482-4418
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Young guns showcased in
final round, Page 7A
Council to vote on CAC
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Come Tuesday the Chowan Arts
Council could move closer to secur
ing a lease with the town of Edenton
en foute to moving its gallery to the
Municipal Building.
The Town Council is expected
to vote on the proposed lease that
would call for the CAC to move from
its current location at the county’s
Swain Building to the town’s down
r
town site.
“I think it would benefit us greatly
because people would be able to find
us,” said Mysi Fortenbery, CAC exec
utive director. “We’re enough off the
beaten path that visitors aren’t sure
where we are.”
CAC officials hope to be able to
move as soon as October.
“I know it’s optimistic, but we’re
going to push to be in the building
then,” said Wanda Rossman, CAC
president. “If we could be downtown
for the Christmas season, that would
be fabulous.”
If approved, the move would sig
nal another of several significant
changes made within the CAC. Most
recently, the CAC board of directors
named Fortenbery as its new execu
tive director. She had been serving
as interim director “after first work
ing as an assistant to former direc
tor Brenda Russell. The CAC board
See CAC, 2A
. STAFF PHOTO BY RITCHIE E. STARNES
The effects of Hurricane Earl's northeastern spiral left Edenton Bay depleted of water. Depths at the bay to the Cypress trees ■
shown here were wading levels.
Earl spares area, nets commerce boon
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Instead of Hurricane
Earl wreaking havoc
in Edenton-Chowan,
forecast of the impending
storm prompted Outer
Banks’ vacationers to seek
refuge here, resulting in
an overnight economic
boon.
• Earlier in the week local
residents were storm
ing grocery stores, gas
stations, and retailers for
food, fuel, and supplies
in the event Earl caused
power outages and storm
related damages. Town
and county officials were
meeting daily to plan and
prepare for the storm’s
worst, however, by 5 a.m.
Friday the imposed Hur
ricane Warning had
See EARL, 3A
Local AARP chapter to be dissolved
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
The Edenton chapter of
AARP may soon be dis
solved.
, Lack of interest, an in
ability to keep strong lead
ership in place and the loss
of members who objected
. to the AARP’s position on
healthcare reform are be
». ing cited as contributing
factors.
A meeting to decide the
chapter’s fate has been
scheduled for Wednesday,
"ki Sept. 15, at 1:30 p,m. at the
©2009 The Chowan Herald
, • All Rights Reserved
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY REBECCA LOWE
Instead of Hurricane Earl causing a storm surge that could have resulted in local flooding, the
storm moved water from the Chowan River as seen here on Friday at Perry's Beach toward the
Outer Banks.This area shown is usually under water.
Miller
Haley
Chowan Senior Center in
Edenton. Anyone with an
interest in the future of
the chapter is welcome to
attend.
Kathy Hynes, who has
' served as president of the
local chapter since it began
in early 2008, said, “We, as
a community of many re
tirees, just could not seem
to attract seniors who were
willing to step up to the
plate to join us.”
Bill Haley, the chapter’s
vice-president, echoed the
sentiment. Haley said that
local retirees are involved
in so many other causes
that it was hard to compete
with those organizations
for their time.
Haley added that a num
ber of seniors, including
himself, also take advan
tage of travel opportuni
ties now that they no lon
ger hold jobs. Haley said
that because he travels so
frequently he did not feel
he could make the commit
ment to move up from vice
president to president of
the local chapter.
Haley added that an ef
fort to come up with a new
slate of officers so the ex
isting ones could take a
break from serving had
not met with success.
Haley said that while the
chapter had started with
a core group of about 25
active members, less than
half of them remain. He
said he believed some of
them had left the chapter
because of AARP’s sup
port of President Barack
Obama’s healthcare re
form plan.
“I guess they let then
feet do the talking,” Haley
said.
Bill Miller, who repre
sents northeast North Car
olina on the state AARP
board, agreed with that
assessment. Miller said,
though, that he felt there
were other factors at work
as well.
Miller noted that the
core group that the chap
ter started with never
See AARP, 2A
Steamers
campaign
forges ahead
Team passes self-imposed deadline
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Although the Labor
Day target date has come
and gone, Edenton Steam
ers officials vow to con
tinue its fundraising goal
of $50,000.
So far the Steamers
have collected $30,000
toward the goal as dona
tions continue to arrive
via the mail and other
fundraising events are
slated throughout Sep
tember.
“Everyday we’re open
ing envelopes from the
post office,” said Katy
Ebersole, team president.
“It’s not just local resi
dents giving, it’s former
players and their fami
lies.”
Many of those dona
tions stem from a recent
mass mailing of 500 let
ters to former players
and their respective fami
lies. Organizers hope the
experiences of Steam
ers alumni lead to more
pledges.
Despite the $20,000
shortfall, momentum
suggests the Steamers
could still meet their
goal if given more time
- an opportunity they’re
already taking. Ebersole
Broadband is an
asset to region
Albemarle area to benefit
from $115M federal grant
By WILLIAM F. WEST
Staff Writer
Albemarle Economic
Development Director
Wayne Harris says new
dollars marked to help
bring high-speed Internet
service to under-served
afeas are going to greatly
assist the region.
“It will increase com
petition,” Harris said. “It
should also benefit busi
nesses.”
Gov. Beverly Perdue last
month announced $115
million in federal grants
to help 69 counties obtain
broadband service. The
counties include Pasquo
tank, Camden, Currituck,
Perquimans, Chowan and
Gates.
Harris said the lack of
competition in the broad*
band market for commer
cial and residential users
is somewhat driven by the
cost of wholesale access to
what is called the ’’middle
mile connection to the In
ternet backbone.”
The Internet backbone
had initially cited Labor
Day as a deadline, but
later softened her stance
amid additional fundrais
ing opportunities.
Plans include a talk this
week with the Coastal
Plain League president.
“He’s (Pete Bock) will
ing to give us an exten
sion, we just don’t know
exactly how long,” Eber
sole said.
The Steamers are first
required to give the CPL
a verbal commitment for
next season’s play, but do
not have to provide the
$25,000 letter of credit
until May 1, 2011. Team
officials want to use fund
raising proceeds to hire a
general manager by Nov. 1.
Ebersole previously said
the Steamers would give
no such commitments un
less it had enough capital
to proceed.
Last Friday Ebersole
sounded cautiously op
timistic about raising
enough money to keep
playing.
In addition to the fund
raising, area companies
have pledged advertising
commitments for next
season with about 75 per
cent those representing
See STEAMERS, 3A
is the main pipe carry
ing data worldwide, with
middle miles being loops
tying into the backbone.
The last mile is what Cen
turyLink, Time Warner
Cable or other providers
run to users, Harris said.
“And the money for this
plan is going to create a
huge middle-mile connec
tion that anybody can tie
into,” Harris said.
“So, any company that
wants to try to provide
last-mile connections in
this region now will have
access to the wholesale
pipe at a greatly reduced
rate, which should enable
them to offer profitable
service to commercial and
residential customers at a
reduced rate," he said.
Additionally, Harris
said anchor institutions in
Pasquotank County, such
as Elizabeth City’s gov
ernment, Pasquotank’s
government, Elizabeth
City State University, the
College of the Albemarle
See BROADBAND, 2A
HEE HAW SHOW *ttdaj Hock Oprt, m
FRIDAY NIGHT, SEPT. 10th & SATURDAY NIGHT, SEPT IIth • 7:30 PM
and
the
Whole Hee fccty Hock (cimnitif (enter:
Haw Can9 tickets $10.00 J
with Special Guest Sponsored by the Rocky Hock Ruritan Club ■
Tickets available: Byrum Hardware Co., Edenton 482-2131; Nixon's Family Restaurant, Rocky Hock 221-2244; Leon Nixon Catering, Va.Rd. Edenton 482-5660; Mail order 221-4875 or 340-3438
A