CHAMBERCHATTER Lewis Hoggard says Christmas events have gone weil in county. A2 i OUTHERE Thadd White seeks help from cooks due to COVID-19. HARTMANTOHEART Pastor Chuck Hartman says foliow your own convictions. Bertie ® CAN ME 1 Ledffer-Advance ^ Thursday • December 9,2021 980 S. Academy St. Ahoskie,NC 27910 MASTERS Heating & Air Conditioning 252209.0223 If S ^ i o “ ^ £9 S Pi O' S S gs ac S ^ • UJ ^ •M- S-S UJ 0% jfr So a o 23 -M- S m tn rs* o 52 u> -it- ps v-4 ^ * £5 iS 3 gf a: ASKEWVILLE >■ AULANDER ♦ COLERAIN ♦ KELFORD > LEWISTON WOODVILLE 4- MERRY HILL 4- POWELLSVILLE 4 ROXOBEL 4 WINDSOR Windsor Mayor: Time is right to retire THADD WHITE Group Editor WINDSOR ■ Each step of his po litical career Jimmy Hoggard has known when the timing was right. That’s still true as he closes out his life as an elective office hold er this morning (Thursday) and hands the mayor’s gavel to his suc cessor. “I’ve always heard you just know when it’s time,” the retiring Wmdsor Mayor said. “I want to do some traveling that I haven’t been able to do and I want to get further invested in the grandparent business.” Those reasons led Hoggard, who has been mayor of HOGGARD Windsor for a doz en years and served as a commis sioner for two decades prior, to decide now was the time to move on. He didn’t run for re-election in November, and indeed backed his successor, Lewis Hoggard, for the position. “Lewis will make a good mayor and I’m excited for him,” Jimmy Hoggard said. “I’ll be here to sup port him any way I can, but I also know the best way I can support him is stay out of his way and let him be the mayor in his own right. ” Hoggard’s political career be gan when he sought office as a town commissioner. He said sev eral things factored into that de- 7 want to do some traveling that I haven’t been able to do and I want to get further invested in the grandparent business." Jim Hoggard cision, including high utility rates and low police officer pay. Hoggard said he felt the board of commissioners - both then and now - have done a good job of rec tifying both situations. “One of the things I’m most proud of is the professionalism and training of the Windsor Police Department,” he said. “They are as good as they come.” The mayor said he has kept in mind the importance of never re turning to the financial struggles See MAYOR, A5 Bertie Co. man killed in single car accident LESLIE BEACHBOARD/ BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE Santa hears the wants of one young man for the coming Christmas. Hometown Christmas celebration LESLIE BEACHBOARD Managing Editor MERRY HILL - A single car accident claimed the life of a Windsor man last week. According to N.C. State Highway Patrol Tiooper H. Mizelle, he was dispatched at approximately 2:46 a.m. ITiursday, Dec. 2 to investi gate a single car accident on Avoca Farm Road. Henry Craig, of 155 Morn ing Rd. Ext. in Windsor, was traveling east on Avoca Farm Road, when he ran off the right side of the road and struck a ditch, llie car overturned several times, resulting in Craig being ejected from the vehicle. Craig was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Trooper Mizelle, Craig was not wear ing a seat belt at the time of the accident. The investigation is ongo ing. There have been 18 fatal ities in the Bertie, Hertford and Gates counties, which comprise Troop A District 2. Leslie Beachboard can be reached at Ibeachboard® ncweeklies.com. e k-m LESLIE BEACHBOARD / BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE Students from Aulander Elementary School sing traditional Christmas Carols. LESLIE BEACHBOARD Managing Editor AULANDER - It was a hometown Christmas cel ebration. The town of Aulander officials and citizens of aU ages gathered last Friday (Dec. 3) for the town’s annual Christmas TVee Lighting Ceremony at the Aulander Community Building. To kick off the night’s festivities, the Bertie High School band and dance team performed a variety of selections for the spec tators waiting for the tree lighting. Aulander Mayor Larry Drew welcomed everyone to the evening’s special event. Aulander Commissioner Jeanette Tinkham gave the opening invocation. See AULANDER, A5 Races develop in county elections THADD WHITE Group Editor Filing is under way for federal, state and local of fices. And, Bertie County has already developed a race for County Commissioner. Incumbent Greg Atkins is seeking a second term in of fice and will be challenged by Bertie County Schools Administrator Michael White. Both men have filed for the District 2 seat. A race is likely in District 3 as well. Corey BaUance Sr. is seeking a post on the county board. He filed as a Democrat earlier this week. Incumbent Bertie County See ELECTION, A5 Leadership roles change among Bertie Co. Commissioners LESLIE BEACHBOARD Managing Editor WINDSOR ■ The Chairman and Vice Chairman roles are changing in Bertie County. The Bertie County Coitunis- sioners voted to appoint a new chairman and vice chairman at their regularly scheduled meeting held Monday night in the Commis sioners Room. According to Bertie County Manager Juan Vaughan 11, on the first Monday meeting in December North Carolina General Statutes require every county commission board go through a reorganization process. “ We will now take nominatioirs for a new chairman and vice chairman for the board,” added Vaughan. The then board chair Tam my Lee turned the gavel over to Vaughan. Commissioner Ron Wesson moved to nominate Vice' Chair man John Trent as the new Chair for the Bertie County Commis sioners. There was no discussion, and the vote passed imanimously. Next was to seek recommenda tions for the vice chairman’s posi tion. “I would like to make a nomi nation for Commissioner Wesson as 'vice chair,” said Vice Chairman Trent. There was no discussion, and the vote passed unanimously. Chairman Trent was first elect ed as a Bertie County Commis sioner in 2012, and is currently serving his third term. He formerly served as chairman of the board in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Vice Chairman Wesson was first elected as a Bertie County Com missioner m 2012, and is currently serving lus third term. He formerly served as chairman of the board in twice and served as vice chairman in 2018. The next Bertie County Com missioners’ regularly scheduled meeting wfil held at 6 p.m. Mon day, Jan. 10 in the Conunissioners’ Room at the Bertie County Gov ernment Building. Leslie Beachboard can be reached via email at Ibeach- board@ncweeklies. com. In this edition GOOV MORNING, Thelma IOalton OF Leiuiston Wloomm Thank you tor subscribinh! 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