North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 07/10/1996

It's Wednesday July 10th. Tonight keeping a watchful lot on Hurricane Bertha in North Carolina now. Good evening I'm really going to try a very busy day here in North Carolina.

The president of the United States is in Charlotte. Residents of the Outer Banks are evacuating their homes in preparation for Hurricane Bertha. Lawmakers in Raleigh are debating the budget. And Senator Ferre cloths church arson Prevention Act is officially become law. We'll bring you information on all of those stories on tonight's edition of North Carolina now. Plus we'll take a break from today's hectic pace here in our state and take you to France to visit an extremely talented North Carolina artist. But first the latest from the Outer Banks and hurricane warning has been posted for the entire North Carolina coast. Bertha is moving away from the Bahamas and is now moving toward the northwest at nearly nearly 15 miles per hour. The National Weather Service now says Bertha is expected to make landfall at the south eastern portion of North Carolina on early Friday. Forecasters say the storm is then to move northeast over the eastern sections of the state and back off shore during the day. However it is important to emphasize that the forecasted track of the storm can change from hour to hour. As a precaution

50000 people are being told to leave Hatteras and Koch islands state officials have issued the mandatory evacuation for those two barrier islands because 24 hours of safe travel time is needed because of the inaccessibility of those islands Hatteras is only accessible by a two lane road. Oak or coke can only be reached by ferry. Well our Shannon Vicary is in Kill Devil Hills this evening and she joins us now by telephone to give us the latest from the coast. Good evening Shannon. Good evening Marina. What is the current situation there. Well Marie I just got back from a press conference with that they are county emergency management officials. Now like you just mentioned earlier the eye of the hurricane is expected at this time to move in one some time Friday morning between Myrtle Beach South Carolina and Wilmington North Carolina. Now that may sound like great news for our for the Outer Banks but it really isn't. Some of the strongest storms of this entire hurricane are located in the northeastern corner of the storm. And if the storm does hit somewhere between Wilmington and

myrtle beach like they are thinking that it may right now the strongest part of the hurricane may blast right in here to the Outer Banks. And one thing that we do need to keep in mind and we learned this last year with Felix is that sometimes projections don't always hold true so we do need to keep in touch with those to find out exactly what path this hurricane is going to take. Now we had mentioned earlier that there are going to be mandatory or there is currently mandatory evacuations underway for coke and Hatteras. But what have you learned as far as evacuations for other parts of the Outer Banks. Well tonight the emergency management officials in here in their county are going to be watching the storm's progress basically on a minute by minute basis. They're going to meet at 6:30 tomorrow morning and they're going to decide whether an evacuation needs to be called for the remainder of the Outer Banks now. They are not taking this storm lightly but as you can imagine they are at the height of the tourist season. And a total of evacuation of the entire Outer Banks would cost them a million dollars per day in lost revenue. So this is a big decision that they're going to make at 6:30 tomorrow morning.

Very quickly Shannon if you can go over for us some shelters that you have some information about. That's right for those people who are evacuating tonight there are three emergency shelters set up in North Carolina. They are the twats not middle school in Wilson the Roanoke Rapids high school and Roanoke Rapids. And then the new elementary school and Rocky Mount all three of those emergency shelters opened up at 3:00 this afternoon and they are there to provide any kind of emergency service or shelter to those who may be evacuating to get out of the path of this storm. OK Shannon thank you very much for that update from the coast and they say Well North Carolina is playing a unique role in terms of relief efforts for Hurricane Bertha. The way the Red Cross coordinate such undertakings from Atlanta but because of the frenzy surrounding preparations for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Atlanta relief efforts for the U.S. Virgin Islands on the Bahamas as well as preparations for birth those expected landfall along the coast are being organized from various locations in Raleigh.

The Red Cross says right now they don't need any additional volunteers or food. But if you would like to make a cash donation you can contact your local Red Cross chapter or send the check to the American Red Cross post office box at 3 7 2 4 3 Washington D.C. 2 0 0 1 3. While residents along our coast are preparing for the possible arrival of Bertha the city of Charlotte made way for a presidential visit. President Clinton made an appearance today at the National and the convention which is currently underway in the Queen City. The president received a rousing ovation from the mostly Democratic audience. His speech took on added significance because of a decision by Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole not to win. The convention and a campaign style speech the president would end up NAACP members that more needs to be done to ease tensions between blacks and whites.

When I saw this office I did so because I wanted to get our country ready for the 21st century because I thought there were three simple things that we had to do. One is to make sure we enter the next century with the American Dream alive for everybody who's willing to work for it without regard to their race their gender their region of where they start out in life lower somewhere in the middle. Secondly I thought we had to find a way to resist these destructive winds that are blowing in so many other countries to divide people by race and religion and ethnicity and instead come together in a greater sense of community to bridge our divisions respect our diversity extol our shared values and make America stronger because of our diversity not weaker because of the end of the ACP is making voter registration a major point on its agenda for the coming year. A number of voter activity booths have been set up at the convention. And the group hopes to get one million new voters to the polls in the fall. Well there is a growing

number of black Republicans North Carolinians we spoke with at the convention were pleased with the president's message. Score a lot of points for college students. We always want to write to you and actually seemed to think it was and it could mean you focus that we have been trying to convey for the last several years and he has told us the things that he focused on and I think it helps to show us that it's going to take this kind of camaraderie from Quite to the back of our home. But I have to go before President Clinton left for Charlotte today he held a ceremony at the White House highlighting the new federal law to fight church

burnings. That legislation toughens penalties for those convicted of burning places of worship. The church arson prevention act jointly sponsored by North Carolina senator Locke fair cloth and Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts was prompted by the recent rash of arson fires striking churches across the south. The legislation increases the maximum prison sentence for church arson from 10 to 20 years and lengthens the federal statute of limitations from five to seven years. And joining me now via satellite from Washington D.C. is Senator Loch Faircloth Senator Fairclough Thanks for taking the time for this interview this evening. Brita happy to be with a this afternoon. You have a very unlikely co-sponsor for this legislation you and Senator Kennedy have very different political ideologies. What was it about this particular issue that enabled the two of you to find such common ground. Well Maria what happened on this issue was that actually I had prepared the legislation to introduce it and Senator Kennedy came and wanted to join in Certainly we were

happy to have him do so. This legislation is such a despicable type of crime and such an absolutely the worst type of crime when you go ahead think about destroying the charges that these people worship in wherever it might be white or black. So it was not a white or black issue it was the issue was it was just a terrible crime. So I was happy to join with Senator Kennedy in promoting it and as you well know we had all unanimous support in the Senate. Now you had said that the purpose of this legislation was twofold of course to prosecute the arsonists but also to Sunda message is the symbolism of this bill just as important as the substance. That is exactly right. The symbolism to send it. Message that we as American people we will not tolerate this type of activity. And that was the message we were sending the message was maybe more important than the bill that we did send that anybody with it was contemplating this type of crime.

Now clearly knows that the full weight and strength of the federal law enforcement will fall on them if they are involved in it that I had no or never had a doubt that the local law enforcement sheriff's department or policeman whatever were capable of handling it. But we wanted to nip it in the bud before it got started in a sort of copycat crime moving from state to state. Senator you had mentioned about the local law enforcement agencies investigating these crimes but your legislation also makes it easier to start up a federal investigation in regard to that. You find that particularly important I think is very important because it gives the local law enforcement if they suspect they're dealing with out of state or a moving target. That is doing the crime. Then they could very easily call in and very quickly call in the federal law enforcement authorities and have total nationwide attempt to curb the crime. And this was the main message we were sending you

can't simply pop into one state and burn a church and run back home and be immune from prosecution and this was the message we were sending That's what the bill say is. This legislation increases the jail time and it also extends the statute of limitations for this crime but it also frees up some money for the rebuilding of the churches why don't you tell me a little bit about that part of the legislation. What it does actually it does it does no budget increase it simply takes five billion dollars that is already a bit increase been allocated and it will make it available for loans. Some of the churches as we all well know. Are small often rural and often a rela isolated with not a very well the congregation. So this will enable them to get the money but they have to pay it back. We would just simply guarantee this money would be used to guarantee a Lol so that they could rebuild

the church and the congregation could get back to their normal worship and then they would have an opportunity and will have to pay it back. Your thoughts are on the individuals that are carrying out these crimes. I'm sorry I did not hear you to read it. I'm sorry sir your thoughts on the individuals that are carrying out these crimes what type of person do you think would be capable of torching a church. You know I really really don't know. I've tried to think on ark. It is such a despicable lowlife type of crime until I honestly cannot put together in my mind the picture of the type of person who would want to burn a church is just such a worthless sort of destruction of what is sacred to most of us that is the place you place it we worship. I really cannot visualize what what kind of course you were talking about. Well Senator fair caught on that note we will end it but we want to thank you very much for your

time for you taking time out of your busy day to join us this evening. Well Rita thank you for allowing us to join you and we look forward to another this. Thank you sir. Well coming up a North Carolina artist captures the beauty of the French landscape. But right now let's check in with Michel Louis who has the latest from the legislature plus the rest of today's statewide news. Good evening Mitch. Thanks Maria. Good evening everyone. The House Appropriations Committee today approved a new budget that increases state spending by nearly 300 million dollars more than their last projected plan. The new plan would increase spending for teacher pay raises. The environment and provide money to expand the governor's Smart Start program. The House GOP also set aside 230 million dollars for tax cuts. This particular bill has four items. One is a 4 percent salary increase for teachers. Money to cover increased enrollment in the schools which amounts to fifty four million dollars. Money to reduce the class size in grade 2

that cost 18 million dollars and through technology money which is 20 million dollars. The full House is expected to vote on the budget plan shortly. High tech items have become high theft items in public schools and the State Department of Public Instruction at least a dozen thefts of computer equipment have been reported at DP ice since February with losses totaling almost $50000. Why the Smith Elementary School in Durham was robbed 11 times during the 1994 95 school year. Most of the items stolen included computers TVs NBC ours but none of the thefts exceeded the deductible in the school's insurance policy. So the school system lost thousands of dollars. The state correction officials say they are standing by their decision to award a construction contract and agreement with a Kentucky company was struck to build North Carolina's first private prisons. But now two former executives of the company face prison themselves. Corrections secretary Franklin

Freeman says company officials convinced him they had cleaned up their act. United States corrections company offered to build the two prisons for 140 million dollars. Thirty million dollars less than the second lowest bidder and 60 million less than the third lowest. The Environmental Protection Agency a North Carolina State University are disagreeing about what to do about a hazardous waste site. The land in question is near Carter friendly stadium. The EPA wants to extract tainted water from the area. But NC State officials would prefer to study the site and hope the contamination degrades over time. The West Raleigh waste site became tainted after barrels of chemicals were dumped there in the 1970s. Now for a look at tomorrow's weather. Hurricane Bertha continues to stir causing milder temperatures and wet conditions across the state. Temperatures are expected to be in the lower to mid 80s across the state. It will be windy and rainy along the coast with a good chance of thunderstorms moving inland the chance of rain decreases. And from the triangle westward conditions improve expect variably cloudy to partly sunny

skies. In business news the man known as the catalyst for making Duke Power Company one of the best utilities in the country is dead. Bill Leach chairman emeritus of Duke Power Company died today in New York. While traveling on business. Lee was 67 for four decades Lee was an executive with Duke Power and was known worldwide as one of the leading authorities and chief proponents for nuclear power. And at the legislature today lawmakers honored mistily by renaming their business incentives measure after him. And now here's a look at what happened on Wall Street today. Two of USA TV's nationally distributed shows the would write shop in lap

quilting. Recently in France they met a fellow North Carolinian Elsie popgun from Winston-Salem. Producer Bill Hanna brings us the story narrated by Shannon victory. In Leone France and thus trailing commercial center for Southern France but also the home of some wonderful gardens. It was in La Boheme zone that we found Winston Salem artists. Pop can come in France yes in a beautiful garden called Love on maze on which I read about in a book of call the secret gardens of France that I found in Rainbow newsstand and my son is in France I've got this. My middle kid is a wonderful son for me because he travels and he's just finishing law school at USC Chapel Hill and for his final semester he is an exchange student at the University of Wyoming and the the law school there. And I thought it was a mother's duty

to come make sure he's eating well. So this is my second time to see him first I was just eating this time is just painting the house he works in pastels. A very difficult medium. She was given her first set at age 14 and her life has never been quite the same since. She remembers that December 1950 Gift The only when I was in ninth grade the high school art teacher for a PTA meeting ordered a whole bunch of art supplies that she samples that she had sitting out on desks and on the front desk in front of her of her desk was a box of 99 room book or pastels for 995 which is about what it cost for one stick now. And I looked at them and said that's it I've got a half of them and my parents got them for me and you know Christmas afternoon I just started drawing the little kid next door and I never stop with the pastels until I got to college and then it wasn't a thing to do for about 20 years ago.

I started again because I went to a life class at arts and crafts and Winston-Salem and about the third week I said I want to wear the Pastels are. And since I never throw anything out I found them in the attic and started and I realize that is my medium and I don't even bother with anything else. Has downs are one of the most difficult mediums. To work with because once you put that stroke on the paper that is it. And it is and it's legs. It's a very difficult medium but it's a very very effective one. And there are many artists who won't touch pass down with a ten foot pole but with Alcee it's her favorite. This is her only medium now paints what everyone wants. Beautiful garden beautiful beach scenes. Everybody likes to have that kind of thing in their home she says paints life and she sees it. It's vibrant and it's bright and it's happy and fun. She's a very talented artist and artist really

has to be driven to be an artist. So Elsie does it because she's driven to do it but as most artists are but the reason that she's successful is is because people are attracted to her work. They like it and they they buy it. Her work is not what I think of as overly expensive. It's still very affordable and it's collectible. Elsie started by doing portraits. The new people started noticing the landscape seen through the windows and she was invited to enter a landscape show in Greensboro. Elsie soon discovered she loved doing landscapes and she has never gone back to drawing figures. All the years that I was doing figures I you know I sort of breakeven and now that I'm doing landscapes I break even at a much higher level because I can go on. You know it's I go on all these wonderful trips and it cannot be a better life than

I have I stand in these beautiful gardens around the world. Everybody's really nice to allow me to come in and then I paint travel I deduct my life and I just have a wonderful wonderful time when I go home to a very understanding husband and the kids are very cooperative because they all went away to live in places that are good to visit. Boy she certainly has a personality that is as bright and vivid as her artwork. Well she came home from Winston-Salem briefly and now she's off again this time to New York for more painting. Well thank you for tuning into tonight's edition of North Carolina now on tomorrow's program we'll

continue to keep an eye on Hurricane Bertha. In the meantime if you live at the coast please be careful and follow the instructions of your local law enforcement officials and emergency management teams. We'll see you tomorrow for another edition of North Carolina now. Good night as they say.