482-4418
■
vs; T;
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
V"1
50*
Donor pledges $100K for Taylor Theater
Digital conversion
nears reality
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Efforts to keep the Tay
lor Theater reeling movies
received a sizable boost
when an anonymous donor
pledged $100,000 if fundrais
ers could match $50,000.
“It’s probably the most
generous donation that
Police
eye new
helmet
penalty
Chief prefers to
cite parents
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
For more than a year
Edenton Police Chief Jay
Forten
bery has
conducted
presen
tations
geared
toward
encourag
ing local
children to Fortenberry
\ wear bike
helmets. Now he wants to
add more bite to the bark.
The impetus for the cam
paign was previous con
cern expressed by Council
man Steve Biggs about the'
number of kids he has seen
around town riding bikes
but not wearing helmets
per state law.
Now, Fortenbery’s
See HELMET, 2A
Disabled
woman
seeks cart
waiver
Driver’s license,
insurance required
By REBECCA BUNCH
Stqff Writer
The Town Council is
expected to consider at its
Dec. 11 monthly meeting
whether to grant a request
to waive its requirement
that those operating golf
carts on town streets be
licensed drivers.
In June, the Council
adopted an ordinance al
lowing the use of carts.
Among the requirements
were that anyone oper
ating a cart must have a
valid driver’s license and
insurance.
Fay Agar Of Edenton,
See CART, 4A
0
©2009 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
I’ve ever seen,” said Coun
cilman Sambo Dixon, who
shared the news of the im
pending donor. “This just
says it all about why we’re
(Edenton) different”
The donation is two-thirds
of the $150,000 goal designat
ed as the sum needed for the
Taylor Theater to convert
its movie production from
film to digital. Theaters un
able to make the conversion
tothecontemporarymethod
risk going out of business by
anta Claus comes to tomn
ii
PHUIU BY RITCHIE STARNES
Children line up for an opportunity to meet Santa Claus outside the Chowan Arts Council, courtesy of Destination Downtown Edenton, Friday.
Real beard defines holiday role
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
f apis the season he’s the
■ I most popular man in
■ town and there’s nothing
phony about him.
Further proof emerged during
Friday night’s annual Christmas
tree illumination. Once Santa
Claus arrived on the scene,
hundreds of wide-eyed children
raced to greet him with parents
in tow. Outside the Chowan Arts
Council Santa dispersed candy
canes amid frequent stoops for
an army of children to whisper
into his ear. After each wish list,
Santa peered approvingly over
his spectacles with as much
excitement as the child.
Goodwin, Cole bid farewell to county board
Nixon voted in as
new chairman
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Two bade farewell while their
elected replacements officially be
gan inaugural terms.
Monday night’s Chowan County
Board of Commissioners meet
ing signaled the end of the terms
of Chairman Eddy Goodwin and
Ralph Cole. Meanwhile their suc
cessors Alex Kehayes and Greg
a high
er vol
ume of
a cus
donor just feels
the theater is really impor
tant to the town of Eden
ton,” Dixon said.
Most small towns no lon
ger have a local theater as
part of downtown districts,
losing them to larger metro
politan areas where there is
tomerbase. Supporters, that
want the Taylor to remain
open launched various
fundraising campaigns. So
far those efforts have raised
$28,600, leaving $21,400 of
the donor’s threshold.
“We’re so dose we can
“I love to see kids happy,”
Santa said. “Their eyes light up
when I give ‘em a present.”
Even Santa’s eyes sparkle with
equal amazement when a child
makes a special request.
“Last year, a 10-year-old boy,
asked for peace on earth,” Santa
recalled. “It shocked me that a kid
that young thinks like that.”
Santa, or one of many of
Santa’s helper as he’s sometimes
referred, is also special because
he’s real - a regular guy who
emerges every Christmas season.
He became Santa because he
shared the right jolly disposition
and physical characteristics.
Santa seems to be a happy-go
lucky type with a simple sense of
always doing what’s right. Rosy
Bonner took an oath to serve the
county for the next four years.
Before the start of any new coun
ty business, there was the matter of
sending off Goodwin and Cole. Cole,
72, had served as commissioner for
10 years and experienced the coun
ty’s financial debacle in 2008. But,
he stayed the course until the situ
ation improved - the only one from
the previous administration still
serving.
When Cole began to explain why
he chose to step down, he referred
to the 1978 song The Gambler.
See BOARD, 3A
do this before the end of the
year,” said Jeanne Cumby,
who has spearheaded fund
raising efforts.
News of the benefactor
was announced at Friday
night’s most recent fund
raising effort - Soup & Mug
- held at the former Chero’s
building. That event sold
400 tickets at $20 each with
patrons lined out the door
onto Water Street.
“We’re still selling the
theater seats,” Cumby said.
cheeks mound below his smiling
eyes. Santa’s paunch, perhaps
from too many left cookies, adds
to his festive appearance and in
sulates him for the cold winters.
A trademark beard of 21 years
mostly conceals his broad smile.
“Somebody told me one day
that I would make a good Santa
Claus because I’m big and the
beard,” Santa said.
While his shaggy, gray beard
consumes his jovial face and
fascinates children, it’s also a
litmus test for skeptics.
“My grandchild yanked his
beard and Santa said ‘ouch,’”
recalled Frank Jones, owner of
the Soda Shoppe where St Nick
meets with children during the
• holiday season.
“We cal raise the full amount
just with the seats.”
Fifty-two seats have al
ready been sold at $300 each.
There are 120 seats in each
of the two theater sides, or
240 total.
Efforts also call for trying
to secure a naming rights
sponsor of each theater at
$10,000 per side, or $20,000.
“It’s possible that we
can raise the money by
See THEATER, 2A
The Soda Shoppe is just
another venue where a kid feels
compelled to pull Santa’s beard.
“We are so fortunate to have
the best of Santa’s helpers here
in Edenton,” said Jennifer
Harriss, Destination Downtown
Edenton director. “The children
are always delighted to see
Santa at the annual Christmas
Tree Lighting, and if they tug on
his beard, they realize that it is
indeed real! “. ' /
Jones also recalled one
day when St. Nick was in his
diner during the summer eating
lunch. Although not wearing
his classic red suit, Jones 4
instinctively
See SANTA, 3A
PHOTO BY
RITCHIE STARNES
Commissioner Eddy
Goodwin (left) talks
with Alex Kehayesat
a Monday afternoon
reception in honor
of outgoing com
missioners. Kehayes
offcially replaced
Goodwin an how | :
later when he ;
sworn in.
he.Greatest Gift
7: i
[f;