Call 482-4418
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
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Coming Next Week
Something's
fishy? Spend a
day at Murray
Nixon's Fishery
in Rocky Hock
Who, what and
where of the
Chowan Co. Fair
See Below
Officials
map plans
for local
growth
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Some Chowan County resi
dents want a pool in Edenton,
as well as more to do along the
town’s waterfront.
Other residents envision a
flourishing economy, includ
ing scores of new, well-paying
jobs.
And others want to see more
housing available for the
people holding those jobs.
For Richard Bunch, execu
tive director of the Edenton
Chowan Chamber of Com
merce, said he’s just pleased
that people want to update
the local growth plan.
The current plan was
drafted a decade ago. About 50
town and county officials met
Monday to renew the previous
growth goals.
“It all began through a com
munity session like this,”
Bunch said at the opening of
the meeting sponsored by the
Chamber and involving East
Carolina University develop
ment officials.
Mack Simpson, associate di
rector of ECU’s regional de
velopment department, said
some communities simply let
their plans gather dust on
shelves.
“Two years from now,” he
said, “you don’t even remem
ber the plan.”
But that hasn’t been the case
in Edenton and Chowan, he
See VISION, Page A2 >
INDEX
A Local
Opinion ......... a6
Land Transfers..A4
j • . . •
B Sports
Nascar...82
Cycle Speedway........ B4
C Community News
Upcoming Events .....C2
Society.. C3
Obituaries................ C6
Church _C7,8
D Classifieds
Buy/Sell/Trade.......... D1
Service Directory...... D2
Employment.. D4
Contact us
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02006 The Chowan Herald
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of
The Freeze
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TASTES
PBEEZ;
Blafr Currie
Ed Taylor spends every lunch hour overseeing the operations at The Freeze, and chjatting
with customers. He said about leaving the business: "I'll miss it all." /
Ed Taylor says
goodbye to the
restaurant business
after 42 years
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Ed Taylor remembers
when an ice cream cone
only set him back a nickel.
A hamburger was only 15
cents.
Times change, and so will
the ownership of The
Freeze — formerly known
as the Tastee-Freez on West
Queen Street.
After 42 years of selling
burgers, sundaes and
shakes, Taylor is moving
59th annual regional fair rolls into town next week
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Managing Editor
Next Tuesday, for the 34th
consecutive year, E.C. Toppin
will help usher in the Chowan
County Regional Fair.
It’s a pleasure more than a
chore, according to Toppin, who
serves as fair manager and
president of the Chowan
County Regional Fair Associa
tion, which plans the event each
year.
“My favorite time of all,” said
Toppin, “is opening day I really
look forward to seeing all those
kids coming in, with those great
big smiles on their faces.”
on.
“There comes a time in
your life when you should
move on,” he said, “whether
you want to or not.”
Taylor, 73, isn’t moving on
without some regrets.
“I’ll miss it all,” he said,
“the customers and the em
ployees. It’s a sad time in a
way.”
His wife Stella has gotten
used to the idea, after some
prodding from her husband.
“I think she’s ready to do
it,” he said.
The restaurant isn’t the
only business Taylor started
in Edenton. He opened the
Bridge Turn Exxon at the
corner of West Queen and
South Broad streets 45 years
Last year’s fair attracted
17,400 visitors “and we hope to
exceed that this year,” he said.
Among the activities Toppin
predicts will excite those at
tending are everything from
video games to gospel music.
“I think the teens and
younger kids too will be excited
about the free video games be
ing provided by IGX," he said.
Games are scheduled to in
clude Playstation 2, Nintendo
Game Cube, Microsoft Xbox,
Game Boy Advance, and PC’s.
Players are also encouraged to
register to win a new Ninetendo
Game Cub system.
Another crowd pleaser is ex
ago. His son, Steve, n< w runs
that service station.
In recent years, Tayipr has
spent much of his time\jt the
eatery, talking to customers
and making sure everything
was in ship-shape order.
“Just about everybody
knows me,” he said.
Tastee-Freez began as a
place where you could only
buy sundaes, shakes and soft
serve ice cream cones.
In the early 1960s, cooked
foods were added to the
menu. As a result, the service
went from seasonal to year
round, Taylor said.
He learned early-on to
watch his overhead costs.
“The name of the game is
being a penny-pincher to be
See FREEZE, Page A2 ►
pected to be the Barnyard Ex
press, a comic experience in
learning about animals. The
express, which Toppin says was
a big hit last year, is the brain
child of Farmer John, a former
state extension agent.
“He really had the crowd go
ing,” said Toppin of Farmer
John’s 2005 show. “They were
really excited.”
There will also be trout fish
ing for all ages, a petting zoo
and an Electric Rodeo. The mid
way will be operated by
Playworld Amusements again
this year.
Gospel Night will be Thurs
day night, and Toppin says that
Kids catch fall fishing
fever at the hatchery
Sports, B1
my chicken
Local woman raises
feathered friends
Community, C1
They’re groups,
not gangs, police
chief says
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
Edenton’s police chief says two local, rival groups
tied to r ecent fights are identifying themselves as the
Bloods and the Crips.
But there’s no evidence either group is tied to the
infamous, California-based gangs.
“There’s nothing we have,” police Chief Greg
Bonner said, “to say there is an established, bona fide
gang [here].”
A pair of recent fights — including one last week
that sent one person to the hospital and resulted in at
least six arrests — has brought gang-sensivity to the
surface.
Two of the suspects from last week’s fight were
charged with inciting a riot.
“There is a group [of youth] the community is ex
periencing problems with,” the chief said.
However, no gang-related problems have been re
ported at local schools. The fights have occurred away
from Holmes high school, after hours.
“We have noticed increased gang-like activity in
Edenton just in general,” but not in the schools,
Glenda Jakubowski, Edenton-Chowan Schools spokes
person, said.
On Sept. 14, members of the so-called local Bloods
went to a residence at 219 E. Church St. A fight broke
out shortly thereafter. Bonner said a motive for that
fight hasn’t been discovered.
“We’re trying to find out,” he said, “why is it these
groups are meeting in certain locations to fight.”
Three men were arrested for their roles in that al
tercation, while two other people — including a
Holmes high school football player — were taken to
Chowan Hospital for treatment.
Neither of the injured youths suffered severe inju
ries, the chief said.
More arrests are in store.
“We anticipate nine to 10 additional warrants,”
Bonner said.
Arrested last week were Maurice Spears, 17, of 219
E. Church St. and Sherrod Sanderlin, 23, of 128 E.
Freemason St. Both face felony charges of inciting a
riot and misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse.
They were released from the Chowan County Deten
tion Facility after posting $12,500 bonds.
Also arrested was Deshane Sanderlin, 22, on felony
weapons and drug charges.
the Anchormen and others are
expected to draw a large audi
ence. “I think that’s going to be
a big night for us,” he said.
Among this year’s special
performers on other nights will
be Elvis impersonator Sterling
Riggs, who will sing on Wednes
day followed by the enormously
popular Rocky Hock Opry Band
on Friday
And rounding out the weeks’
activities will be the Little Miss
Pageant and the Miss Chowan
County Fair Pageant.
There will also be many edu
cational exhibits for fairgoers
See FAIR, Page A2 >
Earline White/The Chowan Herald
Lou's Petting Zoo was a big
hit among kids last year.