482-4418
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
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165 JOHN A. HOLMES HIGH GRADS RECEIVE DIPLOMAS
JUSTIN FALLS/THE DAILY ADVANCE
Graduates leave their seats in a hurry as rain begins to fall immediately following the turning of the tassels during the graduation ceremony at John A. Holmes High Friday night.
Below, a member of the crowd waves to the graduates during processional as the graduation ceremony for the class of 2009 begins.
By Rebecca Bunch
The Chowan Herald
One hundred sixty-five members of
the Class of 2009 received diplomas
from John A. Holmes High School
Friday night.
The graduation ceremony took place out
doors in the Aces Athletic Complex.
Humid weather, relieved by an occasional
gust of wind, left those in the audience using
their programs for fans.
In the stands, filled to capacity, family mem
bers held brightly colored bunches of blue
and gold balloons, the school colors.
Little children sat on their mothers’ laps,
waiting to catch a glimpse of a brother or sis
ter among the graduates.
Grandparents, too, could be seen in the
crowd, some in wheelchairs on the grass be
low the seating area, sharing in the joy of the
occasion.
Emmy Award-winning NBC News anchor
Jim Vance of Washington, D.C. served as the
keynote speaker. His godson, Kameron Vance
Nickens, was a member of the graduating
class.
Vance remarked that seeing so many people
fanning themselves reminded him of Sunday
church services he had attended as a young
ster with family in the South where fans were
a mainstay on hot summer days.
“I am happy to be here,” Vance told the
crowd. “I consider it a privilege, an honor,
to be invited to the party on occasions like
this.”
He encouraged the graduates to be mindful
of the company they kept, to devote them
selves to work they found meaningful, and to
Hats Off
Party’s On
treasure their families and the friends they would make along
the way
Most importantly, he said, they needed to remember to give
back.
“Don’t be selfish,” he said. “You can (accomplish that) by
making your life one of service.”
Vance was introduced by Campbell Brown, Salutatorian of
the Class of 2009.
Valedictorian Claire Baker also addressed the graduates.
She expressed gratitude on behalf of the class to Principal
Bill Moore and the teachers with whom they
had spent their high school years, and their
parents who had encouraged and believed in
them.
Baker also said those in the class would
miss the good friends they had made “who
understand exactly who we are. ”
The traditional “Pomp and Circumstance’
was performed by the John A. Holmes Con
cert Band under the direction of David Shaw.
Recognition of Marshals was carried out by
Mary Lyons, assistant principal at Holmes..
Senior Class President Victoria Asbury
welcomed those attending graduation and of
fered a salute to seniors.
In their final performance together, the
Holmes Concert Choir Senior Ensemble per
formed “You’re Gonna Miss This”.
Later in the program, the entire Holmes
Concert Choir sang together on “100 Years,”
under the direction of Anna Kay Laughton.
In his last official public act as principal
at Holmes, Bill Moore presented the senior
class, praising them for their achievements
and wishing them the best of luck in the fu
ture.
“Be confident you can be successful at any
thing you want to achieve,” Moore told them.
Diplomas were awarded by Dr. Allan Smith,
superintendent of schools. He was assisted by
Edenton-Chowan Board of Education Chair
Ricky Browder and Holmes Assistant Princi
pal Todd Korbusieski.
James Allen, a member of the Class of
2009, presided over the turning of the tassels
■by the seniors. Allen, who was selected for
the honor by his classmates, served as cadet
commander for the Army Junior ROTC at the
high school.
Sheriffs department tries to absorb cuts and keep service
By Vernon Fueston
Staff Writer
Just like every other de
partment head in Chowan
County’s government, Sheriff
Dwayne Goodwin absorbed
his share of budget cuts for
next fiscal year, June 1.
But he knows his depart
ment is unique.
After taking a $367,000
hit between his Sheriffs Of
fice, jail operations, the jail
building’s maintenance and
911 communications center
over its first budget request,
Goodwin knows he can’t do
anything that will jeopardize
l,' public safety.
With $2.73 million left to
work with between those four
accounts, Goodwin said he
believes he’s found a balance
02009 The ChovVan hferald •
AH Rights Reserved
between saving short-term
money for the county and pro
tecting its citizens.
BARE BONES
“Are we down to bare
bones? Absolutely,” Goodwin
said. “But as far as folks are
concerned, they won’t see any
difference. We’re going to do
what we’ve got to do to make
this thing work.”
The original budget “sce
nario” posted during hear
ings held by Chowan’s county
commissioners would have
meant job losses for officers,
gaps in patrols during court
sessions and midnight pa
trols.
That budget cut funds for
part time officers used for
court duty, prisoner trans
fers. But Goodwin said those
problems were fixed during
the final weeks of budget ne
. gotiations, solving a problem
he said could have reduced
the number of officers avail
able for patrols.
Goodwin said there is no
plan to reduce sheriff’s pa
trols and that officers will stUl
patrol during court hours.
He said his department
must still sacrifice in ways
that may plug some leaks
in the county’s short-term
finances, but that aren’t sus
tainable in the long run.
SHORTTERM SAVINGS
One example of such short
term savings is the deferred
purchase of new police cars.
Goodwin said that just like
other departments, he’s been
asked live with old equipment
while the county gets through
a nasty recession and finan
cial restructuring.
He said that strategy may
work for the short term, but it
won’t fly forever.
Patrol cars typically have
a life after about five years
of 120,000 miles before being
taken off primary duty and
put on auxiliary status to -
transport prisoriers.
“After a point, that’s going
to start costing the county
more money to maintain the
old cars,” Goodwin said.
‘i’ve heard people say, ‘just
have fewer patrol cars.’ Well,
VERNON RJESTON/THE CHOWAN HERALD
"Are we down to bare bones? Absolutely,” said Sheriff Goodwin. “But
as far as folks are concerned, they won't see any difference.”
you can do that out men
you’re just running the cars
24 hours a day. It adds up.
“Then you’re running
90,000 miles on a car per year,
so in two years you’re going to
have cars with 200,000 miles
on them. They’re not going
to last.”
ftit it’s those kinds of
trade-otls mat Goodwin said
his department will be mak
ing to help pull the county
through until the economy
turns around.
KEEPING THE EDGE
After freezing two unfilled
See SHERIFF on Page 2
Spend a
day on
the bay
By Rebecca Bunch
Staff Writer
If you’re looking for a fun
way to celebrate Father’s
Day with your dad this
weekend, or if you just want
to kick back and relax, Eden
ton’s waterfront is the place
to be.
This Friday evening the
H,h annual Edenton Music
and Water Festival will get
underway at 6 p.m. with
some great music lasting
until 8:30 p.m.
The Choral Ensemble
from St. George Orthodox '
Church, and Anita and
Glenn Andersen with their
performance of some clas
sic rock favorites, as well as
original compositions, will
open the festival.
There will also be a tal
ent show from 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
followed by a sunset paddle
from 6:45-7:45 p.m.
On Saturday, from 11 a.m.
until 6 p.m. there will be mu
sic, races, demonstrations
and more.
Saturday’s events on the
water are scheduled to in
clude USCA Races in the
morning, along with guided
paddles, sunfish sailboat
races, and paddling with >
the Periauger, just to name
a few.
. There will also be arts and
crafts, a rock climbing wall,
and food vendors on hand as
well as a kids area provided
courtesy of Sylvan Learn
ing Center.
Nancy Nicholls, execu
tive director of the Chowan
County Tourism Develop
ment Authority, said that
Saturday’s planned on-stage
talent line-up, courtesy of
Radio Media Productions, is
“incredible”.
A wide range of musical
styles, from Platters’ hits of
the ‘50s to blues and R&B by
Fred Hill and the 007 Band
— not to mention the cool
tunes of the John A. Holmes
Jazz Ensemble — will be fea
tured.
Other favorites will in
clude “our very own Sam
Morris of Rocky Hock Grand
Ole Opry fame,” Nicholls
said, as well as the tradi
tional sound of the Poticasi
Strings — complete with
three mountain dulcimers,
two guitars, two fiddles and
a cello — performing for the
first time in Edenton.
, A favorite from Acoustic
Coffee days in Edenton, the
Danny Daughtridge Trio of
Rocky Mount, will also be
there, as will country sing
er/songwriter Justin Hol
land.
Abstract Vibe, the sweet
sounds of flutist Anthony
Horton, and original music
by MC Peter Boehling and
Paul Richmond, will round
out the bill. *
The event’s principal
sponsor is Western LP
Others helping to present
the festival are the Chowan
Arts Council, the Edenton-;':
Chowan Chamber of Com
merce, Chowan County
Tourism and Development
Authority, Chowan County
4-H, Destination Downtown
Edenton, the Eastern 4-H
Center, Edenton-Chowan
Recreation Dept., Edenton
Coffee House and the Sun
fish Sailing Club.
Go to www.edentonmu
sicandwaterfestival.com or w
call 800-775-0111 05 (252) 482- %
3400 for more information.