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2 THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20,2018 ECSU’s Khan Planetarium to get an upgrade From Staff Reports Gazing at the stars through the prism of Eliza beth City State University’s Khan Planetarium is about to become a state-of-the- art experience. According to Dr. Gloria Payne, the Khan Planetari um is undergoing a sched uled upgrade this summer that will connect it to a worldwide digital system. “The upgrade will en hance the educational and research opportunities for faculty and students in the region,” said Payne, chair of the ECSU Department of Natural Science, Phar macy and Health Profes sions. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of De fense, the upgrade will in clude projection, lighting, and sound systems that power the planetarium’s big screen, full-dome ex perience. “This will be the only planetarium in the state of North Carolina with a Di- gistar 6 Projection System, and it will have built-in cloud capability that will allow us to connect with all Digistar systems world wide,” she said. Payne says upgrades to the planetarium will be gin a new era in planetary learning. Full dome digital technology has become the norm for planetariums worldwide, offering high resolution and multi-me dia image production. Visitors to the Khan Planetarium will be able to experience a panoramic view of the stars and uni verse. The new system will automatically connect to science data reposito ries and update itself with the latest data about the universe so that repeat visitors will always have something new to see and learn. Since its inception in 1990, the Khan Planetari um has served over 175,000 visitors from the region and across the state. The facility’s star projector has taught a generation how to find the North Star, as well as constellations, and motions of planets in the heavens. The remodeling of the planetarium began early May for installation of the digital upgrades. A grand reopening rib bon cutting ceremony is expected in early fall 2018. Payne says that during this period of upgrade, all planetarium shows are suspended. DOT Continued from 1 ects that are considered “under development.” They include replacing a bridge on Bethany Church Road, upgrading Woodville Road from Red Banks Road to New Hope Road, converting the intersections of Harvey Point Road and New Hope Road and U.S. 17 to high way interchanges and up grading Harvey Point Road from U.S. 17 to Churches Lane. The latter project is scheduled to be let in 2023. The highway interchanges are slated to be let in 2025 or 2026. The interchanges are needed if U.S. 17 is going to be upgraded to Interstate standards. In April, NCDOT released data scores for more than 2,100 transportation im provement projects across the state, in the first round of an evaluation process to determine which proj ects will be scheduled for construction. Also in April, NCDOT identified 77 high- score Statewide Mobility projects that will be pro grammed for funding over the next decade. During Thursday’s pub lic hearing, Gretchen By ¬ SHOOTER Continued from 1 ty is,” Nixon said. “Overall I think it went well,” White said. “It was a learning and training event and you work on things.” For the sake of the drill, time spans were sped up or slowed down, and some participants were staged on the site, when in reality they Wouldn’t have been. The sheriff, for example, was at the middle school dispatch ing his officers. In reality, he would probably have been stationed at the schools Central Office building on Edenton Road Street. * The drill went as far as busing “students” from the school to another site and ultimately reuniting them with family. EVICTION Continued from 1 object and Flowers did not. She was sworn in using a Bible while Jackson simply raised his hand in a fist and “affirmed” he was telling the truth. Before Wednesday’s court hearing Jackson said he paid Catherine Flowers $25,000 towards buying the house and two nearby lots. He promised to pay her an other $25,000 for the prop erties on Jan. 12019. Jackson described Flow ers’ eviction petition against him as a family squabble. “It’s disheartening that you have to go through this STADIUM Continued from 1 While the field should be ready to play on for the first game, the concession stand/ restroom building and the field house aren’t expected to be complete until around Sept. 25. Davison said por table toilets and a conces sion trailer will be brought for the first games. One timetable that hasn’t been moved back is the lighting. Davison met with the contractors and sub rum, project development engineer for Division 1, answered questions about affected projects that may or may not be considered as part of the planning pro cess. She responded to ques tions about the Mid-Cur- rituck Bridge project that would create a second crossing of the sound — north of the Wright Memori al Bridge—so as to provide easier access between the Outer Banks and Virginia, as well as other communi ties in northeastern North Carolina. The 7-mile toll project includes a two-lane bridge that spans the Cur rituck Sound and connects the Currituck County main land to the Outer Banks. Byrum said while bids for the $490 million project are scheduled to be let in the fall, she cautioned that the time- table could change pending the results of environmental and traffic studies. She gave an update on another regional project of interest, the 1-87 highway, which would include devel opment of a major traffic corridor for northeastern North Carolina Once com pleted, 1-87 is planned to start in Raleigh, continue northeast through Rocky Mount, Williamston, Eliza ¬ STAFF PHOTO BY PETER WILLIAMS A ‘victim’ is wheeled out of Perquimans County Middle School last week after a live shooter exercise. In the drill the shooter and four others were killed, and six people were injured. White said he’d like to do small practice drills perhaps monthly now, and maybe another large drill about ev ery two years. Lisa Lane, a spokeswom ¬ and it’s worse when it’s with family,” Jackson said. Jackson has filed a coun ter-complaint against Flow ers, seeking $100,000 from her. Jackson claims he has invested at least $30,000 in the house. He further claims he never lived in the house, but was trying to fix it up. In her case for eviction, Flowers claimed Jackson has been living in the house. She said she told him on March 2, he had 30 days to vacate the Brace Avenue property. However, as of June 4, he still had personal property in the home and a car in the yard, Flowers said. Jackson, however, claims the house hasn’t been occu pied for more than 10 years, contractors last week and they all agreed that the lighting work wouldn’t in terfere with other parts of the project. The lighting is set to be installed the week of July 9-13. Davison said some rain wouldn’t be an issue. “As long as it doesn’t rain all day and night for three or four days, we should be fine.” With a new football field will come a new score- board. Superintendent Mat thew Cheeseman is work ing on that. beth City, ending in Norfolk, Va “I-87 projects (along the route) are currently go ing through the prioritiza tion process to determine whether they will be in cluded in the transportation plan,” Byrum said. She also answered ques tions about the proposed Harbor Town Project, which seeks to create a high-speed ferry system linking Eliza beth City to other towns on the Albemarle Sound, in cluding Hertford, Edenton, Plymouth, Columbia and Kitty Hawk. The project would require purchasing five 49-passenger, catama ran-style ferries. The project is estimated to cost $13.8 million to launch the ferry system and $1.95 million a year to operate. Byrum said the state ferry division is not initiating this proposal and there are no plans to incorporate it into their system, but instead the emphasis should be on pri vate investment as well as support from local govern ments as advocated by the plan’s author, Nick Didow, a University of North Caro lina business professor. Also, DOT is replacing three bridges on N.C.32 north of Edenton under contract C204037. The first an for the school system, said the drill would help make the school system stronger. “The training exercise was intended to help us be not since the death of its previous owner, Louise Aus tin. Upon Austin’s death, the property was transferred to Catherine Flowers, Austin’s daughter. Jackson said he currently lives in the 300 block of Church Street. “Nobody can live there (the Brace Avenue house). The law says a landlord is prohibiting leasing a place without heat and air,” he said. As for the property in the house Flowers claims be longs to him, Jackson said it includes tools he was using to fix up the house. Jackson said after the house became vacant, wa ter leaked in, creating a bad The budget includes new bleachers for 1,000 people on the home side of the field. The school system Minzies Creek Sanitary District Monthly meeting will be held on SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2018 AT 10:00am The Meeting Will Be Held at 139 Treasure Lane, Hertford bridge is at Ballard’s Grove Baptist Church. The second bridge is just north of Welch Road. The third bridge is at the Gates County line. By rum said the projects may be experiencing delays as utility companies relocate affected transmission lines. A draft list of the top- scoring Regional Impact projects is scheduled for release in August. A simi lar process for local input will take place in the fall for local Division Needs proj ects. Once all project scores are finalized, the top-scor ing projects will be pro grammed for construction based on available fund ing. Other factors may de termine whether a project ultimately moves to con struction, including the completion of environmen tal and engineering plans, corridor spending limits prescribed by law, and oth er federal and state funding restrictions. This information will be used to create the next STIP for the years 2020-2029. NC DOT will release a draft STIP for public comment in January 2019. The final 2020-2029 STIP is expected to be adopted by the N.C. Board of Transportation in June 2019. proactive instead of reac tive should an incident of this magnitude occur. We are thankful that this was just a drill and are currently in the process of evaluating the responses of staff so we can identify areas that need improvement.” Sam Mickey, who wrote the shooting scenario and monitored it, said he saw some tilings that were done wrong, but that’s the point. “There are always oppor tunities for improvement,” he said. In one case a “wounded” person was wheeled out side the building and left there for an hour unaccom panied. Mickey said that shouldn’t have happened, but the im portant point is the person was taken out of harm’s way. mold problem. He had to rip up floors and fix the leaks in the house, he said. Ultimately Jackson said he’d like to tear down the house and use the lot and two adjacent ones to build a home costing between $200,000 and $300,000. That will have to wait, he said. “I don’t have $300,000 ly ing around and I have legal bills of $35,000 to $40,000 (for other court cases),” he said. Catherine Flowers was advised Wednesday she has 10 days to appeal Magistrate Flowers’ decision to Dis trict Court. It was not clear Wednesday if she plans to appeal the ruling. will be moving about 500 bleacher seats from the old football field for the visi tor’s side. VOTING Continued from 1 Right now Perquimans only has two days where they’re open for 12 hours for early voting. Under the law, every workday will have last 12 hours. That will mean more cost to hire poll workers. The early voting is staffed with five people. Perquimans County Elec tions Director Holly Hunter said Saturday is often a popular day to vote, but she couldn’t say it’s the most popular day. A lot depends on the election. “No one day is really a lot more than the others,” she said. Pasquotank Elections Director Kelli Price did not support or oppose the leg islation, but estimated S325 would require the county to offer another 43 hours of early voting, meaning the county would have to pay another $2,500 for poll workers. Price also said the final Saturday of early voting has been popular in Pasquo tank. When Pasquotank has offered early voting after 5 p.m. on workdays, turn out has been light, she also noted. Asked if S325’s extended workday hours would ac commodate voters, Price said she was unsure. The last Saturday of early voting is also popular in Camden County, Camden Elections Director Elaine Best said Friday. She also said she felt the bill took flexibility away from coun ties to set hours. Price and Best also noted that, if voters decide early voting hours don’t fit their schedule, they may request mail-in absentee ballots. Any voter may request a mail-in ballot, which are available before early vot ing starts and don’t have to be requested in person, they noted. Bill proponents argue the legislation will extend early voting hours while clearing up voter confusion about where and when to vote early. Opponents, including Democratic lawmakers and progressive organizations disagree, arguing the bill deprives voters of a popular day of voting while eliminat Family 'Dentistry with a gentle and caring touch YIPING ^G, VOS Family • Cosmetic • General Dentistry Same Day Emergency Care Insurance Filed for your Convenience New Patients Welcome 212 Ainsley Avenue Hertford, NC 252-426-5585 PERQUIMANS ^Weekly (USPS428-080) Vol. 86 No. 25 Published each Wednesday. A publication of Cooke Communications North Carolina, LLC Established 1934 111 W. Market St., Hertford, NC 27944 Mike Goodman Publisher Peter Williams News Editor Bev Alexander Advertising Representative Phone 252-426-5728 • Fax 252-426-4625 Email: perquimansweekly@ncweeklies.com Subscription Rates In Daily Advance home delivery area $26.25* All other continental U.S $32.50* ♦Plus applicable sales tax. Activation fee of $1.99 will be collected with all new subscriptions. Deactivation fees may apply for early cancellation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Perquimans Weekly, Hertford, NC 27944 ing local flexibility to set voting hours. Sen. Bill Cook, R-Beau- fort, strongly supported the bill in a statement last week. “This bill does not reduce hours,” Cook stated in an email. “In fact, this bill will have early voting sites early longer and encourage coun ties to offer more total vot ing hours.” He continued that “offer ing more early voting hours during the week means that North Carolinians who work weekends or have ir regular schedules will have additional opportunities” to vote. Rep. Bob Steinburg, R- Chowan, also supported the bill, explaining it creates a more uniform “template” for voting hours across the state. Voters, and sometimes even lawmakers themselves, have been unsure of where they can vote when during early voting, he said. Steinburg also said law makers are extending early voting, not reducing it, and, if voters need to vote early on weekends, counties may allow them to do so. Rep. Howard Hunter III, D-Hertford, called S325 a “sorry bill” in a phone call Friday, and suggested Re publicans were altering vot ing hours to benefit them selves this fall. “That last day is the most important,” Hunter said. He added that many of his constituents have long commutes to work, and it’S easier for them to vote on Saturday. Hunter continued the legislation was a “burden” to elections offices that had already finished their bud gets for this fall’s election. Offering 12 hours of early voting during workdays will be a significant unplanned expense, he argued. Washington County Com missioner Cole Phelps, a Democrat running against Steinburg for Senate, also opposed the bill in an email, commenting Saturday vot ing is especially important to “working class people” and those who have long commutes for work. “This is just another at tempt by the Republican legislature to discourage instead of encourage all citi zens to vote,” he wrote.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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June 20, 2018, edition 1
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