Pblic Parade
Noted And Passed
Charlotte Mayor Eddie Knox is
unique among North Carolina
mayors. He has veto power.
Edenton Mayor Roy L. Harrell
not only doesn’t have such power ;
he doesn’t need it. The Town
Council allows him to do pretty
much as he pleases.
A Spoiler
The Chowan-Edenton Optimist
Club put the “big pot in the little
one” again Saturday. In the past
two years the “newest kid on the
block” of civic organizations has
put the Public Parade on the map
of Fourth of July celebrations.
Rains Friday and early
Saturday failed to put a damper on
the plans. The sky was mildly
overcast Saturday by the time the
parade started down Broad Street.
Thai an afternoon of fun for the
entire family, plus one of the
area’s most popular arts and craft
show drew people to Edenton from
throughout the Albemarle Area of
Tar Heelia and Tidewater
Virginia.
The observance was climaxed in
usual form with a beautiful, and
expensive, display of fireworks.
Throughout the day and night
the crowd was orderly and Sun
day’s morning glow was not
welcomed with an abundance of
trash. There was, however, a
spoiler.
Sometime Saturday night the
top was taken from a tent on loan
from Swindell - Bass Funeral
Home. It was located on the
Courthouse Green. The Optimist
Club has posted a SSO reward for
information leading to recovery of
the property. The information
should be given to Edenton Police
Department.
Except for the one spoiler it was
a great day and evening along the
Public Parade on the Fourth of
July. While the greatest credit
should go to the Optimist Club
there should be plenty left for the
host of others in the community
who pitched in one way or another
to make the.event successful
Pulling Together
The State of North Carolina and
Virginia Electric Power Company
are pulling together to foster in
dustrial development along the
Public Parade and Vepco’s ser
vice area in Northeastern Tar
Heelia. Like motherhood and
apple pie, there is little room to
criticize the efforts.
Vepco doesn’t have the greatest
track record for supplying at
tractive electric rates. In fact,
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., has gone
so far as to suggest that the
company get out of North
Carolina.
The municipalities, such as
Edenton, that buy electricity from
Vepco at wholesale and resell it
may be helping the utility firm
take seriously Gov. Hunt’s
suggestion. The municipalities in
Northeastern North Carolina have
reached agreement with Carolina
Power & Light Company to pur
chase a piece of CP&L’s
generating capacity. This move is
believed to be the most immediate
answer to lower electric rates in
the area.
But so long as Vepco continues
to service the area, there is a need
for cooperation all along the way
to attract new industry and en
courage expanding of existing
Continued on page 4
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FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION The Chowan - Edenton Optomist Club sponsored a
second consecutive Fourth of July celebrations here Saturday. The event got off to a good start at
noon with a parade. The Scott Boat Works’ entry, an Albemarle 24, was photographed trom the roof
of The Chowan Herald Building. There was a mad scramble for pennies, as evidenced at left, on the
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‘MONONA ll’ DESTROYED Marty Bankhead of Ker
nersville, right, and Kathy Wright were attempting to start the
sailboat “Monona II” here Monday morning when the motor
backfired and started a blaze. The boat was owned by Dr. and
Mrs. David Wright, foreground. It was docked at the mouth of
Queen Anne Creek, near Edenton Marina.
Engine Explosion Is Blamed
For Destruction Os Sailboat
A sailboat was destroyed by fire
Monday morning at a private dock
in Queen Anne Creek, at the en
trance to Edenton Marina. There
was no injury to two people on the
boat at the time of the fire.
Kathy Wright, daughter of Dr.
and Mrs. David Wright Old Fish
Hatchery, and her companion,
Marty Bankhead of Kernersville,
were attempting to start the boat’s
motor. They told investigators
Inmates Hold
Birthday Party
Mrs. Catherine Mead of Mexico
Road knew just exactly what she
wanted for her 50th birthday
party. Her husband is the chaplain
at the Chowan County Detention
Facility and she wanted to show
her support for his work and her
concern for the prisoners.
She baked cupcakes and pur
chased ice cream cups. On her
birthday she went to the jail with
her husband to share with the 18
who were present. The prisoners
did a fine job of singing “Happy
Birthday” and really enjoyed the
refreshments and thoughtfulness.
Rev. Bill Mead conducted a short
devotional using the 23rd Psalm.
This is the only birthday party
that she had - or wanted. She
wanted the prisoners to know that
there were some people who still
care even when one has done
wrong. It is little wonder that this
fine Christian wife was named
“Lady of the Day” by a radio
station in Portsmouth, Ohio.
The Governor of Alabama ap
pointed her “Lieutenant Colonel
Aide - De - Camp” for her valuable
volunteer service rendered in that
state. She has often been ap
plauded in her work as a nurse,
school teacher, minister’s wife,
mother of a minister, and mother
in-law of two ministers.
“Thank you, Catherine, it was a
thoughtful birthday!” are the
words of her husband.
from Edenton Police Department
and Edenton Fire Department
that the engine “backfired” and
there was an explosion.
Firemen responded quickly but
were unable to save the fiberglass
“Monona II”, owned by the
Wrights.
“Danalea”, a large craft owned
by Mr. and Mrs. James E. Dar
nell, was docked alongside the
Wright’s boat. It was “walked”
away from the dock by some
young swimmers. Darnell arrived
in time to move it into the Edenton
Marina before substantial damage
occured.
Fire Chief Luther C. Parks said
the department answered three
minor calls Saturday, July 4. They
included an auto fire, electric sign,
and an overheated electrical panel
in a home.
In other area weekend activity,
Edenton Police Department is
investigating the theft of a
pocketbook from Mrs. Sam
Sawyer, 108 Jackson Street. Mrs.
Sawyer said she was mowing her
grass when someone entered the
house and took the pocketbook
which contained $3 in cash and
various papers.
Police Cpl. C. C. Alexander
found the items along the railroad
track near the house. No arrest
has been made.
Focus On Toppin
The spotlight will be on E. C.
Toppin of Edenton during a
homecoming celebration Saturday
at Edward G. Bond Post No. 40,
American Legion. Toppin was
recently elected commander of
the N. C. Department.
Commander Toppin will preside
at the Department Administrative
Committee meeting at 11 A. M.
The Executive Committee meets
at 1:30 P. M. and a pig picking
begins at 3 P. M.
The day’s activities will con
clude with a dance, beginning at 9
P. M.
Johnson Becomes Fourth
Employee To Resign
The Town of Edenton is
operating without its top ad
ministrative officer and a
department head has joined
three other employees who have
resigned in the past month.
W. Michael Johnson, director of
the Parks and Recreation
Department, submitted his
resignation July 1, to W. B.
Gardner, town administrator
whose own resignation was ef
fective July 4. Johnson’s
resignation is effective September
1.
The official records of the Town
Council do not show that Gard
ner’s resignation occured.
However, Gardner was recognized
June 29 by Councilmen Allen
Homthal and W. H. Hollowell, Jr.,
prior of a public hearing on the
1981-82 budget.
Mrs. Betsy King, finance of
ficer, and Mrs. Sue Brown, an
administrative secretary at the
Municipal Building have also
%THE CHOWAN HERALD
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Vol. XLVI - No. 29 Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, July 9, 1981 Single Copies 20 Cents.
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BUSINESS EXPANDING Perdue, Inc., is well underway on a $lO-million expansion program
in Northeastern North Carolina. The Lewiston plant is being enlarged to boost production by 600,000
chickens per week. An additional 300 broiler houses will be needed to supply the plant. A great
number of farmers in Chowan County are Perdue producers.
$ 10-Million Exp ansion Plans Now Underway
Perdue, Inc. has announced its
$lO-million expansion is underway
at the Lewiston Processing Plant
to meet increased consumer
demand for Perdue brand poultry
products.
“Perdue continues to increase
its commitment to the Eastern
North Carolina area,” stated Bill
Bollinger, head of Perdue
operations in North Carolina.
The expanded plant will offer
both existing and new Perdue
growers even greater assurance of
continued productivity in the
coming years. An additional 300
broiler houses will be needed to
supply the Lewiston Processing
Plant when operation is at full
capacity. (A great number of
houses are already located in
Chowan County.)
“Joining the Perdue program
now will really provide a solid
investment for the farmers within
our Ahoskie service area,” noted
Bollinger.
“With our New House
Guarantee in effect, a Perdue
Courthouse green. At far right, a participant of tne dunking machine creates a splash as he enters
the water following a direct hit on the seat release. See “A Spoiler” in the Public Parade. (Photos by
Paul Amburn.)
resigned.
Gardner has entered private
business as senior vice president
of AGEnterprises. Mrs. King has
become administrative assistant
with AGE. Mrs. Brown’s plans
have not been revealed.
Applications are currently being
accepted for the administrator’s
position which Gardner held for
more than 20 years. Mrs. Janet
Boswell, a long time employee of
the Electric and Water Depart
ment, has been named acting
finance officer.
A memo has been circulated to
department heads instructing
them to report to standing com
mittees of the Town Council
during the interim. An ad
vertisement in the current issue of
Southern Cities, municipal trade
publication in North Carolina,
states that applications for the
administrator’s position will be
received by Mayor Roy L. Harrell
until July 15.
grower can earn a guaranteed
minimum gross income of over
$16,000 per year per house. I don’t
know of any other crop a farmer in
this area could grow today which
offers a guaranteed return on the
investment the way the Perdue
program does,” says Bollinger.
This expansion will also result in
an additional 700 persons being
employed by Perdue at the
Lewiston operation for a total of
Additional Funds
Are Approved
WASHINGTON, D. C. - Rep.
Walter B. Jones of the First
Congressional District, today
announced approval of additional
grant funds from the En
vironmental Protection Agency
for the Town of Edenton. The
funds total $56,921.
Rep. Jones said this will provide
funding for additional study of
land application associated with
waste water treatment facilities.
Johnson has held the director’s
post of the countywide recreation
position for a number of years. He
cited “unnecessary and undue
political interference in the
operation of my department by
certain town politicians” as the
chief reason for his resignation.
“I also feel that your resignation
as town manager will greatly
hinder a smooth operation not only
of my department but of all town
departments,” he wrote Gardner.
“It has been a pleasure as well
as an honor working with you,” he
continued. “I will sorely miss your
guidance and leadership as well as
the challenge of running the
Recreation Department.”
Councilman Willis Privott, a
member of the Recreation
Committee, said Monday that
Johnson’s resignation came as a
shock. “I haven’t had the op
portunity to talk with Mike.” he
added.
1,700 employees. The plant will be
expanded in two phases with the
first phase completed in March,
1982, and the second expected to be
completed in March. 1983.
The plant now processes 1.2-
million birds per week and the ex
pansion will add another 600,000
birds per week to this processing
capacity.
Perdue, Inc., which was founded
in Salisbury, Md. over 61 years
ago, is currently the fourth largest
poultry business in the U S. In
1974 Perdue began development
of its North Carolina operations
from the Ahoskie office and has
since built a feed mill, hatchery,
processing plant and over 560
broiler houses in Eastern North
Carolina and Virginia.
“North Carolina has been very
good to Perdue over the years, and
we are committed to provide our
growers with the most economical
and efficient broiler house
program possible,” concluded
Bollinger.