THE CHOWAN HERALD
Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast
Volume LLIII ■ No. 42
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, October 22, 1987
Single Copies 25 Cents
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New System At Herald
This past week has been a busy
time at the Chowan Herald, but
we hope it will all add up to easier
times ahead for everybody on the
staff and a more pleasant product
for everybody along the Public
Parade.
In addition to putting out the
paper and doing the dozens of job
shop print jobs, we have been kept
on the move with the installation
of an entirely new, somewhat ex
panded computerized typesetting
system, with the staff giving
every minute of their spare time
trying to learn how to use it.
That is not to say they are un
familiar with the use of computers
for typesetting. We have been run
ning one type or another for about
a decade. More recently, we have
been using a system manufac
tured by Compugraphics of Wilm
ington, Mass. But when the time
came to replace it with newer
equipment, we decideed to shift to
a system consisting of three
Macintosh units, a laser printer,
and enough support equipment to
enable us to do just about
anything the printing industry
demands.
One of the new system’s
capabilities permits us to con
struct various types of graphics
and engage in page makeup right
on the readout screen. Thus, all
the components of an ad can be
developed right on the screen,
complete with borders, type blocs
from a dozen different type faces,
light .or bold, roman 91 italic.
We can do black and white or
screened reverses; but because of
Continued On Page 4
Hardees Given Okay To Re-Open
By JACK GROVE
Edenton Town Council met in a
specially called session at noon
Monday to pave the way for the
reopening of Hardees on N. Broad
Street. “Hardees was requesting
a certificate of occupancy to start
selling food,” according to Town
Manager Phillip Whitaker. He
said that request “generated the
meeting.”
The town’s governing body has
•under consideration an amend
ment to the zoning ordinance that
would allow a sign of a maximum
of 75 square feet in size for
businesses located over 1,000 feet
from the U.S. 17 Bypass.
While considering that or
dinance change (the present or
dinance allows no more than 18
square feet for principal use
signs) during the regular meeting
last week, council learned that
Hardees had erected a 128 square
foot sign that day.
In order to issue a certificate of
occupancy, the building inspector
is required to verify that the zon
ing ordinance has been complied
with. Hardees’ sign did not meet
that test.
By withholding the certificate,
“There was a strong possibility
that Hardees could have gotten an
injunction to operate temporari
ly,” Whitaker said.
Due to the possibility of litiga
tion, Mayor John Dowd called the
meeting for the council to decide
to go to court or to issue the cer
tification. Complicating the mat
ter was the fact that over 10 other
businesses in the town have signs
violating the ordinance.
Whitaker said that during the
council’s deliberations, it was
discussed that, possibly, upon
adoption of a revised ordinance, it
would contain a provision that
those businesses not in com
pliance would have an as yet
Law Enforcement Officers
Banquet Is Scheduled
Law enforcement officers will
gather at the Edenton American
Legion building tonight to honor
one of their own. The seventh an
nual appreciation banquet for
Chowan County law enforcement
officers will be the setting for the
announcement of the award of
Law Enforcement Officer of the
Year.
Officers from Bertie, Gates,
Perquimans, Washington and
Chowan Counties will attend along
with officers of state and federal
agencies, judges and magistrates.
Featured speaker for the event
is Justice Louis B. Meyer of the
N-C, Supreme. QaawtwMative of
Marion, N.C., he is a graduate of
Wake Forest University and its
School of Law.
... .. ' .
SERPENTINE COURSE—A student driver wends through the
serpentine course during EVOC training at the Edenton Airport Satur
day afternoon. The vehicle in the background is on another of the four
obstacle courses laid out on an unused runway.
Driver Training Is Held
It is well-known that rescue
squad personnel receive extensive
emergency medical training.
What may not be as well-known is
that they also receive driver
education.
Squadsmen along with two
firemen and six drivers for the
Inter-County Transit System
received 16 hours training Satur
'day and Sunday in the state’s
Emergency Vehicle Operations
Course (EVOC).
The course is taught through the
community college system with
College qf the Albemarle being the
sponsoring school locally. Conti
nuing education units are earned
upon completion of the course.
Students are taught “How to
drive an EMS vehicle in a manner
safe to squadsmen and patients,”
according to EMS Coordinator
Doug Belch. They received
classroom work and a written test
for judgement and proper
procedures.
Field training was conducted on
an unused runway at the Edenton
Airport. Basic maneuvering was
taught on obstacle courses mark
ed off with the cones. The four
courses tested serpentine driving,
evasive maneuvers, controlled
breaking and double lane chang
ing. Belch pointed out that the
training is safety oriented.
Emergency medical service
personnel are required to com
plete 36 hours of training a year.
Hours in training by the EVOC
team count toward that
requirement.
Instructors for the training
were Grif Bond, son of Dr. Ed
Bond of Edenton, from Rocky
Mount; Stanley Griggs of Cur
rituck; Terry Payne of Pitt; and
Nick Shook of Bertie.
Three training vehicles,
resembling ambulances, were
provided by the state for the
training.
Reminder
Is Offered
Litter mars an otherwise
beautiful town and county. Local
officials have spearheaded town
and county cleanup drives recent
ly to correct this problem.
One type of litter, however, is
harder to clean up than most.
That is abandoned vehicles in the
county.
County Commissioner Chair
man Alton Elmore reminded
residents this week that junk
vehicles can be picked up simply
by calling 482-7477, There is no
cost to individuals for this service.
Justice Meyer was a law clerk
to the late Chief Justice R. Hunt
Parker of the N.C. Supreme
Court. He later served as an FBI
agent and then practiced law in
Wilson for 18 years.
He is a past president of the
Wilson County and Seventh
Judicial District Bar Associations
and served as vice-president of
the N.C. Bar Association. He was
appointed to the Supreme Court in
January, 1981 and has served on
the Court for six years.
The banquet will start with a
hospitality hour at 6 p.m. with din
ner served at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the event may
purchased at the Edenton Police
Department, the Chowan Sheriff’s
Office and at the door.
unspecified period of time to
amortize the cost of their signs. At
the end of that period, businesses
would be required to replace them
with signs that complied with size
restrictions.
The council passed a resolution
instructing the building inspector
to issue Hardees the certificate of
occupancy, Whitaker said. Asked
if this was a waiver of the or
dinance, he said, “The words
‘variance’ and ‘waiver’ were not
considered as a part of the
motion.”
Another part of the present or
dinance states that a principal use
sign may be no more than 45 feet
in height. The town manager said
that all local businesses are in
compliance with this provision.
The town has received an $8,000
grant from the state which, coupl
ed with $2,000 from the town will
be used to hire consultants to for
mulate a new zoning ordinance.
Whitaker indicated that the revis
ed ordinance could be completed
within six months and “a year at
the outside,” depending on cutting
red tape and an accelerated effort
of the Planning Board and the con
sultants hired.
Only one citizen, Bob Thomas,
attended Monday’s meeting. He is
a partner in the firm building a
Travel Host Inn on N.C. 32, just
north of the U.S. 17 Bypass. He
reportedly discussed briefly with
the council his sign plans that
might include a scaled-down ver
sion of the 250 square foot sign he
had previously requested.
The proposed ordinance amend
ment calls for no more than 200
square feet per sign for businesses
within 1,000 feet of the bypass.
North Carolina’s open meeting
law requires that town council
give a 48-hour notification to the
public prior to called meetings.
WfiitaKer iaid tliat this was done'
through posting of the notification
Continued On Page 4
CROWNED—Candy Taylor, of Gates County, was crowned as Miss
Chowan County Fair Saturday night before a large crowd. She is shown
with an armload of roses and a bright smile moments after the
announcements.
Fair Queen Is Crowned
The show barn was jammed
with interested spectators Satur
day night as 10 contestants vied
for the title of Miss Chowan Coun
ty Fair. They participated in
talent, swimsuit and evening
gown competitions.
The contestants were Natalie
Phelps, 15, John A. Holmes High
School; Jennifer Spain, 18, East
Carolina University; Gwen
Howard, 16, Northeastern High
School; Rachel Sawyer, 16,
Creswell High School; Cindy
Bass, 16, John A. Holmes High
Schooi; Robin tynch, 18, East
Carolina University; Jodie Baker,
18, employed at Britthaven;
Rhonda White, 16, Gates County
High School; Candy Taylor, 15,
Gates County High School; and
Sarah Winfield, 15, John A.
Holmes High School.
Candy Taylor of Gates County
walked away with the crown, a
$300 cash award and the oppor
tunity to compete for the title of
Miss State County Fair
Last year's winner and first
runner-up for the state title, Beth
Norvell of Edenton, presided at
the coronation of Miss Taylor.
First runner-up was Robin
Tynch, awarded $200 and a
trophy. Second runner-up was
Cindy Bass, awarded $100.
Stats Show Older Voters More Interested In Elections
Edenton voters will go to the
polls on November 3 to select
three members for town council
and a mayor. Statistics show that
older citizens take more interest
in selecting their municipal
representatives than their
younger counterparts.
Figures were compiled by the
Colonial Computer Co. from the
1986 general election. There were
2,737 eligible to vote.
Four age categories were
tabulated with the following
results: age group 18-25 - 322 were
eligible with 80 voting for a
percentage of 24.8; 26-44 - 927 eligi
ble, 427 voted or 46 per cent; 45-64
- 801 eligible, 544 voted or 68 per
cent; and 65 and older - 687 eligi
ble with 436 voting or 63.4 per cent.
Results showed the percentage
of the total vote for the age groups
was 18-25, 5.3 per cent; 26-44, 28.7
per cent; 45-64, 36.6 per cent and
65 and above, 29.3 per cent.
Edenton is divided into four
Curtain Rises Tonight On Simon Comedy
By REBECCA BUNCH
A sense of anticipation is
building in the community as the
Edenton Little Theatre prepares
for its first opening night in
several years. A talented group of
local actors will present the Neil
Simon comedy “Plaza Suite”,
tonight at 8 p.m. in the Holmes
High School auditorium. An addi
tional performance is slated for
Saturday night at 8 p.m.
Harvey Binns and Ginny
Harbert are co-directors of the
three act play, with Little Theatre
President Joe Conger Jr. serving
as producer. Conger has
spearheaded the drive to re
establish the Little Theatre, and
has served as a catalyst for
rebuilding the fine reputation and
community support the group has
enjoyed in years past.
Performing in the play will be
a mixture of veteran actors and
newcomers, including Lisa Gib
son, Flynn Surratt, Alex Perry,
Rob MacSwain, Terry Wackelin,
Jim Chesson, Lanita Rawley,
Jean Norvell, Stephen Guttu, Eric
Pfundt and Beth Norvell.
A gifted crew has worked long
and hard on designing and con
structing the set which will repre
sent Room 719 of the Plaza Hotel
in New York, while others have
volunteered their time to handle
costumes, make-up, lighting and
Continued On Page 4
' .;... .a*
DRESS REHEARSAL—Lanita Rawley and Jim Chesson run through their lines during the dress rehear
sal for the Edenton Little Theatre’s production of “Plaza Suite”. Opening night is tonight, with the cur
tain scheduled to rise at 8 p.m. in the auditorium of Holmes High School. An additional performance will
take place Saturday night at 8 p.m.
wards for the purpose of voting.
The first ward is bounded on the
north by the south side of West
Albemarle Street, on the east by
the west side of Moseley Street,
the south side of West Eden Street
and the west side of Granville
Street (from West Eden Street to
the water); on the south by the
shore of Edenton Bay; and on the
west by a line west of Terry Ave.,
Boswell Street and Gramby
Street.
The second ward is bounded by
Edenton Bay and Queen Ann
Creek on the south; by a line east
of Mill Street and connecting with
N.C. 32 and East Freemason
Street on the east, along the
railroad tracks to East Hicks
Street; on the north on a line on
the south side of East Hicks
Continued On Page 4
James Named
Co-Chairman
RALEIGH—Representative
Vernon G. James of Pasquotank
County ha.i been appointed by
House Speaker Liston B. Ramsey
as co-chairman of a special com
mission to promote the seafood in
dustry in North Carolina.
The 11-member Seafood Study
Commission was established by
the 1987 General Assembly to
study “the feasibility of increas
ing the State’s production, pro
cessing and marketing of seafood
and of increasing the role of
aquaculture in North Carolina.”
The commission will report its
findings to the 1989 General
Assembly.
James, an Elizabeth City
agribusinessman, is chairman of
the House Agriculture Commit
tee. He represents the First House
District made up of Camden,
Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pas
quotank, Perquimans and Tyrrell
counties and parts of Gates and
Washington counties.