CHO WAN HERALD 482-4418 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 75$ PHOTOS MILES LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD Class of 2019 Senior Awards program paid tribute Aces who have received a total of $5,488,259 in scholarships. The one-year total is $1,457,821. Aces earn nearly $5.5M in scholarships BY MILES LAYTON Staff writer Before the Senior Awards pro gram began Monday, Aces were adjusting colored tassels, grap pling with their graduation gowns and straightening those mortar boards for a Class of 2019 photo in the gym. Members of this class have achieved much such as earning state championship rings, aca demic excellence, conference ti tles and more during their time within the hallowed halls at John A. Holmes High School. For more photos, see the Chowan Herald’s Facebook page. Monday night was about pay ing tribute to this group of future alumni who will accept their diplomas on Friday, June 14. Class of 2019 earned nearly $5.5 million in scholarship dollars. Local dignitaries lined up to present various awards and scholarships to this exceptional group of students that folks will remember years from now as among the best and brightest that Chowan County has to offer — Aces who aspire to become doc tors, teachers, lawyers, jour ¬ Candidates spar over ad campaigns DEBORAH GRIFFIN/ THE DAILY REFLECTOR Dr. Joan Perry debates with State Representative Greg Murphy Monday night on the campus of Pitt Community College. Class of nalists, skilled tradesman, farm ers and maybe even score a chance to play as a professional athlete. A few takeaways from sitting in the front row close to the podium include a story from Principal Stephen Wood about Rachel Brin son, who won the Principal’s Award. Brinson’s Christian faith and amazing memory of Scrip ture prompted her to give notes with Bible verses to the principal 3rd Congressional District GOP runoff BY TYLER STOCKS The Daily Reflector WINTERVILLE — The can didates vying for the Republi can nomination for the 3rd District Congressional seat took shots at each other dur ing a debate Monday for being dishonest in their adver ¬ when he needed inspiration. With aspirations of being a teacher, Brinson won the inaugural Re becca Bunch Memorial Scholar ship that was presented in honor of a journalist who wrote for more than 40 years about the school system. Because Kurshenna Jackson and Dylan White served as mis tress and master of ceremonies, they didn’t have to walk far to the podium to accept the many awards and scholarships they earned. Long distance runner Amy Turner probably added a few more miles to her daily total be cause her name starts with a “T,” so she sat in one of the back rows. It was hard to count how many times Turner came forward to accept awards, such as the prestigious Edenton Rotary Cup, See CLASS OF 2019, A5 tisements. N.C. Rep. Greg Murphy, a Greenville urologist and sur geon, and Dr. Joan Perry, a Kinston pediatrician, are cam paigning for a July 9 runoff. The winner will face candi dates from the Democratic, Libertarian and Constitutional parties on Sept. 10. More than 100 people See CANDIDATES, A2 County OKs budget Property owners will see a $0.01 tax increase to $.755 BY MILES LAYTON Staff writer Chowan County Com mission adopted a modest property tax increase when approving the bud get on Monday for fiscal year 2019-20. The additional tax rev enue will pay for new EMTs who will cover un derserved parts of the county due to the lack of volunteers and time com mitment needed to cover the night shifts in the Rocky Hock area. The squad, along with Center Hill-Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, an swered 228 calls in the northern end of the county so far this year. To cover the cost of the additional hires and a 2% cost-of-living salary See BUDGET, A2 Edenton proposes budget $20.5M plan includes fees, electric-rate increase BY MILES LAYTON Staff writer Good news for taxpay ers - Town of Edenton’s proposed budget does not seek a property tax in crease. But before you head down to Edenton Bay Trading Company to toast good fortune, the budget does call for modest fees to pay infrastructure needs, as well as a 1.5 percent electric rate increase. Town Manager Anne Marie Knighton released the proposed total budget of $20.5 million for Fiscal See EDENTON, A7 Senator: Legislators want Want issue resolved Wells Fargo Cup Davis: Makes no sense to revoke status as teaching hospital BY GINGER LIVINGSTON The Daily Reflector Reported discussions among Se nate leaders about building a teach ing hospital for the Brody School of Medicine, independent of Vidant Medical Center are just “chatter,” said one eastern North Carolina leg islator. Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, whose 11-county district is served by three of Vidant Health’s eight hospitals, said legislators were con cerned when Vidant leaders and Pitt County commissioners ended the University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ ability to appoint members to the hospital’s board of trustees. “I think it’s noth ing more than chat ter. I can only speak for myself... but if this was a very serious initia tive, I can assure you I would be aware of it,” DAVIS STEINBURG medical school; now they are talk ing about building a new teaching hospital when they have inadequately funded the medical school? “I think taxpay ers will see 6 l " 1 89076 ll 44813' Vol. 84, No. 23 Steinburg said. “I think other east ern North Carolina legislators would be aware of it.” Pitt County Sen. Don Davis also can’t believe senator leaders are floating the idea of building a new hospital. “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about revoking Vidant’s status as the teaching hospital for the med ical school,” Davis said. “Every sin gle year we are fighting to fund our through that and see what it is,” he said. Even if the construction discussion is nothing more than “pie-in-the-sky chatter,” Steinburg said, Vidant offi cials should move quickly to resolve the conflict He believes restoring the nominating powers of the Board of Governors is the best solution. Steinburg spoke after the Senate HI .1 OVI RAI I PROf.RAA John A. Holmes 2018-2019 PHOTO COURTESY KIM ULLOM (L-r) John A. Holmes Principal Stephen Wood, Athletic Director Wes Mattera and Edenton-Chowan Schools Superintendent Rob Jackson celebrate as the school won its second Wells Fargo Cup in a row. The award was presented May 29, during the Senior Athletic Banquet at Edenton Baptist Church. More on the ceremony can be found on Page Bl. WELLS FARGO CUP CHAMPIONS See VIDANT, A2 0 ©2019 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved UPCOMING HOME GAMES Historic Hicks Field FMI Call 252-482-4080 www.edentonsteamers.com JUNE 6@7PM VS WILMINGTON THURSDAY TUNES CLASSIC ROCK MUSIC NIGHT JUNE 7 @ 7PM VS WILSON POST GAME FIREWORKS HISTORIC HICKS FIELD 80TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION JUNE 9 @7PM VS MARTINSVILLE OPEN DOOR CHURCH NIGHT CHURCH BULLETIN NIGHT