THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512170044
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Events surrounding the 92nd anniversary of the Wright Brothers first powered flight will go off today as scheduled, despite some turbulence Saturday caused by the partial shutdown of the federal government.
But thanks to some 11th-hour negotiations between Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Russell Berry and the Department of the Interior, the Wright Brothers National Memorial will remain open until 2 p.m. today to accommodate the observance.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday morning, Berry received word that the park could reman open. Originally, government directives would have required the Wright Memorial to close at noon Saturday, forcing the First Flight Celebration to be moved to the nearby First Flight Middle School.
But in part because of actions almost 3,000 miles away, the park will remain open for the ceremonies. Had the park closed, it would have marked the first time in 68 years that the remembrance would have been held away from Kill Devil Hill, the site of the Wrights' historic achievement.
``We learned this morning through a news report that the governor of Arizona had asked Secretary of the Interior (Bruce) Babbitt to allow the Grand Canyon National Park to remain open, if the state provided the funds,'' Berry said. ``With that precedent, we contacted our field office in Atlanta, and asked that we remain open through the ceremonies.''
Berry said it is not yet clear who will pay for the workers who will remain on the job through Sunday's events. However the amount of money needed, Berry said, is small.
``It's going to be worked out,'' Berry said. ``But the amount of funding is negligible. We will only have to pay four to six employees for their work until the park closes at 2.''
Following an earlier government closure, furloughed employees were paid back salary for time missed during the shutdown.
The National Park Service Field Office in Atlanta informed Berry of the good news shortly before 11 a.m. About an hour earlier, Berry had told members of North Carolina's First Flight Centennial Commission that the park would have to be closed, and the ceremonies moved.
Commission Chairman Melvin Daniels Jr. was delighted at the news. An hour earlier, Daniels had blasted Congress and the President for what he called ``political gamesmanship.''
``I guess I was a little hasty in my comments,'' Daniels said. ``But two things have come out of this. First, we owe a great debt to the people of Arizona, who had the foresight to try to keep their park open. The second is that we can't say enough about what Russell Berry did to keep the Memorial open. I think he will go down as one of our great superintendents.''
State and local officials, along with event organizers breathed a collective sigh of relief with the news that the park would remain open today. Will Pentl, North Carolina's Director of Aviation, said that under the temporary provision to keep the park open, no state funds will be needed. However, he said the state was prepared to do whatever was needed to open the Wright Memorial for today's events.
Plentl spent much of the morning on the phone to Gov. James B. Hunt's office working on possible contingency plans if the park was shut down.
Al Jones, executive director of the First Flight Society, said the 2 p.m. closure will have some effect on today's activities. The highlight of today's ceremonies will be the induction of Francis and Gertrude Rogallo of Hampton into the First Flight Shrine.
The Rogallos invented the flexible wing, which led to an explosion in the popularity of kite flying, hang gliding and ultralite aircraft.
A planned activity for children following the ceremonies has been canceled.
Jones said organizers had prepared for the possible closing of the park. Municipal officials in Kill Devil Hills were also ready to provide security and traffic control if the celebration had been moved.
``I had contacted Dr. Sandy Brooks over at First Flight Middle School,'' Jones said. ``We were ready. But there was a real concern over whether we were going to have enough chairs. Thank God we were able to work something out. We got a Christmas present from Arizona.''
``There was concern and apprehension as far as what needed to be done,'' Plentl said. ``We're pleased and the governor's office is very pleased that the Park Service was able to work something out.''
Plentl added, ``This is an event that's larger than North Carolina or the United States. This is a world-class event.''
Ceremonies at the Wright Memorial begin at 9:30 this morning. ILLUSTRATION: Above: DREW C. WILSON/
The Virginian-Pilot; Below: JOHN T. DANIELS
Using a flashlight, Michael Edwards, from Institute Astronautics and
Aeronautics, makes adjustments on the replica of the 1903 Wright
Flyer in preparation for the anniversary of the first powered flight
to be held today at Kill Devil Hills.
Photo
On this day 92 years ago. . . The Wright flyer, piloted by Orville
Wright, lifts off with brother Wilbur walking alongside.
by CNB