482-4418
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Victories keep coming for the
Steamers — 7 A
50*
Speed cited as cause in fatal boating accident
BY REGGIE PONDER
v Editor
Speed and possible equip
ment problems have been
cited as the likely causes of
a May 31 boating accident
at the mouth of the Yeopim
River that killed a Chowan
County and a Perquimans
County man.
County
reduces
fee
■ Commissioners vote
against tax hike
BY REGGIE PONDER
Editor
The Chowan County
Board of Commissioners
Tuesday adopted a hold
the-line county budget for
2013-14.
While a majority of .the
board continued to reject
Commissioner Emmett
Winbome’s proposal from
a previous meeting to re
duce the property tax rate
by one cent from 68.5 cents
per $100 valuation to 67.5
cents, the board did adopt
an alternative proposal by
Chairman Keith Nixon that
reduced the solid waste fee
by $18 a year.
County Manager Zee
Lamb noted that the solid
waste fee reduction of $1.50
a month — $18 a year — is
the equivalent of a one-cent
property tax rate reduction
on a $180,000 home.
The motion by Commis
sioner John Mitchiner to
adopt the 2013-14 county
budget as presented passed
4-3, with Winbome, Nixon
and Commissioner Alex Ke
hayes voting against it
See BUDGET, 2A
Evergreen
withdraws
appeal
From staff reports
Raleigh-based Ever
green Construction has
withdrawn its appeal of a
Superior Court ruling that
the Town of Edenton acted
within its rights when it de
nied the firm’s request for a
conditional use permit
The permit had been
requested so that Ever
green could build a 50-fam
‘ 2y multi-family apartment
complex.
The council denied the
permit request after decid
ing that Evergreen’s market
feasibility study was based
on flawed data.
“Evergreen, who ap
pealed (the) Town Council’s
decision to deny (a) condi
tional use permit, withdrew
its appeal from the NC Court
< of Appeals,” Town Manager
Anne-Marie Knighton con
firmed in an email written
Monday morning.
Tim Morgan, vice-presi
dent of Evergreen, did not
immediately respond to
a phone message seeking
comment for this story.
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©2009 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
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Pronounced dead at
Chowan Hospital shortly af
ter the accident were Daniel
Manke, 50, of Hertford, and
Blaine Weyant, 48, of Eden
ton, according to law en
. forcement authorities.
Another boater in the ac
cident, Edward White, 47,
of Hertford, was released
from Albemarle Hospital
300th Anniversary Pyrotechnics
aramra.. -r&mamnssmsE*.
CHOWAN HERALD FILE PHOTOS
A woman does the electric slide at Colonial Park during a July 4 event. There will be lots of musical entertainment courtesy of Steve Hardy’s
Original Beach Party.
■ McArthur: Have set1 an aggressive goal
of $18,000 more in fireworks this year
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
With Edenton’s 300th anniversary cel
ebration in full swing, the Chowan-Eden
ton Optimist Club is planning a larger than
normal fireworks show in Keeping with
the occasion.
Mike McArthur, chairman of the fund
raising effort, said that the club’s goal is to
raise about $30,000 for an expanded show
this July 4 during the annual Fabulous
Fourth of July event.
“We have set an aggressive goal of hav
Rainfall helps crop get off to good start
From staff reports
Decent rainfall this
spring has helped com and
soybeans get off to a good
start this growing season,
while cotton and peanuts
are behind schedule.
“There has been some
growth delay as a result of
cool, wet conditions ear
lier,” said Lewis Smith, a
local county extension di
rector with the N.C. State
Cooperative Extension
Service.
While the rainfall has
been a blessing for com
and soybeans, many farap
ers delayed planting of cot
ton and peanuts because of
wet soils and cool condi
tions early in the planting
after being flown there from
the scene by a Coast Guard
rescue crew from Elizabeth
City, according to N.C. Wld
life Resources Commission
Officer William Latoa
No charges are pending,
according to Laton’s report
Although White, the lone
survivor of the accident, in
dicated that the driver and
seasoa
“Chowan County is a lit
tle different than the coun
ties to the east, in that there
are a higher percentage of
Sandy, well-drained soils
that will allow growers to
get in the field sooner at
rain events,” he said.
Other important crops
locally are wheat and
clary sage, which grows
best in dry weather. Clary
sage produces an oil that
enables the scent of per
fumeor cologne to stay on
the skin longer.
“Except for just a couple
of days, moisture has been
good thus far this season,”
Smith said. “In some areas
in the region, rainfall has
been excessive at times.”
4 ‘
■t' - M ' Mr ' SV
passengers each consumed
three or four beers that day,
Laton’s report did not indi
cate alcohol use as a likely
cause of the crash.
Laton’s report on the ac
cident states that Manke
was operating the boat on
the Albemarle Sound and
Yeopim River when the boat
struck a stump and then a
ing $18,000 more in fireworks this year
than last, and we are knocking on the door
to success,” McArthur said. “But we still
need the community’s help to get us the
rest of the way there.”
McArthur said that with just two weeks
to go the dub’s fundraising committee has
been going door to door asking for dona
tions. Local businesses and organizations
— including the Edenton Chowan Part
nership, the Chamber of Commerce and
the 300th Anniversary Celebration com
mittee chaired by Bob Quinn — have been
generous with their support and encour
agement, he said.
See FIREWORKS, 3A
In other words, one field
could get 2 to 4 inches of
rainfall, while two miles
down the road, a field may
only get a half-inch from a
storm.
Overall, Smith said the
outlook for a productive
season is “good.”
“As I mentioned, cotton
and peanuts are generally a
little behind,” he said. “We
always like to see cotton
starting to bloom by July
4. I can’t speak for all of
Chowan, but in Perquimans
ni be surprised if any fields
reach that unofficial goal”
Meanwhile, com contin
ues to grow at a good clip.
“If we continue to get
See CROP, 3A
: . ■■
t %
f *
cypress tree.
The report estimates that
the 17-foot Sea Ray motor
boat was traveling 21-40
miles per hour.
White and Weyant were
passengers in the boat
White said he had bought
the boat recently and made
some repairs, and that he
was having a difficult time
getting the engine cover
latched down correctly, La
ton reported.
The report states that
Manke died from trauma
and Weyant died from
drowning.
The report states that Pat
rick Cahoon, a commercial
See ACCIDENT, 2A
Youngsters
of all ages
will find cool
treats and
lots of fun at
the Fabulous
Fourth of July
Celebration
hosted by
the Chowarv
Edenton
Optimist Club.
PHOTO COURTESY BY THE N.C. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Sage continues to climb as a profitable crop. In addition
to an herb, sage is used in the production of perfume.
The crop shown here is among the fields of Hayes Farms
In Chowan County.
:■ \«v ... V ■'/