Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 15

THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN Our Mountains Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1987 Section Two, Page 15 Local News Sports TVRadio Comics City School Board OKs Sex Education Program have to accept more responsibility and I'm hopeful this will facilitate that process." The health department plans media campaigns targeted at students and parents and will send its public health nurse to two schools to identify students "who may be at risk of adolescent pregnancy," Castelloe said. School board Chairman Betsy Simons said a sex education policy approved by the board in 1986 permits programs like the one planned by the health department "We have a policy that is very clear on the teaching of sex education and our policy states that the prevailing attitude in our community is that teen-age sexual activity outside of marriage is potentially physically and emotionally harmful," Simons said. "But within that framework, teachers can teach specifics. "The board has a policy and with our vote tonight, we feel very comfortable that this fits in our policy.

It's a program I'm very impressed with." The board also approved a resolution Monday asking commissioners to appropriate $23,100 from the School Capital Fund Commission to cover the costs of acquiring through condemnation three parcels of land that the board needs to begin work on an addition to Randolph Elementary School. It also voted to schedule classes Feb. 16 because students have missed four days due to bad weather. Schools were to be closed that day in observance of Presidents' Day. volvement." She said the program covers such topics as peer pressure and assertive-ness, but does not include information on birth control and abortion.

The health department will use funds appropriated by the Legislature for adolescent pregnancy prevention programs to pay substitutes so teachers can attend two-day training sessions, she said. Parents also will be invited to one- or two-night training sessions before the program is conducted in the schools, she said. "We firmly believe that parents are the primary sex educators of their children whether they do a good job or whether they do a bad job," she said. "The real key here is parents. Parents favor of the total program because I could not be assured that birth control and abortion will not become part of this program." Castelloe told the board that in 1985, an estimated 6,407 of the 23,232 youngsters ages 10-19 in Buncombe County were sexually active, and only about one-third used birth control.

That same year, 556 girls ages 12-19 became pregnant, and 224 had abortions, Castelloe said. "We want to prevent the need for the abortion by preventing pregnancy in the first place," she said. Castelloe told the board the health department plans to train seventh- and eighth-grade teachers and counselors to use a curriculum called "Postponing Sexual In By MONA MOORE Staff Writer The AshevUle City Board of Education voted 4-1 Monday to allow the Buncombe County Health Department to proceed with plans for a program to teach seventh- and eighth-graders to postpone sexual involvement. School board member John Quigley cast the dissenting vote. "I agree with the portion of the program presented by Joan (Castelloe, head of the health department's health education division) that sex education is a viable education and the strongly presented issue of training the students to say no (to sexual involvement)," Quigley said.

"But I could not vote in Fire Code Catches Officials With Their Numbers Down Rukavina received a ticket on behalf of the Municipal Building. "As soon as (Kisiah) got the notice he had the numbers put on the building (City Hall) as was requested by the fire marshal, so City Hall is in compliance," Bean said Monday. "And the fire chief went out to a hardware store and purchased the numbers himself," he said. Ratcliff said in his letter to assistant fire marshal Charles Williams that the notice "concerns me since, in my 15 years as chairman (of the board of commissioners), the violation has never been brought to my attention." "I am also concerned because the violation requires a payment of a $25 penalty of (county) taxpayers money without providing a grace period to correct the violation specified," Ratcliff said. "Because of my concern as to whether Buncombe County is receiving fair and equal treatment, along with other agencies, I conducted a personal Investigation on the afternoon of Jaa 22," he said.

Ratcliff said the investigation showed that identifying numbers also were missing from City Hall and the police and fire departments. "The levy of a $25 penalty without first bringing the violation to my attention is unbelievable," Ratcliff said. "I would respectfully request that you provide Buncombe County an amended notice of violation, allowing a reasonable time period to correct the violation. "I would further submit that it is absolutely incredible that you would cite the Buncombe County commissioners for this violation when your own department, the Asheville Fire Department, is, and has been in violation for years," he said. Rukavina said Monday he had not seen Ratcliff letter.

"But basically he's asked some questions and he's certainly entitled to answers, and I'll be meeting with my staff tomorrow to get those answers." By BARBARA BLAKE Staff Writer Sometimes you can't fight City Hall even when you are City HaU. Buncombe County Commission Chairman R. Curtis Ratcliff has registered a complaint with the Asheville Fire Department for ticketing the county courthouse with a fire code violation while city buildings including the one housing the fire department also were violating the code. Ratcliff may not be aware that City Hall and the Municipal Building housing the city police and fire departments also got citations and were fined $25 along with the courthouse. Or that Asheville Fire Chief John Rukavina went out and purchased the materials needed to correct the violation after he was presented with a citation from one of his subordinates in the fire department.

The exercise in fair play began two weeks ago when officials with the fire prevention division decided that 2 years is enough notice of a law requiring buildings to be identified with numbers that can easily be read from the street by emergency vehicles. The law went into effect in July of 1984 and was accompanied by several news stories. But the intensified effort to force compliance didn't begin until recently. City Manager Doug Bean said the ordinance was adopted after fire officials continually had problems responding to calls because house numbers were not displayed. "Recently, they've been having the same problem finding places, so in the course of normal inspections they decided to start issuing the citations," Bean said.

In a letter of protest to the assistant fire marshal who issued the citation to the courthouse, Ratcliff said he received the ticket Jan. 22. Ray Kisiah, director of the Asheville's parks, recreation and public facilities department, received a citation on behalf of City Hall, and "tf Room Tax Decision Delayed By MARK DAVIS Tri-County Bureau HENDERSON VILLE A year-old, volatile issue that divided local officials a motelhotel room tax has resurfaced. The Henderson County Board of Commissioners Monday night put off until later this month a decision to endorse a proposed tax that would serve both Hendersonville and the county. Commissioners decided to delay their decision after Fred H.

Niehoff, a member of the Greater Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce, made a pitch for new room-tax legislation. The room tax was proposed during the short session of the General Assembly last year. In that session, state lawmakers were offered two room-tax bills one for Henderson County and another for Hendersonville. The two proposals created controversy between city and county elected officials, but both pieces of legislation were passed. At the end of that session, both Hendersonville councilmen and county commissln-ers could enact a room tax it they chose.

To date, neither the city nor the county has enacted the tax, chiefly because of differences in the two pieces of legislation. Hendersonville's room-tax legis. lation would allow the city to levy a 3-5 percent tax on rooms; Henderson County has the authority to enact no more than a 2 percent tax, Niehoff said. Niehoff, who is chairman of the chamber's tourism and retirement committee, said one room tax is needed for both the county and city. Since neither councilmen nor commissioners are enacting their room taxes, tourism dollars are being lost to neighboring counties that do have a tax and are using the profits to advertise, he added.

Some of the highlights of the proposed tax include: A 3 percent tax on rooms in the county and city. A committee of nine people to administer the money the tax would generate composed of one city councilman and one commissioner; two operators of motels with more than 50 rooms; two operators of motels with less than 50 rooms; and three people in tourism-related businesses. The costs to collect the tax would not exceed more than 5 percent of the revenue the tax would create. The tax would be used to enhance tourism. Niehoff asked the commmis-sioners to ask legislators to rescind the two pieces of legislation that allow the city and county to create a room tax.

Commissioner William C. Parker wanted to contact legislators and support Niehoff's proposal, but the board decided to wait until the Feb. 18 meeting to make a decision. Buncombe Man Found Dead After Blaze Destroys Home Staff Photo By PAUL ROBINSON "It was a very old wood-frame house with a real old chimney that was old rock and half-mud," Maney said. "More than likely, some embers came out of the chimney instead of going up the flue and got into a wall.

And when it gets into a wall in that type house, it spreads all over." Maney said there were indications that Rathbone was asleep when the fire began. His body will be sent to the state Medical Examiner's Office in Chapel Hill for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, Maney said. More than 25 firefighters from the Barnardsville, Jupiter, Weaverville and Reems Creek fire departments responded to the fire, Maney said. The last truck was returned to its station about 5 30 p.m. Monday, he said.

From Staff Reports BARNARDSVILLE An 81-year-old Barnardsville man died Monday in a fire that burned his frame house to the ground and apparently was caused by a faulty wood stove or chimney, according to Chief Roger Maney of the Barnardsville Volunteer Fire Department. The Buncombe County Sheriffs Department identified the man as Garland Rathbone of Dodd Road. Rath-bone lived alone and was alone in the house when the fire started in the living room shortly before 1 p.m. Monday, deputies said. Maney said neighbors called the fire department about 1 p.m.

and that the fire was "well on its way when the call came in." Airborne Gatorboard Seeming to soar high above the skyline, this unidentified skateboard pilot gets his lift from a homemade ramp in a parking lot on Broadway in Asheville. Macon Confirms County's First Death Due To AIDS City Council, MSD To Discuss Sludge and the remainder appointed by the governing bodies of the county's municipalities. Citv Council ncTpprl By BARBARA BLAKE Staff Writer Asheville City Council and members of the Metropolitan Sewerage District Board are going to have a little chat Tuesday concerning the MSD's plan to build a $10.5 million sewage incinerator just north of the city. Citizen-Times Western Bureau FRANKLIN Macon County health authorities confirmed Monday the county's first death due to AIDS. The victim, a male, died last week In Franklin after a long Illness, according to Macon County health director David Simpson, who said it is believed that the AIDS contact was not from Western North Carolina.

About 171 people In North Carolina have been diagnosed with acquired immune defi ciency syndrome, according to state health statistics, and about 8,550 are probably infected with the virus. The first AIDS-related death in Buncombe County occurred in January 1985, when a 36-year-old California man who had been diagnosed as having the disease died of respiratory failure. Early warning signs of the disease include weight loss, severe diarrhea, fevers, swollen glands and unexplained body lesions. Although fe've 'W. vited MSD Broadcasting Chain Buys WLOS-TV City Manager Doug Bean said the meeting will be "an informal discussion," the comments made by at least one MSD board member may determine whether the council reappoints him to the board on which he serves as chairman, Frank S.

Smith III was scheduled to be board to come and give us a little report on the Incinerator. We've Invited the whole board, but I'm not sure who will be there except Frank Smith. Doug Bean City Manager last Tuesday to delay SMITH consideration of the issue until after a meeting with Smith and the two other city appointees, Walter Boggs and Charles Dyson. The meeting will be held during the pre-council work session on the second floor of City Hall. We've Invited the MSD board to come and give us a little report on the Incinerator," Bean said Monday.

"We've invited the whole board, but I'm not sure who will be there except Frank Smith The meeting will be "an Informal discussion, primarily involving the Incinerator issue," he said. Bean said the reappointment "hasn't been scheduled" for Tuesday but that "it could come up. They continued it until such time as they meet with the board, so it could come up at any time after that," he said. During its regular meeting beginning at 4 p.m. Tuesday, City Council will hold a public hearing on site plans for a $50 million warehouse facility on city-owned property near the Asheville Regional Airport, The building would be constructed by Potter-Shackelford Construction Co.

of Greenville, S.C., but the name of the national firm that would lease the building has not been disclosed. In related action, the council will consider a resolution authorizing the sale of the property to Hart-AsheviUe Partnerships. The city has received an offer of $325,000 for the tract, which is approximately 25 acres. Though Channel 13 "was not actually on the market," two attempts were made during 1986 to purchase the station, he said. The first bid, by an unnamed broadcast group in January 1986, was rejected as "not acceptable," Gehring said.

"Last August, when It was pretty obvious that the station was for sale, a group of us went to KKR" and attempted to purchase Channel 13, he said. A tentative agreement was reached, but after shopping for financing, the group decided "it was not in our best Interest" and decided against the purchase, he said. "We are now owned by a broadcaster that has one interest allowing us support and encouragement to become the best station we can," Gehring said. "That's the mandate." By TONY KISS Staff Writer A Florida-based broadcasting chain has purchased WLOS-TVChannel 13 from a New York Investment firm for $50 million, the station's manager announced Monday. The sale, which requires Federal Communications Commission approval, will make Channel 13 the flagship TV station of Anchor Media of St.

Petersburg, station manager Mike Gehring said. The final FCC approval Is expected by April, he said. Anchor, led by its founder, Alan Henry, owns radio stations in Las Vegas, Dallas and Albuquerque, N.M. The firm's headquarters will remain in St. Petersburg, Gehring said.

No immediate changes are planned "and everyone who is in place will stay in place," Gehring said. "What you see is what you get." The sale marks the second change of ownership in three years for Channel 13. In 1984, the investment firm of Kolhberg, Kra-vitz and Roberta struck a deal with Wo-metco Enterprises Inc. to take the broadcasting giant private. Channel 13 and five other stations were part of that agreement.

Soon after the Wometco-KKR deal, Channel 13 was criticized by local viewers for expanding its South Carolina news coverage and for using the term "West Ca-rollnas" to describe Its two-state coverage area. "During the last three years, we have been in a state of limbo," Gehring said. "Things happened that were not as logical or beneficial as they could have been. "We've been working hard to correct the errors of our ways." Almost from the day Wometco went private, "there has been speculation about the station being for sale," Gehring aid. renamed to the MSD board last Tuesday during City Council's regular meeting.

But the council delayed the appointment at the request of three residents who are opposed to construction of the sewage incinerator and who said appointments to the board should be carefully considered because of the impact the sludge burner would have on the city. The MSD board is comprised of three city appointees, three members appointed by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.