It s school time again in Chowan County
Prayer wa/A;
On Sunday night, Chowan County teachers, administrators,
students, and support staff gathered with other members of the
community at Rocky Hock Baptist Church for a time of prayer for
the upcoming schoot year which begins tomorrow (Thursday).
Afterwards, they broke into groups to travet to the four community
schoots and participate in prayer waiks on each campus. "The
church hopes to make the prayer watks a yearty tradition and
encourages everyone to !ift up the schoots in prayer each day,"
said Joe Stertz, church spokesman. (Staff photos by Mia Nobte)
Motorists urged to
drive core/tdiy os
iocoi sehoois open
(Editor's Note: For more tips
on making the opening of school
a positive experience, iook for
Chowan Herald Newspapers in
Education Coordinator Donna
Koppelman's column on page 2
A of this week's edition.)
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Eddor
As children and parents pre
pare for the opening of school
in Chowan County, officials are
asking for motorists to exer
cise extra caution — particu
larly in the mornings and af
ternoons when driving along
Hwy. 32 as they approach the
site jointly occupied by White
Oak and the new D.F. Walker
Elementary School.
Dr. Smith said thatsolarpow
ered flashing lights have been
installed at the site, and that he
has also had conversations
with local law enforcement
about moving their speed limit
sign to the area. "As many lo
cal residents know, that sign
will show motorists exactly
how fast they are driving as
they approach," he said. "We
thought that would be a good
way to remind folks to please
be careful as they approach the
area."
He added that the school sys
tem will continue to work with
the North Carolina Depart
ment of Transportation to look
at ways to make the area safer
for children.
"Safety is, of course, a pri
mary concern all all of the
schools," he said. "The safety
of all the children in our care is
a concern that we take very
seriously."
Dr. Smith added that the
school system plans to have
adults stationed in the parking
lots of both White Oak and
Walker to help pa^phts drop
See SCHOOLS On Page 8 A
911 system hopes to soon utilize cell phone technology
Wireless carriers engaging in
foot dragging, officials claim
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Recently a Florida woman's
car skidded from a rain slick
highway and into a canal. The
woman quickly grabbed her
cell phone and called for help
as her car was sinking. The
woman could only say she was
on a main highway. She was
unable to provide information
on the road markers or high
way signs that she had passed
along the way. Although the
911 telecommunicator could
talk to the woman, there was
no way of pinpointing her loca
tion. As the dispatcher listened
the woman drowned.
The North Carolina Chapter
of NENA and APCO recently
met in Edenton to discuss the
technology available to pre
vent just such an incident hav
ing to take place. Richard Tay
lor, director of North
Carolina's State Board of Wire
less Communications, was on
hand to present a program on
the Phase 11 capabilities of 911
centers.
Centers are now Phase I com
pliant. They have the capabil
ity of ascertaining who the car
rier (such as U S. Cellular) is,
the call back number of that
cell phone, and the nearest
tower that carries the signal.
However, that is of little help
when the range of signal is con
sidered. "People have a false
Jim Carr (right), director of Chowan County 911 Centra) Communications, tatks with Richard
Taytor, director of the North Carotina State Board of Wireiess Communications. Taytor was guest
speaker for the NENA and APCO conference he)d in Edenton. (Staff photo by He)en Kerr Outfand)
sense of security with a cell
phone," says Jim Carr, direc
tor of Chowan County Central
Communications. "In an emer
gency, such as the case of the
Florida woman, help can't
reach someone in time if they
have to search a radius sur
rounding that tower and its sig
nal range."
Phase II capability would
greatly enhance the ability of
rescue personal to find some
one in time. Phase II would not
only provide the caller's name
and number, but would also
provide a latitude and longi
tude location of the caller from
the nearest tower from which
the signal is bouncing.
Local phone companies are
equipped to provide centers
with the mapping technology
needed to incorporate the lati
tude and longitude into their
See PHONE On Page 8 A
Performers, others
needeJJor
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Editor
Do you have an interest in
community theatre^ either in
front of or behind the stage
curtains? If so, then the
Edenton Littie Theatre would
be the perfect place for you to
ieam the basics.
Currently, the ELT is plan
ning auditions for its upcom
ing production of "Love, Sex
and the IRS". Those auditions
will take place Aug. 15-16 at
7:30 p.m. at the Edenton
United Methodist Church.
According to ELT spokes
man Bud Weagly, needed for
the cast are three women
two younger (ages 25-35) and
one older (40-50 years of age).
C.
Also needed are Ave men - two
younger, about 25-35 years of
age, an older gentleman (the
IRS man), another older man
to portray the landlord and
yet another older actor (the
"mystery man").
"Anyone is permitted to try
out whether you are a sea
sonedactororaflrst-time per
former," Weagly said.
The play, which is being
planned as a dinner theatre
production, is scheduled to be
presented Nov. 9-10 at the
White Oak School on Hwy. 32
North.
Anyone having questions
about hying out fbr parts or
helping backstage with the
comedyproductionisencour
aged to call 482-2570. *
^-,
Chowan Little League District 7 champs
BY BRIAN CHAPPELL
Correspondent
The Edenton (11-12) Little
League All-Stars won the
Tarheel League Inc. District 7
Baseball Championship held in
Williamston July 16-20.
The Edenton All-Stars de
feated the Williamston All
Stars in grand style with a walk
off three-run home run by
Earthan Ward in the sixth in
ning. Edenton won the game 5
2 and advanced to play in the
State Tarheel Little League
tournament held this past
weekend, Aug. 2-5. The
Edenton All Stars lost two
tough games to the eventual
second and third place finish
ers.
In game one, Edenton lost 4
3 to Hickory. In that game,
Steven Brown pitched all five
innings in a great pitching per
See CHAMPS On Page H A
Members of the winning teem are: (bottom, !-r) Taurean H/man, isroe) Hughes, Brian Jordan,
Joseph Westbrook, Michae! Potocki; (top, !-r) Perry Byrum, Manager Ryan Westbrook, Marsha!!
E!!is, Earthan Word, Coach Barry Leary, Steven Brown, Brian Leary, CoMins Sma!!, Coach Wanda
Westbrook, Trent Ward. (Photo courtesy of Brian Chappe!!, Edenton-Chowan Rec. Dept.)
tV EDENTONBAPTtST CHURCH
ZOO Granville St. * Edenton, NC
@ Zr^ ^).w.
For wore /w/orw^^o^
^2-3277