■| Wednesday, August 28,2002
chowM^erald
I
[Voi.LXfX,No.35 v ~ Published in historic Edenton... The South’s prettiest town. _Single Copies SOq
West Nile Virus has been found in area animals
The State Laboratory of
Public Health and the Public.
Health Pest Management Sec
tion have announced this week
that 18 more birds in nine new
counties have tested positive
for West Nile virus. A Red
Tailed Hawk was found dead
on August 6 in Gates County
near Roduco. Curtis Dickson,
Director of the Hertford-Gates
Health Department said
Thursday’s report from the
state lab confirmed the hawk
was infected. “Thus far, we’re
the only area in our part of the
state to have a West Nile case
officially confirmed,” said
Dickson. “We sent the blue jay
found dead near the
Murfreesboro area at the same
time we sent the hawk, but the
state did not release any infor
mation concerning the blue
jay. That’s normal operating
procedure - they only an
nounce the confirmed cases.”
In a related story a 25-year
old pony in Pasqoutank
County was found infected and
was euthanized. A report re
leased by State Veterinarian,
David Marshall late Thursday'
confirmed the presence of the
virus in the pony. The pony
became the first animal in
North Carolina, other than
birds or mosquitoes, to test
positive for the virus.
State officials are urging
horse owners to vaccinate
their horses, keep the horses
up during peak mosquito
hours, and to check the areas
surrounding barns and pas
tures for containers, such as
old tires, that contain standing
water. Installing fans in barns
will create air movement, a
simple way of protecting
horses. “I encourage all own
ers to be proactive in protect
ing their horses,” said
Marshall. “In 2001, six horses
were found positive for the
West Nile Virus in the north
eastern part of the state.”
Although there have not
been any reported cases of
human infection in North
Carolina there have been re
ports of West Nile related ill
nesses in other states includ
ing two men, ages 51 and 77, in
Georgia. Reports indicate that
of the approximately 270 hu
man cases reported this year,
178 of the cases were in the
coastal south.
State officials encourage the
public to use caution and pro
tect themselves, but not to
overreact. They say West Nile
usually causes only mild dis
ease with most people who are
exposed to the virus never be
come sick. The flu-like symp
toms of the virus are more
likely to affect the elderly,
young children, or those with
weak immune systems.
Public Health Warnings
suggest people use a mosquito
repellent containing DEET
with concentrations of 30 per
cent or less. Concentrations for
children should be no greater
than ten percent. Children un
der five should not use DEET
at all.
“People are looking for dead
birds and they are reporting
them to us,” said Dr. Leah
Devlin, state health director.
“Because we’re looking for I,
we’re finding the virus.”
By reporting dead crows,
blue jays, hawks and owls, of
ficials say the public can help
health officials maintain sur
veillance on the virus.
This week’s test results from
the state lab include findings
among the counties of
Durham (one crow), Burke (a
Blue Jay), Gaston, Guilford,
Catawba, and Guilford where
three crows tested positive.
Birds from Mecklenburg,
Lincoln, and Surry Counties
had tested positive for the vi
rus earlier this year. Although
the species of mosquito
sampled in Mecklenburg
County is not the one that nor
mally carries the virus from
bird to human it does spread
the virus from bird to bird, be
ing the first test confirming
the presence of the virus in
* mosquitoes in NC.
The West Nile Virus that
originated from Africa, west
ern Asia, and Europe was first
found in New York City in the
summer of 1999. The virus has
spread down the "Eastern sea
board of the country and been
discovered in other states such
as Wyoming and Colorado. It
was first discovered in North
Carolina in 2000.
Optimists support Rec. Dept.f
Cycle Speedway activities
BY HELEN K. OUTLAND
Staff Writer
The Edenton Chowan
Optimist Club recently
presented checks to two
community organizations.
The first was presented to
Cycle Speedway CEO
Brian White as sponsor
ship of the speedway’s
International Race Week-,
fiiu. c »"£ nt to be held in
October. On October 5
‘Under the Lights’ will
feature two-time world
champion racer, Dave
Hemsley from Great
Britain.
Joining Hemsley will be
racing star from Australia
and Poland. International
racing, called by Graham
Sutton, will begin on
October 4 at the Cape
Colony Track with Ameri
can Legion Families
versus Great Britain.
“We are really excited
about the upcoming events
for Cycle Speedway,” said
CEO Brian White. “The
support of the Optimist
Club is greatly appreci
ated.”
Mark Noneman, left, and Robbie Laughton, center, accept a check from Optimist Club
Vice President William Davidson, right in support of the annual Colonial Invitational
Tennis Tournament sponsored by the Edenton-Chowan Recreation Department. (Staff
photo by Helen Kerr Outland)
The second check,
representing two donations,
was presented by the
Optimist and went to
Robbie Laughton Director
of the Edenton Chowan
Recreation Department.
Optimist Vice President
William Davidson made the
donation. The donations
help with the SAFE KIDS
Coalition and the Colonial
Invitational Tennis Tourna
ment. “The Optimist Club
has been a long-time
supporter of the activities
through the Edenton
Chowan Recreation
Department,” said
Laughton. “We really
appreciate their support.”
School system
pleased with
its SAT scores
The College Board released
Scholastic Aptitude Test
scopes for 2002 on Tuesday,
Aug. 27.
' College-bound seniors tak
ing the test last year at John A.
Holmes High School received
an average combined verbal
and ma!h score of 1001. The top
ten-percent of Holmes stu
dents taking the test averaged
a combined score of 1240. The
average combined scores for
the state was 998, and for the
nation was 1020.
“We are very pleased with
our students’ performance on
the SAT,” said Edenton
Chowan Schools superinten
dent Allan Smith. “However,
the SAT is one of many indi
cators of student success. Stu
dents at John A. Holmes have
proven themselves on several
levels as good citizens as well
as scholars. We look forward to
continued student achieve
ment in all the areas that make
for a well-rounded individual.”
Edenton-Chowan Schools
continues to narrow the
achievement gap between ma
jority and minority students.
The average combined score
for black students was 916. The
average combined score for
white students was 1032, leav
ing a gap of 116 points. The
state average combined score
for black students was 839,
lower than the state average
combined score for white stu
dents by 207 points. Nationally,
the black-white gap increased
by two points last year.
Holmes principal John Wil
liams echoed the superin
tendent’s pride in the entire
scope of student achievement
at the school.
“I’m so proud of our se
niors,” Williams said, adding
that it was not SAT results
alone that indicated the
school’s success. “A look at our
ABCs results will reveal a 12.5
percent increase in our perfor
mance composite over the last
two years. We can thank our
teaching staff for preparing
these young men and women
well.”
Williams also singled out for
special thanks Karen Molloy,
See SAT On Page 6-A
Twine is arrested on drug charge [
BY HELEN K. OUTLAND
Staff Writer
On Thursday, August 22,
Edenton Police arrested 23
year-old Samantha Lynette
Twine at her home on
Reginald and Mary Avenue of
Edenton on charges of manu
facture of marijuana, a con
trolled substance. The manu
facturing consisted of alleg
edly growing the marijuana in
the curtilage located in the
front yard of her home.
“The manufacture of mari
juana, whether one plant or
ten, is a felony,” said Edenton
Police Chief Greg Bonner. “It
just goes to show how bold
people are getting.”
According to the charges
filed against Twine a subse
quent search of the residence
revealed other drug para
See ARREST On Page 6-A
Ruritans to host
Blood Drive
BY CANDACE MORGAN
YeopimRuritans
The Yeopim Ruritan Club
will once again sponsor an
American Red Cross Blood
Red Cross. While each drive
may produce one or two new
donors, the July 9 drive pro
duced eight first time donors.
The Yeopim Ruritans would
like to thank Ima Jean Lane of
Lane’s Family Barbecue and
McDonald’s of Edenton for pro
viding refreshments for our
donors. We also thank Edenton
United Methodist Church for
providing the facilities for the
drive and the Sign Shop for our
directional signs.
Giving blood on Sept. 3 would
be an excellent way to com
memorate those who lost then
lives and to honor those who
were injured on 9/11-02. As a
insult of greatly exceeding our
goal of 50 units of blood'during
the July drive, our quota has
been raised to 60 units._
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