THE CHOWAN HERALD _ Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast Volume LUV-No. 48 Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, December 15,1988 Single Copies 25 Cents Not Really A Response An editor's note preceding a letter from Alex Brock, di rector, state board of elections, which appeared in the Chowan ) Herald of December 1, de scribed it as a response to Gwen DeBerry Hendrix's letter to the editor appearing in the Chowan Herald November 17. Ms. Hendrix has called our attention to the fact that she wrote Mr. Brock a separate letter from the one she wrote I this newspaper. So Mr. Brock's letter was strictly not a response to her letter to the editor; and we apologize for that error. The two letters, however, were similar in content and it was natural for us to assume that Mr. Brock wanted his re ply published. Our response, I however, was to the criticism aimed at the Chowan Herald for not publishing a sample ballot prior to the November 8 election. And we stand by what we said in our pub lisher's statement. We have never liked lever activated voting machines. They are clumsy and some i times confusing; and the ar rangement of the ballot makes it almost impossible to run a readable sample for the benefit of the voting public. We much prefer the type, which reads, tabulates and files prihted" sfilT^af lots on which the voter has in dicated his preference by simply filling out a small rectangle opposite the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote. Samples of these ballots can be printed in readable type in less space Continued On Page 8 Arson Investigation Underway i An arson investigation is in progress in connection with the total destruction of a house at the Chowan Golf and Country Club in the early morning hours of Nov. 30. The residence of the golf pro, Jim Merritt, was totally en gulfed in flames and the roof had caved in by the time Edenton firemen had reached the scene. Merritt was in Myrtle Beach, S.C. at the time. Fire Chief Lynn Perry said that the rapid burning of the house raised a suspicion of arson. An inspection during daylight hours seemed to con firm this. "We were 99.9 per cent sure that it had been set," Perry said. The Chowan Sheriffs Dept, was notified and a full investigation was begun on Dec. 2. Jerry Boyce, Fire Marshal from Elizabeth City, an arson expert, investigated the scene and used a dog trained to sniff out fuels often associated with arson, such as gasoline or kerosene. Investigating officer, Dep. Sheriff Greg Whitehurst said, "The dog went crazy in one part of the house." The den, utility room and kitchen ar eas are believed to be where the fire was started. Investi gators look for areas where the deepest charring is indi cated. This was found in the den where the floor was com pletely burned through. The State Bureau of Inves tigation joined the probe on Dec. 5. "We've been at it ev ery day this week," White hurst commented Friday. Several people have been in terviewed by authorities but no suspects have been identified and no motive for the inten tional blaze has yet been un covered. Special Agent Phil Brink ley of the SBI from Green ville, another arson expert, collected samples from the scene for analysis. The two bedroom brick house is owned by the country club and was insured for $70,000, according to Perry. He said there was an addi tional $15,000 of insurance on personal items. Ml DESTROYED--The extent of the damage is apparent to the golf pro's residence at Chowan Golf apd Country Club in a fire that occurred early on Nov. 30. The near side where the fire is believed to have been set shows near total destruction. Sanford Visits With Area Leaders Ideas Solicited For Future Of Party By JACK GROVE The recent election defeats by his party in the gubernato rial race and the Presidential campaign have prompted Sen. Terry Sanford, D-N.C., to take a‘ swing around the state seeking input from local Democrats on ways to win in future campaigns. Sporting a red, white and blue enameled donkey in his lapel he posed this question to area Democratic leaders Fri day afternoon at Edenton's old courthouse. They were also asked to indicate qual ifications that a state party chairperson and executive director should have. For the first time ever in the state, a Republican had been re-elected as governor. And, for the first time this century, a Republican has been elected as lieutenant governor. Sanford began the meeting by observing, "I would have to say now that those campaigns were not well run. By and large we don't have a party that's in disarray. We just got bypassed." He mentioned forms that were made available to all of those attending asking for opinions on qualifications of state party officials, asking "Should the party chair be a full-time job?” and soliciting nominations for the positions. Another form on the future of the party asked: "What should we be doing to help the Democrats win nationally?; What should we be doing to win in North Carolina?; and What should the Democratic Party be doing to recruit new Democrats?” Another ques tion asked what the respon dent saw as the major prob lems of the state party today? "I wanted to see this time that everyone has a say," in picking the state chairman. "I have promised to read ev ery one of those forms," said the senator who is expected to meet with a nominating com mittee named by state party chairman Jim Van Hecke to recommend new party lead ers. Snooky Bond of Edenton told the senator, "I've noticed that we've lost the young votes to the Republicans. We need to get the teens involved in party politics." Sanford responded, "That’s been mentioned at every meeting, to get the Teen-Dems involved." Edenton party activist Nick George commented, "We don't need anyone telling us what to do on the county and precinct level.” Sanford, who ran a grass roots campaign for his senate seat and asked each county chairman to co-chair his campaign, said, ”1 certainly agree. We need to run elec tions from the county up." State Rep. R.M. (Pete) Thompson of Chowan ob served, "We need to get rid of those d— computers that say 80 per cent of the people in the state like this or that." He said that the party needed to get back to the precinct level and complained that state candidates such as Tony Rand and Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan didn't identify with the pre cinct level. In response to a question concerning the use of the "L word," Sanford said, "I'm not sure we can redeem the word liberal. I don't know if we can make a good word out of it. We need to talk about pro grams such as Social Secur ity." Newly elected Pasquotank County Commissioner Zee Lamb asked, "Did we have to stay on the high road (in campaign advertising) or can we fight fire with fire?" "Firemen normally fight fires with water. But some times they set back- fires," was the response. "I think it’s not so much a matter of nega tive ads as a smear,” con cerning ads targeting Demo crats. "Television now has changed all the rules." Lamb also declared, "We are doing our job up here in the northeast. People have asked, 'What's wrong with the Democratic Party?' There is nothing wrong with the Democratic Party." The senator called the sys tem of nominating Presiden tial candidates a bad one, a "hodge podge." "We had a candidate that no one knew anything about." And, "In the state we did not run a very good campaign. Part of it is, we did not use the party." Sanford accused the Rea gan Administration of "de ceit" and using "doctored fig ures" to downplay the enor mity of the national deficit. "They claim the deficit's being reduced. It's actually going up, slightly. "I know the senate is not going to bail him out. He's trapped now and he's going to have to get out of it," referring to deficit proposals such as budget cutting or raising spe cial taxes for deficit reduc tion. "(President-elect) Bush will have to propose a proper solution.” In a brief interview prior to the meeting, the senator was asked about legislation being considered that would call for new taxes earmarked specif ically to reduce the deficit. Beginning with "The debt's been concealed," he called for a federal operating budget separate and distinct from the Social Security Trust Fund. "The debt and interest accumulation is the prob lem. He said that the President has two choices: "Let the debt pile up where the public can see it or reduce it" with taxes. Of new taxes, "I'm not even sure I'd vote for it. I'm not proposing any taxes." In another pre-meeting in terview, Elizabeth City Mayor and former state senator, Melvin Daniels, said the state Democratic Party must "In volve the conservative wing of the Democratic Party or close the barn door. The real silent wing is the conservative wing of the party.” Daniels said that Demo crats must begin speaking out for "God, country, flag, fam ily and church." He said that Democrats are "Shy on say ing we should have a strong Toys Collected Edenton Postmaster Steve Bennett reported yesterday that the first annual "Empty Stocking" campaign to provide toys for less fortunate young sters in Edenton and Chowan County is going nicely. Some 20-25 new toys have been brought by the post office since the effort started last week. He said, however, "To help to make this Christmas more en joyable for needy children of the town and county, we can use many more do nations." Wrapped presents can be left under the Christ mas tree in the lobby and unwrapped toys can be left with clerks at the window. Deadline for donations of cash or toys is Wednes day, Dec. 21. national defense, on teaching patriotism, and on religious convictions." "The next four years are critical, critical years for my party," declared Daniels. INPUT--Sen. Terry Sanford (standing) was at Edenton's old courthouse Friday afternoon to receive input from area Democrats concerning the recent state and Presidential election losses and to get their thinking on the naming of new state party leaders. Businessman Dies Edenton businessman Marvin Ray Shaw, 50, of 205 Robin Lane, Edenton, died Wednesday, December 7 in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital following a brief ill ness. A native and lifelong resi dent of Edenton, he was the son of the late George and Elsie Bunch Shaw. He had served as plant manager at Fisher Nut since it opened its Edenton plant 14 years ago. Shaw was a member of St. Anne's Catholic Church where he was an extraordi nary minister and a former member of the Parish Coun cil. Marvin R. Shaw He was involved in a number of civic organiza tions. Shaw was a member of the Edenton Airport Advisory Board, the Chowan-Edenton Optimist Club, and the Amer ican Heart Association. He was a former director of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce and a former Jaycee. In addition, he was a member of the North Carolina - Virginia Peanut Associa tion and a military veteran who had served in the Air Force. Shaw was also a member of the Edenton-Chowan Band Parents Association. For the past 13 years, he had worked with the organization to help promote the annual Peanut Festival. Each year, he had presented trophies donated by Fisher Nut to the winners in the Battle of the Bands compe* tition. In addition to his wife, Linda Ellis Shaw, he is sur vived by two daughters, Lisa Dianne Shaw and Melissa Shaw, both of Edenton. A funeral mass was cele brated Saturday, December 10 at 10 a.m. in St. Anne's Catholic Church by Father William Pitts and Father Joseph Gaul. Rev. Larry Parks, Shaw's nephew, spoke on behalf of the family. Burial followed in Beaver Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers were Larry Spivey, Jim Darnell, Elliott Atstupenas, David Parks, Jerry Parks, Bill Barnacas cel, Roger Schrankler and David White. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association. Swindell Funeral Home of Hertford was in charge of ar rangements. Town Presented Check Paul Waff of Waff Con tracting, Inc. presented the Town of Edenton with a check for $13,778 at the monthly council meeting Tuesday night. The check represented a refund on a contract with the town to install steel bulk heading and a cap around the new park on Edenton Bay. The check also constituted a donation toward the park. Waff said Wednesday that to side-step the red tape in asking for a federal match ing grant to fund the park, the volunteer Build the Park com mittee did the work along with work donated by Edenton Construction Co. He said that his company wanted to do its part through the donation. He said also that the town's por tion of a matching grant would have been too costly. The Waffs have a special interest in the park since it has been built on the former Conger Oil Co. property. His family owned a fishery and canning business next door to Conger that was operated by the Waff brothers from 1952 until the early 1960's. Former Edenton Police Chief John Parrish was hon ored for his many years of service to the town when he was presented a framed coun cil resolution of appreciation. A cake, specially decorated for the occasion, was served along with coffee during a break in the meeting. Council whisked through a routine agenda before going Continued On Page 8

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