CHOWA^ HERAL
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SHEPHERD PRIJDEN LIBRARY
106 W WATER ST
EDENTON NO 27932-1854
I
EDENTON U10 ALL-STARS WIN
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP — Bl
Taco Bell construction reset for Sept.
Council gets update on
Peanut Drive water line
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Though there is a lot go
ing on with Edenton Town
Council, a topic that has
generated more than a bit
of chatter remains to be
the progress of a Taco Bell.
Before getting to the
beans and meat wrapped
up in the busy burrito that
was Monday’s council
meeting, here’s the latest
update about the popular
fast food restaurant.
“The project is alive and
active,” Town Manager
Anne Marie Knighton said
before the meeting.
A Virginia Beach, Vir
ginia-based developer an
nounced plans in Decem
ber to build a Taco Bell
restaurant on Virginia
Road. The developer,
which also does business
as Burgerbusters, Inc.,
plans to build a 2,420-
square-foot restaurant on
the site next to Burger
King where Southern Bank
currently operates an
ATM. The bank will relo
cate the ATM.
“The project manager
explained the land acquisi
tion from Chowan Cross
ing Shopping Center took
more time, however, the
project manager is hopeful
the property acquisitions
for the project will be ap
proved by Burger Busters
in early August,” said
Knighton who spoke to the
company Monday.
The property is sched
uled to be purchased in
early August and construc
tion hopefully will start in
September, Knighton said.
Civil engineers for Burger
Busters recently secured
their driveway opening
permit from state Depart
ment of Transportation on
June 24.
Town of Edenton Direc
tor of Planning Elizabeth
Bryant has fielded calls
See TACO BELL, A2
Gathering seeks end to gun violence
‘Sno Day’ honors victims, shows
participants peaceful alternatives
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON
Editor
Several people braved the July
heat on Saturday to pay tribute to
those who have died due to gun
violence and to heal their com
munity.
Nicole Jackson, the mother of
Marcus Jackson, a John A.
Holmes graduate who was killed
earlier this year in Durham, orga
nized the first annual “Sno Day”
2019: A Day Dedicated to Marcus
Jackson, which was held at Eden
ton’s Colonial Park.
Several attendees wore orange,
the color of gun violence aware
ness. Some shirts memorialized
loved ones who were killed by
gun violence.
Jackson wore an orange shirt
with the words “THIS MOM HAS
HAD #ENOUGH .” Marcus’ 2-
year-old son Ma’Khai wore a T-
shirt that read “In memory of my
Dada” on the front surrounding
an orange ribbon.
Latisha Holley, is Nicole Jack-
son’s friend. A few months after
Marcus Jackson’s death, Holley
lost her husband, Cruize Riddick,
to gun violence. He died on June
19 after being shot on Badham
Road.
Like Nicole talking about Mar
cus, Latisha Holley and her chil
dren still talk about Riddick in
first person, as if he is still here
helping people at a moment’s no
tice like he always has.
Holley noted that many people
are hurt by gun violence, but for
the famines like hers, they are
grieving.
“Some people are hurt and that
lasts maybe a few weeks, or a
month or two. But for those who
are grieving, it lasts a lifetime,”
she said.
Holley said she hopes that Sno
Day and other events like it re
duce or eliminate gun violence.
“I hope people learn to talk
things out or just walk away,” she
said. “We need to teach younger
people that there is a better way.”
NICOLE BOWMAN-LA YTON/CHOWAN HERALD
Marcus Jackson’s family releases doves in memory of those lost to gun violence Saturday at Colonial
Park, Edenton.
Holley noted that Riddick was
a loving husband and father and a
dedicated friend.
“He was one of those people
where if you needed him, you
could call and he’d be there at a
drop of a dime,” she said. “There
will be no more beach trips. No
more trips with him, just with the
memory of him.”
Edenton Police Chief Henry
King attended the event. Accord
ing to statistics he provided from
the Centers of Disease Control
and Prevention, the No. 1 cause
of death for African American
males between the ages of 12 and
19 is homicide.
“It’s sad. You look around at
this event, and a lot of kids fit that
age range,” he said, while stand
ing in the shade at the park.
Citizens must work together to
change the narrative of gun vio
lence in their community.
“We need to work together to
make things better,” he said.
“Everyone wants their kids to
grow up and to feel safe.”
King noted that it was good to
See VIOLENCE, A2
SUBMITTED PHOTO
A visitor to “Sno Day” takes a picture of table decorated with can
dles and photos of those killed by gun violence Saturday at Colo
nial Park, Edenton.
Tobias: Edenton feels like home
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Early Friday morning,
Jonathan Tobias sits by
Edenton Coffee House’s
big windows. Even before
coffee, Tobias is alert and
welcoming when most
folks are shaking off the
morning.
As to welcoming, To
bias has a warm de
meanor, perhaps his
speech patterns and
maybe this same fashion
sense reminds someone
of Mr. Fred Rogers, famed
host of a children’s show
and whose life will soon
Meet Your Neighbor
include a biographical
film to be released /n
November, maybe fea
tured at Taylor Theater.
Before we get to the
American Carpatho-Rus-
sian Orthodox priest part
of Tobias’ story — yes,
Jonathan has the black
robe and that cool square
hat — let’s start with the
Mr. Rogers.
Whether real or imag
ined, Tobias and Rogers
share some of the same
dialect and speech pat
terns. Why? Both men
spent more than a bit of
time in Pittsburgh — a
Pennsylvania city that
may be known to more
than few folks in the area.
“Steeler Nation has an
outpost here,” he said.
“Even my neighbor flies a
Steelers’ flag.”
Tobias shared his opin
ion, perhaps a feeling
shared by many who’ve
moved away from the
Rust Belt, about why he
chose a small town to big
NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD
Three
run for
mayor
Edenton Town Council
election set for Nov. 5
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
The ink is dry on the fil
ing forms needed to run for
mayor and Edenton Town
Council. The candidate fil
ing period ended July 19.
November’s ballot will
feature a three-way race
for mayor between Jacque
line Hardy-Lassiter, a local
business owner, and coun
cilmen Jimmy Stallings
and Steve Biggs, who
serves as mayor pro-tern.
Edenton also will have a
race for 2nd Ward coun
cilor between Tray Taylor
and incumbent Sambo
Dixon.
William Hackney High
Jr., a local attorney, is run
ning uncontested for the
1st Ward seat currently
held by Stallings.
Roger Coleman is unop
posed for the at-large
council seat currently held
by Biggs.
Election day is Nov. 5.
Current Mayor Roland
Vaughan already an
nounced he’s not seeking
re-election after 24 years of
service, which means there
is change ahead, the pass
ing of a torch.
Candidate’s answers ap
pear in alphabetical order
for the names of those
folks running — a
See MAYOR, A3
Biggs joins
Edenton
mayor race
BY MILES LAYTON
Staff writer
Mayor pro tern Steve
Biggs has thrown his hat in
the ring to run for mayor.
“I’ve always thought that
service to your community
is a calling and a privilege,”
he said. “I been homed that
the citizens of Edenton
have allowed me to be a
voice for them as their
councilman for 24 years. I
want to continue to help
build a community that
will thrive economically
6 11 "89076 44813 1
Vol. 84, No. 30
See TOBIAS, A2
Jonathan Tobias sits for a recent interview at the
Edenton Coffee House.
See BIGGS, A3
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