THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
^ Volume 40, No. 1 5--J USPS 428-080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, January 5, 1984 25 CENT
1 983 - A look back at Perquimans County
By JANE WILLIAMS
Spring floods and summer drought
will mark the memory of 1983 for
farmers in Perquimans County.
Heavy rainfall delayed planting for
most area farmers, putting them as
much as six weeks behind schedule
for the season. Once weather con
ditions cleared and crops were
planted, extremely high tem
peratures and drought conditions set
in to play havoc with crop yields.
Perquimans County was one of 55
North Carolina counties declared a
drought disaster area in September,
which qualified many area farmers
for low interest loans to provide some
relief to local farms.
Phase II of the county water
system got under way early in 1983;
and as the year closed out the plant
site at Winfall neared completiion.
Water quality problems plagued
the county throughout 1983, bringing
a regular series of complaints from
county customers to the Perquimans
County Commissioners at their
meetings during the year.
The year came to a close with the
Commissioners studying ways to
correct the quality problems in the
water system.
The Perquimans County Chamber
of Commerce, under the leadership
of President Mary Harrell, had a
highly successful year with large
crowds turning out for the annual
Indian Summer Festival that was
sponsored by the Chamber in the
early fall.
The Chamber organized a series of
merchant meetings early in the year
to promote unity and growth for
county businesses.
The group worked together to
originate ideas that would help in
crease interest in area businesses
and promote growth in the county.
Through this group the Chamber has
initiated a county-wide survey and
work is underway to compile a
complete service directory for the
county to be distributed throughout
the county.
Two important gains were noted in
the Town of Winfall in 1983.
In February Winfall officially
opened its own police department.
The town employed Joe Lothian, a
former deputy with the Perquimans
County Sheriff's Department, as
Chief of Police. Lothian was sworn in
on February 24.
Winfall voters went to the polls on
March 8 and by a winning margin of
eight votes decided in favor of having
an ABC Store in the Winfall City
limits.
Along with being the home for the
Phase II County Water Plant, Winfall
became the home of a new industry
in 1983. Ward and Nixon, Inc. a cotton
gin opened there in the early fall.
The Towns of Winfall and Hertford
each applied for and received
Community Development .Block
Grants from the state for the
revitalization of the King St. areas in
both towns.
The Perquimans County Board of
Education worked diligently in 1983
with Raleigh architect Sam Ashford
on plans to renovate current
buildings and construct additional
buildings at the Perquimans County
High School.
The Board met with the
Perquimans County Commissioners
in December to request their support
on the high school project, which was
given unanimously by the Com
missioners. County monies will be
appropriated for this project, and
bond referendum will be put on the
ballot in 1984.
Perquimans County Schools
received long-awaited accredidation
early in 1983 from the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools.
During 1983 the Perquimans
County School System was chosen as
the first of six stops for foreign
dignataries to visit, as they traveled
across the United States to observe
classroom methods.
The Perquimans County Com
missioners approved a one-half per
cent county levied sales tax in August
which is projected to bring an total
annual collections of sales tax to
$167,700. Portions of the new sales tax
monies will be allocated, as required
by law, to public school capital outlay
needs.
The Hertford Town Council voted
to close Cedarwood Cemetery after
dark as the result of petitions cir
culating throught the town and
presented to the Council.
The Town of Hertford was the
recipient of the Governor's Award
for Communities of Excellence for
the fifth consecutive year in 1983.
Captain Robert Morris of the
( Continued on page 2)
Bus travel on
private roads
discussed by board
By KEN CASTELLOE
The Perquimans County Board of
Education met Tuesday night at the
County office building with all
members present.
The Board heard a report from
Superintendant Pat Harrell on the
policies concerning the traveling of
the school buses on privately
maintained roads.
At last months meeting the Board
had heard a request from citizens
that reside in the Holiday Island
portion of the county for the buses to
enter the property area of the
community which is privately
owned. This would allow the students
that are currently riding on the bus to
wait at 9 more suitable location in
stead of meeting at a location that is
presently just inside the gate of the
main entrance. At the earlier
meeting a discussion was made by
Board members on whether the
buses would be allowed by the State
Department to travel these roads.
The State Department provides
funds for maintanence and repair.
Harrell reported to the Board
Tuesday, that the State will allow the
bus to travel on the privately
maintained road only if the roads are
in good condition and are maintained
properly with no hazardous con
ditions existing.
The Board will now contact a
representative from this area and
further actions will be taken at a
later date.
In other actions, the Board:
?Reviewed the Financial Report
for November 1983.
?Reviewed a letter from R. E.
Aiken, a contracted company that is
f ,
currently auditing the financial
books of the Perquimans County
Schools. This is not a full audit report
but a letter explaining the
procedures that will be followed in
the audit and comments on present
findings. It was noted that a
spokesman for the company made
the comment that "so far the books
were in excellant condition and that
the personel involved should be
commended for their outstanding
services". A full report is expected to
arrive soon.
?It was recommended that Sharon
Tunnell and Brenda Winslow be
granted sick leave and leave without
pay in accordance with their request.
The Board approved.
?The Perquimans County Schools
recieved notice on January 2 of re
accreditation by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools.
?The Board heard a report from
Harrell concerning information of
funding for the Perquimans Union
School Flood Control and Drainage
Project. Harrell reported that the
State Conservation officials had
assured funding of this project, if
those funds were made available.
?The Board discussed further
actions on the planning of the new
Perquimans High School Facility. A
structual engineer, that has been
contracted by architect S?m Ash
ford, visited the present facility and
reviewed the conditions of the
auditorium and other buildings. No
written report had been received at
press time, but it is expected to
arrive by the next meeting of the
Board. Also a proposed model of tfct
new facility is expected to ftt
presented at their next meeting.
Cemetery investigation nets 3 arrests
By JANG WILLIAMS
Three juvenilles have been
? arrested in connection with the
vandalism that occured in and
around Cedarwood Cemetery on the
night of December 17.
Hertford Police Chief Marshall
Merritt reported that two 15 year olds
and one 14 year old white males were
arrested on December 19 and
charged with removing or defacing
monuments or tombstones and with
? desecration of public or private
cemeteries.
During the same time period that
. the cemetery was desecrated a
stalled car at the cemetery belonging
to Wesley Schallock of 213 Sunset Dr. ,
Hertford was also vandalised in
curring extensive damage.
The youths were also charged with
breaking and entering a motor veicle
and damage to personal property.
A According to police reports the
W
vehicles' gas tank was filled with
rocks, sticks and dirt, mirrors were
broken and the wiring under the hood
of the car was pulled loose.
On New Years Eve, December 31,
the Hertford Police Department
received confidential information
that a narcotics transaction was to
take place in Missing Mill Park. The
Hertford Police Department,
assisted by Chief Joe Lothian of the
Winfall Police Department, staked
out the park and apprehended Andre
Blanchard, age 24, of 204 King St.,
Hertford.
Blanchard was charged with
felonious posseuion of marijuana
and taken before Magistrate B.T:
Dail, where he was traced under
$1,000 secured bond.
Blanchard was unable to post bond
at that time and was incarcerated at
Albemarle District Jail.
Blanchard is scheduled to make a
first appearance in Perquimans
County District Court on January 11.
On Sunday, January 1, Merritt, on
routine patrol, received a call that a
suspicious looking person was
loitering in the vicinity of First
United Methodist Church in Hert
ford. ? I
Upon arrival at the scene Merritt
noted that the suspect had some
suapcious items on his person and
subsequent investigation revealed
that one or more vehicles had been
broken into.
Victor NMN Whitehurst, age 23, of
303 Stokes Dr., Hertford, was placed
under arreat at the scene and
charged with breaking and entering
and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Whitehurst was placed under $500
bond and released.
After being released further in
vestigation revealed that the suspect
had entered another motor vehicle
and an additional warrant for the
same charges was obtained.
On January 2 the Hertford Police
Department received a call from the
Emergency Room of Chowan
Hospital notifying them that they had
treated Kenny Felton of Hertford for
stab wounds. * >
An investigation conducted by
Officer Timothy Spence of the
Hertford Police Department resulted
in the arrest of Mary Etta O'Neal,
age 20, of Wynn Fork Court, Hert
ford.
O'Neal was charged with assault
with a deadly weapon and was
released on $200 secured bond.
Trial date is set for January 11.