THE County TIMES-NEWS
Northampton County's Only Advertising and News Medium
Vol. 82 No. 10
THE ROANOKE-CHOWAN TIMES — EsubUshed 1892
THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1973
★ ★ ★ ★
☆ THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY NEWS — Established 1926
10c Per Copy Rich Square, N. C.
14 Pages
Equal Rights Amendment Dead
What's Next For Legislators?
siiiiliii
.y-^y ■■■■■■
TWO NEW FACES TO appear at the Northampton County Agricultural
Extension Service Office in Jackson in the past month are those of Assistant
Home Economics Agents Mrs. Becky Brittle, seated, and Mrs. Cynthia
Wallington. Mrs. Brittle, a native of Scotland Neck and, more recently
Ahoskie, will work chiefly as a 4-H coordinator and Mrs. Wallington, of
Seaboard, will center her duties with the extension homemakers.
Joan Culbreth New
MSFA Project Chief
JACKSON - The State
Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board has recently conducted
investigations for conflicts of
interest in North Carolina’s
ABC system. Their efforts
have linked distillery
representatives to allegations
of kickbacks and attempted
bribery.
The liquor probe has found
possible conflicts of interest
on five local boards in
Northampton and New
Hanover Counties and Ashe:
ville, _Nashville and Hot
Springs. In their ABC
systems, a board member also
serves as manager of the
system. In Asheville, there
has been a constant dispute
about this as early as 1966.
Barlett R. Burgwyn,
chairman of Northampton
County’s board and
supervisor of the system
commented, “Our ABC board
is operating according to the
general statutes of this state in
Section 18A-16. It is illegal if
the manager is also hired as a
supervisor for another salary.
Salaries are fixed by joint
meetings of boards who
appoint members of the
board. I get around $6000 a
year as chairman but draw no
salary as supervisor.
“The ABC board meets
every month, sometimes
twice a month as we did in
February. It follows the law to
the letter. Since October 1%5
when the first store opened,
(See CHIEF, Page 14)
By JOSEPH COVOLO JR.
Managing Editor
RALEIGH — The 1973
General Assembly session’s
first major issue to be
resolved was the one which
generated the most attention
and the most lobbying in the
early weeks of the session,
that being the Equal Rights
Amendment. It was defeated
27 to 23 with both the Roanoke-
Chowan Area senators voting
against it.
“With a few more states
voting it down I am sure that
proposed amendment will be
defeated for good,” said
Bertie’s Senator J. J. (Monk)
Harrington. “I believe there is
a district difference between
men and women — the Good
Lord made us that way and I
think it should stay this way. I
do not believe women should
be drafted or serve in some
areas where the hazards are
great. I do believe they are
entitled to equal pay and equal
job benefits and if they do not
get them there are laws on the
books to insure a route to get
them.”
Gates’ Senator Phil Godwin
had similar feelings on the
matter. Like Senator
Harrington, he was opposed to
the amendment proposal from
the very beginning.
“As an attorney I am of the
opinion that women would
have forefitted an awful lot
more than they would have
gained had ERA passed. The
law is set up so that the man
must support the wife and the
children, this idea being based
on the fact that in the past the
man was usually the bread
winner. Things are different
now but the area of
responsibility has not
changed,” the Gates senator
Burgwyn Denies ABC
Misdoings In N'ampton
By JEANETTE DAVIS
RICH SQUARE — Even
without the help of ERA, one
^ i
female Ahoskie import has
moved into a seat capably
filled by a man in the past and
thinks the seat is quite
comfortable.
The woman, Mrs. Joan
Culbreth, was named last
Thursday as Training Center
Chief of the Family
Development Project here,
formerly the RCA-CADA
Project. The project is the
only one in the country to have
survived and progressed since
its inception.
Joan replaces Eugene R.
Jones who is being transferred
to New York City by RCA and
he leaves some big shoes to
Odom Supervisor
Not Transferred
MRS. JOAN CULBRETH, Training Center Chief
of the MSFA Project in Rich Square, comes to her
new job with experience in teaching both high
school and college, and six years with the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
RALEIGH — Department of
Corrections officials would not
confirm reports that R. L.
Turner, former
superintendent of Odom
Prison near Jackson has been
transferred to a similar
said.
“I think, in the long run, the
average women throughout
the state will thank us for not
adopting ERA. Too much was
being left to chance with the
courts having to make future
decisions to continue to
protect women. We are all
better off this way.”
TALKING TOGETHER AFTER Wednesday's meeting of Peanut Growers
in Jackson are Z. L. Davenport, left, of Gumberry, Mutt Barnes of Severn,
center, and Marshall Grant of Seaboard. All attended a hearing in
Washington, D. C. Tuesday to state the case of the North Carolina Peanut
Growers but returned with little or nothing in the area of hope and en
couragement.
Nationwide on the ERA
question it will take
ratification of 10 more states
to make it a constitutional
amendment. If three more kill
it then its out.
Legislation Deadline
Senator Godwin reported
March 15 is the deadline for
local legislation to be
introduced for this session. He
urged all local governments
with some idea of getting
legislation going in Raleigh
this year to move on it now or
give it up for another year.
Local Visits
The local senators reported
$120 Million Sales
Break Area Record
RALEIGH — Using any
criterion, inflated or
otherwise, the four-county
Roanoke-Chowan area
enjoyed a properous
$120,491,460 retail sales year in
1972.
It was only a few years ago
that the four-county total-
Gates, Hertford, Bertie,
Northampton-passed the $100
million mark in record sales.
Now the sales figure stands at
$120,491,460 record after a 7.9
per cent increase over- the
$111,663,063 reported in 1971.
Indicating a continuing high
degree of dependence on
agriculture, the Roanoke-
Chowan economy rose to
highest levels in the fall.
Highest retail sales months in
1972 were October in Bertie,
Gates and Northampton
Counties and September in
Hertford County. February
was lowest in Bertie, Hertford
and Northamptoi. August was
lowest in Gates.
Gates County
Comparing calendar years
1971 and 1972, Gates County
sales rose 4.8 per cent, the 1971
record of $9,875,228 rose
$477,313 to $10,352,541 in 1972.
Highest retail sales month of
1972 was October with
$1,052,679 reported. Lowest
figure was $741,670 in August.
Bertie County
Bertie County sales
increased from $26,886,506 in
1971 to $28,674,930 in 1972. Rate
of increase was 6.7 per cent or
$1,788,424. High sales month
was October with $2,683,787.
Smallest figure was given in
February at $1,976,737.
Hertford County
Recording the highest
percentage increase and the
highest total retail sales figure
in the area was Hertford
County. Hertford businesses
sold $55,926,111 worth of retail
sales items in 1972, compared
with $51,021,843 in 1971.
Increase was $4,904,268 or 9.6
per cent. Biggest sales month
was September with $5,220,772
and smallest was February
with $3,924,658.
Northampton County
Northampton County
business volume increase by
$1,658,392 or 6.9 per cent in
1971-72 comparison. Sales
were $23,879,486 in 1971 and
$25,537,878 in 1972. Most
successful month was October
with sales of $^,4%,099. Least
successful was February with
$1,764,241.
Project Life Adding Two
More For Financial Aid
fill.
The new chief, a native of
Montgomery, Ala., came to
Ahoskie in 1970. Her training
and work experience before
coming to the Roanoke-
Chowan area has been
interesting and extensive for a
woman of her years.
She graduated from
Huntington College in
Montgomery and taught high
school English for two years
before going to Auburn
University to get her masters
degree. She taught at that
university for three years.
(See BURGWYN, Page 14)
position at Crestville Prison
near Plymouth.
Harold Lilly, area
administration for the
department said that Donald
Batten was still acting
superintendent at Odom and
that Turner was still on the
state payroll but was not now
acting in any official capacity
for the Department of
Corrections.
“Turner still has his
residence at Odom,” Lilly
said, “and he is now taking his
vacation time while the
Secretary (of the Department
of Corrections Lee Bounds)
and other agency officials
consider what steps to take
next.”
Turner was relived of duty
at Odom shortly after the
capture of Henry Jarrett, a
former Odom inmate who
escaped from custody at a
State Jaycee convention in
Raleigh last month.
Jarrett was president of the
Jaycee chapter at the prison
and was to attend the
convention with another
inmate under the supervision
of a prison official. Jarrett
escaped during registration in
a Raleigh hotel lobby.
After being re-captured and
returned to custody, Jarrett
was charged with murder,
rape, kidnapping and armed
robbery.
A spokesman at Crestville
Prison said Turner had never
been in charge of that unit and
he was unaware if any word
had been received that Turner
was to take command of the
unit.
RICH SQUARE — Project
Life’s Board of Directors
Tuesday ni^^ht elected Petei
Moody, a Gaston farmer to the
board. He will now serve with
other board members as a
representative from the far
western end of Northampton
County and the Roanoke
Rapids areas.
Moody’s election to the
board was one of three actions
taken at this first meeting in
seven months by the directors.
Other actions included the
Project Life Board of
Directors going on record to
include in their support
program two more cases,
those being 18 year old Rickey
High of Gaston and a two-
month-old infant, Stephen
Joyner of Conway; and to
purchase a second kidney
machine to be located in the
western end of the four-county
area.
Project Life came into
existance in January of last
year as an initial fund-raising
drive to aid in medical support
of then 16-year-old Kirwan
Vann of Conway who is
suffering from a kidney
disease. Over $27,000 was
raised. Of that amount the
project has approximately
$20,000 left.
“We are, as originally
planned, expanding our
support to othlfcr area
residents suffering from
kidney diseases,” stated Joe
Edwards of Pendleton,
president of the board. “We
will spend all we have to give
needed support to sufferers of
kidney diseases. When the
money starts to get low then
we will have another drive like
the last one. I am sure our
neighbors will rise to the
occassion once again if and
when the time comes.”
In addition to the funds in
the Project Life account there
is an approximate $10,000 in a
bank ieft over frc.-n Operation
Hope which was conducted for
Mike White of Ahoskie in the
Fall of 1970. White, a student
then, was treated and
received a kidney transplant
and as of last year was given a
clean bill of health.
Some members of the
Operation Hope Board of
Directors have voiced
approval to transfer those
funds to Project Life once the
Hope funds are straightened
out.
going to a meeting in the first
house district last week.
“With the redistricting in
effect we are now spread
pretty thin. These local
meetings are very helpful,”
Senator Godwin said. “If the
people in our other two house
districts are interested in local
meetings we will be very glad
to accomodate them. It’s one
good way to find out what
some of the local issues are
and how we can help them.”
ECU Med School
With ERA now a past
subject another battle which
may be shaping up in the
Senate is the expansion of the
Eastern Carolina University
Medical School to a four-year
program.
A report by a study
committee three months ago
recognized the need for more
doctors in the less populated
areas of the state but avoided
the ECU Med School,
expansion issue. Instead it
recommended a team of out-
of-state consultants to study
the problem. Their report is
expected in September.
Senator Harrington, a
backer of the med school
expansion, favors holding off
acting on the issue until they
can see the report and if it
does not support the expansion
then they can take issue with it
in the 1974 General Assembly.
“We are entitled to that
medical school and we are
going to get it,” Senator
Harrington said.
“Senator Harrington and I
have the same feelings on this
issue,” Senator Godwin
stated. “We do not want to
jump the gun and spoil our
chances of success but we do
want to let everyone
concerned that we are not
sleeping on the matter either.
We will get that school.
“I heard the other day,”
Senator Godwin said, “that
there are over 8(Xi doctors in
Orange County aione. We do
not have that many in the
entire First Congressional
District. Something must be
done to relieve this situation
and a four-year medical
school at ECU is a part of the
solution.” the Gates’
representative concluded.
Appropriations
Ahoskie’s Representative
(See EQUAL, Page 14)
REMCO Customers Will
Pay 23 Per Cent More
RICH SQUARE - supplier — Virginia Electric the Cooperative is revising its
Customers of the Roanoke Power Company own rate schedules■
Electric Membership (VEPCO). Brcwnsaid fnitnwine
Corporation will be paying . This wholesale ra e based upon the following
approximately 23 per cent increase, amounting to 30.13 factors,
more for their electicity
effective April 1. ~ '
The new rates come as a
direct result of a wholesale
rate increase imposed by
Roanoke EMC’s major power
Wreck Kills
County Man
(1) an agreement by
fuel adjustment, became VEPCO that it will not place a
effective Jan.11. subsequent wholesale rate
Based upon Roanoke EMC’s increase into effect prior to
1972 billing, the total January 1, 1975.
percentage, including fuel (2) an assumption that
adjustment, runs to 31.83 per wholesale rates from the
cent. Projections through Cooperative’s other power
March show that the fossil fuel supplier (Southeastern Power
adjustment alone will Administration)
RICH SQUARE - David
Clinton Gorham, 34, of Rural
Rich Square was killed
instantly at 3:30 a.m. Monday,
when the 1966 Ford in which he
was a passenger ran off the
road, knocked down several
small trees and fianlly
crashed sidewise into a large
tree.
The accident occurred on
N.C. 308 about four miles east
of Rich Square on what is
known as Deadman’s Curve.
State Trooper B. R. Cooper
investigated the crash and
arrested Leroy Holley, 37, of
Kelford and charged him with
driving under the influence
and manslaughter. The
manslaughter charge comes
from the death of Holley’s
passenger. He was removed to
Northampton County Jail,
where he is being held without
bond.
The death of Gorham was
the third highway fatality for
Northampton County this year
and was the first involving a
person in a vehicle.
The other two were
pedestrain deaths. Linwood
Garner of Route 1, Garysburg
and Waverly Lassiter of
Woodland both were killed in
separate incidents, when
struck by cars earlier this
year.
increase the cooperative’s
monthly wholesale billing by a
substantial amount.
VEPCO furnishes 73 per
cent of the Cooperative’s
power. Thus its 31.83 per cent
hike in power charges
amounts to a net wholesale
power cost increase of 23.24
per cent. This net increase
alone is the amount by which
will not be
increased during the next two
years.
(3) an assumption that the
fossil fuel factor will not get
out of hand,
(4) an assumption that all
other operating costs will
remain relatively constant
during the next two years, and
(See REMCO, Page 14)
\ -
wm
ONE MAN IS DEAD AND ANOTHER IN JAIL as a result of this 1966 Ford
leaving the road on "Deadman's Curve" on N. C. 308 east of Rich Square
early Monday morning. David Clinton Gorham, 34, of rural Rich Square
was killed instantly. Leroy Holley, 37, of Kelford is being held without bond
in Northampton County Jail on charges of driving under the influence and
manslaughter. Here Robert Deloatch of the Deloatch Auto Service Center in
Woodland points to the point of impact where the car struck a huge tree.