w
Guest Columnist
-Merrill Evans, Sr., mayor of
> A.Wskie, writes a regular column
for the Parker Brothers
newspapers in Northeastern North
Carolina. He is no stranger along
the Public Parade, being the
father of a prominent local at
torney who practiced out of an
office (m Cheapside until his
death; and is a former state high
way commissioner.
) In mid-December, Scribe Evans
had a column published with the
head: “Chowan River Top
Priority”. It is straight from the
other side of the Chowan and we
find it interesting enough to pass
along to our readers. Here it is:
It was good news to hear that
Gov. Hunt has given the cleanup
and restoration of the Chowan
> River top priority for his second
four-year administration.
All North Carolina people are
becoming water conscious. This is
increasingly true here in our
corner of the state because of the
water problems our Tidewater
Virginia neighbors are having. A
fair proporation of the water being
■ used by these over-the-state line
' municipalities is being pumped
from the river or rivers that
converge into the Chowan. That
surely gives us a legitimate in
terest in following what is being
done.
There is no doubt that Gov. Hunt
spoke with complete sincerity
when he announced his decision
I place the Chowan River at the top
of the list. But what we locally
must keep in mind is that the
whole state is within the scope of
the Hunt Administration.
There are dozens of rivers,
sounds, creeks and lakes in North
Carolina every one being
polluted to some degree. The Gov.
must look after these also. We,
I then, reach the point of wondering
just how much help the Chowan
priority will mean to the river.
How much time, money, effort,
interest and concern can Gov.
Hunt give our particular river
when he has all the others to look
aftAr and watch over"?
For years there has been all
manner of help working on the
} Chowan River problem. These are
professional efforts by dedicated,
scientifically trained people. They
continued to do their best. But
allocating funds, making policy
decisions and forcing interstate
and federal coordination is not a
part of their job. They are limited
in their authority.
There is a saying which being
I paraphrased runs something like
this. “Those people are looked
after who look after themselves.”
The primary interest and
responsibility for the Chowan
River rests squarely upon those of
us who live in Bertie, Chowan,
Gates and Hertford counties. If
this river is salvaged, saved an
renewed - the primary effort must
> come from the citizenship of
these four counties.
No one single county has the
political strength to match Suf
folk, Portsmouth, Norfolk and
Virginia Beach. North Carolina’s
effort must be promoted, coor
dinated and sustained by these
four Chowan River border
counties. How do we harness the
* effort?
In unity there would be a high
degree of strength. It would seem
that some form of cooperative
interest should be forthcoming.
The only group from which this
might originate would be the
County Boards of Commissioners.
Four counties working together
I would have weight and could
match to a fair degree the pres
sure from our Virginia neighbors.
Continued On Page 4
Boosters Slate
Sports Banquet
p The Edenton Aces football team,
girls’ tennis team and
cheerleaders of John A. Holmes
High School will he spotlighted at
the fail Sports Awards Banquet on
January I* in the National Guard
Armory. Tickets to Aces Booster
Club sponsored event are 95. A
steak supper will be served.
finest speaker will be Moyer
| Smith, asst, athletic director at
r the University of North Carolina.
High Rates; Inadequate Service Cited At Hearing
ELIZABETH CITY - Twenty
five and one-half million of
anything can be expected to at
tract attention and it did here
Tuesday night at a public hearing
on an application for rate increase
by Carolina Telephone Company.
Witness after witness “roasted”
the company, citing excessive
rates in light of inadequate ser
vice.
Jerry Hendee
▲ ♦
Vol. XLVII - No. 2
• —|i|||
- wPBBp Jr?;
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[
SCENE OF ROBBERY—PoIice Chief J. D. Parrish, Patrolman
Andy Maglione and Barbara Everette, manager of Edenton
Manor Apartments, are shown at the office where Mrs. Everette
was robbed at knife-point Tuesday afternoon by a masked bandit.
About S2OO in cash was stolen and a telephone wire was pulled
from the wall to prevent her from calling the police. No arrests
have been made. (Staff photo by Luke Amburn.)
Armed Robbery Investigated
A knife-wielding, masked bandit
robbed the office of Edenton
Manor Apartments of about S2OO,
Tuesday afternoon. Officers of
Edenton Police Department
responded at 1:43 P.M. to a call
from Barbara Everette, manager,
who said a black male wearing a
ski mask had demanded the cash
box after asking for change for a
$5 bill.
According to the police report,
Mrs. Everette had gone to the cash
box for change when confronted at
knife point by the assailant.
Before leaving, the suspect ripped
the telephone cord from the wall.
Chief J. D. Parrish, Captain C.
H. Williams and patrolmen Bland
Terry, Andy Maglione and Bill
Phillips handled the investigation.
Chief Parrish reported that as of
Wednesday morning no arrests
had been made.
The suspect was described as
being about six feet tall and of
medium build.
He said that besides the charge
of armed robbery, the suspect
faces an additional charge of using
a mask to conceal his identity.
The N. C. Utilities Commission,
represented by Dr. Leigh H.
Hammond and Douglas P. Leary,
is holding a series of public
hearing in the CTC service area on
the August, 1980, rate application.
The company now contends a 936-
million boost is justified in view of
recent increases in costs.
W. Raleigh Carver, chairman of
Pasquotank County Board of
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T. Erie Haste, Jr.
According to North Carolina
statute 14-12.7, it is unlawful for a
person over 16 years old to wear
any kind of mask or hood on public
property that conceals one’s
identity or disguises the voice.
There are five different statutes
dealing with concealment.
CPR Training
Do you know the symptoms of a
heart attack? Could you start a
heart to beat or lungs to breath?
Do you know how long a person
can live when he stops breathing?
How long would it take you to get
help to a breathless person?
North Carolina along with many
states have come to realize the
vital importance of fast effective
care in case of heart arrest. Arrest
(stopping of heart and-or
breathing) can be caused by many
things such as drowning, elec
tricut ion, heart attack, and
choking.
ARPDC through the Emergency
Medical Services Council has
Continued On Page 4
Commissioners as well as. the 10-
county Albemarle Regional
Planning & Development ..Com
mission, was the lead witness
produced by the Public Staff of the
state commission.
The witness cited comparisons
which tend to show that the
Albemarle Area of Northeastern
North Carolina has been targeted
for greater percentages of in
: ’JI
Raleigh Carver
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, January 8, 1981
Revenue Needs Cited By Company
TARBORO Carolina
Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany has filed with the Utilities
Commission updated testimony
and supporting exhibits showing
that its need for additional
revenue has increased to
$36,260,000 annually, about an 18
per cent increase over existing
levels. Such updates are
necessary to show current
operations preceding the rate case
hearings.
Carolina Telephone applied to
the Commission on August 28,
1980, for authority to increase its
annual revenues by $25,523,726, or
about 13 per cent, based on data
through March 31, 1980.
Work On Cable TV System
Begins First Os February
Television viewers whose desire
for entertainment has long been
hampered by erratic reception
and limited selection will be happy
to know that cable TV is on the
way and will be in service in about
eight months.
Don Vicini of Compass, an Erie,
PA cable television development
firm, reported Tuesday that
construction will begin at the first
of February on an earth station
and receiving tower for Albemarle
Cable TV Company’s system in
Edenton. Service is expected to
begin six to seven months after
start up of construction.
Vicini said the local system will
be the third to be designed,
engineered and constructed by
Compass, parent company of
Albemarle Cable TV Co.
Viewers within the Edenton city
limits will abe able to choose from
three levels of service beginning
with a mini-service consisting of
12 channels at $6.95 per month.
Next will be the Super Service
with 19 channels at $9.85 per
month. Premium Service will
consist of 19 channels plus Home
Box Office and Cinemax at sls per
month additional cost for the
movie channels. About 25 channels
will be available initially, and
Vicini stated the system will be
designed to handle up to 60 for
future cable television expansion.
Another benefit will be the
availability of cable FM reception
carrying some 20 stations to home
stereo systems.
Looking to the years ahead,
cable TV could become a watch
dog for the home through a two
way system that links a home
terminal with a computer at the
other aid. Among the many uses
would be that of a security system
for alerting police and fire
departments when there is
trouble, a means of responding to
crease than other areas served by
CTC. When he was questioned
about the Albemarle Metro - or
extended area toll free service -
Carver said he is not interested in
seeing it done away with.
Carver asked for two things:
First, set rates for this area in
proper relationship to rates in
other parts of Carolina Telephone
territory. There is no reason to
penalize the people of the
Albemarle Area with higher
telephone rates since we are
already having to pay higher
electrical rates than other parts of
the state.
Second, he asked for drastic
reduction in the requested in
crease for two and four party
lines. Two and four party lines are
now serving many elderly people,
our senior citizens, who are barely
existing on Social Security. The
telephone is their only link with
the outside world. They depend on
the telephone in case of sickness or
when they need help. They cannot
afford a 62 per cent increase in
telephone company so they can
pay large dividends to investors.
Jerry Hendee, executive vice
president of Edenton-Chowan
Supplemental information filed
shows that the company’s costs
have increased since March, 1980,
due to a large construction
program, climbing interest rates,
wages, taxes and depreciation
expenses. Decreasing long
distance revenues were also cited
as causing a need for increases in
local service rates. The updated
cost information will not affect the
level of rates requested by the
company on August 28.
Carolina Telephone’s present
rates became effective on June,
1979, as part of a Commission
ordered local rate reduction
totaling $6,723,000 due to the high
levels of long distance revenues
televised polls and access to ad
ditional pay channels.
“This service is not presently
available because of technology
and price structures,” Vicini
commented. “But as technology
changes, this service could
become feasible.”
He explained that the service
will eliminate duplication.
Continued On Page 4
Miss Keeter On Concert Tour
Miss Susan Carla Keeter, 205
South Granville Street, has been
accepted for membership in the
U.S. Collegiate Wind Band. The
highly selective musical
organization will make a concert
tour of England and seven
European countries in July and
August.
The John A. Holmes High School
senior is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Fred E. Keeter. She plays
oboe in the Marching Aces Band,
directed by Otis Strother
The invitation to tour with the
U.S. Collegiate Wind Band was
received from Prof. A1 G. Wright,
director of bands at Purdue
University in Lafayette, Ind., and
conductor of nine previous band
tours since they were started in
1971. Gladys Stone Wright is the
associate conductor and is the
founding president of the Women
Band Directors National
Association.
Local sponsors are being sought
to defray some $2,000 in expenses
for the student’s participation. Dr.
Allen Homthal is coordinating the
sponsor list and can be reached at
482-2171.
The U. S. Collegiate Wind Band
will travel for three weeks (July 13
- August 5) in England, France,
Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland
and Switzerland. Concerts will be
Chamber of Commerce, echoed
Carver’s remarks about the
Albemarle Area being targeted for
higher rates than those requested
in other CTC service areas. He
also said Mayor Roy L. Harrell of
Edenton had said on behalf of
himself and the Town Council they
are dissatisfied with the rates now
proposed and will continue to be so
until they are brought in line with
those in other areas.
T. Erie Haste of Hertford,
presented a resolution from the
Town of Hertford, where he is a
commissioner. As a businessman,
Haste was critical of direct dial
service. He said in the past two
months he has logged 25 problem
incidents.
In opening remarks, Dwight
Allen, a CTC attorney, noted that
the company serves 550,000
customers in 50 counties with a
total of nearly 1-million
telephones. The company’s in
vestment is near sl-billion. He
said a $25-million increase in rates
on which a big investment is not
excessive.
Allen said the company has an
enviable record of keeping rates
Continued On Page 4
Single Copies 20 Cents.
then being received.
Last month, in response to.
Carolina Telephone’s August rate
filing, the Public Staff of the
Commision recommended a $4.7-
million increase for the company
rather than the $25.5 million ap
plied for.
According to Carolina
Telephone’s President Wayne
Peterson, the Public Staff’s
recommendation would disallow
portions of Carolina Telephone’s
actual expenses and investments
for rate purposed, calculate its
taxes differently would use a
theoretical capital structure
rather than Carolina Tlephone’s
own, and would allow a lower
investor return on the company’s
operations than the company
requested. Peterson characterized
the Public Staff’s recom
mendations as “totally
unrealistic.”
He said, "The Public Staff for
some reason, appears to be willing
to use every device it can come up
with to hold our rates artificially
low. We don’t believe that it is in
anyone’s best interest, par
ticularly that of our customers, to
limit our ability to invest in cost
effective facilities required for
ongoing modern communications
Continued On Page 4
performed in the cities of London,
Paris, Lucerne, Innsbruck,
Lugano, La Chaux-de-Fonds,
Munich, Amsterdam, Montreaux,
Cologne and Heidelburg.
The group will assemble in New
York City for rehearsals prior to
their departure from Kennedy
Airport on July 13. While in New
York City the USCWB will play
invitational concerts at the Lin
coln Center for the Performing
Arts and in the Plaza of the
Continued On Page 4
Rjfe ; JH
PvpT -
Susan Carla Keeler