' INSIDE
MEET THE
DOLPINS
of the College of
the Albemarle—
9A
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County, town seek economic partnership
Chamber’s role
uncertain
By Ritchie E. Starnes
Editor
Leaders of Chowan County
and the town of Edenton moved
closer to an economic develop
ment partnership with the help
j of a consultant.
| In a joint meeting Feb. 8, coun
ty and town officials met and col
_
Biggs
Bunch
Goodwin
era Growth'
Policies Board.
Courtesy of a
grant by Elec
tricities, Ab
ernathy was
retained to
evaluate the
area’s exist
ing economic
conditions and
lectively interviewed Ted W. Ab
ernathy, executive director of the
Research Triangle-based South
resources so
the town and county could forge
a new collaborative effort aimed
at economic development.
A three-way arrangement
between the town, county and
Chamber of Commerce-Edenton
Chowan Economic Development
Commission (ECDC) - splintered
in August 2009 when Chowan
County terminated its involve
ment. County officials pulled the
plug and stopped its $46,000 annu
al investment after learning the
county had already paid $292,915
toward an Edenton - Chowan
Economic Development Jund
that included a Raleigh lobbyist.
The town of Edenton contin
ues to fund ECDC with its share
of $36,000 per year.
County and town participants
called the meeting a positive step,
worthy of additional meetings.
“I’ve been so impressed with
the consultant,” said Ann Marie
Knighton, town manager. “I’m
excited to have a fresh set of eyes
looking at our assets and poten
tial.”
“It was an opportunity that we
couldn’t resist, not just Chowan
See PARTNERSHIP on Page 3A
Children compass a life’s work
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4
STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH
Local Boys and Girls Club Chief Professional Officer Jerome Levisy enjoys interacting with the kids who go there after school. They
get help with their homework, learn character and leadership skills -- and there's even time for coloring!
(In honor of Black History Month,
the Chowan Herald will feature an
African American in each edition
during the month of February. Those
featured include locals that have
made significant contributions to
their community.)
By Rebecca Bunch
Staff Writer
Jerome Levisy’s ties to the Boys
and Girls Club organization go back
to his childhood in the tiny commu
nity of Rocky Mount, Va. ’
Today, he is the director of a thriv
ing Boys and Girls Club located in
Chowan County
The program here started five
years ago with an average of 75 chil
dren attending each day and a mem
bership of 169. Currently, an average
of 90 children come to the club each
day after school. Membership stands
264 this year.
“As you can see, we’ve definitely
grown,” Levisy said.
As he speaks, his enthusiasm for
working with children is obvious.
“Working with kids and watching
them grow into productive, mature
young people is my greatest reward,”
Levisy said.
Levisy knows a little something
about being productive.
The eighth of nine children born
to parents who both had an eighth
See LEVISY on Page 2A
GOP official
takes on Spear
From staff reports
Local columnist and Edenton resident Bob
Steinburg is apparently ready to trade' in the
opinion pages of local newspapers for the halls
of the state Legislature.
Steinburg, a columnist whose weekly take on
politics, “A Conservative’s Viewpoint,” has ap
peared in both The Daily Ad
vance and the Chowan Herald
as well as other publications, an
nounced Monday that he intends
to challenge state Rep. Tim Spear,
D-Washington, in the 2nd House
District.
“After much prayer and con
sternation and after months
of unsuccessful attempts at re
cruiting a candidate to oppose 5ie nDurS
Tim Spear, including right up .
through 4 p.m. (Monday), I have decided at this
time I must announce my intentions to file to run
for the people’s seat in North Carolina House Dis
trict 2 before the filing deadline of noon on Fri
day, Feb. 26,” Steinburg, a registered Republican,
said in an e-mail to The Daily Advance.
Steinburg, chairman of the Chowan County
Republican Party said becoming an elected offi
cial was “never my true desire” when he started
writing his column more than two years ago. His
goal then, he said, was to write about local, state
■ and national politics in such a way as to show lo
cal readers “how these events all tie together to
shape our lives.” >
“(But) circumstances have now deemed that the
time has come for me to embark upon a different
path,” he said. “Our government in Washington
and Raleigh as well as in many of our counties,
cities, towns and villages has run off the tracks.”
Steinburg said he “would love to continue writ
ing about all that’s wrong at all levels of govern
ment while offering possible solutions to get us
out of this mess, but that may not be enough.”
Steinburg said he had decided to take on Spear,
See STEINBURG on Page 3A
DDE hires former chief
as new interim director
Knighton: Public
supports DDE
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
A former director of
Destination Downtown
Edenton (DDE) will serve
as interim director while
a committee searches for
a permanent replace
ment.
Jennifer Harriss was
hired Monday as a part
time director for the
next 90 days. Harriss
served as DDE direc
tor from 2004-2008 after
serving as Lumberton’s
Main Street director for
two years. She currenUy
owns and operates Ur
ban Village, an Edenton
f business.
. “Jennifer’s familiarity
0
©2009 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
. * • *. * •• -*
.V
Harriss
program
and our
merchants
will en
able her to
keep DDE
moving
forward,”
said Chair
woman
Jean
Brown,
DDE Board
of Direc
tors, who is
spearhead
ing the
search for
a replace
ment.
Harris’
temporary post and the
director search follow the
Jan. 28 firing and subse
quent Jan. 31 arrest of
former DDE director Jen
nifer Moore. Moore was
charged after she alleged
ly embezzled $15,000 from
DDE’s annual budget of
$65,000.
Harriss is a certified
Main Street Director, only
one of five In the state.
Knighton
with our
She earned her Bache
lor’s degree from the Col
lege of Charleston in His
toric Preservation and
Community Planning and
a Masters degree from
Goucher College in His
toric Preservation. Her
Masters work included a
thesis titled North Caroli
na main Street Communi
ties and their experience
with new construction.
f‘I love Destination
Downtown and will do my
best to ensure the success
of this valuable program'
during this transition,”
Harriss said.
Harriss added that she
recognizes the impor
tance of DDE to down
town’s overall success.
She will be paid $2,000
per month for the next
three months.
Brown touted Harriss’
background as an ideal
foundation for an interim
to continue with projects
already underway.
Her primary responsi
bilities will be to advance
p See INTERIM on Nf»2A
, -V.V V •- .. “ .•/ 'V ..
Here We Snow Again!
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*, $ b
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MM
PHOTO BY RITCHIE
STARNES
Sam Christopher
and her son,
Patrick, frolic
in Saturday’s
snow off Colonial
Avenue in the
courtyard that
overlooks Eden
ton Bay.
United Way in need of support
From staff reports
As if we needed an
other example, here’s a
telling sign that the econ
omy is still struggling:
The Albemarle United
Way launched its annual
campaign last September
with a goal of $400,000,
Nearly six months later,
total contributions are a
few dollars over $222,000.
Albemarle United Way
relies almost entirely on
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employee campaigns at
our region’s businesses.
Executive Director Susan
Hoskins says the largest
of these have been run
ning several thousand
dollars down from prior
year. In one case, the com
pany set the goal $12,000
below ,2009.
Furthermore, not 6v
ery business conducts a
campaign, and workplace
giving does not include
anyone not in the work
force, such as our retired
residents.
With The Daily Ad
vance’s help, Albemarle
United Way hopes to
bridge these gaps. It’s
time we all Live United.
In today’s paper, you
See CAMPAIGN on Page 3A „
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