'Buff' Is Home
J. Edwin Bufflap is once again
meandering along the Public
Parade. He has returned to his
home at 17 Queen Anne from
Portsmouth (Va.) .General
Hospital.
“Buff’ is recovering from yet
another in a series of operations to
curb dreadful pain in his jaw and
mouth. His latest enounter
required that he be hospitalized
over the Christmas holidays.
“Buff’ is back home and geared
up for the New Year. We are sure
his host of friends join us in
wishing for him a happy 1981.
New Feature
Today this newspaper begins a
weekly column on passive solar
energy. Passive solar energy
systems use energy in the im
mediate environment and the
thermal mass of the building itself
to trap, store and transport the
sun’s energy far heating and
cooling homes by natural rather
than mechanical means.
Not too far into the future,
America’s homebuilders and
homeowners will no longer be able
to depend on non-renewable
sources of energy for these pur
poses, but must turn to energy
alternatives such as solar.
In recent years, scientists and
engineers have developed a
variety of solar energy systems
and designs that can substantially
reduce domestic fuel con
sumption. Many of these systems
are rapidly gaining public favor,
and thousands of solar homes can
now be found around the country.
This newspaper series is
designed to present consumers
with information about solar
energy, and specific examples of
solar energy systems that have
proven effective and efficient in
everyday use, how they work, how
they can be incorporated into new
buildings and how they can be
applied as retrofit projects. Some
energy-saving passive solar ap
plications can be used on vir
tually all existing residential, and
many commercial buildings in
this area with savings of from 20 to
as much as 80 per cent of current
energy requirements.
Because solar energy is a new
subject to many people, the first
columns in the series will be
devoted to general solar in
formation. Later columns will
provide the reader with greater
detail.
Think!
Over the years we have never
been much for New Years
resolutions. As we head into the
second year of the new decade, it
would be good if everyone along
the Public Parade, throughout
North Carolina and the United
States resolved to be more caring '
and sharing.
In an interview on Channel 2 in
Columbia this week, Gov. James
B. Hunt, Jr., called the lack of
caring in Tar' Heelia and
throughout the nation as being the
one thing most responsible for our
plight. This must be turned
around, he went on to say, if any
significant long range im
provement is realized.
Caring and sharing is nothing
new. This writer can remember
when some of the biggest business
deals were consumated with a
handshake. Ain’t true any more!
The lack of caring and sharing has
filtered down to pit family
member against family in the
struggle to excel.
Individuals must begin to think;
think in the plural rather than the
angular. Then, and only then, will
life along the Public Parade in
general, and throughout the
universe in particular, take on the
meaning all of us feel deep down.
Just to say these are perilous
times won’t do the job. The
treatment must be better than the
disease.
Inflation has become a word in
everyone’s vocabulary. Even if
the nation’s leaders, with our
assistance, can get a handle on
inflation, all the world’s ills won’t
be cured.
Partners along the Public
Peerless Pressure Group
Continues High Rates Battle
By L.F. Amburn, Jr.
Operation Overcharge, a citizen
fueled movement without peers in
Northeastern North Carolina,
continues as a formidable foe to
Virginia Electric Power Com
pany. One of the early shock
waves was generated by Edenton-
Chowan Chamber of Commerce.
The local contingent was well
organized, well researched, and
blessed with determined leader
ship that doesn’t consider defeat a
possibility. Time and time again
the Stan Heges have bowed up to
the task. Setbacks have seemed
to make a tighter bond, a
challenge underneath, a second
wind, if you please.
It has been by no means one
sided. Vepco has been unrelenting,
maintaining a high profile through
redoubled public relations efforts.
The stable of high paid attorneys,
economists, and lobbyists have
been able to cover the flanks and
winning, rather than losing in
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VOICES HEARD Among the voices heard in a continuing battle by a consumer group with
Virginia Electric & Power Company are Stan Hege, seated, a member of the Executive Committee
of Operation Overcharge, and Bill Norvell, a past president of Edenton-Chowan Chamber of
Commerce. A petition drive in 1978 was spearheaded by the local chamber and prompted Gov.
James B. Hunt, Jr., to call for an exhaustive study of Vepco management.
The Chowan Herald
Vol. XLVII - No. 1
Hearing Set On Telephone Rate Hike
Knob Creek Recreation Center
in Elizabeth City will be the scene
of a public hearing January 6 on a
proposed $25.5-million rate in
crease by Carolina Telephone
Company. The hearing opens at 7
P.M.
On August 28,1980, the telephone
company filed a rate request with
the N. C. Utilities Commission.
The request is to increase monthly
local telephone service rates, plus
certain other customer charges.
The affected customers exceed
542,000.
Carolina Telephone Company
has said the request is a 13 per
cent increase in the company’s
intrastate operating revenue.
Hie request has already brought
a rebuff from the Public Staff of
the Utilities Commission. Also,
local governments have voiced
objection to the increase, as well
as chambers of commerce.
The company simply states that
inflation has increased the cost of
doing business faster than
revenues have increased. “We
Boards To Meet
In Joint Session
Chowan County commissioners
and Edenton-Chowan Board of
Education will meet in joint
session at 9 A.M. Monday.
Following the joint meeting each
board will hold regular monthly
meetings.
School officials had called the
joint meeting in order to share a
presentation on the Naval Junior
ROTC program. Edenton-
Chowan Schools wore approved
for a NJROTC program this year
but had to delay it a year because
of funding difficulties.
The meeting will be held in the
Fourth Floor Conference Room of
the Chowan County Office
Building on East King Street.
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PRIMED FOR BATTLE These leaders of Edenton-Chowan
Chamber of Commerce posed in front of the East King Street
office before going to Williamston in May, 1978, to testify in op
position to a Vepco rate increase. Left to right in the file photo
are: Stan Hege, W. Earl Smith, Robert W. Moore, Charles
Creighton, A1 Howard, George Alma Byrum and Bill Norvell.
courts if not at hearings.
The utility’s well organized and
financed attack has been
challenged aggressively by
Operation Overcharge, where an
Edanton, North Carolina, Thursday, January 1, 1981
have offset some of this increased
cost through greater efficiency,
but there comes a point where we
must have more money to pay for
the increased prices we are paying
for fuel, equipment, labor and
borrowed money,” according to
resource information distributed
to the media.
Jerry Hendee, executive vice
president of Edenton-Chowan
Chamber of Commerce, points out
that the local service increase
would be in the neighborhood of 40
to 50 per cent, not the 13 per cent
claimed by the utility company. In
the case of some new installations
the cost would be 100 per cent
more than is now allowed.
Hendee points out further that
Southern Bell is requesting an
increase in rates but they are
Federal Grant Received
The Town of Edenton has received another substantial federal
grant to continue development and beautification of property
along Edenton Bay.
Rep. Walter B. Jones of the First Congressional District today
announced the approval by the Heritage Conservation &
Recreation Service of a grant of $200,741 to the N. C. Department
of Natural Resources & Community Development. The grant is
designated for Edenton.
Expansion of Colonial Park along the waterfront will include
boat storage, picnic shelters, bulkhead, shuffleboard courts,
horseshoe pits, volleyball court, handball court, sidewalks,
lighting, benches, and formal garden.
The state will contribute $7,591 and local sources will provide
$193,150 to match the federal portion, making a total of $401,482 for
the project.
Hie project includes the property the town purchased from J. H.
Conger & Son and is adjacent to the Edenton Police Department,
recently relocated in the area.
Late last year the Town of Edenton and W. B. Gardner, ad
ministrator, were recognized for outstanding contributions
toward the objectives of the Heritage Conservation & Recreation
Service. Citations were presented on behalf of the Secretary of
Interior during dedication of Queen Anne Park.
At the dedication, Sec. Howard N. Lee of the State Department
of Natural Resources & Community Development announced that
he had just recommended the new project - the third in Edenton’s
. master plan -for federal funding.
attempt is made to bond a layer of
common sense amongst the reams
of data. Vepco’s rate request
justification and rebuttal to
Continued On Page 4
Single Copies 20 Cents.
lower in both dollar amounts and
percentages.
It is also pointed out that the
company proposed a new
“telephone set” charge of $1.25
per phone over and above the
increase in residential and
business service.
The increase in the Edenton
exchange (482) would be much
less than in the Welch exchange
(221) although both are in Chowan
County.
Carolina Telephone’s request
for increased revenue is primarily
in Extended Area Service and
supplemental services. These two
groups total s2l-million of the
entire increase requested.
When the company adds EAS in
an area the long distance revenue
Continued On Page 4
Smaller Classes; Fewer
Drop-Outs Key Issues
Keeping students in school and
reducing class size are the key
issues of the State Board of
Education’s proposed $540-million
biennium budget (1981-83). It
comes before the General
Assembly in January for scrutiny
and should be decided before
adjournment.
It also emphasizes the im
portance of basic skills, a
balanced school program, ef
fective citizenship, and
operational support and effective
management. Almost 5,000 ad
ditional teachers and 9,400 other
school personnel will be employed
in the public schools over the next
two years if the budget is ap
proved.
Top priority is a reduction of
class size. The budget calls for one
teacher for 26 students in grades 4-
6, rather than one teacher for 30
students which is now the
situation. Almost 1,400 additional
Noncompliance
Ends With Jail
A defendant in Chowan County
District Court learned Tuesday
the results of noncompliance with
a probation judgment. Judge
Richard Parker gave Kenneth
Gibbs an active prison sentence
after his second conviction of
larceny this year.
Gibbs, enrolled at Coastal
Development at Edenton
Municipal Airport, confessed to
the theft of S4O from a pocketbook
in the office of Coastal Concrete,
across base road from the training
center where he was enrolled.
Deputy Sheriff Melvin Evans
testified that Gibbs returned the
money prior to being arrested on
the larceny charge.
Asst. Dist. Atty. Keith Teague of
Elizabeth City noted a prior lar
ceny count. Then Bob Roberson,
probation officer, informed Judge
Parker that he (Parker) had
placed Gibbs on probation but the
defendant had nut lived up to the
conditions, one of which was to
pay indebtedness to the court.
Other action Tuesday morning
included:
Larry L. Bond, failure to comply
with suspended sentence, term
invoked but commitment not to
issue until February 3.
William Warren Powell,
speeding and drunk driving, six
months, suspended upon payment
of S3OO fine and costs.
Bruce Haywood White, drunk
driving, 60 days, suspended upon
payment of SIOO fine and costs.
John Arthur Roberts, exceeding
safe speed, $5 fine and costs.
Archie Allen Felton, two motor
vehicle counts, 30 days, suspended
upon payment of SSO fine and
costs.
Charles Heber Small, Jr., in
spection violation, costs.
Joseph Wallace Goodwin, 111,
attempt to take antlerless deer, 60
days, suspended upon payment of
S2OO fine and costs and ordered not
to hunt in North Carolina during
the 1980-81 season.
Robert W. Richard, Linda
Scarborough Hobbs and James
Bennett Smith, all charged with
speeding, called and failed.
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LICENSE TIME AGAIN As sure as January 1 rolls up on the
calendar owners of motor vehicles have business with the license
plate agency. The agent is Mrs. Jeanette H. Dowd, shown here at
her office in the Trailways Bus Station on North Broad Street.
Mrs. Dowd’s office will be open longer hours from now until
February 15, deadline for obtaining plates and-or validation
stickers. (Staff Photo by Luke Amburn.)
teachers would be needed for the
1981-82 school term and about 1,360
for the 1982-83 school year.
As its second concern, the board
lists teacher daily student load
reduced from 150 to 125 for
reading-language arts and math
classes in grades 7-12. More than
1,500 additional teachers would be
required each year of the bien
nium.
The budget calls for expanding
basic skills instruction for low
achievers, grades 9-12, by alloting
$283 per student for those in the
bottom quartile of the 9th grade
achievement test. The additional
funds would provide remediation
for the more than 65,000 low
scoring students.
It is estimated that an additional
85,000 students in secondary
schools in North Carolina need and
want vocational programs which
are unavailable to them. The
Board is asking the General
Assembly for enough teachers to
serve an additional 42,500 students
each year of the biennium with
financial support for equipment
and materials.
Improving the allotment for
mulas for instructional support
from one position for each 264
students to one position for each
200 is a major goal of the State
Board. More than 1,000 assistant
principals, guidance counselors,
librarians, attendance counselors,
social workers, nurses, etc. would
be needed each of the two years to
accomplish this goal.
Additional funds for exceptional
children amounting to S3O-million
are deemed necessary over the
next two years to provide needed
services to additional children
identified as exceptional.
The board hopes to fund aides,
clerical assistants, and custodians
to midpoint of the state salary
schedule and to establish a salary
schedule for bus drivers providing
an average wage of $4 per hour in
Continued On Page 4
License Tag Sales
Begin January 2
Mrs. Jeanette H. Dowd,
manager of the Edenton license
plate agency for the Division of
Motor Vehicles of the N. C.
Department of Transportation,
has announced new operating
hours during the 1980 license plate
renewal period.
“In addition to the regular
hours, 9 A M. to 5 P.M. week days
and 9 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. on
Saturdays, our agency will be
open from 8 A M. on weekdays and
until 1 P.M on Saturdays through
February 15,” she said.
The agency is located in the
Edenton Bus Station on North
Broad Street.
“We hope citizens will take
advantage of our additional hours
and buy their validation stickers
and license plates early,” Mrs.
Dowd said. Posters, counter cards
and public service announcements
carrying the slogan, “Get Yours
Early.” are encouraging Edenton
residents to purchase their
stickers and plates prior to the end
of the renewal period. The new
license plates and stickers go on
sale January 2.