McMULLAN HONORED Roy L. Harrell, c yment
Security Commission Veterans Representative is sh.wn above
displaying a certificate of appreciation presented to Phillip S.
McMullan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Edenton Cotton
Mills. McMullan, a 50-year member of the mill staff, received the
recognition in conjunction with the annual observance of National
Employ the Older Worker Week, March 12-18. Harrell stated that
the theme of the week was “Ability is Ageless”.
4
tiiill! i mH
Reality And Miracles
Our favorite publisher-legislator .
meandered along the Public
Parade a couple of days last week
and found a haven for
“rediscover(ing) reality” and
found that every day at The
Chowan Herald is a miracle.
In between he spent the better
part of the week listening to the
experts and the philosophers
across the state tell how best to
achieve utopia.
All of this gave our semi-retired
inexpensive columnist of “The
Herald Kitchen” time to catch up
on her needlepoint.
The Huskins’ have a love affair
with Edenton, and we hope we are
partially responsible. Maybe our
enthusiasm, along with charming
people and a charming com
munity—not to mention
piece of the economy”—keeps
bringing them back}
Friend Jay has always had
wheels in his head, which means
he is an innovator. He can take a
$45,000 piece of machinery and
make it function(?) better than
the factory reps. In our case,
before our new offset press was
installed several years ago he had
modified it to a point where we
could hardly run it.
Then he designed a paper
rewinding system which was so
good the manufacturer modified it
just enough to cut him out of a
patent. All this is to say his talents
go beyond the typewriter and
gusto of the General Assembly.
Last Wednesday was the first
time in 13 years he had appeared
on the scene on press day. He was
so anxious to help our press crew
that it was 7:30 P.M. before we got
the paper out. (One of the
miracles!)
The day before, we were out of
town on business, a day when a
bulk of the local news arrives,
especially from another inex
pensive correspondent who does
“Chalk Dust” and other mess as a
labor of love. There had so much
happened on the school scene a lot
of it cfidn’t make print and appears
this week.
The first thing we heard
Thursday morning was from
Clyde Slade, \yho must cope with
Jay and Mary Rhea Gardner.
“Please don't go out of town again
on Tuesday and ask Jay to never
come again on Wednesday,” he
said.
And if that isn’t discovering
reality while asking fqr a miracle,
there is no “ye ole towne on Queen
Anne’s Creek.”
King James II?
The Hint Administration is now
in its 14th month and is already
gearing up for a second bold with
the General Assembly. If the
legislative boty is as generous in
May as it was in the last session
North Carolina will truly have
seen the emergence of a political
King Janup 11.
King James I (Holshouser) had
a honeymoon with his first
General Assembly, primarily
• :
False Information
Is Costly Mistake
A Perquimans County man
convicted of giving false in
formation to The Employment
Security Commission had his
suspended sentence invoked
Tuesday morning in Chowan
County District Court.
Arthur B. Harrison, 20-year-old
Negro, 302 Stokes Drive, Hertford,
was charged with nine counts.
However, Judge Beaman stayed
execution of the sentence on the
condition that Harrison pay SB2O
by May.
In other cases called by Asst.
Dist. Atty. Larry Overton the
following action was taken:
Mary Gilliam Daniels, larceny
and forgery, first appearance with
probable cause set for March 28.
Joseph Ernest Byrne, improper
registration and no liability in
surance, $75 fine and costs.
Joe Johnson, reckless driving
and failure to report an accident,
$75 fine and costs.
Elsie Lonella Jones, no liability
insurance, dismissed.
Willie McCoy Rankins, no
liability insurance, S6O fine and
costs. Notice of appeal entered.
Ralph Wayne Smith, traffic
violation, dismissed.
William Thomas Forehand,
speeding, called and failed.
Joseph Dwight Fuquay,
abandonment and non-support of
wife and child, not guilty.
Willie Joseph Leary, drunk
Continued On Page 4
Scout Troop Revitalized
It now appears that the oldest
troop in the Tidewater Council of
Boy Scouts of America, em
bracing Southeast Virginia and
Northeast North Carolina will live.
At a meeting held by the
Edenton Rotary Club Scouting
Qommittee, which sponsors the
troop, George Holmes, Jr., a
former Eagle Scout and member
of the Blue Heron Lodge of Order
of the Arrow, pledged his services
as Scoutmaster for Troop 156 for
the coming year.
Another former Eagle Scout and
member of the coveted Order of
the Arrow secret Association of
Scouts, Lyle Hunnicutt pledged his
services as an assistant Scout-
UNDERGROUND WIRING Workmen with the Town of
Edenton Electric and Water Department are in the process of
installing underground wiring along the waterfront extending
down Edenton Bay from the corner of Water and Broad streets to
the park area near die Masonic Temple. Existing wiring will be
removed upon completion of the project, reported W.B. Gardner,
Zoning Issue To Face Public Hearing
A petition to rezone a parcel of
land north of U.S. 17 by-pass from
Highway Commercial to Shopping
Center will come to a public
hearing in May but Town Council
is not expected to act upon the
application until a later date.
The petition is from Thomas
Francis who attempted recently to
obtain a special use permit under
the Highway Commercial
classification to provide shops. He
later filed the application for a
Shopping Center classification and
requested that a public hearing be
held in April.
Councilman Gil Burroughs has
stated previously that he favored
THE CHOWAN HERALD
Volume XLIV.-No. 11 Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, March 16, 1978 Single Copies 15 Cents
Robertson
Is Promoted
RALEIGH The Bank of North
Carolina, N.A., has named
William L. (Larry) Robertson,
vice president of its Edenton of
fices, it was announced by Charles
F. Merrill, executive vice
president.
Robertson joined BNC in 1976 as
assistant vice president and city ;
executive in the Edenton branch. ’
Active in civic affairs, he is a
member of the Rotary Club, the
Jaycees, and has been elected vice
chairman of Historic Edenton,
Inc. He is a graduate of Campbell
College and the Carolina School of
Banking at Chapel Hill.
He and his wife, the former
Sharon Jordan of Garner, have
two sons, Jared and Wes. They
reside on Country Club Drive.
Larry Robertson
master, as did Tom Phillips and
W. Holt Shaw.
Joe Cannon, scout executive for
the area attended the meeting and
an organizational meeting was
scheduled to be held at the Boy
Scout Hut on North Broad Street at
7:30 P.M. March 22. The purpose
of the meeting is to enlist boys of
the age of 11 years and older as
members of the troop. Those
wishing to enlist as members of
Troop 156 should be accompanied
by a parent or guardian.
Notices of the meeting will be
distributed throughout the
Edenton grammer and junior high
schools during the coming week.
taking no action at the public
hearing but allowing time for
councilmen to react to what the
public has to say.
Councilman Allen Homthal said
he felt the hearing should be at the
regular designated times as set
out in the Zoning Ordinance,
unless it was a matter where there
was no opposition
Town Attorney W.J.P. Earn
hardt, Jr., who also has rezoning
requests in the hopper, advised the
council that unless the ordinance
is amended such hearings should
not be held at times other than
specified. He did say the or
dinance did not require council to
WHERE STREET WILL BE EXTENDED The extension of
Coke Avenue to Highway 32 will begin as soon as the weather
permits. W.B. Gardner, town administrator, reported to Town
Council Tuesday night that the work will be completed by the
Department of Transportation at no cost to the town. Also, DOT
has agreed to extend Freemason Street to intersect with Coke
Avenue at a cost of $7,200.
Civil Court Session Is Held
Judge James M. Long of Yan
ceyville presided over a civil
session of Chowan County
Superior Court here this week but
no jury trials were conducted.
Settlement was reached in the
case where Gerald E. Stephens
and others had brought suit
against Sheriff Troy Toppin and
Postponed Meet
The regular board meeting of
Albemarle Regional Planning &
Development Commission has
been postponed from March 16 to
March 23, due to county
Democratic Party Precinct
meetings.
Riley S. Monds, Jr., chairman,
said the meeting will begin at 6:30
P.M. at Mrs. Boswell’s
Restaurant in Edenton.
Monds said this will be an im
portant meeting at which time by
law revisions will be discussed.
Action Is Taken
Action was taken I'uesday night
to further improve the appearance
of Edenton Municipal Airport. An
updated Airport Layout Plan was
approved by Edenton Town
Council which calls for removal of
the old hanger building.
The resolution, as adopted
without opposition, calls for
erection of 10 “T” hangers as
money becomes available.
Also, the resolution authorized
the trading of two parcels of land.
W.B. Gardner, town ad
ministrator, said it appeared that
the Airport Commission would
have adequate funds to go ahead
with the capital project.
Questioned by Councilman Jesse
L. Harrell about operating funds
once the reserve is spent, the
administrator said it is possible
that the town and council will have
to budget some small amount in
the next few years.
Councilman W.H. Hollowell said
the airport is a definite asset to the
community and thus far the town
and county have been fortunate
not to have to spend large sums at
the facility.
act at any particular time.
This prompted Council Jesse L.
Harrell to recommend that council
not get tied up in another legal
battle.
Earnhardt and an associate
Tuesday filed an application for
rezoning nearby property which
will probably also be held in May.
W.B. Gardner, town ad
ministrator, said bids for utility
work in the Community
Development project were some
$33,000 less than the earlier bids.
The low bids, including alternates,
were awarded.
Council also called for a public
hearing to allow a child day center
others. The order had not been
signed Wednesday morning.
Following a hearing Monday,
the judge denied the rein
statement of driver’s license for
James Arthuf Pruitt. His license
had been revoked because he
refused to take a breathalyzer
test.
W.T. Culpepper, 111, attorney
for the Creswell motorist, argued
that his client had a memory lapse
and was unaware of discussions
with law enforcement officers at
Chowan Hospital following an
accident.
An attorney for the state
countered with a statement that
action by Pruitt showed a willful
refusal. She expressed fear that if
the defense motion was allowed it
could set a precedent for other
drivers seeking return of their
license on the claim of lapse of
memory.
The case of C.H. Small against
Bristoe Perry, etux, was settled
out of court.
No action had been taken
Wednesday morning in the case
brought by M.P. Sexton against
the Edenton Board of Adjustment.
Andrew S. Martin and Herman
Wolff, attorneys, were not allowed
by Judge Long to be relieved as
parties in a suit brought by Forest
Products, Inc., against Townson
Pallets, Inc., and others.
There had been no action taken
Wednesday in the case of Ella H.
Wilson, etux, E.R. Wilson against
J. Wallace Goodwin, Sr., and
others.
Holy Week Services Slated
Ministers of several churches in
Edenton have announced Union
Pre-Easter Services which will be
held this year in St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church, corner of North
Broad and West Church Streets,
from 12-noon until 12:30 P.M. each
day beginning March 20.
In addition to meditations on the
Seven Last Words of Christ, each
church will present special music.
The ministers conducting
services this year will be:
Monday Rev. U.A. Spence of
at the comer of Court and Queen
streets an to consider changes in
the text of the Zoning Ordinance.
The hearings will be held April 11.
Upon recommendation of Fire
Chief Luther C. Parks steps were
taken to establish fire zones in
Edenton.
No action was taken on a request
of Roy Spruill to lease right-of-way
of Fourth Street.
Developers File
Zoning Petition
Another in a series of attempts
to get property adjacent to U.S. 17
by-pass rezoned for a shopping
center was taken Tuesday when
Bernard P. Burroughs and Wiley
J.P. Earnhardt, Jr., developers,
filed a petition with the Zoning
Administrator.
The property is on the west side
of Highway 32, just north of
Chowan Hospital and consists of 10
acres. The property is classified
as R-20 (residential-agricultural).
In the past the Town of Edenton
Planning Board has approved the
re-zoning but Town Council has
refused to go along with the
recommendation.
This is part of the Ward
Property which has been involved
in litigation, with the N.C. Court of
Appeals reversing an opinion by
Superior Court Judge Elbert Peel.
Recently, upon petition of the
developers, 10 acres on the east
side of the highway was rezoned
Highway Commercial.
The application is based upon
“the Comprehensive Land
Development Plan of the Town ol
Edenton...dated May, 1968." Also,
upon the Chowan County-Edenton
Land-use plan adopted May 11.
1976, and upon the grounds that the
construction and opening of the
by-pass “has substantially
changed the character and best
use of land in the immediate
vicinity of the intersection of the
by>pass>
“...that the most beneficial
use...has not been changed from
farming to shopping center nr
other commercial use."
The application states that
construction would begin within
one year from the date the petition
is granted.
It is expected that a public
hearing on the application will he
held in May, one of the four times
annually the town can legally
consider such petitions.
Democrats Set
Precinct Meetings
Democrats from throughout
Chowan County will gather at
their respective polling places at 8
P.M. today (Thursday) for
precinct meetings. Similar
meetings are being held at the
same time throughout North
Carolina.
J. Clarence Leary, Jr., county
chairman, said the purpose of the
meeting is to elect delegates to the
county convention; fill any
vacancies that exist among
precinct officers and committee
members and discuss the Precinct
Action Now Program.
Also, plans will be made for
voter registration, delegate,
selection and affirmative action
plan for 1978 national conference
and plan of organization revisions
In the event a quorum is not
present at the first date set for the
meeting, there will be a second
meeting on March 23 at the same
time and place.
The county convention will be
held at 12-noon on April 29.
Kadesh A.M.E. Zion Church.
Tuesday— Rev. Willard Lampe
of First Presbyterian Church.
Wednesday Dr. Robert Gray,
of Edenton Baptist Church.
Thursday James Fenner of
Providence Baptist Church.
Friday Rev. Richard
Blankenhorn of lenton United
Methodist Church.
The public is cordially invited
attend these services a.-, we
prepare together for the joyous
celebration of Blaster.