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PROPOSED HE WES SQUARE W.J.P. Earnhardt, Jr., and
Bernard Burroughs showed the site {dan for their proposed
Hewes Square-Shopping Center at Tuesday night’s Town Council
meeting where a public hearing was held on a request to rezone
lipTHE C1 AN 11 -El TjD
Volume XUV.—No. 19. Edenton, North Care. A <<l'S> }rsday, May 11, 1978. Single Copies 15 Cents
No Raid Stopper
Gov. James B.‘ Hunt, Jr„ made
his first post election jaunt
through Northeastern North
Carolina last '"Thursday. All
reports are that it was a successful
mission* Had he been able to stop
the rain it could be tabled “super”.
Mayor Bill Cox of Hertford said
the area is glad that he is not only
“our governor, but our friend.”
Wayne Ashley, president of the
Albemarle Area Development
Association, said he was glad Gov.
Hunt could find his way back to his
most fertile political ground.
In the past we have been critical
of the chief executive surrounding
himself by assistants who tell him
only what he wants to hear. If that
is the case, he took a page from his
own book by telling the people in
the Albemarle Area what they
want most to hear.
There has been talk about im
provements to U.S. 17 and 158
from at least four governors. Gov.
• H W*
action, which is welcomed.
There has ;been talk about
special emphasis on economic
development in the rural reaches
of this state frotn at least the same
four governors. Gov. Hunt is
putting the words into action
through special teams within the
Department of Commerce. This,
too, is welcomed.
There has been talk about the
reservoir of leadership in North
eastern North Carolina from the
same governors. Gov. Hunt is
putting the words into action
through involvement of these
leaders on boards and com
missions where critical decisions
are made. This also is more than
campaign rhetoric.
Gov. Hunt was speaking to a
friendly audience and the meeting
was reported by a friendly press.
He appeared to be more relaxed
than our last occasion to be in his
presence.
One can always be more relaxed
and candid in the Albemarle Area
• than in Raleigh. So, we guess Gov.
Hunt is human even to the point of
not being able to stop the rain.
Valuable Addition
They are putting the big pot in
the little one, so to speak, out at
Chowan Hospital in observance of
National Hospital week along the
Public Parade. It got off to a good
start Sunday with dedication of a
spacious inservice education
annex.
The annex has been a long time
in coming but it is worth the
waiting.
In addition to a bright, cheerful,
space for training, the annex gives
the hospital a new medical records
department, new quarters for the
medtcai staff , a new emergency
roitm entrance, and expanded
paritinff space fOr the emergency
raom. < \
Construction of the annex began
in August, 1778. after a complex
CHU* 0. Pw 4
BLOODMOBILE HERE MONDAY AT EDENTON BAPTIST CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL
12 NOON’TIL 6P. M. QUOTA—ISO
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Columbia Mayor, Others
Facing Fraud Charges
HERTFORD —The Mayor of
Columbia, his son and two other
Edenton Negroes were indicted
Monday by the Perquimans
County Grand Jury on charges
growing out what has been
described as “a well organized
fraud scheme” involving in
surance.
Dist. Atiy. Tom Watts an
nounced from his office in
w \ •*»^BJ
Bob Jordan
Jordan Winner
By Murray L. Goodwin
Agricultural Ext. Agent
Bob Jordan, a member of
Ryland Senior 4-H Club, has been
declared state winner in 4-H
Wildlife Project. He is one of 29 4-
H’ers who will be awarded a trip to
National 4-H Congress in
November.
Bob has been a 4-H member for
10 years and has been active in
projects, activities, and leader
ship roles.
He has taken the wildlife project
for eight years. He gave a wildlife
demonstration five years and was
district winner three times. He
visited the Edenton Fish Hatchery
and Lake Mattamuskeet Wildlife
Refuge.
Continued on Page 4
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HOSPITAL ANNEX DEDICATED—J. Gilliam Wood, chair
man of the board at Chowan Hospital, assists Mrs. Barbara Cale,
assistant director, as she cuts the traditional ribbon officially
opening the Inservice Education Annex. Looking on at the Sunday
afternoon event are Dr. Richard Hardin of Chowan Medical
Center, and Dr. Simmons Patterson, director of Eastern Area
Health Education Center in Greenville.
the site. At far left is Chowan Hospital and between the medical
facility and the cluster development is the proposed Edenton
United Methodist Church. Council took no action on this request
or another one from Tom Francis on the opposite side of U.S. 17
Elizabeth City the subsequent
arrests of George Raymond
Rowsom, 66, Railroad Street,
Columbia; George L. Rowsom, 28,
Tyler Lane, Edenton; Clarence L.
(Barney) Badham, West
Albemarle Street Extended,
Edenton; and Joseph Earl Dixon,
32,220 West Gale Street, Edenton.
Arrested in Edenton, where the
investigation began nearly 12
months ago, the men were carried
before Magistrate R.A.
Tarkington. Badham’s bond was
set at $2,000 while bond for the
remaining three was placed at
SI,OOO. The bonds are returnable in
the August Term of Perquimans
County Superior Court.
Dist. Atty. Watts who called the
operation a “well organized fraud
scheme which took advantage of
many citizens,” is continuing the
investigation and further in
dictments are expected.
Badham is charged with seven
counts.of representing. as.
an agent for various insurance
companies when in fact he was not
licensed; two counts of false
pretense; three counts of em
bezzlement; and a count of con
spiracy to commit embezzlement.
The senior Rowsom, owner of
funeral homes in Edenton and
Columbia, is charged with three
counts of aiding and abetting an
unlicensed agency; aid and abet in
false pretense; accessory after the
fact of embezzlement; and con
spiracy to commit embezzlement.
His son is charged with a single
count of conspiracy to embezzle.
Dixon faces charges on two
counts of embezzlement and a
count of conspiracy to embezzle.
The arrests were made late
Monday afternoon by Gene
Hartsell of Henderson, • in
vestigator with the Investigative
Division of the State Department
of Insurance, and Deputy Sheriff
Glenn Perry of Chowan County
Sheriff’s Department,, who has
Continued On Page 4
DISCUSS HIGHWAYS—A major statement on improvements
to U.S. 17 was made by Gov. James E. Hunt, Jr., last Thursday
during a meeting in the area. Left to right are: Wayne Ashley of
Hertford, AADA president; J. Gilliam Wood of Edenton, former
state highway commissioner and chairman of the State Board of
Natural Resources & Community Development; Joe Nowell of
Perquimans County, former highway commisioner; and Baxter
Williams of Currituck, chairman of AADA’s Highway Com
mittee.
Gov. Hunt Reveals Plans
By L.F. Am burn, Jr.
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr.,
rekindled his political base in
Northeastern North Carolina in
his first post election swing
through the area, announcing a
stepped up schedule on im
provements to U.S. 17 and 158 as
well as unveiling special plans to
boost economic development.
Speaking to an enthusiastic
audience of nearly 200 who
crowded into Angler’s Cove
Restaurant for a rare noon
meeting of the 10-county Albe
marle Area Development As
sociation, Gov. Hunt appeared
relaxed and was candid in his
remarks.
He cast aside the first portion of
his prepared text to brag about the
numerous appointments he had
made from this area to state
boards and commissions. He
endorsed creation of a special
group to boost the 400th an
niversary of the settling of the new
world at Roanoke Island in 1984.
“There is only one state that can
celebrate this and that is us,” he
said proudly.
Gov. Hunt said if “we are bold in
our thinking we can make this the
ALOA Event
NAGS HEAD-Sec. J. Phil
Carlton of the State Department of
Crime Control and Public Safety
will speak at the annual spring
dinner meeting of die Albemarle
Law & Order Association at
Seafare Restaurant here Friday
night.
Melvin E. Bunch of Edenton,
planning director for the 10-county
association, said other federal,
state and local officials are ex
pected for the popular event which
begins at 6:30 P.M.
Chief of Police W. Clarence
Owens of Elizabeth City is
president of the group and Sheriff
Troy Toppin of Chowan County is
second vice president. Mayor
Charles D. Evans of Nags Head is
first vice president and host for
the event.
Implications Discussed At Hearing
Delays Zoning Vote
Edenton Town Council has
delayed until May 30 a decision on
two petitions to rezone property
around U.S. 17 by-pass to allow
development of shopping centers.
One of the opponents in the
audience called the delay
“harrassment”.
Councilmen heard lengthy
presentations and arguments at
public hearings Tuesday night to
consider the request of Tom
Francis to rezone 12 acres at
Mexico Road from Highway
Commercial to Shopping Center,
and the request of W.J.P. Earn
hardt, Jr., and Bernard
Burroughs to rezone 10 acres on
the town side of the by-pass from
R-20 to Shopping Center.
Before the Earnhardt &
Burroughs hearing, council voted
on motion of Dr. Allen Homthal
and James P. Ricks, Jr., to delay a
biggest event ever in our state.”
Later he said he had found he
couldn’t do everyJhing just like he
would like to. “It takes a team
effort and many of you are on that
team.” he said Then he added:
“When you are critical (of how
things are being done) we won’t
think hard of you,” and that if you
go to Raleigh to see him you might
end up seeing Joe Pell, his senior
assistant, but that is the way
Continued on Page 4
RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE—GIadys Sawyer Wills is shown
at a banquet Monday night after she was recognized for 20 years
of service in Edenton-Chowan Schools. At right is Rep. Sam
Bundy of Pitt County, speaker, with Gilliam Underwood, NCAE
president, at left.
School Personnel Are Honored
A cafeteria employee at D.F.
Walker Junior High School,
Gladys Sawyer Wills, was
recognized Monday night for 20
years of service in Edenton-
Chowan Schools. The event was
held at Edenton Jaycee Com
munity Building on Base Road.
At the same time, Cecil W. Fry,
Daisy Bembry and Sandra Askew
were honored upon their
retirement from the local system.
Special recognition was given
Carolina Banks of White Oak
Elementary School, Teacher of
decision on either petition until
May 30. The motion came after
Councilmen Jesse L. Harrell and
W. Herbert Hollowell expressed
the feeling that no action should be
taken Tuesday night.
Earlier, Councilman Gil
Burroughs had questioned the
wisdom of taking action until final
determination is made on the
Earnhardt & Burroughs tract on
the south side of Virginia Road
which has been in litigation for
some time.
Mrs. Grace Griffin, a vocal
opponent to rezoning in the area,
told councilmen: “This is
harrassment. Can’t you complete
this?” Later she said, “I think it is
sad.”
Warren Twiddy, representing
Edenton Village Shopping Center
on North Broad Street, asked
councilmen to consider the
“economic situation”, saying if
they “open the gate” there will be
closed stores,
Speaking for Francis, Merrill
Evans, Jr., local attorney, said the
developer is ready to put together
a “complete shopping cen
ter..built now.” He said if they are
ready to do it then they should be
allowed to do so.
He said his client would not
object to being annexed, the same
position taken by Earnhardt.
Mayor Roy L. Harrell said the
Earnhardt & Burroughs tract had
been considered from time-to-time
for three years. Later Earnhardt
pointed out that the petitions had
been approved by the Planning
Board on five different occasions.
He said it is unfortunate that he
had become involved in “political
wars over our potential site.”
Howard Capps of Elizabeth City,
a professional planner, made a
presentation of the proposed
Hewes Square center. He said a
decision has been made for a
cluster development rather than a
strip. He called the site very at
tractive and one which would
attract further development.
Capps listed the advantages as:
provide additional revenue for
Edenton and Chowan County, in
taxes and utilities; new jobs (158);
draw additional shoppers; and
draw new housing
Clarence Shackelford
questioned what effect a new
shopping center would have on the
downtown area. He and others
expressed concern that key
Continued On Page 4
The Year locally who went on to win
District PTA honors.
During the second annual
banquet of N.C. Association of
Educators and Association of
Classroom Teachers to honor
school personnel in the system,
parent organizations were also
given citations, including the
PTA’s at five schools, the Aces
Athletic Association and Band
Parents.
Gilliam Underwood, NCAE
president, presided and in-
Continued On Page 4