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EDENTON NC 27932-1854
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Obituaries.... 3A
Opinion 5A
Pilgrimage ....IB
Sports 3B
Community ...4-5B
Classifieds... 7-8B
482-4418
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
75‘
Regional jail to study adding Chowan inmates
Goodwin: Current jail has 23
beds, averages 31 men a day
BY SARAH HODGES STALLS
Enterprise & Weekly Herald
WINDSOR — Chowan officials
have agreed to pursue a joint study
to determine whether the county
should join Bertie and Martin
counties in a shared jail facility.
Chowan commissioners dis
cussed the possibility of a shared
jail facility during a meeting Thurs
day with Bertie and Martin com
missioners and the Bertie-Martin
Regional Jail Board.
“Our goal tonight is to get more
insight into Chowan County’s cur
rent situation with its jail and its
desire to join the Bertie-Martin
jail partnership,” Dempsey Bond,
chairman of the Bertie-Martin jail
board and a Martin commissioner,
explained.
Opened in 1979, the Chowan
County Jail is in Edenton and op ¬
erates as a division of the Chowan
County Sheriffs Office, providing
housing for prisoners from both
Chowan and Gates counties. The
jail currently employs eight full-
time staff members, two part-time
staffers and one administrator.
Chowan officials say the coun
ty’s jail’s capacity has reached a
point where action will be needed
soon.
According to Chowan Sheriff
See JAIL, 3A
SARAH HODGES
STALLS/ENTERPRISE
& WEEKLY HERALD
Martin County
Commissioners
Ronnie Smith
(left) and
Dempsey Bond
were part of
last week’s
meeting with
commissioners
from Bertie and
Chowan counties.
Jumping for Science
PHOTO COURTESY KIM ULLOM
Zion Preudhomme (center), a White Oak kindergartner, jumps as he attempts to launch his homemade rocket
Thursday during Duke Energy Science Night at the school. Looking on is Madison Wilson and Charlie Milligan,
along with PreK teacher Julie Privott and Miller Bryant.
‘Where He leads
me I will go’
■ * [
Kirby seeks consistent solar farm rules
Turner to start May 1 as
Perquimans superintendent
BY PETER WILLIAMS AND
MILES LAYTON
Adams Publishing Group
HERTFORD — The Per
quimans County Schools
Board of Education named
Tanya Turner as their new
superintendent Monday
night.
Turner, 49, currently is
the assistant superinten
dent for curriculum and
instruction with Edenton-
Chowan Schools.
She is a Perquimans
County native, a product
of the Perquimans County
Schools system and still
lives in Perquimans Coun
ty. In the end, Turner didn’t
need to visit Oz to know
that there is no place hke
home.
“Perquimans has always
remained my home,” Turn
er said. “I wanted nothing
more than to return to Per
quimans County to teach
and coach when I graduat
ed from Methodist Univer ¬
sity. I was
b 1 e s s e d
with that
f ® " 1T " 1' 11 1 -
T— nity for
4 l () 7
before be-
ingledtoa
TURNER leadership
position in
Edenton-Chowan Schools.
I have now been with the
Edenton-Chowan School
System for 17 years. I think
returning home completes
me.”
An alumnus of Perqui
mans County High School,
Turner is pleased to have
the opportunity to serve
the community.
“My education began in
Perquimans and prepared
me well for my future,” she
said. “Having the oppor-
tunity to give back to the
community that has given
my son and I so much is
humbling and an extreme
honor. I want nothing more
than to work together with
the school system and
community to make a posi-
See TURNER, 2A
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff Writer
Chowan County Com
missioner Bob Kirby said he
seeks changes to the coun
ty’s Solar Zoning Ordinance
to make it consistent with
the Land Use Plan require
ments.
During a recent commis
sion meeting, Kirby pre
sented commissioners with
a written piece entitled, “So
lar Development in Chowan
County.” Monday, commis
sioners agreed to discuss
these changes later this
month before sending any
suggested amendments to
the county’s Planning Board
for review.
The Chowan County and
Town of Edenton Joint Land
Use Plan was adopted over
six months ago, and was
certified by the NC Coastal
Resources Commission
over four
months ago.
Kirby said
the Chowan
County Zon
ing Ordi
nance needs
to be revised
KIRBY to keep it
aligned with the Land Use
Plan. Kirby said many of the
figures and setback distanc
es in his proposal are based
on his best judgment and
can be adjusted to meet the
board’s consensus.
Kirby shared this thought
about the solar issue.
“While working this issue,
I had both sides of the many
issues in mind,” he said. “NC
Representative Ed Good
win’s comments from our
meeting about his mom’s
property and how it really
doesn’t bring in a lot of rev
enue now that none of his
relatives are farming it, and
INSIDE
Another SunEnergyl facility
moves forward - 4A
how solar has the potential
for her to maximize income
really strikes at home for
many of my constituents in
the north end of the county
and needs to be balanced
against the potential nega
tives of solar.”
Based on the recent spate
of solar farm proposals,
Kirby said he is concerned,
so he is suggesting these
changes to the ordinance:
1. Name change — “Solar
Energy Facility” instead of
“Solar Farm.” This would be
more consistent with near-
by counties.
2. Insert a section that
outlines the purpose and
objectives up front and spe
cific note the desire to cre
ate developments that are
consistent with the Land
Use Plan.
3. Setbacks. Suggest add
ing the following (to better
preserve the viewshed of
historic and scenic areas):
a. A 500-feet setback
from the mqjor waterways
(Chowan and Yeopim riv
ers, Edenton Bay and Albe
marle Sound). This would
be an attempt to preserve
the viewshed for folks who
eqjoy boating, fishing and
other watersports.
b. A 1,500-feet setback
from the county’s NC Sce
nic Byway — the Edenton-
Windsor Loop — that runs
west of town, along US 17
toward the River Bridge.
For quick reference, 1,500
feet is just over 1/4 mile.
c. A 1,500-feet setback
See KIRBY, 4A
CAC to open
Water St
From Staff Reports
The Chowan Arts Coun
cil wants the public to help
celebrate its move to Water
Street.
The opening reception
and ribbon-cutting will be
held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday,
April 4, at the old Chero’s
Building, 112 W. Water St.,
Edenton. CAC President
Regan Coxe said the event
will feature music by Stan-
Sweep Chowan
facility
ley Polanski and libations
and good eats.
During the month of the
CAC’s closure, volunteers
were busy moving artwork
and renovating the new lo
cation.
Despite being in the
middle of a move, the CAC
stayed busy as it recently
brought Timmy and Su
sanna Abell to White Oak
See CAC, 3A
Cycle NC seeks volunteers
for registration, rest stops
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6
0
Safety, courtesy urged while
sharing road with visitors
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON
Editor
Planning for this month’s
upcoming Cycle NC in kick
ing into high gear.
During a recent meeting,
the schedule and routes
were confirmed for the April
26-28 event.
Volunteers are still need-
See CYCLE, 2A
PHOTO COURTESY KIP SHAW [
Bicyclists make their way through Edenton during Cycle
NC’s last stop in Edenton.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Chowan County Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin (left) and
Deputy Antwan Rascoe stand at a “Littering is illegal”
sign at the intersection of Yeopim Road and NC
32/Poplar Neck Road. The state recently installed
six such signs. Goodwin urged residents to help keep
the county clean. To report someone littering, call the
Sheriff’s Office at 252-482-4444. Sweep Chowan,
a campaign to pick up roadside litter, is being held
through April 30. For information on the program,
contact the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce
at 252-482-3400.