Large Voter Turnout Elects Spruill New County Sheriff
Chowan County voters turned
out in sizable numbers on Tuesday
to elect a Republican sheriff and
Democrats in all other races.
Fred Spruill was the clear winner
1 over Wayne Rice with a total of
2010 to Rice's 1,373. As returns
came in from the precincts Tues
day night, it was evident by 9:10
p.m. that Spruill would be the next
sheriff, with only two precincts as
yet unreported.
Rice and a contingent from his
campaign staff visited the Spruill
. organization at the Edenton Bake
Shop to offer congratulations. The
friendly gesture delighted Spruill
and his wife Mary and their sup
porters as they broke out in en
thusiastic applause for a gracious
candidate.
A throng of R.M. (Pete) Thomp
son supporters was on hand dur
ing the evening at his head
) —
quarters set up at Quinn Furni- <
ture. With the election results cer- (
tain. Spruill visited there.
He told one man, “I’ll tell you I
it's been a long day.” He was <
asked if sheriff’s elections should I
be partisan. He responded, “While <
the two-party system has been <
proven to be alive and well, I
would rather see a non-partisan f
election for sheriff.” I
Mary Spruill voiced her relief, i
“I’m definitely glad it’s over, but I
we’re pleased to see the way it :
turned out.” The Spruill children I
have “been with us from day one.
They’re really excited. They’re i
very proud of their Daddy.” !
The sheriff-elect summed it up :
with, “I’m glad it’s all behind us." I
Hice commented after the
results were plain that, “I didn’t
lose, I just didn’t win.” He said of ]
the campaign, “I just appreciate
very thing everyone did for me ii
rom the bottom of my heart.”
Although Rice has been a long- r
ime resident of the state, his r
ampaign manager, Rob Charlton v
elt that the appeal of a Chowan r
bounty native may have been the s
leciding factor in the race. £
Charlton was asked if the c
heriff’s election should be par- j
isan. “Absolutely, unequivocally,
10. Law enforcement is a calling s
ike other emergency services. It t
ihould not be controlled by par- 1
isan politics.” <
Rice, a Chowan Deputy Sheriff '
ndicated that he could work with \
Spruill as sheriff. Spruill agreed ;
laying, “We’ve worked together
jefore and we can work together <
n the future.” He characterized i
he race as “a very cordial cam- 1
jaign.” At the age of 34, Spruill i
vill likely be the youngest sheriff <
i North Carolina.
Voters turned out in near record
umbers for the election. Of 6,495
egistered in the county, 3,740
rent to the polls, a 57 percent tur
out. The 1982 off-year election
aw a 31 percent turnout, with
3.66 percent in 1980 and 67 per
ent in 1984, presidential election
ears.
In the three-way race for two
eats in state House of Represen
atives, Thompson and incumbent
femon James, Democrats, han
lily defeated Shirley Perry (R).
Thompson’s district-wide total
vas 15,555, with 15,385 for James
ind 8,396 for Perry.
In a telephone interview Sun
lay, Representative James ob
;erved, “I don’t think at any time
have gotten overconfident or
•ested on my laurels. Shirley
Perry) is a formidable opponent
with powerful backing.”
When the outcome was clear
Tuesday evening, Thompson re
marked, “It’s been a good clean
race. Everybody’s worked hard
and run positive campaigns. An
awful lot of my friends worked
hard to get the vote out for me.
I’m awful proud to be a citizen of
northeastern N.C.” He concluded
with special appreciation for
family members, “And my wife
Carolyn and family have really
supported me.”
Mrs. Perry commented Wed
nesday morning, “I ran a clean
race. I’ve already had some calls
suggesting that I run again. At
this point. I’d say I’d consider it.”
Of the campaign. “I knew the
odds were against me from the
start. I enjoyed it and I’ve met a
lot of wonderful people.”
In the N.C. district senate race.
Democrat Marc Basnight bested
Republican Timothy Hodges with
1,879 to his opponent’s 579 votes.
Reached by phone Tuesday
night, Basnight said, “I’m very
humbled by the support through
out the district. It’s not like the
first time I ran. Going back this
time, it’s just different. The first
time, I had to pinch myself. Now,
it’s like a mandate of the people.
Running for re-election, Cong.
Walter B. Jones (D) far outdis
tanced his rival, Howard Moye
(R), with a 70 percent margin of
victory.
Wednesday morning, election
results showed former Gov. Terry
Sanford with a 51 percent edge
over "his Republican opponent,
Cong. James Broyhill.
In the state Supreme Court
Continued On Page 1
Volume Ul • No. 42
THE CHOWAN HERALD
Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast _
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, November 6, 1986
Single Copies 25 Cents
Since this is being written
before the election returns are
known, we will not be able to com
ment on the results. But we do
want to say something about the
way the process has developed
along the Public Parade and else
where in America.
In our opinion, the advent of
television has so polluted the pro
cess of filling major state and na
tional offices that it has become a
matter of packaging and market
big rather than a conscious choice
W qualified, competent candid
dates for the job to-be dofte. ——
Limited access to the electronic
media and soaring campaign
costs have put most state and
federal offices beyond the reach of
the candidate with modest means,
regardless of how able he is. To
have any hope of success on the
campaign trail, he must put his
soul in hock to the moneyed in
terests or the political rat pack,
appropriately designated as
PACs.
Then he must place his future in
the hands of slick Madison Ave
nue-type hucksters who will
decide what sort of package to
wrap him in, what sort of positions
he should take and what state
ments it is safe for him tp make.
Well paid pollsters then will track
his progress from week to week,
for a fee, of course, and keep him
sailing before the shifting winds of
public opinion.
Straight talk and honest an
swers thus give way to hype and
hyperbole. The 30-second spot
defines the limits of the television
audience’s patience and thus
becomes the workhorse of the
campaign, the vehicle through
which the candidate is trying to
reach his constituency. Most of
them already are convinced that
all politicians are crooks. Besides,
they want to get back to the ball
game or the spinning wheel of
fortune.
In such a context, code words
become important. “Conser
vative” no longer means a sup
porter of the status quo. A “con
servative” supreme court to
Ronald Reagan means a Repub
lican supreme court; and when
Jim Martin says he wants a “con
servative” state supreme court,
he means he wants Republicans
on the high court bench. “Liberal”
libs lost its historic meaning of
generous, unbiased, open
mindedness among those who pro
fess to be conservatives. It has
i to mean weakness, lack of
soft on communism,
or any other evil that
to mind. In fact, it is in
that in North
ats are almost as
themselves
s are to call
-4
Edenton Police Capture Escapee
One of two escapees from the
Gatesville minimum security
prison unit was taken into custody
by Edenton Police Sunday morn
ing. Millard F. Roberts, 41, a
white male and Michael Turner
Leggett, 40, a white male, escaped
from the prison unit at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1.
Police Chief John Parrish said
that his department was notifiei
of the escapees by a message 01
the Division of Criminal Informa
tion (DCI) police network fron
the N.C. Dept, of Corrections ii
Raleigh.
Roberts, of Hertford, wai
apprehended by Patrolman W.D
Harris between 4:30 and 5 a.m. ii
north Edenton. He offered n
1 resistance and was subsequently |
1 turned over to officers of the
- Gatesville unit. Roberts was ser
1 ving a three year sentence for
l larceny of firearms at the time of
his escape.
> A spokesman of the Gatesville
unit said that Leggett is also back
i in custody.
)
Commissioners Discuss Swain's Future
Chowan County Commissioners
must soon decide whether to com
mit to what may be a large long
term investment in the Ernest A.
Swain School auditorium or to
abandon a project that would con
vert the school portion of the
building into apartments.
At the board’s regular meeting
oil Monday morning, with devel
oper Dwayne Anderson of the
Anderson-Benton Co. and archi
tects hired by both the county and
Anderson’s company, the com
missioners considered options and
finally called a special meeting
for next Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. to
come to a go, no-go decision.
Anderson’s development of the
building into apartments hinges
on receiving a low-interest loan
from the Farmers Home Adminis
tration. The FmHA has asked for
a commitment from the county
that it will follow through on the
renovation of the auditorium.
The developer, in turn, has
asked for some concessions from
the county to improve its “affor
dability” position. The county is
asked to fund the cost of the
elevator lobbies and elevators in
GOODWIN HONORED—Mrs. Louise Goodwin (right) was recently
named Clubwoman of the Year by the Edenton Business and Profes
sional Woman’s Club. She is joined here, admiring her award, by Mrs.
Maggie Dale, BPW publicity chairman. Mrs. Goodwin is a Chowan
County native and a former home economics teacher.'
Goodwin Named Clubwoman
By REBECCA BUNCH
Mrs. Louise Goodwin, a former
home economics teacher, has
been named BPW Clubwoman of
the Year. She was honored at a re
cent awards dinner by members
of the Edenton Business and Pro
fessional Woman’s Club for her
many years of community
service.
Mrs. Goodwin, a native of
Chowan County, graduated from
Guilford College in Greensboro.
She taught for many years in both
North Carolina and Florida.
She has been a member of the
local BPW Club since 1976 and has
served on most, if not all, of the
club’s committees in one capaci
ty or another
Despite recertf ill health, she
has remained active in the
organization and, during the past
year, has served as Young
Careerist Committee Chairman.
Mrs. Goodwin is much admired
for her devotion to others, accor
ding to Chow? County Deputy
Sheriff Lim.- Terry, who
presented her with the award.
Terry was the outgoing BPW
Clubwoman of the Year.
Bloodmobile
Planned
The Edenton Jaycees will
hold a Bloodmobile at Chowan
Hospital on Tuesday,
November 11 from 3:00 p.m.
until 7:00 p.m.
The goal for this Blood
mobile visit will be to collect
125 units of blood, according to
Jaycee spokesman Bruce
Wackelin. He offered a
reminder to everyone that giv
ing blood is very important. A
donation to the Bloodmobile,
he said, may help to save the
life of a friend or loved one.
Chowan County residents
are urged to make every possi
ble effort to come out next
Tuesday and support this
locally-sponsored blood drive.
he school portion which would re
gain public property. The county
would also be responsible for the
wking areas.
Due to this reduction in real
jstate that the company would
then purchase, Anderson asked
that the purchase price be re
duced from $135,000 to $90,000.
The architects, Don Tise and
Tim Winstead of CHR Associates
in Chapel Hill then presented
development plans for the
auditorium and lobbies which one
commissioner called a “Cadillac”
of a plan. The plan calls for bring
ing the old auditorium into con
formance with present-day build
ing code requirements mandated
by the N.C. Dept, of Insurance.
The expensive remodeling
would include new wiring, fire ex
its, a new roof, and an entirely
new heating system (the present
system is coal-fired).
The architects plan would take
shape in three phases over a
three-year period. In the first
year, the elevator lobbies and
parking lots would be established
at a cost of $180,000. This would
allow the apartments to be built
and in operation. Temporary
walls would block off the audi
torium from the apartment build
ing.
During the second year, the
ground floor of the auditorium,
housing dressing rooms, meeting
Continued On Page 4
SAFETY PLAQUE AWARDED—A traffic safety award was presented to Edenton by the N.C. State
Motor Club for no traffic fatalities during 1985. At the presentation were (1. to r.) Sheriff Glen Perry, club
division manager Dan Vaughan, Police Chief J.D. Parrish and district manager Hiram Weeks. Edenton
was one of only 24 cities with a population of '>.000 or more receiving the award this vear.
PRACTICE BLAZE—Edenton firemen direct a stream of water on
a house set ablaze four times Thursday night. The house, property of
A.-J: Smith and Sons, was located on Green Hall Rd. in the county. The
fourth torching of the house was its last and firemen allowed it to burn
to the ground after an hour's practice session.
Missing Fishermen Found
A search of the Chowan River
was begun Sunday night for two
missing fishermen from Virginia.
The search, which began at 11:30
p.m. was for William Hoggard,
Jr., 21, and Randy Taylor. 26, ac
cording to Edenton-Chowan Res
cue Squad spokeswoman Patricia
Madry.
The fishermen had launched
their bass boat at the Dockside
Marina in Virginia, near the state
line. Participating in the search
were a boat from the local rescue
squad, a boat from the W'inton
Rescue Squad, two tyoats of the
N.C. Wildlife Commission from
Hertford County, a Coast Guard
helicopter, and private boats
belonging to family members and
friends. The Chowan Sheriff's
Dept, stood by to render possible
assistance from the shore.
The pair was found safe in their
boat in the Meherrin River near
Winton. They were spotted by the
helicopter at 9:15 Monday morn
ing. They were reportedly over
due because of an engine problem.
The Edenton-Chowan Rescue
Squad spent over ten hours in the
search effort.
EMT Classes
Scheduled
The Edenton-Chowan Rescue
Squad will hold Emergency
Medical Technician (EMT)
classes starting Tuesday,
November 18. The classes will be
held at the new rescue squad
building in Edenton on Tuesday
and Thursday nights from 7 to 10
p.m.
The course is taught through the
Continued On Page 4