Benefits
federal govenment
starts talking about making
workers’ benefits subject to income
taxes, the average person along the
Public Parade has only a 'Vague
idea how big a bite that would be.
According to the United States
Chamber of Commerce, the na
tion’s employers paid $550 billion
for worker benefits during 1983, the
latest year for which complete
figures were available. And, since
benefits rose faster than cash
wages during 1963, the total for 1984
is expected to top $600 billion.
The chamber’s 21st annual
survey showed benefits for hourly
rated employees amounted to 36.6
per cent of the total payroll, the
same as for 1979, but slightly under
the 37.3 per cent peak established
«tpui a separate public employee
benefits from those in the private
sector. But the 36.6 per cent
average is somewhat higher than
benefits paid to state workers in
North Carolina, which is estimated
to be around 30 per cent of total
wages.
Under the modified flat tax pro
posal being considered by Presi
dent Reagan, benefits being provid
ed workers by their employers
would be subject to the income tax.
Unless widespread exemptions
were granted, that would mean a
$600 billion source of new revenue.
The average cost in benefits for
1983 was $7,582. That meant that
benefits rose faster than wages dur
ing the year, 5.5 percent as against
4.8 percent.
For all employees, private as
well as public, salaried as well as
hourly rated, the cost of employer
paid benefits soared from $510
billion in 1982 to $550 in 1983. It is ex
iu >(wu uiiiiuu hi i9ot aim
reach^$645 billion in 1985, based on
replies from 1,454 employers.
Since 1951, total annual benefit
costs per employee rose from $644
to $7,582 in 1983, a jump of 1,077 per
cent, with the largest increase dur
ing that period being in legally
required increases, such as social
security, unemployment compen
sation? worJunafiV‘dompenlaiSn'
and railroad retirement taxes,
which rose by 1,462 per cent. But
almost as large an increase —1,421
percent — occurred in the area of
private pensions, insurance, free
meals, disability compensation and
related items from 1951 to 1983.
There were other, smaller in
creases in such areas as paid vaca
tions and days off, 837 percent; rest
periods, lunches and other short
term non-work, which rose 628 per
cent; and profit sharing, thrift
plans and related payments, which
rose 617 per cent. The five most
costly individual benefits in 1983
were insurance, social security,
private pensions, paid vacations
and paid holidays.
All of this raises the question of
where the impact would fall if the
government finally decides to start
taxing them as a part of individual
income. The initial effect, of course,
would be felt by the workers
themselves in the form of an in
crease of about 30 per cent in their
tax liability. But business and in
dustry generally would be called
upon to shoulder a portion of the ad
ditional cost, with the result that
fewer and smaller benefits would
be offered in the future.
But, with the federal budget now
Continued On Page 4
Volunteers To
Ask For Your
Contributions
You’ve heard of the shots heard
around 'the world, but what sound
is heard,around the country on the
last Sunday in February? The ring
ing of doorbells - as more than 2
million Heart Association
volunteers around the country visit
their neighbors to leave educational
materials andask for a donation to
the Heart Association. Heart Sun
day is this Sunday, February 24.
Money given, to the Heart
Association has helped fund
research that has contributed to the
development of \ heart-lung
machines, artificial v
Volume XLIX - No. 6
Edenton. North Carolina, Thursday, February 21, 1985
Single Copies 25 Cents
New Ball Fields Receive Approval
By the time the 1986 baseball
season arrives, Edenton’s young
ball players should be playing some
of their games on two new ball
fields.
At its regular February meeting
last week, Edenton Town Council
approved preliminary plans for a
Little League field and a “T-ball”
field to be built on the old Chowan
Veneer Company site on Oakum
Street. The fields on the approx
imately 2 Ms acre site will be unique
in that they will be the only baseball
fields owned by the town. At the
present time the Recreation
Department is leasing all of its
fields.
“The fields will alleviate the
overcrowding of the Fisher fields,”
said Robbie Laughton, Recreation
Director.
The new fields will also enable
student ball players to get home
earlier on school nights.
Because of the limited number of
Michael Ray Wagner
New Chapter
Is Dedicated
This Saturday, February 23,
members of.the.Disablad American
Veterans Chapter #56 of rocky
Hock will dedicate their new
chapter in the name of Michael Ray
Wagner at the Rocky Hock Com
munity Center. The dedication is
scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Michael Ray Wagner, the son of
Rev. Donald and Mrs. Dorothy
Wagner of Rocky Hock, was an in
vestigative officer, 1st class, U.S.
Navy attached to the American
Embassy Beruit, Lebanon. He lost
his life on September 20,1984 when
two terrorists blew up an ex
plosive-packed van.
Reynold L. Mosley ^ 1st District
Commander of Disabled American
Veterans said, “The program is a
love and praise tribute to Michael
Ray Wagner who served his coun
try well. On Saturday we’ll honor
him by dedicating this chapter (56)
in his name and by unveiling a
photograph which will be per
manently displayed on the wall of
the auditorium in the Rocky Hock
Community Building.”
Following the dedication pro
gram a Bar-B-Que dinner will be
served. The public is invited to
attend.
Post Office Is
Supplied With
“D” Stamps
Edenton Postmaster Howard
Hodges says that an adequate supp
ly of “D” stamps and other
nondenominated items is available
at the Edenton post office.
The nondenominated “D”
stamps in sheet, coil and booklet
formats represent the new 22-cent
first-class rate. There are also
nondenominated postal cards and
plenty of two-cent stamps that,
when added to 20-cent stamps,
make up the new first-class letter
rate.
“Nobody likes to see higher
postal rates, but this increase is
moderate and justified,’’ Hodges
said.
“Since the last increase in
November 1981, the cost of living in
the United States, as measured by
the Consumer Price Index, has
gone up almost 13 percent. The
22-cent stamp is only a 10 percent
rise,” he said.
• v fc- < 4-, . ? . 4
Wm
fields available, numerous Little
League games now have to be
scheduled for the same evening
causing some students to stay out
late on school nights.
Laughton said, “The new fields
will alleviate this problem because
we will have additional fields to
play games on during the earlier
hours of the evening.”
The estimated cost of new fields,
which will be used for football and
soccer games in the fall, is $50,000.
Included in the cost are bleachers,
rest rooms, concession stands, a
parking lot, and lights.
The town’s Street and Utility
Departments will do a lot of the
work on the fields. “That, of course,
saves us money,’’ said Laughton.
Laughton said that work on the
fields is scheduled to begin
sometime this summer and that
lighting for the fields should be in
stalled by the summer of 1987.
District Court Session
Chowan County District Court
was in session February 19 with the
Honorable J. Richard Parker
presiding.
Daniel R. Marshall pleaded guil
ty to nine counts of passing wor
thless checks. He was sentenced to
240 days to begin at the end of his
eight year present commit
ment; work release was recom
mended. He is to make restitution
to TG&Y, Maxway, Belks and
Etna.
Barry Eugene Reid was found
guilty of driving 68 mph in a 55 mph
zone. He was fined $10 and cost of.
court.
Maurice Lanek Otim-Nono was
found guilty of driving while license
revoked. He was sentenced to 90
days suspended two years on the
condition he pay $250 fine and cost
of court. He is not to operate a
motor vehicle until duly licensed.
Earl Ray Bonner was found guil
Banquet For
BPW Bosses
The Edenton Business and Pro
fessional Women’s Club will hold
their annual Bosses Night Banquet
tonight (Thursday), at the Edenton
United Methodist Church.
• A special feature of the evening
is presentation of Woman of the
Year. Every year the BPW Club
selects a woman who has made
outstanding contributions to our
community. The banquet is also
held to honor bosses, employees
and former Women of the Year.
Lyn Usher of Northeastern North
Carolina Tomorrow will be guest
speaker for the occasion. Jackie
Copeland will entertain with dinner
music.
County Party
Plan Meets
Chowan County Democratic Par
ty Precinct meetings will be held at
8 P.M. on Thursday, March 7 at the
polling places in each precinct. All
registered Democrats are en
couraged to attend.
Items to be included on the agen
da at each precinct meeting are the
following:
1. Election of six active
Democrats as officers of the
Precinct Committee. Officers to be
elected are Chairman, three Vice
Chairmen, Secretary and a
Treasurer.
2. Election of an additional four
(4) members to the Precinct
Committee.
3. Election of delegates to the
County Convention.
4. Consideration of resolutions
and other new business.
Each registered Democrat atten
ding his/her precinct meeting will
have one vote. Each and every
Democrat is encouraged to attend
their precinct meeting. For further
information, call Lueta Sellers,
County Chair, at 482-4134.
Qualifications
For Funding
Chowan County forest land
owners located in the Chowan
River watershed may qualify for
cost-share funding to reduce
stream sedimentation stemming
from forestry activities according
to Mike Williams, county extension
agent. Funding requires an opera
tional plan approved by the N.C.
Division of Forest Resources which
must include Best Management
Continued On Pa|e 4
ty of driving while impaired. He
was sentenced to 90 days suspend
ed one year on the condition he pay
$100 fine and cost of court. He is to
perform 72 hours of community ser
vice, surrender his license and at
tend ADET school.
Gaston Lee Turner was found
guilty of driving while impaired. He
was sentenced to 60 days suspend
ed one year on the condition he pay*
$100 fine and cost of court. He is to
perform 24 hours of community ser
vice, surrender his license and at
tend ADET school.
James Edward Boyce was found
not guilty of making an unsafe
movement.
Louie Elva McElroy was found
guilty of failure to report an acci
dent. He was sentenced to 60 days
suspended one year on the condition
he pay a $100 fine and cost of court.
Golden Asro Frinks called but
failed to show on charges of im
proper registration and displaying
fictitious license.
William Ervin Long was found
guilty of assault on a female. He
was sentenced to 90 days suspend
ed one year on the condition he pay
a $75 fine and cost of court. He is not
to assault, harass or intimidate
Rita Modlin for one year.
Edgar Wayne Ryan was found
guilty of driving while impaired. He
was sentenced to six months
suspended two years. As a condi
tion of probation he must serve an
active seven day commitment. He
was fined $200 and cost of court and
is to attend ADET school.
Patricia Epps was called but fail
ed to show on a charge of passing
worthless checks.
Ernell Junious Bond was found
guilty of shoplifting. He was
sentenced to six months suspended
one year on the condition he pay
$100 fine and cost of court. He is not
to go on the premises of A&P for
one year.
Creywood To Open Car Care Service Center
Creywood is opening a new 11,000
sq. ft. complete car care service
center on the corner of Coke
Avenue and Broad Street across
from TG&Y.
“I hope we’ll be open for business
this Friday and have a grand open
ing the first part of next week,”
said John Smith, co-owner of
Creywood Tire and Service Center.
Smith, who was formerly vice
SERVICE CENTER— Pictured above is the management team that will operate Creywood’s new
spacious service center located on the corner of Broad Street and Coke Avenue. From left to right
are: Gilbert Garrett, front-end specialist; Tom Reid, store manager; and co-owners, John Smith and
Charlie Creighton. ! s
HELP—Percy Bass received a lot of unexpected help from some
feathered friends last week as he was breaking ground on land he
will farm this year. Bass is renting the land in Rocky Hock.
Abduction Prevention Day
Child Abduction Prevention Day
will be observed in Edenton
Chowan Schools on Monday,
February 25. The systemwide
awareness day will be supported by
the Sheriffs Department and the
Agricultural Extension Agency as
well as several Parent-Teacher
organizations who will be finger
printing all K-6 students.
Thousands of children runaway,
are abducted, kidnapped or simp
ly disappear each year. All missing
children are hurt in some way by
the experience. Runaways may fall
victim to pornographers, be forced
into prostitution or drug use, or
“sold” in illegal adoptions.
Children taken by divorced or
separated parents at least have a
chance to go to school, grow up, and
lead normal lives. But they are
marked by their experience -
especially if they are told the other
parent doesn't love them anymore,
doesn’t ever want to see them
again, or has died.
Children abducted by strangers
are usually in the greatest danger
because few survive the first days
of their disappearance.
Even the children who are found
and reunited with their parents
may be scarred by the experience
They often need professional help to
heal psychological wounds.
The loss of a child can happen in
any family. Kidnapping happens
more often in families where
parents have separated and are
fighting over the custody of the
children, but it also happens to car
ing and concerned parents. Police
and social service workers say
some places are especially
Continued On Page 4
Rotary Club
Serves Foe ,1
The Edenton Rotary Club will
serve Hot Cakes, Sausage, and
Eggs on Saturday, February 23 at
the John A. Holmes High School
Cafeteria for the benefit of the
Rotary Scholarship Fund.
Breakfast will be served from (i
a.m. till 9 a.m.; lunch from 11 •; m.
till 2 p.m.; and dinner from
till 7 p.m.
Tickets are $3 for all y u
and are available fron.
Rotarian or at the door.
president of Dickerson, Inc., added,
“We’re going to provide complete
service for anyone who drives in
here. Quality service is our goal.”
The new center will offer one-stop
service for passenger cars and light
trucks including computerized
balancing, custom muffler service,
and front-end alignments. “Of
course we plan to do general
repairs,” said Smith.
Creywood Oil Company’s facility
on Coke Avenue will continue to
operate as a commercial tire centei
providing service for heavy trucks,
tractors, and off-road tires.
Hours for the new Creywood Tire
and Service Center are 7:30 AM to
5 P.M. weekdays and 7:30 A M. till
noon on Saturdays.