p8/C8*.,„4 SHEPHERD PRUDp/’/'",,,l,',/"1//'/i/l., ^06 IV WATER ST N LIBrARY edenton NC 27932-1854 482-4418 Wednesday, August 12, 2015 Gospel J singer Lauren Talley bringing , message of hope — 6B 50* Staff begins work on school capital projects STAFF PHOTO r BY REGGIE PONDER [ The administrative j team at Chowan M Middle School stands I next to one of two ft new heating and I cooling units that 1 have been installed j" at the school’s gym. h Pictured (l-r) are ! Assistant Principal fe Phillip Gatling Sr., I Assistant Principal I Brenda Pate, and 1 Principal John H Lassiter. § BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer | The Edenton-Chowan Schools maintenance staff is installing two new heating and cooling units for the gym and locker room at Chowan Middle School to replace non-function ing units at the site. The estimated cost of the project is $13,300. The mainte nance staff has removed all of the mechanical equipment and j condenser units and Ls working | on installing two new mini split systems. The non-functioning heating and cooling units at the middle school gym were a focal point in public discussion of the schools’ critical facility needs this past spring among the school board and county com missioners. The county commissioners made an additional $400,000 available for school capital needs in the fiscal year that began July 1, bringing the total capital outlay funding for the year to $600,000. While some capital needs projects identified by the Edenton-Chowan Schools for completion in the current fiscal year are now underway, oth ers remain to be started. The school system’s fiscal year runs from June 30 through July 1. Edenton-Chowan Schools Maintenance Director Brad Bass presented a status report on the projects at the Aug. 4 monthly school board meeting. “We’re trying to do as much See PROJECTS, 2A Shrimp, By The Bay mmm 9P THOMAS J TURNEY,'CHOWAN HERALD Scott Noble (right) loads shrimp onto Phil Van Dongens plate Friday at Shrimp By the Bay, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. BY REGGIE PONDER Editor More than 200 people took advantage of free tours of the 188ti Roanoke River Lighthouse Friday for National Lighthouse Day. Touring the historic structure on the water at Edenton wen1 172 adults and 41 children. And the visitation appears to be [tart of a larger trend of peo ple coming to Edenton at least in part to see the lighthouse. Figures gathered by the Tour ism Development Authority indi cate that 38,297 visitors toured Edenton in Fiscal Year 2011 201'), compared with 21,720 in 2013-2014 - an increase of 11,877 MORE INSIDE ■ Historical novel adds to aura of Lighthouse Day - IB ■ Former lighthouse resident returns for tour - IB or a'Ci percent. Chowan County Tourism De velopment Authority Director Nancy Nicholls said tins week that while it’s not possible to at tribute the entire increase abso lutely to the addition of the light house tours as an attraction, the lighthouse certainly seems to have been a big part of the trend See LIGHTHOUSE, 4A STAFF PHOTO BY REGGIE PONDER The 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse as it appeared Friday during the National Lighthouse Day observance. Tax credit still in play ■ Steinburg: Credit might join revenue sharing bill BY REGGIE PONDER Edftor A revised version of the state’s historic preservation tax credit is expected to be back on the table this week as House and Senate law makers work to forge a bud get agreement, according to Rep. Bob Steinburg. Steinburg, R-Chowan, said Monday “there are a lot of interesting things going on” as legislators negotiate the differences in detail and policy between the House and Senate versions of the state budget and other key pieces of legislation. Steinburg said he has been hearing that the Sen ate might insert the historic preservation tax credit into a refashioned revenue shar ing and economic incen tives bill in order to increase the likelihood of the Senate plan’s being approved by the House. The historic preservation tax credit has been used across the state, but has been especially popular in Edenton - where historic preservation has long been recognized as a key piece of the economic development strategy. Preservation NC Presi dent Myrick Howard is con tinuing to urge supporters of the tax credit to stay in touch with legislators. "Thanks so much for your help,” Howard said in a re cent message to supporters of the historic preservation tax credit. “We need your See TAX CREDIT, 4A Deal final, town to revisit electric rates BY REBECCA BUNCH AND JON HAWLEY Staff Writers The Edenton Town Coun cil could vote to reduce the town’s retail electric rates ;ls early as next month. Booth and Associates of Raleigh is conducting a study of the town’s existing retail ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved rates and will be milking rec ommendation for changes in the rates to reflect a re cent wholesale power rate decrease, iiccording to town officials. 'I'lie North Carolina East ern Municipal Power Agency and Duke Energy Progress announced on July 31 they l\ad closed their liistoric $1.25 billion deal which sells NCEMPAls shares in four power plants to Duke. Besides locking the pow er agency’s 32 members, See DEAL FINAL, 4A Kalbach stresses airport’s economic value STAFF PHOTO BV REGGIE PONDER Jim Kalbach, chairman of the Northeastern Regional Airport Commission, speaks about the airport Monday night as part of the Harry Rosenblatt Lecture Series at the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library. BY REGGIE PONDER Editor Jiin Kalbac'h’s pride in the Northeastern Regional Airport was on full display in the talk he gave Monday night as part of the Harry Rosenblatt Lecture Series at the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library. “Our airport is a real asset," said Kal bach, who is chairman of the Northeastern Regional Airport Commission The airport Is a “jewel in the crown" of economic development in the region, he said. “It is a jewel in the crown,” Kalbaeh said, adding “I hope my successor is better at getting jobs out there." But Kalbach’s self-deprecating remark aside, his presentation revealed just how See AIRPORT, 2A IBLOUNT’S M UTUAL PromPt/Courteous service with typically two, if not three, pharmacists on duty at most times... EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE... DRUGS ! 323 $. Broad St. • PO BOX 209 • Edenton, NC 27932-0209 • (252) 482-2127 J.6. (Jim) Blount, Sr., R.PH • Jenny Blount Williams, Pharm.D. • Nelson Spear, Pharm. D. I .* . " ' -.. ■■■■■■ 11 « . ... I

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