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Dr. Jay Langfelder
Break In Rules
Those who regularly meander
along the Public Parade will
recognize a break in rules here.
Although some people in the
media write like they are editors,
we maintain the distinction is wide.
In this case, however, it is dif
ferent. We pretty much brought it
on ourself by commenting last
month that Sec. Joe Grimsley of
the State Department of Natural
Resources & Community
Development hadn’t adequately
introduced Dr. Jay Langfelder as
a new assistant secretary.
The comment put us in strange
company as our least favorite
morning newspaper in North
eastern North Carolina chose to
reprint the article. We would
believe it was because of the
subject and in spite of the writer.
Anyway, Jim Sheppard,
director of public affairs for
NRCD, sent the following article,
if you are still with us, here it is:
After two weeks on the job as the
state’s top natural resource
manager. Dr. Jay Langfelder has
begun to set some priorities.
Langfelder, the new assistant
secretary for natural resources in
the N. C. Department of Natural
Resources and Cojnmunity
Development, sees the dialogue
between North Carolina and
Virginia over water management
above the Albemarle Sound as one
of the most important jobs he will
have.
The two states are looking at
ways to share the limited water
which is available in the area, and
Langfelder feels that the previous
work puts us into a position to
develop an agreement that will be
beneficial to both states.
Another concern of Langfelder’s
will be insuring that the coastal
areas of North Carolina continue
to be protected in spite of the
cutbacks in federal funds which
the state is facing. NRCD and
local governments in the coastal
counties are cooperating to plan
and nianage the development
around the sensitive natural
systems along the Atlantic
shoreline and the estuaries.
In line for a lot of attention from
Langfelder is the state’s Land
Resources Information Service, a
computer-based information
system which can help planners
compare a variety of land data
simultaneously. Until now the
LRIS has been available only to
government agencies and in
stitutions, but Langfelder hopes it
will be available to more users in
the future.
At 48, Langfelder was a
professor of civil engineering and
head of the Department of Marine,
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
at N. C. State University when he
accepted the offer from NRCD
Sec. Joseph W. Grimsley to come
to work in state government. “I
had been working on the sidelines
for a long time,” said Langfelder.
Now I’m in the game.”
Actually, Langfelder’s work on
the sidelines was enough to keep
most people busy for a lifetime. He
has served as a member or
chairman of a number of state
advisory beards including the
Marine Science Council and the
Coastal Resources Advisory
Council. He also served as a
presidential appointee to the
National Advisory Committee on
Oceans and the Atmosphere.
“Finding the correct balance
between abuse of nature]
resources and looking them away
Continued On Page -
4.V
Everything In Readiness
For Performance Tonight
Swain School is excited about
the arrival of the N. C, Symphony.
Every day since the holidays, a
piece from the symphony has been
played over the P. A. system.
Teachers all over the school have
played classical music and taught
the instruments. Mrs. Patricia
Byrum’s class has decorated the
hallway with a beautiful bulletin
board telling about the symphony
orchestra and showing the in
struments. Mrs. Germanero has
taken the bulletin board in the
front to welcome the N. C. Sym
phony and her students’ in
strument pictures are displayed
outside the auditorium.
The students have learned two
Town Protests ESC Closing
The proposed major cutback in
the North Carolina Securities
Commission, which threatens to
close 48 local and branch offices
including Edenton’s, has met with
a flurry of activity here.
Town and County officials met
Jan. 21 in an effort to develop a
plan to head off the closing of
Edenton’s branch.
A letter was prepared by
Edenton officials to Gov. Jim Hunt
citing reasons for the Edenton
branch remaining open. Mayor
Roy Harrell said, “Should the
Edenton Employment Security
Office be closed, many unem-
District Court
The Chowan County District
Court met Jan. 26 in a regular
session with John T. Chaffin the
presiding judge.
Kenneth Eddie Gibbs, forging
endorsement, probable cause was
found. Larceny of check and
resist, delay, and obstruct an
officer, consolidated, 12 months
commitment.
Johnny Basnight, littering and
resist, delay or obstruct an
officer, consolidated, 90 days
Committment. Disorderly Con
duct, voluntary dismissal.
Thelma Ford, resist, delay and
obstruct an officer, 30 day
suspended sentence, SIOO fine and
cost of court.
Joseph Bertram Hollowell, Jr.,
exceeding a safe speed, $lO fine
and cost of court.
Stanley Earl Stroud, DUI, 60 day
Continued On Page 4
Brown Receives Promotion
William H. Stanley, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of
Peoples Bank & Trust Company,
announced recently the promotion
of James E. Brown, Jr. to Senior
Vice President and Rocky Mount
City Executive. As City
Executive, Brown will be in
charge of commercial lending
activities, operations and
customer services for the Rocky
Mount Office.
A native of Raleigh, he is a 1971
graduate of East Carolina
University and the National
Commercial Lending School at the
University of Oklahoma. Brown
joined Peoples Bank’s staff in
January of 1978 as an Assistant
Vice President in the Rocky Mount
Commercial Loan Department.
He was promoted to Vice
President and City Executive to
the Edenton Office in 1980.
Brown is a past President and
Charter Member, Tar River
Kiwanis Club and past Industrial
Development Chairman of the
James E. Brown. Jr.
songs to sing during the per
formance and some teachers have
made instruments for them to play
with the orchestra.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Sutton,
Edenton-Chowan’s elementary
music teacher, has bustled around
organizing the education concert
program and has gotten the
children prepared.
Swain School is proud to be able
to have a Symphony. The students
are waiting on pins and needles for
the Education Concert Program
for all of Edenton-Chowan’s 4th
-Bth grade students on Thursday
morning at Swain School
auditorium.
ployed citizens of Northeastern
North Carolina would be forced to
drive over 50 miles to obtain the
service? of an Employment
Security Office.”
There is also another reason for
Mayor Harrell to be upset. He has
been the veterans’ counselor at the
Edenton office for six years and
stands to lose his job if the office
closes.
State officials are also looking
for ways to cushion the blow of the
closings, forced on the Em
ployment Security Commission by
federal budget cuts, said Gov. Jim
Hunt.
The use of state monies to make
up part of the $5-million in lost
federal aid has been ruled out,
according to Hunt. He said the
state is looking for free office
space - in schools, community
colleges, or other government
buildings - as one way to keep
Continued On Page 4
Knudsen Is Speaker For Democratic Meeting
The Chowan County Democratic
Executive Committee met
Tuesday night with some 70 in
terested Democrats in attendance.
The meeting was held at the Fish
Mai-Kct, Etcetera, Edenton.
Presided over by Lueta Sellers,
the meeting opened with Terry
Williams giving the invocation
followed by a guest speaker, Betty
Ann Knudsen, who was introduced
by Mrs. Sellers.
The speaker, a Wake County
Commissioner, and outstanding
Democrat, who in 1975 was
selected “Tarheel of the Week” by
Rocky Mount Area Chamber of
Commerce. He is currently serv
ing as Director so the Young
Bankers Division of the North
Carolina Bankers Association,
Chairman Albemarle Chapter of
Ducks Unlimited, Director and
Membership Chairman of the
Edenton Chamber of Commerce.
Brown is married to the former
Luanne Roebuck of Williamston,
and they have one daughter,
Mandy, three and one-half years.
Bateman Urges Affirmative
Vote On Farmers Referendum
According to David T. Bateman
of Tyner, president, N. C. Peanut
Growers Association, Inc., a
referendum vitally important to
peanut producers will be con
ducted by mail ballot from the
County ASCS office during the
period January 25-29.
The president of the N. C. Farm
Bureau Federation has strongly
urged peanut growers to cast a
“yes” vote on the new price
support and poundage provisions
of the Agriculture and Food Act.
“Even though some inequities
may exist in the new legislation,”
Farm Bureau President John
Sledge said, “all peanut growers
should continue to support the
program and work to remove
those inequities. Without a
program, all growers will suffer.”
An affirmative vote by two
thirds of those voting in the mail
ballot is necessary to continue
price supports and poundage
quotas for crop years 1982 through
1985. A negative vote will mean
there will be no price supports or
quotas for 1982 and another
referendum could be held next
4" „ . ... J j
Vol. XtVM - No. 4
Peanut Mill Donated To Historic Fund
The Edenton Peanut Mill,
Chowan County’s tallest building,
is in new ownership and will be
rehabilitated during the 1980’s.
Listed in the National Register
of Historic Places, the Edenton
landmark was donated by Mr. and
Mrs. Jesse L. Harrell and Mr. and
Mrs. Alton G. Elmore to the
Historic Preservation Fund of
North Carolina, Inc., last month.
The Fund had a feasibility study
conducted for the property which
showed that the building could be
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PEANUT MILL TO BE REHABILITATED - The Edenton
Peanut Mill has been bought by Todd and Patricia Dickinson
(second and third from left). The mill was donated to the Historic
Preservation Fund of the N.C., Inc., by Alton G. Elmore, second
from right, and his wife, along with Mr. and Mrs. Jesse L.
Harrell. J. Myrick Howard, left, is the Executive Director of the
Fund. Frances Inglis, right, is a local preservationist who had a
steady interest in the project.
Raleigh News & Observer and
then “Volunteer of the Year,”
Raleigh, in 1976, chairs num
berous committees both in Wake
County and on the state level. In
her remarks, titled “How The New
Federalism Is Affecting Local
Government,” she touched on the
importance of “speaking up” to
make our wishes known and the
importance of accountability in all
government. The speaker also
pointed out that good county
government is absolutely essential
” J \
X ■ II \
Betty Ann Knudsen
year.
Under the new farm bill, a
national poundage quota for
peanuts is established for each of
the next four years, with the quota
declining each year. The price
support for quota peanuts is set at
$550 per ton.
While expressing dissatisfaction
with provisions of the new law
under which some growers could
lose their allotments, Sledge
emphasized that it would be
disastrous for the entire industry
if price supports were disap
proved.
“It is essential,” Sledge said,
“that we continue to have a peanut
program to provide a price floor of
stability under which all peanut
producers will benefit.”
The following message in
respect to the referendum has
been endorsed by the National
Peanut Growers Group and by all
peanut grower organizations in
the state:
Peanut growers will have an
opportunity to vote in a very
crucial belt-wide referendum
Continued On Page 4
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, January 28, 1982
rehabilitated for a variety of uses,
including luxury apartments. The ‘
tax incentives for rehabilitating
historic properties made the
building’s rehabilitation
profitable.
The new owners of the five-story
Peanut Mill are Todd and Patricia
Dickinson of Durham. The
Dickinsons are familiar with old
buildings such as the Peanut Mill.
Both Todd and Patricia do con
sulting work in historic preser
vation and restoration con-
and we all need to do our part to
help. A question-answer period
followed.
The business session opened
with the treasurer’s report by
Warren Twiddy. The report was
approved and accepted as read.
The chair commented on im
portant upcoming dates including
the 1982 Albemarle Democratic
Ball to be held in Elizabeth City
February 12 from 8-12 midnight
which will be attended by
Governor Hunt as well as other
elected officials in our state
government. Mrs. Sellers opened
the floor for various committee
reports which included a report by
the nominating committee to fill
the position of treasurer, vacated
by Mr. Twiddy due to his filing for
election to County Commissioner.
James C. (Pete) Dail was
nominated and unanimously
elected.
Other business included naming
Jack Evans chairman of a
Procedures Committee to be
formed and discussion of a Get
out-the-Vote Committee for the
upcoming general election.
RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Charles
Asbell, right, was recently named as a recipient of the Greenville
Jaycees Distinguished Service Award. Dr. John Howell, left,
presented the award. Asbell, a Chowan County native, is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Asbell, Sr. of Tyner.
Single Copies 25 Cents
struction. The Dickinsons recently
won an award from the Historic
Preservation Society of Durham
for adapting an early Art Moderne
service station in Durham into law
offices.
The Dickinsons’ immediate
plans for the building include its
stabilization while further study is
made for how the building is to be
used.
“We are most grateful to the
Harrells and the Elmores for their
generous contribution to the Fund.
Their donation of the building has
made it possible to develop a plan
which assures that this important
structure is enjoyed by future
generations” said J. Myrick
Howard, Executive Director of the
Fund.
The Edenton Peanut Mill was
built around 1909 when Edenton
was the second largest peanut
market in the nation. Locally
owned and the first of its kind in
Edenton, the mill produced 1400 to
1500 10-pound bags of peanuts
daily. The operation was
originally powered by a steam
engine fueled by peanut huss.
The Historic Preservation Fund
of North Carolina, Inc., is the first
statewide revolving fund for
historic preservation in the United
States. Created by the Historic
Preservation Society of North
Carolina, Inc., the Fund has
purchased and resold some thirty
historic buildings around North
Carolina. These buildings are to be
rehabilitated by private owners
under protective convenants.
Asbell Recipient
Os DSA Award
Charles Asbell, Jr., a 32-year old
public accountant, was the 1981
recipient of the Greenville
Jaycees’ Distinguished Service
Award, the chapter’s highest
honor.
Asbell, a partner in the CPA
firm of Farley, Prescott, Mizelle &
Co., received the award during the
Jaycees’ 36th annual DSA and
Bosses Night banquet.
Guest speaker for the occasion
was Dr. John Howell, who was
named recently as interim
chancellor at East Carolina
University.
Asbell, a Chowan County native,
graduated from Chowan High
School in 1967 and received a
bachelor’s in business ad
ministration in 1971 from ECU,
and also served as president of the
Accounting Society at the
university for 1970-71. Asbell was
also a member of the Phi Sigma Pi
honor fraternity.
Asbell, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles M. Asbell, Sr., of Tyner,
his wife, Linda, and their two
children, Joey and Anna, attend
Immanuel Baptist Church in
Edenton.
Continued On Page 4