^ Join us for decorating & giW ideas!'! *'* P-0*4vtttt*44' |H| fi*46l fvj. IWfc U/‘l£^S ^ KefZhf. ►AY D IT A mi 5* POINSETTIA WITH ANY PURCHASE! Leary Plant Farm and Garden Shop 2336 Rocky Hock Road, Edenton, NC 27932 Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 4pm 252-221-4671 SUBMITTED PHOTO Sutveillance video shows a suspect during a Thanksgiving night robbery of the ETNA station on North Broad Street. The suspect, armed with a knife, concealed much of his identity with an un usual looking hoodie. ETNA robbed at knifepoint From staff reports A man armed with a knife and masked by a cow-print hoodie robbed the ETNA gas station and convenience store on Thanksgiving night, ac cording to Edenton police. Just after 6 p.m. Thurs day a man entered the store located on North Broad Street at the cor ner of East Gale Street where a female clerk was working alone, said Chief Jay Fortenbery. The man brandished a knife before fleeing on foot with less than $100. “Most convenience and retail stores try to not keep large amounts of cash on hand and this robber is facing a minimum four to five year prison sentence if convicted,” Fortenbery said. The suspect headed north on Broad Street after fleeing from the store, the chief said. Police called in bloodhounds that tracked the suspect to East Cart eret Street before losing scent, Fortenbery said. Although the suspect’s face was mostly covered by his hoodie, the clerk saw enough of the man to determine his race. “The clerk is sure the suspect is a black male be cause she could see a small area around his eyes,” Fortenbery said. “Hopeful ly someone will recognize the coat and provide some information that will lead to his capture.” See ETNA, 4A Steinburg fields Herald’s Q&A From staff reports On Nov. 6 voters elected Edenton’s Bob Steinburg as its N.C. House Represen tative for District 1, which also serves Chowan Coun ty At the request of the Chow an Herald, Steinburg agreed to submit to a Q & A about how he plans to address some of the chal lenges facing those who live in the Albemarle. Q) As you embark on your freshman tenure as the new NC House Rep resentative for District 1 identify some of the more critical challenges facing the NC General Assembly? A) North Carolina’s un employment rate is the fifth highest in the nation at 9.5 percent. Without ques tion getting people back to work and getting our state’s economy moving again is job 1. That means getting government out of the way to create a more business friendly environ ment. We must lower tax rates, reduce onerous reg ulations, develop a skilled and educated work force while at the same time en suring our transportation System can adequately ac commodate the needs of expanding commerce. Steinburg I Another challenge: Cur rently we owe the federal government $2.8 billion the (Gov. Bev) Perdue adminis tration accepted to extend unemployment benefits in our state during the reces sion to 99 weeks. Interest alone on this debt is cost ing state taxpayers $185,000 per day. A plan to repay the debt will be among the first bills presented to the newly convened General Assembly in January Q) Since you are among the newly elected first time legislators, explain why you can make an im mediate impact for your district? See Q&A, 3A ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved Deals Start Early STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH Andre Green shows off the brand new fiat screen television set he purchased at Sears shortly after the store opened its doors at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. Thanksgiving, Black Friday sales ignite holiday season Area retailers surprised by boost By REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Shoppers and retail manag ers were uncertain what to expect as local stores stayed open longer hours to encourage early holiday shopping. Both ended up pleasantly sur prised by the experience. On Thanksgiving night, for instance, Peebles Department Store opened from 8 p.m. until midnight for the first time on thal particular holiday. Store manager Jadelle Wagner said she couldn’t be more pleased with the result. Over the four-hour period the store took in about $8,000 in sales, Three thousand dollars in sales occurred from 8-9 p.m., she said. “Things have gotten crazy but in a good way,” Wagner said in de scribing the mood at the store on Thanksgiving night. “We weren’t really sure what to expect so this has been a nice surprise.” Based on sales that evening, Wagner said she had little doubt the store would open next year on Thanksgiving night. “I imagine we‘11 be here,” Wag ner said. Having the store open Thurs day night came as welcome news for shoppers filled with turkey who wanted something to do besides sit at home and watch football. Among them was Michelle Hal loran who was shopping with her two young sons in tow. See SHOPPING, 2A Habitat tools stolen Theft outside of newly-built home From staff reports Copeland Someone broke into and stole power tools stored in a Chowan-Perquimans Habitat for Humanity construction trailer used to build the latest Habitat house in Edenton. Some time be tween 4:30 p.m., Nov. 19 and 7:45 a.m., Nov. 20 the trailer’s side door was pried open as it remained parked outside the non profit’s latest constructed house at 205 East Peterson Street. Stolen were vari ous power tools, including nail guns, saws, and air compressors, according to Edenton Police Chief Jay Fortenbery. Police have a possible person of interest in the crime. Fortenbery said po lice are looking for Deme trius . Lamonte Copeland, also known by a nickname of Junior, of Edenton. “Of ficers were able to identify him in a larceny of a heater from CVS pharmacy that occurred on the morning of Nov. 23 and a warrant for larceny has been ob tained,” Fortenbery said. Tom Austin, Chowan Perquimans Habitat for Humanity president, said the tools were valued at about $2,000. “We acquired them (tools) over a period of time,” Austin said. “If we have to replace them before the next house, which we See TOOLS, 4A Storage shed catches fire From stuff reports Firefighters have yet to determine what caused the blaze of a storage building. Neighbors called 911 after a fire was f* observed behind the home of 206 S. Oa kum Street early Fri day morning. The Edenton Fire Department respond- ' ed to the 12:18 am. reports of flames, ac cording to Capt. De rast Bonner. • Fire fighting efforts 3 were delayed when a fire hose burst, Bon ner said. ■ . 3 * ■ r: V 1 - Tree Illumination CHOWAN HERALD FILE PHOTO Students from White Oak Elementary School sing Christmas carols . after last year’s tree illumination. This year’s tree lighting ceremony - will take place this Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the foot of the v monument on South Broad Street. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30™, 7:00pji SWAII Tickets $10.00 ^AUDITORIUM ICIMTOII. Nil ^SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1st, 7:00pm Tickets Available at various locations or call 252*221-4875 or 252-340-3438. Email rockyhock opry@live.com