Th« Big Orange Do« it sewn like evsry Urns you're late for work you git stuck behind a school but? It’s not just your imagination. / five-year comparison of the total number of school buses in operation (regular and ex ceptional children) shows a graftal increase from 11,447 hi 1975-74 to IUN in 1979* The statistic is one of many compiled from county transportation supervisor's annual reports to the Office of Controller, State Board of Education. Although there were more school buses on the road last year, they were transporting more than 1.500 fewer students than the previous year. During 197940, some 741,184 pupils were tran sported to and from school each day • 17,113 of them ( 2 3 per cent) by contract transportation. Sixty nine per cent of the total public school enrollment was transported to school last year; 73 per cent of all transported pupils were of the elementray school level. The average bus had a seating capacity for 54 pupils and a passenger capacty for (57 students. All school buses covered almost 102 million miles last year, traveling 564,847 miles daily. The average bus traveled 8,267 The total cost of school tran sportation was more than Ve rmilion including contract tran sportation and replacement buses in 1979-80. The total coat of con tract transportation was more than $4-milUon. The average cost of transportation by school bus, including bus replacements, was almost SVthousand per bus for the 1979-80 school year, $27 59 per bus per day and SB4 36 per pupil for the school year. Real Hostages' Currituck Outer Banks are not nearly as popular as the area to the south in Dare County. As things are now going it could be that taxpayers in Currituck County wish the thin strip between the south and the Atlantic would just go away. Access has always been problem It was getting better for a time. Now the entire problem of access is being overshadowed by a fS-million civil lawsuit Things are bound to get worse before they get any better And most of it is not the fault of those who stand to lose the most - the ‘hostages ' who reside on the mainland and pick up the tax bill Little by little progress ap peared to be made on the access matter In July. 13 families out on the Currituck Outer Banks were granted access across the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge by the U S. Congress Sen. Jesse Helms and Rep. Walter Jones sponsored legislation which caused the U S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow passage through the refuge under certain conditions At the same time, the N.C. Department of Transportation has been at work on a highway and-or ferry plan for a southern access. The big problem encountered centers around private ownership, including large parcels owned by environmentalists or organizations Private developers have cried ‘ foul” for a long time Recently one - Coastland Corporation of Virginia Beach, V« backed up the cries with a $5 million damage suit against Currituck County A new federal law provides the basis for such action Just prior to the suit, however, the feds announced intentions to purchase the Currituck Outer Banks. Some SIOO-million is in volved. The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission and Marine Science Council recom mended the action. The federal purchase is in the best interests of all the citizens of Currituck County Any other way the county goes it will cost more to provide services to the developed property than is returned in taxes Therefore, the taxpayers are the real "hostages'. What effect the Coastland suit will have on the federal proposal is not known. For years and yean the folk living on the Currituck Outer Banks have traveled across the beach to the Tidewater area of Virginia, acrou an area known as Back Bay Wildlife Retags. These citizens have gone to the Norfolk area to shop, to get nv-ftcal at l iNMintM-e INSTRI'CTORS REING INSTRUCTED Members of rescue squads in Chowan. Perquimans and Gates counties gathered at the ARP DC building in Hertford last weekend to train as instructors for a cardiopulmonary resuscitation program that will be offered to the public beginning January I. Hie goal of the Chowan County EMS is to educate 417 county residents in CPR, a life-saving technique that practically any one can learn. The course will consist of nine hours in classroom and exercise. campaign (hat will he held in Edenton prior to the grand opening Mayor Harrell asked developer Bernard P Burroughs if he had ever received from K Mart, on its letterhead, a letter ind eating the company's intent to locate here Burroughs replied that he "would be happy to answer the question in private or in executive session" He added that he was not authorized to speak for either K- Mart or J J Cretien Co. Councilman Ricks commented that the intersection of U S 17 and N C 32 is a "classic example of business property" too noisy for residential development He said passing tourists see "a couple of signs but have little incentive to Instructors Train For CPR Classes The N C Office of Emergency Medical Services has embarked on a two-year program to irain seven per cent of the population in cardiopulmonary resuscitation \ccording to Mrs Margie Nixon. CPR coordinator, the program is modeled alter a federal pilot program that received wide spread publicity on ihe television program "60 Minutes" Training sessions for Emergency Medical technicians who will be conducting the courses in Gates. Chowan and Pcquimans counties were held last Saturday The Edemon Ace* beesme the Northeastern 3-A Conference champions last Friday with their 25-0 victory over the Ahoaide Cougars. The Acee will host Southern Nash High Schod this Friday night in the first game of the play-off series. The Aces gained a 3-0 lead prior to halftime when Thomas White booted a 23-yard field goal. Neither team was abia to get more •han one first down in the first half of Uia contest. Ahoskie fumbled early in the third quarter to give the Aces excellent field position on the Cougars' 17 yard line. On third down, quarterback Steve Hoiiey passed to Thomas White, who made a diving catch to put the Aces on the one. Henry Drew bulled his way in to score and White kicked the extra point for a 10-0 lead. The Cougars were unable to Continued on Page 4 Sin-jl« Cop<«« 20 Cent* pull off the bypass to visit Edenton unless its their destination in the first place Councilman Hornthal, in making the motion to rezone the tract, said his opinion remained the same, that comnetitinn pjnrwi tie legislated. Continued on Page 4 Armed Robbery Trial Proceeds The Superior Court trial of George Lee Revell. charged with the August l\ armed robbery of the Fast Fare 'in Broad Street, entered • its second day of testimony Wednesday, amid stepped up security precautions imposed by Judge David E. Reid after local officers received a tip concerning a possible violent confrontation in the courtroom. Shortly after lunch recess Tuesday. Judge Reid excused the pane! of 12 jurors and informed persons in the courtroom of the situation "It has Ix'en brought to my attention that someone in the courtroom Ix'sides an officer may tie carrying a gun." he stated "For that reason. 1 am asking everyone to leave the courtroom Those wishing to return will be searched before entering” Each of the 22 spectators present returned after being frisked. Police Chief J D Parrish and Sheriff Troy Toppin said two Continued on Page