“News from Next Door" THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26,2020 $1.00
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Tri-County Animal
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Cross-country season
begins for Perquimans
schools
Stallings Scholarship Endowed to Serve Pirates
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Many people have left their
mark at Perquimans County
Schools.
Dr. Dwayne K. Stallings left a
legacy.
A longtime educator, Stallings
touched countless lives during
his three decades of teaching and
serving as a school administrator.
When he died in August 2020 af
ter an extended illness at Sentara
Norfolk General Hospital, gener
ous memorials were directed to
the Dwayne K. Stallings Scholar
ship for Education Fund. The En
dowment is currently at $10,100
- It is invested at Stifel Financial.
“As an educator, Dr. Stallings
knew he was in a very unique po
sition to have a positive impact
on the lives of young people,”
said Brenda Lassiter, Executive
Director for Perquimans County
STALLINGS
Schools Founda
tion. “Dr. Stall
ings worked
tirelessly behind
the scenes, nev
er seeking public
recognition. He
touched the lives
of so many. His
gentle manner
and genuine in
terest in the wellbeing of others
made him a respected colleague
and loyal friend.”
Stallings’ daughter, Megan Lof
tin, recalled her father’s commit
ment to community and educa
tion.
“My dad’s dedication to edu
cation and the community was
a through-line for his life,” she
said. “He was an educator in ev-
eiy sense of the word, within the
school system, throughout the
community, and at home.”
Stallings, 63, of Hertford had
over 30 years invested in public
education in North Carolina and
21 of those years he served as
an administrator in Perquimans
County. The scholarship ensures
that Stallings’ legacy continues to
echo an eternity.
“I am excited that this schol
arship will continue his legacy of
service,” Loftin said. “He viewed
education as a higher calling and
See STALLLINGS, A3
N.C. Debuts
COVID Alert
System
BY ELIZABETH JOHNSON
For the Perquimans Weekly
Local health officials on
Tuesday urged residents to
take precautions against
COVID-19 before Thanksgiving
as the state announced a new
alert system to
focus on coun
ties with the
highest levels
of viral spread.
State health
officials de
veloped the
COVID-19
County Alert
System an
nounced by
Gov. Roy Coo
per and Heath
and Human
Services Sec
retary Mandy
Cohen during
an afternoon
news con
ference. The
monthly re
port will use
several data metrics to color
code counties where spread is
at’critical levels.
Pitt County was listed at the
lowest level, yellow, which indi
cates significant spread, along
with Martin, Beaufort and Le
noir counties. Neighboring Wil
son County was red, or critical,
while Greene, Edgecombe and
Craven were orange, indicating
substantial spread.
“By pinpointing counties
with high virus transmission
and asking everyone in those
counties to work with us and
do more right now to slow the
spread of the virus, we can suc
ceed,” Cooper said. “It can help
bring down their case rates,
keep their communities safer,
save lives and keep their hospi
tal systems working.”
The system calls on resi
dents, businesses and com
munity organizations, and lo
cal governments within each
county to work with the state
on specific actions triggered
by the alert levels. Steps in
high alert areas include greater
enforcement of mask wearing
and gathering limits, expanded
no cost testing and increased
messaging.
Cooper said during the news
conference actions are strong
ly recommended but will not
be mandated unless the pan
demic continues to worsen in
the state, which on Tuesday
recorded another day of new
See COVID, A3
6 " 89076 47144
2
Vol. 86, No. 48
@2020 Perquimans Weekly
All Rights Reserved
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
The “Turkey Drop” helped make the holidays happy for folks in Perquimans County. The 7th annual
county-wide took place last Friday and Saturday at Hertford United Methodist Church to assist those
in need this Thanksgiving Season. Due to early press deadlines, more on this story will appear in a
future edition of the Perquimans Weekly.
There’s a lot of turkeys within that
vehicle’s back hatch area. Much praise
to the generous folks of Perquimans
County. According to the National Turkey
Federation, 88% of Americans say they will
be eating Thanksgiving turkey. Last year,
this equated to an expected 290 million
Americans gathering to enjoy this yearly
feast. For 2020, expect to see an increase
of more than 400,000 turkey lovers.
Exhibit Features Teen’s Artwork
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Celia Manning, a freshman at Perquimans County High School,
won her county for her painting honoring former U.S. Attorney and
former First District Court Judge Janice Cole as part of the “Women
Breaking Barriers in Northeastern NC” that opened Friday on the
second floor of the museum in Elizabeth City.
5 Area Counties See ‘Substantial’ COVID-19 Spread
BY JULIAN EURE
For the Perquimans Weekly
While none of Albemarle Re
gional Health Services’ eight coun
ties are seeing what state officials
consider “critical” community
spread of COVID-19, five, includ
ing Pasquotank, are seeing “sub
stantial” spread of the virus.
That’s according to a report on
the COVID-19 County Alert Sys
tem released by the N.C. Depart ¬
Annual ‘Turkey Drop’
Round-up
ment of Health and Human Ser
vices on Tuesday.
The report, which is designed
to help both the public and local
officials better understand how
the virus is spreading in their com
munity, contains recommenda
tions for individuals, businesses
and organizations as well as local
governments on how to slow the
virus’ spread.
DHHS’ recommendations to lo
cal governments include adoption
PQ Painter’s Artwork
Features Judge Janice Cole
BY MILES LAYTON
AND CHRIS DAY
Adams Publishing Group
Women in northeastern
North Car olina have long been
known for “breaking barriers.”
Now a new exhibit at Muse
um of the Albemarle pays trib
ute to their trailblazing efforts.
“Women Breaking Barriers in
Northeastern NC” opened Fri
day on the second floor of the
museum in Elizabeth City. The
exhibit is part of a statewide
project of the N.C. Department
See EXHIBIT, A2
of ordinances allowing fines on
those who violate COVID restric
tions, more enforcement of mass
gathering limits and the statewide
mask-wearing mandate, and con
sideration of ending onsite alco
hol sales earlier than 11 p.m.
The new COVID-19 Alert Sys
tem divides counties into three
tiers: red, designating “critical”
community spread; orange, which
indicates “substantial” spread; and
yellow, designating “significant”
Toys
for Tots
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of all things
Perquimans County...
. Town Councilman
Frank Norman is spearhead
ing the Toys for Tots Program.
Please reach out to Norman at
fnorman@townofhertfordnc.com
for details. Last year was a great
success.
Toys for Tots, a 70-year na
tional charitable program run by
the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve,
provides happiness and hope to
disadvantaged children during
each Christmas holiday season.
The toys, books and other
gifts collected and distributed by
the Marines offer these children
recognition, confidence and a
positive memory for a lifetime.
Speaking of making a differ
ence, see Skip Matthews letter
on our Opinion page about the
Salvation Army - A4. Because
of COVID-19, there’ll be no local
Salvation Army bell ringing this
year.
“It’s that time of year again;
time to enjoy the season and
time to remember those for
whom the season may not be
so joyful without your help,” he
said.
In other news, per Sherie
Cartwright with the Forestburg
Ruritan Club, the club will NOT
be having their monthly pancake
breakfast on December 5.
“We regret any inconvenience
this may cause and want you all
to know how much we appreci
ate your support over the years
and ESPECIALLY during these
last few months of take-out
only,” she said. “We will keep you
informed when we have the next
one. We would like to wish ev
eryone a safe, healthy and happy
holiday season!”
See ROUND-UP, A2
spread.
Pasquotank, Currituck, Perqui
mans, Hertford and Bertie are cur
rently orange tier counties, while
Camden, Chowan and Gates are
designated yellow tier counties.
According to DHHS, 10 corm-
ties — four in eastern and south-
eastern North Carolina and six
in' the western part of the state
— are currently designated as
red tier counties. Forty-three are
See SPREAD, A3