Superintendent passes on raise for 4th time Smith remains highest paid supt. in Albemarle By RITCHIE E. STARNES Editor For the fourth consecutive year, the Edenton Chowan Schools superintendent volun teered to forgo his annual raise. As teachers statewide contin ue to experience, the economic Woman moves forward with biz Last Taxi cab service here was in 2007 By REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer A local woman, Yolanda Vann, is working toward establishing her own taxi cab business — UltraSoul Transport, Inc. — in Eden ton this fall. Vann said she is ex cited about the prospect of starting the business because she enjoys driv ing and loves doing some thing to help people. Vann,46, is a native of New York City and will be the first woman to own a cab service in Edenton. Earlier local cab service businesses have been owned by African Ameri can males. Edenton last had an active taxicab business in 2007. Vann moved here in August 2008, following the death of her mother. Vann said she had become familiar with Edenton through her mother’s best friend, who lives here. “When I visited Eden ton, I fell in love with the beautiful scenery and how quiet it is,” Vann said. “So I stayed and started look ing for a house to pur chase.” Vann, who prior to mov ing to Edenton had worked for 20 years as an admin istrative aide for the New York City Police Depart ment, said she had never doubted her decision. “Ever since I came to Edenton, there have been doors opening for me. I be lieve God meant for me to be here,” Vann said. Vann, who has most re cently been working as a driver for Moore’s Taxi in Elizabeth City, said she saw a need for the same type of transportation in Edenton. So she decided to try and fill that need. The Town Council at its Sept. 11 meeting unani mously granted Vann a certificate of convenience and necessity, a necessary step in the process of es tablishing her own busi ness. She must now apply for a privilege license. Vann, who already holds a commercial driv er’s license, said in re See TAXI, 2A Vann ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved pinch due to budget short falls, Superin tendent Allan Smith agreed to forgo an annual salary increase of 4 percent. In stead, Smith will receive a 1.2 per cent pay increase or the same af forded all state educators for the current calendar year. STAFF PHOTOS BY RITCHIE E. STARNES Ed Taylor stands among 100 acres of leased land that he uses for a controlled hunting preserve. He has groomed the site to be conducive for bird hunting. Controlled hunt ensures prey Bird hunting starts Oct. 1 By RITCHIE E. STARNES Editor Hunting for a fee can be cheaper than for free. For 30 years Ed Taylor has been maintaining and operating a controlled hunting preserve just a few miles outside of Edenton, but far enough away that the land is isolated ideally for bird hunting. Rows of mowed fields separate thigh-high broom grass just shy of turning brown. The wooded area has been thinned so it doesn’t pro vide too much cover for the prey, but ample trees to keep it sport ing. Brush and piles of discarded stumps offer another hiding place for a covey. Taylor has groomed the 100 acres to accommodate ideal condi tions for bird hunting. And he guarantees there will be plenty of birds whether it’s quail, pheasant, or chucker. “If I’m not going to provide good hunting conditions with good birds then I don’t want to do it,” said the 79-year-old Taylor. Minutes earlier he professed the same philosophy about when he was still working for living. “If you’re not going to do it right, then get out and stay out,” he barked. The hunting preserve requires labor, but Taylor manages to keep it rewarding enough that it’s fun too. An avid hunter and a crack shot, he also serves as the hunting Edenton enacts Internet cafe moratorium From stuff reports The Edenton Town Council voted unanimous ly last Tuesday evening to adopt an ordinance that would impose a 90-day moratorium on the estab lishment of Internet cafes in the community. * The moratorium would cover permit approvals and zoning ordinance text if “Since teachers and other edu cators and staff have not been receiving annual step increases from the General Assembly in recent years it is only fair and appropriate that all school em ployees be treated in the same manner,” Smith said. “There fore, I elected to forgo the annual step specified in my contract. This is not a news worthy event nor does it deserve any further comment. However, since it is Ed Taylor stretches across the tailgate of his pickup truck while talking about the advantages of controlled hunting. For 30 years, he has provided a controlled hunt ing presence for birds. - guide on the preserve accompa nied by equally bird-sawy dogs to flush out then fetch the shot prey. amend ments per taining to business es whose focus is electronic gaming and Inter net sweep- Vaughan stakes. As adopted, it would re main in effect through De - ' technically an alteration in my contract it requires official ac tion by the Board of Education each year.” The school board again ap proved the contract at its Sept. 10 meeting. “I think that was very gener ous and professional of him. I think he’s to be commended,!’ said Gil Burroughs, board mem ber. Although Smith’s salary re A well-trained dog is as necessary See PRESERVE, 3A cember or until the N.C. Supreme Court renders a decision on two cases now before it concerning the legality of such business es in the state. “We have had numerous discussions on this issue, and legal opinions are still being pursued,” Mayor Ro land Vaughan said prior to the vote. Landin Holland, a con tracted planner for the town, said that he would begin working with the town’s planning board in October to add language to that effect to the Unified Development Ordinance. At present the UDO does not contain any provisions addressing the issue. “We’ll start next month looking at what’s appro priate,” Holland sai