Volume LLV - No. 4
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, January 26,1989
Single Copies 25 Cents
Toward
Upper Limits
Higher education, includ
ing the community college
system, found little comfort in
Gov. Jim Martin's budget
^recommendations to the Gen
fceral Assembly. In response to
requests for more money for
the next fiscal year, he told
them simply to increase their
own revenue.
That comes down to raising
tuition and other fees.
That may not have come as
much of a surprise to the North
Carolina University system,
£where Chancellor Paul
Hardin of Chapel Hill has
been suggesting such an ap
proach. But it came as a shock
to the community colleges,*
which are expected to main
tain an open-door to all com
ers.
It is true that tuition in both
systems is relatively low. But
wiat is not due to an oversight;
it has been by design. The
constitution mandates that the
state - "as far as practicable"
- operate its university and
"such other institutions of
higher education as the Gen
eral Assembly may estab- ■
lish" free of cost to the people
of North Carolina.
We do not have the figures
for the University of North
Carolina system, so we can
not give you an estimate of
how much tuition and other
fees would have to be raised to
■ increase its income by -any—
realistic amount. The com
munity college system had
apsked the governor and the
Advisory Budget Commission
to recommend an appropria
tion of $35 million in new
money for next year just to
keep the system "whole.”
An increase of 1 per cent in
in-state and out-of-state tu
ition would bring in $243,423;
but to raise $35 million, that
f’ould have to be multiplied by
43.78, which is out of the
question. If you increased
current tuition by as much as
28 per cent, it would raise only
$6,815,844, still far short of the
pressing needs of the system,
which is under pressure from
all sides to turn out more and
more better qualified workers
f rid reduce adult illiteracy in
Continued On Page 8
By JACK GROVE
"Basnight for U.S. Con
gress" bumper stickers have
begun to mysteriously appear
in the local area. An effort to
uncover the source was un
successful this week.
Sam Walker, of Currituck
County, a Democrat and two
time candidate for an N.C.
Ijeneral Assembly House
seat, was said to be the source,
but he denied it Tuesday.
# Asked if he was part of a
movement to encourage Bas
night's candidacy for the
Congressional seat currently
held by Walter B. Jones Sr.,
Walker replied, "No, but I
would encourage Marc to run
in 1990."
Concerning Jones, "He
look's as healthy as I have
seen him in several years."
But, "I think 1990 is the year
he will step down."
Sen. Marc Basnight was
contacted in Raleigh for his
reactions. Would he run for
the office? ”f don't know, it's
too premature to say right
now." Was he interested in a
Congressional seat? "Very
much so. I want to run one day
and represent us in the First
District." Concerning 1990,
"The thoughts are across the
district" that Jones won't run
for re-election.
As to his position in the po
litical spectrum, he considers
himself a "fiscal conserva
tive, very much so. I hope I'm
attuned to their (constituents)
wishes. I want to carry out the
basic tenets that our country is
founded on."
Congressman Jones' Ad
ministrative Assistant, Floyd
Lupton, was contacted in
Washington Wednesday. He
provided a statement from the
congressman concerning his
plans for 1990. 'T’ve just been
sworn in and running for the
next term hasn't entered my
mind at this time. Certainly I
have given no thought to not
running."
In the general shakeup that
has just taken place in the
General Assembly, Basnight
was named as Chairman of
the Senate Base Budget Com
mittee, one of the most power
ful posts in state government.
Now a major player in the
budget process, Basnight said
Derelict Car Destroyed By Fire
Edenton firemen were
called out Saturday at 2:50
p.m. to a grass fire that spread
to derelict cars and threatened
s Ml.ilMIMliMIMIHillliil
a house on Paradise Spur Rd.
The fire, which originated
in a roadside ditch, was
whipped across the yard of
property owned by Elliott Rob
inson. Firemen immediately
attacked the flames closest to
the dwelling before extin
guishing fires that had spread
to two cars.
The yard was littered with
between six to ten derelict cars
that were apparently being
stripped for parts. One of the
cars was totally destroyed by
fire and one was slightly
damaged. A tire in the yard
sent dense black smoke into
the air from the blaze.
Fire Chief Lynn Perry
commented, "We were fortu
nate that the fire got into only
one car,” alluding to the de
stroyed vehicle.
He said that the fire was
apparently caused by a care
lessly tossed cigarette butt on
the roadside.
Perry said that, notwith
standing the recent rains,
"That surface area dries
mighty quickly." He cau
tioned the public to conduct
outdoor burning with great
care.
Saturday's was the first
fire call in two weeks.
SATURDAY FIRE--A fireman hoses down a car that caught
fire due to a grass fire on Paradise Spur Rd. Saturday
^bernoon. The fire was stopped short of a dwelling.
Indictments Handed Down In Eason Case
Feds To Prosecute Reputed Local Dealers
The Federal Government
has assumed prosecution of
two reputed Chowan County
drug traffickers after the case
was relinquished by the state.
Louis Norman (Brad) Ea
son and his wife, Audrey Na
omi Pretlow Eason were ar
rested Nov. 16 in the course of
a joint investigation of area
law enforcement agencies
which was dubbed "Operation
Snowball." Also arrested a
round the area were over a
score of suspects on lesser
drug charges.
Eason was arrested in
Gates County and his wife at
their home in Chowan Coun
ty. Officers, armed with a
search warrant, found a
small amount of cocaine and
30 pounds of marijuana. The
biggest discovery was $112,000
in cash in the house and two
vehicles.
Subsequent investigation
uncovered $521,000 in safety
deposit boxes in Sunbury,
Gatesville and Hobbsville.
Al so seized was a checking
account containing $173,000.
Cash and currency totaled
$806,475.
A press conference was
heltd last Thursday in Eliza
beth City by state and federal
officials to announce the
transfer of jurisdiction of the
case.
U.S. Attorney for the East
ern District of North Caro
lina, Margaret P. Currin an
nounced the indictment of the
Easons by a federal grand
jury sitting in Wilmington,
N.C. the day before.
District Attorney H.P.
Williams, Jr. appeared at the
conference with Mrs. Currin
and announced that state
charges have been dismissed
in view of the federal indict
ment.
The first count of the in
dictment charges both Easons
- i
with conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute co
caine and marijuana from
April, 1988 to Nov. 16,1988.
The second, third and
fourth counts charge Louis
Eason with possession and
distribution of cocaine on Oct.
5, Oct. 14 and Oct. 30. Both
Easons are charged in the
fifth count with possession
and distribution of mari
juana on Nov. 16. The sixth
count charges both with pos
session and distribution of
cocaine on Nov. 16.
The currency is alleged by
the indictment "to be the fruits
of drug trafficking crimes."
If convicted of all charges,
each of the Easons could re
ceive a maximum sentence of
life imprisonment without
parole, a $4 million fine, or
both.
A key provision of federal
drug statutes is that all prop
erty associated with trading
in drugs can be confiscated.
In this case, the cash and cur
rency, four automobiles and
two parcels of property, (one
each in Gates and Chowan)
including their residence
were seized. The cash seizure
is the largest yet in the East
ern District of North Car
olina, officials said.
A portion of the funds from
these seizures can be divided
Continued On Page 8
i
INDICTMENTS ANNOUNCED-Margaret P. Currin, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District
of North Carolina stands at podium with District Attorney H.P. Williams at a new conference
where it was announced that federal drug indictments have been handed down against Chowan
residents Louis and Audrey Eason. Seated from left are Asst. U.S. Attorney Rocco deGrasse,
E.C.P.D. Capt. W.O. Leary, Gates County Sheriff Elmo Benton and Asst. District Attornej
Frank Parrish.
Stickers Stir Up Interest
"I see very good things for the
northeast. A brighter day."
He and other legislators from
the eastern part of the state,
including Reps. Vernon
James of Pasquotank and
R.M. (Pete) Thompson of Cho
wan, had been fighting an up
hill battle for a larger piece of
. the fiscal pie for this area.
One campaign has been to
four-lane highways in the
area. A recently devised
highway plan that the senator
had a major part in formulat
ing calls for four-laning U.S.
17 from the Virginia border to
South Carolina and the four
laning of U.S. 64 to Manteo
and widening Highways 158
and 168. "I'm very happy with
the highway plan as it stands
today," Basnight said.
He said that funds must be
raised for the ambitious high
way construction plan and he
favors tax increases in user
areas such as gasoline and
vehicles sales.
He foresees more mental
health funds coming to the
area through a per capita dis
tribution of funds. Basnight
pointed to a new mental health
facility in Elizabeth City
which is included in the gov
ernor's budget.
Basnight defended the
senate's actions in stripping
the power to name senate com
mittee chairmen from the It.
governor. Previous Demo
cratic It. governors had this
power. Newly elected Repub
lican Lt. Governor Jim Gard
ner lost it.
The senator said, "basi
cally the senate is organizing
itself," which is its right. Sen.
Henson Barnes, President
Pro Tem of the Senate now
controls committee assign
ments and Basnight said that
arrangement would be perm
anent.
Death Ruled Suicide
The gunshot death of a
Tyner man in Pasquotank
County on Jan. 10 has been
ruled a suicide by Pasquotank
Medical Examiner Dr. Joe L.
Robertson.
The body of Alvin Leander
Twine, 28, was found at the
residence of his brother,
Willie Twine at Lot 77, Hick
ory Village Trailer Park. No
determination as to whether
the death was a re sult of hom
icide or suicide wets made un
til an autopsy wait performed
at Pitt Memorial Hlospital.
Pasquotank Sheriff Davis
Sawyer said yesterday that
Dr. Robertson ruled that the
death was the resul t of "a self
inflicted gunshot wound to the
head." A .38 caliber pistol was
found at the scene.
V
UJ5. Marine Corps' AV-8B Harrier II Jet
Anniversary Noted
(Editor's Note: The following in
formation w as provided by the Re
serve Staff G roup of the Second Ma
rine Aircraft; Wing in Cherry Point,
N.C.)
This month marks the 30th
anniversar y of the closing of
the U.S. Marine's air facility
at Edenton.
The base was once an im
portant trai ning site for fight
er and attac k squadrons of the
Second Marine Aircraft
Wing at Cherry Point.
It was active during World
War II, was c losed for several
years, then reopened briefly
during the 5 0's officially as
Marine Corps; Auxiliary Air
Station, Edent on.
The base w as closed for the
final time in January, 1959.
Anyone who has lived here
long enough can point out
many of the original build
ings, such as operations, the
mess hall, and of course, the
Officers Club which is now the
Chowan Country Club.
Edenton Air Station is re
membered in Marine Corps
aviation history as one of the
home bases for the famous
gull-win§;ed F-8U Corsair.
Those not old enough to
remember it can at least re
call seein g it in the TV series,
"Blacksheep Squadron." It
was the renowned Marine
Fighter Squadron-214 under
the command of Marine Ace,
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington.
They carved their history
in blood, lighting Japanese
Zeros in such faintly remem
bered places as Guadalcanal,
Tulagi and Rabaul.
Today, even the oldest Ma
rines at Cherry Point were in
high school when Edenton's
base ceased operations for the
final time. And Marine pilots
flying the latest and most
technologically advanced jets
in the world weren't even
born.
These young pilots are fly
ing such planes as the Mc
Donnel Douglas AV-8 "Harr
ier" which can hake off and
land vertically and even
"hover" like a helicopter.
Cherry Point is still the
home of the Marine's east
coast aircraft. Besides the
Harrier, they are headquar
ters for the EA-6 "Prowler”
which provides (electronic
warfare capability.
In addition, the Second
Wing has the latest in the
Navy and Marine Corps
strike-fighters, the F/A-18
"Hornet" down the road in
Beaufort, S.C.
During the next few days,
there will be a few old-timers
who will pause in the midst of
jet roar and remember the
deep throb and hum of the
mighty Corsair's propellers
over the Albemarle Sound.