A New Mess
! All Northeastern North Carolina
needs is another controversy. And
we appear to have it in the form of
yet another commission. It is the
Northeastern North Carolina
Tomorrow group which was
formed recently.
“Even before the new group was
formally organized, the chairman
to-be Joe Parker of Ahoskie threw
the fat in the fire over Gov. James
B. Hunt’s statements regarding
Virginia Electric & Power
Company.
The legislators have recently
organized the Northeastern North
Carolina Caucus, with Sen. J. J.
(Monk) Harrington as chairman.
And if any group, old or new,
expects to enjoy any degree of
success it must have the support of
elected officials.
However, before the minutes of
the Tomorrow group’s minutes
could be compiled, Joe Parker and
Rep. Vernon James got involved
in a shoot-out. Mr. Parker, the
newspaper baron out of Ahoskie,
had published in his newspaper an
editorial critical of Gov. Hunt,
along with Rep. James.
(Rep. Vernon James’ letter can
be found on Page 10-A. A recent
nevfs items on the subject being
discussed here can be found on
Pajfe 10-A.)
Gov. Hunt held a news (?)
conference recently in Raleigh to
restate his stand on Vepco. In our
estimation it was a “non-news
conference” because the reports
we read didn’t differ all that much
from what he said here in Edenton'
on September 9.
Our favorite morning
newspaper circulated along the
Public Parade and throughout
Ifortheastern North Carolina
headlined the account: “Hunt
Keeps Vepco Stand.” We didn’t
know, except for Mr. Parker’s
editorial, that Gov. Hunt had ever
made jestures to let his stand
against Vepco go.
At an earlier meeting of area
leaders which developed into the
Tomorrow group, it was evident
that* Mr. Parker would become
chairman. The only trouble we
have with that is his being head of
Operation Overcharge, a anti-
Vepco citizen movement which
has been very successful.
There was no question in this
writer’s mind about the tact Gov.
Hunt was about to take. If Mr.
Parker’s representative at a July
10 meeting at the Governor’s
Mansion had reported to him
sufficiently, neither should there
have been an element of doubt in
his mind either.
And the thing about the role of
Rep. James in a bill to establish a
study commission that very day
aimed Vepco, could have been
reported differently if more than
(me source had been contacted. We
were in the Legislative Building
that morning and participated in a
conversation with Rep. James and
Rep. Charles Evans of Dare
County. And Rep. James did his
bit in public to delete
“Northeastern North Carolina”
from the measure.
Gov. Hunt has mellowed
somehwat on Vepco. This is
justified. Vepco didn’t get in the
shape its in over night and it can’t
reverse things in a like span of
time. Steps, in fact great strides,
have been taken by the utility
company to reverse the trend of
having the highest electric rates of
the three suppliers in North
Carolina.
Gov. Hunt has recognized this
fact, and rightly so. Another thing
which has happned in
Northeastern North Carolina
which has drawn little or no
publicity is the fact that industrial
expansion in the region during
1900-81 either created or will
create 7,167 new job 6 and will have
ah investment of nearly 1670-
million. Not enough of them are in
the Albemarle Area.
Something must be done to curb
utility ratqs across the state, not
just in the Albemarle Area. This is
what the bill in the General
Assembly is meant to do.
While we question the need for
yet another commission - like the
Tomorrow group - everyone
associated with it in leadership
roles must be something more
than half-hearted. It will take the
£ Continued on page I
The Chowan Herald
Vol. XLVI - No. 43 '
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THE COTTON HARVEST IS ALMOST HERE Now that
harvest time is here, care should be taken to control the cotton
boll weevil, pest control officials from the N. C. Department of
Agriculture say. Moving of used harvesting equipment, unginned
cotton and cotton plants is prohibited without a permit.
801 l Weevils Are Big Concern
RALEIGH Keeping the cotton
boll weevil out of the weevil-free
area north and east of Fayetteville
is a major concern of N. C.
Department of Agriculture pest
control officials.
“Now that cotton harvesting is
well underway in the state, it is
most important that growers,
ginners and cotton researchers
take extra care in moving articles
capable of carrying the boll weevil
such as unginned cotton and used
cotton harvesting equipment into
the weevil-free area irom points
outside the eradication zone,” said
Agriculture Commissioner Jim
Graham.
The commissioner said that
Ducks Unlimited
Holding Banquet
The Albemarle Chapter of
Ducks Unlimited has announced
that its 9th annual banquet will be
held at The American Legion
Building on October 28 at 6:30
P.M.Chapter Chairman Jim
Brown of Peoples Bank & Trust
Co. feels the fund-raising function
should be marked on the calendar
by anyone who is interested in the
future of North America’s
waterfowl.
“The Ducks Unlimited success
story,” said Brown, “is really
starting to spread around.
Banquets much like our chapter
event held throughout the country
last year contributed towards
Ducks Unlimited’s national fund
raising effort which raised S2O
- during 1979 alone.
Tickets, which are $35, include a
one-year DU membership and a
subscription to the organization’s
magazine. Call John Woolard, Jr.,
at 482-3384 for tickets and further
details.
Low Rainfall Prevents Algae Bloom Occurrence
Major blooms of blue-green algae did not occur on the Chowan River
this year due to below normal rainfall and river flow. The drought
conditions allowed salt water which reduces growth of blue-green algae
to move as far up the river as Winton.
However, high levels of nutrients which trigger algae growth still exist
in the Chowan and could cause future blooms, reports the North Carolina
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.
Robert F. Helms, director of the NRCD Division of Environmental
Management, says that levels of nitrogen and phosphorus still entering
the river are too great for the river to escape future blooms under normal
spring and summer weather conditions.
A cooperative North Carolina - Virginia effort to control algal growth
is now underway in the Chowan River Basin. This effort, entitled the
Chowan River Restoration Project (CHORE), focuses on a short-term
action plan to reduce die amount of nutrients entering the river to the
lowest practical levels.
A long-term Chowan River quality management plan is also being
prepared by die two states. As the volume of nutrients entering the river
is reduced and the level of nutrients already in the river gradually
M*n»on North Carolina, Thursday, October 15, 1981
from 1978 through 1980 a trial
weevil eradication program was
carried out in eastern North
Carolina which eliminated the
destructive insect.
“Our pest control specialists are
concerned that the boll weevil
could be reintroduced into the free
area if precautions are not taken
to prevent it,” Graham said.
Under the regulations of the 801 l
Wijffevil Eradication Act,
movement of used harvesting
equipment, unginned cotton and
cotton plants is prohibited without
a permit.
Persons moving any of these
articles into the eradication zone
should contact their local
agricultural extension service or
the N. C. Department of
Agriculture, Post Office Box 27647.
Raleigh, N.C. 27611; phone 919-733-
6930.
Democratic Resolutions Get Cool Response
Chowan County’s Democratic
Executive Committee is pushing
county commissioners for action
on two of three resolutions adopted
at the party convention in April.
They involved the composition of
the county board as well as the
method of electing the members.
The resolutions call for the
nomination and election of
candidates in townships in which
they live and that the county be
divided into electoral townships of
as near equal in population as
possible.
Another resolution from the
convention on April 19, dealt with
spreading out appointments by the
board among the different
townships.
' At the present time, candidates
must reside in certain township
but are voted on countywide.
Sinqle Copies 20 Cents
Town Council
Gives Approval
To Mr. Noble
The Town Council of Edenton
met Oct. 13 in a regular session.
First on the agenda was the
appointment of Town
Administrator Sam Noble to the
position of Town Clerk.
The meeting was continued with
the authorization that Mayor Roy
Harrell sign anu certify all
necessary documentation related
to the Edenton Area Complex 201
Facilities Plan.
There was further discussion
concerning the discharge of waste
water fluents into the Sound rather
than proceeding with the Land
Application Study.
A meeting has been scheduled
for Oct. 20 at 7:30 P.M. to discuss
the East Edenton Drainage
-Project and talk with engineer
L. E. Wooten and associates
concerning the 201 Facilities Plan.
The Town Council also tabled
the subject of Community
Identification Signs and referred it
to the Finance Committee. The
council decided to send a letter to
the Department of Transportation
to request a distance sign between
Windsor and Edenton.
The November Council meeting
scheduled for Nov. 10 has been
changed to Nov. 17, due to the
League of Municipalities meeting
that will be held during Nov. 8
through Nov. 10.
In other business the Council
refused Caley Jasper Rountree’s
request that they grant him a,
permit to operate a taxicab in the
Town of Edenton, due to his
previous driving record.
Judge Hears Variety Os Court Cases
The following cases were heard
in the Chowan County District
Court on October 13 by the
presiding judge,. Grafton G.
Beamon.
William Hardy, suspended
sentence invoked, committed.
James Henry Leary, no
operator’s license, $25 fine and
cost of court.
Gladys Harvey Hill, failure to
report accident, voluntary
dismissal. Hit and run and DUI
consolidated, 6 months suspended
for 3 years on unsupervised
probation, S4OO fine, and pay cost
All three resolutive have drawn
cool response from county board
members.
The board has leaned heavily on
a letter from the N. C. Department
of Justice which states the county
is not subject to the “one-man,
one-vote” edict. The letter of
September 30,1980, from James F.
Bullock, senior deputy attorney
general, noted:
“We agree that since the entire
county nominates and elects, the
one-man, one-vote rule does not
apply even though members are
required to resident in certain
townships. This is referred to as
resident districts rather than
voting or representative districts.
Therefore, there will be no need to
redistrict based upon the 1980
census.”
Township population ranges
declines, significant improvements in water quality should occur.
Dr. Robert Holman, scientist in charge of the division’s research on
the river, said, “Decaying mats of blue-green algae produce unpleasant
odors and consume the dissolved oxygen in the water which is
necessary for the survival of all fish species including the commercially
valuable. In addition recent research has suggested that these blue
green algae may be crowding out the normal population of green algae
which is the source of food for some juvenile fish or other organisms
which are in turn eaten by fish.
Hie problem blue-green algae are freshwater species. Due to the
extremely low rainfall recorded in North Carolina during the last 18
months, die flow of the Chowan River has been greatly reduced, allowing
salt water to move well up the river from the Albemarle Sound, and
reduce growth of the blue-greens.” Holmon heads NRCD’s Chowan
research team stationed in Edenton.
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., has made restoration of the Chowan River his
top environmental priority. At the same time he has stressed that solving
the problem requires a long term commitment to careful management of
the river and surrounding lands by both private citizens and govern
ment.
)
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CANCER CRUSADE Pete Thompson, left, who works as the
Agri-Business Consultant with People’s Bank & Trust Co., and is
the President of the Cancer Crusade is shown with Pam Stallings,
the Crusade Chairman. The Cancer Crusade began Oct. 1.
Cancer Crusade Activities Encourage
Participation By County Residents
Chowan County’s annual Cancer
Crusade began October 1. The first
event of the Crusade was the
Business Week Drive that is
coming to a close. During the
month, and beyond, events will be
scheduled that allow each resident
of Chowan County to participate
and donate as they see fit.
Car washes, radio telethons,
balloon sales, and door to door
canvassing, which are now under
way, are some of the ways the
crusade workers will reach
citizens. As in any other year,
memorial gifts will be added to
our goal of $6,500.
Crusade workers for the
of court in each case.
Mary Jordan, seven counts of
unemployment insurance fraud
consolidated, 6 months suspended
4 years on unsupervised
probation, SIOO fine, and cost of
court in each case.
Raymond Brown, larceny, 60
days suspended for 2 years, SSO
fine and cost of court. Appealed.
Ann Fleming, shoplifting, 90
days suspended for 3 years, SSO
fine and cost of court, and ordered
to remain off the premises of
Roses for 3 years.
George Wesly Wheeler,
improper equipment, dismissed.
from a low of 905 in Third
Township with one seat assigned,
to 3,798 per seat designated in the
First Township. First Township
now has two seats on the board
with the remaining three
townships having one seat each to
make up the five-member board of
commissioners.
At a recent board meeting, Mrs.
Lueta C. Sellers, party chairman,
said: “We would like to see where
the townships are reapportioned
and where each township would
have their own commissioner.”
Chairman C. A. Phillips is
quoted as responding thusly: “If
we were to try to represent every
community in the county we would
have more than five
commissioners than we have
now.”
Continued on page 4
year are: Pete Thompson,
President, Agri-Business
Consultant with People’s Bank
and Trust Co.; Pam Stallings,
Crusade Chairman; Spec Jones,
First Vice President; Carolyn
Bunch, Secretary; Pat Jordan,
Treasurer; Pete Dail, Ser. Ch.;
Claire Mills, Prof. Ed.; Chris
Bean, Legacies; Mervin Barham,
Loan Closet; Lola Bass, Uterine
Task Force; Sally Blount, Public
Education; Deanna Darnell,
Publicity; Ruth Frinks, Black
Task Force; Annette Woglom, Ed.
Woman’s Club; Fran Ward and
Mary Julia Parrish, Extension
Clubs; Cindy Devine, Special
Events; Sarah White, Bus. Ch.;
Carrie Earnhardt, Memorials;
and Judy Hughes, Contact Person.
Mrs. Goodwin
Is Recognized
CHARLOTTE Mrs. Wallace
Goodwin, Jr., Route 3, Edenton is
one of 12 Tar Heel women to
receive a leadership award for her
work in cooperation with the N. C.
Agricultural Extension Service.
The awards, made each year to
the two top leaders from each of
six districts, are sponsored by
A&P.
Based on their efforts in
Extension Homemakers,
Community Development and 4-H
programs, the women are scored
on their organizational work,
project work and participation in
club activities.
In addition, each woman writes
a narrative describing the values
she has received from her leader
work.
Mrs. Goodwin has held
numerous offices in the Exterprise
Extension Homemakers Club. She
has served as president of the
Chowan County Extension
Homemakers Council, and
corresponding secretary for the
Northeastern District Council.
Mrs. Goodwin has been active in
her church and in Colonial
Squares.
As a leadership award winner,
Mrs. Goodwin received a silver
tray. Awards were presented at
the fall meeting of the North
Carolina Extension Homemakers
Association held here October
14-16.
*
Mrs. Wallace Goodwin, Jr.