THE QUIMANS EEKLY “News from Next Door^ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020 EARLY DEADLINE Due to an early press deadline, all editorial copy for the Perquimans Weekly must be in by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. INSIDE Albemarle Magazine looks at holiday traditions $1.00 Rep. Goodwin Seeks Funds to Save S-Bridge BY MILES LAYTON Editor NC Representative Ed Good win, R-Chowan, is pursuing state funding to keep the old S-Bridge from being taken apart and sold for scrap after the new bridge is completed. Goodwin said McLean Con tracting of Chesapeake, Va, the firm awarded the contract to build the new bridge, owns the S-Bridge structure, not the state. Company may sell the bridge for scrap or haul it away to be reassembled somewhere else. During the Hertford Town Council meeting Nov. 9, council approved a resolution endorsing Goodwin’s efforts to pursue state resources and financing for the project among other related ef forts to save the bridge. “If we don’t do something, they’re going to cut it up and sell it for scrap,” Goodwin said. “My job is to get you the money so you can save the bridge so you can set it up where you like it and develop a tourist attraction or something for town. I think it’s worth fighting for.” Goodwin said he’s spoken to the state Department of Trans portation as well as leaders in the General Assembly. He said saving the S-Bridge, long recognized as GOODWIN symbol of Hert ford, would be a big benefit to the conununity - a place for wed dings, concerts, festivals and much more. Allison Platt of Rivers and As sociates, a firm working with Town Hall on a wa terfront redevelopment project has suggested two possible loca tions perpendicular to the north ern waterfront in Hertford that town council and the new Water front Advisory Board will consid er along with citizens input. Councilman Quentin Jackson said the state promised to pay for moving the old S-bridge, but the state’s finances have changed so that the DOT is facing tough times much like Hertford. Jackson spoke of the virtues of saving the bridge and how he wants any relo cation project to have input from everyone. Councilman Frank Norman said he supports saving S-bridge, however, he wants the Black community to be involved in any recommendation process made by a committee charged with for mulating plans to save the bridge. He said once again, decisions are being made and the whole com ¬ as _ munity is notjinvolved. J: CouncilmaSl Jerry Majilitsch added, “We ^ gant tQ save our S-Bridge. I d^tj^ovRugrone in town who dobAr^J” 4 ^ Mimlitsch jn^e tffi ^notion, seconded by» NoriYRifS and ap proved by ISbrjiKg fS ®»®win to pursue state Sm® Ira gegroject. Goodwirn #ai® i£j fy®re, no matter whig |id?oKlt&^ wants to talk him abrSIt “Sh^ S^Bridge, they just have to pick up the phone. Citizens can contact Good win with their support for him to pursue funding at 919-733-0010 or via email at Edward.Goodwin@ See S-BRIDGE, A2 Round-up Geneva and Hertfordshire BY MILES LAYTON Editor A round-up of all things Perquimans County... First up, Connie Jaklic, a proud and passionate Rotarian, has been appointed as assistant district governor of re gional Rotary. That means Jaklic gets Secret Service protection, a driver, maybe even the missile codes, possibly a cot at Greenbri er in the event of a nuclear emer gency. But seriously, congrats Connie, you’ll do a great job! Next up, Perquimans HS se niors Carly Elliott and Tiffany Mathis are Rotary Club of Hert ford’s Students of the Month. Phillip McMullan and John Ernst, co-authors and editors of “A House in the Albemar le,” will sign copies of their book Saturday celebrating the Newbold-White House, North Carolina’s oldest brick home. “A House in the Albemarle” details the history of the 1730 Newbold-White House, which is located at 151 Newbold-White Road in Hertford. Saturday’s book-signing will be at the Newbold White House’s visitor center from 10 am. to 3 p.m. In other news, Geneva Britt of Raleigh brightened my day with this kind note: First, I want to say how much I eqjoy reading the Perquimans Weekly when I visit my brother. You have done an excellent job and please stay a long time. Britt signed up for a subscription to the newspaper - thanks! Perquimans County High School volleyball and cross country seasons have begun - so maybe our newspaper can begin to have asports page again. See ROUND-UP, A3 6 89076 47144 2 Vol. 86, No. 47 @2020 Perquimans Weekly All Rights Reserved Rotary Provides Books to PCMS STAFF REPORTS Rotary Club of Hertford has do nated books to the Perquimans County Middle School. “Reading is the key that opens the most important doors. I would like to thank our Rotary Club for valuing the power of a book and supporting PQ schools,” Principal Laura Moreland said. The book program has been made possible through a Rotary District Grant For several years, Rotary has used these funds to provide books for Perquimans County School Li braries. The school media coordinators choose and order the books. The club puts Rotary book plates inside the book and in non-Covid times, the club has its weekly speakers sign a book to be donated back to the schools. In the lower grades, the students can check out and read a book and then take a quiz about the book on the computer. They can earn points for a reward. This is to encourage reading. Many years these maybe the only books the school library receives - unless they raise funds through a Book Fair. With Covid, club members signed names in remaining books and took them to the school libraries. But that’s not all Rotary has done for the kids. Club also used some funds to do an additional District Grant for the SUBMITTED PHOTOS Rotary Club of Hertford provided books to students at Perquimans Middle School - one of the many things the group does for the community. From L to R: Frank Jaklic, Winfield Boyer and Mike Gardner, all of the Rotary Club of Hertford. past four years to buy food for the Hunger Heroes Program started by the Ag teacher and her students as a community service project They send home food to students that may be in need of food on days when school breakfasts and lunch es are not available. Both of these projects require hands on participation by Rotari ans. Rotary members label books, act as mystery readers at the school, shop for several hundred dollars See ROTARY, A3 Whatever Happened To? Shirley Wiggins Track Editor’s Note: We’re going to start a feature that we call “What ever Happened To?" that will - at tempt - to address any questions about the community that our readers submit to the newspaper. Send questions or tips to mlay- ton@ncweeklies. com BY MILES LAYTON Editor First question comes from Con nie Brothers of Hertford: What ever happened to the Perquimans High School track to be named for Shirley Wig gins? A former long- time Perquimans County Commis sioner, Wiggins died in April 18, 2010. Perquimans Board of Educa tion unanimously approved nam ing the future track as the Ms. Shirley Wiggings Track in April 2018. Judie Hoffler proposed nam ing the track in honor of Wiggins, according to the minutes from the Perquimans Board of Education meeting dated March 26, 2018.. “Ms. Wiggins was an advocate for children in our community,” said Hoffler, a member of the Ath letic Complex Design Committee. “One of Ms. Wiggins passions was to have a track for our children for which she worked tirelessly and diligently.” Hoffler said that such a track would not only encourage chil dren of color, but children of all races and bring them together to create a mutual respect for one another. She said it will help chil dren to realize that Black people have fought and are still fighting for equality and goodwill among all races. A few years back, Dr. Billy Nixon and Charles Ward donat ed land and money for the football See TRACK, A3 Steinburg Stands With Trump; Declares Election Rigged BY MILES LAYTON Editor Like many voters who cast their ballots for President Don ald 'Dump across eastern North Carolina, NC Senator Bob Stein burg, R-Chowan, is skeptical as to the election results. Steinburg said there appears to be a lot of voting irregulari ties across the nation that cast a shadow on the results declared by a hostile mainstream media which claims that Democrat Joe Biden won the election long before all the legal votes have been counted. PAGE A4 Steinburg spurs discussion about election. Newly elected to a second term in the senate, Steinburg has not shied away from posting his opinions about the matter on social media To view what our readers from across the region think of these posts, see the Chowan Herald’s Facebook page. Steinburg’s followers on so- See STEINBURG, A3 STEINBURG