n 'HM The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast Volume LI I - No. 34 Edenton. North Carolina, Thursday. September 4, 1986 Single Copies 25 Cents Still A Pork Barrel Department of Transportation representatives got off light the other day when Rep. Vernon James took them to task for the uneven distribution of highway funds in their district. To begin with, there was the waste of some $80,000 in an effort to solve a board parking problem adjacent to the highway building in Raleigh. As anybody knows who has bus iness in Raleigh, parking is a pro blem. Yet Transportation Board members, rather than using private parking facilities or leav ing their cars at the motel as everybody else does, sought to take over a public street and con vert it to their own use, simply by adding a few more blocks to the state highway system. After spending some $80,000 cut ting down big trees and replacing them with smaller ones, they found they could not legally mark the parking spaces for their own use, something they should have known in the first place. This caper, it should be kept in mind, was put on by a group which only a few months ago was convincing the General Assembly it should raise gasoline taxes to help meet dire financial needs. That brings us down to DOT board member Kenneth Roberson Continued On Page 4 I Aces Defeat Falcons In Season Opener The Edenton Aces trounced Bertie on the Falcons’ home turf Friday night in a season opener that bodes well for hometown fans. The 2-A John A. Holmes team defeated the 3-A division Falcons 40-6. The untried Aces of Coach Jay Swicegood were expected to be handed a season-opening defeat according to local pundits. Even Swicegood thought so. Winning the opening toss and electing to kick-off, Edenton in tercepted on the third play of the game. This set the tone of a fine defensive and offensive game that saw the Aces force seven more turnovers. After the initial interception, Edenton took the ball 34 yards to a touchdown in just three plays. The second quarter meant 26 more points for the Aces and three Bertie turnovers with a half-time score of 33-0. The second half saw the Fal cons’ only TD and the Aces adding another 7 points. With a shutout imminent, Bertie scored with on ly 13 seconds remaining. Along with fine defensive play, Edenton’s aerial offense clicked. Quarterback Erie Downing passed for 157 yards and three TDs. Although the Falcons had 187 yards gained in the air, pass in terceptions were their downfall. Demme Felton was on the receiving end of two touchdown passes and Aaron Little caught a deflected pass in the end zone. Downing took the ball over the goal line himself on one option play. Harris grabbed a Bertie fumble to scamper for another TD. Edenton, the smaller of the two teams, was bruised and battered but Swicegood believes they’ll be ready whey they meet Northeast ern in Elizabeth City tomorrow night. GOVERNOR’S WELCOME—Governor James Martin welcomed descendants of slaves at Somerset Saturday at the celebration planned by Dorothy Redford. Redford is shown flanked by N.C. Dept, of Cultural Resources Secretary Patrick Dorsey (1.) and First Lady Dottie Martin. Newbern Cleared On Larceny Charge Chowan Superior Court was still in session at press time last week. The Honorable James D. Llewellyn of Kinston presided over the criminal calendar. The last case heard Wednesday concerned the alleged theft of lumber. Tears of joy ran down a wife’s face as she heard her husband declared not guilty of a misde meanor larceny charge. Larry Arnold Newbern, Sr., 36, of Cape Colony had been charged with larceny of timber from the construction site of a house owned and being built by John Groff, a contractor. In other cases: David Wayne Sutton, charged with breaking and entering and larceny and possession, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of stolen property. He was sentenced to not less than 18 months or more than 24 months in the NC Dept, of Corrections, suspended and placed on super vised probation for two years upon payment of a $100 fine, cost of court of $111 and attorney’s fees of $300 to be paid at the direction of the probation officer. Michael Wayne Hardy, charged with breaking and entering and larceny and possession, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor larceny and received an identical judg ment to that of David Wayne Sutton. The cases of William Henry (Buddy) Ford and James Frances Driza, both charged with breaking and entering and larceny and possession, were continued. The case of Timothy C. Hughes, charged with second degree sex offense, first degree kidnapping and indecent liberties, was continued. The case of Jimmy Blount, charged with two counts of inde cent liberties, was continued. Jo Ann Turner pleaded guilty to one count of financial transaction card forgery and one count of financial transaction-card theft. A third count of financial tran saCtion-card theft was dismissed. She was sentenced to two years in the NC Dept, of Corr., suspended and she was placed on supervised probation for two years. She was assessed court costs of $244 and $125 for counsel fees. Her proba tion was transferred to Cumber land County. Robert Carlton Keaton pleaded guilty to level one, DWI, while a second charge of driving while his Automobile Accidents Mar Week A three year old girl was injured Thursday at 12:30 p.m. when she was struck by a car near the in tersection of S. Broad and Church Streets. Laurie Gibson, daughter of John and Lisa Gibson, was in her stroller when her mother pro ceeded with her across the street in front of Peoples Bank. A car, driven by Carmen Lynn White, 17, of Center Hill was head ed south on Broad and travelling through the intersection on a green light. It was raining at the time and White skidded on the wet pavement attempting to avoid the mother and child. The child reportedly received a face laceration and was transported to Chowan Hospital. She was then transferred to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville for consultation with a plastic surgeon. Edenton Police Sgt. G.K. Bon ner investigated the accident. No citations were issued as result of the accident. Another accident occurred on Friday at 12:36 p.m. in front of McDonald’s on N.C. 32 north. A 1977 Ford station wagon driven by Brenda Owens Bunch, 37, of Merry Hill was struck broadside as she pulled out of the restaurant’s parking lot. Her car was struck by a 1985 Chevrolet truck driven by Samuel Martin Copeland, 38, of 'tyner who is with the N.C. Forest Service. Copeland was traveling north at the time of the accident. Investigating officer Bland Terry of the Edenton Police Department estimated damage to the truck at $700 and listed the sta tion wagon as a total loss. Bunch was transported to Chowan Hospital with unspecified injuries. She was cited for making an unsafe movement. County Democratic Meetings Scheduled Democratic Chowan County Chairman Charles Shaw has an nounced the following precinct meetings for the Democratic Party: • West Edenton meeting will be held Thursday, September 11, at Shepard-Pruden Library. • East Edenton meeting will be held Monday, September 22, at 8:00 p.m. at the old Courthouse Building. • The Rocky Hock meeting will be held Monday, September 8 at 8:00 p.m. at the Rocky Hock Rescue Squad Building. • Yeopim and Wardville pre cinct meeting will be announced soon. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss the forthcoming cam paign and getting out the vote. All members of the precincts are in vited and encouraged to attend. license was revoked was dis missed. He was sentenced to not less than 14 months nor more than 18 months in the NC Dept, of Corr. with his active sentence to begin on Sep. 14,1986. Work release was recommended. He was ordered not to operate a motor vehicle in NC for three years. Julius M. Fleetwood, charged with aiding and abetting a DWI, had his case remanded to the District Court judgment. The case of Thomas Shelton Nixon, III, charged with speeding 69 in a 55mph zone was continued. The case of Willie Joe Cecil Leary, charged with DWI, was Continued On Page 4 FLYING HIGH—Kenneth Evans, 19, of Elizabeth City seems to soar above the trees after a ramp takeoff with a bike during a show he and his trick riding team put on for Edentonians Monday during Labor Day festivities. Somerset Plantation Homecoming Held By JEANETTE WHITE CRESWELL—It was a time of healing and reconnecting with roots when descendants of slaves who built Somerset Plantation met there Saturday for the first homecoming of its kind. Bright yellow ribbons tied to huge cypress trees planted by their ancestors led the way to the manor, where descendants walk ed through rooms their forefathers never saw. African drumbeats mixed with smells of southern cooking and drifted across the compound, where a pile of bricks and signs were all that remained of a hospital and cabins for slaves. Nearby stood a six-mile canal, dug by 80 African slaves brought to Somerset on the Brig Camden in June 1786 to work and marry slaves owned by the Josiah Collin family, owners of Somerset. Lapel buttons reading “A Celebration of Family - Feeling Good About Life” were pinned to cousins meeting and hugging for the first time. Local dignitaries gave speeches and Gov. James Martin arrived to ask the descendants, “Did you hear the voices saying come home? It wasn’t sound, but in your head and heart...Did you think of this place as home?...They (slaves) transformed this land from a swamp to flourishing fields and shared an oppression that was mean and hard. “We are not here for the sytem of slavery, we are here for people. They lived their lives with digni ty and grace, good humor and faith. Take pride in the strength of those who endured. Have pride in their name, for it is yours.” Gov. Martin ended his com ments with a proclamation declaring August 30, 1986, as Somerset Homecoming Day, fostering the healing of historic abuse by promoting home and family. The proclamation was given to Dorothy Spruill Redford of Port smouth, Va., who was the person responsible for the research that made the day possible. With tears threatening, Redford accepted and said, “This day is about history. Over 200 years ago our family history began. This day has nothing to do with slavery, for there is nothing honorable about that. Our people Continued On Page 4 Child Released After Collision A county youngster was treated and released at Chowan Hospital Thursday after being struck by a car on N.C. 37, 4.5 miles east of Edenton. N.C. Highway Patrol Spokeswoman Dottie Lowe said that Delton Lamon Drye, age 11, of Rt. 2, Edenton dashed from a private driveway into the path of a car driven by Maggie McCoy Griffin, 43, of Rt. 5, Elizabeth City. The report filed by Trooper Y.Z. Newberry said that the child was thrown to the shoulder of the road. The accident occurred at 4:15 p.m. No charges were filed Another accident was reported Friday at 11:30 p.m. The one vehicle mishap took place two miles south of Edenton on N.C. 32 when a 1975 Chevrolet pickup traveling south at “a higher than normal rate of speed” overturned in a ditch. The report filed by Trooper W.M. Long said that the driver, Freddy Lawrence, 22, of Rt. 2, Edenton braked his truck in response to a vehicle in front of him that had applied brakes. Lawrence’s vehicle hit the right shoulder where he apparently lost control and the truck crossed the road striking the left ditch and overturning. Lawrence and his passenger, Selma Chesson, 23, of Rt. 2, Eden ton were transported to Chowan Hospital where they were treated and released. Trooper Long cited Lawrence for careless and reckless driving. Neither of the pickup’s occupants were wearing seat belts. optimists FOLD their TENT—Optimists provided frefe refreshments to Labor Day celebrants Mon day afternoon. Coca-Cola provided free drinks and radio station Z-102 broadcasted live from Colonial Park. On September 6th, 1986 At the Boy Scout Hut Serving Begins at 11:00 Annual Fish Fry Proceeds support the Crippled Childrens* Hospitals Sponsored by the Chowan County Shrine Club

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