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Northeast Ag Expo draws crowd
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
Over 100 researchers and farmers gathered together in
Chowan County to attend the NC Cooperative Extension’s
Northeast Ag Expo. The Expo assembled Extension Agents
serving Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans,
Chowan, and Gates Counties as well as researchers from N.C.
State University to address a wide variety of agricultural
issues crucial to maintaining farming as a viable business.
The initial Expo session was held on a peanut plot at
Chowan Farms in Tyner, just north of Edenton. Each year
Chowan Farms very graciously provides the Extension office
and N.C. State with a plot, free of charge, for studying and
researching crops. Dan Ward, manager at Chowan Farms
states, “We try to help them with whatever they need. We
spray the crops and plant what they ask for.” One part of the
session, given by David Jordan, a professor and peanut
agronomist at N.C. State, focused on disease management,
results of mixing peanut plant varieties, how different
varieties of peanut plants hold up in this region, and pest
More than 100 researchers and farmers had the oppor
tunity to sample specialty melons from the Chowan County
region. (Staff photo by Angela Perez)
management. Farmers in attendance asked questions
related to their own crop issues.
N. C. State conducts research on a variety of plots across
the region. Jordan states, “We have this one site here in
See EXPO On Page 3-A
Expo participant Fred Hill has been farming peanuts in
Edenton for over 40 years. (Staff photo by Angela Perez)
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■BPSiUfV
Chowan Extension Director Mike Williams holds a
sample of kenaf. Kenaf, a member of the hibiscus family,
is related to cotton and okra. (Staff photo/Angela Perez)
Belinda Washlesky says she will lead Edenton into suc
cess with the North Carolina Main Street Program. (Staff
photo by Bud Weagly)
Washlesky will
head Edenton's
Main St. program
Belinda C. Washlesky has
been chosen as the first-ever
Executive Director of the
Edenton Main Street revital
ization program that utilizes
historic preservation as an in
tegral foundation for down
town economic development.
Following the North Caro
lina Main Street Program 4
Point Approach of Organiza
tion^ Design, Promotion, and
Economic Restructuring,
Washlesky will be responsible
See PROGRAM On Page 11 -A
. ... . ' —■-ii
Dr. Samuel Betances, a motivational speaker, walks
through the crowd as he talks about education during the
Edenton-Chowan Schools' "Back to School" Breakfast Mon
day morning. (Staff photo by Bud Weagly)
Betances speaks at
school breakfast
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
Edenton-Chowan County
Schools on Monday held their
Back-To-School Breakfast in
r
the Chowan Middle School caf
eteria. Over 390 (21 of them
new) school employees showed
up to unofficially mark the
See SCHOOL On Page 3-A
Coalition eyes
its next step
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
■■ Officials and local residents
of the OLF Steering Commit
tee met last week in Town
Hall to discuss the next step
in protesting the Washington
County OLF (Outlying Land
ing Field) site. Many commit
tee members were in an up
roar over the Navy’s recently
released environmental im
pact statement that named
Washington County as the
best site for the field.
"Paperwork is not enough,”
commented one concerned
committee-member. “We need
to switch gears. We have to
fight like we haven’t fought
before!"
The 1600 page statement
listed various reasons why
the Navy chose Washington
County. According to the re
’ - See COALITION Page 1XA
Britton, Spruill receive service
awards during 911 conference
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
Paul Britton of Jimbo’s
Jumbos Peanuts and Chowan
County Sheriff Fred Spruill
were honored in appreciation
for their service by Chowan
County Communications at
the N.C. Chapter of APCO (As
sociation of Public-Safety
Communications Officials)
and NENA’s (National Emer
gency Number Association)
annual meeting at Unanimity
Mason Lodge # 7 on July 25th.
Jim Carr, director of
Chowan County 911 Communi
cations, presented the plaques
to “thank these individuals for
their invaluable service.”
“We wanted to show our ap
preciation for all the support
See 911 On Page 11-A
Chowan County 911 Communications Director Jim Carr, left, congratulates award re
cipients Paul Britton of Jimbo's Jumbos and Chowan County Sheriff Fred Spruill. Looking
on is Jason Barbor, vice president of NENA. (Staff photo by Bud Weagly)
Audubon joins OLF fight
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
The Roanoke River Basin
Association (RRBA) held a
meeting Saturday, July 26, at
Plymouth, N.C. to focus on the
proposal by the US Navy to lo
cate an OLF (Outlying Landing
Field) in Washington County
The RRBA, a non-profit or
ganization focused on preserv
ing and utilizing the resources
of the Roanoke River basin
area, sponsored a panel pre
sentation which addressed the
rationale for the OLF, the im
pact to wildlife and the envi
ronment, and the impact to lo
cal economy Experts involved
Chris Canfield, executive
director of Audubon NC,
says his organization will
fight the proposed OLF site
in Washington County.
in this issue shared their infor
mation in a public forum
which, despite extreme heat,
drew a crowd of close to 100
people all united against the
OLF site.
National organizations, in
cluding The National Audubon
Society, The Nature Conser
vancy, the Sierra Club, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Natural
Resource Group, were in atten
dance and speakers presented
strong cases against placing
the OLF site in Washington
County. Most speakers ac
knowledged that by placing it
next to the Pocosin Lakes
See OLF On Page 3-A
Progress
edition
arrives
This edition of The
Chowan Herald contains
the newspaper’s annual
progress edition. “Focus
2003” takes a close look our
county through the 4
section, 24-page publica
tion.
Editorially, it focuses on
Community, Economic
Development, Tourism and
People and Programs.
We hope you enjoy this
uplifting and in-depth look
at our community.