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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
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Check out our new recipe
column - Marge’s Mailbag
See Page 3A
Obama’s
school
plan to
get look
School board to eye .
‘Race to the Top’ idea
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
At its January meeting,
the Edenton-Chowan Board
of Education will consider
letting the school system be
coming part of the Obama
administration’s “Race to the
Top” initiative.
The initiative, developed to
reform education in America,
has already won the support
of Gov. Bev Perdue. .
Monday night, the board re-,
ceived a briefing on the plan
from Superintendent Allan
Smith.
He noted
that the goal
of this $4.5
billion fed
eral grant,
developed as
part of the
American
Recovery and Smith
Reinvestment
Act, is to reward states whose
school systems embrace inno
vation and reform in an effort
to help students improve their
academic performance.
North Carolina would be
eligible to receive between
$200-$400 million if selected
to receive one of the grants,
Smith said.
Exactly how much each
participating school system
would receive is unknown
at this point, Smith said, al
though he noted that there is
a higher incidence of students
< living in poverty in Chowan
County than some others in
the region, which would prob
ably translate into additional
dollars.
Areas that would receive
greatest consideration would
include turning around
low-performing schools and
improving teacher effective
ness.
For the first time, Smith
said, student performance
would be tied to teacher evalu
ations, something he said was
“probably the most controver
sial” part of the process.
He added that there was still
much to be learned about the
initiative and that he hoped
state-level meetings planned
for later this week would help
him and other officials in the
area better understand it.
“I still have some questions,
and I’m sure others do too,”
Smith said.,
“What are the strings at-'
:S; tached?” asked board mem
ber Gil Burroughs.
Smith admitted that while
he was sure there would be
) strings attached, the answer
would depend on what the fi
nal state plan looked like.
“I have read the draft,
hopefully we’ll get more in
formation soon,” Smith said.
“There are still some blanks,
at this point.”
Deadline for submitting
applications, for Phase I of
the program is Jan. 19. North
Carolina is expected to meet
1 that deadline.
Each school district has the
fteedom to choose to be part
of the process, accepting the
fUnds and guidelines that go
along with them, or declining
to participate.
©2009 The Chowan Herald
^ .. All Rights Reserved
►' W vS-* ’if ‘.
Turn on the lights, be merry
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STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT A. CLARK
Mayor Roland Vaughan and “Santa” flip the light switch during Edenton’s anual tree lighting ceremony, Friday.
Let the Candlelight Tour begin
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer - ;
A special group of hom
JL JLopen their doors for
the annual Candlelight
Tour, set for Friday and
Saturday.
The weekend event will
be filled with hospitality
and treasur ed memories.
But, it doesn’t end there.
Area businesses have found
that the annual holiday
launch translates into an
economic boost for Edenton
and Chowan County. Many
out-of-town visitors end op
spending the weekend. In
addition to lodging, visi
tors spend on dining and
shopping.
“Last year, when the
economy was in such
turmoil, business owners
here told me that the two
days of the Christmas tour
were the best two days
in business they had the
whole year)” said Becky
Winslow, executive director
of the Edenton Historical
Commission (EHC), which
sponsors the event.
Last year, some 1,400
people visited the down
town homes, considered
by many to be some of the
region’s most beautiful,
Winslow said.
Proceeds from the event
eowners will throw
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT A. CLARK
M
Mil*
Members of Albemarle Sounds serenade the audience with Christmas carols during the annual tree
lighting ceremony in Edenton, Friday.The event was sponsored by Destination Downtown.
support local historic pres
ervation efforts. More than,.
$30,000 was netted last year.
EHC President Jerry
Climer noted that local his
toric sites are also benefi
ciaries of the monies raised
during the tour.
“Those funds help keep
the Barker House in decent
condition,” Climer said.
The Barker House is the
most revered historical
home in Edenton.
Also benefiting is the
project to renovate the
Roanoke River Lighthouse
that sits on the downtown
Edenton waterfront. About
two years ago, it was moved
to its current location on a
barge. 'h
2009 Tour f
Private homes along West
Water Street, South Gran
ville Street and Pembroke
Circle will be among those
showcased on this year’s
tour.
Hours will be 4 p.m. to 8
p.m. both days.
Tickets for the tour are
$25 per person. There is no
admission for children 12
and under. For groups of 20
or more, the cost is $20 per
person.
See LIGHTS on Page 5A
Chowan’s unemployment rate drops slightly
Holiday
safety
tips from
FEMA
Between the need for
heat during the winter
months and the fire risks
associated with Christ
mas decorations, homes
can easily become a tin
derbox.
Now is the time to take
winter and holiday pre
cautions with fire safe
ty. While Edenton and
Chowan County have been
relatively safe of tragic
'fires, this is the time of
year when extra caution
should be heeded. Of the
roughly 350 fire depart
ment service calls during .
the year, about' one third
involve some type of fire,
according to Edenton Fire
Chief Charles Westbrook.
Seldom are the fires cate
gorized as major and they
typically involve cooking,
Westbrook added.
Nonetheless, practic
ing safety first during this
time of year will reduce
the likelihood a serious
fire.
Winter fire safety tips
for the home
The high cost of home
heating . fuels and utili
ties have caused many
Americans to search for
alternate sources of home
heating. The use of wood
burning stoves is grow
ing and space heaters are.
selling rapidly, or coming
out of storage. Fireplaces •
are for burning wood and
manmade logs.
All these methods of
heating may be accept
able. They are, however, a ..
major contributing factor
in residential fires. Many
of these fires can be pre
vented. The following fire
safety tips can help you
maintain a fire safe home
this winter.
Kerosene heaters
Be sure your heater is in
good working condition.
Inspect exhaust parts for
carbon buildup. Be sure'
the heater has an emer
gency shut off in case
the heater is tipped over.
Never use fuel burning
appliances without proper
room venting. Burning
fuel (coal, kerosene, or
propane, for example) can
produce deadly fumes.
Use ONLY the fuel rec
ommended by the heater
manufacturer. NEVER in- ?
troduce a fuel into a unit
not designed for that type
fuel.
See SAFETY on Page 9A
Jobless average still
among area’s worse
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
News Editor
While the state’s overall unemploy
ment rate rose in October, Chowan
County’s rate continued to improve,
dropping slightly, according to the lat
est report by the state Employment Se
curity Commission.
But, what appears to be good news is
a bit misleading. While the unemploy
ment rate slightly improved, Chow
an’s labor force expanded, said Ricky
Coltrain, manager of the county’s Em
ployment Security Commission.
“We’re not any better off than we
were,” Coltrain said. “The labor force
went up more than the unemployment
rate.
“Helping the jobless f
find work continues
to be one of our major
goals. ”
Moses Carey Jr.
Chairman, Employment
Security Commission
•rM’ ■ “■ -V
Despite its slow pace of continued
improvement, Chowan still ranks
among the worse of its northeastern
North Carolina neighbors. Although
it’s too early to compare November’s
employment statistics, Coltrain ex
pects the county’s unemployment rate
to further dip after the first of the year.
Coltrain explained that the first, quar
ter of the year typically stalls because
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Wit:’*"**. **Na S
retail sales slow after the holidays with
many retail workers sidelined from
employment. Add the trend of employ
ers seldom hiring immediately after
the new year and the unemployment
rate will likely take another hit.
Chowan was among^North Caroli
na counties that showed improvement.
Figures show that Chowan County
came in at 11.7 percent, sightly better
than its September marjm 11.9. Since
July, the county has been pacing em
ployment numbers that show contin
ued improvement, albeit slight. Those
improvements still trail the state’s
overall average.
Seven counties remained unchanged
from the previous month with 74 of
the state’s 100 counties experiencing
an increase in unemployment.
“While some of the increases are
seasonal, there is a continued effect
^throughout tjie state from this reces
sion,” said Moses Carey Jr., ESC chair
man. “Helping the jobless find work
continues to be one of our major goals.
We have seen some hiring over the
past month, but we also know that lay
offs continue to take place. Meanwhile,
the ESC is aggressively working to fin
ish the necessary programming of ; ‘
our computer system so that the new
extension of claims can be filed and
paid.”
North Carolina had 49 counties that
were at or below the state’s unadjusted
unemployment rate of 10.7 percent.
Currituck County had the state’s
lowest unemployment rate in October,
at 6 percent.
Other area counties posted the
following jobless rates: Bertie, 10.6 per
cent; Camden, 7.4 percent; Dare, 8.6
percent; Gates, 6.7 percent; Hertford, , j
9.2 percent; Pasquotank, 9.3 percent; -
Perquimans, 10.3 percent; Tyrell, 9.7 I
percent; and Washington, 11.9 percent. - j