482-4418 Wednesday, April ! 4, 2010 50c INSIDE Man finds live grenade in storage building, 6B COMMUNITY Charities share Cycle NC bounty, 1B Nurse faces possible retrial By RITCHIE E. STARNES Editor Prosecutors appear ready to retry a male nurse on charges of groping a fe male patient while under sedation after a jury failed to reach a verdict. Court records show that new charges were filed March 22 against Mardo nia Sapalicio, 48, for the STAFF PHOTOS BY BRETTA. CLARK Glenn Anderson, Director of the Electricity Department for the town of Edenton, assess damage at the John R. Page Masonic Lodge No. 13, Friday after early morning storms swept through the area caused^ damage to buildings around Edenton. Winds damage downtown sites By CATHY WILSON The Perquimans Weekly E DENTON — Strong winds early Friday morning dam aged at least two historic buildings in downtown Edenton and sent a group of visiting bi cyclists literally flying around in their tents. The damaged structures include the John R. Page Lodge, the oldest African-American Masonic Lodge in North Carolina, and the build ing containing the offices of the Chowan Herald newspaper. The strong wind gusts, reported around 4:30 a.m., also downed several trees and blew debris into homes and yards but resulted in no injuries, officials said. Among those feeling the storm’s wrath was Julie White, of Black Mountain, one of 1,000 bicycling enthusiasts expected to visit Eden ton this weekend as part of Cycle North Carolina. . White was camped out with other Cycle North Carolina participants at the Edenton waterfront when a Storm-damaged John R. Page Masonic Lodge to be saved By REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Members of the John R. Page Masonic Lodge in Edenton are hopeful that the historic structure can be saved. Several profes sionals believe that it can. Built about 1890, it is the oldest African-American ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved Tickets *10.00 E.A. SWAIN AUDITORIUM ^ Available at:_ SSf SPONSORED BY ROCKY HOCK RUHITAM ^REUY FOR LIFE TEAM _ TJ y_ EDENTON, INC tOENTON: Byrura True Value Hardwaie - 252-482-2131* Chowan Arts Council - 282 *81-8005 • Edenton Coffee House • 252-482-7465 • ROCKY HOCK: Nixon Family Restaurant • 252-221 -2244 HERTFORD: Woodard s Pharmacy - 2S2-426-S527 ♦ EU2ABETH CITY: Cloun n Around - 252-331-2250»SIFFOLK: Billy Smith - 757-925-4541 »IHAI1 ORDERS: Call 252-221 4875 or 252-340-3458 Sept. 28, 2007 sexual as sault of a Chowan County woman while she was a patient in a mobile medi cal unit. On Sept. 30, 2009, Chowan County jurors failed to reach' a unani mous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. Defense attorney Mike Sanders said the hung jury voted 9-3 to acquit Sapali cio. Sanders said no new STAFF PHOTOS BY BRETT A. CLARK A tree fell in the middle of campers at the waterfront in Edenton, Friday after early morning storms swept through. sudden wind gust picked up both her and her 3-person tent and sent them hurtling into another tent, rolling her up in the wreckage. “It just happened too quickly,” Masonic Lodge still in use in North Carolina. The lodge sustained heavy damage during a storm that struck Eden ton early Friday morning. Straight-line winds are be ing blamed for the appar ent collapse of the lodge’s foundation, which left the building leaning dan gerously to one side and making safe entry into the building impossible. Worshipful Master John ny Bond, spokesman for the lodge, said he had re ceived a letter from an en gineer, David Fischetti of evidence has come forth, despite the new charges of second degree sexual as sault and sex offense in a medical facility “I can only assume they’ll retry him on the same evidence in an ef fort for a different result,” Sanders said. Assistant District Attor ney Linda Shields did not immediately return a tele DCF Engineering in Cary, suggesting that the lodge could be saved. “This (saving the lodge) phone message. The 37-year-old victim is the sister of sheriffs dep uty Tim Brabble, current Republican candidate for sheriff, Sanders said. Sapalicio said it’s be cause of the victim’s law enforcement kin that pros-. ecutors are doggedly pur suing his conviction. He has since sought the inter vention of N.C. Attorney White said. White said she gathered up her gear and huddled under a nearby See STORM, 4A is what they’re looking at,” Bond said. Also of concern is the fate of documents belong General Roy Cooper. Sapalicio, who has been a RN for more than 10 years, had his nursing li cense suspended after he was first charged two and half years ago. Because of the new charges, Sapalicio still cannot apply for rein statement. “He’s been without the ability to earn a living since he was charged,” CAC parts with director Three board members resign By RITCHIE E. STARNES Editor The Chowan Arts Council Board of Directors cites financial woes for its reason not to retain the agency’s executive director. Three board members followed with their resignations. Brenda Russell, who has been credited with reviving the CAC over the last two years, became a financial casualty last week when the board announced it would not renew her contract set to expire April 14. “In keeping with our mission and taking into consideration our economic situ ation and fiscal accountability, the Chowan Arts Council has made a change for our future,” CAC said in an April 6 press release. Lyn Castellani, board president, Lin Wan ner Hogan, treasurer, and Jennifer Harriss, all resigned last week. Mysi Fortenbery, Russell’s administrative assistant, also resigned. But, the board later announced that Fortenbery would serve as interim director for CAC. See CAC, 4A .'... ■ • ■ COA trustees welcome Deitemeyer New president: She’s not coming in with a plan By KRISTIN PITTS Staff Writer In her first Board of Trustees meeting since being named College of The Albemarle’s in coming president, Kandi Deitemeyer listened Monday to trustees’ concerns over budget con straints and potential facility issues at the Eden ton-Chowan campus in Edenton. Although she doesn’t officially start until Fri day, Deitemeyer said she was grateful for the chance to learn a little bit more about the col lege she’ll soon be running. SeeC0A,2A Russell STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT A. CLARK The John R. Page Masonic Lodge No. 13 was tom from its’foundation, Friday after early morning storms that swept through the area caused damage to buildings around Edenton. ing to the lodge that re main inside the building. Fischetti, who is ex perienced at saving his toric structures such as lighthouses and covered bridges, was asked to con sult in the effort by Reid Thomas of North Carolina Sanders said. The victim alleges that Sapalicio, A Filipino American who resides in Chesapeake, Va., groped her while she was physi cally helpless due to me dicinal sedation, court records, show. The inci dent occurred in a mobile medical unit similar to a See RETRIAL, 4A Archives and History’s re gional office in Greenville. In a letter to Bond, Thom as wrote that he asked for Fishetti’s input because “he was very helpful with Kadesh AME Zion Church (in Edenton) and several other damaged structures after Hurricane Isabel.” ; _ Fischetti wrote to Bond ~ > that he believes the build ing can be stabilized and ultimately saved. , In his letter, Fischetti suggested a method uti lizing transverse steel See LODGE, 2A ~

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