news-record.com

75 years ago
From Greensboro Daily News, Jan. 23-29, 1936
William Steadman Lamm and Robert Bryan Earles, trading as Lamm’s Department Store in Stoneville and Spray, have petitioned for bankruptcy protection in U.S. District Court in Greensboro.

They declare their assets to be $3,817 and their liabilities $5,292. Each petitioner claimed a personal property exemption of $500.

Their petition will be heard by Judge Johnson J. Hayes.
 
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A Superior Court grand jury returned a true bill of first-degree murder against Ray Goodson of Williamsburg township in the shooting death of Fred Hall.

Goodson, a farmer, is accused of shooting Hall, also a farmer, after catching him in a compromising position with Mrs. Goodson.

He told Deputy Blalock Robinson that Hall had broken up his marriage and ignored an order to stay away from Mrs. Goodson.
 
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Reuben W. Mitchell and two passengers in his truck escaped injury when Mitchell’s truck was struck by a Southern Railway passenger train at the Gilmer Street crossing in Reidsville.

Mitchell said he turned into Gilmer Street with the intention of stopping for the train but his brakes failed.
 
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N. F. Hall was elected president of the law enforcement league formed at Stoneville, after attendees at a meeting heard Judge Lane of Leaksville explain the purpose of citizen organizations being created statewide as an aid to law enforcement.
 
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The Reidsville tobacco market was closed Tuesday because buyers for Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain were ordered not to take part in sales that day as a measure of respect for King George V, whose funeral was held that day.
 
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Groceries: Peanut butter, two 8-ounce jars, 19 cents.

 
50 years ago
From Greensboro Daily News, Jan. 23-29, 1961
The Rockingham County Fine Arts Festival Association has mailed brochures announcing that its 17th annual fine arts contest will be held beginning May 5 at Franklin Street School in Reidsville.

Awards will be presented that night in the Reidsville High School auditorium.

Pilot Club International of Reidsville is sponsoring this year’s festival.

Noon Friday, March 24, is the deadline for most entries, but later deadlines of April 13 and April 14 have been set for ceramics, paintings and sculpture.

The displays will be open to the public at special hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 5-7.
 
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Paul Hastings, a longtime member of the Reidsville school board, has resigned after moving to the county. He has been replaced by J.B. Balsley Jr.

Balsley is general manager of Reidsville Grocery Co. wholesalers and is a trustee of Annie Penn Memorial Hospital.
 
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Southern Bell paid $21,000 in taxes to Reidsville and Rockingham County for 1960, according to Claude W. Davis, Bell’s local manager. The city tax was $8,456 and the county total came to $12,764.
 
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Raleigh Dingman, principal of North East Junior High School in High Point, was featured speaker at the annual DSA-Bosses Night Dinner of the Tri-City Junior Chamber of Commerce at Meadow Greens Country Club.
 
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Groceries: Margarine, pound 18 cents.

25 years ago
From Greensboro News & Record, Jan. 23-29, 1986
Bea Mansfield is on a campaign to bring more bluebirds to Rockingham County, and so far, she is having some success at it.

“They’re so pretty,” said Mansfield, 44, who lives near Reidsville. “The color is true blue, and they’re a very nice little bird. They’re not mean or nasty.”

According to some estimates, the bluebird population declined by 90 percent from 1936 to 1976. DDT killed many of the birds. The population also declined because nesting places were lost when wooden fence posts were replaced by metal posts, dead trees were more often removed for beautification, and cities moved into open areas formerly occupied by the birds.

But now they’re making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of people like Mansfield.

Recently she got 10 boxes from the Guilford County Bluebird Committee and persuaded the owners of Wolf Creek Golf Club to put up eight. She put the other two into the gardens of her neighbors.

Over Christmas vacation, when her husband Bill was free from teaching at Rockingham Community College, the two of them cut out 100 bird boxes from wood. Their son, Mike, drilled out the entrance holes.

Now half the boxes are gone and the rest are in the garage awaiting shipment as she meets more people and persuades them to join in the movement.
 
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Thurman Hampton, an Eden lawyer, filed for district attorney for Rockingham and Caswell counties.

A former assistant D.A., he will seek the Democratic nomination for the post being given up by Phillip W. Allen.

Allen will run for a newly created District Court judgeship.
 
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Wes Howell had a trailer filled with office and home furniture, walnut boards and woodworking tools but didn’t have a driver to take it to Wilmington.

Then when he finally hired a driver, he found to his dismay he no longer had a trailer.

A thief or thieves had apparently backed into an open lot on Bridge Street where the trailer was parked, hitched up to it and drove off.

Howell is considering offering a reward for the silver 1973 Fruehauf trailer. Meanwhile, police are investigating the theft.
 
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Retired RCC President Gerald B. James will lead the 1986 fundraising campaign of the RCC Foundation, a private nonprofit corporation.

Funds raised will be used to purchase equipment, provide financial aid and establish an endowment for unforeseen needs.
 
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A Friday night of basketball resulted in three losses for Rockingham County teams against Guilford teams: Grimsley 56, Reidsville 52; Northeast Guilford 69, Madison-Mayodan 63; Southern Guilford 73, Rockingham County, 60.
 
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Groceries: Peanut butter, 18 oz. $1.29.

10 years ago
From Greensboro News & Record, Jan. 23-29, 2001
Reidsville Mayor Jay Donecker has resigned from the Reidsville Veterinary Hospital after a 14-year partnership with the hospital, but he said he doesn’t plan to leave the area.

He said his resignation ended a strained relationship with his six veterinary partners that began to unravel several years ago.

“It’s just like a divorce,” he said. “It has been developing for a while now. We just had irreconcilable differences.”

Other doctors at the hospital declined to comment except for majority owner Joe Kinnarney, who called it “a private personal matter. I’d assume it would stay that way.”

Donecker said he is looking at another job and said he is “exploring all options,” not just veterinary work.
 
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Some residents in the area complained to the county school board about a water tower proposed to go up near a southwest Rockingham County school.

They contend it would be unsightly and would be used to attract industry to the area made up mostly of homes.

While school board members agreed they didn’t want the tower next to the school, they said a tower is needed to provide water pressure for the school and for fire protection.

Meanwhile, they promised to look at some possible alternatives, such as placing it farther back on school property or off school land.
 
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Chinqua Penn Plantation officials have laid off two employees.

Officials are cutting expenses as they struggle to keep the landmark open.

Let go were marketing director Catherine Garrison and administrative assistant Carol Patterson.
 
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The Eden City Council agreed to a nine-month option on buying 411 acres off Harrington Highway and N.C. 135 for a proposed industrial park.

The council approved the option by a 5-2 vote, with the option allowing the city to make environmental studies of the land before committing to buy it.
 
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Clarence Martin scored 30 points and Reidsville High hit 29 of 32 free throws to claim a 80-72 victory over McMichael in a basketball game played at McMichael.