Volume XLVIII - No 82
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Edenton, North Carolina^ Thursday, August 23, 1984
Single Copies 25 Cents
NEW TEACHER — Mrs. Martha Hayes, a new 4th grade teacher at Swain School, has been busy
preparing for the arrival of her students on Monday. She, along with the rest of the teachers in the
system began the 1984-1985 school year on Monday August 13.
Not All That Bad
Rep. James G. Martin, the
Republican candidate for governor,
was almost headed in the wrong
direction down the Public Parade
when he told a Kannapolis audience
that North Carolina doesn’t have
any standards which its utilities
commissioners are required to
meet.
As of last year, he said, 35 states
had standards for utilities commis
sioners while North Carolina had
none. That would be bad if true, but
it simply isn’t true. It may come as
a surprise to Rep. Martin that four
of the five standards he said he
would establish are already in ef
fect and and the fifth, which is the
least essential, is often covered
verbally.
Rep. Martin, who has spent the
last dozen years in Congress, ap
parently is not familiar with North
Carolina procedures for putting a
person on the the state utilities
commission. As is often the case at
the federal level, potential commis
sion members are nominated by
the executive, but must be confirm
ed by the legislative branch.
With that in mind, let’s take up
Rep. Martin’s proposed standards
and see how they would be handled
under present arrangements:
He would have commission
nominees “fully disclose their
finances.” That’s exactly what the
joint committee named to consider
these nominations already does.
Each candidate is required to file
with the committee a complete
statement not only of his holdings
but of his wife and other members
of his family.
Rep. Martin would require
members “to divest themselves of
holdings in utilities regulated by the
commmission.” Under the current
system, a nominee had better
already have divested himself of
such holdings before he appears
before the committee or he would
not be allowed to come to bat, much
less get on first base.
A third standard proposed by
Rep. Martin would require com
mission candiates to “have educa
tion or work experience that
qualifies them for service.” This
could be interpreted to cover a lot
of ground, but it is not much dif
ferent from general qualifications
which the joint select committee
now takes into account. There are'
not many functional illiterates who'
make it to the commission.
A fourth standard proposed by
the GOP gubernatorial candidate
would require each nominee to
have been a resident of the state for
at least five years. So long as
politics plays a role in filling good
paying state jobs, we do not feel
there is much grounds for worry
that nonresident newcomers will
crowd out long term taxpayers.
The fifth proposed standard
Continued on page 4
I ' -r*r*
Fugitive Arrested Alter cnase
A Virginia fugitive bolted from
local law enforcement officials in
downtown Edenton Thursday
afternoon.
Criminal charges have followed
the footchase of Willard Mack
Blankenship, 27, near the Chowan
County Sheriff’s Department.
Wanted on three counts of drug
possession in Montgomery County
Virginia, Blakenship now faces a
breaking and entering charge and
suspicion of larceny in Chowan
County.
Chowan Sheriff Troy Toppin
transported Blankenship to Per
quimans County Thursday on re
quest of Perquimans Sheriff Julian
Broughton; he was wanted for
questioning in a breaking and
entering case there.
Upon returning from Per
quimans County, Toppin parked his
car at thesheriff’s department and
Blankenship fled from the car
through the parking lot toward
Court Street.
Deputy Linda Terry pursued
Blankenship on foot to Court Street
where she discovered the fugitive
banging on the side door of a house.
Mrs. Gilbert Garrett, who lives at
207 Court Street, said her daughter,
Dianne, was going to open the door
to assist the young man screaming
for help when she saw Deputy
Terry round the corner with her
pistol pointed toward Blankenship.
Terry took Blankenship into
custody and returned him to the jail
for questioning.
When Sheriff Toppin and Edenton
policeman-McCoy Parker went to
search the North Broad Street
trailer park Blankenship had been
visiting, they discovered a 22-pistol
and a marijuana pipe among his
possessions. t
Law enforcement officials, in
cluding SBI agent Dwight Ran
some, are continuing to investigate
a series of breakins which occured
at Cape Colony Thursday morning;
Blankenship is a suspect in those
Continued on page 4
Byrum Farm
Conservation
by Ron Anderson
Colbert W. Byrum Sr. was
recognized for his conservation ef
forts Tuesday, August 14 when he
was presented a plaque from the
Albemarle Conservation District
Service for having reached a
milestone of installing 100,000 ft. of
underground farm drain tile.
Byrum, who farms 450 acres of
fend one mile north Ryland, began
installing the tile in 1953 on land he
cleared himself.
The installation has improved the
drainage on the land and Byrum is
now able to farm over areas where
open drainage ditches would have
been had he not installed the tile.
Also, wet spots in his fields have
been eliminated and more uniform
crops have resulted since the
installation.
Another advantage of the tile has
been the improved appearance of
Byrum’s crops. “I don’t know of
anything that looks better to a
farmer than a neat crop,” said
By rum.
Byrum received his plaque dur
ing a lunch held at Hertford’s Miss
ing Mill Park. The lunch was one
stop on a conservation tour spon
sored by Albemarle Conservation
District Supervisors and the
Albemarle Conservation and
Development Council.
Each year the two organizations
tour conservation activities and
events in two area counties. This
year’s tour included stops at
historic sites in Perquimans Coun
ty and stops at the Jimbo’s Jumbos
plant, Johnson Bridge, and Hayes
Continued on page 4
FARM DRAIN TILE — Lloyd Bunch, (left) Chairman of the
Albemarle Conservation District, presented Colbert W. Byrum, Sr.
a plaque for having installed 100,000 ft. of underground farm drain
tile. : > v
I ?
Summer Vacation Ends
For 2,400 Students
■ n a a 1_i!__ If U i n f a i ♦ 1C lin if
uj ivuii nuuri sun
At 8:20 a.m. Monday morning
summer vacation will officially end
for the 2,400 students in the
Edenton-Chowan School System.
On that day the 1984-85 school year
begins.
This year will see a greater
number of professional staff in the
local schools. Last year 148 cer
tified staff members were
employed by the system; this year
four teachers have been added
bringing the number to 152.
Teachers will be taking home fat
ter paychecks as a result of the 14.8
percent salary increase for all state
certified personnel approved by the
June session of the General
Assembly.
First year teachers with an “A”
certificate will receive $15,680 for 10
months employment compared to
the approximately $13,000 new
teachers earned during 83-84.
The average yearly cost for
educating a child in a North
Carolina public school is $2,212.
Studies show that a student
beginning school this year in the
Edenton-Chowan School System
will most likely graduate. Last year
99 percent of the students who
began in the system finished high
school as compared to the 54 per
cent in 1970.
Edenton-Chowan Schools will be
emphasizing the “B” in the ABC
improvement plan adopted by the
schol board three years ago. “B”
stands for buildings.
Superintendent Dr. John Dunn
said, “the B means the improve
ment of our physical facilities."
“We know our physical environ
ment has a lot to do with the quali
ty of education,” said Dunn “and
we want to improve our
environment.”
it tv ---r
you and me! is the new slogan for
the year, a slogan Dunn describes
as “twelve word sermon to say that
the condition of our physical
facilities is the responsibility of all
of us.”
Another method of improving
the schools’ physical environment
is a behavioral attitude concept
named Adopt A Spot. Individuals,
groups, and clubs will be asked to
find a spot they wish to maintain it.
Dunn believes that by instilling a
feeling of ownership in those
responsible for the spots, the
physical environment of the schools
will be greatly improved.
But Dunn emphasized that the
other goals of the ABC plan -
Courtesy is contagious and Higher
Standards - will not be forgotten.
“The three goals work together,”
he said. “We’re going to continue to
Continued on page 4
Leary Trial
Starts Monday
Chowan County Superior Court
will be in session beginning Mon
day, August 27; Honorable Herbert
Small presiding over the criminal
calendar.
Scheduled is the trial of Clyde
Alexander Leary, 20, Edenton, who
is charged in connection with the
January 31,1979 murder of Yeopim
Township store owner Les Jones.
Leary is charged with murder,
armed robbery, and accessory
after the fact to murder and arm
ed robbery. The case was continued
from both the January 30 and
March 26 sessions of Superior Court
because of difficulties with an
essential witness for the state.
Cupola House
Annual Gala
The Cupola House Association
hosts its annual Summer’s Evening
Gala this Saturday, August 25, from
5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Mrs. W.B. Hosevear has again of
fered the grounds of Pembroke
Hall, West King Street, for an even
ing featuring entertainment and a
buffet supper.
An open bar will be provided by
Tarheel Bank, Peoples Bank and
Trust Company and North Carolina
National Bank.
Tickets, $30 for a couple—$15 for
an individual, may be purchased at
The Lords Proprietors’- Inn or at the
gala.
Proceeds go toward special pro
jects to enhance the Cupola House.
High priority projects this year
are to refurbish and redecorate the
pantry and to restore paintings of
Thomas and Penelope Barker,
which hang in the Cupola House
dining room.
Probable Cause Found In Wood Incest Case
Chowan County Disrict Court was
in session August 21, the Honorable
Grafton G. Beaman presiding over
the criminal calendar.
Probable cause was found in the
case of Bobby Dean Wood who has
been charged with incest.
Joseph Clayton Harrell was
found guilty of DWI. He was
sentenced to 60 days suspended for
2 years on the condition he pay a
$150 fine and cost of court. He is to
perform 48 hours of community ser
vice, attend ADET school and sur
render his drivers license.
Larry (NMN) Reed was found
guilty of driving 69 in a 55mph zone.
He was fined $40 and cost of court.
Jeffrey Wayne Williams was
Found guilty of driving without a
drivers license and DWI. He was
sentenced to 30 days suspended for
2 years on the condition he pay a
Fine of $75 and cost of court. He
must attend ADET school and pay
an extra $25 fine for the driving
without an operators license
:harge.
George Wayne Sawyer was found
guilty of DWI. He was sentenced to
30 days suspended for 2 years on the
condition he pay a fine of $75 and
cost of court.
Charles DeLeon Fambrough, Jr.
was found guilty of driving 60 in a
45mph zone. He was fined $10 and
cost of court.
Calvin F. Foreman was called
but failed to show on a charge of
driving without a license.
Edward Chatman was called but
failed to show on a charge of
disobeying a stop sign.
Mike Reid and Richard Lightfoot,
Jr. were both found guilty of
larceny. They were sentenced to 6
months suspended for 2 years on
the condition they pay a fine of $175
and cost of court. They are each to
remain off the premises of Maxway
for 2 years.
Bobby Gerald Stanley was found
guilty of having no liability in
surance. He was fined $50 and cost
of court; he appealed.
Titus Hosea Wynn was found
guilty of stealing some cash. He
was fined $25 and cost of court.
Dalton Wrighton was found guil
ty of four counts of Employment
i
Security Law violations. He was
sentenced to 90 days suspended for
3 years on the condition he pay a
fine of $200 and pay court costs in
Continued on page 1
Evans Appointed
RALEIGH —Representative
Chares D. Evans of Dare County
was appointed to the North
Carolina Juvenile Law Study Com
mission recently by House speaker
Liston B. Ramsey.
The 15-member commission
makes continuing studies of the law
as it relates to juveniles, as well as
services available to them and their
families. The commission makes
recommendations to the Governor
and the General Assembly.
Evans, a Manteo attorney, is
chairman of the House Committee
on Banks and Thrift Institutions. He
represents the First House District
made up of Camden, Chowan, Cur
rituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Per
quimans and Tyrrell counties and
portions of Gates and Washington
counties.
f *
Gary G. Hardison
Appointment
Announced
The Board of Directors of Home
Federal Savings and Loan Associa
tion of Eastern North Carolina
recently announced the appoint
ment of Gary G. Hardison to the
position of Assistant Vice President
in charge of the Northeastern North
Carolina Lending Operation.
Hardison will serve as branch
manager of Home Federal’s new
Edenton office beginning later this
year. Until then, he will remain at
the bank’s Plymouth office with
Carlyle Hall, branch manager.
A Washington County native,
Hardison graduated from East
Carolina University. Prior to his
appointment with Home Federal,
he was employed with Plymouth
Savings and Loan Association as
Vice President in charge of mor
tgage lending.
Hardison has served as a
volunteer with the Washington
County United Way and the Na
tional Multiple Schlerosis Founda
tion. He is a member of the Zion
Chapel Church of Christ in Roper.
Home Federal Savings received
its original charter as the Home
Building and Loan Association in
April 1906.
After settling in its present home
office in downtown Greenville in
Continued on page 4
PEMBROKE HALL — The lawn of this West King Street house
will be the scene of the Cupola House Association annual Summer's
Evening Gala Saturday.