The Bee from Danville, Virginia • 6

'6 The Bee: Donville Vo Monday March 14 1977 4 at I A 'AS IMk ff BbhItSl I 0 JI xJMKs I JI JJiBHH Two Youngsters Enjoy Refreshments During Mental Hospital Open House 2000 At Open House An open house at the Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute Sunday attracted over 2000 people to the regional mental hospital slated for opening Thursday in Danville Dr Aldo Mell director of the hew hospital said he hopes to have a full staff within three months Only a portion of the 100 bed Institute will be opened this week In addition to Dr Mell the hospital has two psychiatrists on board and about 50 other employes The open house this weekend gave the public a chance to see the $31 million building and to meet some of the new department heads and their staff members Sponsored by the institute and the Danville Pittsylvania County Mental Health Association the open bouse featured tours of the hospital facilities chats with staff members visits with legislators who worked to get state money for tbe construction and operation of the institute and outdoor fun in the sun for the The local mental health association was assisted in preparation for the open house by the Wednesday Club Junior Wed nesday Club three Business and Professional Women's Clubs in Danville and the Danville Business Club Greeting visitors at the door were Dr Mell Warren Chukinas Danville area member of the State Board of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Dr Ashby Delegates Calvin owler and rank Slayton State Sen Coleman Yeatts Dr Leo Kirven acting commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retar dation and Allen Wolfe assistant commissioner Regional Commuter Service Airline Plan Offered Danville Chamber of Commerce's Transportation Committee heard a presen tation from Sunbelt Airlines last week on providing air commuter service from Danville to other cities throughout the Southeast Joseph Aron representing Sunbelt Airlines introduced a plan whereby his company would provide flight service from Danville's Municipal Airport to Greensboro Raieigh Durham Washington C' Myrtle Beach and other major near by air facilities The company would fly 19 passenger Swearingen Metro Aircraft which can travel up to 300 miles per hour Baggage service would be included but' no drinks meals or connection service to major airlines would be provided Aron said He said Danville qualified as a likely prospect for commuters service because it is located one hour away" from the nearest major airport and there are a number of in dustries here dependent on air travel Victor White city engineer and a member of the com mittee noted the presentation was of an exploratory nature and Aron was referred to the Chamber Board of Directors "We were looking at it from the business he said would almost have to have Chamber backing to be suc White noted ederal Aviation Administration records show commuter service in the Southeast practically is non existant Aron pointed out that in dustries are trying to locate in smaller areas but access is an Bedford Site Proposed or Regional Airport The Blue Ridge Air Tran sportation System (BRATS) steering committee decided during a recent meeting in Roanoke to recommend a site near the intersection of Rt 24 and 122 in Bedford County for construction of a regional airport Jerry Speece chief of physical planning for West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WTPDC) said there still is a lengthy procedure ahead before the site selection is finalized Alternate Plans The Bedford County site was chosen from five alternate plans and from three sites suggested in the preferred plan Tbe project consultant was asked to "develop a full range of information about this particular Speece said He noted the consultant's report would go back to the steering committee which would send it on to the four planning districts involved The consultant expects to finish his work in about four weeks But Speece said the review and comment process by the various jurisdictions within the planning districts could take more than a year a long way from getting a regional he continued Speece estimated it would take five to eight years AA (ederal Aviation Administration) is not prone to want to invest money in an area where it is not he continued ideal situation as I understand it would be for all of the various jurisdictions Roanoke Lynchburg Mar tinsville Danville and that general portion of Virginia to participate in the operation of a centralized Speece explained Along with the WPPDC regional commissions from the ifth Planning District Central Virginia Planning District and New River Planning District are involved Speece said financial support and management of the airport probably would be based on population usage and other factors is expected the people in Danville and Martinsville will continue to use the Greendwro airport facilities for practical reasons as long as Greensboro can continue to provide ser Speece noted Roanoke residents also want assurance air carrier service at Woodrum ield will be continued he said With the centralized concept proposed by the AA local passenger services could be discontinued and air fields maintained only as general facilities CityState Danville Va Monday Afternoon AAarch 14 1977 Robb Wants To Run 'Positive Campaign' to complete even without any opposition However he noted in Bedford County have spoken out quite loudly that they do not want an airport in their One of the other sites con sidered also was in Bedford County and the third was in ranklin County near Burnt Chimney Several other municipalities that could participate in the regional airport project in cluding Danville and Mar tinsville have been less than enthusiastic Speece said COLLINS VILLE (AP) Charles Robb says as long as possible I want to continue to run a positive campaign just talking about some of the things I can do for in his bid to become the next lieutenant governor want to discuss the leadership I think I can Robb said Saturday as he denied charges he is relying on out of state cam paign money The accusation had been made riday by supporters of Reynolds HI of Rich mond one of two members of the House of Delegates running against Robb for the Democratic nomination The other is Ira Lechner of Arlington Reynolds has called Robb a son in law of the late President Lyndon Johnson an Reynolds also has talked of Robb not being a long time Virginian and of Robb's connections with tbe Johnsons and with national political and social leaders our of backers told a riday news conference in Richmond that Robb was relying on out of state finan cial support to buy the office of lieutenant governor They cited a recent fund raising dinner at the McLean home that was at tended by Joan Kennedy the Averill Harrimans and other prominent Washington figures While campaigning here Robb said the accusation was preposterous that I even think it deserves the dignity of a ive elony Trials Show Cause Hearing Slated Today In Chatham Band Boosters or GW Expect To Reach Goal The George Washington High School Band Boosters announced this morning they expect to have reached their $7000 fund raising goal when all the pledged contributions are collected this week were extremely pleased Hearings for complaints about real estate reassessments will be March 29 30 and 31 with times set aside on the latter two days for taxpayers to call in questions to the office at 799 5120 Attorney Herman Koplen chairman of Real Estate Board of Review said hearings were extended from the usual one or two half day hearings because all city property has been reassessed at 100 per cent of fair market value for 1977 The last two hearing sessions will begin in the morning so with the response of Danville citizens both individual and corporate and we are pleased to announce we have reached our goal due to their said band booster Robert Thompson Thompson noted there still they can continue into the afternoon if necessary he noted But Koplen emphasized tax rate is determined only by the City Council" The review function is to determine whether or not property was appraised at fair market value and can make upwards or downwards ad justments He also noted "Taxpayers 65 years of age or older who desire relief and meet the necessary requirements should see the City Real Estate Assessment Office and not appear before the board are some monies verbally pledged but not received yet from civic organizations businesses and individuals But he said he hoped to know the total amount received by the end of the week The money will help send the 120 member GW band to Bradenton la next week to participate in the Hernando DeSoto Band estival Cost of the five day trip is estimated at $11000 Thompson who headed the fund raising project said "I want to thank the people and businesses for their great support and remind them the band is planning a citizen's appreciation The band is giving a special performance for local residents on the GW field Sunday at 2:30 The free program will include selec tions the band will perform in national competition in lorida Thompson also thanked the news media for their support Although it appears the goal will be reached he noted contributions still were being accepted Hearings Scheduled On Tax Complaints tering the Peoples Mutual Electoral Officials CHATHAM ive felony trials are slated today in the Pittsylvania County Circuit Court along with a show cause Ms Holmes had appealed her conviction 12 month jail sentence with six months sus pended on the condition of five years good behavior and $1000 fine to the Virginia Supreme Court During the appeal process she was free on a $1500 cash bond The State Supreme Court has refused Ms appeal case of Robert rank Kitchen 29 of 401 Girard St in Danville charged with the Nov 8 break in at Melvin apartment and theft amount ing to $1760 The third burglary and lar ceny trial today is on charges lodged against John Lee Petty 17 of Keeling Rt 1 Petty is charged with a Dec 19 1976 break in and larceny of Collie property The malicious shooting trial of Lewis Waller 73 of Dry ork Rt 1 was set today Waller is charged in the Nov 6 1976 shooting of Thomas LeeWaller important factor they must consider He said Eastern Airlines has agreed to provide service for area oasseneers if Sunbelt could get them to Charlotte or hearing for Jan Kaye Holmes Greensboro convicted June 30 1976 of Aron told the local com prostitution i mittee his company would have to have an initial capital investment of about $300000 from private investors and were figuring on operating at a loss of about $32000 the first year He also said he expected commuter service to be federally subsidized within two to three years In the circuit court the de of Annie Lee and William Gretna Rt 2 guilty of a felony fendant is slated to appear and trailer on June 11 1976 charge The youth was charged show cause why bail should not and the theft of $620 in proper Jan 9 with breaking and en be revoked Ms Holmes 22 of Westover Trailer Court was one of five ceny trial is scheduled in the persons arrested eb 19 when the Virginia State Police raided two suspected bawdy houses in Pittsylvania County She was arrested at Rt 58 Truck Stop Harry Robert Hammack 20 of Asheboro NC is slated for trial this morning on statutory burglary and grand larceny charges He is charged with burglary ties Another burglary and lar Telephone Company building in uretna Thompson handed Gilbert 20 years in the state penitentiary suspended on the condition that the defendant serve 12 months in jail five years on probation and 20 years on good behavior Hie court also convicted Gilbert of petit larceny and sentended him to six months in jail on that count The youth was charged with a $294 theft from the telephone company on the same day Wesley Bowens Goes On Trial In Robbery Of Winslow St Man Wesley Lemont Bowens went on trial on a charge of robbery this morning before a Danville Circuit Court jury with Judge James Ingram presiding Bowens was accused of being one of three persons who ac costed James Jones 61 of 234 Winslow St about 9 pm eb 12 in the vicinity of an alley off Mabin St where Jones was robbed of the contents of his his wallet and coin purse containing about $8 papers and keys The opening statement for the commonwealth advised the jury to expect the retired robbery victim to testify that a cloth or coat had been thrown over his head but that it had slipped enabling him to see and recognize two of his assailants According to the account easily recognized in the light from a near by was the person who removed the contents of his pockets while he was lying on the ground before the trio The opening statement by defense attorney rench 1 Conway advised the jury to expect testimony that Jones was mistaken in his iden tification boy was not Conway said adding that the defendant a fine According to defense counsel testimony would show that Bowens was with several companions at another place at the time of the robbery They were together on a porch in the neighborhood he said when Jones came by in a police patrol car during the search for the persons who had committed the robbery Norman Lee Warner 31 of Danville Rt 4 is to be tried on a charge of secreting mort gaged property In circuit court activity riday Judge Carrington Thompson convicted three persons of felony charges Sentencing is slated April 19 for Donald Wayne Nichols convicted of manufacturing alcholic beverages on April 29 1976 and George Washington Wilson found guilty of operat ing a motor vehicle after being declared an habitual offender Judge Thompson also found James Henry Gilbert 16 of Sworn In CHATHAM Preston McElheney Carlton White and Dexter Amos were sworn in today for new three year terms as members of the Pittsylvania County Electoral Board In reorganization of the board White a Chatham at torney was re elected secretary McElheney ending his first term was elected chairman of the unit which supervises county elections Truckers Nearing Deadline On Licenses MAR VIRGINIA 37'036 APPORTIONED Truckers in Virginia and North Carolina are nearing the end of their line their licensing deadline that is Apportioned license plates have been required since Jan 1 in both states but a grace period was granted through March 31 As the deadline nears David Davis manager of the Danville Division of Motor Vehicles says the truckers are rolling in to apply for plates without plates are being issued warnings during this grace noted Davis "but they have to have plates by the end of The apportioned plates are required on all vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 26000 pounds on vehicles with three or more axles regardless of weight and on those used in combination when the gross weight of such combination exceeds 26000 pounds Davis notes an example of such a com bination would be a truck pulling a flatbed trailer A combination he says consists of two units both of which are capable Of carry ing goods or merchandise The apportioned plates are sb called because recreational vehicles those displaying restricted plates buses used for chartered parties and government owned vehicles The fees vary considerably from around $100 upward depending on the weight of the truck the number of states in which it travels its private or status and the percentage of miles it travelled in the different states from Sept 1 1975 through Aug 31 1976 In Virginia the fees run from $380 per thousand pounds for a private truck weighing 26000 pounds to $9 per thousand for a priv ate truck with a gross weight exceeding 55000 pounds To that total $10 is added so that the minimum for a trucker running only in Virginia would be $10880 License fees on trucks for hire in Virginia alone range from $610 per thousand pounds at 26000 pounds to $12 over 55000 pounds A truck in the top category would carry a fee of $740 on 60000 pounds Davis notes that through the registration plan fees owed to other member states are mailed by the licensing state to the appropriate authorities for the convenience the fees are based on the weights and the proportions of their mileages recorded last year in the states included in the compact Through this compact a trucker can go to the Danville DMV office and pay his fees for operating in 19 states and the Canadian province of Alberta Previously fees were paid through contacts in each state Davis notes that the plan is to get as many states as possible in the compact Virginia joined in 1975 and North Carolina became a member state on Jan 1 of this year "The biggest change this year is the effect of North Carolina joining the says Davis "We are so close to the line that a lot of our truckers operate in North Carolina We just now are picking up the business in NC" Davis points out that 26000 pounds the point at which trucks come under this licensing law is not a large amount "People think of trucks as coast to coast tractor trailers but these trucks can be much smaller than he says Vehicles excluded from this licensing law are.