Teen pregnancy
on the rise — 4A
5G«
Hagan hears Chowan’s economic pleas
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
During her Albemarle region
al swing, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D
N.C., took time Thursday to visit
one of Chowan County’s most
economically depressed indus
tries - boat builders.
On Thursday Hagan stopped
by Calyber Boatworks with own
dr Trevor Sherrick providing her
with a tour of his facility that in
eludes plans for change.
In addition to luxury
boats, Sherrick’s ware
house shelters efforts of
his diversification dur
ing this lean economy
It’s his plans to diversify
that had Hagan applaud
ing and Sherrick asking
for her help.
“I just want options
to create more jobs,” Sherrick
said.
He told Hagan that he
needs funding to buy ma
chinery to mass produce
some of his new products
that would immediately
create more jobs. Sher
rick added that he has
not had much success
with conventional banks
loans, since lending re
mains down.
“We can’t wave a magic wand,
but we can make calls and an
swer questions,” Hagan said.
Members of her traveling en
tourage were quick to recom
mend the availability of grants
that might fit Sherrick’s needs.
Hagan said that “connecting
people with grants” is one of the
goals of her trip.
Sherrick, a boat builder for
20 years, has transferred his
talents into building fiberglass
F-16 cockpit simulators for the
military.
He has also dedicated his time
to creating energy efficient and
environmentally friendly prod
ucts. He has already generated
a great deal of interests in his
green technology, including
some materials that could be
used for signage with the N.C.
Department of Transportation.
Other products could be used for
new construction.
See HAGAN, 2A
Ministry changes lives
mLimnsm.
STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH
The Rev. Edna Lawrence watches her 4-year-old granddaughter Adriana practice using a computer after church, Sunday.
Lawrence’s love for children prompted her to become a public school teacher; her love for the Lord led her to answer
God’s call to the ministry.
Lawrence answers the call
(In honor of Black History
Month, the Chowan Herald is fea
turing an African American in
each edition during the month of
February. Those featured include
locals who have made significant
contributions to their community.)
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
At the beginning of 2010, Tau
rean Godfrey knew he wanted to
do something to strengthen his
faith.
So, he started visiting a local
church, New Kadesh A.M.E. Zion.
And he’s been coming to church
ever since.
Godfrey, 23, credits the church’s
pastor, the Rev. Edna Lawrence,
with his growing faith. He says
her influence, too, has brought
him increased self-esteem as he
tries to live a Christian life.
“She (Lawrence) persuades you
to believe in yourself and take a
stand for God,” Godfrey said.
Woman’s Club split over book publication
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
A vote next month will
determine the fate of a re
cently completed book on
Chowan County architec
ture and history.
At issue is whether the
Edenton Woman’s Club,
which commissioned the
work as a companion
volume to “Edenton: An
Architectural History,”
©2009 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
“Ymjust thankful
that God can use me
at my age to help
others find Him. ”
The Rev. Edna
Lawrence
Pastor, New Kadesh
A.M.E. Zion
Lawrence, 57, who is one of only
a few women pastors in the area,
said she was grateful Godfrey’s
faith had grown. But she declined
to take the credit.
“I’m just thankful that God can
use me at my age to help others
find Him,” she said.
Among those God has allowed
her to reach is her own 28-year-old •
son, Adrian Lawrence, who began
attending services at Kadesh in
2002.
“I keep coming back because,
when I feel strengthened, en
published in 1992, can and
should fund publication
of the second book.
The club first began
discussing publication
of the set of books in the
mid-1980s. In 1985, archi
tectural historian Bradley
Barker was hired to begin
the project. He withdrew
in 1989 and today his un
published manuscript is
on file at N.C. Archives
and History.
Both the Edenton book
and the one just completed
were eventually authored
by another architectural
historian, Thomas Butch
ko. The club reached an
agreement with Butchko
in 1999 to write the second
riched,” he said. “I know I can
face whatever the week ahead
may hold for me.”
Edna Lawrence said she feels
both young men have the poten
tial to impact many other lives,
with their faith in God.
“I feel they’re going to be
great leaders for the Lord in this
church and out in the community,
because they’ve started walking
with the Lord so early in their
lives,” she said.
It was her father, the Rev. An
thony Hathaway, who served as
her inspiration and supported
her desire to become a minister,
Edna Hathaway said.
“He taught me a lot, and it was
good to have his wisdom when it
came to learning how to pastor
a church,” Edna Lawrence said.
“When I was called to be a minis
ter, my father was pastor at Pleas
ant Grove A.'M.E. Zion Church,
and I studied under him.”
See LAWRENCE, 3A
book.
In 2001, Butchko was
hired as full-time curator
of Museum of the Albe
marle .in Elizabeth City,
but continued to work on
the manuscript for the
second book.
In 2006, Butchko be
gan experiencing health
problems as he worked to
complete that book. At his
recommendation, another
architectural historian,
Nancy Van Dolsen, was
brought in that year to
complete the remaining
work on the book under
his supervision.
Butchko died of cancer
last year.
Chowan County ad
vanced the club about
$40,000 to pay Butchko and
Van Dolsen for their work
with the understanding
that the money would be
repaid once the book was
published and went on
sale.
However, club member
Anne Rowe said that once
the county’s budget short
fall was discovered, the
club voted to-go ahead and
repay the funds immedi
ately.
“We just felt it was the
ethical thing to do,” Rowe
said.
That left $19,000 accu
mulated from the sale of
See SPLIT, 3A
Candidates try to
keep politics out
of Sheriff’s Office
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Chowan County voters
are faced with the unique
situation of choosing be
tween an incumbent sher
iff and one of his veteran
deputies as the county’s
next top cop. For the next
nine months, however, the
candidates are challenged
will keeping politics out of
county law enforcement.
With Sheriff Dwayne
Goodwin, 40, seeking re
election for a second term
and deputy Tim Brabble,
45, attempting to unseat
his boss, the sheriffs office
is poised to house political
friction. Because Goodwin
is a Democrat and Brabble
a Republican, the tenuous
situation could become
more strained since the
race will not be decided un
til November, unless either
encounters party competi
tion before Friday’s noon
elections filing deadline.
Although Goodwin and
STAFF PHOTO BY ASHLEY MISSERI
Deputy Tim Brabble files for the seat of Chowan County Sheriff,
Friday. His wife, Beth, (behind him) and Rebecca Lowe, Chowan
elections director, are watching.
Tvvo Edentonians
vie for state seats
No local races yet to qualify for primary
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Two Edenton Republi
cans are vying for state
races.
Add Rich Halbert to the
swelling list of locals seek
ing political office. Halbert
joins Bob Steinburg as the
second Edentonian set to
unseat incumbent Demo
crats seeking re-election.
Halbert announced his
intentions to tile before
Friday’s noon deadline. He
seeks the N.C. 4th District
Senate seat currently held
by Ed Jones, D-Halifax.
“I believe, like 54 percent
of all North Carolinians,
Decision
2010
Brabble
have out
lined a few
ground
rules de
signed to
keep poli
tics from
disrupting
Goowin
the sher
iffs office,
the task could be more
difficult as the campaigns
progress.
“(Brabble) has to be care
ful what he says and how
he says it -‘in terms of be
ing derogatory toward the
office,” Goodwin said.
“I told all my guys that
it’s business as usual,”
Goodwin added. “Every
one has been told to keep
doing the job they’re
See CANDIDATES, 3A
that our state is headed'in
the wrong direction,” Hal
bert said in a press release.
“During the last legislative
session Senator Jones vot
ed to raise our taxes by $1.1
billion during the highest
unemployment in memory
and the worst recession in
more than 70 years."
Halbert is retired and
a resident of the Edenton
Cotton Mill Village.
Steinburg made it offi
cial Tuesday, filing to chal
lenge state Rep. Tim Spear,
D-Washington, in the 2nd
House District. Steinburg
is chairman of the local
See SEATS, 2A
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