THE
CHOWAN
Vo!. LXV!!!, No. 46
Wednesday, November 21,2001
ready for students_6-B
Reeky Hock
Christmas Rambie
set for Dec. 7-8.
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^GOD
BLESS
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* 'MEBnni
C/zoMJan EMS
Loca) fire and EMS personnet he!d a "fit) the boot" fundraiser recentty. According to Patty Madry (at !eft) the fundraiser was a joint
effort on the part of Edenton Fire Department Station !, Chowan County Fire Department Station 2, and Edenton Chowan Rescue/
EMS. The departments coHected $ 1,753 that wit) be forwarded to the famities of fatten firefighters in New York. Looking on as Madry
bags a donation are firefighters Danny Datton, at teft, and Gary Swanner. (Staff photo by Heten Kerr Outtand)
Council looks
at ways to add
parking spaces
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Ec?:?or
After more than a year of
studying possible options, the
Edenton Town Council last
Tuesday evening adopted a
resolution that outlined ways
the town can add additional
parking spaces in the down
town area. That plan involves
reconfiguring two parking lots
and increasing the number of
off-street parking places.
According to information
presented by Town Manager
Anne-Marie Knighton, a study
of existing downtown parking
lots has shown that each lot
could comfortably hold twice
the number of vehicles that
they presently accommodate.
The plan approved by coun
cil would add 40 additional
parking spaces at Colonial
Park on the downtown water
front and an estimated 54 more
parking spaces behind Peebles
Department Store.
This comes after an earlier
possibility, constructing a
downtown parking deck, was
scrapped by council after it was
deemed too expensive. The
deck wopld have cost an esti
mated $100,000.
Engineers studying the issue
have also said they believe the
town can gain an additional 22
spaces on West King Street.
Knighton said adding 16 to 17
more spaces would probably
be a more realistic number, as
that would allow adequate
space for automobiles to pass
each other while parking.
At a council comm ittee meet
ing in October, Knighton noted
that "I think it will take a lot of
pressure, off parking. It will
help immensely, and will take
pressure off the side streets
where neighbors are having
some concerns."
County commissioners receive update on pipeline project
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
SYa# IVrtfer
One of several ifnportan) is
sues approached by Chowan
County Commissioners during
their Tuesday morning meet
ing was and update on the Natu
ral Gas pipeline. The commis
sioners were presented with an
update on the projected serv ice
areas in Phase 1 of the project.
They also received an outline
of the criteria util ized to deter
mine service.
"Phase 1 of the project en
compasses Edenton and the
airport area;" begins County
Manager Cliff Copeland. "That
includes the major industrial
sites and some residences.
Phase 11 will fall right in be
hind the completion of phase
1."
According to the county
there are criteria to be met,
franchise issues, and evalua
tion of residential areas to see
if they are candidates. ""This
is an ongoing project." adds
Copeland. "We do not want
anyone to feel that lack 01 im
mediate activity in their neigh
borhood aiso means that the
project has been completed, it
is not iike the water-company,
as a private company is pro
v id i ng the service." More work
is siated for the spring.
The commissioners were
updated as weil on the issue of
the May primary. According
to the board the Senate has
passed a bitl for the extension
of the primary from January
to February. Although nothing
is written in stone, the due pro
cess of the law surrounding the
bill will involve and affect any
major decision making at this
time.
Commission Chairman Pete
Dail was pleased to inform
those present the North Caro
Christmas in Edenton.
RrvoiMtionnty Hoiiday
(Editor's Note: An article
pertaining to this year's
Christmas Candlelight Tour
appears in the holiday edition
of the Coastwatch magazine.
Excerpts are reprinted here
with their permission. Copies
oi the edition are available for
viewing at the Shepard Pr uden
Library in downtown Eden
ton.)
BY PAM SMITH
On a brisk December morn
ing in 1774. the m istress of the
house busily pians for a fes
tive holiday in the thriving
colonial port of Edenton.
Anticipating the exchange
of visits with families from
plantations that ring the
town, she's glad to have
stocked up on staples before
the onset of bad weather.
Early wintry storms blow
trouble for shipsentering the
Albemarle Sound through the
Roanoke 1 nlet todeli ver goods
thorn around the world. They
also need favorable condi
tions to leave port weighed
with naval stores and agri
cultural products from the
region.
The mistress makes a men
tal list of dinner and party
fare: The oysters will be har
vested just in time to shuck
and serve. The groaning
board will be filled with
smoked meats and fish, fresh
game, sweet potatoes, greens,
dried fruits, beaten biscuits
— and sweets aplenty.
See HOHDAY On Page 7 A
iina Code Officials Qualifica
tions Board has appointed
Chowan County Pudding In
spector. Holly Colombo to its
Mechanical and Plumbing Ex
ams Revision Committees.
"Holley is doing an exceptional
job for Chowan County and is
to be congratulated on the ap
pointment," said Commis
sioner Dail. "This is a compli
ment to Holly and to Chowan
County."
Chad Sary was introduced
as new Planner for Chowan
County. "We continually ad
dress the growth of Chowan
County." Dail added. "And we
are very pleased to have some
one of his (Sary) caliber." Sary
thanked the board for their vote
of coniidence say i ng. "I am glad
to be here and my door is al
ways open."
Dana Hamill from the
See PROJECT On Page 7 A
County Manager Ciiff Copeiand exptains the various phases of the naturat gas pipetine project
during Tuesday morning's county commissioners' meeting. (Staff photo by He!en Kerr Outfand)
Gun locks promote safety
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
iVriter
The Chowan County She
riff's Office recentiy an
nounced their partnership
wilt) Project HomeSafe. Project
HomeSafe is a nationwide pro
gram whose purpose is to pro
mote safe firearms handiing
and secure storage practices
among ail firearms owner.
The project is funded by the
Nationa) Shooting Sports
Foundation in conjunction
with a grant from the United
States Department of Justice.
HomeSafe has distributed
more than three million gun
lock safety kits throughout the
country.
"The Sheriff's Office is
pleased to be partnered in this
program, " began Chowan
County Sheriff Fred Spruill at
Wednesday morning's presen
tation the Edenton Kiwanis
Club. "The guniocks our
agency has now, are free."
The latest statistics pub
iished by the Center for Dis
ease Control states that the
See LOCKS On Page 9 A
Sheriff Fred Sprui)! demonstrates the use of gun safety tocks
Chad Sary
Planner
hired here
BY HELEN KERR OUILAND
Chad Sary's desk is piled
high with legal books, papers,
and framed diplomas. He has
been in his new office for two
days and trying to get settled.
Sary has been hired as the new
County Planner for Chowan
County and is also glad to be
See PLANNER On Page 8 A