Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Oct. 11, 1979, edition 1 / Page 1
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? ' ? WEEKLY Volume 35, No. 40 USPS 428 080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, Oct. 11, 1979 20CENTS The Hertford Fire Department scores a bull's eye in competitive drills. The timed drill was part of Bull 's eye activities surrounding the beginning of fire prevention week. (Photo by NOEL TODD McLAUGHLIN) The pride of Elizabeth City's Fire Department, a i 1928 American LaFrance fire truck, added color to Antiques and animals the parade, as did mascots like Sparky the fire dog and, of course, Smokey the bear. (Photo by NOEL TODD-McLAUGHLIN) Littlest Fireman -$s it j the parade, but^e certainly w?? the leait. (Photo by NOEL TODD-MeLAUVHUN Parade starts fire prevention week The sound of sirens pierced the air as fire departments from the 10 county Albemarle region converged on Hertford Saturday afternoon for the annual activities and parade that kick off fire prevention week. The parade featured just about every organization in the county that has anything to do with fighting and preventing fires. And some of the par ticipants, such as the Columbia High School Mar ching Band and the Perquimans County Marching Unit, had nothing to do with fire fighting but added to the festive mood. A bunch of old timers oc cupied a blue Galaxie 500 near the front of the parade spor ting a sign that read "Retired Firemen' not so hot but still warm." Other vehicles in the parade were adorned with more serious messages. An N.C. Forest Service Truck bore a sign that rear "Don't let debris fires get away." A float put together by the Edenton Fire Department featured a dissheveled "woman," her hair up in curlers, fanning the flames in a rusty old wood stove. All the furniture in the open air room was burned black, and an uninsulated stove pipe fed into a charred wooden wall. The message: "Don't get burned by alternative heat, improperly installed." The parade also had its share of mascots, and even a beauty queen. Ranger John Hurdle escorted a life sized version of Smokey the Bear, and the Hertford Volunteel Fire Department had bigger than life Sparky the fire dog The Belvidere-Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department was represented by 15-year old beauty queen Linda Chappell, who smiled and waved to spectators from the back of a well polished fire truck. The parade was followed by competitive drills between six of the fire departments. The object of the com petition was to unroll 150 feet of hose from the back of the fire truck and shoot a stream of water through a 13" tire ?suspended between two wooden posts. The team that could do it the fastest was the winner. Weeksville took first place in the competition with a time of 7.5 seconds. Second place went to the Edenton unit, which accomplished the task in 8seconds. Hertford shared third place honors with a time of 9 seconds. Marching unit gets nod By mike Mclaughlin The Perquimans County School Board moved to allow the marching unit and the high school band to share performance time during football games at a special meeting Wednesday night. The marching unit, however, may yet opt to dis band. Lois Jennings, president of the marching unit parent's organization, asked the school board if, in the event that the marching unit did decide to disband, the board would consider paying $4,000 for the marching unit bus and its uniforms and equip ment. This would pay for a final trip to Florida for the group to participate in a parade. Members of the board said that they would seriously consider such a proposal, but since the title to the bus is held by the school system, the legalities of the matter would have to be checked out. The decision to allow split performance time came after it became apparent to participants in the meeting that it was the only way to at least partially satisfy both the marching unit and the county high school's new marching band. The unit is a private organization made up of high school students which has been representing Per quimans County for the past 17 years at various parades and civic events.But with the advent of the Per quimans High School Mar ching Band, the unit has been told that it will not be able to march at the high school foootball games after this year. The possibility of a merger between the two units was nixed last week after band director David Ziemba told the school board that he was oppos. . to a merger of the marching unit and the hiogh school band.Ziemba said that he wants every student par ticipating in the band to be able to play a musical in strument. He also noted that mar ching unit members had been given more than one chance to join the band in the past. After the motion to split time was unanimously ap proved by the school board, high school principal William Byrum phoned Ziemba to see if he would accept such a proposal. Following the phone call, Ziemba came to the meeting. Leclair Rogerson, director of the marching unit, was also called and asked to come to the meeting by the marching unit president. Upon arrival, Ziemba argued against the arrange ment. He warned that any private organization would be able to file successful suit for performance time if the marching unit were allowed to perform. In illustrating his point, Ziemba threatened to form the Hickory Cross Marching Unit, made up of various farm animals, and demand that they be allowed to march. Ziemba also argued that a sharedtime arrangement would deny band members their to perform right during halftime at the games. After a heated discussion with marching unit representatives, however, Ziemba agreed to sharing time with the stipulation that one of the school board members announce its decision to the band. By this time, however, marching unit representatives had decided that it might be best for the unit to dissolve because of future problems that might result from friction between the two groups. Members of the marching unit and its parent organization will apparently discuss the matter before deciding whether to split time with the band or to disband. AEMC holds annual meeting By JACK GROVES The Albemarle Electric Membership Corporation held its annual meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday at Per quimans High School. The meeting included elec tion of officers, awarding of door prizes, a report to the membership by general manager Ed Brown and remarks by James M. Hub bard, executive vice president of the N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives and the N.C. General Electric Member ship Corporation. As electric customers members registered before the meeting, each was given a silver dollar. Also available were pamphlets on how to save electricity and a copy of the corporation's an nual report. The board of directors of the corporation is composed of .two directors each from the counties of Camden (District 1), Chowan Local juing closes The filing deadline for municipal elections in Hert ford and Winfall has past, and while several candidates will vie for office in Hertford, Winfall candidates will be running UDODDOSed Incumbent W.D.'WCox will oppose challenger Her bert N. Nixon in the race for mayor of Hertford. Incumbents Mattie"Pete" Broughton and Billy L. Window have filed for re election to their town council Seats. Also filing for election to the Hertford Town Council are A.L. West, Jr., Dennis W. Hare, and Jesse Harris. Incumbent David R. Trueblood was the only candidate to file for the office of mayor of Winfall. There are two seats to be deckled on the Winfall Town Council and only two candidates filed for them. They arc Richard H. Bryant, incumbent, and Jesse P. "Jake" Chesson. Registration closed Monday for the municipal election, whlct^s set for Nov. I. (District 2), Pasquotank (District 3) Perquimans (District 4), and one at ( Continued on page 2) Drowning occurrs An elderly Hertford resident was drowned sometime on Friday afternoon, apparently after slipping into a canal near the Harris Shopping Center. The body of John Riddick, 81, of 110 Edenton Road was recovered from the man-made canal by Hertford Police of ficer Robert Morris at 10:25 p.m. Friday night. Riddick had been missing from his home since 2 p.m. that day, according to neighbor Willie Gillam. The police were notified at at 7:27 p.m. that Riddick was missing. At that time, a search was begun with the Rev. John London accompanying off-duty police officer Robert Harvey. At about 9 p.m., Harvey and and Gillam found Riddick's cane on the canal bank. Officer Harvey provided a boat and grappling hooks were provided by the county sheriff's department. Morris located and retrieved the body after a search of about 30 minutes. London said the miihap probably occurred because Riddick suffered from hardening of the arteries due to advancing age. He said Riddick liked to walk and was encouraged to do to by his doctor. "I assume he slipped on the canal bank," London said. Morris said the canal bank sloped at a 45 degree angle. Other officers of the Hertford Police Department and the Perquimans County Sheriffs Department also participated in the search. ' Riddick's body was taken to the Albemarle Hospital by the Perquimans Rescue Sguad. The office of Dr. J.C. Pickeral, state medical examiner, said that findings were incomplete in the caae. A ruling is expected by the end of this week. Lowe and Stalling* funeral Home of Hertford waa in charge of funeral a^angements. ^
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Oct. 11, 1979, edition 1
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