Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 33

If 1 Home Shortage Can Be Solved, Builders Affirm 4 r4 nSjllifi) I Big Store Permit Issued A construction permit for building a $400,000 Big discount store at 4010 Fred-erica St. was issued to a Tennessee investment company by Molden Crowe, city building inspector. Crowe said that he received approval from the state fire marshal's office in Frankfort for the plans that must be submitted before a city permit is issued. The state fire marshall's approval of the plans are also required for a permit. Hartz-Kirkpatrick Construction Co.

of Owensboro will build the Big store that will have some 60,500 square feet of floor space according to plans submitted to Crowe. The permit was issued to the Watkins Investment Co. of Jackson, Tenn. Big is a regional discount department store firm that recorded a 42 per cent sales improvement during July in its 69 outlets compared to July a year ago. Since July 31, 1971, the company has opened 14 new Big stores in the region that includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

and currently reports its unofficial population part, accounts for the city's housing shortage, (Staff Photo by Bill Kyle) Man Claiming To Be Ford Employe Arraigned LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) An arraignment has been held in Clay County and another is pending in Clark County for a former used car salesman who collected $750 in political contributions while purporting to be an employe of Gov. Wendell Ford. Clay Daniels, 44 formerly of Prestons-burg, was arrested by state police last week in Lexington and charged with obtaining money under false pretenses. In both cases, Daniels told contributors the money was for By ART KAUL Messenger and Inquirer Staff Despite Owensboro's tight housing picture resulting from population growth and "construction that hasn't kept pace with the local realtors and land developers indicate that they can "meet the demand." But a shortage of housing mav continue in the future as a result of land scarcity and "skyrocketing" construction costs that have become "problems" across the nation.

Owensboro's population increased 17.1 per cent in the last decade, from 42.471 in 1960 to 50,329 persons in 1970, and housing demands have outstripped the supply, local realtors and land developers report. Owensboro is currently listing its unofficial population at 52,300. "Owensboro has growth staring it in the face and we have to face the demand," Talmadge Hocker, a land developer, said. "There's quite a demand that we haven't been able to satisfy." Robert Laswell said that there is "shortage of houses in all price ranges" in Owensboro. He attributes the housing shortage to population increases and "war babies who are now beginning to buy homes." One of the greatest housing demands is for single family residences, particularly in the $20,000 to $30,000 price range, George Weldon vice president of Thompson Homes said.

Thompson Homes developed the Tho-robred Acres and has moved an average of 70 persons a year into the subdivision, Weldon said. He estimated that 60 per cent of the homes are sold to "second time those who have owned a home and are seeking larger houses, and 40 per cent are bought by "newcomers" to Owensboro. Noting that the "whole state has experienced a good steady growth," Weldon said that Owensboro has undergone a "building boom" in the last two years. Ellwood Castlen, said that the supply of homes "below the $16,000 bracket is quite adding that government subsidized housing has "taken some of the pressure of the demand." Rental property in Owensboro is facing a strong demand, but housing renting for less than $100 a month is difficult to acquire. Castlen said that it is not profitable for investors to build apartment complexes that rent for that figure and that rental property costing more than $100 a month must compete with government assisted housing projects.

Owensboro is a "home ownership Hocker commented "People prefer to rent and pay prices in their own range but apartments can't be built profitably for what they want to pay." "We will be following a basic pattern of building apartments," Castlen said, noting that apartment living is a characteristic of large cities and "that is several years off." Meeting the demands for housing in the future is troubled by two factors, land scarcity and rising construction costs, realtors and land developers agree. "Land scarcity and a shortage of construction workers are two problems of the future," Weldon said. "Ninety per cent of the cost to build a house is in labor," Hocker said. The federal government's Cost of Living Council may focus attention and regulationon the construction industry after the expiration of the wage-price freeze in an effort to curb costs across the nation, Donald Rumsfeld, council director, said recently. Weldon said that building materials are in such great demand across the country that their costs have increased with the shortage.

"You have to anticipate your needs well in advance when you order because you have to wait so long to get materials," he said. 1 Hocker and Weldon both agree that a shortage in skilled construction laborers exists that makes development difficult. "We can't find people who want to work in the construction trades," Weldon said, adding that Thompson Homes has about 50 men on its payroll throughout the year "and we're still scouting for skilled workers. Land scarcity is adding to the development problem he said. "People who have land available for development don't want to sell it." Laswell commented that "raw land is a big problem.

that can be sewered and subdivided sometimes makes the cost prohibitive." OWENSBORO, KY. 42301, THURSDAY, AUG. NEW HOMES CLUSTERED near a cornfield housing developments that are springing up Owensboro. Owensboro has experienced a 17.1 the senatorial campaign of Democrat Walter "Dee" Huddleston. At a preliminary hearing Monday in Manchester, Daniels again claimed he was an agent for Ford by virtue of a verbal agreement the governor made at Pine Mountain State Park during last May's Mountain Laurel Festival.

The governor's office has denied any connection with Daniels, who is free in both counties on $5,000 bond. He was arrested after a warrant was Strikes Truck, County Girls Earl and Paul Keith House, all at home and her grandparents, Mrs. Julia Hoskins of Hawesville and Percy LaRoche of Hawesville. The bodies are at the Gibson Funeral Home here. 17, 1972 I Section AND are an indication of in several parts of per cent population sworn out against him by Dr.

J. C. Coldiron of Manchester, who said he gave Daniels $700. Coldiron, who said he hadn't known Daniels prior to this month, believed he was sought as a likely contributor because he had been a member of the Democratic State Central Committee during 1939 and 40- Since his arrest, Daniels had contacted him both by telephone and in person and promised to return his money, Coldiron said. The other warrant was sworn out last Friday by Dr.

Robert Brashear, of Winchester, who said he gave $50 to a man identify-' ing himself as "Ray McDaniels." Brashear said prior to a visit by Daniels last week, Winchester Mayor Charles Stephenson called him and said Daniels had inquired if Brashear would be interested in becoming a director of the University of Kentucky Medical Center. "He came to my house had a driver who stayed in the car was well-dressed and seemed to know several people I knew," Brashear said. "He said one member of the Medical Center Board was retiring. He would not tell me who, and he said this had to be kept quiet because so many people were trying to get the position but the governor was particular about who had the job," Brashear added. "I fell for it line, hook and sinker," he said.

Brashear said he filled out a resume after which Daniels said Huddleston was having a picnic and asked if he wanted to donate to his campaign. "I said I'd donate later at the picnic but he said they needed the money to get the picnic going," Brashear said. He said Daniels didn't say where the am willing to be there and pick up the barking dogs," the dog warden said. Mclntire urged county residents to call him rather than Tanner about dog problems. Tanner said later Wednesday that he has signed many warrants at all hours of the night since he became county judge.

increase from 1950-1960 at 52,300. That, in officials report. Inquirer Robert O. Laswell Named State 'Realtor of the Year' Robert O. Laswell of Owensboro was named "Realtor of the Year" Wednesday by the Kentucky Association of Realtors in a surprise announcement during a meeting held at Gabe's restaurant.

The award was presented to Laswell by William Snyder of Louisville, president of the state association. Laswell has served as president of the Owensboro Board of Realtors and a director of the Kentucky Real Estate Association. He is a past chairman of the board of elders of the First Christian Church and has served as a member of the Salvation Army and YWCA advisory boards, all of Owensboro. Laswell, appointed by the Owensboro Board of Commissioners, is serving as a member of the Housing Board of Adjustment and Appeals. Unruly Dogs Draw Gripes Auto Swerves, Kills 2 Hancock HAWESVILLE, Ky.

-Two Hancock County teenagers were killed at 5:55 p.m. Wednesday in a pedestrian-car-truck accident on the Middle Knottsville Road, five miles south of here. Killed when struck by a car driven by Phillip T. Wheatley, 19, of Route 2, Hawes-ville, were Mary Helen House, 15, and Den-ise Ann Kohler, 16, both of Route 2, Hawes-ville. Wheatley, according to reports, swerved to miss the two girls, who were walking south on Middle Knottsville Road, and struck a pickup truck driven by R.J.

Thomas, 67, of Owensboro. The Wheatley car then struck the two girls. Denise, a student at Hancock County High School, is survived by her mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. David E.

Reed of Route 2, Hawesville; her father, Willis Kohler of Gayland, Mich. a sister, Susan Mary Kohler of Route 2, Hawesville; two brothers, Michael Allen and Patrick Robert Kohler of Route 2, Hawesville; a half-sister, Tammy Lee Reed of Hawesville; half-brother, David Reed maternal grandparent, Ernest Brooks Sr. of Saginaw, and step-grandparents, Mrs. Susie Veda Reed of Route 1, Tell City, and Ralph K. Reed of Pontiac, Mich.

A ninth grader in the Hancock County School System and member of the Blackford Baptist Church, Mary Helen is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn House of Hawesville; two sisters, Mrs. Glenda Bas-ham of Hawesville and Julia Faye House, at home; three brothers, Ernest Thomas, Wil- Movie Manager Arrested in Raid lie picnic would be but promised to give him details later. Brashear said he made out a $50 check to the Huddleston campaign committee although Daniels originally had instructed him to make out the check to "cash." Brashear said his check was returned last Friday by a man he didn't know and later turned over to state police as evidence.

As part of his statement to Clay County Attorney C. C. Smith, Daniels said he and another man leased an airplane to Ford during last year's gubernatorial campaign. This claim was denied Wednesday by Ford's press secretary Tommy Preston. Meanwhile, Daniels was arrested again Monday in Lexington on four counts of obtaining dangerous drugs by fraud and deceit.

At that time he gave police a Lexington address. Hawesville Girl Miss Rural Electric Entry Linda Wimmer, 16, of Hawesville, Miss Green River Rural Electric Cooperative, will compete Wednesday for the title of Miss Kentucky Rural Electric during Rural Electric-Farm Bureau Day at the Kentucky State Fair, Louisville. Winner of the pageant, in which 21 girls will compete, will receive a $300 scholarship and expense-paid trips to the national Miss Rural Electrification Beauty Pageant in Dallas, and the annual Rural Electric Washington Youth program in Washington, D. C. First and second runners-up will receive $200 and $100 scholarships respectively.

Linda is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Wimmer of Hawesville. Mclntire said theie are 1,200 square miles and 10,000 dogs in Daviess County. "A lot of people just move off and leave dogs," he said.

"All dogs bark sometime and there are three roads running through Panther," he said. Mclntire said he picks up between 90 and 225 dogs per month. The tax on food comes off Oct. 1. Huddleston described himself as a man who keeps his promises.

"I promised the people of Kentucky that I would do everything possible to get the tax off of these things that are so important to the life of every Kentuckian," he said. "I'm proud to say I kept my promise and always will." Judge Places 2 Men On 'Shock Probation' GREENVILLE, Ky. Acting under new provisions for the so-called "shock probation" Muhlenberg County Circuit Court Judge Arthur T. Her has placed two offenders on parole. Paroled were David Moore and Larry Slinker.

Moore was convicted during the May term of circuit court on a charge of grand larceny and sentenced to one year in prison. Slinker was charged with two counts of dwelling house breaking and received a one year sentence on each count when convicted. The shock probation law allows a circuit judge to return an offender to society under his close supervision after they have served a portion of their prison sentence. The parole officer is Joe Pruitt, 34, a Greenville merchant who was recently appointed as probation officer for Muhlenberg and McLean Counties. Teen Dance Planned Friday The final teen dance of the summer, sponsored by the Owensboro City Parks and Recreation Department, will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Friday at the Owensboro Sportscenter. "Freedom," a band from Louisville, will play for the dance, which is open to all junior and senior high school students. Attendance at the dances has averaged approximately 600 throughout the summer. Huddleston Urges Nunn To Show Financial Holdings lm 'mm mm ztmmh mil tii, iCiiM r't Several residents of Panther and southern Owensboro complained Wednesday of serious dog problems in their neighborhoods. A resident of Catalina Drive in Owensboro complained to city police Wednesday that at least 10 dogs' running in packs in that neighborhood attacked cats and guinea pigs.

"How much longer before they start attacking small children," he asked. The man complained that several dogs had attacked and killed his cat Wednesday morning. Floyd Mclntire, county dog warden, complained Wednesday that residents of Panther were calling County Judge Pat Tanner instead of him. Mclntire said he had received a letter from Tanner directing him to go into Panther "even if you have to check dogs at 2 in the morning." said the letter from Tanner said residents of the Panther community had been complaining about barking dogs "especially up to 2 a.m." Mclntire said Tanner told him "If you observe barking dogs, which disturb people, come into town and take a warrant against the owner of the dog the next day." "If the county judge, Pat Tanner, is willing to get up and go out at 2 a.m. and issue a warrant for people with barking dogs then I Chamber's 'Court' Slated for Aug.

23 Small businessmen are taking big business to "court." And the final verdict won't come in until the trial is long over. Taking big business to the Owensboro-Daviess County Chamber of Commerce mock court to be held at Gabes's on Aug. 23 is part of a chamber membership drive aimed at adding about 100 new members. "The story of the chamber's advantages will be explained to prospective members invited to the court," Don Riney, membership committee chairman explained. "Prospective members can then make their own decision about whether to join.

Courtroom atmosphere will include attorneys for large and small businesses. Representing small business will be George Thacker who's client is Robert Matthews. James Sandidge will represent the "defendant" in the case, William Neal and big business. Robert Maddox, chamber president, will act as bailiff while Ed Clark will serve as "judge." Some 500 "subpoenas" which were actually invitations to the Aug. 23 dinner affair were sent to prospective chamber members last week.

Riney said that the "subpoenas" were designed by Eddie Sheriff, chamber publicity chairman, and George Thacker, attorney. AWARDING Robert O. Laswell, left, a plaque designating him Kentucky's "Realtor of the Year" is William B. Snyder, president of the Kentucky Association of Realtors. The announcement of the honor came during a meeting of the Owensboro Board of Realtors meeting held at Gabe's Restaurant Wednesday.

(Staff Photo by Bill Kyle) $300,000 Building for Ohio County "Almost Assurred' RICHMOND, Ky. (AP)- Democratic senatorial nominee Walter Dee Huddleston challenged his Republican rival Wednesday to disclose his financial holdings. Huddleston said he already has done so and feels Louie B. Nunn should do the same because "the people of Kentucky have a right to know what obligations, commitments or ties their public officials may have." His remarks were in a speech prepared for a fish fry at Boonesborough State Park. Huddleston again charged that Nunn, while governor, failed to keep his promise not to levy new taxes during his administration.

Huddleston said a few months after Nunn took office, the governor "rammed through the state legislature the highest sales tax in per cent." Huddleston, a member of the state Senate, said he was the chief sponsor and supporter of legislation to remove the sales tax on food, medicines and farm machinery. Gun Condemnations Sought in U. S. Suit A suit filed in U. S.

District Court in Louisville on Aug. 15 by the United States government seeks the condemnation of 66 firearms seized in Muhlenberg County by treasury department agents on April 7. Named in the suit is Harry C. Hobdey of South Carollton who was engaged in the illegal sale of firearms at his home on Ky. 81, the suit claims.

Confiscated in the April 7 seizure were 10 pistols, 21 rifles and carbines and 35 shotguns. The firearms are valued at $5,045, the complaint states. The suit said that Hobdey was dealing in firearms without a federal license. The suit was filed under the Internal Revenue Code. Stored in the Hopkins County Courthouse in Madisonville, the firearms are in the custody of the U.

S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. An Owensboro man was arrested about 4 p.m. Wednesday and two films confiscated in a raid on the Capri Cinema theater at 117 W. Main St.

by city, county and common-weath detectives. Gerald Laverne Benzel, of 1314 Wayside manager of the theater, was charged with showing obscene materials, Charles Porter, commonwealth detective, said. The. theater remained open Wednesday evening with a showing of "Christine a film Benzel describes as "a movie for a general audience." Benzel greeted patrons at the door telling them that the advertised films would not be showp. Two films, "Love Thy Neighbor His Wife" and billed as "two of the most unusual X-rated motion pictures" were seized in the raid.

Porter said Deputy Sheriff Harold Taylor, city detective Fred Hall and Porter rep'ortedly viewed the film prior to the arrest. A warrant is not needed if an offense is committed in the presence of law enforcement officers, Police Chief Vernie Bidwell said. Capri Cinema is owned by the Western Corporation of Kentucky, a subsidiary of a Nashville, firm. It opened some two weeks ago after about $28,000 of remodeling work on the downtown building in which it is located. A company vice president said earlier that the theater is "an improvement for the downtown area." He added that it would serve downtown shoppers and show "a variety of products." Benzel posted a $2,000 bond.

The case will be heard in Quarterly Court Friday morning. By DOROTHY GENTRY Messenger and Inquirer Correspondent HARTFORD, $300,000 multi-purpose building for Hartford and Ohio County Is "almost assured," County Attorney Frank Martin said Wednesday. Martin's statement followed the Ohio Fiscal Court decision to allocate $26,300 toward the purchase of a four-tract area in downtown Hartford. That amount, plus $20,000 provided by the City of Hartford will enable conclusion of the property purchase in the total amount of $46,300. Final details of application will be filed Friday with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for additonal funds.

Plans call for various office spaces, primarily for social service agencies; meeting rooms for all organizations in the county; a 250-capacity auditorium and stage; dining and kitchen facilities. It will cover approximately 15,000 square feet on a lot 160 feet by 290 feet, with parking for 60 cars. Options on the four-tract property from the Fleener Office Building on Washington Street eastward to the corner of Liberty Street has been held since early April, when the original application was made with HUD. In other action, a reclamation trust account was set up with an initial deposit of $19,707. A check in this amount was presented Ohio County Judge Andy Funk Monday at Frankfort, when Gov.

Wendell H. Ford distributed a total of $355,900 in strip mining fees. The money was made available under the new law calling for each county to share strip mining fees, the reclamation trust account will be used for specific reclamation of orphan pits and other projects..