Askewville Soup Supper & Tree Lighting

The Annual Askewville Soup Supper & Tree Lighting will be held Monday November 28th.

The Soup and Sandwich Supper will be from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Askewville Elementary School cafeteria.

The Tree Lighting will be held at 7:00 PM at the Askewville Community Building.

For more information contact Martha Lou White at 794-2792.

Bertie Schools Seek Huge Tax Increase

The following is an open letter to the people of Bertie County by John Davis.

Does a property tax increase of 30% to fund school construction concern you? How about a tax increase of 70%? Still not concerned, then how about a 99% increase?

What if a federal court determines when the money is spent rather than the county?

Do you want to learn how this might happen and voice your opinion? Then attend the Board of Education public hearing at 6 PM, December 5th (at 222 County Farm Road in Windsor).

Here’s the story as I see it.

In February 2005, during the ongoing desegregation (open since 1968) case, the U. S. Department of Justice (through the federal court) indicated the facilities at JP Law Elementary School needed significant repair and updating. In response, the Board of Education agreed to provide the court a facilities report on the condition of every elementary and middle school in the county.

The consultant compared our current schools to the state guideline (not a requirement) for school facilities. This study provides a price tag to bring a school up to “acceptable” educational and construction standards and enlarges or adds additional rooms to meet an “ideal” instructional classroom size or content. Four options are provided in the study. They range from fixing all 6 elementary schools to closing the three smallest schools and building a new elementary school. The price tag ranges anywhere from $31 to $35 million.

Financed for 15 years the county tax rate goes up 44 to 49% depending on which option we choose. A 25 year bond would lower the tax increase to 35 to 39%. However, the second option is doubtful, since it would put the county bond debt at our maximum borrowing capacity of $50 million. We already have $24 million in bonds outstanding.

A new high school in the future could add another $30-35 million and then our facility updates could increase taxes 70 to 99% higher than today’s level. A new state-wide bond could lower these local tax increases but to fund so many new facilities taxes will increase taxes significantly no matter what help we get.

Ask your Board of Education member to work with the County Commissioners to understand and document the financial impacts of any facility recommendations we make to the court. We should present these financial impacts to the court, along with the rest of the information they have requested. We can be proactive and have the Board of Education and County Commissioners work together to develop a long range timeline for the court on when we can afford to fix each elementary school facility.

A series of public meetings on this subject would seem wise, given the impact possible once the court has the data. Let’s make sure any timetables possibly set for us by the federal government are done with the county’s best educational and financial interest in mind.

Also, request that the Board of Education ask the court for an exchange. If we agree to a long range plan to address our elementary school facilities, the court will declare our school system has achieved unitary status and will close the desegregation case that has been open for 37 years.


If you would like to attend the meeting, click on the map thumbnail below for the location on the South side of Windsor, next to the National Guard Armory and near the Cashie Country Club.

222 County Farm Road, Windsor, NC

Superintendent Sets Record Straight

Because this article is part of an ongoing dialog with the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, it is not being moved to the Inner Banks Eagle, even though it focuses on the school issues. It also addresses how blogs work. Therefore please be warned, some will consider this a partisan article.

by By Cal Bryant - November 26, 2005 - Roanoke-Chowan News Herald

It was a matter of setting the record straight.

Speaking before the Bertie County Board of Commissioners during their public input period at the start of Monday night’s meeting, Bertie Schools Superintendent Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart commended the Board for their commitment of $6 million as the county moves forward to construct an $18.5 million central middle school.

The superintendent’s message this time around was in stark contrast of her remarks during an Oct. 24 meeting of the Commissioners where the Board conducted a public hearing prior to approving the $6 million loan.

The opening sentence in this article, "It was a matter of setting the record straight", is an opinion I do not share. I find it difficult to believe that Superintendent Dr. Collin-Hart's latest comments can be reconciled with her previous attacks on anyone who did not agree to the huge costs of the new middle school.

At least one other piece of information needed by the citizens of Bertie County to understand what is happening is the absolute fact that the median middle school cost in North Carolina is only $12 million, compared with $18.5 million being asked for in our county. Why is Bertie County, with a significantly lower tax base and significantly lower construction costs being asked to build a school 50% fancier than the median middle school in North Carolina?

Since Abe Lincoln, and many other very successful students like genius Tomas Sowell, educator Condoleeza Rice and warrior Colin Powell, received GREAT educations in very poor schools physically, why are we spendiing so much more money on facilities? Are Bertie County and its people so rich that we can spend money at such a profligate rate? Will this money educate a single student better?

Superintendent Dr. Collins-Hart thinks so. I would like to see what we are getting that justifies her spending so much more money than other superintendents are spending.

NCSBA honors Bertie Board member

By Brent Todd - Roanoke-Chowan News Herald

WINDSOR - Seaton Fairless, Vice-Chairman of the Bertie County Board of Education, has been named to the honorary All-State Board by the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA).

Congratulations Seaton!

Family Medicine With A Great Doctor

Hertford and Bertie Counties are blessed with one of the smartest and best trained Doctors in North Carolina, if not America. I recently had some medical problems, serious problems, and had the good fortune to be directed to Dr. Gaddy Lassiter of Family Medicine of Harrellsville. I was quite close to not making it but did not realize it. Like many men, I just kept saying, "I am tough and it will be okay" ..... but I was not going to be okay. I simply did not realize how close I came until later.

Dr. Gaddy Lassiter, RPh, MBA, MD

However at my first meeting with Dr. Lassiter, he quickly identified that I was suffering from Congestive Heart Failure. It was simply amazing how quickly he sensed what the problem was. We could not have been together more than five minutes. He explained to me what was happening and why it was happening. Unlike most Doctors today, he was very informative. It was quite clear he cared about me as a person, not just me as a patient. That is the kind of Doctor we all dream still exists but so often we meet the kind for whom medicine is just a paycheck.

Entrance To Family Medicine Of Harrellsville

Dr. Lassiter confirmed his diagnosis with an EKG and some other tests (he is very methodical) and then started working out a course of care to get me back to health. He explained what he recommended and talked with me about it. It only took 24 hours for his program to make me dramatically better, and within a week I felt 20 years younger. I was sure from the first discussion I had with Dr. Lassiter that he knew what he was doing. I was also sure from that first discussion that he truly cared.

Penny Brown, Family Nurse Practitioner And Medical Administrator Cindy Gore

Family Medicine of Harrellsville serves eastern Hertford and Bertie Counties, near the Chowan River from Winton down to Colerain. Penny Brown, Family Nurse Practitioner works with Dr. Lassiter. Cindy Gore and Kim Hughes also are a part of the excellent team. I was surprised and delighted at having this kind of top flight doctor and staff to take care of my health, and I asked Dr. Lassiter how it came about. The story is quite fascinating.

Kim Hughes, Part Of The Great Medical Staff

One of the most surprising aspects of Dr. Lassiter's story is the long long hours that he puts in. He starts with Hospital rounds, often as early as 4:30 in the morning, then goes to RCI where he is doctor for 1400 inmates. He then goes in the afternoon to Family Medicine of Harrellsville until early evening, and frequently finishes the day with additional Hospital rounds. This kind of dedication is part of what makes Dr. Lassiter such a great doctor.

However Dr. Lassiter started as a Math and Science Teacher, and a Coach. He was quite good as a coach, and was honored as TIC Coach of the Year. His interest in medicine led him to change careers, becoming a Pharmacist in 1985 after finishing the 6 year pharmacy program in only 2-1/2 years. After a few years as a retail pharmacist, Dr. Lassiter moved to clinical pharmacist, because it was technically and intellectually more stimulating. However he missed the patient interaction of retail pharmacy.

Dr. Lassiter's Interest In History Shows, In The Waiting Room Are Mementos Of An Earlier Time, The Kind OF Doctors Desk You Would Find 60 Years Ago

He has a great story of the day he decided to become a doctor too. He was finishing up his MBA at ECU. As a pharmacist he had become very aware of how hard it was to recruit doctors to serve our area. He decided that what we really needed to do was grow more doctors from this area than try and find doctors who would come to the area. Making a decision he has never regretted, he walked down to the Dean of Administration at ECU, Dean Hayek, and asked for an immediate appointment. Gaddy informed him that he was finishing his MBA but would be entering Medical School to become a doctor. The Dean was flabbergasted, but Gaddy walked out with an application, took the appropriate exams and proceeded once again to get his degree in a fraction of the normal time, finishing medical school in 3 years.

The Safe From The Bank That Built The Building Family Medicine Of Harrellsville Uses

Being a Doctor allowed Gaddy Lassiter the technical satisfaction similar to clinical pharmacy but with the personal interaction that he had missed. He was asked to join Alpha Omega Alpha, the Honor Society of Medicine, and was the North Carolina Albert Schweitzer Fellow in 1996. Dr. Lassiter continues to excel at everything he tries. We are very lucky to have him.

His wife, Dr. Renee Banaszak is currently doing her residency and will also be joining the Harrellsville staff.

To schedule an appointment, call Family Medicine of Harrellsville at (252) 356-6544.

Christmas Day Celebration

All God's Children United Methodist Church will have a very special Worship Service at 2:00 PM on Sunday, Christmas Day, December 25th, 2005.

It will be held at the All God's Children United Methodist Church in Aulander.

Innsbrook Is Happening!

Our part of North Carolina is being led into the 21st Century in the best way possible. With the development of Innsbrook we are becoming the heart of the Inner Banks! With this opportunity we have a chance to make Bertie County the place of beauty, integration of nature with man, and graceful living that many have dreamed of (and some few rich locals even enjoyed) for years.

Innsbrook Is Ringed By Albemarle Sound And Salmon Creek

The reason that we have this opportunity? A man with a vision who fell in love with our county. Please meet Bobby Ware.

Bobby Ware Of Ware Realty And Construction

Bobby is the man who is the driving force behind the new Innsbrook development (purchased from the Avoca Farms people) that is going up by Salmon Creek, down at the edge of Albemarle Sound. That area is the tip of the peninsula known as Bertie County. It is dominated by the awesome natural beauty that attracts so many to our area. For the first time, people will have the ability to be a part of that beauty, have a truly beautiful and gracious place to live, and yet have modern amenities too.

Natural Beauty In Black Walnut Swamp

For many who have only heard about this development, or seen some rather unexciting pictures in a newspaper article, the reality of what is going up is astonishing when they first see it. This new development will be water dominated, including both our famous local wetlands along one side (Black Walnut Swamp), numerous lakes throughout the property, and ringed by Salmon Creek and Albemarle Sound.

One Of The Many Large Lakes That Will Dot The Property

It will have an absolutely awesome golf course with hills and panoramic sweeps from one end to the other. Like most modern high end developments it will be a gated community, with all the facilities that you would expect in a 21st century development, but just seconds away is all the natural beauty you will ever find.

The Golf Course Will Provide Sweeping Panoramas Of Bertie County Terrain

The golf course is a championship facility that will be one of the most beautiful in the world, with incredible views of the Albemarle Sound, Salmon Creek and Black Walnut Swamp. The elevation changes are not all natural, as Bobby Ware has a huge quantity of earth moving equipment, enhancing the geography and deepening the numerous lakes that will cover the property when it is done.

One Of Several Hawks That Make Black Walnut Swamp Their Home

The area will not lose its natural charm in the process. Everything has been planned by people who clearly love nature and the outdoor life. As we toured the site yesterday, we repeatedly enjoyed watching the hawks that live nearby flying overhead.

Many Of The Homes Will Adjoin Black Walnut Swamp, Providing A Beautiful Connection With Nature

The most incredible aspect of the Innsbrook Development is that this one little area (little in terms of the amount of land it will cover) will almost double the tax base of Bertie County. The most beautiful area of New York is the area out on Long Island called the Hamptons. We have a chance for Bertie County to become the "Hamptons" of North Carolina. It will provide jobs and opportunities for our citizens and fund protection for our natural resources at the same time.

Current Entry Into A Busy Construction Site, A Precursor Of The Economic Benefit Innsbrook Will Provide To Us All

We owe this opportunity to Bobby Ware. I am one Bertie County enthusiast who is pleased that Bobby Ware fell in love with our area.

Colerain's Seagull Cafe

The famous Colerain "Seagull Cafe" has opened in the fall for the second year in a row. This new tradition has proven very popular with both local regulars and the many long time visitors from outside our area.


Happy Customers - Nancy Adams With Betsy And Warren Bixler

The Seagull will be open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM for lunchtime from now until November 18th. They will open again next year as is traditional on the first Wednesday of March 2006.

My Favorite Dishes, Shrimp and Oysters (Really Special This Year)

The view from the Seagull shows the Chowan River at its best. The small Cafe is located by the river near the end of River Road, close to the Colerain Beach Club.

Chowan River In Fall Colors

The food is unique and I highly recommend it. The menu includes North Carolina Oysters, which due to Hurricane Katrina are hard to come by. There are no Oysters from the gulf this year, but the Seagull has made arrangements to get the best North Carolina Oysters available.



The Seagull Is Not Open For Sunrise, But The View Then Is Also Spectacular!

The menu also includes white perch, prepared incredibly, and the most delicious shrimp you will ever taste. The cooks are simply the best.

Delores Forehand, Chef, and Nancy Harrell Preparing The Amazing Dishes

The crowd, as usual filled with regulars, is also as usual large and enthusiastic.

11:40 And The Second Seating Is Already Starting

Mike Perry and Linda Wynn are always on hand to welcome everyone to a unique dining experience. Please don't miss it!

FoR ENC Designated "Eastern Region Film Commission"

FoR ENC named by North Carolina Department of Commerce to lead efforts to recruit film and television production for Eastern North Carolina.

GREENVILLE, N.C., November 1, 2005 – The Foundation of Renewal for Eastern North Carolina (FoR ENC) announced today that the North Carolina Department of Commerce has appointed FoR ENC the official Eastern Region Film Commission. The Eastern Region Film Commission will represent all 32 eastern North Carolina counties not currently served by the Wilmington Region Film Commission.

“Entertainment is now our country’s biggest export,” said FoR ENC president Phillip Horne. “And from recent experience we know that the entrepreneurs who create jobs in the 21st century find places like the Inner Banks of Eastern North Carolina among the most desirable in which to live and work. Our IBX counties are rich in natural beauty, but they also teem with towns that feature vibrant main streets and traditional neighborhoods, venues that can serve beautifully for location filming, certainly, but venues that will also serve as ‘lifestyle’ magnets for ‘creative class’ entrepreneurs, which is the very definition of professionals who work in the film, television and music industries.”

The North Carolina Film Office, under the leadership of Commissioner William Arnold, is celebrating its 25th year of service. The Film Office has recruited an extraordinary array of film and television productions, while also facilitating indigenous independent filmmaking.

“Bill Arnold and his team can boast a track record of recruiting and hosting more than 800 motion pictures, 14 network and cable television services, and countless national and regional television commercials,” said Mr. Horne. “They are responsible for bringing more than $6.5 billion in revenues to local economies.”

Along with the existing four regional film commissions, the North Carolina Film Office’s efforts have pushed North Carolina to third place nationally in revenues generated from film, television and commercial production, and the state has held this position for the past 20 years.

“There is renewed interest in filmmaking across North Carolina with the new film incentives program in place,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Jim Fain. “Eastern North Carolina is an ideal location for making movies. We look forward to working collaboratively with FoR ENC to recruit new film and television production to the region.”

“Clearly, FoR ENC’s connection to the business and civic leaders of the region—not to mention our portfolio of successful projects—places us in the forefront of entrepreneurship in the East,” said Kel Landis, FoR ENC board co-chair and Special Advisor to Governor Easley. “Furthermore, our management principals at FoR ENC are experienced, award-winning film producers who understand the full range of needs of any production team and speak the language of filmmakers.”

The Foundation of Renewal for Eastern North Carolina (FoR ENC) is a private, not-for-profit corporation designed to serve as a catalyst for economic and entrepreneurial growth in Eastern North Carolina.

For more information please contact Frank Dooley:
Company: FoR ENC
Phone: 252-756-0176
Fax: 252-756-0717
E-mail: fdooley@forenc.com