Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Chowan County's population continues to climb
Unlike others
in area, county
adds citizens
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
The steady outflow of Eastern
North Carolina residents hasn't
robbed Chowan County of its popu
lation base, though the county lagged
behind the state’s average growth
mark in the last census.
The state's population grew by 21.4
percent from 1990 to 2000, according
to the U.S. Census Bureau. Chowan
gained 520 residents, pushing its
population to an estimated 14,526 —
a 7.6-percent increase in the 1990s.
County Manager Cliff Copeland
said Chowan is fortunate to have sev
eral factors that caused it to grow, not
lose residents in the ‘90s. Good
schools, economic development pro
grams, leadership, and medical care.
Then there are the natural attrac
tions: More than half the county is
bordered by either the Chowan River
or the Albemarle Sound.
A good quality of life doesn’t hurt
growth, either, Copeland added.
“I think our population will con
tinue to grow,” Copeland said, noting
that new planned residential develop
ments could make that happen.
But Edenton didn’t follow the
county’s trend. According to the N.C.
State Data Center, the town lost .2-per
cent of its population from the spring
of 2000 to July 2002, losing 10 resi
dents for a 5,018 total.
The 1990 census estimated that
5,268 Chowan residents lived in
Eden ton.
Edenton’s population loss wasn’t
the only in the region. Ahoskie,
Hertford County’s largest town, fell
by 1.9 percent over the two years end
ing in July 2002, losing 87 residents.
Town Manager Anne-Marie
Knighton said the census numbers
are likely flawed.. Town officials had
considered appealing the 2000 num
bers until they learned that the ap
peal would be more costly than rev
enue gained by upping the population
tally.
“We were successful and got some
back,” Knighton said of wrangling
with the Census Bureau, “but it’sstill
lower than we think it is.
“I don’t think (Edenton’s census
related population loss is due to) the
fact that we (actually) lost numbers,"
she added. “I think it’s the way the
census was done.”
Other ups and downs included:
• Windsor lost 13 of its residents
over that same period, a ,6-percent
drop for a 2,311 total.
• Gatesville decreased by .4 percent,
losing one resident for a 280 total.
• Hertford gained 10 residents, a .5
percent increase, for a 2,080 total.
• Elizabeth City grew by 247 people,
a 1.4-percent rise to 17,940 residents.
• Columbia increased by 3.9 per
cent, with 32 new residents, 851 total.
Chowan is the state’s smallest
county, with only 172 square miles
within its borders. Chowan’s-rural
nature also results in its popula
tion-per-square-mile rate at 84.1,
nearly half of the 165.2 statewide
average.
By comparison, Tyrrell was the
state's least-populated county with
4,115 residents — up from 3,856 in
1990.
Neighboring counties both lost
and gained population during the
‘90s. To the north, Perquimans
County gained 956 residents, to
11,403, while Gates jumped to 10,511
with 1,206 newcomers.
On the losing end were Bertie
and Washington counties, with
Bertie losing 598 residents (down to
19,790), Washington dropping to
13,699 with a 702-resident drop.
Tyner mail carrier celebrates 25 years
of serving community...rain or shine
BY EARLINE WHITE
Staff Writer
April 7, 2004 celebrated
Jimmy Ward’s 25 years of
service with the US Postal
Service in Tyner. “When I
started the route I had about
450 boxes, now I fill about 770
- that’s how much the area
has grown. I didn’t even re
alize it has been 25 years. I
have enjoyed my time as a
rural carrier. I have enjoyed
working with these great
' Post Masters, clerks and sub
stitutes. It’s been a quick 25
years/’ said Ward.
Ward was awarded a pin
and a letter from the District
Manager, David Fields, Sr.
Millard Bond. Postmaster at
the Tyner post office said,
“The Postal Service has been
through a lot of changes
since Jimmy has been here.
But he has taken everything
in stride and changed with
the times. Jimmy’s never
had an accident. He’s done a
good job and took care of the
mail and the people in the
community. The people look
forward to Jimmy coming
around. He serves about 2500
- ■■HuftliiTTI II III I
Staff photo by Earline White
Tyner mail carrier Jimmy Ward, left, accepts a pin and a letter from District Postal Man
ager David Fields Sr. presented to him April 7 by Tyner Postmaster Millard Bond (right).
That day marked Ward's 25th year of carrying mail in the community.
people on his route and does
a great job,” Bond said.
“Jimmy always starts the
day by saying ‘It’s a beauti
ful day’ whether it’s rain,
shine, hurricane, whatever,”
said Bond.
“There’s only been three
days that I’ve missed carry
ing the mail; all because of
snow,” Ward said. Ward was
even working during Isabel.
It was his daughter who
called that dreadful day and
insisted that Ward go back
home. .
' “With all the chjfiges, Sll
route changes included.
Jimmy has adjusted well,”
said Postmaster Millard
Bond. “My wish is that
people would call the phone
company to have their ad
dresses changed. People use
the phone book to address
invitations arid unless the
phone has been installed in
the past few years, the old
rural address is used. Updat
ing the address would help
the post office tremen
dously”
J immy Ward was very sur
See MAIL On Page 3-A
Response
to drive
not good
The Edward G. Bond
American Legion Post 40
family has been sponsoring
a public drive to help our
troops being sent overseas
and our veterans in NC VA
Hospitals and a NC State
Veteran’s Home in
Fayetteville. So far the dona
tions have been scarce, ac
cording to Susan Campbell
of the Legion Ladies Auxil
iary.
“We are hoping for an
abundance of generosity
from our community and
would greatly appreciate do
nations to send to our
troops,” she said.
"I have been really disap
pointed,” added Campbell,
who is serving as contact
person for the drive. “We
have gotten a few things but
there are so many things
that they need we haven’t
See DRIVE On Page 3-A
. I
Suspects sought after police chase
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Edenton police arrested one
man and are looking for two
others who all allegedly
dumped handguns at a town
park on Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. Avenue late Friday
while being chased by police.
Chief Greg Bonner said
Monday that Franklin Shuron
Jones, 24, of 103-B E. Carteret
St., Edenton, was arrested
April 9 and charged with pos
session with intent to sell and
deliver cocaine, possession
with intent to sell and deliver
marijuana, and maintaining a
vehicle for the storage of a con
trolled substance, a felony. He
was also charged with resist
ing a public officer, simple as
sault, and carrying a con
cealed weapon. Police found a
.380-caliber handgun in Jones’
possession, Bonner said.
Jones was jailed under a
$44,000 bond but has since been
bailed out, Bonner added. He
was to appear at a probable
cause hearing Tuesday, Bon
ner said. His next date in a
Police have arrested one man and are seeking two oth
ers who allegedly dumped handguns in a town park late
Friday. Drugs and a bulletproof vest have also been recov
ered as the investigation continues.
Chowan County courtroom is
June 8, according to an arrest
warrant.
Police are looking for Jan
Maurice Bonner. 23. of 129
Thick Neck Road, and Kenny
Demetrius Wilder. 16, of 33
Davis Place, both of Edenton.
Warrants have been issued
charging Bonner with posses
sion of a stolen firearm, felony
possession of a concealed
weapon, possession of cocaine,
resisting a public officer, and
assault on a government offi
cial. Police seized a .44-caliber
Magnum that allegedly be
longed to Bonner.
Police also found a bullet
proof vest that reportedly be
longed to Bonner, the chief
added.
In addition, warrants are
pending that would charge
Wilder with possession of a
.22-caliber handgun, the chief
said.
Town Council recently
agreed to push the park’s clos
ing hours back to 9 p.m. Al
though police have made re
cent arrests at the park, resi
dents still complained about
hearing gunshots there,
Bonner said. Around midnight
Friday, police were tipped that
guns and drugs were again on
park grounds, the chief added.
“When police approached
these individuals,” Bonner
said, “(the suspects) began to
dump and throw guns and
drugs on the ground.”
In addition to the three
handguns, police found eight
“rocks” of crack cocaine and
three bags of marijuana, the
See CHASE On Page 3-A
Linda Mathias
Principal
named for
White Oak
The Edenton - Chowan
Schools Board of Education
voted unanimously Monday to
approve the choice of Linda
Mathias as the new principal
for White Oak School.
Mathias, currently the assis
tant principal at W’hite Oak,
will take the reins from Mary
Nixon, who retires this year.
“Linda knows the school and
the staff and students,” said
superintendent Allan T. Smith.
“She has been a part of the
White Oak success story under
the leadership of Mary Nixon,
and she will continue the
school’s success as its new
leader.”
Mathias has been with
Edenton-Chowan Schools
since 1998, when she became
White Oak’s assistant princi
pal. Before that, she was direc
tor of personnel for- Camden
County Schools after teaching
math there for four years.
Mathias received her ba
chelor’s degree in math and.
science from Elizabeth City
State University and her
master’s degree in education
administration from East
See PRINCIPAL On Page 3-A .
Cyclists to
wheel Into
Edentonthis
weekend
1-U
Edenton Woman’s club
Bazaar nears....... 2-A
Veteran’s Memorial
planned-7-A 4
Sean’s Restaurant now
open-8-A
$6.00 per Plate Cat-In or Take
IfPPPPWP
SATURDAY.
"■"! 1
dLKVUMU I I ttm - I Kn Sc 5 KM - 7 PM
RESCUE SQUAD BUILDING* ROCKY HOCK
sponsored oy
Rocky Hock
Baptist Church Youth
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