LUCKYSEVEN
Brandice Hoggard wants to see
Christmas through the eyes of a
child. A4
FOURTH&LONG
David Friedman writes about
college football and the changes
that are coming. A6
MEDITATING
Sylvia Hughes writes that
believers should learn to ‘run to Sr'
cci
win.' A3
CK.
i|{^ SCAN ME
Volume 123:
No. 46
Bertie
Ledeer-Advance
^ Thursday • November 18^ 2021
980 S. Academy St.
Ahoskie,NC 27910
MASTERS
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ASKEWVILLE 4- AULANDER 4- COLERAIN 4 KELFORD 4 LEWISTON WOODVILLE
lERRY HILL 4 POWELLSVILLE 4 ROXOBEL 4 WINDSOR
Sheriff Holley will retire at end of 2022
THADD WHITE
Group Editor
WINDSOR - Bertie County
Sheriff John Holley will re
tire at the end of hfe current
term.
Sheriff Holley, who is in
his third term as sheriff,
said Thursday he does not
plan to seek re-election next
year, and will instead end
his nearly four decades in
fuU-ttme law enforcement.
“I’m pretty sure it was
Kobe Bryant who said you’ll
k n o
w
when it’s
time. It’s
time,”
Sheriff
Holley
said. “I
have
loved
SHERIFF HOLLEY serving
the peo
ple of Bertie County. It was
my goal to become sheriff
the day I started in law en
forcement and I’m grateful
I’ve been able to serve. Now,
I know it’s time for me to do
other things in life.”
While he said he loves his
job and law enforcement,
Sheriff HoUey said it was
time to spend more time
with his wife and the grand
children he adores.
“People donT know what
a law enforcement officer’s
spouse goes through,” he
said. “I can’t say thank you
enough to Floretta for her
support for aU these years.”
Sheriff Holley will cel
ebrate 39 years in law en
forcement this coming
February. He expressed his
appreciation to ^en Sheriff
J. Wallace Perry, who hired
him.
“Sheriff Perry asked me
what my goal was and I told
him one day I wanted to be
sheriff,” Holley said. “He
told me he hoped he lived to
see that day and I’m thank
ful - and I hope he is too -
that he has been here to see
me achieve this goal, and to
be a part of it.”
Next year’s sheriff elec
tion filing is looming in De
cember, and Sheriff HoUey
said he spent time thinking
and praying about his deci
sion.
“I think I’ve seen it aU and
basicaUy done it aU at this
point,” he said. “I don’t think
there is anything left to ac-
compUsh in law enforce
ment. It’s just time.”
Sheriff HoUey said he wUl
miss the citizens and the
rigors of law enforcement
work.
“Once you are a law en
forcement officer, you are
always a law enforcement
See RETIRE, A2
Write-ins
win in 3
Bertie
towns
THADD WHITE
Group Editor
Write-in candidates
played a m^or part in sev
eral municipal elections fol
lowing the certification of
results last week.
Colerain, Ketford and
Koxobel aU had write-ins
Win seats on the town board.
In Roxobel, a write-in
winner caused a tie between
two candidates on the bal
lot, resulting in a com toss
to declare a winner.
• Write-in candidate Sha
ron Jones received 38 votes
lo claim a seat on the town
board alongside Robert
Phelps (44 votes) and Jo-
3eph Pittman (39). That left
Johnna Browne Lewis and
pUlon Pruden tied with 30
votes each.
A coin toss was held at
the Bertie Coimty Board of
Elections, which was won
by Pruden making him the
fourth and final commis
sioner.
Finishing sixth in the field
was incumbent David Lee
Baisey Sr. with 23 votes.
Mayor Gary Johnson was
See TOWNS, A2
ANDRE' ALFRED'/ BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
Charles Smith sings the National Anthem as others on the program watch on. From left are the Rev.
Webb Hoggard, Tammy Lee, Leslie Beachboard, Windsor Mayor Jim Hoggard and N.C. Insurance
Commissioner Mike Causey.
Thank you for your service
ANDRE’ ALFRED / BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
N.C. Commissioner of Insurance Mike Causey spoke
at the Veteran’s Day ceremony.
LESLIE BEACHBOARD
Managing Editor
WINDSOR - A time to
honor those who have
served.
The town of Windsor
and Bertie Cotmty offi
cials, along with the Wind
sor/Bertie Chamber of
Commerce and the Bertie
Ledger-Advance held a
Veteran’s Day ceremony
last week at courthouse
square outside the Bertie
County Courthouse.
Bertie Ledger-Advance
Editor Thadd White wel
comed everyone in atten
dance.
According to White,
in year’s past there has
been a Memorial Day cer
emony, but the COVID-19
pandemic canceUed the
ceremony last year and
again this spring. But it
was decided not to go an
other year without doing
something.
Askewviile Assembly
of God Pastor the Rev.
Webb Hoggard gave the
invocation and Charles
See SERVICE, A5
New fire training facility coming soon
LESLIE BEACHBOARD
Managing Editor
WINDSOR - Fire depart
ments will soon have a new
place to train.
Officials from the town of
Windsor and Bertie County,
along with fire department
members and others broke
ground Tuesday morning
for the new fire training fa-
In this edition
cUity on County Farm Road
in Wmdsor.
Windsor Mayor Jim Hog
gard began the festivities.
“I want to welcome ev
eryone to the groundbreak
ing ceremony for this new
facility that help fire de
partments from all over the
county and other coimties
too,” he added.
According to Hoggard, lo
cal fire departments needed
a location to train for possi
ble fires for tall structures,
and until now did not have
one.
“Bertie County has tall
structures, like grain bins
and several tall buildings.
The fire departments need
ed an area to bring in the
fire trucks and train in case
of a fire to one of these types
of structures. This type of
training will be beneficial
in possibly ^ving lives and
property,” Hoggard added.
Martin Community Col
lege donated $20,000 to the
project.
'The funding was used
to purchased metal cargo
storage containers. 'The
See TRAINING, A5
L-W man
killed in
nightclub
shooting
THADD WHITE
Group Editor
KELFORD - More than 100
people were gathered at a
nightclub in Kelford when
a Lewiston WeodviUe man
lost his life.
Bertie County Sheriff
John HoUey said officers
were dispatched to the
Spotiight Loimge at approx
imately 1 am. Sunday, Nov.
14.
“Officers foimd a victim
suffering from a gunshot
wound and immediately
began administering first
aid,” Sheriff HoUey said.
“Unfortunately, he was pro-
noimced dead at the scene.”
The victim has been iden
tified as 32-year-old Joseph
Cary of Lewiston WoodviUe,
according to Bertie County
Sheriffs Maj. Matt Roebuck.
Mqj. Roebuck said there
were a large number of
people at the club, beheved
to be more than 150 and
attempts were being made
to identify possible wit
nesses. He said many have
already given statements,
but the others are needed
See SHOOTING, A5
LESLIE BEACHBOARD/BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
Bertie County Board of Commissioners Chair Tammy
Lee (left) presents Windsor Mayor Jim Hoggard with the
deed to the property on County Farm Road, where the
fire training facility will be located.
(aOOV MCRNINC,
James IUatfpkd
OF Ahoskie
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