| Superintendent Gary Newkirk served three years in the U.S. Army before starting work at what was then, Umstead Youth Center where he was a rehabilitation counselor. Coming from a small town, Spring Hope, Newkirk said there wasn’t much to do but play in the yard and go to movies. In those days, there were lots of Westerns playing, and that’s what began his fascination with B-grade Western movies. In 1984, he attended the National Western Film Festival in Raleigh and met his favorite movie star, Lash LaRue. Here he holds an autographed photo of La Rue. Ever since then, he has been attending monthly meetings of the Western Film Preservation Society in Raleigh. His license tag on his black Mustang Cobra bears his passion, "Lash-44." (1944 is Newkirk’s birth year ). |  |