■
Wise Decision
Court buffs who settled in
~ Monday along the Public Parade
for a retrial of felony charges
against a Dare County official
were surprised. District Attorney
Tom Watts of the Isle of
Pasquotank and Charles S.
Ferring’s attorney agreed on
conditions for a quilty plea.
Mr. Fearing will certainly
benefit from the plea bargaining
So will the people’ of North
Carolina.
Mr. Fearing along with his
cousin and an ex-deputy sheriff
were convicted in the 1979 death of
Cloise H. Crees, an elderly
pedestrian. The defendant spent
145 days in confinement-before he
was released while pending appeal
to the higher courts. The N. C.
Supreme Court ordered a new trial
for Mr. Fearing, finding certain
errors charged to Judge James
Strickland of Onslow County.
In an announcement Monday,
Dist. Atty. Watts said: “It appears
that a full-blown second jury in
this complex matter, involving an
extensive and expensive outlay of
judicial, prosecution and law
* enforcement resources, would not
result in substantial additional
punishment at best.”
We agree with the astute
prosecutor. While plea bargaining
at times to be grossly overused, it
is a tool which can be used to
extract the best out of a bad
situation. We are quite com
( sortable with the plea bargaining
tool in the hands of this district
attorney.
Judge Frank Brown of Rocky
Mount has postpQned sentencing
the defendant until the other two
men charged in the offense are
given a new trial, also ordered by
the courts.
Mr. Fearing has already suf
fered considerably. At best he
could be confined for an additional
60 to 90 days. Furthermore, he
earlier reached a financial set
tlement with the victim’s' family.
He has also spent untold thousands
of dollars in his defense.
Dist. Atty. Watts leveled with
the victim’s family and law en
forcement officers before
agreeing to accept a plea from Mr.
Fearing. While emotion is high in
such proceedings, it is evident that
stark reality prevailed.
Call your next case, Mr. District
Attorney!
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Anita Tarkington
Mrs. Tarkington Is
Merchant Os Month
Editor’s Note: In an effort to
acknowledge the outstanding
background qualifications of so
many of Edenton’s merchants, the
Herald began a series in January
featuring a merchant each month.
For February, the Herald is proud
to announce the selection of Anita
Tarkington of Tarkington’s as our
Merchant of the Month.
Anita Tarkington, a native of
Warren County, first came to
Edenton in 1941. She was the bus
terminal manager and her
husband, Raymond Tarkington,
worked with Nationwide In
surance. Her husband soon
received a promotion to District
Manager and with it came a
relocation to Henderson County.
They returned to Edenton in 1949,
this time to stay.
Mrs. Tarkington, a professional
milliner and designer, opened a
millinery shop during 1949. On Jan
Continued On Page 4
‘People Have No Input’
Homthal Resigns Council Seat Following Debate On Refund
Tuesday night’s Town Council
meeting can aptly be described by
an old captain’s saying, “Stormy
weather ahead!” A recom
mendation made by the Utility
Committee, concerning refunds
for Edenton’s electrical
customers, began a heated
discussion and played a major
part in the resignation of one of the
couhcilmen.
The meeting began quietly when
called to order by Mayor Roy L.
Harrell and, following the ap
proval of the last meeting’s
minutes, the Administrative
Report was heard.
Council members were in
formed that the Town has received
notification that the deed to the old
armory will be presented to the
Council by Colonel McPhaul,
Director of Facilities for the N. C.
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SYMPHONY PERFORMANCE A HUGE SUCCESS The
Modern Music Master’s reception for Conductor James Ogle and
the four orchestra members who worked with band students at
Holmes School, gave Mrs. Shelby Strother, left and the con
ductor, right, another chance to discuss the upcoming evening
performance.
Symphony Is Thrilled By
Enthusiasm Os Audience
Praise was lavish and multi
directional following Chowaft
County's recent visit by the North
Carolina Symphony. The Chowan
County Chapter of the North
Carolina Symphony, formed under
the auspices of Edenton-Chowan
Schools Community Education
program feels that this first an
nual effort was successful because
it totally involved the community.
School students, local choral
groups and residents all
benefitted.
Conductor James Ogle was most
enthusiastic about the response of
the community and long time
residents of the community were
heard to say that this was the
largest turn out for a performance
of this sort in recent memory. One
orchestra member commented
that in his nine years of travelling
with the North Carolina Sym
phony, this was only the second
time, in a small town, that they
had played to a full house.
The crowd of over 800 obviously
enjoyed the evening, and their
enjoyment was mirrored by that
of the musicians. Ogle credited the
sincere response of the crowd,
shown by the spontaneous burst of
''applause upon his announcement
of an encore of music from
Oklahoma, with prompting the
best redition of the medley they
had ever done.
The reception hosted by the
Chowan Arts Council following the
performance provided an op
portunity for the performers and
Phone Company
Requests Update
ELIZABETH CITY- How’s
your present listing in the
telephone directory?
If you want it changed or want to
add another listing for someone
else in the family, you should call
the telephone business office by
February 19, 1982.
Terry F. Daniels, Carolina
Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany manager here, says that’s
when preparation of the new
Albemarle Area directory will be
completed.
He says the new directory is now
scheduled to be delivered in early
May.
National Guard, at the Council's
meeting on March 9.
The DOT has scheduled im
provement of the turning radius at
the intersection of East
Freemason Street and N. Broad
Street*.
It was also noted that the Town
of Edenton has been named as a
Tree City USA for 1981. In relation
to this subject, Herman Terry,
State Forester, will be conducting
a tree grooming seminar in
Edenton on March 9.
The Finance Committee Report
came next. The Council passed the
committee recommendation that
the Town of Edenton’s Audit for
Fiscal Year 1980-81 be approved.
The Finance Committee’s next
recommendation that lighting not
be installed on the Edenton
directional signs located at the
the audience to meet and share
their enthusiasm.
Everyone who bought advance
Continued On Page 4
Parks Tenders His Resignation
Luther C. Parks completed 41
years Saturday as a member of
Edenton Fire Department. The
day before he turned in his
resignation as chief, a position he
has held since July 1, 1970.
Chief Parks, in a letter to
Samuel W. Noble, Jr., town ad
ministrator, gave “personal
reasons and for the best interest of
my health” as factors in arriving
at the decision. While his official
resignation called for retirement
on March 5, Chief Parks agreed to
Noble’s request that he remain
with the department until the end
of the fiscal year - the exact date
being June 25, the last pay period
of the year.
The veteran chief’s decision
caused shock waves throughout
the community. He was not saying
anything beyond his written
comments for public corn
sumption, while privately he said
the departure would be like a
“divorce” for him. However, he
admitted to his years of serving
providing the “honor (he) will
cherish for the remainder of (his)
life.”
Chief Parks said he agonized
over the decision for weeks. He is,
therefore, confident the decision is
the best one for this time and in
dicated it is final.
Chief Luther C. Parks
U.S. 17 and N.C. 32 interchange
was also approved. The rationale
for this recommendation is that
the N.C. Dept, of Transportation
has estimated the cost of in
stallation of the lighting at $2,700
per sign. In addition, the signs are
currently painted with reflective
paint, making them visible to
nightime motorists.
The Finance Committee’s final
recommendation that the Council
honor the bid for a new sewer
rodder was also passed.
And then came the Utility
Committee Report. All started
quietly enough with their
recommendation that the Council
adopt a resolution thanking the
District Health Department for its
assistance to the Town in
documenting to the Division of
Environmental Management a
The Chowan Herald
Volume XLVII - No. 6
Change Os Direction For Schools Is Approved
The School Board went on
record Monday night as approving
the change in the future direction
of a high school building.
Previously on record as working
to build a new high school, the
Board has found that its purposes
could better be served by new
construction, renovation and
improvements at John A. Holmes
High School. This decision has
resulted from an extensive long
range plan study which the Board
and teachers have been conducting
over the past year.
Fourth through eighth grade
students in Edenton-Chowan
Schools will enjoy the services of a
visual artist for the remaining
eighteen weeks in the school year.
Beginning February 15 services
will be made available through a
grant approved by the North
Carolina Arts Council’s Artist-In-
The Schools Program, supported
by the National Endowment for
Two paragraphs from his letter
of resignation follows:
“Fire fighting is the most
dangerous job in the world. More
firemen are injured or killed on
the job than any other occupation.
For this reason, as the Chief, I am
constantly worried and concerned
about the safety of our men and
added to this, the responsibility of
the safety of the life and property
of the citizens of Edenton is a
tremendous pressure on a Chief’s
life. I have always attempted to
fulfill the duties and responsibili
ties of the Fire Chief in a manner
that would bring honor and praise
to the Fire Department and would
most benefit all the citizens of
Edenton.” and,
“I want to thank the members of
the Fire Department and the
citizens of Edenton for their
support and cooperation through
the years. The Fire Department
has always set high standards for
their men and the services they
render the town. I am proud of our
Department and think we have
one of the best in North Carolina. I
believe our record and insurance
classification will support such a
claim. Edenton’s insurance
classification as you know, has
improved from a Class Six to a
Class Four, a classification no
other Town of our size in North
Carolina has. I know the citizens of
Edenton realize how fortunate
they are to have the caliber of men
in the Fire Department and ap
preciate the dedication they have
in serving our town.”
Balloon Day Set
Balloon Day sales, sponsored by
the Chowan County Heart
Association, will begin this
Saturday at 10 A.M. Bruce League
and the Edenton Baptist youth will
be in charge of the sales. They will
be selling balloons at TG&Y,
downtown Edenton, and other
different areas throughout the
day. All proceeds will go to the
Heart Fund.
need for sanitary sewer in
stallation on Coke Avenue, Blades
WL mmm
Dr, Allen Hornthal
Street, Old Hertford Road and U.
S. 17 North. This was passed by
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, February 11, 1982
the arts.
Prior to their acceptance of the
program and the artist to be
employed, Maxine Britt, Director
of Instruction, explained to School
Board ’members at Monday
night’s meeting the basics of the
project, which will require
$3,600.00 matching local funds.
Tom Bradford, a recognized
artist and veteran in the Artist-in-
Schools and Visiting Artist field,
will work side-by-side with
students at Chowan Junior High,
Swain and White Oak Schools.
With Chowan as the base school,
Bradford will work with small and
large groups of students there
three days each week. One and one
half days will be spent at Swain
and a half day each week will be
devoted to White Oak students.
Since art instruction for this age
student was discontinued due to
lack of funds this fall, Mrs. Britt
felt the school system fortunate at
being able to provide additional
Fearing Enters
Guilty Plea
Charles S. Fearing convicted in
1979 for hit and run and death by
motor vehicle of an 87-year-old
man pleaded guilty to hit and run
resulting in personal injury in a
retrial Monday at Chowan County
Superior Court.
The former Dare County
Democratic Party Chairman was
to be retried on a ruling by the
N.C. Supreme Court on hit and run.
The higher courts upheld the
jury’s ruling on death by motor
vehicle.
Fearing agreed to candidly
discuss the events of this crime
with the district attorney and
investigating officers in exchange
for a lighter sentence.
Fearing admitted to charges of
hit and run and death by motor
Continued On Page 4
m
EDENTON JAYCETTES CONTRIBUTE FUNDS The
Chowan Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility recently received funds
from the Edenton Jaycettes for purchasing departure gifts for
patients discharged from the facility. Claire Mills, left. President
of the Edenton Jaycettes. presents a check to Jacqueline Ricks
the Activity Director at Chowan Hospital’s SNF
the Council unanimously.
The Utility Committee’s next
recommendation was not as well
received. They recommended that
the Council approve a refund of SSO
to each residential customer on
Edenton’s electrical system as of
Feb. 1, 1982. With approximately
2,584 residential customers, this
would result in a total refund of
approximately $129,200. This
would be deducted from the refund
that Edenton received from Vepco
totaling $474,492.61. This would
leave $155,000 of the refund to be
utilized for implementation of a
SCADA System which would
provide more efficient load
management. The remaining
$190,292.61 would be utilized for
upgrading the Town’s sewer
Continued On Page 4
Single Copies 2b Cents
art exposure to students with such
little expenditure of local funds.
The Board also moved to receive
a $9,000.00 ESEA Title IV-C
Adaptor Grant approved for the
system by the State Board of
Education. The thrust of the social
studies instruction project will be
to increase student knowledge and
involvement in the political
process at local, state and national
levels. Students in social studies
classes in grades seven through
Continued on page 12-A
Funds Contributed
For Buying Gifts
Funds were recently con
tributed by the Edenton Jaycettes
to the Chowan Hospital Skilled
Nursing Facility for use in pur
chasing departure gifts when
patients are discharged from the
facility.
The suggestion of this gift
originated with the Resident's
Council, which is composed of
patient representatives from
Units B and C. The Council is a
function of the SNF Social Ser
vices Department with Keith
Renner, Social Worker, and April
Lane, Social Work Consultant,
serving as advisors to the group.
Functions of the Council include
promotion of better relations
between staff and residents, ex
pression of grievances, and
suggestions in the overall
program for residents.
The Council has set the criteria
that a gift be presented to patients
who have been in the facility for a
minimum of six months and are
being discharged to go home or
being transferred to another
facility.
Purchase of the departure gifts
is handled by Jacqueline Ricks,
Activity Director at the Skilled
Nursing Facility.