Ubraryhosts . ITIIE Wednesday, July 4,2001
book-signing tJmCM I nlj W
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effort to raise funds
for programmings— _ • _
Voi. LXVHI, No. 26 Published, in historic Edenton... The prettiest town on the North Carolina coast. Single Copies 500
Risky behaviors are program focus
BY MICHELLE ALEXANDER
Edenton-Chowan
;■ Schools
A few bumps and bruises
are an unavoidable
byproduct of a healthy
childhood. But most
serious injuries are not
inevitable. Traffic injuries,
drowning, fires, scald
bums, choking, poisonings
and falls are not random
“accidents” - they are
predictable and prevent
able. With education,
motivation, and the
support of caring adults,
children can learn to be
much safer.
Every year in the United
States, one-quarter of all
children ages 14 and under
are hurt seriously enough
to require medical atten
tion. According to the
National SAFE KIDS
Campaign, each year,
unintentional injuries kill
and disable more children
than kidnapping, drugs
and disease combined -
making them the #1 health
risk factor facing school
age children today.
Angie Layden, RN,
Certified School Health
Nurse, knows these
Mary Rayner gives instructions to Kindergarten students about bike safety
statistics and experiences
them firsthand with students
and their families. She said,
“Every time a child is injured
or killed by something that
could easily have been
prevented, everyone suffers -
the child, his or her family,
classmates and friends, and
the entire community. Our
educators work hard to help
children prepare for a bright
arid challenging future. But if
vqs don’t teach our children
how to avoid preventable
injury and death, many
simply will not realize their
potential.
“This year in thinking
back on past student deaths,
burns, drownings, play
ground accidents, bike
accidents and motor
vehicle accidents, I found
out that many of the
students had received
fragmented information. I
then decided to research
See FOCUS On Page 5-A
Town looks at
postponing
fall elections
BY MARIEL BETANCOURT
Cox NC Publications
The Town Council elections
may have to be postponed from
November until May to allow
officials to redistrict Edenton’s
four voting districts.
Under federal law, munici
palities are required to redis
trict when the largest and
smallest wards vary by more
than 10 percent of the popula
tion. According to the 2000 cen
sus, Ward 3 has grown to 1,973,
almost double the size of the
smallest ward, Ward 4, which
decreased in population to
1,103.
Because the town must have
its redistricting complete by
the third business day before
the opening of the election’s
filing period — or July 23, in
this case — the town has no
choice but to postpone the elec
tions, Town Manager Anne
Marie Knighton said Monday.
Psjie town did experience a
dplay in receiving its census
data from the U.S. Census Bu
reau, but the delay has not af
fected the redistricting pro
cess, Knighton said.
“Quite frankly, even if we
had access to the data four or
five weeks ago, I don’t think we
could have come up with a (re
districting) plan (in time),”
Knighton said, later adding
that under the “best case sce
nario, we could have a plan
presented by the end >of Au
gust.”
A law adopted by the NC
General Assembly in 2000 al
lows municipalities to post
pone the filing period for 2001
elections if districts must be
revised. The new districts must
be submitted to the U.S. De
partment of Justice for ap
proval before elections can be
held.
The 2000 census data shows
Edehton has a total population
of 5,394, with populations in
the four districts as follows:
• t .
See ELECTIONS Page 5-A
p
Local airport scheduled to receive several improvements
BY MARIEL BETANCOURT
Cox NC Publications
During the next four years,
the Northeastern Regional Air
port will undergo renovations
that could total $500,000.
The Town of Eden ton, which
owns the airport, will receive
$150,000 from the State Aid to
Airports program after Town
Council formally approves the
grant at its next meeting July
10. To qualify for the money,
the town must match it with
$16,667 of its own.
The federal grant - combined
with state dollars from the NC
Department of Transportation
- wiU. be used to repair the six
priority areas identified by air
port personnel and DOT’S Di
vision of Aviation.
Runway 1-19, first on the pri
ority list, needs the most work.
Projects will cost $230,000 and
include sprucing, repair of
damaged pavement, a new
overlay seal and new markings
on the pavement.
Other improvements in
clude: repairs on the taxiways
connecting to runway 1-19: re
pairs to the aircraft refueling
area; new centerline reflectors
for the parallel taxiway; and
repairs to runway 5-23.
Because the repairs could
total $500,000, the town would
have a difficult time paying for
them without the State Aid to
Airports, said George Cipra,
J
airport manager.
“This helps a tremendous
amount,” Cipra said Tuesday.
“And you don’t have to put a
burden on your local jurisdic
tions for all the
expenses.. .(Repairs) can get ex
pensive, and it would take a
good chunk out of a local gov
ernment.”
Town and county officials
paid a total of $120,000 for six
new hangars last year, Cipra
said. Now, the two grants will
pay for improvements that will
make the airport safer and
more accessible, he added.
“(The repairs benefit) any
one basically from all over the
world that might use this air
port,” Cipra said. “It services
everybody, rather than just lo
cal (pilots).”
The two grants should pay
for all the airport’s priorities
in the next three to four years,
Cipra said.
The State Aid to Airports,
marked for airport improve
ments only, may be available
again in 2002 and 2003, and the
airport will apply for more
money. The Northeastern Re
gional Airport could qualify for
a total $450,000.
The state’s Transportation
Improvement Program awards
money to airports that need it
most. The Northeastern Re
gional Airport is set to receive
some of that money this year,
but how much is not yet known.
Sailing lessons
Sailing lessons offered by the Edenton-Chowan Recreation
Department continues to be a popular activity. In addition to
sailing; tennis, sports camp, and summer camps are being
offered. For more information on any of the great summer
activities, call the Recreation Department at 482-8595.
Safety tips are offered
This week communities all
across the country will be cel
ebrating the 4th of July. The
highways and byways will be
overwhelmed with travelers.
Local law enforcement agen
cies and the North Carolina
Highway Patrol will be work
ing overtime to insure safety
and attend the mishaps that
are certain to take place.
Sheriff Fred Spruill of the
Chowan County Sheriffs Of
fice has released a plea for cau
tion, patience, and safety as
families and visitors to the
county go about the holiday
celebrations. “First of all, I
would remind all motorists to
practice the Golden Rule,” be
gins Spruill’s press release.
By following some simple
rules of courtesy and aware
ness the Sheriffs Office encour
See SAFETY On Page 5-A
Art
Walk
planned
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Editor
An Edenton Art Walk is
being planned for this fall
in the downtown area.
The event is open to
interested artists, potters,
photographers, and those
who are involved with
“old-time” crafts such as
dollmaking,
biacksmithing, etc.
According to business
woman Marci Freeman,
participants may either
paint and/or demonstrate
their crafts skills, or
simply decorate booths
for passersby to stop by
and admire their work,
which will also be for
sale.
Freeman, who is the
owner of By Hand in
downtown Edenton, said
that this Art Walk has the
potential to become an
annual event.
“I really believe that
this event could be one of
Edenton’s most exciting,”
she said. “This area is
See WALK On Page 5-A
First bloom is discovered
Chowan County farmer Neal Bass joins his sons, Mark and Taylor, in showing off the first cotton
bloom of the year. Their farm is located on Rocky Hock Landing Road. (Staff photo by Helen Kerr
(Jutland)
Summer band classes start July 9
The annual Summer Fun
Band Camp, designed for band
students^ in the Edenton
Chowan Schools Instrumental
Music Program, will be held at
John A. Holmes High School
July 9 through July 20.
Rising sixth grade beginning
band members will meet from
8 a.m. until 9:55 a.m. to get a
head start for the upcoming
school year. Rising seventh and
eighth grade band members
will meet from 10 a.m. to 10:55
a.m. to play new music.
Add-On Color Instruments
will be taught from 11 a.m. to
11:55 a.m. for students inter- —
ested in learning Double Reeds,
Bass Clarinets,Tenor andBari
tone Saxophones, French
Horns, Baritones, and Tubas.
See BAND On Page 5-A
Starts
at
5:00pm
Live Music,
Fireworks,
Concessions
ChowAN~EdcNTON Optimist Club's
AnnuaL FourtIi of July CclcbRATioN
'Seat 0pOteowt&& eU&plouf i*t S^tefut ‘1t& x