Ballance nonprofit investigated
From Staff Reports
The John A. Hyman Memo
rial Youth Foundation, a non
profit organization led by
North Carolina’s own Repre
sentative Frank Ballance has
been under intense scrutiny
by the FBI, the US Attorney’s
Office and the State Auditor
for alleged misuse of funds.
According to state audit re
ports, Ballance, a long time
North Carolina State legisla
tor, paid thousands of dollars
to his relatives and campaign
workers out of the organiza
tion’s funds.
The audit report showed the
foundation was riddled with
Ballance
obvious
conflicts of
interests
and had no
formal
structure
for award
ing mini
grants to
churches
and progr
ams de
signed to
fight alco
hoi and drug abuse.
Here are a few of audit docu
mented inconsistencies: The
Hyman Foundation did not
comply with federal and state
regulations that require finan
cial reporting by nonprofit
corporations, retained state
appropriations by transfer
ring $30,000 in funds and clas
sifying the money as “admin
istrative costs,” paid the foun
dation board members to at
tend the organization’s annual
meeting, an item in violation
of the foundation bylaws, re
imbursed Rev. Eddie Law
rence of the Greenwood Bap
tist Church for an expense
that was also reimbursed by
the state, and the foundation
wrote a $35,000 check to Green
wood Baptist Church for rent
without any supporting docu
mentation.
Additionally the Green
wood Baptist Church leases
office space to the Hyman
Foundation. Lawrence serves
as executive director of the
foundation. In that position
Lawrence was paid $90,000
from 2001-2003. Rep. Ballance
also happens to be the Chair
man of the Board of Deacons
at the church. The organiza
tion had its accounts frozen
at the beginning of the week
pending further investiga
tion.
At press time the N.C.
State Attorney General’s Of
fice, the SBI and the U.S. De
partment of Justice were all
considering launching sepa
rate investigations.
Lowney to lead
COA campus
Robert (Bob) Lowney has
been named Interim Dean of
College of The Albemarle’s
Edenton-Chowan Campus,
effective Nov. 1.
Lowney, Culinary Pro
gram Coordinator and Cur
riculum Coordinator for the
campus, has been with the
college since 1996 when he
joined as an adjunct instruc
tor at what was then the
Chowan County Center.
In 1999, Lowney became a
full-time instructor for col
lege teaching at Pasquotank
Correctional Institute. He
Lowney
moved to
the Cho
wan Coun
ty Center
in 2002 af
ter comple
ting the ap
plication
and obtain
ing fast
tracked
state ap
proval for a Culinary Tech
nology program. Lowney has
gained significant adminis
See LOWNEY Page 5-A
Chamber, Partnership host opportunities luncheon
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
Sixteen representatives
from Chowan County’s Busi
ness and Industry community
attended the Chowan County
Existing Business & Industry
Opportunities Luncheon host
ed by North Carolina’s North
east Partnership and the
Edenton-Chowan Chamber of
Commerce. The purpose of the
luncheon was to lay ground
work for better communica
tion between local industry/
businesses, the Edenton
Chowan Chamber and the
Northeast Partnership.
“We (the Chamber) work
hand in hand with the Partner
nr-*\ bring the ben
efits straight to you,” said Ex
ecutive Director of the Cham
ber Richard Bunch during the
welcome and introductions.
“Thank you for letting me
knock on your doors and talk
with you. The existing indus
tries and businesses are what
give Edenton its flavor.”
Representatives from the
Governor’s Office, the NC
Dept, of Commerce and Sena
tor Mark Basnight’s Office
were on hand to offer support
to the Northeast Partnership
and talk about the benefits
available to area industries
and businesses.
“The Partnership is bring
ing more resources to the
table,” said John Gurganus,
Existing Industry Specialist of
the North Carolina Depart
ment of Commerce. “I think
their organization has worked
out welt for the Northeast.”
According to President and
CEO, Rick Watson, one re
Dixon: Drugs are
societal problem
BY SEAN JACKSON
Contributing Writer
Scouring Edenton’s neigh
borhoods clean of drug dealers
is more than a chore for police,
it’s a job that begins in every
home, town officials said Mon
day night.
In the wake of 15 felony
drug-related arrests last
month, police said they have
delivered results. But the effort
needs more than cops armed
with warrants. Parents are
needed to fill the gaps, Police
Chief Greg Bonner told Town
Council Monday night.
“It’s no secret drugs are a
problem in a lot of communi
ties,” Bonner said.
Officer Dwight Rawlins led
a months-long undercover op
eration that resulted in scores
of felony drug charges. Grand
jury indictments were handed
down Sept. 2, Bonner said.
Court dates for the suspects
are pending.
The suspects were charged
with possession of crack and
powder cocaine, as well as
marijuana, the chief added.
Police seized cash and automo
biles during the raids. Rawlins
said the drugs apparently fil
tered into the town from out
lying areas. He said three to
four larger-scale drug opera
tions were identified during
the investigation.
“And we already hit two of
them,” he said.
Nine more drug arrests have
been made since the under
cover operation. Bonner said
Edenton youths may not take
penalties seriously
“I think the young people in
the community think this is a
See DIXON On Page 5-A
Special tab included
Look tor a section,
“Schoolyard Science," in
today’s Chowan Herald.
Dr. Kenneth Manning, a lo
cal orthodontist, and The
Chowan Herald Newspapers
in Education Program hope
to encourage reading and
learning with these special
pages.
According to Chowan Her
ald NIE Coordinator Donna
Koppelman, the “Schoolyard
Science” tab is “full of ideas
for Interactive science expe
nences. Ail can be done out
doors around the school or at
home with easily obtained
materials,”
"We thank Dr, Manning
for sponsoring this great,
educational resource,”
. Koppelman added. “We hope
teachers, parents, and stu
dents alike will enjoy learn
ing together with ‘School
Science’. There has never
been a better time to read
and learn with The Chowan
Herald'."
Joan and Owen Maxwell, owners of Regulator Marine
(at right), talk with Rick Watson, CEO of the Northeast Part
nership during a Business and Industry Opportunities Lun
cheon hosted by the Partnership and the Edenton-Chowan
Chamber of Commerce. (Staff photo by Tamika Spruill)
source that the Northeast Part
nership is working on is the
creation of a buyer/supplier
database to keep money in the
northeast region.
“It became apparent that a
majority of new ousine&sos in
this region are being created
from old'businesses,” Watson
stated. “With that in mind we
are building a buyer/supplier
network portal that will con
tain information about area
businesses and suppliers. So
we can do business with each
other.”
Many businesses and indus
try representatives expressed
concerns to the Partnership
about the lack of qualified help
in the area and with the num
ber of qualified workers that
commute to the southern Vir
ginia area to work, a problem
that Watson said he would di
rectly look into.
“If we can get more compa
nies to locate here, the trained
labor force will come here in
stead of driving to Virginia,”
Watson noted. “The Buyers/
Suppliers portal will help.”
Watson also talked about the
possibility of building a rela
tionship with Suffolk and
Chesapeake to help recruit la
bor.
“Suffolk and Chesapeake
have more in common with us
than they do with Norfolk or
Virginia Beach,” Watson
stated. “They can be a part of
this partnership if we choose
to do it.”
The Partnership and the
Edenton-Chowan Chamber of
Commerce also visited a num
ber of companies to discuss
the Business & Industries Op
portunities Program. Addi
tional visits are being planned.
For more information about
North Carolina’s Northeast
Partnership or the Business &
Industries Opportunities Pro
gram, interested persons may
visit www.ncnorth-east.com or
call (888) 872-8562.
Edentonian part of
Tar Heel Legislature
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
For the past five months,
.William Miller, an Edenton
resident, has been serving as
Chowan County’s representa
tive for one of the most ig
nored voices in American so
ciety - the elderly. As one of
100 delegates representing
each of North Carolina’s
counties, Miller is serving
with the Senior Tar Heel Leg
islature (STHL), a legislative
group created by the General
Assembly in July of 1993.
One of the chief sponsors of
the bill was Lt. Gov. Beverly
Perdue, who was serving as a
state senator at that time.
The STHL was established
to:
* Provide information to
Bill Miller
senior citizens on the legisla
tive process and matters being
considered by the General As
sembly.
* Promote citizen involve
ment and advocacy concerning
aging issues before the Gen
eral Assembly.
* Assess the legislative
needs of older citizens by con
vening a forum modeled after
the General Assembly
The delegates must be age
60 or older. The North Caro
lina Division of Aging pro
vides staff support for Senior
Legislature in cooperation
with its 17 Area Agencies on
Aging (AAA), which are re
sponsible for conducting the
selection of STHL’s delegates
and alternates.
Chowan County is part of
the state’s Albemarle Com
mission branch of the AAA
which is located in Hertford,
N.C. The Albemarle Commis
sion also serves Camden,
See TAR HEEL Page 3-A
Unmet needs fund begun
to assist Chowan citizens
The County has established
an Unmet Needs Committee to
establish the administration
of the Unmet Needs funds
from the Governor’s office.
Through private donations,
the Governor has established
this fund to assist counties
meet unmet needs as a result
of Hurricane Isabel. Chowan
County’s initial allocation
from this fund is $63,220.82.
’‘This fluid is to go towards
unmet needs only," states Ben
Rose, Chairman of the com
mittee. "It is geared towards
helping those that have not
been able to get help from
other resources such as FEMA
or insurance.”
Being that only $63,000 exists
at this time for Chowan
County, the committee has es
tablished a household cap of
$632.00 with a goal of helping
at least 100 households or busi
nesses. The committee will re
view requests that are submit
ted during a specified time pe
riod and make final decisions
soon thereafter. “It is our goal
to get the funds out as quickly
as possible so we can help
those still in a crunch for cer
See NEEDS Page 3-A
Appreciation
Banquet
scheduled
The American Legion fam
ily of Edward G. Bond Post 40
will host ah appreciation ban
quet for the Chowan County/
Town of Edenton Hurricane
Isabel Emergency Operations
Services Workers and their
spouses, Thursday, October 30,
2003.
Post Commander Ron Green
stated “This is a tribute to all
those town and county employ
ees and others who left their
own problems to help others. It
is our hope that this banquet
will let these citizens of our
community know that their
long hours and efforts are ap
preciated.”
Post 40 is hosting this ban
quet at no cost to the invited
See BANQUET On Page 3-A
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Rocky Hock
“Beauty
Queens”
vie for the
crown
See12-A
Cutting edge air
technology comes to
Edenton ■■■•■•■■■■■■■■■■■■ 1—C
Edenton Peanut
Festival kicks off
with parade_2-A
No vem^i
Dinner: 4:3'
rANS FAM
NIA R«