Priorities
With the dedication Sunday of a
county facility which has turned
an entire city block into one, if not
the, prettiest areas in any
municipality the county has now
accomplished three of the four
priorities on the shopping list.
Within the past decade a new 1 '
hospital has been built, a coun
tywide water system has become
reality and a new courthouse and
detention facility has opened for
business.
The fourth priority has been
public education. And we would
be in the majority of those who
thought it should have been
somewhere higher on the list.
Chowan Hospital already has
expansion pains. Phase II of the
water system is ready to begin.
The courthouse is open yet the
detention facility only houses the
Sheriffs Department but lacks
funds to staff the jail.
Edenton-Chowan Board of
Education is moving ahead with
reorganization plans although
repeatedly the five men who
control the purse strings have
turned a deaf ear to request for
additional funding.
Federal funding provided the
bulk of the first three priorities.
Now that they have expansion
pains this source of funds seem to
be drying up.
While this is happening, the
Town of Edenton, through the
rezoning process turned down an
“industry” which would put up a
75,000-square-foot building,
employed more than 75 people and
contributed greatly to the ex
pansion of the tax base along the
Public Parade. While other areas
actively seek such business
citizens, political debts are being
paid. When will the green stamps
expire?
County commissioners have an
obligation to capital outlay for
public schools. It is not likely in
these times that voters across Tar
Hedia will approve a massive
bond referendum for this purpose.
This county needs to establish
realistic priroities; and devise
means of meeting the needs of all
the people without constant [day
on personalities, etc.
The need can be met only
through positive thinking and
active. This negative can only
delay while thinking is
distracted. If we are to be hit it
should be a blow to the back on our
heads as we march forward.
The mandate, however, rests
with the people-the majority
Continued on Page 4
Vepco Seeking Increase
WASHINGTON - Vepco
customers in Northeastern North
Carolina were dealt another blow
to an already strained pocketbook
recently when the Virginia based
pdfoer company went before the N.
C, Utilities Commission to ask for
a sharp rise in its fuel clause
adjustment.
The blow was felt even more
sharply by Vepco customers when
they learned in the press that at
the same time their supplier was
asking for an increase, the two
other suppliers of electric power to
North' Carolinians - Duke and
Carolina Power and Light Com
pany - were asking for decreases.
“This is a. critical blow,” J.
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EMPHASIS ON TOTAL DEVELOPMENT See. of Tran
sportation Tom Bradshaw, center, was keynote speaker at die
fihiiwtor of Commerce banauet. Left is Marc Basnight of Dare
County, a member of the State Board of Transportation, and W.
B. Gardner of Egenton who introduced the speaker.
\ - •
300 Witness Courthouse Dedication
BY L. F. AMBURN, JR.
Chowan County’s top priority became a reality here Sunday with
dedication of the new courthouse and detention facility in the downtown
area. Platform dignitaries included U. S. Sens. Robert Morgan and
Jesse Helms as well as Rep. Walter B. Jones of the First Congressional
District.
The ceremony, with Chairman C. A. Phillips in charge, started
promptly at 2 P.M. and nine minutes later a light breeze made the U.S.
and N.C. flags flutter. This portion of the activities was presented by
DEDICATION DIGNITARIES Rep. Walter Jones of the
First Congressional District responded to a photographer’s
comment by giving a big “V” sign after dedication ceremonies of
the new Chowan County Courthouse and Detention facilities
Sunday afternoon. Others are, from the left, U. S. Sen. Jesse
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1 nEi KsilXJ W All liijiv ALL/
Vol. XLVI-No. 6
Second Suspect
Is Apprehended
Out Os State
The second suspect in the theft
of stained glass windows and other
valuable items from Evans United
Methodist Church has been
arrested in Florida. He was
identified by Sheriff Troy Toppin
as helng James E. Killermier of
Ft. Lauderdale.
Earlier, Paul E. Miles, Jr., was
arrested in Ohio. He was
scheduled for a hearing on bond in
Chowan County Superior Court
this week.
The stained glass windows were
located at an antique dealership in
Virginia Beach, Va.
Sheriff said the crime has been
solved through close cooperation
of his department, especially
Joseph Byrum, SBI Agent Kent
Inscoe and officers in Virginia,
Ohio and Florida.
Larkin Little, chairman of
Operation Overcharge said.
“Vepco has been telling newsmen
in our region that its customers in
Northeastern North Carolina
Continued on Page 4
Evans Named President Os Chamber
Wallace B. Evans of Parker-
Evans Hardware assumed the
presidency of Edenton-Chowan
Chamber of Commerce at the
annual banquet last Wednesday
night at the Edenton Jaycee
Community Building on Base
Road.
Outgoing President Charles
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, February 7, 1980
Underwater Studies Planned
By William A. Shires
ECU News Branch
The rippling waters of the
Chowan River have lapped at the
A PRELUDE Last week”s snowfall, which interrupted the
flow of business for about a day, was merely a prelude of things
yet to come. Wednesday morning, the season’s first real snow
began, dropping well over six inches by the afternoon. A power
outage forced the closing of remaining downtown establishments,
and telephone service was impaired by the precipitation.
Creighton made a special
presentation to Mrs. Peggy Anne
Vaughan who successfully
coordinated the local project of
winning the Community of Ex
cellence Award.
The recognition was the framed
front page of The Chowan Herald
on the day .of the inspection by a
MRS. VAUGHAN HONORED - Mrs Peggy Anne Vaughan
was singled out by Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce for
her coordination of the Community of Excellence Award. She was
presented a framed aluminum plate of an edition of The Chowan
Herald on the date of judging. Shown with her are Charles
Creighton, left, and Wallace B. Evans.
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Edward G. Bond Post 40 of the American Legion.
Speaker after speaker hailed the day as yet another chapter in the
history of Edenton and Chowan County.
Some 300 men, women and children filled Broad Street which was
closed to traffic between Church and Queen streets.
They were entertained by the Marching Aces of John A. Holmes High
School as well as the Concert Choir. Otis and Shelby Strothers are
directors of the groups.
Chowan County hosted a luncheon at Mrs. Boswell’s Restaurant for
If aMh SBI
Helms, C.A. Phillips, chairman, Chowan County Board of
Commissioners; and U. S. Sen. Robert Morgan. The other picture
shows the interior of the courtroom in the new facility which was
visited by several hundred people who participated in an open
house. (Staff Photos by Luke Amburn.)
doorstep of this lovely old town
since it was settled 275 years and
now may hold a lot of unseen and
long-forgotten historoy in the mud
team from the State of North
Carolina. L. F. Ambum, Jr.,
publisher, designed the page and
contributed the aluminum plate to
the chamber.
New directors of the chamber
are: Gary Anderson, Chris Bean,
Les Fagan, Tilmon Keel and
Continued On Page 4
Single Copies 20 Cents
and marl of the river bottom.
This spring divers will try to find
out how much.
Its harbor potentially holds
historic cultural material from the
earliet periods of European set
tlement in North Carolina, say
investigators who will direct an
underwater archaeological field
school near Edenton’s picturesque
waterfront.
“Preliminary investigations
have shown that the sediments of
Edenton harbor will have offered
excellent protection or whatever
submereged material they may
contain,” says Dr. William N. Still
Jr., maritime historian from East
Carolina University.
Os particular interest, says Still,
“is the possibility that shipwrecks
and vessel remains, perhaps in
cluding unique and valuable local
Continued on Page 4
Mrs. Wood Enters Race
CAMDEN Mrs. Winnie Wood
has entered the race for one of two
State Senate seats in the First
Senatorial District. Following
here a copy of her campaign
statement.
I have filed as a Democratic
primary candidate for the N.C.
State Senate. I believe 1 have the
interest, energy and enthusiasm
needed to represent the people of
the First Senatorial District.
As a candidate for the State
Senate I will visit often in the 14
counties of our district and ask
the voters, face to face, how they
Two Incumbents
Are Unopposed
Two incumbent county com
missioners in Chowan do not have
opposition in the Democrat
primary in May but three people
are seeking a seat on Edenton-
Chowan Board of Education.
Alton G. Elmore filed early but
Lester L. Copeland didn’t file until
about 10 A.M. He excused himself
from the monthly meeting to walk
across to file. The deadline was 12-
noon Monday.
Mrs. Emily G. Ambum an
nounced recently that she would
not seek re-election. Three people
are seeking the First Township
seat. They are James E. Taylor,
Mrs. Patricia B. Downum; and
John A- Mitchener, 111. Eugene
Jordan, board of education
chairman, is seeking re-election in
the Third Township.
Mrs. Anne K. Spruill is seeking
re-election for register of deeds.
participants in the event as well as
out-of-town guests. From there
they moved to the site where
Chairman Phillips opened the
ceremonies by saying it “is a
historical day for Chowan
County...in a colorful history.” He
briefly described the turmoil over
$l.B-milllion in grant money for
the project. The county paid more
than $600,000 for the site which
covers a complete block adjacent
to the business district'
Later in the program Rep. Jones
described the someetimes “in
creditable” maneuvers in the
background to break the
Economic Development Ad
ministration lose when a
Perquimans County headquarters
for Albemarle Regional Planning
& Development Commission was
mistaken for a project in Chowan
County. (At the time ARDPC was
headquartered in Edenton and this
caused confusion in the
breauracy.)
Sen. Helms said he could see
the country returning to the faith
of our fathers. He called it “the
miracle of America.
He quoted Thomas Jefferson
who noted that the best govern
ment is the least governed. He
admitted that some levels of the
bureaucracy had been asleep for a
while. He pointed out that in
America we live under a rule of
the law...that the facility blended
the old and the new...and the new
facility would be a forum of
judgment of generations to come.
Sen. Morgan said it was an
honor to participate in the
dedication and he outlined the
great leaders of the U.S., who
called Edenton their home.
He said the ceremony demon
strated the dedication of
numerous working together to
bring the project into reality. “The
final work shows that the com
munity has worked together in a
great spirit of cooperation,” he
added.
Sen. Morgan said good govern
ment is that government closed to
and responsive of the people. He
said the facilities demonstrate the
work of local, state and federal
agencies working together.
In his remarks, Rep. Jones
joked: “We almost didn’t get here
today.” He said it is trying to deal
with the bureaucracy.
J. Everett Fauber, Jr., of
Lynchburg, Va., architect for the
project, spoke briefly and thanked
the community for letting him be a
part of this wonderful day.
After the 55-minute ceremony
people spent the next two hours at
the open house.
can be better represented.
It’s not difficult to know some of
the problems you will be men
tioning to me as I visit your area.
Inflation plagues our economy,
fuel costs continue to rise, good
jobs for our citizens are scarce,
and he roads in our area are not
maintained and improved as we
wish them to be. Your state
government can’t solve all these
problems but it can provide
leadership and it can and must
prepare and encourage its citizens
to work toward solutions to thse
and other problems.
Your leaders should have skills
and experience in problem
solving. I believe the activities and
organizations that I have par
ticipated in have given me good
training in this area of problem
solving.
I teach a course on com
munication skills for parents,
teachers and students designed to
help these groups find solutions to
the problems they face. This
teaching experience has given me
a keen appreciation for the im
portant, demanding job of parents
and teachers and the special need
of our children.
My practical experiences as a
substitute teacher, a teacher’s aide
and reading tutor in our public
schools have underscored
the need to improve the quality of
education in North Carolina.
Responsibility for this lies not only
with teachers but with students,
parents and the community.
My church work over the years,
as a teacher. *pd as a deacon and
elder, iiss given ipe additional
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