The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 1

I Campaign 72: Sam Lewers (Note This is the 18th in a series of interviews with the 24 candidates who are running for nine contested seats on the Ely. theville City Council.) The urging of friends and the enjoyment which comes from mixing with "good people," are two reasons why a 59-year-old businessman is seeking the Ward Five, Position Two seat on the Ely theville City Council in the Nov. 7 general election. Sam Lewers, owner of Blytheville Auto Salvage Company on South Mississippi Avenue, when asked why he had entered the 1972 aldermanic campaign, replied lhat "I had some Council Candidates good friends, influential men, who asked me to run and I also enjoy 'working with good people." As for qualifications, Lewers (aid he felt qualified "because of my business experience and iny working with people all through the years." Lewers came to Blytheville, he explained, on 1, 1939 as a traveling salesman from Memphis. He moved to Blythe- vilie in the early part of 1940 before entering the U.

S. Marine Corps in early 1942, serving three and one-half years including time in the Pacific. "I went Into business for. myself after the service," -hs noted, "in the wholesale specialty business the Safeway store is now and remained there a little over five years. "Then Amoved to Mississippi where 1 farmed for three years.

Finally, in the latter part of 1953, I bought out E. R. Jackson, ''took my present position," Bora in Thyatira, Lowers and his wife, Frances, are of a son, David, 23. Recently dicharged from the Navy, he is associated in business with his father. A graduate of Thya- lira High School, Lewers is a member of the Eastside Church of Christ where he is a deacon and teaches Sunday School.

Highway improvement ranks Jiigh on Lewers' list of particular programs he would support were he elected in his battle with incumbent E. R. (Chigger) Smith, Lewis Richardson and Leo Jetfers. "I would like to see Highway 61 made a four-lane road all the way to the Interstate 55 entrance, we need it badly. Also, Main out to the cloverleaf intersection needs straightening out and a facelifting.

It's a big street traffic-wise and it's going to.be bigger. "I'd like to sec, too, a Blytheville beautification program, jfot just downtown, but the vacant lots, alleys and back streets as well. Weeds could be cut and the grass kept down." Lewers offered no sure-fire cures for the city's financial needs. "I have no super ideas on (Courier News Photo) Sam Lewers how to finance the needs we have. Serving on the council will be new to me and I'll learn then where the money comes from and which priorities take precedence." Returning to roads and streets, Lewers, whose home is at 2201 S.

Circle Drive, voiced hope that the "drainage on our unpaved streets could be kept up. If the ditches were cleaned out more often, we could do this. has in keeping them cleaned up- but there is a good example right'near my places.of- business where folks have dumped trash hampering flow of water. 'But ing about unpaved streets only until such time as these streets can be paved. I'm looking fo'rr ward to the.

day when every street in Blytheville is paved." Support for police and'fire- men, drew a remark from Lewers. "I stand solid behind our law enforcement officials in the county and in the Likewise for our firemen and- fire officials." Turning to recreation Lewers offered the opinion that "recreation is very necessary for our. young people. They hang around cur parking lots. They need something that would get them interested.

"As for industry, we need all we can get. I'm in favor of pulling any string to get all the industry we can for our 'women and men to be employed." Sam Lewers: Age: 59. Place of. birth: Thyatira, Miss. Occupation: Owner of Blytheville Auto Salvage Co.

Education: Thyalira H. S. graduate. Religious affiliation: Eastside Church of Christ. Family: Wife, Frances, and son, David.

Forty members of the Blytheyille High School Medical Club, along with sponsor Richard Eoff, attended the recent Mid-South Health Careers Fiesta at the Raleigh Springs Mall, Memphis. The 35 displays sponsored by the Tennessee Health Careers program and the Memphis-Shelby County Health Careers Commit- tee, gave students a look at advantages of a health career plus information on.educational requirements and financial assistance. NEWS BLYTHEVILLBi ARKANSAS 72315 VOL. 73 NO. 143 010 12 PAGES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1972 Roundup I Oct.

24 1 Early Dismissal All Blytheville public schools will be dismissed tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. in order for students to attend the "Open House" at the Blytheville Air Force Base and for the meeting of the Blythevilie District Education school auttioritis announced this morning. The meeting for the teachers will begin at 2:30 and will be held in the West Junior High School cafe- torum. All classes will resume at their reguarly scheduled times Thursday morning. Scout Day at ASU Don Floyd, Athletic Director at Arkansas State Uni- versiy announced recently that the ASU-Lamar University football game to be held Oct.

28, at 7:30 pm. nesbor( has be TM designated as All Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers of the pastern Area Council are invited as guests of ASU. A special section has been reserved for the Scouts and they will be admitted at the "gate On the North end and Southwest corner of the stadium. "All Scouts in uniform will be admitted free if they are wjth their unit," Floyd said. "Their leaders and assistants will be admitted free also if they are with the unit," he added.

Mission Drive 1 been fkalize for the beginning of the 1972 fund drive of the Mississippi County Union Mission. Rev. Paul Kirkindall, Mission superintendent, said this morning that the drive will kick-off with a dinner at the Holiday Inn on Nov. 2 The 'dinner will begin at p.m. and will serve, he said, as an incentive-information' type program.

Bill Hurst, Blytheville businessman, will serve as general chairman of the annual effort. CUB SCOUT Pack 35 of Luxora will meet at 7-30 tonight in the Luxora Elementary School cafeteria for a roundup meeting. The session is open to all interested boys and parents. RON REYNOLDS, governor of the Mo- Ark Kiwanis district which embraces Blytheville will address the Blytheville Kiwanis Club's weekly noon luncheon Wednesday at The Rafters. Reynolds will speak the theme, "Share Your Life," the major emphasis program of Kiwanis International for 1972-73.

THE FEDERAL Bureau of Investigation has apparently entered the investigation concerning the recent robbery of Fender's Jewelry Store in Steele. It was reported this morning that authorities had recovered in Indianapolis, a diamond ring allegedly taken in the burglary. PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN Thieu declared tonight no one has the right to impose a peace settlement on South Vietnam, but added that a cease-fire may be declared soon. Thieu said his country will accept the cease-fire only if it covers all Indochina under international supervision. He rejected the idea of a tripartite or coalition government.

"If a cease-fire occurs 'before or after the U. S. elections, we will stand pat on our firm position," Thieu said. By declaring his opposition to an imposed peace agreement, Thieu indicated sharp disagreement in discussions with the United States on an Indochina settlement. SARGENT SHRIVER, the Democratic vice presides b'a! nominee, and his wife will be in Texarkana Wednesday night for a campaign speech.

Shriver is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. cratic rally in front of the downtown Post which straddles the Arkansas-Texas state This will mark Shriver's second trip since he was picked by Sen, George McGovern Dakota to be his running mate. Also scheduled to attend' the rally are Rep David Pryor, Gov. Dale Bumpers and Rep. Wright Pataw, The Thunderbirds will be among featured attractions at tomorrow's house at Blytheville Air Force Base.

Also appearing will be the U. S. Array's Golden Knights precision parachute team. Open to all citizens, the event will begin with gates opening at 12:15 p.m. and continue until 4:30 p.m.

Here the Thunderbirds fly the "Missing Man" formation, a formation commemorating the American prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia. (U. S. Air Force Photo) New Camp Trial Into Second Day A jury'of seven women and five men began hearing testi-. rhony in'Osceola yesterday as the second trial of B.

Frank Camp, former assistant administrator of Osceola Memorial Hospital, got underway. Camp was indicted by a county grand jury in 1969 on charges of embezzling public funds from the hospital. The indictment was handed down after an audit of the hospital's books revealed a. total of $27,759.59 unaccounted for. The audit covered a period from-May 1, 1968, through June 30, 1969, and was made by Clarence Johnson, a Blylheville certified public accountant, and members of his former firm, Robert Styles and Bill Conley.

Johnson is no longer associated with the accounting firm and now is secretary-treasurer Of Consolidated Supply Co. in Blytheville. At his first trial, Camp stipulated that he used $20,131.13 of the unaccounted for money for personal expenditures, but contended this was done with the knowledge and consent of his superior, the late John Cherry, Cherry was then administrator of the county hospitals. Camp was convicted, fined and sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. A Jonesboro attorney, Lee Ward, represented Camp at lhat time.

After being freed on a cash appeal bond of $15,000 Camp retained Oscar Fendler, a Blytheville attorney, and Richard Arnold, a lawyer from Texarkana. His new attorneys carried Camp's case first to the state Supreme Court then to the U. S. Supreme Court, winning the defendant a new trial. Only one witness, Johnson, took the stand yesterday.

Over the strenuous and repeated objections of Fendler and -Arnold, several documents produced by and read from by Johnson were allowed by Circuit Judge Charles Light to be introduced into evidence by prosecuting attorney Gerald Pearson. The documents, Johnson testified, consist of various statements and.invoices relative to purchases. from business firms and are. accompanied by canceled checks signed by Camp. The checks, Johnson said, are drawn on hospital funds and the expe'nses were charged to hospital accounts.

Johnson said he obtained the documents from record files at Osceola Memorial Hospital during a special audit made in 1969. Arnold and Fendler raised objections, with Arnold arguing adamantly that the documents produced by Johnson constituted hearsay evidence, since Johnson "is not the keeper of hospital records and therefore not in a position to authenticate them." Arnold fold the court later when he and Fendler raised objections on still more points that "we hate to appear nitpicking, but this is a criminal trial and we want them (the prosecution) to dot all the 1's." Among the purchases made by Camp and charged to the hospital, Johnson continued, were expenditures for gold- plated bathroom fixtures and three-quarter-inch walnut paneling. Cost of the fixtures was $894.59 and the paneling cost more than $3,000 accrding to Johnson's testimony. When he confronted Camp with these expenditures asking if he could explain them, Johnson testified Camp said they were "for the VIP room" at the hospital. Johnson said he then participated in a physcial search of Osceola Memorial, finding neither a VIP room nor the items CAMP Page I Open.

House Set The Air Force's aerial demonstration -team, the Thunderbirds, and the U. S. Army's precision parachute team, the Golden Knights, will be featured attractions at Wednesday's open house at Blytheville Air Force Base, Maj. Loyal M. (Bob) Whitaker, BAFB information officer said today.

Fighter, cargo and observation aircraft will be on display along with other exhibits, activities and entertainment throughout the afternoon, Whitaker said. Gates will open to tha public at 12:15 p.m. with tha open house to continue to 4:30 p.m. First event the day will be a concert by the Second Air Force Band beginning at 12:45 p.m. They will also perform in concert at 2 p.m.

Following the first concert, a radio-control model aircraft demonstration will begin at 1:15 p.m. Continuing the special events, which will be on the flightlina in front of the reviewing there will be two drill team performances at 1:30 p.m. The Blytheville AFB drill team and the BlytheviJle High School drill team will demonstrate their pr cision marching skills. The patrol dog demonstration originally scheduled at 1:45 p. m.

will not be performed due to a minor illness to some of the dogs. "According to officials, a few of the dogs are taking medication for this minor illness and as. safety precautions they should not be worked perform in the show. The Golden Knights parachute team plane will take off p.m. Their program will begin at 2:30 p.m., Whitaker, To round out the Thunderbirds will begu their program at 3:15 p.m.

with inspection ceremony. Their Aerobatics program will start at 3:40. p.m. and they will conclude at 4:10 p.m. when will be allowed to meet Tfnmderbirds and obtain autographs.

There will be concession stands and rest rooms located around the open house celebration area. Cool Tonight Clearing and cool today. Fair and cool tonight. Wednesday partly-cloudy and a little warmer. Highs today mid 60s, low tonight upper 30s and low 40s.

Highs Wednesday near 70. the Big Lake in- era and other adults took part in 'the two-day Cent..