iff
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The Gap
Tiie Wanchese Seafood In
dustrial Park down in Dare
County is rapidly moving from die
drawing board. It should be a
reality in the not too distant
future. Coupled with this project is
a 150-million {dan to stabilize
Oregon Inlet with a channel of 19
feet in depth.
Natives in the area are
somewhat apprehensive about all
the goings on. Some are outright
opposed to the local-state-federal
project which will boost the area’s
ability to handle large quantities
of goods from the sea.
Naturally it will change the way
of life in the sleepy village.
Anything that brings in an in
dustry with a 500 person payroll is
going to have spin offs which
might be offensive to some.
Nevertheless, once the dirty work
of construction and the costly
start-up is completed, this project
could well be the salvation of the
Dare County fishing industry.
One never makes progress by
adhereing to the status quo. LitUe
progress is made at moving ahead
just to cover inflation. It takes
giant steps to get a piece of the
real action.
With the Chowan River algae
mess crippling the fishing industry
along the Public Parade, just
think what our economy would be
like if a few years ago diver
sification in the form of hog
production had not been started.
Frightening, isn’t it? The Wan
chese Seafood Industrial Park
might be considered in a few years
to have made similar impact on
the Dare coast.
Among those who are en
thusiastic about the prospects is
Jim Ruble. He fishes for sword
fish, something unheard of just a
few years ago.
C. A. Phillips, who meanders
along the Public Parade in the
capacity as president of Edenton
Cotton Mill, Inc., and chairman of
Chowan County commissioners, is
chairman of the Wanchese Harbor
Commission. He took u&On a field
trip last Saturday, along with J. D.
Peele of Peele Brothers Fishery
and Sheriff Troy Toppin.
Walking past the “Darana R”,
at the dock, Mr. Peele asked a
deck hand if he knew Phil Ruble,
whom he had met on a trip to
Seattle, Wash., a few years ago.
He learned that Mr. Ruhle’s son,
Jim, owned the boat.
In a few minutes the younger
Ruble introduced himself and told
us about swordfishing. On an
eight-day trip his boat had landed
a total of 19,000 pounds of fish
-11,000 pounds being swordfish. The
swordfish was sold on the New
York market for $2.50 per pound.
Only one species of shark is
marketable but his boat landed
8,000 pounds which sold for a much
lesser figure.
The rider Ruhle, former skipper
of the Tar Heel research vessel,
“Dan Moore”, developed the long
line method of fishing for sword
fish. His son usually fishes a 28-
mile line baited with Boston
mackerel. On an average outing
the boat will use $3,000 worth of
bait.
Fixed overhead of the boat alone
is S2OO per day and once the
dressed fish are back at the dock
Mr. Ruhle must pay the freight
back to the New York market.
As the cost of fishing increases it
is not likely that the price con
sumers are willing to pay will
increase in direct proportion. Hie
Rubles are looking for a better
way and the seafood industrial
Continued On Page 4
Rate Ceiling Is Requested
Bml Mehta R. Daniels, Jr.. D.. First Senatorial District, Friday filed
Senate Bill M» cattag far a ntiUty rate celling for North Carolina.
Sea. DuMi' MU wwrii establish that electric utility rates for coo
wm whs are wpyllii with ilcctrkity by fatter wffcs serring
Nortk CaroUaa shall be aa more than 5 per cent above the average rates
for afl Nortk Carolina electric atUttleo.
11m MU states that the PaMk Utilities roiamMshm «*■» calculate
isaasiy the average rates charge* by the smaß-area MUMy companies
aotsacee* by aMre than 5 per cent the rates of the major suppliers
Sea. Daniels stated that there Is grave concern by the consumers in
many areas of the state where riaipsalM an <harfh| rates that are
T. ljSn-MrSr^r l -- or Interview. caU Raleigh (tit) 73J-SBB2.
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CAR HITS POLE —A1968 Chevrolet was heavily damaged last
Friday morning when it struck a telephone pole at the in
tersection of U.S. 17 and Highway 37. The driver, Mary Perry,
Route 1, Hertford, was not seriously injuried. She was taken to
Chowan Hospital for emergency treatment. State Trooper P. J.
Mitchell investigated the 7:55 A.M. mishap.
THF fHOWAN HFR AT n
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Volume XLV.-No. 20
Vepco Rate Hearings'
Concluded In Raleigh
Hearings concluded Friday in
Raleigh before the N. C. Utilities
Commission in its review of Vepco
operations and rates.
Portions of testimony during the
last two days of hearings were
directed at the state of economic
expansion in Vepco’s North
eastern North Carolina service
area.
Electric rates were said to be
only one of many factors affecting
industry decisions on site location
and expansion, according to a
report submitted by the executive
director of the Economic
Development Divisions of the
N. C. Department of Commerce.
In addition, the affect of electric
rates was often an “insignificant”
factor in these decisions among
non-energy intensive industry,
according to the report.
Prepared at the Utilities
Commission’s request, the report
discussed the impact of
Vepco rates upon economic
development in the company’s
service area.
It has been argued that the area
had a record of depressed in
dustrial development. In rebutting
this contention, the report stated,
“In actuality, on a per capita and
percentage basis, this area is
doing relatively well” with regard
to industry investment.
According to the department’s
records; from 1972 to 1977, the
state as a whole had a $951 in
vestment per person in new and
expanding industry. The Vepco
service area had a higher per
capita investment of $1,390.
The report concluded, “Using
“Herring Run”
Set Saturday
A recent piece in the New York
Times noted that on May 6,1954 -
25 years ago this month - Roger
Bannister, an English medical
student, became the first person to
run a mile in under four minutes.
It was one of history’s great sports
these indicators, it would appear
that the area, as a whole, has not
experienced that bad a record in
investment performance.”
Employment and industry have
been substantial growth in recent
years according to state Bureau of
Employment Security figures
submitted by Tom Jarvis, former
vice president of Vepco’s North
Carolina operations.
“Manufacturing employment
has grown three times faster in
our service area than the state as
a whole. Job opportunities have
increased with the influx of 36 new
industries and expansion of
others,” he said.
The Friday proceedings con
cluded two weeks of formal
hearings in Raleigh where the
Public Staff presented six expert
witnesses and Vepco presented
eight to argue their respective
cases.
Previously, a series of hearings
were held in Ahoskie, Elizabeth
City, Williamston and Roanoke
Rapids where statements were
taken from approximately fifty
members of the general public on
the matter.
Final legal briefs will be sub
mitted by the parties involved by
the first of July. The commission
will report its findings sometime
thereafter.
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SPRING BANQUET AT NAGS HEAD Edenton and Chowan
County was well represented at the spring banquet of Albemarle
Law & Order Association, held Friday night at the Carolinian at
Nags Head. In the upper left photo are J. D. Peele, Chowan
County commissioner; Sen. Melvin Daniels, Reps. Vernon James
and Charles Evans; and C. A. Phillips, chairman of Chowan
County commissioners. In the picture at right, Sheriff Troy
Toppin is flanked by Rep. Walter B. Jones of the First
- ; n JjaHsHSAIR
Board Clarifies Decision
“In view of the public interest
that the matter has generated,”
Edenton-Chowan Board of
Education last Thursday night felt
compelled to make their position
clear on the transfer of Holmes
Principal Bruce McGraw to a
Central Office position.
The crux of a statement,
prepared in “executive session”
and read by Chairman Eugene
Jordan immediately following in
an “open session,” was that the
board finds “no fault with either
Dunn or McGraw concerning a
personnel matter clearly within
the jurisdiction of the superin
tendent and his area of respon
sibility.” To this end, the board
has chosen to continue their
silence on provisions surrounding
the position change, as required
by the terms of an agreement.
Following the public an
nouncement, Chairman Jordan,
on behalf of the board, entreated
the “support of every person in
Edenton, North Carolina, Jhursday, May 17, 1979
"•P id
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V’, -, ~ '. * 1 . 1 -
* \
TRANSPORTATION GETS US TOGETHER’ Gov Jim
Hunt, left, receives a National Transportation Week button
Tuesday from Secretary of Transportation Tom Bradshaw prior
to speaking to an assembly to 500 NCDOT employees in Raleigh.
Recognizing the importance of transportation is improving the
quality of life in North Carolina through balanced economic
growth, Gov. Hunt commended all transportation department
employees for their contributions to transportation progress and
increased efficiency. National Transportation Week concludes
May 19.
Sheriff Toppin Re-Elected To ALOA Post
NAGS HEAD Chowan County
Sheriff Troy Toppin of Edenton
was re-elected first vice president
of the Albemarle Law & Order
Association here Friday night and
some 225 people in attendance
were given an overview of the
Edenton-Chowan Alternative
School.
Chowan County, if we are to get
the best education for children -
and that is our goal.” Speaking
further, Jordan acknowledged
that “we may not agree with some
people as we go along and after
deliberation this (decision) may
not be popular; but we feel that
this is the best and this is our
decision.”
Below is the complete text of the
board’s statement, prepared in the
presence of Attorney W. J. P.
Earnhardt, Jr., and Supt. John
Dunn and released to a room filled
with McGraw supporters:
“On March 19, 1979, the board
was asked to approve an
agreement between the
superintendent, John B. Dunn, and
the principal of John A. Holmes
High School, Bruce McGraw,
whereby McGraw was to be
transferred from his office as
principal to a position of equal
dignity in the Central Office of the
system. The agreement between
Keynote speaker for the annual
spring meeting to the 10-county
association was Sec. Herbert L.
Hyde of the Department of Crime
Control and Public Safety. He was
introduced by Sheriff Toppin.
Mrs. Clara Boswell, principal at
the alternative school which has
received federal funding through
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AWAi ’ U I I ■4l
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Congressional District and Sec. Herbert Hyde of the Department
of Crime Control and Public Safety. Sec. Hyde is shown in the
bottom left picture talking with Dist. Atty. Tom Watts. Others
are: Mrs. C. A. Phillips, Mrs. J. D. Peele, Mrs. L. F. Amburn, Jr.,
and Mrs. Clara Boswell. Polce Chief W. C. Ownes of Elizabeth
City, who was re-elected president, is shown with Glenn Hassell,
an Edentonian who is project director for the association.
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the two administrators had been
signed by each of than and both
had had the advice of legal counsel
in doing so. We approved the
transfer based upon Dunn’s
recommendation and McGraw’s
consent, The terms of the
agreement required us to keep
silent with regard to its provisions
and we have -done so.
“However, in view of the public
interest that the matter has
generated, we fell compelled to
make our position clear. We find
no fault with either Dunn or
McGraw concerning a personnel
matter clearly within the
jurisdiction of the superintendent
and his area of responsibility. We
can only hope that the public,
faculty and students affected will
lay the matter to rest in order that
all may continue their con
structive efforts toward the im
provement of public education in
Chowan County.”
Single Copies 15 Cents
AADA Seeking
Grant Funds
The Albemarle Area
Development Association is
seeking a * SIO,OOO grant from
Coastal Plains Regional Com
mission to find a data information
manual for the 10 counties in
Northeastern North Carolina.
Larry Davenport, president,
told members ot the Executive
Committee last Thursday that
funding would allow the
“package” to be more attractive
through illustrations of the areas
of interest. He said the resource
package would consist of an
overview of the entire region.
The committee endorsed a
proposal by Mason Peters of
Pasquotank County to develop a
chart of Albemarle Sound and its
tributaries which would be
suitable for navigation.
Peters said such a chart would
encourage tourism and help to
Continued on Page 4
ALOA, explained ac
complishments of the school. She
also introduced staff members
and Dr. John Dunn, superin
tendent of Edenton-Chowan
Schools.
Mrs. Boswell also expressed her
appreciation for the support given
Continued On Page 4