed bread on the window sill would avert a storm. I would like to take this opportunity to f. , express my sincere appreciation to every- V one who remembered me with cards, rjj flowers, gifts and visits and especially your prayers while I was in the hospital and since my return home. Your thought- ^ fulness will always be remembered. May uj God bless each of you. /Jt Willie Ainsley ^ PUBLIC HEARING Perquimans County The Perquimans County Board of Commis sioners will hold a Public Hearing on Tues day, April 21, 1987 at 8:00 p.m. in the Commissioners' room to hear comments on a proposed Animal Control Ordinance. Cop ies of the proposed ordinance are available for public inspection in the County Man ager's office. All interested citizens are in vited to attend and comment.