On Meeting School Needs
Gov. Jim Martin has come up
with a sensible proposal* for
meeting the state's massive
school building needs. Although it
doesn’t have the distinction of be
ing completely new, it is sound
and workable and deserves a fair
hearing before the legislature and
full consideration by the people.
With the counties’ school
building needs running into the
billions, the problem has become
almost beyond the reath of local
governments, with county com
missioners and city councils
reluctant to commit their areas to
massive bonded debts at a time
when the federal deficit is
threatening to put a heavy tax
burden on us all.
So Governor Martin has come
up with an updated version of the
old Literary Fund. He would have
the state, which has a Triple-A
credit rating, sell up to $2.2 billion
in bonds to create a fiscal pool
fi;om which the counties could bor
row school construction funds at
a much lower interest rate, repay
ing the debt over a 20-year period
with revenue realized from half
cent local sales tax approved by
the last legislature.
This tax, if put into effect in all
the counties, would bring in about
$176 million a year, possibly going
to $200 million if the economy im
proves as time passes. Such a
fund, on the average, would give
each county from $1.76 to $2
million a year with which to retire
school construction debts, or $17.6
Continued On Page 4
Annual Tea
Party Planned
)
3
3
ft
o
The 212th anniversary celebra
tion of the Edenton Tea Party will
take place on Saturday, Oct. 25 On
the town waterfront near the
Barker House Visitor Center. This
year’s celebration begins at 10
a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m.
The observance, which is held
every other year, commemorates
what has come to be known as the
first political activity by women in
the American colonies. The dec
ade of the 1770’s was a time of
great concern over increasing
taxation of the colonies by
England and lack of representa
tion in Parliament.
These concerns were expressed
on Dec. 16,1773 by the Boston Tea
Party. On Oct. 25,1774 in Edenton,
a group of 51 women signed a
document pledging their support
to the Provincial Assembly. The
Provincial Deputies had resolved
not to drink any more tea, heavi
ly taxed by England.
This spirit of patriotism and
commitment to the public good
will be honored in this year’s
celebration. The Barker House
was the home of Thomas and
Penelope Barker. According to
tradition, it was Penelope Barker
who organized the Edenton Tea
Party.
Featured this year will be a visil
of the Elizabeth II from Manteo.
In addition to tours offered on the
ship^ there will be an old
fashioned street fair, musical
entertainment and children’s
games. The guest speaker for the
event will be Pa trie Dorsey,
Secretary of the N.C. Dept, ol
Cultural Resources.
During the Tea Party Celebra
tion, Broad St. will be closed fronr
the waterfront to King St. Approx
imately 50 booths will be set uj
along the street providing crafts
information, food and entertain
ment.
The Optimist Club will provide
rides for children on their trail
and musical entertainment will be
provided throughout the day bj
the Rocky Hock Rebels anel the
Edenton Harmony Belles.
Secretary Dorsey will speak a
Continued On Page
9 am. tii i p.m. Muscular Dystrophy Bucket Brigade
o Saturday Sponsored by Edenton Jaycees
At Area
Food Stores
THE CHOWAN HEP A * ~
Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast
Volume LI I • No. 40
Ed'enton, North Carolina, Thursday, October 16. 19&6
Single Copies 25 Cents
Area Officials Bring In
New Local Industry
Edenton, Chowan County and
Chamber of Commerce officials
have been successful in bringing
to the area a new major industry.
The company, North American
Reiss, an extrusion-molding
plastics manufacturer currently
has a plant in New Jersey.
The company will purchase 154
acres of land at the Airport In
dustrial Park in Edenton. The
Town Council approved the sale at
their Tuesday evening meeting
for a purchase price of $750 per
acre totaling $115,500.
A new plant, comprising 100,000
square feet will be constructed
and will add some 150-200 new jobs
to the area with the potential of
adding up to 400 jobs in the future.
The lead for this company came
through the N.C. Dept, of Com
merce and Edenton was selected
by the owner in spirited competi
tion with North Carolina and
Virginia cities.
Citing the excellent land loca
tion and value and unequaled
livability as reasons for his final
decision, the company’s owner
plans to make Edenton an expan
sion site for his business.
Kathleen Miller, Executive
Director of the Edenton-Chowan
Chamber of Commerce, said that
an all-out recruitment effort to
bring the company here was
launched by the town, county and
the chamber. They hosted offi
cials of the company on tours of
the area on several occasions, ar
ranged meetings with area em
ployers and the Employment
Security Commission as well as
Dfficials of the N.C. Community
College system for training
information.
According to Edenton Town
Manager Sam Noble, proceeds of
the sale of the land will be used for
improvement of the Edenton Air
port facilities. He said that the
town will supply about 120,000
gallons of water daily to the plant
as well as electricity without put
ting a strain on the present utility
systems. The monthly income
from water sales is expected to
total $1,809.30.
Mayor John Dowd commented,
“We’ve worked very closely with
the Chamber of Commerce on
this. We’re very proud to have
them (North American Reiss)
here.”
Excellence Awards Presented
Edenton’s Post Office and
Postmaster recently received two
awards for excellence. The
awards were made by Ross
Garulski, the manager of the Sec
tion Center (MSC) in Rocky
Mount. The section contains 209
post offices.
One award was for the “Best
budgetary performance of a large
office.” Postmaster Howard
Hodges received a letter of com
mendation and a plaque. The se
cond award, -also <r-ptoqtie, was -
the MSC Manager’s Award For
Excellence.
The manager’s award was for
budget performance, assisting the
MSC in project development,
facility maintenance and com
munity involvement.
The award to Hodges was for
“The Postmaster whose office
POSTAL AWARDS—Edenton
Postmaster is shown with two
awards his office recently
received.
best exemplifies the excellence of
the Postal Service.”
police iviaKe i nree unreiaieo Arrests
The Edenton Police Dept, has
made three arrests in unrelated
cases involving breaking and
entering and larceny and a sex of
fense case.
Edward Luther Holley, 33, was
arrested Monday on a first degree
sexual offense charge involving a
young girl. The offense occurred
on the night of October 10, accord
ing to Sgt. G.K. Bonner. The of
fense was reported by the child’s
mother and an aunt.
Holley is being held in the
Chowan County Jail with a
secured bond set at $20,000. A first
appearance hearing was held
Tuesday and a probable cause
hearing was set for October 21.
Bonner and Officer Brenda Top
pin were the investigating
officers.
Kevin Stallings, 17, of 101 Blade
St. was arrested for breaking and
entering and larceny. Sgt. Bonner
said that the suspect confessed to
two house break-ins. One oc
curred at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Jerry Stotesbury on July 7
and the other was at the George
Capehart residence on September
1st.
\
Valuables totaling $1,320 were
reported stolen from the Stotes
bury home with only a class ring
being recovered. Property values
i at $2,735 was taken at the Cape
. hart home with everything re
covered except for a pair, of gold
. synthetic diamond earrings.
Both homes were believed
entered through unlocked win
l dows. Sgt. Bonner said, however,
that in one of the break-ins, the
suspect said that he knew where
a house key was hidden and used
it in gaining entrance. Stallings
was released on $3,000 bond.
Gerald Faye Williams, 21,
Route 2, P.O. Box 673, Edenton,
has admitted to two larcenies and
a breaking and entering. Charges
are pending on a felonious larceny
case.
The suspect reportedly admit
ted to a breaking and entering and
larceny at the home of Clarence
Jernigan on Paradise Rd. Entry
was made through a window and
valuables totaling $675 were
taken. One man’s watch was
recovered.
He is also suspected of the
larceny of about $9,000 worth of
property belonging to Nancy Tur
pin. While employed by Ms. Tur
pin, he had access to the prem
ises, Sgt. Bonner said. A gold
watch, valued at $1,000 and other
items totaling $7,000 were
recovered.
Contributions Sought
On Saturday October the 18th,
from 9 AM until 1 PM, the Eden
ton Jaycees will be asking for con
tributions to help in the fight
against Muscular Dystrophy. The
Edenton Jaycees will be stationed
at Food Lion, S & R Grocery,
Winn-Dixie, and Mitchener’s
Pharmacy.
When these young men and
women solicit your support,
please join them in the fight
against Muscular Dystrophy.
OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED—Event chairperson Ann Ellis introduced local officials at Saturday’s
breakfast for Republican hopefuls. Governor James G. Martin was the guest speaker. Pictured are (1.
to r.) Shirley Perry, Howard Moye. Mrs. Ellis, Governor Martin and Timothy Hodges.
Republican Candidates Receive Support
By JACK GROVE
Over a hundred local residents
and town officials crowded into
the Golden Corral on Saturday
morning to greet Gov. James G.
Martin and meet local Republican
candidates. The breakfast meet
ing was chaired by Ann Ellis.
Those attending heard Gover
nor Martin speak in support of the
candidacies of Republicans
Howard Moye of Farmville. op
posing Cong. Walter B Jones.
Shirley Perry of Perquimans for
a General Assembly House seat in
a race with R.M. (Pete) Thomp
son and Vernon James. Timothy
Hodges of Hyde, opposing Sen.
Marc Basnight for the N.C. Senate
and Fred Spruill opposing Wayne
Rice for Chowan County Sheriff
Mayor John Dowd- officially
welcomed the governor and
brought laughter from the crowd
with, “We hope your administra
tion will look favorably upon our
town in two weeks when we apply
for a Community Development
Block Grant for economic devel
opment.”
In his remarks, Howard Moye
commented on what he called his
opponent’s liberalism. He said
that a national conservative
Elizabeth II Open For Viewing During Edenton Visit October 21
The Elizabeth II, a replica of the
sixteenth century sailing vessel
that brought colonists to Roanoke
Island, will return to Edenton on
October 21. The ship is a 89 foot,
square-rigged sailing ship.
The ship is typical of those
which transported Sir Walter
Raleigh’s colonists to the New'
World between 1584 and 1587. Built
entirely with private funds, the ]
Elizabeth II is the focal point of :
America’s 400th Anniversary, i
The vessel will be open to the :
public Oct. 22-28 from 9 a.m. until
7 p.m. It will be docked in Eden- '
ton at the town dock at the foot of
Broad Street.
The Elizabeth II is homeported
in Manteo and recently visited
Elizabeth City during the River
;pree festivities. Following an
>vernight stay in Edenton, the
ihip sailed up the Chowan River
o Winton for a three-week stay,
rhe vessel returns from Winton
or the Edenton Tea Party Cele
bration and then will return to
Vlanteo.
ELIZABETH II RETURNS—The replica of a ship that Sir Walter Raleigh might have sailed in to the
New World returns to Edenton for a one week stay during the Edenton Tea Party Celebration. It will be
open for public tours from Oct. 22 to the 28th.
organization rated members ot
congress on a conservative’s
scale. He said that Ted Kennedy
was given a 9% rating and Walter
B. Jones scored lower with a 5%
rating. He told the group, “I pro
mise you that 1 will work with, not
against President Reagan.”
Governor Martin opened his
remarks with, “I commend you
for a great turnout this morning.
It is certainly more than when I
was here as a candidate.” He
complimented Republicans pre
sent on "building a two-party
system in northeastern North
Carolina. I’m hearing such good
things. That you're building
support—very positive—very
aggressive."
He then launched an attack on
the Democrat dominated Gen.
Assembly saying that the body at
tempted to do away with a guber
natorial second term only recent
ly enacted under a Democratic
Governor. He spoke of “an issue
that we’re beginning to hammer
on, the issue of the governor hav
ing the veto. We’re the only state
in the union that the governor
doesn’t have the veto." In calling
for a referendum on the veto, he
states, “It should be you that
decides. Not the legislature. Not
the governor.
Governor Martin singled out the
so-called “super sub” in the
Continued On Page 4
Two Former Chowan Residents Charged
Drug charges have been lodged
against two former Chowan Coun
ty residents. Robert (Robi Royal
Copeland Holmes, III. an insur
ance agent and financial planner
and a high school basketball
referee, was arrested Monday
afternoon.
Holmes. 31, was charged with
felonious possession of hashish, in
tent to sell and deliver hashish and
he sale and delivery of hashish,
le reportedly sold a pound of
lashish to undercover agents.
Debbie Thornton, 27, a home
naker in Ocracoke was arrested
in the same charges by Hyde
bounty officers. She allegedly was
nvolved in the same case as
lolmes. Both are free on a $4,000
>ond.