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L\ U. S. farmers spent oyer $135-
r billion in 1979 to produce crops,
and poultry, topping the
prevdtjCfc year’s sll4-billion level.
Accordmg to the U. S. Department
of Agriculture and the N. C. Crop
and Livestock Reporting Service,
this averages over $56,000 per
farm, nationally.
Purchases of livestock and
k poultry at $21.5-billion, up 59 per
cent from 1978, were the major
expenditures for farmers. Feed
purchases followed at $lB-billion,
up 9 per cent; farm machinery
and equipment at sl2-hillion, up 11
per cent; rent at $10.3-billion, up 11
per cent; wages at $9.4-billion,
down 8 per cent and interest at
$9.2-billion, up 23 per cent.
|) During February 10 through
March 14, enumerators from the
N. C. Crop and Livestock
Reporting Service will interview a
cross section of North Carolina
farmers as part of a nationwide
program ‘to determine 1980
production costs.
Dan C. Tucker, Statistician In
Charge, points out that in-
I formation about the farm
production outlays is important in
comparing the farmer’s well
being with that of other groups in
the nation’s economy. He adds
that a)l responses will be con-,
fidential and only regional and
national summaries will be
published.
Under The Wire
Chowan County and the Town of
Edenton have a new crime
prevention program which in
—vblves volunteers from along the
Public Parade. The local program
is the newest in the state and
comes just under the wire of
Crime Prevention Week in North
| Carolina, as proclaimed by Gov.
James B. Hunt, Jr., for February
8-14.
Representatives of some 30
designated groups, totaling more
than 100, were enthusiastic at
Friday night’s meeting at Edward
g. Bond
• Legion. Sheriff Troy Toppin is a
power in the American Legion, but
| shared top billing at the meeting
with Chief J. D. Parrish of
Edenton Police Department.
Genial George Stokes put aside
his cigar long enough to pass his
temporary chairmanship to
permanent officers. First, George
needed someone to take the
minutes. Mrs. Shirley Swain, a
local homemaker who is a
) member of the Agricultural Ex
tension Service Advisory Council
in Chowan County, was elected
secretary and was put to work
immediately.
Continued On Page 4
Lay Leaders; Extension Professionals To Hold Workshop
| RALEIGH Chairmen of the
Agricultural Extension Service
county advisory committees and
county extension chairmen from
throughout North Carolina will
meet here Thursday and Friday.
The first statewide meeting of lay
leaders and extension
professionals will be held at the
McKimmon Center.
> Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., will
address the group at 10 A.M.
Friday. He will be introduced by
L. F. Amburn, Jr., of Edenton,
chairman of the State Advisory
Council and secretary of the
National Extension Advisory
Council.
The conference begins at 11
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■— ■ •
SUPPORT WATER QUALITY PROGRAM— James Summers,
left, assistant secretary, State Department of Natural Resources
& Community Development, was among state officials attending
a meeting here Tuesday on water quality in the Chowan River
and entire Albemarle Sound Basin. Capt. A1 Howard, center,
chairman of the Chowan River Restoration Project, and Dr. Neil
Grigg, director of the Environmental Management Commission
and a ranking official in the NR&CD. (Staff Photo by Luke
Amburn.)
NR&CD Official Urges Collective
Support Os River Restoration Work
Commissioners from seven
counties in the Albemarle Sound
Basin attended a meeting here
Tuesday where water quality was
the single agenda item.
C. A. Phillips, chairman,
Chowan County commissioners,
said he is “tickled to death” with
the existing condition of Chowan
River and Albemarle Sound. The
battle is long from won, he con
tinued, and the good program now
in place should be a foundation for
a better program in the future.
Phillips said the program is
being coordinated in Raleigh but
there is a need for local support.
Dr. Neil Grigg of the State
Department of Natural Resources
& Community Development,
expressed his great concern about
the sound. He described the
restoration project as a “pocket
knife trying to kill a bear.” He
added that the state is pioneering
the problem which exists in many,
many other areas.
Dr. Neil Grigg said without such a
program the river and sound
might be written off as a useful
natural resource. But, he hastened
to add: “If it is going to be solved
it will be your collective support.”
The scientist said the state
cannot expand the existing
program to include the sound with
existing state funds. He said it is
estimated that it will take as much
as SIOO,OOO in local money to
match state and federal funds.
Dr. Bob Holman, the scientist in
residence here, would have an
expanded staff under the new
plan. The staff would have lab
equipment, etc, so there will be no
delay in obtaining an analysis of
A.M. Thursday. Special guest at
the opening session will be John
Haas of Larned, Kan., chairman
of the National Extension Ad
visory Council. Also during the
session Amburn will deliver his
“State of the Council” address.
The afternoon will be utilized
with miniwork sessions covering a
wide range of topics.
Dr. Carlton Blalock, director of
the Agricultural Extension Ser
vice at N. C. State University, and
advisor to the national group, has
announced that John Sledge,
president, N. C. Farm Bureau
Federation, will be keynote
speaker at a Legislative Banquet
Thursday night. Also scheduled to
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: “i-T
data gathered.
Phillips said this would be very
helpful to the effort, calling ad
ditional technical assistance
absolutely necessary.
During the meeting James
Summers, new assistant director
of NR&CD, said he can relate to
the problem here since he was
Mayor of Salisbury at a time when
problems upstream caused severe
damage.
Continued On Page 4
Elderly Pedestrian
Killed By Auto
Charlie Peecy Lewis, 72-year
old Negro, died last week in
Chowan Hospital after the bicycle
he was riding on North Granville
Street was struck by a car. Willie
Privott, 50-year-old Negro, Route
1, Edenton, has been charged with
death by vehicle.
Sgt. -Joe Norraan of Edenton ,
Police Department filed the felony
charge following Lewis’ death.
Privott had earlier been charged
with two traffic violations.
The police report showed that
Privott was traveling east on West
Albemarle Street. He stopped and
saw a car coming in the distance.
He pulled into North Granville
Street and looked into his rear
view mirror and saw a body in the
street.
Deputy Sheriff Glenn Perry was
in his cruiser and was at the scene
when Privott got out of his car to
see what had happened.
The death was the first motor
vehicle fatality in Edenton this
year.
speak are Lt. Gov. Jimmy Green
and Speaker of the House Liston
Ramsey.
David Bateman of Tyner,
chairman of the Chowan County
Agricultural Extension Advisory
Council, and Pete Thompson,
county extension chairman, will
be among some 2000 people ex
pected for the conference.
The N. C. Agricultural Ex
tension Service initiated a revision
of its Advisory Leadership System
in 1979. A goal was set to complete
the implementation of the system
by December 31, 1980.
Early in 1980 a survey showed
the system was already in place
Dr. T. C. Blalock W;
The Chowan Herald
VU. XLVII - No. 7
Potential Shortfall Forces
Surcharge On Electric Rates
Faced with a possible $98,000
shortfall in the utility fund due to a
Virginia Electric & Power
Company wholesale rate increase,
the Edenton Town Council
Tuesday night approved a 7 per
cent surcharge on electric rates. It
is to be effective with the next
billing.
Although not on the agenda, the
issue created a discussion of the
philosophy of how the town obtains
money to support its budget.
Councilman Gil Burroughs noted
that this is the first time the town
has deviated from tracking
Vepco’s retail rate.
“We are now starting a rate
penalty for the town being in the
electric business,” Councilman
Burroughs observed. “Which is
more effective, more equitable,
high utility rates and low property
tax rates, or the reverse?” he
asked. “Our money has to come
from one or the other.”
The councilman suggested that
a “real hard look” be taken at the
j “ s.*<»... g
ENCOURAGE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION— The two ranking
la.v enforcement officers here - Police Chief J. D. Parrish and
Sheriff Troy Toppin - encouraged citizen participation in crime
prevention. Shown with them at Friday night’s organizational
meeting is Tony Young of Garner, of the Crime Prevention
Division of the State Department of Crime Control & Public
Safety.
Crime Prevention Is Stressed
A change in attitude of law
enforcement officers and citizens
is needed if any success is to be
realized from a war on crime. This
was stressed Friday night at a
meeting of more than 100 local
citizens, representing 30
organizations who met to organize
with more than 12,300 volunteers!
serving in the capacity of council
.members or program and
specialized committee members.
“This is a fantastic
achievement,” Dr. Blalock stated.
“We can all feel a real sense of
pride and accomplishment. It
could not have been possible
without the diligent efforts of the
county chairmen and the local
staff.”
A new feature of the system was
a State Advisory Council. Ten
members, appointed by Dr.
Blalock, meet quarterly to provide
guidance and advice on broad
statewide policy issues.
BH IP?
- . ; - ■
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m
L. F. Amburn,Jr.
Gdanton, North Corolina, Thursday, February 12, 1980
impact of letting high utility rates
soften the blow of property
owners. He specifically cited
senior citizens.
Also, he pointed out that some
large property owners don’t buy
electricity from the town but get
all the town’s services. (Edenton
Cotton Mill purchases power
directly from Vepco.)
W. B. Gardner, town ad
ministrator, reported that Vepco
plans to file a “full blown” rate
increase application no later than
March 31. He predicted that the
existing situation will only be
temporary.
Dr. Allen Hornthal, who brought
up the matter, sided with Coun
cilman Burroughs in part. “If on a
long term basis we have our retail
rates higher than Vepco then we
are asking for trouble,” he said.
Vepco has put into effect a 9.6
per cent wholesale rate increase,
pending approval of the state
Utilities Commission. The action
narrows the gap between the
a Chowan County Crime
Prevention Committee.
Tony Young of Garner, a
member of the Crime Prevention
Division, State Department of
Crime Control and Public Safety,
said the attitude has been to ap
prehend, convict and punish. This
must be changed to an attitude of
prevention, he added.
“We must stop a person before
an act is committed,” he said.
Pointing to the theft of stained
glass windows at Evans United
Methodist Church on Highway 32,
Young added: “Nothing is sacred
anymore.”
He called on citizens to ap
proach crime prevention the same
way the medical profession at
tacked polio. “The citizens have a
responsibility to protect their own
property,” he continued, and help
prevent crimes before they
happen.”
Young estimated that between
500,000 and 1-million citizens in
North Carolina are already ac
tively engaged in a crime
prevention program. It is paying
off in many ways, he continued,
Continued On Page 4
Wine Thief Hurls Goods
Shoplifting is becoming an everyday occurrence in Edenton and
Chowan County. However, an incident recently has an unusual twist.
It was about 9:15 A.M. on February 3 when Edenton Police
Department received a call from Arnett Chappell at S&R Super
Market. She reported the theft of a bottle of Wild Irish Rose wine.
Police were told that the suspect ran across the parking lot in the
direction of Tas tee Freez Restaurant, with Johnny Copeland, a store
employee, in hot pursuit. As Copeland appeared to be winning the foot
race he was met with a bottle of Wild Irish Rose, to his forehead.
Ritchie Adams, 202 North Mosley Street, was arrested a short time
later by Patrolman Linwood Bonner In addition to being charged
with larceny he faces a count of assault and battery. He is free on
bond.
Sgt. Gregory Bonner recalls the day before the incident when
Adams volunteered that he was going straight. About as straight as
the bottle of Wild Irish Rose he allegedly hurled at Copeland?
Single Copies 20 Cents.
company’s wholesale and retail
rates. Since the town purchases
power from Vepco at wholesale
and resells it on the utility com
pany’s retail rate, the profit
margin is eroded.
Consultant engineers have
advised the town to expect a
$98,000 shortfall as the result of the
wholesale rate increase. While the
Town of Edenton will hold the line
at 7 per cent, towns like Green
ville, Hertford and Tarboro are
planning a 10 per cent surcharge.
Gardner said while the 7 per
cent surcharge will not really
make up the town’s loss it is
something that can be lived with.
While in the past any mention of
charter changes has been met
with anger by Mayor Roy L.
Harrell, the Finance Committee’s
recommendation for some
legislation to do certain things,
such as abolish the office of Town
Treasurer, was generally ac
cepted. In fact, Mayor Harrell
commended Councilman W. H.
Hollowell, Jr., on the committee
report.
The objections this time around
came from Councilman
Burroughs. He didn’t see the
recommended changes as going
far enough. He cited other areas
which need cleaning up. This will
be accomplished on motion of
Councilman James P. Ricks, Jr.,
to have a watchdog committee
appointed within 60 days after the
beginning of any calendar year to
suggest changes which will bring
the charter language in like with
how the council operates.
Don Vicini of Albemarle
Continued On Page 4
Hospital Seeks
Modified Plan
The N. C. State Medical
Facilities Plan has been amended
to allow for 164 additional general
acute care hospital beds, including
10 in Region R. Chowan Hospital
has mounted a charge to get the
plan modified.
David Henson, hospital director,
said the health care facility will
move within a matter of days to
reactivate the application for a
Certificate of Need for the 10 beds.
Construction, though, is estimated
to be at least nine months away.
Although Chowan Hospital
petitioned for the additional acute
care beds, the allowment is to the
10-county region. Therefore, it is
possible, while not probable, that
Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth
City and Washington County
Hospital in Plymouth could seek
the beds.
Chowan Hospital’s application
for the Certificate of Need has
already been reviewed and ap
proved by the Eastern Carolina
Health Systems Agency. This is
considered a major hurdle toward
approval by the Division of
Facility Services of the State
Department of Human Resources.
The application was filed in
June, but it was “shelved” pen
ding action on the hospital’s
petition for modification of the
state plan. A public hearing on the
petition was held in October and
proper clearance was given by
Continued On Page 4