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WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019
75$
EDENTON STEAMERS HOST
JUNIOR HOME RUN DERBY — B4
Commission OKs permit for solar facility
Neighbor wants ditch
along Sign Pine Road site
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Poet Robert Frost once
wrote, “Good fences make
good neighbors.”
Wonder if that sentiment
would apply to a drainage
ditch between a proposed
solar farm and a longtime
family farm deep in the
heart of Chowan County?
During Monday’s county
commission meeting, such
a ditch was a m^jor stick
ing point during discus
sions before a decision
was made to grant a condi
tional-use permit for Gli-
den Solar, a division of
SunEnergyl, to develop a
5-megawatt solar farm on
414 Sign Pine Road.
Gliden is proposing to
build the facility on 56
acres of an 82-acre tract
owned by Eugene N. Jor
dan and his family. A
farmer, Jordan also chairs
the Edenton-Chowan
Board of Education. He
made an impassioned plea
in favor of the solar farm
and said he’s done his best
to work with his neighbors
to reduce the project’s im
pact on their property.
Jordan’s neighbor, Col
bert Byrum Jr., said he is
worried that his field
would become a holding
pond without a drainage
ditch because the land
where the solar site is to be
built is at a higher elevation
than his land. He noted
that other property he
owns on Jehu Road is ad
versely affected by the
presence of a nearby solar
farm.
A topographical map
that was part of company’s
presentation indicated that
most of any runoff would
drain away into what ex
perts called a “swampy”
area, rather than Byrum’s
field.
County planner Brandon
Shoaf said he witnessed
standing water during his
visit to the area
Byrum was represented
by one of the area’s top le
gal talents, Thomas Wood
of Godwin and Wood, who
made a strong case his
client’s property would be
adversely affected without
a drainage ditch. He noted
Shoafs testimony about
the standing water, as well
as drainage patterns in the
area
“It’s not too much to ask
for a ditch,” he said.
Linda Nwadike, of
SunEnergyl, contends
See SOLAR, A2
NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD
Cecelia Haigler (center) speeds to the finish line as her father, Ted Haigler, follows Saturday during the Edenton-
Chowan Kiwanis 5K.
Thomas Shepard Sr.,
ex-magistrate, dies
5K raises $8K for Kiwanis programs
124 participate in annual
race Saturday morning
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Racers and pacers lined
up for the ninth annual
Edenton-Chowan Kiwanis
Club 5K Saturday morning
on West Gale Street.
The race featured a
record turnout - 124 run
ners registered - to raise
more than $8,000 for Kiwa
nis programs and scholar
ships. Congrats!
A solitary second sepa
rated the top overall male
medalists - that must have
been some sprint up the
straightaway to the shoot
at the end - but to quote
the movie the Highlander,
“There can be only one.”
Fourteen-year-old Axel
Preciado (21:02) narrowly
edged out 13-year-old
Chowan Middle School
distance phenom Jackson
Stegall (21:03) in the 3.1
mile race. Vidant’s Brian
White took home the
bronze with a time of 21:30
minutes. Vidant had a
PHOTO BY BILL MILLER
Fourteen-year-old Axel Preciado (21:02) narrowly
edged out 13-year-old Chowan Middle School distance
phenom Jackson Stegall (21:03) to win the ninth
annual Kiwanis 5K on Saturday in Edenton.
strong presence for this
race with several staff
members wearing teal
shirts with “I’m all about
that pace” on the back.
Thanks for supporting the
community!
Per the women’s side of
the ledger, Victoria Brinson
won the race (23:35) fol
lowed by Miriam Calvo in
second (23:46) and Sarah
Hunting in third (24:20).
There were many fa-
miliar faces in the group
and a few standout perfor
mances from folks who
pushed themselves to the
limit while zipping through
the scenic downtown
neighborhood in tempera
tures hovering in the upper
70s along with more than a
bit of humidity-
Police Chief Henry King
ran the race wearing his
bullet proof vest, which
probably weighs between
6-10 pounds. His 9-year-old
son Amarii also competed.
Thomas DiMartino ran
the race without wearing
any shoes. And yes, his feet
look as tough as hobbit’s
feet. Many mornings,
DiMartino can been seen
jogging barefoot through
the fields bordering Hayes
Plantation with his trusty
dog.
Stegall’s teammate Lo
gan Garman won his age
division and placed fourth
overall (22:22). If these two
can keep at it, future Aces’
cross country teams will
dominate the Albemarle
Athletic Conference. Aces’
long distance star Blake
Meadows finished the race
with a respectable time of
24:55 minutes.
Sisters Amy and
Amanda Turner, both Aces’
cross country runners, fin
ished side-by-side.
More than a few moms
or dads ran with their chil
dren. Worth noting, 4-year-
old Cecilia Haigler beat her
father Ted by three seconds
See KIWANIS, A2
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Thomas Hoskins Shep
ard Sr., 94, a former clerk
of Superior Court, magis
trate and agribusiness
man passed away on Fri
day, May 3, in his home. A
member of St Paul’s Epis
copal Church, Shepard’s
funeral was Monday at the
church he loved. He is
buried in the family plot at
Beaver Hill Cemetery.
According to Mike
McArthur, eight-term
clerk of Superior Court,
Shepard served as the ap
pointed Clerk of Superior
Court in Chowan County
between 1959 and 1961.
He served as a justice of
the peace before being ap
pointed clerk, then left of
fice and became a magis
trate through about 1974.
SHEPARD
A trib
ute was
offered
for the
record
when
Chowan
County
Superior
Court
opened
for business Monday.
“Tom was a pillar of
our community, and
loved by all. He was a
gentleman farmer and
agribusiness profes
sional,” McArthur said.
Many stories were
shared during Shepard’s
funeral service. Former
county commissioner
John Mitchener relayed
this story from Shepard’s
Son, Blount.
See SHEPARD, A3
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Paddleboarding
and boat
cruises will be
among the
many activities
taking place
May 17-18
during the
Edenton Music
and Water
Festival.
Music, Water Fest
set for May 17-18
Firefighters train on controlled burn
SUBMITTED REPORTS
The 21st annual Eden
ton Music and Water Fes
tival has announced activ
ities full of fun and music.
The event, held May
17-18, will provide visi
tors and residents a
chance to get on the wa
ter either in a boat or
kayak at no cost.
A sunset paddle will be
held Friday, May 17.
Launch from Elizabeth
Vann Moore Park at 6:30
p.m. and wind down with
light refreshments. If in
need of a kayak, one can
be reserved by contacting
252-482-0300 or 800-775-
0111 ahead of time.
See FEST, A2
Two vacant buildings were
destroyed on N. Oakum St.
A fire hose on the depart
ment’s ladder truck sprayed
down a house on East Gale
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON
Editor
Street that Fire Department
Chief Billy Bass said was in
the process of being re
paired. Another hose, set
The Edenton Fireup like a sprinkler, keep a
Department conducted a
live burn exercise Saturday
on two vacant buildings in
the 200 block of North
Oakum Street.
A small crowd gathered
to watch as 16 firefighters
worked the blaze that
started around 10 am. and
was extinguished at ap
proximately 4 p.m.
nearby duplex on North
Oakum Street from catch
ing on fire.
“This is an important
training as it allows our
new and veteran firefight
ers the opportunity to ex
perience firefighting in a
controlled environment,”
NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD
Edenton firefighters watch a controlled burn at two
vacant houses Saturday in the 200 block of North
Oakum Street. To the left, the ladder truck is spraying
water on a home on East Gale Street to prevent it
from catching on fire.
239 people help ‘Sweep
Chowan’ during April
Win Dale: Trash pick-up
to be held again in Oct.
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON
Editor
A total of 239 people
collected 329 bags of
trash during Sweep
Chowan, an effort to
tackle Chowan County’s
roadside trash problem.
The effort was led by
Edenton Chowan
Chamber of Commerce,
which thanked the com
munity for its tremen
dous support of Sweep
Chowan letter Clean up.
“The businesses, orga
nizations, and individuals
that volunteered their
time to help rid the
Chowan County road
sides of litter are to be
both thanked and com
mended for the
See SWEEP, A2
'89076"4
4813 1
Vol. 84, No. 19
What’s Happening in Chowan County
See BURN, A4
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CAC student
art exhibit
opens Thurs
day. — A7
Obituaries — A3
Mattie Jane Burns
Audrey L. Copeland
Janis Comer Jordan
Calendar Bl
- Classifieds....B6-8
InrlOY Community....Bl
llUvA Obituaries A3
©2019 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
Mary Midgett Robinson
Thomas Hoskins Shep
ard Sr.
Opinion A5
Sports B4