ARPDC electsofficers, passes resolutions
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NEW OFFICERS - Newly elected
officers of ARPDC are shown
discussing plans for the upcoming
year. They are (1. to r.) Raleigh
Carver, vice-chairman; Larry
Davenport, treasurer; and Donald
Bryan, chairman. (Staff photo by
Kathy M. Newbern)
By TONY JORDAN
Members of the Albemarle
Regional Planning and Develop
ment Commission held their month
ly meeting last Thursday to elect of
ficers for the upcoming year at the
Soundview Resturant in Washington
County. Along with the election
there were two resolutions that
could have a considerable amount of
importance on the ten counties and
12 municipalities that ARPDC
serves.
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Representing Hertford and
Perquimans County were Mayor Bill
Cox; out-going ARPDC treasurer
Lester Simpson, and Mrs. M.B.
Taylor. Three new officers were
selected ty the 34 board members
present. They were Donald Bryan of
Dare County as chairman, Raleigh
Carver of 'Pasquotank County as
vice-chairman, and treasurer,
Larry Davenport of Washington
County. The nominating committee
placed Mayor Cox's name up for the
vice-chairmanship, but Cox
remarked, "I would like to remove
my name from nomination and give
my support to Raleigh Carver, a
very competent, qualified can
didate. I feel it would be in the best
interest of the commission."
The main topic of conversation
was a resolution supporting dialysis
kidney machines for the area. At
present, Perquimans County
residents, as well as others in
Region R, in need of the equipment
must travel to Norfolk, Va. for
treatment. Those present agreed
that the units are needed, but ob
jections arose when Camden County
was designated as the site for the
location of these machines.
Russell Langley of Dare Co. ex
pressed his sentiments for the
machines to be placed adjacent to
the Albemarle Hospital. Langley
told the gathering that Elizabeth
City could best serve the hub of the
population. He also reminded
everyone that he felt this way and
Public appeal is made for
Newbold-White House project
By KATHY M. NEWBERN
Perquimans County has less than
one week to come up with just over
$14,000 if the completion of the
Newbold-White House in the fall of
1979 is to become a reality.
That news came Monday af
ternoon from R.L. Stevenson,
Finance Chairman for the
Perquimans County Restoration
Association, who is heading the local
campaign to raise $25,000 making
the project eligible for that same
amount in matching state funds.
Stevenson explained that a total of
$10,785 of the needed $25,000 has
been raised in the 30-day campaign
that is scheduled to end on Nov. 1.
He added that over half of that
money has come from out-of-county
sources. He said, "Without the
greater support from thf local
community, we will not achieve our
go*l"
Stevenson explained that the
association is sending out a last
appeal to the local residents to come
up with the needed contributions by
the Nov. 1 deadline. He said, that in
past fund-raising efforts, the local
citizens have been very responsive,
but added that the support now
seems to be lagging. He attributed
this lack of concern in part to the
fact that the project has had several
set-backs. But he added that these
have not J>een the fault of the local
organisation, hut father due to
needed approval and "red tape."
The projected completion date for
the project, is realistic, Stevenson
said, provided the local funds can be
raised making the project eligible
for the two 512,500 matching grants
from the state legislature.
Concerning the Newbold-White
House and its future, Stevenson
concluded, "It's a goal we cannot
afford not to achieve. I feel we've
got to achieve the goal of raising the
money for the matching funds."
Sleveadfa added thai the
association is continuing to accept
donations at P.O. Box 318, Hertford,
NC 27944.
Chamber to circulate petition
The Perquimans County Chamber ,
of Commerce has announced plans j
to organiie a local petition-signing ,
campaign in cooperation with other
counties in thz Albemarle area
to protest recent VEPCO rate
increases.
The campaign is being spearhead
ed by Richard S. Coiner, president of
the Washington Chamber of Com
merce who has tagged the effort,
"Operation Overcharge."
The purpose of the campaign,
Coiner said, is "to fight for better
electric rates and to halt VEPCO in
its attempts at future rate in
creases." He added that following a
recent meeting of chambers in the
area, the decision to consider the
possibility of bringing another
power supplier into the area to sup
plant VEPCO, was made.
The petition effort is involving 22
counties and has a goal of 25,000
signatures. These petitions, initiated
by the chambers involved, will be
presented to Governor Jim Hunt to
encourage the Utilities Commission
to rescind the 17.8 percent rate in
crease granted to VEPCO which
became effective Sept. 1.
Coiner said the movement is aim
ing at a Nov. 15 deadline to have all
the petitions signed and returned
with a trip planned in late November
to deliver these personally to the
governor. Plans are to include
representatives from all over the 22
county area in making this personal
appeal.
The Perquimans County Chamber
of Commerce, like the others involv
ed, has been asked for a $100 dona
tion in the petition effort which it has
approved. The local group will now
begin circulating the petition for
Perquimans County consumers to
consider.
Local residents are affected by the
wholesale power rates VEPCO
charges to the Town of Hertford and
the Albemarle Electric Membership
Corporation, which in turn, sell the
electricity to its customers or
member-consumers.
Local juniors to take competency test
Paul Ward, director of testing for
Perquimans County Schools, has
announced that the competency test
will be administered locally on Nov.
1 and 2. Perquimans County juniors
will be joining juniors from
throughout North Carolina in taking
this, the first competency test. It is
anticipated that 80,000 eleventh
graders in North Carolina will be
participating in the testing.
This will be the first competency
TUNEHAL' for friends -
White fuainN?* York City enjoyed
? rowdy celebrate* supporting the
Yankees' victory oter the Los
*? tS; *
Angeles Dodgers in the World
Series, some local fans celeSrated is
a much quieter, but more sarcastic,
way. It is thought that there are a
tew Dodger fans in Hertford that
have lived through this 'terrible'
experience. (Staff photo by Tony
Jordan) /; ^ ^
test administered, passage of which
is now a legal requirement for
students to receive a high school
diploma.
In preparation for administering
the test locally, the school system
has prepared and distributed
packets of information for parents
and students. Included are such
items as sample test questions and
detailed^ information answering
questions concerning the test. The
questions include, for example, how
the test will affect transferring
seniors, persons enrolled in adult
high school diploma programs, etc.
If, following the receipt of this
information, students and parents
still have questions, these can be
answered by the local testing
coordinator.
Ward pointed out that several
types of remediation programs have
been established in the local school
system to work with students that
are unsuccessful in the test.
Local remediation programs
include a CETA-funded life skills lab
which work* with students
preparing them for the test, a Title I
reading lab for all students, a Title I
math lab also for ill dplntitii and a
competency review hib espeHetiy
lor students who are not successful
on the competency test.
'doesn't particularly like the people
from Elizabeth City.'
E.V. Wilkins of Washington Co.
felt that a study was needed to deter
mine where the units would benefit
more people. His concern was with
the idea of installing the machines
near Chowan Hospital in Edenton.
After some discussion on the issue
Camden representative, Macon
Johnson, said, "We just want to get
something in the area. Camden will
support anywhere."
Carver suggested that naming a
site at this time was prt mature.
Others felt that is was not for
ARPDC to decide. The doctors, who
would be using the facilities, were
the ones to make the final decision.
Following several motions and
amendments, ARPDC went on
record supporting bringing the
machines into the area with the
location to be determined later.
The other resolution affecting
Region R was passed overwhelming
ly. It stated that the Virgina Electric
Power Ccmpany's 17.8 percent rise
in cost to eastern North Carolina
residents was higher than any in the
state and only because the area is
basically rural. For this reason
ARPDC opposes VEPCO's increase.
In other business, The North
Carolina Department of Human
Resources will fund the solid waste
planning for the cities of Elizabeth
City and Edenton and the counties of
Washington, Currituck, and Pas
quotank. The funds are in the
neighborhood of $26,000. ARPDC
also supported a grant continuation
of $830,000 for the Nags Head-Outer
Banks Health Center.
Guest speaker for the evening was
Dale Jones, Representative from the
Economic Development Adminis
tration in Raleigh. Jones told the
members that they had to work
together and have faith. 'Agencies
have to have faith in the people who
elected them. ..Both the local and
federal people have to have faith in
the people I'm talking to.' He added
that he liked the way the area was
progressing and that it showed in
their enthusiasm.
There was a memorial for Melvin
E. Bunch of Edenton. Bunch, who
passed away in the past week, was
remembered for his role in control
ing crime and law enforcement in
the area.
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jARDEN WINNER - Mrs. Odell
iurdle of Rt. 1, Belvidere, displays
he plaque presented to her and her
lusband at Friday night's First An
lual Banquet for the Albemarle
Vrea Vegetable Garden Production
ind Conservation Association. The
:ouple took first place in the large
garden division for the fall season.
Staff photo)
Banquet honors
area gardeners
By PAIGE EURE
BETHEL ? To most of the people
in the Albemarle area, the
AAVGPCA is a new thing, but to
some it's a long awaited dream.
The Albemarle Area Vegetable
Garden Production and Con
servation Association, (AAVGPCA),
is a non-profit organization serving
the ten counties of Region R.
The group's purpose is to en
courage the development of com
munity and family gardens as a way
to cope with the high food prices and
become self-sufficient; to serve as a
resource of expertise and in
formation on gardening and con
servation; and, to make this
knowledge available to anyone who
needs it.
Since the association's formation
in 1977, it has provided guidance and
counseling to hundreds of in
dividuals interested in growing good
gardens.
The First Annual Banquet of the
AAVGPCA was held Friday night at
Angler's Cove Restaurant here.
Mayor Bill Cox opened the
banquet with a welcome.
Greetings were presented by Dr.
Vance Hamilton. District Program
Leader for Community Develop
ment, N.C. State University.
The guest speaker for the evening
was W.W. Reid, Extension Area
Horticulture Specialist, Tidewater
Research Station, Plymouth, N.C.
Reid commented on the new
association by saying, "It's a very
good way to get the people in
volved. "The main topic of his talk
was "Gardening and Its Im
mensities."
When asked if he thought gardens
were increasing, Reid replied, "Yes,
and the increase in gardens is
because of the economic reasons,
and if things go on, there will be even
more."
Following the speaker's remarks,
annual awards were presented.
ONE DIES IN ACCIDENT - A late
night accident in Perquimans
County on Oct. IS resulted in the
death of one man, Elbert Bryan
Smith, 19, of Rt. 3, Washington, N.C.
Pictured above is the early model
sports car, driven by Smith, that
collided with a tractor-trailer truck
driven by Roger Lee Stuart, 32, of
Chesapeake, Va. around 11:40 p.m.
The incident occurred about five
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miles south of Hertford ofl U.S. 17.
Investigating trooper Y.Z.
Newberry explained that Smith was
traveling north on the road when he
apparently crossed the center line
hitting the back of the trailer. The
car Smith was driving then landed in
the ditch. The driver of the track
was not injured. (Staff photo by
Kathy M. Newbern)