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SHEPHERD PRUDEN LIBRARY
106 W WATER ST
EDENTON NC 27932-1854
482-4418
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
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Chowan Commission praises leaders for storm response
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Chowan County Commis
sion offered praise to county
leaders for the outstanding
job they did planning and
preparing for Hurricane
Florence.
Before, during and after
the storm, a trio of officials
among others were busy
thinking about the coun
ty’s response to the storm
— County Manager Kevin
Howard, County Emergency
Management Coordinator
Cord Palmer and Clerk to
the Commission Susanne
Stallings.
“I’m very happy with how
Chowan County respond
ed,” Commission Chairman
Jeff Smith said as he recalled
past storms effect on the
area. “This is probably the
most prepared that I have
ever seen for a hurricane.
Makes you proud to be a citi
zen of Chowan County.”
During Palmer’s report,
he said no one in Chowan
County was killed or injured
because of the storm. He
said EMS crews will be as
sisting operations this week
in Beaufort County that
were hit hard by the storm.
The State of Emergency end
ed Monday. For more about
what Palmer discussed at
the commission meeting, see
the Chowan Herald’s Face-
book page.
In other business, two
public hearings scheduled
for Monday were moved to
Oct. 15 because the storm
may have affected travel and
planning.
One public hearing dealt
with plans to consider an
amendment to the county’s
zoning map for RiverSound
subdivision so as to apply
the correct zoning districts.
Many of these property
owners live out of state, so
their travel plans would
have been affected by the
storm.
The other public hearing
was to consider an amend
ment to the zoning ordi
nance Flood Hazard Overlay
requirements so as to meet
federal and state standaids
associated with newly flood
maps to be released in De
cember. State officials asso
ciated those plans have been
busy with planning needs as
sociated with the storm.
During the county manag
er’s report, Howard said the
storm didn’t damage the Se
nior Center. Repairs needed
after Hurricane Matthew re
main ongoing.
In other news, the board
approved plans to donate a
surplus 2007 stretcher to the
College of Albemarle’s EMS
program.
Drinking
water
warning
issued
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Town of Edenton sent
out a letter warning people
to be careful about drinking
Edenton’s water.
Dated Aug. 29, the let
ter said the town’s water
system is in violation of
state law because the water
contains elevated levels of
trialomethanes, which are
considered as carcinogenic.
TYihalomethanes (THM)
are formed as a by-prod
uct predominantly when
chlorine is used to disinfect
drinking water.
Written by Town Manager
Anne-Marie Knighton, die
town’s 2,107 water custom
ers received the letter with
their water bills in the mail
this week.
“Although this is not an
emergency, as our custom
ers, you have aright to know
what happened, what you
should do and what we are
doing to correct this situa
tion,” Knighton wrote.
The letter said there is no
need to boil water or take
other corrective actions.
However, anyone with spe
cific health concerns should
consult a doctor. The letter
said anyone with a severely
compromised immune sys
tem, or who has an infant
or is pregnant or elderly
should seek advice from
health care providers about
drinking the water.
If this had been an emer
gency, people would have
been notified within 24
hours by the Town.
“However, some people
who drink water containing
trihalomethanes in excess of
maximum contaminate lev
els over many years — the
state defines as 70 years —
may experience problems
with their hver, kidneys or
central nervous system and
may have an increased risk
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Chowan County and Town of Edenton officials wait, watch and prepare for Hurricane Florence at the Emergency Operations Center inside the
Public Safety Building.
Florence’s follies fade throughout area
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Hurricane Florence in
vaded eastern North Caro
lina with a fury last week
to leave 17 people dead and
thousands without electric
ity.
“Our hearts go out to the
families of those who died
in this storm,” Governor
Roy Cooper said.
The State of Emergency,
Tropical Storm Warning and
Storm Surge Warning no
longer remain in effect for
Chowan County and Eden
ton.
Duke Energy, Dominion
and electric cooperatives
reported that more than
700,000 homes were with
out power in North Caro-
See FLORENCE, 4A
NICOLE LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD
Town workers were on the front lines clearing debris in
the aftermath left behind by Hurricane Florence.
‘Reaching out to the
village’ to help others
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
GiGi and Matt Char-
lebois, owners of the
Edenton Coffee House,
are organizing an effort
to place donation box
es in local businesses
where folks can drop
off supplies for humans
and pets alike as part of
the Hurricane Florence
relief effort.
The couple, who con
tinued a tradition at the
coffee house begun by
original owners Glenn
and Anita Andersen
of staying open during
hurricanes to give folks
a place to go to talk and
eqjoy hot beverages and
food, are taking that a
step further by collect
ing items to be sent to
the areas of North Caro
lina hardest hit by Hur
ricane Florence.
The Tri-County Ani
mal Shelter in Tyner, is
also collecting pet-relat
ed items to help in the
relief effort.
See HELP, 4A
Commission candidates discuss future school projects
See WATER, 2A
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©2018 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
0
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Whoever wins the No
vember general election for
Chowan County Commis
sion will need to contend
with decisions to be made
as to whether to build new
schools or renovate existing
buildings.
There are two contested
races for county commis
sioner.
Larry McLaughlin, an un
affiliated candidate, is run
ning against Commissioner
John Mitchener, a Demo
crat, for District 2, Seat 2.
Republican Bob Kirby
is running
against
Commission
President
Jeff Smith,
a Democrat,
for District
1, Seat 2 —
whose an
swers were
featured last edition.
The Chowan Herald
asked the candidates for
their thoughts about wheth
er to build a new high school
or repair/renovate the exist
ing home of the Aces.
Edenton-Chowan Board
of Education and the Chow
an County Commission
have formed
a joint com
mittee to
discuss ei
ther build
ing a new
school(s)
or renovat-
MITCHENER ing
ing existing
school(s). If the school dis
trict were to build a new
high school, it would cost
less than what renovations/
repairs are forecast to cost.
The Joint Board of Chow
an County Commissioners
and Board of Education
Committee will meet at 9
a.m. Thursday in the 2nd
floor training room of the
Chowan County Public
Safety Center.
When McLaughlin was 27
years old, he served as a Se
lectman in Woodbury Ct. A
two-year term. McLaughlin
is a 24-year member of the
Kiwanis
repair- Edenton-Chowan
Club and a past president.
He has been active in many
civic activities ranging from
his portrayal as James Ire
dell to organizing folks to
pick up trash along Chowan
County’s many byways and
highways. Other folks may
know McLaughlin for his
formidable skills as a car
penter.
McLaughlin wants to
know what the true and to
tal costs of such an under
taking would be.
“Not just dollars and
cents, but what is the value
of intangibles,” he said.
“How are they to be mea
sured? A lot more discus
sion needs to take place
before we decide.”
McLaughlin said policy
makers need to determine
the ultimate costs as well as
additional intangible costs.
“There is an economic im
pact in favor of keeping the
school in town. School func-
See PROJECTS, 5A
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