Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / April 10, 1980, edition 1 / Page 1
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PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Volume 36, No. 15 USPS 428 080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, Apr. 10, 1900 20 CENTS Elderly woman ?struck by fraud An 85 year old Hertford Woman became the victim of a $2,700 flim-flam last week after she removed her savings from Peoples Bank and handed the money over to a man claiming to be a bank security guard. % The victim, who asked that her name be with-held, said she got a phone call from a man on Thursday afternoon, claiming to be a bank examiner. He said that a bank em ployee had been stealing Mioney from her account, and nold her that half of her savings had already been taken. He asked that she with draw the money, so that the serial numbers could be recorded. A new account would be opened, and the thief would be caught red-handed with the money. Secrecy was imperative, the con artist told her. Secrecy was so important, he said, that he would send a security guard over to pick-up the money and return it to the bank, so as not to arouse the suspicions of the thief. "I was just so sure it was alright," said the distraught victim. When a nice looking, middle-aged man flashed a badge at her door, she turned over the money to him, and he was gone. "It didn't come to me (that it might be a sham). I had no idea," she said. "I hated to lose the money. I'm just sick over it." Hertford police chief Marshall Merritt said the con job was definitely the work of accomplished professionals. He said some $2,800 had been stolen in a similar scam that had taken place in William ston at 10 a.m. on the same day. Merritt said he has a suspect in the case, but that he might be difficult to track down. "From all indications he is one of the smoothest con men there is," he said. The subject goes by five different names and is wanted in North and South Carolina, Merritt said. The victim was expected to be asked to pick his photograph from a lineup this week. Newbold-White seeking , different power source William Nixon, President of the Perquimans County Restoration Association, requested that the town of Hertford either release the Newbold-White House from its electricity system, or run an underground line to the site at ttp cost not to exceed that of Albemarle Electric Memebership's price quotation for the same ser vice. Nixon, who made the plea at the council's regular monUily meeting on Monday, said the association was looking for an underground transformer to serve a caretaker's house, the ^iewbold- White House, and a Museum planned for sometime in the future. EMC quoted the association a sum of $255.43 for providing underground power to the historical site, an amount Nixon said was based on the difference in the cost of overhead current and did not include the price of running a %ine to the site, which EMC would not charge for. Hertford Mayor and City Manager Bill Cox said it would cost the town "roughly" $6,000 to install an underground line to the Newbold location. "Material alone would cost more than $3,000," said Cox. "And that's not counting trenching and labor." Cox pointed out that the Newbold-White house was the last customer on the town's line, a service that was provided at the tax payer's expense. "We went down there when nobody else would," said Cox. Although Nixon said the association appreciated past utility service rendered by the town, they felt that measures must be taken to keep ex penses down. "We've come to the point where we'll be using more (power), and we need to cut down on expenditures," said Nixon. Nixon also noted that the Newbold-White House, located about 1V4 miles from town, did not qualify for town services, made possible through utility profits, rendered town residents. Council member Erie Haste said he felt that the board needed to consider all aspects of the request before making a decision. "We'd like to try to provide the service, " said Haste, "it's just a question of what avenues we would have to take to be able to do it." The board decided to in vestigate the matter more thoroughly at another time, and told Nixon he would have their decision in a "few days." In other business, the council moved to become members of Power Agency No. 3, which consists of Eastern North Carolina municipalities served by Carolina Power, and Light Corporation. Hertford is presently a member of Power Agency No. 2, which consists of all N.C. municipalities served by Virginia Electric and Power Company, and would retain its membership with that agency. Agencies Nos. 1 and 2, in addition to Agency No. 3, are all under Electricities, an organization created to plan and improve projects designed to benefit its member municipalities. The town of Hertford, along with several other Vepco served municipalities in ( Continued on page 2) Scott stumps nearby Former governor still expressing hope over candidacy Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Scott promised a little less of everything except good, efficient, government in a campaign speech delivered in Edenton ^ast Tuesday night. But attendance was sparse at the $10 per plate pig picking-fund raiser. Still, Scott professed optimism about his chances in a race against Governor Jim Hunt for the Democratic nomination. "It's like watching a Carolina and State basketball game with seven minutes to go in the game. You've got one eye on the scoreboard and one eye on the clock," Scott said. "I know the tide'i running our way, but how fast is it running?," he asked. Chastising the Hunt ad ministration for its ex travagance and ex pansionism, Scott claimed that we are entering a period of severe belt tightening that will require a mature state leader with properly established priorities. Shake il V Gubernatorial hopeful Bob ? Scott shakes hands with his Perquimans County campaign . fi. , . <J|k - -v- . manager, Joe Novell. Ac cording to Novell, Scott may have more support than the light turnout at a recent political rally Indicates. "When I was governor we had one governor's office and that was enough," Scott said. "There are three now," he said, "one in Raleigh, where it ought to be, one in Asheville, and one in Washington, D.C." Scott accused the Hunt administration of using the Asheville office to meddle in local politics, and said that the staff of the Washington office, "meets the governor's plane, gets his motel lined up, and gets him tickets to the Ken nedy Center." In addition, Scott said that Hunt had increased the governor's office staff 130 percent, from 25 to 57 persons. "I think we can do a better job of management," he said, adding that the overhead of ?tate government is too high, and the money is not filtering down to Chowan, Perquimans and other area counties. Scott cited as an example what he said was an average pay raise of $5,000 per state employee per year during the Hunt Administration. "We're going to have to do aome pruning, and I'll start with the governor's office staff," Scott said. The bask need for leu state spending has been brought about by reduced federal stipends to state government (revenue sharing to states Is targeted to fall during budget balancing efforts), and the general state of the economy, Scott said. But he promised that cer tain segments of society would not suffer from spending reductions, including the elderly and those living on fixed incomes. Scott also repeated his oft stated opposition to recent legislation that allows the governor to seek a second consecutive term of office. "I don't think a governor can make the decisions that need to be made if he's thinking about whether or not he's going to win or lose votes in the next election," Scott said. In a question and answer session following his speech, Scott said that it would be virtually impossible to force Vepco out of Northeastern North Carolina. He said it would be 10 or 15 years before a sale could be consumated because of technical dif ficulties in making the tran sfer. On the subject of highway improvements, and U.S. 17 in particular, Scott said there would be little new con struction money available, no matter who is the next governor. "It's taking all the money we've got just to maintain the roads," Scott said. Though never alluded to it in his speech, Scott had to be a little disappointed about the size of the crowd. There were twice as many empty seats as occupied in the Jaycee meeting hall. Three porkers were grilling outside where one would have easily done the job. But Joe Nowell, chairman of the Perquimans County Board of Commissioners and head of Scott's campaign in this county, said Scott may have a little more support in this area than the sparse crowd in dicated. "I've sold tickets to a lot of people who are not here," Nowell said, indicating that Scott may have the secret support of many of those persons publically committed to Hunt. "I'd have to say bad words about anybody in the Nor theast who cannot remember what the Scotts did in this part of the Jtate (as governors)," said Nowell. Scott told his audience that be will be keeping a tight campaign schedule over these last few weeks in an effort to overcome what appears to be the superior organisational and popular strength of the Hunt campaign. ? , ? ? ???- i ihmmiiuii. I WW.!**:; : .SUHUP .Willi Up , up and away Students a hertford Grammar race last Thursday. Each participated in the Weekly pupil attached his or her name Reader's national balloon and address to a balloon, with an invitation to become pen pals with whoever finds it NOEL TODD upon landing. (Photo by MCLAUGHLIN) Money squeeze on in county The credit crunch is on in Perquimans County, spurred by government efforts to tighten the money supply and rein in runaway inflation. Money is available for certain types. of loans to regular customers, say county bankers, but interest rates are. in some instances, bumping 20 percent. Farmers are feeling the pinch more than most, but everyone is suffering from prohibitive interest rates and a decreased availability of money. "It's very difficult for the farmer ^or.. the small businessman to borrow money at 20 percent and still make a profit and continue to operate under today's market con ditions," said Wayne Ashley, head of Perquimans County's branch of the Bank of North Carolina. Ashley said that costs are way up and income is down. Ben Berry, commercial loan officer and cashier at Peoples Bank in Hertford, filled in the blanks on costs and income. "Production costs, such as high fertilizer and fuel, are up approximately 30 percent, yet from last year, total income is down about 18 percent," Berry said. But both banks said that money is available to existing commercial and agricultural customers. _ "Money is available. They just have to pay through the nose for it," Berry said. He said that on loans of from 540 to $50,000, the average amount needed by area far mers to get their spring crops planted, the Peoples Bank prime interest rate was 19.5 percent as of last week. Ashley said that on com mercial and agricultural loans of under $25,000, banking regulations prohibit charging interest above 14 percent ( Continued on page 10) Candidate night attracts many Perquimans County voters, as well as those in surrounding areas, will not only have an opportunity to review their choices of candidates seeking local appointments, but also those running for state offices at the Meet the Candidates program set for Wednesday, April 16, 7 p.m., at the Perquimans County High School auditorium. According to Bonnie White, who is chairing the event for the Hertford Business and Professional Women's Club, all of the 18 local candidates, seeking only six available county offices, are expected to be on hand. Three seats on the Perquimans County Board of Commissioners are up for grabs, and in District I, candidates include incumbent Lester Simpon, Lee Brabble, Margaret Stowe Garrison, and John London. Two seats will be decided in District II, and candidates include incumbents Joe Nowell, Jr., and Waldo Winslow, challenged by Charles H. Ward and Billy Pierce. Republican Wayne Winslow faces no opposition in his bid for a District II seat. The non-partisan school board race has attracted a wide field of candidates, in cluding Janice Y. Boyce, Clifford P. Towe, and Edward E. Brown, Jr., all of whom are seeking the Parkville seat vacated by George Baker. Incumbent Emmett Long is the only candidate running in the Bethel Township. The candidates for the Hertford Township seat include in cumbent Preston Stevenson, George White, and Gil Un derwood. Ed Nixon has dropped out of the race for a Hertford Township race, citing the increased demands of far ming, and a conflict in meeting with the county planning board on which he serves. Indumbent Jeanne C. White is the only candidate for the register of deeds office. Ms. White said that although most candidates seeking state office have indicated either their presence, or that of a representative's, a few did not respond to the BPW's in vitation at all. Incumbent democratic candidate for U. S. Senate, Robert Morgan, is sending a representative, as is Republican candidate John East. The libertarian can didate Rick Pasotto, will at tend himself. In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Democrat Gov. James B. Hunt is sending his campaign manager, Betty McCain. Former Democratic governor Bob Scott, will be represented by his daughter, Meg. Libertarian candidate Bobby Yeats Emory will not be in attendance, nor will Republican candidate C. J. Carstens. Democratic can didate Harry Welch did not respond. Incumbent Doemocratic candidate for Lt. Governor Jimmy Green is sending a representative, as is Democratic candidate Carl Stewart, and Republican Bill Cobey. Democratic candidate Clyde Pulley cannot attend and Libertarian candidate Craig Franklin has not responded. In the contest for Secretary of State, Democratic in cumbent Thad Eure has made no response. Democratic candidate George Brice will be in attendance. Both candidates for the U. S. Congress, District I, will at tend the program. They are incumbent Democrat Walter Jones, and Democratic candidate Joe Hollowell. All candidates running for the two seats in the N. C. Senate, District I, will be present. They include Democratic incumbents Monk Harrington and Melvin Daniels, and Democrat Winnie Wood. All candidates seeking two seats in the N. C. House of Representatives, all Democrats, will also attend. They are incumbents Charles Evans, and Vernon James, and Perquimans County resident Leonard Overman. All candidates will have an opportunity to speak for five minutes and will be available for questions during the refreshment hour following the program. The event is expected to be widely publicized by not only all local newspapers, but area radio and television stations as well.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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April 10, 1980, edition 1
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