Volume XLX - No. 23
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, June 5, 1986
Single Copies 25 Cento
A BuiU-in Solution
There is already in place a cost
effective solution to the problem
of remedial courses having to be
offered such a large number of
freshmen entering the University
of North Carolina system. It is the
state’s community college
system.
With 58 campuses across the
state, there is a community col
lege institution within easy reach
of 95 per cent of the people of
North Carolina. An open door
system, the community colleges
and technical institutes were
designed to do exactly what the
university is now having to do at
twice the cost — prepare students
for college level work.
Why should the taxpayers pick
up the $5,266 tab for teaching high
school English and math to an un
prepared student in the universi
ty system when the same work
could be performed in the com
munity college system for $2,250?
With the community college
system ready and willing to serve
as a way station between high
school and university, why should
such a proud system as the
University of North Carolina
debase its admission standards to
accommodate a group of students
for whom there is an appropriate
alternative?
No doubt the high schools ought
to do a better job and may even
tually measure up to the task. But,
here again, this would not be a
cost-effective approach. The tax
payers are already putting more
money behind each student in the
public schools than they are for
each student in the community
college system — and will have to
put even more as the performance
level is raised in the high schools.
Continued On Page 4
CONGRATULATIONS—Successful primary run-off candidate R.M. “Pete” Thompson (left center) is
congratulated by Sam Walker of Currituck County. Walker was an unsuccessful candidate during the
primary when six candidates were trying for the Democratic nomination for two positions in the state
House of Representatives. It was apparent late Tuesday evening that Thompson was the winner over “Win
nie” Wood of Camden County.
Pete Thompson Wins Nomination
By JACK GROVE
R.M. “Pete” Thompson of
Chowan County was the clear win
ner in a primary run-off election
Tuesday. Thompson defeated
Winifred “Winnie” Wood of
Camden County for the Demo
cratic nomination to one of two
seats in the N.C. House of
Representatives.
Thompson’s election night head
quarters in the back of Quinn Fur
niture was packed with sup
porters Tuesday night as the
returns came in from the nine
county First District.
A large tote board was updated
throughout the evening. In the
early returns, a large run-off turn
out in Chowan County gave
Thompson 1,856 tQ Wood’s 188. By
contrast, Camden went for Wood
1,166 to 429. (The rest of the results
BROYHILL VISITS JOHN A. HOLMES—Republican Senate hopeful,
Congressman James T. Broyhill visited the high school Tuesday mor
ning. He left a stack of pictures of the senior class taken on the Capitol
steps to be distributed to each senior. Here, he autographs a picture
for Ethel LaVoie in the principal’s office.
Broyhill Begins Campaigning
A Republican candidate came
to “Sanford country” Monday and
Tuesday in his bid for the U.S.
-Senate seat of retiring Senator
John East. East is bowing out of
the Senate due to poor health.
Congressman James T.
Broyhill arrived in Edenton late
Monday afternoon after a day’s
campaigning in Williamston,
Windsor, Ahoskie and Gatesville.
In opening his campaign in the
predominantly Democratic north
-east, Broyhill said, “Back in my
business days, we’d call this a
growth area.” Broyhill was
employed with his family’s fur
niture manufacturing concern
prior to his 24 years in Congress.
The candidate spoke to a group
of about 65 people at Boswell’s
Restaur ante Monday evening. He
told the gathering, “I’m not going
Ito ignore this part of the state.”
He spoke of his legislative record
and experience and of receiving
awards from a small business
men’s organization for economy
in government. “They don’t give
those to Tip O’Neal,” he said.
He told the group that they
should be proud of the area’s
_[ people, represented by the
John A. Holmes class of ’86 that
was invited to Washington by the
President. He hosted the class at
the Capitol for refreshments and
a tour and said, “I was delighted
to be able to show hospitality to
the class.”
In speaking of his quest for the
Senate he said, “Getting headlines
is not the goal for me. Represen
ting you well is the goal.”
He listed as major goals, “being
able to live without Uncle Sam
telling us what to do; less govern
ment spending; good education,
as you have here in Edenton; be
ing able to walk the street in peace
and tough laws that put people
behind bars that break that
peace; a strong national defense;
and strong families that teach
proper values.”
On other topics he said:
• “The people in North Carolina
are basically a conservative type
of folks.”
• “Agriculture is a high priori
ty with me.”
• “I’ve worked overtime in help
ing in the free enterprise system
in this country. It is this system
that has built the country.”
• “Free trade is a greet concept,
Continued On Page 4
by county are shown in the box.)
Three phone lines in the store
were kept humming as volunteers
called around the district
soliciting results and incoming
calls of encouragement, and later,
congratulations, were taken by
Thompson. On-the-air phone
reports also went to radio stations
in the area.
Sam Walker, a candidate from
Currituck County, who was
defeated in the Primary came
around to lend his support and to
aid in getting results from his
home county which was one of the
last to report in.
Among the celebrants when vic
tory was apparent, was Alton
Elmore, Chataa«M)Ube Chowan
County Board of Commissioners.
He said, “For the firet time in 22
years, a district representative
will reside in Chowan County. A
county united behind a candidate
did the job.” He added. “It didn’t
hurt to have a good candidate
either.”
Thompson credited his sup
porters for his victory. “We had a
lot of good workers who did an ex
cellent job. In Chowan, they real
ly got the vote out,” he said. At
one point, he said to a supporter,
“Ya’ll did it.”
Thompson carried six counties
with Wood taking three. Thomp
son received 7,536 votes to Wood’s
5,635 for a winning margin of
2,101.
Representative Vernon James
and Thompson will face Republi
can Shirley Perry of Perquimans
County in the November general
election for the two house seats.
THOMPSON WOOD
CAMDEN 429 1,166
CHOWAN 1,856 188
CURRITUCK 1,094 1,647
GATES* 81 37
DARE 538 440
PASQUOTANK 995 1,231
PERQUIMANS 1,679 574
TYRRELL 632 254
WASHINGTON** 232 98
*Only one precinct in the First District.
**A11 precincts but one are in the First District.
Murder Suspect Arrested
A man was killed with a shotgun
blast to the chest at close range
Sunday night. Sheriff Glenn Perry
said that his department received
a call at about 8 p.m. concerning
an argument in the Cisco area.
Deputy Sheriff Joe Byrum was
en route when he was dispatched
to respond to a reported shooting
at the home of Lucille Tripp on
Wingfield Loop Road. Byrum
found the victim, Alfred C. Holley,
35, at that location. Holley was
pronounced dead on arrival at
Chowan Hospital.
Perry said that shortly after
ward, Lee Dell Leary, Jr., 23 was
taken into custody at his home by
Deputy Sheriff Wayne Rice.
Leary was unarmed and offered
no resistance Perry said.
The Chowan County Grand Jury
handed down a first degree
Primary
Scheduled
A special primary election is
slated to be held on July 29 for
Superior Court Judge in the
First Judicial District which
Includes Chowan County. Fil
ing opened on May 20 for two
judicial slots and clones Fri
day, June 8, at noon.
June 30 is the registration
deadline to vote In this
primary.
Absentee voting will begin
on June 13 for mail and June
30 for one-stop.
murder indictment against Leary
Monday morning. On Tuesday
afternoon, a first appearance
hearing was held in the court
room of Superior Court Judge
Thomas Watts. At that time at
torneys Charles Busby of Edenton
and Janice Cole of Hertford were
appointed to represent Leary.
Perry said that there may have
been a connection between the
Cisco disturbance call and the
shooting. He said that a 12 gauge,
Tax Hike Predicted
Higher property taxes loom on
the horizon for the residents of
Edenton and Chowan County. In
interviews with Town Ad
ministrator Sam Noble and Coun
ty Manager Cliff Copeland and in
formation supplied by them,
federal revenue sharing cutbacks
seem to be the main culprit.
In a budget recommendation to
town council, Noble said that the
proposed tax rate of 56* per $100
valuation of property represents
a 5* increase for the citizens of the
town. He said that it was the se
cond tax increase in five years
and represents a total property
tax increase of 7* since fiscal year
1982-83.
He cited general revenue shar
ing reductions of 16 per cent for
July, 1986 ; 34 per cent for October,
1986 and no expectations of
general revenue sharing
payments after October.
Liability insurance has taken a
huge jump for the town. It in
creased from last year’s $35,000 to
$98,000 this year. Next year it is
expected to drop back slightly to
$91,000 through participation in an
insurance pool being prepared by
the N.C. League of Municipalities.
Another area where costs have
gone up is in the fire department.
The town was required to hire two
additional firemen in order to
meet Fair Labor Standards Act
requirements. This increased the
salary line item for the fire
department by $29,759.
Town employees will be in line
for pay increases of five per cent
under the proposed budget as
cost-of-living adjustments accor
ding to the administrator’s budget
report.
The proposed budget reflects
expenditures of $7,532,559. This is
a three per cent increase over the
previous year’s budget.
The county’s proposed budget
includes a 15* per $100 property
valuation. The total budget for the
general fund, at $4,078,274 re
mains substantially-the same as
last year’s according to Copeland.
There is a total of $465,047 in
revenue reductions that must be
made up by the higher levy the
county manager said.
Among the line items in the
budget causing the deficit are:
• A projected expense to
renovate the heating systems in
the County Office Building and the
jail, $20,000;
• Road Assessment Fund,
$19,000;
• Projected purchase of two
sheriff department vehicles,
$24,000;
• Current expenses for schools
and a decrease in capital outlay
funding, $119,000;
• An increase in social services
programs without additional
federal funding, $37,000;
• $300 Christmas bonus for
employees, $17,484;
• And $5,000 for a 911 emergen
cy phone number study (in par
ticipation with the Town of
Edenton.)
Copeland commented, “With
the reduction in federal revenue
sources, we feel we have to raise
more revenues on the local level
in order to maintain the current
level of services to our citizens.”
Candidacies Announced
Herbert Small
Herbert Small has announced
that he has filed for re-election as
Judge of Superior Court. He was
first elected to this office in 1974
to fill the unexpired term of Judge
Walter Cahoon.
Judge Small’s first elective of
fice was that of District Attorney.
Before that he was engaged in the
private practice of law for 15
years, and was senior member of
the law firm of Small, Small and
Watts.
He is married to the former
Annette Ward and they have four
grown children. Small is a
member of Blackwell Memorial
Continued On Page 4
Judge Thomas S. Watts
Judge Thomas S. Watts recent
ly announced his candidacy for
one of the two Resident Superior
Court Judgeships elected in the
First Judicial District. The
special judicial primary is
scheduled for July 29.
Watts, 47, has served on the
Superior Court bench since his ap
pointment as a Special Judge in
1982. He was appointed as a resi
dent judge for the district in 1984.
Watts served as District Attorney
for the seven county area from
1975 to 1982. The First District in
cludes Camden, Chowan, Cur
rituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank
Continued On Page 4
I X
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL—Edenton’s American Legion Post 40 baseball team stands at at*
tention during Saturday night’s opening ceremony before defeating Snow Hill 6-5. The team lost their season
opener against Rocky Mount. (See story on page 4A.)