Celebrate Independence Day at'one of the biggest over-the-water fireworks shows Wednesday, July 1, 2009 482-4418 NTO SECOND HALF r i H P 1 1 g I L L m N L fl V Animal shelter and animal control cope with budget cuts VERNON FUESTON/THE CHOWAN HERALD Cutbacks for the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Tyner may result in shelter director Mary Bass seeking food and supplies from citizen donations. By Vernon Fueston Staff Writer After absorbing $94,000 in cuts from their original $285,000 “option E” bud get scenarios, Chowan’s Animal Control and Animal Shelter Departments are combining some operations and finding other ways to make due with less. The two operations lost one animal control officer and two full time shelter workers in the cuts, leaving shelter di rector Mary Bass with just herself and one full-time employee to get the job done. , Bass said she and the animal con trol officer would combine their duties, working in both operations and spelling each other on animal control calls. That will mean changes in the quality of life for animals at the shelter and cut backs on what kinds of calls the depart ment will respond to. Fabulous Fourth celebration begins at 4 p.m. By Rebecca Bunch Staff Writer The Edenton waterfront will be the place t& be this July 4 as the Chowan-Eden ton Optimist Club presents its 30th annual Fabulous Fourth of July Celebration. 2 Free and open to the pub lic, the event will feature a little something for every one, according to spokesman Frank White. r Dave Cabana, heart transplant patient, shows zero signs of rejection By Rebecca Bunch Staff Writer Dave Cabana is happy in his backyard hideaway Relaxing in a chair under a tent in his backyard, a nearby fan supplying a steady breeze, and a radio providing some great music, he is the picture of health. But last year this time, he was pale and short of breath, and badly in need of a new heart. In fact, just months ago, he ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved DOMESTIC ANIMALS ONLY Bass said they would only be able to respond to calls regarding domesticated animals. She said any calls about snakes, birds and animals like opossums will have to go through the wildlife office. She said her department will no longer be able to set traps for wildlife. That still leaves her department able to respond to calls regarding stray dogs and cats, dog bites, charging dogs and ra bid domesticated animals. State law requires animal control to respond to rabid animals, but she said the state’s wildlife department will have handle calls about rabid wild animals. HOLDING TIMES Bass said that cutbacks in her de partment’s budget for food and supplies might require her to look for donations from local citizens and national organi “We want to invite every one to come and share a good day with family and friends as they enjoy all the activi ties, music and fireworks,” he said. Optimist-sponsored events — including a Penny Hunt and rides aboard the Opti mist train for children—will get underway about 4 p.m. There will also be food, fun, crafts and raffles. Musicalentertainmentwill was so near death that doctors . at Duke decided to fit him with an artificial heart just to keep him alive until a donor heart became available. “Three weeks to the day later he 'got the call” that they had a heart for him, his wife, Pam said, remembering. “We were on our way to Eliz abeth City, and we had to head back, pack a suitcase, and head to Duke,” Dave said. The couple made it there, within four hours, and then waited while the family who donated their loved one’s heart so Dave could live said their final goodbyes. It wasn’t until about 5 a.m., Pam said, that they came to take Dave to surgery. Dave still tears up, just thinking about that. zations. She said her department may be forced to look at shortening the time it holds animals in the shelter, but said no such decision has been made. The shelter currently holds dogs and cats with collars for five days even though state law requires only 72 hours. She said they also try to give animals without collars longer time when they appear tame. QUALITY OF LIFE Bass said the cutbacks leave her un able to. provide many “quality of life” services for the animals. Some of that care may have to come from volunteers or not be given at all. She said volunteers bathe the animals right now. Bass said she does spray the animals for fleas and ticks. Bass also said paid staff will simply See SHELTER on Page 2 A tribute to J. Hewes at 10 a.m. SEE PAGE B2 be provided by Steve Hardy’s Original Beach Party and is scheduled to include a patri otic salute to America. A spectacular fireworks show — described as “North Carolina’s largest over the t water fireworks show” — will take place starting about 9:15 p.m. Last year’s show, which “I would like the family to know that I am so sorry for their loss, but so grateful that even in their sorrow they gave me a second chance at life,” he said. When asked if he was ner vous going into surgery, he said he was not. "I was giving them two thumbs-up, as they wheeled me down there,” Dave said. “I was saying, let’s do this, give me drugs.” TIME TO HEAL " Since Dave’s surgery, Pam said, she continues to be amazed by how fast he is heal ing. “We just can’t believe how well he is doing,” she said. For now, Dave must now re-< drew thousands to the wa terfront, cost about $18,000, White noted. “These shows are expen sive, and we always appreci ate donations to help with that expense,” he said. Anyone interested in mak ing a donation may write a check to the Chowan-Eden ton Optimist Club, 160 Cow pen Neck Road, Edenton, N.C. 27932. The donation is tax exempt. REBECCA BUNCH Dave Cabana relaxing a month after a heart transplant. Revival of the Edenton Little Theatre coming The Edenton Little The ater is back in the spotlight, after a very long intermis sion. The current vice presi dent, Bruce King, an nounced this week that the group, which became inac tive more than a decade ago, is in the midst of a reforma tion and already planning a production. “We’ve been interested for some time in getting the Edenton Little Theatre up and running again,” said King. “The first thing we need to do is elect new officers. Then we need to get more people involved. Quite a few people have moved into the area in recent years, and many may have prior the ater experience. The long time members are very excited about getting .those people involved, too.” King said that Edenton newcomer Carolyn Pastorek will direct the first produc tion, planned for Oct. 9-10 ana lb-17. Pastorek moved to Eden ton in March from Colum bia, S.C. She brings with her quite a few years of community theater experi ence as an actor, director and production member. “The members voted to do a Neil Simon play, ‘Plaza Suite,’ and I could not be more excited,” Pastorek said.” This play is a favorite of community theaters be cause it has everything ... drama, seduction and com edy. Each of the three acts takes place in Rooiii 71jR of the fabulous Plaza Hofei in New York City. The visitors to Room 719 deal with some very personal stuff in a very impersonal setting.” Pastorek said actors are needed to fill four male roles and two female roles. “The main actors, a male and female, will portray dif ferent characters, or visi tors to Room 719, in each of the three acts. These char acters are in their late-for ties to mid-fifties. “We also need a young fe male in her mid-to-late 20s. The remaining male roles turn to Duke once every two weeks for testing to ensure the anti-rejection drugs are still working. That will gradually taper off to once a month. “He’s only had one time” there has been a problem so far, Pam said. “They increased his medication and since then he’s shown zero signs of rejec tion.” To keep Dave’s anti-rejec tion medicine continuously circulating in his body, he must take 52 pills a day at spe cific intervals. But Dave isn’t too worried about that. He’s feeling great and looking forward to get ting to do something he really loves. “In two more weeks,” he said, “I’ll be able to go in my pool! I can hardly wait!” swr m*. - wem Auditions When: Thursday & Friday, July 9 and 10 7 to 9 p.m. Where: Edenton ■ UMC Performance: 'Plaza Suite' by Neil Simon, Oct. 9-10 & 16-17 are hotel staff and other male guests, who should be in their 20s to 30s. “I think one of the ap pealing things about ‘Plaza Suite’ is that the actors are performing different roles in each of the acts,” she said. “The audience gets to see the actor portray different characters, one after the other, and the actor gets to stretch a little bit in the por trayal. That’s pretty excit ing, and a challenge.” Auditions will be held Thursday and Friday, July 9 and 10, from 7-9 p.m., in the Edenton United Methodist Church. Enter from Luke Street entrance closest to Virginia Roa •;j1v STEVE HARDY'S ORIGINAL BEACH PARTY POPULAR AMONG ALL AUDIENCES TRIBUTE TO OUR ARMED FORCES ft PATRIOTIC SALUTE TO AMERICA LOTS OF FOOD. FUN, CRAFTS, RAFFLES AND GAMES FOX aHLDBEN!!! Wl NEED YOUR FINANCIAL HELPI Make checks payable to CHOWAN EDENTON OPTIMIST CLUB i 160 Cowpen NeckM. Edenton NC 279321 IRS Tax Exempt ID # available upon request ;•