The Chowan Herald
Vet. XIVM - No. 4
At It Again
Nothing is sacred in Raleigh
and-or state government. The 1981
General Assembly is in session.
Yes, the lawmakers are at it
again.
Those who meander along the
Public Parade will be treated to
the observations of Mildred
Huskins. Her latest findings, as
reported in her “Raleigh Roun
dup” column, are elsewhere in
today’s edition of The Herald.
For those who don’t know, Sister
Mildred is our favorite columnist,
not to mention the fact that she
works cheap. This session finds
Sister in a new role. She has
become somewhat of a syndicate
writer since her column will ap
pear in several Roy Park owned
newspapers across Tar Heelia.
Even if Sister didn’t enjoy Sit
ting in the gallery, interrupting
her needlepoint now and then to
take notes, her meanderings
around the Ivory Tower would be
interesting. Her husband, Rep.
J.P. Huskins (D-Iredell), has an
almost uncanny knack of either
starting action or being in the
thick of some someone else may
have started. (There is an
American Legion story which
might be told later to illustrate the
point.)
In the 1979 session, then Speaker
of the House Carl Stewart handed
a" bomb to the politician who
moonlights as a newspaper
publisher. It was in the form of
chairmanship of the House In
surance Committee. He survived
the tug of war between Gov.
James B. Hunt, Jr., Commissioner
John Ingram, insurance interests
and consumer activitists.
Speaker Liston Ramsey has
handed Jay another hot potato -
chairman of the Gnngr regional
Redistricting Committee. It is one
of the most controversial
assignments; one which comes
along -only once every decade.
Those who meander along the
Public Parade and throughout
Eastern North Carolina can ex
pect fair treatment from the
committee chairman. In the past
he had been a strong supporter of
our section of the state. One case
in point: He didn’t let the heat from
neighboring Mecklenburg County
melt his enthusiasm for the
Medical School at East Carolina
University.
During the next several months
reams upon reams of news copy
will be generated at the Legisltive
Building in Raleigh. Although The
Herald isn’t a part of the Park
media family, we are glad to share
Sister with them while the
lawmakers are at it again.
Broad Brush
The Highway 17 Transportation
Association in North Carolina is
plowing ahead, apparently with
little if any assistance from along
the Public Parade. This needs
some attention.
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr.,
through continuous pressure from
influential Eastern North Carolina
citizens, has placed a high
priority on U.S. 17 One of the
groups is the Highway 17
association. Another is the
Transportation Committee of the
10-county Albemarle Area
Development Association.
For years it has been understood
that Virginia would meet North
Carolina at the state line with a
four land road. This will hardly be
the case. The Tar Heel com
mitment is well along the way and
by this time next year U.S. 17 from
Elizabeth City to the Virginia line
will be a reality. From that point
traffic will flow into a two-lane
Virginia highway through the
Dismal Swamp.
North Carolina and Virginia
have never been able to get
together on highways. The same is
true yrith the question of water.
Both are important to North
eastern North Carolina and every
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Edonton, North Carolina, Thursday. January 22, 1981
■W:. -. ' A . I
River Action Plan To Be Discussed
North Carolina officials are
hopeful that a meeting in Rich
mond, Va., later this month will
produce a positive plan of action to
implement recommendations of a
federal study of Chowan River
problems.
Capt. A1 Howard of Arrowhead,
chairman of the Chowan Regional
Task Force, shared the optimism
of Dr. Neil Grigg, North Carolina’s
top water quality official, that the
January 21 meeting will be
fruitful.
In light of the meeting, Capt.
Howard is calling a Task Force
meeting for February 10 to receive
a report on the North Carolina -
Virginia meeting called by the
Environmental Protection
Agency, and to hear Dr. Gerlad
Esch.
Dr. Esch, head of the Biology
Department at Wake Forest
University in Winston-Salem, has
completed an exhaustive three
year study of water quality in the
Chowan. He has gone so far as to
predict the river will be tech-
Leary Addressing
Chamber Banquet
Commissioner Douglas P. Leary
of the N. C. Utilities Commission
will be the featured speaker at the
up-coming annual Edenton-
Chowan Chamber of Commerce
banquet.
Leary, a long time Chowan
County resident has been
associated with rural electric
cooperation for 18 years. His talk
should be particularly timely in
view of recent rate increase
proposals by local utilities.
This year’s event will be held
at the Chowan Golf and Country
Club on Friday. A social hour
sponsored by Peoples Bank, Bank
of North Caj-plina, Tarheel Bank &
Trust and Edenton Savings & Loan
Association will begin at 6:30 P.M.
Dinner will be served at 7:30 P.M.
Tickets are available at the
Chamber office, any of the local
banks or the savings and loan.
UNC Asst Athletic Director Predicts Rapid Growth Os Women’s Sports
“l think the greatest growth
you’ll see in college athletics in the
next five to 10 years will be .in
women’s athletics,” said UNC
asst, athletic director Moyer
Smith during the Fall Sports
Awards Banquet Monday night.
Smith, who was guest speaker
for the banquet honoring the
Holmes High School girls’ tennis
team, the Edenton Aces football
squad, and Jayvee and Varsity
cheerleaders, said girls who were
freshman starters on the UNC
women’s basketball team may
find it more difficult for them by
the time they are seniors because
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AWARDS PRESENTED Outstanding members of the Edenton Aces football squad are shown
above with the coaching staff. From left to right, first row: Henry Overton asst, varsity coach and
head jayvee coach; Ernest Riddick, outstanding defensive lineman; Tom Bass, asst, varsity coach;
Thomas White, outstanding defensive back; Jimmy Addison, head coach ami Randy Hollowell’
asst, varsity coach. Second row: Brother Bonner, team manager; Henry Drew, most valuable
Player; Jimmy Addison, Jr., most dedicated; Ed Small, outstanding offensive lineman. Third row:
Cedric Harrell, outstanding leadership award; Steve Holley, outstanding offensive back; Marvin
Morring; most improved player, and Marvin Bonner, co-captain.
nically dead by the year 2000 if
positive action is not taken im
mediately.
At the request of Gov. James B.
Hunt, Jr., Sen. Jesse Helms and
Rep. Walter B. Jones, the federal
EPA formulated a Blue Ribbon
Committee to study Chowan River
Merchants Declare ‘War’
Retail merchants in Edenton
have declared war on out-of-town
business. The first maneuver is to
make it more convenient for
couples and families to shop local
stores. Efforts are well along the
way to have Edenton merchants
remain open until 9 P.M. on
Fridays.
The Merchants Committee held
a general meeting Tuesday night
with some 20 businesses
represented. The overwhelming
majority agreed to the suggestion
of longer hours on Fridays. Others
not present at the meeting but who
discussed it at an earlier meeting
had already endorsed the
■ v n ■
RETAIL MERCHANTS ATTACK COMPETITION Ben
Riddick, right, co-chairman of the Merchants Committee of
Ederiton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce, and Jerry Hendee,
executive vice president, discuss a “bold” move taken Tuesday
night to attack out-of-town competition with special business
hours. Progress is being made to make it more convenient for
couples and families to shop in Edenton with 9 P.M. closings on
Fridays.
of improved fundamental skills in
upcoming players.
He said that UNC currently has
26 varsity sports programs
divided equally between the men
and women.
One of the secrets to success in
athletics is constant im
provement, Smith said. “You
must improve every day or you
have wasted that day.”
While athletics is just a game,
he added: “If the game you’re
playing is not worth winning, it’s
not worth playing”. He cited
hard work, team spirit and un
Singla Copies 20 Cants.
data gathered over the years. The
results were certain recom
mendations.
The State of Virginia has been
reluctant to take positive action
on the recommendations, ac
cording to Dr. Grigg. He sees the
Continued On Page 4
program.
Bill Norvell, a former president
of Edenton-Chamber of Com
merce, led the discussion. He said
the real competitors of Edenton
merchants are those who draw
local people to outside com
munities where longer shopping
hours are observed.
Norvell tailed on all merchants
in Edenton to promote the town as
a shopping center. The first step,
he argued, is to have extended
hours at least one day each week
and go after business with at
tractive merchandising.
John A. Mitchener, 111, who
owns a vacant building in the
Continued On Page 4
selfishness as keys to success in
sports.
“Athletics can be a tool in which
you grow as a person,” Smith
commented.
Another special guest of the
Edenton Aces Booster Club was
Frank Suttenfield, who founded
Edenton High School’s first
football team in 1926. Suttenfield
was presented a cake honoring his
birthday which was Monday.
Aces star fullback Henry Drew
and girls’ tennis player Patricia
Ashley were named most valuable
players in their respective sports.
Commeal From Local Mill
Shows High Aflatoxin Level
A sample of cornmeal manufactured by a Tyner miller has turned up
with an aflatoxin level of 1,822 parts per billion. The maximum permitted
under regulations of the N. C. Department of Agricluture’s Food and
Drug Protection Division is 20ppb.
Labeled “Unbolted Water Ground Style White Commeal Manufac
tured By Lane & Byrum’s Mill, Tyner, N.C.” the meal is packaged in
yellow two and five pound bags and sold through at least 12 stores in
Chowan, Gates and Perquimans counties.
The find was announced Tuesday by Leonard F. Blanton, acting
director, of the NCDA Drug and Food Protection Division. Blanton
stated that the mill had manufactured appproximately 3,500 pounds of
the contaminated meal and distributed it since December 15,1980.
“We have already checked the stores and embargoed all the meal in
this lot remaining on the shelves,” Blanton said, “but much of it has
already been purchased and is in homes in the area.”
“No one really knows the full effect this toxin might have on humans
but the threat is sufficient that I would certainly urge anyone with this
product on hand not to eat it and check with their supplier for refund or
replacement,” Blanton continued.
Blanton explained that the affected lot of Lane & Byrum’s meal can be
identified by a white twine on the bag rather than the metal clip which is
used on other lots of the meal. Stores carrrying the suspect produce are:
Boswell’s Market, Murray Nixon Fishery, Whiteman’s Store, W. E.
Smith’s Grocery, and Byrum’s Store all of Route 1, Edenton; Hurdle’s
Market and Family Grocery, both of Hobbsville; Layden’s Grocery and
Chappell’s Store of Belvidere; M. & R. Grocery of Tyner; and Triple-A
Grocery and Family Foods of Gatesville.
“In addition to our routine sampling of cornmeal as a good product we
have checked it on a concentrated basis since September 10, 1980,”
Blanton said, “and this is the most serious level of aflatoxin we have
found. I don’t want to unduly alarm the people of North Carolina but I do
think consumers in Chowan, Gates and Perquimans counties should
check bags of cornmeal they use to be sure they do not eat this product.”
“The Lane & Byrum mill has purchased a new lot of meal from
another supplier which is being stocked on some store shelves in bags
closed with the metal clip,” Blanton said. “We have no reason to believe
this new lot poses any threat.”
“We will continue to monitor the cornmeal supply of Lane & Byrum’s
and all other mills in the state and when we find a condition that poses
any health threat we will take appropriate action,” Blanton concluded.
Second Suspect Apprehended
The second suspect in the armed
robbery of a downtown Edenton
drug store in mid-October has
surrendered. Steve Wright, 20, of
Hampton, Va., appeared in
Chowan County District Court
Tuesday morning after being
formally charged by Edenton
Police Department.
Carroll Henry Dockery, 22,
Route 5, Travelers Rest, S.C., has
been identified as the “milkshake
bandit” involved in the Sunday
afternoon robbery at Hollowell &
Blount Rexall Drug Store on
October 12. Dockery, who is in the
U. S. Navy, has also confessed to
armed robberies in Elizabeth City
and Murfreesboro.
Wright supposedly drove the
car, according to Chief J. D.
The Aces football team had a
record of 10-3 while the girls’
tennis team went 13-2 for the
season.
Other awards included: Susie
Keeter, girls’ tennis sportmanship
award; Ernest Riddick, out
standing defensive lineman; Tho
mas White, outstanding defensive
lineman; Jimmy Addison, most
dedicated; Ed Small, outstanding
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TENNIS TEAM RECOGNIZED The Holmes High School
girl’s tennis team drew praise for their 13-2 record which placed
them second in the Northeastern 3-A Conference. Team members
and award winners are shown above. From left to right, first
row: Karen Keeter, Pam Babb, Patricia Ashley, most valuable
player; and Missy Underkofler. Second row: Linda Felton,
Patricia Flanagan and Martha Harless. Third row: Coach Terry
Ransom, Susie Keeter, outstanding sportsmanship award and
most improved; Elizabeth Homthal, Tracie Clark and Susan
Downum.
Tax Preparation Classes Set
Just in time for “do-it-yourself
ers”, an introductory course on
“How To Prepare State and
Federal Income Tax Returns” will
be offered at John A. Holmes High
School February 3. Registration
for the ten weeks course will be
held at 7 P.M., January 27 at
Parrish of Edenton Police
Department. He waived ex
tradition last week in Hampton,
Va., and agreed to come to
Edenton for first appearance
Tuesday morning. He was ac
companied by his parents and an
attorney, according to local
authorities.
Judge John Chaffin set bond at
$5,000. Wright was released on
bond and a probable cause hearing
for both Wright and Dockery has
been set for Tuesday in Chowan
County District Court.
Dockery allegedly spent some 45
minutes in the drug store, casually
drinking a strawberry milkshake
before pulling a gun and
demanding drugs from W. H.
Continued On Page 4
offensive lineman; Cedric Harrell,
oustanding leadership award;
Steve Holley, outstanding of
fensive back; and Marvin
Morring, most improved.
In junior varsity football, Ed
Alston was named offensive
player of the year and Haywood •
Perry was named defensive
player of the year.
Holmes School.
James Pressley, former H&R
Block consultant, will serve as
instructor from 7 P.M. to 10 PM.
each subsequent Tuesday
through March 24.
Sponsored through the College of
Continued On Page 4