Excess
chemical
levels found
in water
No immediate health
risks are associated
with the violations
BY SEAN JACKSON
• The Chowan Herald
The Town of Edenton is ex
pecting to receive two viola
tion notices for exceeding con
taminant levels in the town’s
drinking-water supply in the
near future.
Fred Hill, regional supervi
sorfor the state Division of En
vironmental Health’s Public
Water Supply division, said
that the high levels of tri
halome-thanes (TTHMs) oc
curred in late 2005. Both Hill
and Town Manager Anne
Marie Knighton said that
TTHM does not pose an imme
diate health threat.
“It’s not going to be an immi
nent health risk or hazard,”
Hill said Tuesday. “But it is a
long-term concern.”
Hill also
said the
state is not
likely to im
pose any
fines upon
the town for
the contami
nation,
which oc
curs during
the process
of adding a disinfectant, in
this case chlorine, into the
drinking-water system.
“They’re being very proac
tive with us,” Hill said. “The
town has always been very co
operative.”
Hill also said that in this
case of contamination, chlo
rine likely reacted with or
ganic materials in the water
supply, causing the raised lev
els of TTHM.
“In Eastern North Caro
lina,” he said, “it’s relatively
common.”
Hill said that tests indicate
that the TTHM levels were
low in the first and second
quarters of 2006. A reading
of 80 microgams per liter is
See LEVELS On Page A2
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“May 15 was as bad a deadline for Medicare as April 15 is for taxes.”
-Shari Farless, Chowan County‘SHIIP’Coordinator
Cole Johnstone /The Chowan Herald
Clerk Karen Smith assists Bud Sowers, who is picking np prescription medication from Blount’s Drugstore in down
town Edenton. Monday night was the deadline to select a new prescription insurance plan without penalty.
As Medicare enrollment deadline
passes, anxiety lingers for some
BY EARLINE WHITE
The Chowan Herald
Many Chowan County's seniors can breathe a sigh of re
lief following the Medicare prescription drug plan enroll
ment, which concluded on Monday at midnight; while con
flicting information still confuses others about their options
under the voluminous new Federal act.
Since November 15, Shari Farless, Senior Health Insurance
Information Program Coordinator for Chowan County
(SHIIP), has assisted over 250 local seniors with enrollment
in the specific program that best suits their individual needs.
Edenton resident and AARP member Bill Miller has also
been working with local residents to help them sign up for
the programs. Certain programs, Miller said, cover prescrip
tions for some medicines that a person may be taking, but
possibly not others, which makes it imperative to choose
wisely when signing up for a plan. And with 40 programs of
fered in North Carolina, the decision-making process poten
tially could be confusing, Miller said Monday.
“There has been a good response as far. as getting people to
enroll in a program that fits their needs,” Farless said Tues
day. “Many of my clients came to me through doctors’ refer
rals. There have been very few who have not shown up for
their appointments. They (have shown up) on time, prepared,
Gena Harrell, ACS Supervisor Scholarship recipient, and
Brenda Newbern, Relay Registration Chairperson, release
butterflies as part of the opening ceremonies. Harrell emo
tionally thanked the crowd for their contributions and sup
port during her difficult cancer treatments. The butterfly
release was sponsored by Woodard’s Pharmacy in Hertford.
Allen Rem
and knowing which program they think will work for them.
Many came in with their adult children so they too could un
derstand what is going on. I feel that most (people) left with a
plan they are happy with. My goal was to help find them a
reputable plan that would do exactly what it specified whether
it was a state or national plan, one with a deductible or one
without. They got to choose which plan they wanted and I
feel confident that most of them are happy with their choice.
If not, then they can always come back and switch to another
plan.”
Seniors were required to enroll in a Medicare drug plan by
Monday in order to avoid a 1 percent monthly penalty for ev
ery month not enrolled. Medicare beneficiaries who missed
Monday’s deadline cannot sign up with a program begins No
vember 15 for coverage starting in January. Those who have
met the deadline, however, but find they are not satisfied with
their coverage may switch their drug plan program without
penalty, unless specified by the company.
“The biggest concern a lot of my clients have expressed was
that they feel they are being forced into a drug plan,” Farless
said. “I explained to them that they are not going into a con
tract with the government, but one with an insurance agency.
The second biggest concern my clients had was over how they
See MEDICARE On Page A2
Relay for Life a time for sharing
tears, laughter for a good cause
BY EARLINE WHITE
The Chowan Herald
Whether it was for their sis
ter, brother, mother, father,
grandparents, friends or even
for a complete stranger, hun
dreds of people from Chowan
and Perquimans counties
spent this past weekend at the
annual American Cancer
Society’s Relay for Life raising
awareness and money to help
battle the deadly disease. So far
$116,926 of the $140,000 goal
has been met. But it’s not too
late. You can still donate to the
cause or buy a ticket to see the
Rocky Hock Grand Ole Opry
coming up on May 26-27.
Each year there is a tremen
dous pouring forth of support
from the community to help
battle cancer, in all its forms.
Last year alone the Chowan/
Perquimans Relay raised ap
proximately $136,000. These
funds will be used for cancer
awareness campaigns, re
search and education;
“As always. I am very proud
of what has been accom
plished,” said Relay chairper
son, Debbie Burroughs. “It has
been a lot of work for every
body involved, but well worth
it, I think everyone would say.” ,
Members of the Z.T. Evans
Teacher
questioned
following
incident at
restaurant
BY SEAN JACKSON
The Chowan Herald
A local teacher has been
questioned with respect to al
leged inappropriate behavior
involving a female student.
The incident reportedly oc
curred over the weekend at an
Edenton restaurant.
The teacher, whom school
and police officials have de
clined to identify, is part of a
probe being conducted by the
Edenton Police Department.
No charges had been filed
against the teacher by press
time Tuesday.
School officials declined to
say whether or not the teacher
had been suspended, but Su
perintendent Allan Smith indi
cated Tuesday that the teacher
had been removed from class
room duties.
“Until the investigation is
complete,” Smith said in a
written statement provided to
The Chowan Herald, “the per
son in question is not assigned
to any duties requiring his
presence on any of the Eden
ton-Chowan Schools cam
puses, nor contact with any
students or staff.
“Of course, the safety of the
students is our top priority,”
Smith added.
Det. Sgt. Rhonda Copeland
said Monday that the teacher’s
home computer was taken to a
State Bureau Investigation lab
Monday. Copeland said results
of the SBI tests were not com
plete.
“They’re having to try to re
cover some files,” Copeland
said, adding that police did not
have to obtain a warrant to
seize the computer.
“He gave consent,” she said.
SBI officials said it would
take “a day or two” to complete
the tests, Copeland said.
The teacher reportedly ap
proached the teen-aged stu
dent, whom officials have also
See INCIDENT On Page A2
family were among the almost
20 relay teams resting beneath
tents on Saturday morning at
the Holmes Athletic Complex.
As some were waking up from
their overnight stay at the site,
the Evans family was busy
cooking dry beans to sell with
all of the proceeds going to
Relay. The Evans Family team
has been taking part in Relay
for 10 years now. This year they
raised around $8,000, co-cap
tain Joyce Evans said. A team
that originally began,in honor
of the eldest Evans’ parents,
Zachariah and Effie, has now
See RELAY On Page A2