The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina (2024)

April 12, 1990

Publication:

The Charlotte Observeri

Location:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Issue Date:

Thursday, April 12, 1990

Page:

78

Extracted Article Text (OCR)

1 2 GASTON OBSERVER Thursday April 12 1990 Vulcan Says Lawsuit Threat Won't Stop Plans For Quarry Some On Board Oppose Plans For Minority Bids "I guess those people are just determined to do whatever they can to prevent us from exercising our property rights" "When it's a heavy rain there's at least 2 inches of water in my front steps You wade out in water" said Vivian Couch of 604 Gaston Ave "We were tickled to death going into the city limits so we could get something done" said Lena McCall of 602 Gaston Ave But council member Clyde Deitz said the city has never paid the full cost of putting in curbs and gutters The last time it had such a program in the 1950s property owners shared the cost be said Adding curbs and gutters to all the recently annexed streets that don't have them would cost the city at least $2 million Deitz said He and committee members Arlene Flowers and Mack Robinson said the city should consider paying one-third of the cost for such improvements with the property owners dividing the rest of the cost based on their street footage The committee made no formal recommendation to city council but said the plan will be discussed at the May meeting Vulcan spokesman Ron Field Lincoln County GASTONIA Minority-owned businesses could get a better crack at Gaston County projects if commissioners IMMIX agree today to try to solicit bids from those companies GASTON Last year the NC General Assembly passed a law requiring that 1096 of the bids on state projects should come from minority-owned busi- Local nesses Legislators also required local governments to News set similar goals Digest But some Gaston commissioners have protested the requirement "I want to set the rate at zero" commissioner Joe Carpenter said Wednesday "I don't agree with it in principle" Gaston attorney Chuck Moore said there are no minority-owned general contractor companies in the county and very few minority subcontractors Moore said there's no penalty in the law for setting the percentage rate at zero The law applies to any building contracts for more than S100000 By CHIP WHSON And MACON MOREHOUSE Neff Wrgiors HIGH SHOALS Plans for a lawsuit to void building permits for a controversial rock quarry won't delay the project a Vulcan Materials Co spokesman said Wednesday "We'll proceed with plans for site preparation" said Ron Field Vulcan spokesman "I don't see what else we would do" On Tuesday the High Shoals Town Council agreed to sue Vulcan and Gaston County in an attempt to overturn building permits the county granted for Vulcan's quarry Only half the quarry site falls within High Shoals town limits but the entire tract is in the town's zoning jurisdiction The town's zoning ordinance approved in late December 1989 bars quarry operations But Vulcan claims its permits will stand because they were obtained before the zoning ordinance took effect The county first issued a permit in July then renewed it in December Last week county engineer Don Bailey said the permits appear to our property rights" he said Legal fees for the suit will come from the town and from residents of the nearby Hardin community who urged council members to fight the company Mitchem said he would file the suit within two weeks in Gaston County Superior Court Any trial would take place in Gaston County unless Vulcan has the case transferred to federal Court County commissioners have pledged to help High Shoals keep Vulcan from opening the quarry But Forrester said he didn't know whether the county could rescind the building permit "If it was issued correctly I don't think we can" he said Forrester said he expected the commissioners to ask Vulcan to provide an environmental impact statement before opening the quarry be valid On Wednesday Gaston commissioners Chairman James Forrester said he asked County Attorney Chuck Moore to make sure that was the case "He was going to recheck and see if the county had done anything wrong and issued the permits incorrectly" Forrester said Moore refused comment though he acknowledged talking with Forrester about the situation High Shoals town attorney Wade Mitchem contended the county shouldn't have issued the permits because Vulcan didn't own any High Shoals property at the time Vulcan didn't start buying its 308-acre tract until January Field called the threatened suit groundless "I guess those people are just determined to do whatever they can to prevent us from exercising Denver Man Arrested On Robbery Charge DENVER Authorities arrested a Denver man for common law robbery late Tuesday after a three-month search Sheriffs investigators charged Billy Ray Smith 22 in the robbery of $130 from another Denver man Jan 14 The victim reported a man threatened to shoot him if he didn't hand over the money Sheriff Joe Kiser said Sheriff's investigators believe Smith left the state earlier this year Kiser said A deputy on routine patrol saw Smith walking along a road in eastern Lincoln County late Tuesday Kiser said Smith remained in Lincoln County Jail Wednesday under $20000 bond Cleveland County Gaston County A9n2n9n9IMS7itticrkIEWIticrk1A9k114 We Have The Perfect Way To Say "I Love You!" Officials Finish Investigation Of Program GASTONIA State officials have completed a field investigation of the Gaston-Lincoln mental health program NC auditor Edward Renfrow said Wednesday But it will be several weeks before an official report on the program will be ready "We've got a couple of things we're going to follow up on" Renfrow said without elaborating He said a review of the program's annual financial audit didn't turn up any problems But he said auditors are also looking into other issues such as employees' work schedules Gaston commissioners called for the state audit in February in the wake of director Jim Melton's resignation Commissioners said they did not suspect any wrongdoing Belmont Should Share Costs Panel Says BELMONT The City of Belmont should consider sharing the cost of curbs and gutters for residents of annexed areas a council committee said Wednesday The Streets and Sidewalks Committee met with eight residents of annexed areas to discuss storm drainage problems on Gaston Avenue Sloan Street and Secrest Boy Killed When He Falls Off Car SHELBY A 15-year-old Grover boy was killed Wednesday afternoon when he fell off the back of a car the NC Highway Patrol said Christopher Scott Wright was pronounced dead on arrival at Cleveland Memorial Hospital where he was taken after the 4:20 pm accident on Joe's Lake Road NC Highway Patrol Trooper Les Brower said Wright was riding on the trunk of a Nissan Pulsar driven by Julia Davidson 17 of Oakhurst Drive Shelby when he slipped and fell on the road Brower said He suffered severe head injuries in the fall Brower said Davidson had picked up Wright and another friend William David Dycus after seeing the two boys walking alongside Joe's Lake Road Brower said Brower did not file any charges but said he will consult with prosecutors (CT (6141411 kt pu tA 170) 10b" 674 110) 0'141' 11)0'4 CO at 170) IPA 6:1411 47 Ct MARQUISE SI2 81495 100 Ct MARQUISE SI 84695 35 Ct PEARS! 8840 113 Ct ROUND SI2 $4600 95 Ct ROUND SI2 83600 50 Ct ROUND VS2 $1450 0414 0 A 'T) 'y 6 11041 4 0 A A vi r' 4- ''77' AO SA ing-1 'i ::::::::4::: MiWi A ko AY i 'It sx Edited by Megan Sexton flotroup'o aittuttero 4 woo 1 1 Police Blotter Credit Available iredit vailable I 315 Main St Lineointon 735-7112 3 4 agt Ile Si fr 1 NI STORE I JEWELRY ItEPUI LNo Interest Established 19E2 The following warrants were On file Wednesday at the Gaston County Magistrate's Office: Tema Bradley Smith 33 Route 1 Dallas forgery and obtaining property by false pretenses 6300 secured bond Tiffany Burris 1132 Vance St Gastonia failure to appear $200 NM red bond Sidney Boyd Eaves 43 1211 Washington St Bessemer City public intoxication 6100 secured bond Petrick Joseph Delaney 22 306 Beatty Rd Mount Holly posses Ralph Bryant gorrong 20 Royal Road Kings Mountain failure to appear $500 secured bond Herman Leo Fluid address unknown failure to appear $200 as-cured bond Willie Ciono Holland 54 2824 Mead Ave Gastonia failure to appear $200 unsecured bond Mary Armitage Martie 29 1307 Jay St Gastonia forgery $500 unsecured bond Michael Keith latICOM Jr 17 110 Roderick Cir Seneca SC driving while impaired $500 secured bond sion of fireworks and possession of marijuana $400 unsecured bond Crystal Craig Carter 200 Oak St Lowell larceny $200 unsecured bond William Immo Moretz 27 510 Homestead Dr Gastonia possessing stolen goods $500 secured bond Curtis Nathaniel Byers 503 South St Gastonia failure to appear $400 secured bond Robert Kevin Ta Kent 19 Route 2 Oherryville failure to appear released to parental custody )dal a County To Decide On Plant lo0 foi k)ca Car01140-0410:) Uncointon I 5422 Aloody sunny anti yogi $8 Million Financing Is Still In Question I Chorryvillo 6420 Mostly fumy 1 and cool 0 Mount Hotly sar3o Gastonia oloor maw 5630 and coal Meetly aunty anti coal Holly wily sunny 0 cog 0 41 Local Forecast I Kings Mountain 6611 Modify sunny and owl 4 CIUSAIO IDSIMP SEW BurberrYs Ratner Clothes EE elRW' If you want honest good buys without the gimmicks or nonsense come to Gentleman's Clothier Its the place to come for one of the best values in a spring and Easter wardrobe Here you'll find only superior quality menswear Famous brands all known for their luxurious fabrics fashionable styling fine tailoring and attention to detail And now through April 14th you'll save 3096 on every spring item in our store: suits sport coats slacks dress shirts ties belts casual slacks knit shirts everything! SELECT FROM THESE AND MANY OTHER FAMOUS BRANDS: CRICKETEER SCKIETY OMNI UP laaatruraor Ilingsridge ezp 0 i C) (3 IMIE a 1 i pf 's 4 1 0 eal 0 i4 tf 4i' rt 1 te diPP I 'i If you want honest good buys without the gimmicks or nonsense Y4: I come to Gentleman's in aspringClothier and Ea Easter the dplace robet oHceor Here come you'll find dof otnhley itox superior quality menswear Famous brands all known for their Ir luxurious fabrics fashionable styling fine tailoring and attention '1 to detail IF oe" 44 401 I C' And now through April 14th you'll save 3096 on every 1 1 spring item in our store: suits sport coats slacks dress shirts ties belts casual slacks knit shirts everything! SELECT FROM THESE AND MANY OTHER FAMOUS BRANDS: Clusatto DM CRICKETEER 1 SER' 14 MKETV OMNI L711 it I 4t Burberrys 'assail-war eo Ratner Clothes Ilingsridge i' ta AshovItio 027 Wetly twiny Anti fool Ra leligh bdira Air ciao wmt mai Fl Ortonvilko G791 Army anti coo 0 Co lumbio 11233 Sunny ow gooier Wilm ington W33 Warns tow? Oa Mei Condoned Frew Preceding Page planned recycling plant since January when Westinghouse Electric Corp's 8 million bid for the project emerged as the frontrunner Another company's bid was $5 million more expensive A third company submitted an incomplete bid The price shocked commissioners For the past several months County Engineer Don Bailey has spent large portions of commissioners' meetings explaining the costs But each time possible votes on the recycling plant have been derailed by commissioners' protests over the price Their fears were exacerbated by the rising cost of the county's planned incinerator Three years ago the county agreed to sell about $28 million in bonds to pay for the incinerator The price now is up to $412 million and rising as much as $150000 a month due to delays And one of those delays comes from the commissioners' indecision on the recycling plant The Environmental Defense Fund based in Raleigh has vowed to block Gaston's incinerator unless the county has a good recycling plan Bailey has said But the arguments haven't moved commissioner Porter McAteer who has steadfastly opposed the recycling plant and has asked many questions about it at each meeting "It seems to me to be excessive" he said Wednesday "I'm for recycling but not at that level" McAteer said he is especially concerned about reports that it would cost as much as $3 million a year to run the plant As for the Environmental Defense Fund's threats McAteer dismissed them "That's malarkey" he said If commissioners approve the rocyclirt plant it could be built by 1992 Carolinas Forecast '-x6g III WWII 41Cri -41 SC 8 "gh 11B Ain oli sm eritlenlarfs Clothier LTD GASTON MALL: 1-85 at COX toad Gastonia NC Opn Monday Through Saturday 10:00 to 7 Friday td 1 867-8339 I gaan mitstithatcant: Mo the sunny and cool High In mid-50e Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph Cieer and cold with frost Nkely tonight Lows from the upper 20e to low 30s Wind diminishing to Nght and vatiabie Friday: Mostly sunny and a little rniider High in the upper 50s Latillialata: Lake Wylie: 9811 Lake Norman: 977 Mountain island Lake: 958 kknanac Information for April it Normal: High 73 Low 48 Record: High 86 In 1977 Low 29 in 1989 Record Precipitation: 150" In 1959 Lae year on this date: High 82 Low 29 Prec ation 000" Sunrise: 8:58 Sunset: 7:54 DUKE: Woofitver Cornell.

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