Wednesday, July 28, 2004
——-T-T
• __
Vol. LXXI, No. 29
Published in historic Edenton... The South’s prettiest town,
■ ■■ . -- . _—i — -- wmj1^. ■ . i - — i i •**»*. <\
Single Copies 50<
Council aims to take bite out of vicioi
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Seeking to stem the tide of
ill-tempered dogs on town
streets, the Edenton Town
Council took the first step in
approving a vicious dog ordi
nance Monday night.
“I’m tickled to death that
you want this,” ordinance,
Councilman Steve Biggs told
police Chief Greg Bonner,
“and we’re able to do it for
you.”
The new ordinance would
'Spirit'
theme
for 2004
Today’s edition of The
Chowan Herald features our
2004 Progress Edition.
The 20-page publication,
with a “Spirit” theme, ex
plores how our community
responded to the challenges
posed by Hurricane Isabel,
and the positive changes
that have resulted. S'
The Progress Edition be
gins on page Il-A.
County
water
rates up
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Managing Editor
According to county offi
cials, the water bills that will
be mailed to county residents
will include a rate increase.
While there will be no change
in the minimum fee, water use
in excess of 2,000 gallons per
month will result in a higher
rate. There will, they said, be
no change in the minimum fee.
County Manager Cliff Cope
land said the action was re
grettable but necessary.
“While the county is always
reluctant to increase water
rates,” he explained, “this in
crease is necessary so that the
water -system can increase
cash reserves to pay for future
improvements needed for the
| water system.” These im
provements, he said, include
additional wells and water
lines, increased storage capac
ity, and improved water treat
ment equipment. These im
provements are identified in a
long-range plan developed for
the Water system.”
Copeland noted that the
county earlier this year
implemented a “storm-pre
paredness” fee to fund the
purchase of generators
which will be installed at the
treatment plant and well
sites. This work, he said
Monday, “is underway.”
“Since the work is not com
plete for the current hurri
cane season,” he added, “the
county has contracted for
temporary generators to be
provided in the event that a
hurricane approaches before
the work is complete.”
Copeland said the genera
tors “will be delivered to the
county during the hurricane
warning period prior to the
anticipated arrival of the
storm in our community.”
prohibit dogs from being on
chains. All dogs within town
limits would be required to
be kept in pens, kennels, or
within fenced-in areas.
More important to town of
ficials, aggressive dogs — es
pecially those with a history
of biting people — would be
required to be microchipped,
and muzzled when off their
owner’s property.
Dogs on the “black list” for
the proposed ordinance in
clude: Pit bulls, Staffordshire
bull, American pit bull ter
Sunflower Giganticus
Contributed photo by Blair Currie
The Curries of Morgan Park in Edenton recently sowed sunflower seeds that were
listed as growing to ten feet. One seed, in the tradition of “Jack and the Beanstalk,”
soared to fifteen feet. In the above photo, Glenn and Anita Andersen, owners of Acoustic
Coffee, join two-year-old Callie Baker in admiring the colossus in all its glory.
Grocery store is site of stabbing
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
An Edenton man was stab
hed in a supermarket Monday
afternoon in what police are
calling the latest phase of an ^
ongoing dispute with his as
sailant.
rier, American Stafford
shire terrier, rottweilers,
-chow chows, doberman
pinchers, German shep
herds, Siberian huskies,
Alaskan malamutes, akitas,
boxers, great danes, wolf
hybrids, perro de presa
cananios, or any mix of
those breeds.
In addition, the ordinance
would prohibit anyone un
der the age of 16 from Walk
ing a vicious dog.
The ordinance labels a vi
cious dog as “any dog with
George Thomas Smith, 47, of
2100 Bio Comp Drive, was
stabbed at least five times in
the abdomen in Winn-Dixie
just before 3 p.m. Monday, po
lice Chief Greg Bonner said.
Stephen Martin Williams,
20, of 142 Thick Neck Road,
Edenton, was charged in the
a known propensity, ten
dency, or disposition to at
tack unprovoked, to cause
injury to, or to otherwise
endanger the safety of hu
mans or other domestic ani
mals.”
Pit bulls appear to be the
main canine targeted by the
ordinance. Pit bulls would
be disallowed from straying
outside a pen or kennel un
less it is securely leashed.
They must also be muzzled
while being taken for walks.
Pit bulls also can’t be keptj
stabbing. He is jailed at the
Chowan County Detention Fa
cility under a $100,000 bond.
“I think the reason for this
ongoing disagreement didn’t
just start yesterday,” Bonner
said Tuesday. “I believe there
has been some (heated) discus
sion prior to yesterday regard
on a “porch, patio or in any
part of a house or structure
that would allow the dog to
exit such building on its
own volition.”
Pit bull owners would
also be required to post “Be
ware of Dog” signs on their
property.
Biggs said there has been
support for reigning in ag
gressive dogs in town.
“There’s been a lot of talk
about it my way,” said
Biggs, who lives on Broad
Street. “A lot of good talk.”
Frinks spent his
life fighting for
rights of others
BY CHRIS WIPPLE
Cox NC Publications
On the mantel of Ruth
Holley Frinks’ home in
Edenton is a framed copy of
the Prayer of Jabez, which
ends, “...andkeepmefromevil,
that I may not cause pain.”
The verse speaks to the life
she led with her husband,
Golden Frinks. After a danger
ous life as an agitator in the
Civil Rights Movement,
Golden Frinks died peacefully
in bed Monday, July 19, at age
84. Following the precept of
non-violent protest, he stirred
up a i(tf of trouble ciiuliig his
life but caused no pain.
An Edenton resident for 64
years, Frinks was the former
national field secretary for the
'Odyssey' one of
year's big stories
(Editor’s Note: One of the mo<
munityover the past year was t
achieving a fifth place finish in '
petition. For other important n<
annua] Progress Edition which ii
BY GLENDA JAKUBOWSKI
Edenton-Chowan Schools
Chowan Middle School
placed fifth in the 2004 world
Odyssey of the Mind Competi
tion at the University of Mary
land.
Chowan competed against
58 other schools in the world
competition, and earned Sec
ond Place in its long-term
problem, behind the team from
Shanghai, China.
The team chose to solve the
vehicle problem, which in
volves building and driving a
human-powered “Envirover”
vehicle. The vehicle collects
trash and delivers it to a fac
tory, where it is used to manu
facture a product of the team’s
design. The Chowan team cre
ated “dancerizors” that en
abled anyone or anything (in
cluding a trash can and a car)
mg Mr. Williams’ relationship
with the niece of the victim
(Smith).”
Williams allegedly pulled a
knife out of his pants’ waist
band and “repeatedly” stabbed
Smith after both men had ar
See STABBING On Page 7-A
is dogs
Biggs did question how
police would address “black
list” dogs brought into town
by owners, either in backs
of trucks or on leashes for
walks.
Bonner said officers would
use their own judgement in
dealing with vicious dogs
temporarily brought into
town.
“We just have to use some
common sense with it,” the
chief said.
The issue was forwarded
to council’s Aug. 3 meeting.
Golden A. Frinks
Southern Christian Leader
ship Conference.
Tyrone L. Brooks, president
of the National Association of
Black Elected Officials, was
See FRINKS On Page 3-A
t significant events in our com
tie Chowan Middle School team
vorld Odyssey of the Mind com
ws from this past year, see our
i part of this week’s newspaper.)
that used the product to dance.
Odyssey of the Mind is an
international educational pro
gram that provides creative
problem-solving opportunities
for students from kindergar
ten through college. Kids apply
their creativity to solve prob
lems that range from building
mechanical devices to present
ing their own interpretation of
literary classics. They then
bring their solutions to compe
tition on the local, state, and
World level. Thousands of
See ODYSSEY On Page 3-A
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Edenton
Teen in
pagent.
._9-A
Pocosin Arts
Fundraiser._2-B
Edenton Bay Challenge
sails in........._..... 8-B
“Taking Back Our
Streets”.._...... 6-A
ATTENTION YOUTH CHEERLEADERS, FOOTBALL AND SOCCER PLAYERS
The Recreation Department and Northern Chowan Community Center will take registration for Cheerleading (ages 6-12), Flag Football (ages 6-8) and
Tackle Football (ages 8-12 with weight requirement) and Soccer (ages 5-18) the week of August 2-August 6. The cost is $10.00 ($15.00 after Aug. 6).
FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU MAY CALL 482-8595 OR 221 -4901.