OUTINLEFTFIELD Thadd White says change is both good and bad. FOURTH&LONG David Friedman is curious about the Tar Heeis’ future. MEDITATING Sylvia Hughes says begin reading with the Bible. j|i^ SCAN ME Volume 124: No. 3 J3Cl Lie 980 S. Academy St. Ahoskie, NC 27910 Ledffer-Advance ^ Thursday • January 20,2022 Heating & Air Conditioning 252209.0223 CN OCt fN. I w 2 _ji 00 2 9^ oc 00 '*4: -w S IJU S :«:■»* S 2 .3> S O g g ■0 ■*» X Su s irM SS S •tr It S "Ti i iirt «e S rf ASKEWVILLE > AULANDER COLERAIN KELFORD 4- LEWISTON WOODVILLE 4 MERRY HILL 4 POWELLSVILLE 4 ROXOBEL WINDSOR Improvements planned for 4 school buildings GENE MOTLEY For the Bertie Ledger-Advance WINDSOR - Some special face-lifts could be coming. Bertie County Schools Su perintendent Dr. Otis Small wood briefed the county’s Board of Education at their monthly meeting Jan. 11 on some of the Capital Outlay Plans in the works for the upcoming year at the coun ty’s eight schools. BCS Maintenance Direc tor Matthew Bond gave a PowerPoint presentation on four different schools’ various needs and potential costs. “Like with everything we’re seeing nowadays, there’s sure to be some ad ditional costs,” Bond noted. It was pointed out as an example that there are schools that have more classroom space than rooms currently in use, prompting remarks from board vice-chair Nonnan Cheny regarding utility us age and cost. “It’s all being paid,” said Bond, “because it’s all under one roof. Anytime you’ve got a classroom that’s im- occupied it’s being heated and cooled like it had 30 students in it.” “This is something the public needs to know when we discuss whether a build ing needs to operate,” Cher ry inquired. “Because you could have a building built for 400 kids, but you only have two.” Upgraded needs varied by school, as did costs. All six schools had Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condi tioning (HVAC) needs, with Bond declaring the installa tion of a new HVAC Control System ($15,000 per school) was not only more cost ef ficient, but also would al low for remote control, as opposed to individual ther mostats for temperature changes. Other needs ranged from improved parking lots, win dow and door replacement and/or upgrades, gymnasi um accouterments such as bleacher repairs, roofing See SCHOOL, A3 Aulander Police chief Jimmy Barmer serves two communities • with Murfreesboro in neighboring Hertford County. ANDRE’ ALFRED/BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE the western Bertie County municipaiity aiong Hero in the family Jimmy Barmer protects and serves COVID cases soar in Bertie County JULIAN EURE The Daily Advance New COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and infec tions at congregate hous ing facilities all soared this week, as the highly conta gious omicron variant con tinued to surge across the eight-county health district. New cases increased by more than 2,260 this week, which is more than double the number of new cases reported last week. Nearly 26,000 cases of COVID-19 have now been reported in the eight counties since the pandemic began. 'Two counties in the dis trict — Pasquotank and Hertford — reported more than 400 new cases in a week, the first time that’s happened. TVo otheis — Bertie and Chowan — reported more than 300 new cases. Active COVID cases ac tually fell from last week by 143. Every county in the district save two — Gates, which saw active cases go up by 47, and Bertie, which saw a one-case increase — reported fewer active cases. COVID cases at nursmg homes, assisted living facil ities and Albemarle District Jail more than doubled from last week. SARAH DAVIS Eastern North Carolina Living A television commercial for a popular genealogy website concludes with the question, “Who’s the hero in your family?” If you are one of Jimmy Banner’s children, you’re probably pointing at him — Chief of Police in Au lander, a lieutenant on the Murfreesboro Police De partment, and a former ^rgeant with Vidant Com pany Police — but he’s probably pointing back at them. His daughter Lauren is a dispatcher for Vidant Eastcare; son William, a sergeant with Lake Royde Company Police Depart ment (Louisburg) and a part-time officer with Au lander Police Department; or son Clay, a full-time EMT and firefighter with Roanoke Rapid.s Fire Der partment, a part-time paid firefighter with Davie, and a volunteer for the Ahoskie Aulander Police Chief Jimmy Barmer works at his desk. Fire Department. Perhaps it’s nature in the Barmer family to serve, but it’s definitely nurture. By word. and example, Jimmy teaches his cliildren to give back to the community. First sworn as a police officer by then Police Chief Steve Hoggard in Ahoskie, Barmer began his service in law enforcement in 1992. In the twenty-nine years since then. Banner has served in Ahoskie, Murfreesboro, Au lander and with the Vidant ■ ALFRED/BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCB Company. Such is the typ ical fife of a police officer; almost any officer seen on one force one day might be' seen on another anotheii day or even that same dayi See BARMER, A3 Golden LEAF grant will aid Lewiston Woodville center AHOSKIE - Roanoke-Chow- an Community College is the recipient of Golden LEAF Foundation funding for two projects totaling $778,200 to increase adult continuing education in the community. A Universal Technical Training Center is being es tablished on the college’s In this edition main campus in Hertford County, and the college is assistihg the community ed ucation centers in Lewistoii Woodville in Bertie Couhtyj Rich Square and near Con way in Northampton Coim- ty- Golden LEAF award ed $368,200 through the Community-Based Grants Initiative for the Uruversal Technical TVaining Center to provide funding for the renovation of an existing building on campus into a ‘state-of-the-art’ technical training center. This center will continue many of the workforce training courses now offered at the college as weU as add some new certification and diploma programs, According to R-CCC President Murray J. WiUiams. “We are excited to an nounce the establishment of a new state-of-the-art technical training center which will serve as a hub for distance and hands-on learning to meet the needs of local business and indus try in the Roanoke-Chowan area,” states President Wil liams. “We appreciate the support from the Golden LEAF Foundation to help us meet workforce devel opment needs locally and look forward to preparing students with industry-rec ognized credentials and certificates for productive careers in our area” 'Thh universal technical training center grant will also fund adult education for} the new Lewiston WoodviUd Educational Vitality Center; including funds for scholar ships and transportation if See GRANT, A3 I Goov morning, Ctiarles Evans OF Mekry Hid Thank YOU K>R subscribing! Find us on Facebook www.bertieledgeradvance.com Church & Faith Ay Classified A6 Community A2 Obituaries A2 Opinion A4 Sports.. As ■( 0 11711 35906 6 Bertie Visit imul$.Ret to see our entire pro(iur.f Hue ot awerii wtnuini peanut snar4(s and git cnnitaaltes. Utl AGRICJ^URE

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