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Former Chowan Extension
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Airport Appreciation Day set here on Saturday
BY MARGE SOPER
Contributing Writer
Airport Appreciation Day is
fast becoming a growing an
nual event. The effect of 9/11
put a damper on many activi
ties surrounding flying activi
ties. Military presence with
static displays of their aircraft
is not to be had at this and
many other air shows.
However, the Edenton Cham
ber of Commerce, the Airport
Commission and the hard
work of George Cipra, Airport
Manager, have put together a
great a fun day for all ages.
This is an event you won’t
want to miss and you surely
will want to bring the kids and
grandkids along to see the Ul
tra Lights both on display and
flying. Ultra Light groups from
Martin County, Bertie County,
Currituck, Elizabeth City, the
local boys and even Ultra
Lights from Virginia are plan
ning to attend with their
planes. Watch for the Candy
Drop! East Coast Helicopter
Service will be there with a
static display.
For children ages 7-17 there
will be airplane rides given by
the EAA Chapter of Young
Eagles from Elizabeth City.
The group hopes to attain one
million children having flown
with Young Eagle groups from
all over the country by Decem
ber of 2003 in honor of First
Flight. Radio-controlled planes
will be performing aerobatic
maneuvers f6r all to watch and
delight in viewing.
The Edenton Morning Ro
tary Club (soon to be known as
the Edenton Bay Rotary Club)
along with RBC Liberty pro
vide Kids ID for those who may
have missed the one given in
April. The Kids ID will provide
fingerprints, hair sample and
photo of a child along with
height and weight in a pro
tected case for a parent to keep
safely tucked away should the
need to find their child ever
arise.
A replica of a plane called
the Gatling will also be on dis
play; the original was built in
1893. • .
Now, while this is all going
on the Optimist Club will be
there with a concession stand
and plenty of food for the hun
gry. Boy Scouts will also be
there and planning to work to
wards their Merit Badges.
D.A.R.E. will be in attendance
and question and answers for
curious parents will be avail
able. Also, for those who may
not have tried the unique
glasses that give you the effect
of driving drunk without be
ing in that state, is a must. Try
walking a straight line wear
ing those glasses!
The Disaster Relief group
will be there and^harb-with
the public information regard
ing Hurricanes and what to do
and not to do if faced with the
possibility of an upcoming
hurricane. North Carolina
Wild Life will be there too and
hopefully with their Jet Ski.
The Albemarle Republican
Women’s Club is going to have
a Bake Sale and Lemonade
Stand for those who enjoy
home baked goods but find it
too hot to bake.
Crafts in the form of hand
pained furniture, glassware
and pottery by the local artist,
Barbara Cipra will be on dis
play for sale Also hand-crafted
sterling silver jewelry by Janet
will be available for sale. Good
Taste of South Broad Street in
Edenton has planned to have
some of their great fudge and
Edenton Tee shirts for sale.
Should you want to take a
ride to First Flight and the
Wright Memorial in Kitty
Hawk, there will be buses pro
vided to take you back and
forth. What better time to see
this famous shrine to the first
aviators!
All this will take place on
Saturday, June 1st at Edenton
Regional Airport off Sound
Side Drive onto Airport Road.
All are hoping for the sun to
shine so that the events may
take place as planned. Wet
weather is not conducive to the
flying parts of the day! If you
have a question about the
events call 482-4664 for infor
mation.
There is fun for all at this
event so plan to attend.
The Chowan County Interfaith Disaster and Relief Effort, Inc. will host an exhibit on
hurricane awareness as part of this weekend's Airport Appreciation Day which will take
place Saturday at the Northeast Regional Airport in Edenton. (Chowan Herald file photo)
Hurricane Awareness focus
of Airport Day exhibition
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
As most coastal residents
know, the beginning of sum
mer also marks the beginning
of the Atlantic coast hurricane
season. This year the U.S. Na
tional Oceanic and Atmo
spheric Administration (NO
AA) is predicting a 55% possi
bility for an above-normal sea
son. This outlook calls for Il
ls tropical storms, with 6-9 be
coming hurricanes, and 2-4
becoming major hurricanes.
Although it is difficult to con
fidently predict the number of
hurricanes that may occur this
season, particularly at this
early stage, the NOAA encour
ages all coastal communities
and near-coastal communities
to maintain hurricane pre
paredness efforts.
As part of an effort to focus
local attention on hurricane
threats, the Chowan County
Interfaith Disaster and Relief
Effort, Inc. (CCIDRE), in con
junction with “Airport Day” at
See FOCUS On Page 12-A
Council
permit
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Managing Editor
The Edenton Town Council
last Monday night rejected a
request from the A.R. Ches
son Construction Company
for a conditional use permit
The permit was being sought
for the purpose of establish
ing a self-storage facility on
Coke Avenue.
Although the request had
been approved by the local
Planning Board, Council re
jected the proposal after hear
ing an evaluation of the site
prepared by Police Chief
Greg Bonner. That report was
not presented to the Planning
Board prior to its vote.
In his report Chief Bonner
says that he believes “the lo
cation suggested poses an ad
verse affect on public safety”
He notes that Coke Avenue
"is the main thoroughfare
that connects at each end to
our major highways (17
North Business and 32
South). Nearly all of the traf
fic entering and leaving
Edenton uses one of the two
major highways.”
“There is a tremendous
amount of traffic (including)
large trucks and tractor trail
ers traveling Coke Avenue for
deliveries and repair,” he
added.
The chief’s report goes on
to say that “Building self-con
See PERMIT On Page 3-A;
Chowan serviceman is lucky survivor
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
Last Thursday, U.S. Army
Captain Michael Ray Williams,
originally from Edenton and a
graduate of John A. Holmes
High School, and his pilot,
Chief Warrant Officer Mike
Mittlebeeler, both of A Com
pany 3rd of the 101st Division,
were shot down in their
Apache attack helicopter in
western Iraq by hostile fire
according to U.S. military sta
tements.
This attack marks one of the
first military aircraft to be
downed by ground fire in two
months since the collapse of
Saddam Hussein’s regime.
While taking part in the
bombing of a terrorist train
ing camp 95 miles north of
Baghdad, the helicopter was
attacked by Iraqi forces which
knocked out the Apache’s
Capt. Michael Williams
weapons systeni and hit the
helicopter. The helicopter
made a crash landing, smash
ing into the ground and rolling
over. As it rolled, Iraqi forces
fired upon the helicopter. As
they tried to escape, Williams
stated that he fired back with
his pistol. Almost immedi
ately after the crash, another
Apache helicopter from the
101st Division flew in and de
stroyed the enemy forces, se
curing th^ crash site and sav
ing botiy'of the stranded men.
Neither of the two crew mem
bers had to be hospitalized.
Williams escaped with only
minor injuries.
Captain Williams’ mother,
Georgia Rice, a resident of
Edenton, says, “I just thank
God for protecting Michael
and that those ground forces
were there to save them.
Michael’s wife called me first
with the bad news that they
had been hit and then with the
good news that he was okay. I
just cried and cried. When
they asked me why I was cry
ing, I said that it was because
he was safe. I was just so happy
that he was safe.” Rice spoke
with her son via telephone
soon after his accident. She
said that he told her that he
was sure that God was watch
ing over him during the attack.
Says Rice, “Michael was in
good spirits and laughing. He
sounded like his old self. Just
like my ‘Dennis-the-Menace.’
That’s what I used to call him.
He said that he needs to get
back into a plane. He doesn’t
want to come home until it is
all over with.”
Flying is Michael’s great
passion. After graduating
from John A. Holmes High
School in 1987, he went imme
diately into the Army. After
ser-ving in Desert Storm, Wil
liams decided that he wanted
to become both a commis
sioned officer and a pilot. He
entered the Green to Gold
ROTC program at Austin Peay
State University in Clarksville,
Kentucky and received a de
gree in political science. Will
See IRAQ On Page 3-A
EHC donates funds for restoration
\
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Managing Editor
Possibly the most famous
photograph of Edenton shows
’ a set of Revolutionary*War
cannons facing the waterfront,
with the Barker House over
looking the water. Now, the
Edenton Historical Commis
sion is leading a long-term
preservation effort to make
sure those cannons continue to
stand watch over the water
front for years to come.
In keeping with their mis
sion, Chairman Ben Rose and
Vice-Chairman Peter Rascoe
announced that the EHC has
donated $1,000 toward the cost
of restoring and preserving
them. i
“Recently the Edenton Histori
cal Commission was able to
have a professional cannon
pathologist examine the condi
tion of the existing 19th cen
tury cast iron cannon tubes
that exist in the town. Since a
number of the cannon tubes
Chairman Rose
Edenton Historical Commission Chairman Ben Rose. left, and Vice-Chairman Peter Rascoe,
are leading an effort to have have Edenton's cannons restored. (Staff photo by Bud Weagly)
are often photographed and
published in nationwide me
dia as images of our town, the
commission feels their long
term preservation is impera
tive.”
“A day’s time on the part of
a staff historian and cannon
pathologist from the Norfolk
Naval Shipyard in Ports
mouth, Va was recently do
nated to the commission for
this examination,” he contin
ued. “Observed, of course, was
continuing rust of all of these
cast iron pieces (seven are
owned by the Town of Eden
ton, and one privately). “At
least two tubes are on display
in vertical positions anchored
in the ground, which can cause
‘iron rot’. The smallest, a Brit
See CANNONS On Page 3-A
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Elizabeth Bryant
Bryant new head
of planning dept;
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
Elizabeth Bryant was hired*
as the new Director of Plan
ning and Inspections of
Edenton and Chowan County.
Bryant started her new posi
tiononMay22. :
“I’m excited to be in
Edenton,” says Bryant. ‘Tve
already been captured by the
town’s beauty. Everyone has
been extremely welcoming. I
See BRYANT On Page 3-A
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