Star-Gazette from Elmira, New York • 7

Quartet Praises the Lord and Keeps on Truckin' By DICK BAUMBACH The Blue Ridge Quartet has been crisscrossing the country since 1947 singing gospel music and Sunday they stopped at Eldridge Park in their $75,000 bus." The conversation with them and members of the Mark Four, the musicians who accompany the quartet, 7 nrjnrw1' separate fields," Strevel said. "We sing gospel songs because there is more satisfaction in it for us. "We are hoping that we can further ourselves and someday maybe get our own network show. I wouldn't mind cutting back on the number of engagements we do every week, but until something like that happens we do the best we can and try to entertain the people. "We try to give some enjoyment to people and in turn we get some rewards," he said.

Laverne Tripp, and Bill Crowe, baritone, joined Strevel. Asked if the all male organization has ever encountered problems with female fans, Laverne Tripp, the lead singer, said, "We have one rule women are not allowed on the bus. That way our problems never get started." 'We let our wives on the bus to help put our clothes on it, but then they get off right away," said baritone Bill Crowe. If one of the members wants to have his wife go along for one of the group's many trips he uses his own car and meets the troup at the destination. The three said there are times when each has thought of leaving the business because of the constant moving from city to city, but it never happens.

"Sure there are times after you've been on the road a long time that you want to forget it," Trip said, but then you realize that you are actually doing what you want to do with your life. "You get a certain satisfaction in singing and hope that you have made your audience happier. That's all you can do." After their performance they returned to the bus for a trip to Pittsburgh where they will appear at 2 p.m. today. The whole cycle starts again for a group of men who are in a business the business of singing gospel music.

someone else's nerves. It's a natural thing that happens to everyone. "At that point you can go back to your bed draw the blackout curtains and turn on your own light and read or sleep. The bus really helps us when we travel." Strevel is the oldest active member of the quartet. He joined the group in 1947 a year after it started in Dallas, Tex.

In the beginning the singers were paid $33 a week and had to take their expenses out of the money. Things have changed for the better. Strevel is the first to admit they make good money. "We won't get rich. But, we are able to provide for families and when we are on the road we can stay at the nicest places and eat at fhe best restaurants," he said.

"One thing people should realize, is that while we make good money we work hard, very hard for it. Many times we are on the road for 10 or 11 days straight and don't see our families. That's hard. But, we love what we do and our families, especially our wives, are very understanding and put up with the routine." The quartet aren't gospel preachers as some people think. "There are no preachers with our group.

We are singers who sing gospel music. There are preachers and singers and we are in two Star-Gxzett Federal OEiTDismantling Doesn 't Worry EOP Head ElroirlC Y. August 6, WILLIAM A. ROBSON health demonstration programs now staging summer clinics; legal services office; Project Headstart day care canters, two in Elmira and four in other areas of the county; alcoholic rehabilitation programs; and the Neighborhood Youth Corps and Mainstream employment programs. Robson's office serves as the "local enabler for these programs to come to Chemung County, or in the case of the employment programs, the county gets the money from the Labor Department and we administer it," he said.

"Our job is mostly one of drawing up the programs, hiring and supervising the staffs, and executing the programs," Robson said. "I'm not really concerned about the OEO difficulties right at this moment," he said, "because I think we're finding alternatives and in the future we can find local funding for the community action. Congress is being asked to continue I 1973 -Metro Page funding for community action. It has already promised to continue Project Headstart day care center for at least the next four years, Robson said. Should Washington fail to find the money for leftover OEO programs when the agency finally closes its doors, Robson said the state will be approached for aid.

State legislators failed to act during the recently-closed session on a bill providing funds for community action, "but there's always next year," Robson said. "If the state doesn't come through, the county is our most logical choice, and then possibly the county and city together. I'm confident the programs won't end," he said. "It's mostly a matter of finding someone to take them, and the administrative capabilities would require an estimated $50,000 a year in funding, and the Opportunity Center and Outreach programs would cost another $05,000 per year. The costs would have to be borne by government or private agencies or a combination of sources to keep EOP active here.

City School Hoard To Consider Bids The Elmira School Board will consider bids for five different projects at its meeting Tuesday at 8 p.m. The bid considerations will be for alterations to the Washington Elementary School and purchase of band instruments, audio-visual equipment, cafeteria food and cafeteria equipment. The board will consider the appointments of 11 teachers and one office machine and typewriter repairman. The board Is also expected to act on three retirement requests, four resignations and two leaves of absence. BETWEEN SHOWS Members of the between performances.

The members are! Blue Ridge Quartet, a gospel singing (from left) Bill Crowe, Laverne Tripp, group, relax at Eldridge Park-Sunday Donnie Seabolt and Burl Strevel. Student Para-Professionals Aid County Health Program aboard the bus provided insight as to why they are one of America's top gospel singing organizations. Burl Strevel is the bass singer and business manager for the two groups. A tall man, Strevel was as much at home on the bus as he is with his family in Wheeling, W. Va.

"The bus is a combination of a lot of things. It's like a pullman train with its with the doctor at the clinic and he has the option of examining the patient himself or of discharging him." Physicians' associates are relatively new in the field of medicine, Gonzales said. The first approved program leading to certification was begun at Duke University in 1965. Since then, between 30 and 40 programs have been started at institutions throughout the country. "The program began at Stonybrook in 1971," Gonzales said, "and is designed for former military medics.

We will graduate in September and we'll be the first graduating class in this program. It is a 100-week course, running through summers, which includes 30 weeks of basic science courses at the university and 70 weeks of clinical rotation, mostly at hospitals and institutions on Long Island." Gonzales said the students receive a salary for their work in Chemung County. "The salary is really a token payment," he said, "but what counts is the experience and on-the-job training we're getting. We're doing exactly the same thing we'll be authorized to do after certification." He said physicians' associates work ideally in the Chemung County clinical program, whose aim is to take complete histories and offer physical examinations. "We have health workers who get the people to come to the clinics," he said.

"Some of these people have never had complete exams in their lives. We also order any lab work that needs to be done, or we do it ourselves." Gonzales said the idea of physicians' associates is quickly catching on throughout the country. "The program at Stonybrook has increased in enrollment every year, with next year's class expected to graduate about 30. There are more and more jobs each year for physicians' associates, too. This is a national trend." He said these para-professionals' are extremely helpful to rural clinical Suspects Mortensen and deputy Michael DeBolt.

Sheriff's deputy Frank Conbella said Kain was found to be carrying $1,500 in cash and a half-box of pistol ammunition, but no weapon was found. Kane was The latest Nixon administration court victory in its attempt to dismantle the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) shouldn't seriously affect Chemung County programs according to the local director. William A. Robson, executive director of the Chemung County Economic Opportunity Program (EOP), said community action, legal services and job corps activities will probably continue, even if not under OEO OEO was established during the Johnson administration to serve as the spearhead in the War Against Poverty. Friday, U.

S. District Court Judge Thomas A. Flannery in Washington approved the transfer of 11 OEO anti-poverty programs to other federal agencies. The reduction of OEO activities, Flannery said, is "fully supportable on a rational basis (to achieve) maximum economy and efficiency" in program administration. OEO has been left with the Job Corps-Project Headstart and community action programs.

Other programs have been transferred to the Department of Labor; Health, Education and Welfare; and Housing and Urban Development. Beyond the 11 programs already transferred, the Nixon administration wants to establish a separate legal services corporation and to place economic development programs under the Department of Commerce. The President wants community action programs killed at the federal level. Robson said local community action activities and his own office's administrative tasks will be the last parts of EOP or transfer to new departments or new benefactors. The community action area now covers operation of the Elmira Opportunity Center, and outreach programs; ten beds.

It also has an area where we can just sit around and watch the scenery or talk to each other and it has enough area that a person can walk off his boredom when we are on the road," Strevel said. He said boredom is the biggest problem which faces the group. "There are hours when you are in the bus going from one engagement to another and sometimes someone might get on programs. "Many people in the Elmira area are in need of medical care and cannot get it easily. And there are thousands of Elmiras in the United States.

Physicians' associates are helpful in these situations where there is not necessarily a shortage of doctors, but rather, a poor distribution." Gonzales, originally from Puerto Rico, is a former Navy hospital corpsman. He has experience with operating heart-lung machines, and has done research on open heart surgery. Dodge also is a former Navy hospital corpsman, while Nugent is a former Green Beret medic. All men are residing for the summer with their wives and families at the Elmira College Twin Tier dormitories. Gonzales said he'd like to stay in the physicians' associate field of work.

"I'm not using this program as a steppingrstone to being a doctor, and neither are Ken (Dodge) nor Steve (Nugent). Our responsibility is about the same as that of a doctor, but we have the advantage of a doctor overseeing and approving our work." "From working at the Chemung County clinics," he said, "we've had the opportunity to care for other people. The advantages are the education, the ability to communicate and get involved with other people, and the opportunity to refune the skills we've learned to sharpen our abilities." Gonzales said there's a chance that he, Dodge and Nugent might stay in the area after the Aug. 31 closing of the clinics. "There are a couple of jobs open now for physicians' associates," he said, "and it's been rumored that a few doctors are seriously thinking of hiring associates to help them out.

If that's true, then there's a chance we could be considered for jobs in the area. I'm hoping something does come up because I love this area and the people, and I'd like to spend some more time here." Nabbed turned over to Tompkins County deputies, and later Saturday pleaded guilty to criminal facilitation before Ithaca Town Justice Warren A. Blye. Blye sentenced Kain to 30 days in jail. "Jesse Turner, employed by the New Orleans, police department," Olszowy said.

At 12:50 a.m., Turner called police again, "and wanted immediate action on the recovery of stolen property belonging to an uncle, Steven Turner." Olszowy told Turner to lodge a formal complaint in person at headquarters. At 1:45 a.m., Turner arrived to do so, where he "continued to be unreasonable and vague, becoming loud and disrupting operations of the radio room," Olszowy said. The lieutenant placed a charge of harassment. Turner will appear In Recorder's Court this morning to answer the charge. At the same time, his uncle, Steven Turner will appear in the same court to ask for granting of bail.

I II FJIf tl X. Three students from the State University of New York College at Stoneybrook have joined local forces in Chemung County's summer health maintenance program. The health program began June 25 with the opening of clinics in Elmira, Valley, Millport and Chemung, and will continue through Aug.31. The program is funded through an Appalachian grant under the Economic Opportunity Program. A similar program was operated last summer, employing medical students from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

lThe three students are in the final stage of their formal training leading to professional certification as physicians' associates. Michael Gonzales, who along with Kenneth Dodge and Stephen Nugent, is working at the county clinics, said the three were contacted last January by Dr. Frank Brank who heads the county program. Their work in the county is part of 70 weeks of clinical rotation required for certification. the clinics," Gonzales said, "we run a screening service of each patient which includes a complete history and physical examination.

We are authorized to do this under the direction of a regular doctor; When we complete the history and examination of a patient, we discuss it Pulsebeat ACCIDENTS Sunday 1215 p.m. at the intersection of Church and Hoffman Sts. Vehicle operated by, Bruce E. Blake, 43, of Wappinger Falls, turned left into left lane of W. Church striking a vehicle operated by Mrs.

Marion K. Stocker, 68, of 83 Mor-ningside Dr. Blake charged with improper turning. Robbery DUNDEE Two men suspected of robbing a Trumansburg bank were arrested by police in Geneva late Saturday, hours after Yates County lawmen nabbed the driver and escape vehicle that took them there. Geneva police charged Harry Starr, 26, of Trumansburg, and James of Cambridge, with bank robbery after the two were arrested as they sought ot board a bus there Saturday The two were taken to Syracuse for federal court action in connection with the robbery of $11,000 Friday from the Trumansburg office of the Tompkins County Trust police said.

$9,000 was recovered in the arrest, said agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The apprehension of escape driver, John Kain, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, took place in the Village of Dundee at 11:30 a.m, Saturday, after the car he was driving was Identified by Penn Yan police investigator Floyd Paddock. Paddock notified Yates County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Webster who arrested Kain on Rt. 14A at a roadblock set up by village Police Chief Earl jr. fy0Q i f) fury my yJ Xt'i Harassment Charged Jesse M.

Turner, 18, of 710 Fairfield was charged early Sunday morning with harassing a police lieutenant. Lt. David Olszowy committed Turner to the Chemung County Jail in lieu of $100 bail after the arrest at 1:45 a.m. Sunday. Olszowy reported Turner called both The Star-Gazette and police headquarters late Saturday, "stating that he was Lt.

Lewis of the New York City Police Department, representing Steven P. Turner (34, of 710 Fairfield recently arrested by this department." Steven Turner was charged Friday with second degree rape of a 12-year old girl. Olszowy said, "He (Jesse Turner) wanted the story behind (Steven's) arrest hushed-up." He changed his identity during the conversation with Olszowy to for wheelchairs will be installed at the chapter's new headquarters in the old St. Mary Our Mother Church in Horse-heads. The engineer unit, which does work for non-profit community groups, is helping with the church's renovation.

HELPING Robert Wood (left) and Capt. Thomas Eagleson of Company 204th Engineer Construction National Guard from Corning, Saturday show Carl Karam and Ernie Sardo of the Staff Sgt. Jack Swann chapter of the Disabled American Veterans how a ramp.