Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Transformation defines 2003 across community
BY TAMIKA SPRUILL
Staff Writer
Transformation is defined
as “to change the condition,
character or function of”
something. It’s also a word that
clearly defines the past year in
this community. Throughout
2003 Chowan County has
weathered tough issues such
as devastation from Hurricane
Isabel, the new OLF site being
at our back door, issues of drug
selling and shootings, and the
passing of a prominent Eden
tonian.
But the end result of 2003’s
changes is the fact that our
community has grown closer
and more connected with all of
its citizens — and that despite
Hurricane Isabel, Edenton
continues to be “the South’s
prettiest little town.”
The New Year began tradi
tionally with the addition of a
new citizen. Carlos and Spring
Byrum of Windsor were par
ents of the first baby born
here. Dakota Byrum was deliv
Knighton
reviews
'04 goals
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Edenton Town Manager
Anne-Marie Knighton has
been dealing with Hurricane
Isabel since late summer.
The storm will linger in her
workload for months to come.
Knighton says ongoing recov
ery efforts are her chief prior
ity for 2004.
The town suffered approxi
mately $2.75 million, in dam
ages and clean-up expenses,
Knighton said. She wants the
Federal Emergency Manage
ment Agency to pay its full
share of those costs.
“My goal,” Knighton said
last week, “is to get 100 percent
reimbursement for the ex
penses the town incurred, in
good faith, I might add, that
FEMA has paid for in other
storms.”
Since Sept. 18, Knighton,
See KNIGHTON On Page 3-A
Dye plant
explosion
studied
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
An explosion at a Rocky
Hock textile dye plant in De
cember resulted in no inju
ries and is being investi
gated internally, company
officials said Tuesday
The Dec. 16 explosion of
a hydrogen peroxide tank at
Edenton Dyeing and Finish
ing occurred during second
shift between 8:30 and 9 p.m.
None of the 25 to 30 employ
ees on that shift were hurt.
The explosion reportedly
could be heard several miles
from the plant located on the
Chowan River north of
Edenton.
“It was an explosion that
had some potential to be a
real problem,” Tom Gil
reath, vice president of fi
nance for the company, said.
“We were fortunate that
there were no injuries in
volved ... We breathed a sigh
See PLANT Page 3-A
ered at Chowan County Hospi
tal on Jan. 1 at 10:34 p.m. Da
kota was born just in time to
see several changes. Longtime
Edenton Police Officer, Wayne
Forehand, retired from the
force after fifteen years of ser
vice. Congresswoman Eva
Clayton also said goodbye to
Congress and was succeeded
by Frank Ballance. While
those public officials said
goodbye Chowan Hospital wel
comed a new president. Jeff
Sackrison was chosen to be
come President of the hospital
a position left empty by Bar
bara Cale’s resignation.
Chowan County was blasted
with freezing weather and a
blanket of snow during a
snowstorm that hit near the
end of the month.
Sadly as one family cel
ebrated a new life at the begin
ning of January another
Chowan County family
mourned the loss of a loved
one. Former Chowan County
Commissioner and School
Board member James Taylor
passed away at January’s
close.
February came in with rob
beries, shootings and a law
suit! Gateway bank was robbed
when a black male wearing
camouflage entered the bank
and requested money with a
handwritten note that indi
cated he had a gun. This was
the first in a wave of gun vio
lence that shook Edenton.
Chowan County resident, Tho
mas Leary, was arrested and
charged with intent assault
with a dangerous weapon with
intent to kill after shooting an
Elizabeth City resident in the
arm and back.
Northeast Partnership was
accused by DFI (a Raleigh
based computer Software
Company) of trying to put the
company out of business. The
Partnership said the charges
were unfounded. In a final act
of gun violence for the month
of February, a brawl at
Chowan Courts housing devel
opment leaves two local men
with gunshot wounds.
March brought in a pledge
by town officials to curb gun
violence with the use of all
available community re
sources. Town Manager, Anne
Marie Knighton and Police
Chief Bonner appealed to the
public to “help identify people
who are in possession of ille
gal handguns and other weap
ons.” In other March news
Emmrich Theater welcomed
its 500th visitor and Edenton
entered the Main Street Pro
gram.
In April the Chowan County
School Board adopted a 100%
tobacco free policy This policy
prohibited smoking on school
grounds. Longtime Brittha
ven administrator, Craig Miler
announced his retirement this
month after nearly two de
cades of service. The Edenton
Business and Professional
Women’s Club named Glorious
Elliott Chowan County Wo
man of the Year. Elliott is an
intensive probation officer for
Chowan County and-a former
School Board Chairman. On a
more serious note Bridgette
Roulac and her brother Leon
Roulac were charged in con
nection with the shooting
death of Bridgette’s ex-boy
friend 24-year-old Lorenzo
Keith Pulliam.
May and June also bought
changes for Edenton. A big
hailstorm came in early May
and damaged homes, vehicles
and crops of many area resi
dents. Bob Lowney was named
the new College of the Albe
marle head for the Chowan
County campus. Willie Koonce
was named the new principal
at Chowan Middle School.
George Stokes headed his last
Veteran’s Day Ceremony for
Chowan County’s American
Legion. Stokes and,his wife
decided to travel the country in
a motor home.
June brought celebratory
news for Edenton with the
town’s selection as a partici
pant in the Main Street Pro
gram. The Historic Edenton
Visitor Center also celebrated
its 35-year anniversary. An
This post-hurricane shot of Gale Street captured what would become a familiar scene in our community in the days
and weeks following Isabel's visit — crews working diligently to remove fallen tree limbs and other debris from local
streets and roads. (Contributed photo by Blair Currie)
Chamber's optimism is strong
despite showers at celebration
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
KILL DEVIL HILLS — Even
before sunrise, rain pellets fell
from low clouds.
Forecasters called for breaks
in the showers, and all aboard
the Edenton-Chowan Chamber
of Commerce tour bus cheered
with optimism. A reenactment
of Orville Wright’s takeoff
into aviation history was set
for 10:35 that morning.
A spirited crowd overflow
ing from the Wright Brothers
National Memorial and
around the muddy airfield
wouldn’t see the feat redone.
The Wright Flyer bumped
around in the muck, but didn’t
get any air. Blame went to the
fickle weather.
“We didn’t know (then) it
was going to rain,” Bunch said.
“Sorry about that.”
The bus was reserved in
May. The celebration had been
in the works for years. But few
seemed to mind the washout.
Many went into display tents
and marveled at NASA’s con
cepts for future flying ma
chines.
Others did a little last
minute Christmas shopping.
. A Wright Flyer toy model kit
sold for $79.99, without tax.
Adult T-shirts went for $15.95.
For $26.95 you could own a
“Conquest of the Air” tie. A 2
inch gold wing-pin was a bar
gain at $2. And you could write
to family and friends about the
whole shebang on First Flight
stationary — though it would
cost you $14.95 to do so.
, Apparently, the experience
itself was priceless.
School kids from D.F. Walker
Elementary School saw Presi
dent Bush commend the
Wright brothers and American
ingenuity. Long-time pilot and
actor John Travolta flashed his
smile across the jumbotrons
throughout the park. Famed
test pilot Chuck Yeager told
how the first time he flew, at 18,
he puked.
An estimated 118,000 during
the six-day event, including
hundreds of Chowan County
school children for the Dec. 17
centennial-day celebration.
The students, some of who
have been studying the
Wrights’ achievements, were
treated to a 15-minute speech
by Bush.
“By our skill and daring, we
will continue to lead the world
in flight,” he said. “This day,
however, is one for recalling a
heroic event in the history of
our nation and in the story of
mankind. Here at the Wright
Brothers National Memorial,
See SHOWERS On Page 3-A
Chamber members and others from Chowan Co. battled
rain and mud at the celebration. (Sean Jackson photo)
other shooting incident
plagued Edenton in. June.
Edenton resident Tyrone
Mooring was standing in front
of 123 West Carteret Street
when a car rode by and its pas
sengers started shooting at
him. In what appeared to be a
misunderstanding DFI apolo
gized to the Northeast Partner
ship and dropped plans to file
a lawsuit. After months of ru
mors of its closing Family
Foods IGA closes its door for
good. A Dollar General store
would be opening in its place.
Neighboring Washington
County was picked to be the
best site by an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the
Navy’s controversial OLF in
July. Brenda Washlesky was
chosen as Edenton’s Main
Street Program Director.
Washlesky had previous expe
rience with Perquimans
County’s Main Street Pro
gram. Mayor Roland Vaughan
announced his intention to
See DEFINES On Page 3-A
Copeland
looks to
future
BY ANGELA PEREZ
Staff Writer
Hurricane Isabel isn’t going
away with the ringing in of
. 2004 on New Year’s Eve, says
Chowan County Manager Cliff
Copeland. “Chowan County is
well on the way to recovery,”
says Copeland, “but from the
county government side we
still have a lot of issues to deal
with for 2004.”
One of those major issues is
going to be convincing FEMA
to reimburse 100% of the
county’s claims for storm-re
lated damage. Peter Rascoe,
Special Projects Director for
.Edenton and Chowan County,
stresses that it is proving ex
tremely difficult to convince
FEMA that many of the
county’s expenses listed on the
claims were for the benefit of
the community’s health and
safety FEMA will reimburse
only the claims that they have
determined meet their current
eligibility requirements; re
quirements which Rascoe be
lieves are much stricter and
narrow in scope than those
used to reimburse local gov
ernments during Hurricane
Floyd.
A second Isabel-related
project for 2004 will be complet
ing the mitigation phase - iden
tifying ways to lessen the im
pact and stress of future
storms. “Parts of that pro
cess,” says Copeland, “will be
getting generators for water
plants, improving communica
See COPELAND On 5-A
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Red Sox
Slugger hangs
out with
fans,
,1-B
Aces fall in holiday
tournament classic
---5-A
Organization comforts
grieving parents....1-C
Arts Council has big
plans for 2004........2-A
mm