482-4418
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Thomas
Armstead
stays on the
50* move A3
' JU . AF*
Lowe’s store clears a hurdle
■ Plan supported, 6 to 1
■ Farm Fresh is not a definite
By Sean Jackson
Staff Writer
Town planning leaders
support a revised design
for Edenton Commons that
includes Lowe’s Home Im
provement Center.
By a 6-1 vote Monday
night, the Planning Board
recommended approving
a permit for developers to
bring Lowe’s to the shop
ping center, located near the
intersection of Whitemon
Lane and N.C. Highway 32.
Town Council is expected
to hold a public hearing
— and could possibly vote
— on the permit Nov. 13.
Meader Harriss cast the
only dissenting vote during
Monday’s meeting — which
drew a crowd of about 170
people — held at Edenton
Baptist Church.
Developer Jon Wheeler
said he has an agreement
with Lowe’s, but not with
Farm Fresh. „
Harriss questioned if the
supermaket chain would
ever build at Edenton Com
mons.
“ We do not have a deal with
Farm Fresh,” developer Jon
Wheeler said. “I would love
it to be Farm Fresh, but I
don’t know that.”
Officials said Edenton
Commons Shopping Center
could bring up to $230,000
in sales and property tqx
revenues. The county could
see an as much as $777,000 to
$1.2 million.
Overall, the site could
create as many as 400 jobs,
Wheeler said. Lowe’s could
hire as many as 100 workers,
company official Nicky Wag
ner said.
Harriss’ motion to delay
a vote on a rezoning of the
site failed.
He said the board needed
more time to review opin
ions of a financial impact
assessment given to the
town by Wheeler.
Board member Audrey
Bond said retail growth
would benefit Edenton.
“I think competition is
good,” she said.
Board chairman Craig
Miller also said adding
Lowe’s improved the site.
Terry Waff, a board mem
ber who also chairs Eden
ton’s Destination Downtown
group, said she was not bi
ased by her connections to
downtown businesses.
“Edenton. is a part of
Chowan County,” she said,
“and what affects one, af
See LOWE'S, Page A2 >
School board
to consider
uniforms and
construction
By Rebecca Bunch
Staff Writer
When local school board
members gather for their an
nual retreat later this month,
they will be discussing two
weighty issues — school con
struction needs and school
uniforms.
The agenda calls for the
board to spend the morning
session discussing construc
tion. The afternoon session
will be devoted to briefing the
board on the results of a sur
vey on uniforms followed by
discussion among the board
members.
Discussing options
Dr. Allan Smith reminded
the board at their monthly
meeting Monday night that
they would not be able to take
any formal action until their
October board meeting. “But
we can begin to discuss some
options,” he said.
The retreat is scheduled to
take place Oct. 10 at the Eden
ton-Chowan Technology Cen
ter.
County Manager Cliff Co
peland is expected to attend,
according to Smith.
Also on Monday night, the
board heard a presentation
from Rose Hawkins, director
*«
5 See SCHOOLS, Page A2 >
J INDEX
A Local -
v Opinion.A7
Land Transfers...........A5
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’*1yw** - fi* *■» 4* A* A* 4* ** A* A* A* A* Wf** A* J A* ** A* A*A***a*4*4* a’ 4^4* At.4\
D
Sports
Recreation News.......B1
Nascar..,... B4
Community News
Upcoming Events.C2
Society...C6
Obituaries.. C9
Church.....C10.11
Classifieds
Buy/Sell/Trade.....D1
Service Directory.D2
Employment.D4
l89076"448131
©2006 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
FAIR SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD
Earline White/The Chowan Herald
More than 2,000 kids turned put Wednesday for youth day at the fair.
The Chowan County Re
gional Fair experienced its
most successful year as it cel
ebrated its 60th anniversary
this past week.
There were * 150 new first
time exhibitors with 600 plus
additional quality exhibits.
Over 27,000 people visited
the fair this year, exceeding
attendance records every
night except Thursday when
it rained all around but not
at the American Legion Fair
grounds.
The success enjoyed by the
Chowan County Regional Fan
is due to the support of the re
gion and the dedication of 150
plus volunteers who work dili
gently to produce a top quality
community service affair.
Planning for the 61st annual
Chowan County Regional Fair
has begun.
It is not too early for exhibi
tors to start planning for next
year. Several current vendors,
commercial exhibitors and po
tential vendors have already
asked for space for 2008. Any
one with questions call 252
482-4057 or visit the Web site at
chowanfair.com.
All proceeds made by the
American Legion through the
fair go back to the community
through various Legion pro
grams and donations.
Sandy Point gets
Anal permit
No date yet for groundbreaking at
Sandy Point; site clearing at
Beechwood almost complete
By Sean Jackson
Staff Writer
More than three years after its plans were launched,
Sandy Point subdivision is a go.
Developer Sam Young received word Friday that the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had issued its permit
for the waterfront subdivision, the last one needed.
“We’re delighted,” Young said. “The land is now en
titled to be developed.”
The 1,600-home subdivision will straddle the north
ern end of the Albemarle Sound Bridge—just several
miles from downtown Edenton.
Young had no specific date for when construction
would start.
Permits have been slow to come,
officials have said. The discovery
of underwater grasses last summer
added to the delay
But it’s a project well worth the
wait, Chowan County Manager
Cliff Copeland said.
“It’s a big day,” Copeland said.
“I’m extremely excited. It’s been a
long, hard battle."
Copeland and Town Manager
Anne-Marie Knighton praised
Young for sticking with the project — expected to
bring millions of dollars in tax revenues to the county
— through the delays.
“A lot of developers would have thrown their hands
up and gone home,” Copeland said of Young.
“Sam Young and his team worked incredibly hard
to get to this point,” Knighton said. “What a gem this
project is going to be for our region and our state.”
Young said he will now focus on hiring contractors
for construction, and on final designs for the project
— which includes retail areas, parks, and inland har
bors.
It will be at least a year before any of the buildings
are completed, he added.
“It can’t happen immediately,” he said of the proj
ect, which touts “New Urbanism” as its chief design
characteristic.
New Urbanism strives to provide connected, up
See SANDY, Page A2 >
Young
64nd annual Peanut Festival on its way
By Earline White
Managing Editor
It’ll be a day filled with
peanuts, parents, and pag
eantry as the annual Pea
nut Festival kicks off Sat
urday at 9 a.m in Historic
Edenton.
The fourth annual Eden
ton Peanut 5K Run/ Walk
at Queen Anne Park will
lead the day’s festivities at
9 a.m.
In addition to the 5K
Run/Walk, Chowan Hospi
tal will host a one-mile Fun
Walk beginning at Queen
Anne Park and a wellness
fair from 9 a.m. to noon.
Both events ar$ open
to people of all ages and
perfect for families and
friends to join together
and participate in.
The Peanut Run/Walk is
an out and back flat course
starting at Queen Anne
Park and running through
Historic Hayes Plantation
and Edenton Bay subdivi
sion.
The Fun Run also starts
at Queen Anne and is a flat
loop course through the
downtown area.
Presentation of awards
will follow the conclusion
of the 5K Race. Medals
will be awarded to the top
three overall male and fe
male winners, and the top
three male and female fin
ishers in age divisions.
Then at 11 a.m., Mr. Pea
nut will once again lead
the Peanut Festival parade
down Broad Street, rain or
shine.
The hour-long parade
will begin at Golden Cor
ral, turn right onto Broad
and end at Broad and Wa
ter streets.
It’s not too late for en
tries. Contact Joyce Lassit
er at 482-4985 or 312-4448.
So far 60 entries are
signed up to take part in
cluding the local schools
and churches. Don’t miss
the big tractors, big trucks
and loud horns.
The annual Peanut Festi
val Battle of the Bands will
end the day’s action begin
ning at 5 p.m. Marching
bands from all over north
eastern N.C. will compete
at the John A. Holmes Ath
letic Complex for trophies
to take home.
And when your belly
starts to rumble, look
around for the county’s
pride — peanuts — raw,
roasted, fried or made into
brittle.
The sailboat races spon
sored by the Edenton
Mr. Peanut will once again
lead the Peanut Festival
Parade at 11 a.m.
Yacht Club will also take
place that afternoon. Head
toward the bay to check
out the racers and their vi
brant colors.
For more information
about the Peanut Festival
call the Edenton Chamber
of Commerce at 482-3400.
"V A Edenton Chowan Band Parents
■ uctooer %ew ,
6th j3J Chicken /BBO Plates 11-2pm & 4-7pm
32nd Annual Peanut Festival
/ $7/plate
pickup plates at
Athletic Complex
('amt fWf .***.»' ^sn*d
“Bottle of the
Competition
15:00 pm $7/perso