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THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume V. Mo. 11 USPS 428-080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 19, 1981 20 CENTS
Regional water
study backed
,
Albemarle Commission director Don
Flowers outlined his plus for a region
wide permanent water quality study at a
Monday night meeting of the
Perquimans County Board of Com
| missiooers.
Brandishing a map of the entire
Albemarle Sound basin. Flowers re
emphasised what everyone already
knows ? water quality is a concern in the
entire region.
"We're going to see how much we can
get from CAMA (Coastal Area
Management Act)... We'll go to the state
legislature if we have to," Flowers said.
. He said that CAMA money should be
> available for the project since the 10
counties Flowers hopes to involve
represent SO percent of the entire area
under CAMA's authority.
In fact. Flowers maintained that the
project would be ideal for CAMA
backing. "I cant think of anything more
worthy or more appropriate." he said.
He said the project has the backing of
t governmental officials across the entire
region, and is something that everyone
agrees on, which enhances its chances
for success.
The governor's office should also be
interested in coming to the aid of the
Northeast, Flowers maintained. "For
the last four or five years the mooey just
hasnt flowed in here," he said.
Following Flowers' address, the
f commissioners adopted a resolution
supporting the effort The board also
approved a grant request of its own that
may be worked into the overall plan.
In another matter, T. Erie Haste, Jr.
sought a resolution supporting the
continuation of the Coastal Area
management Act without legislative
changes. Senator Melvin Daniels (D
Eliiabeth City), is attempting to pass
legislation that would remove real
property from the jurisdiction of CAMA,
and would establish a fund to reimburse
property owners who are unable build on
lots due to CAMA regulations.
Haste said that the legislation would
undo much of the progress made by
CAMA in the last seven years.
Commissioner Welly White said the
board would be in a better position to act
if it had the legislation before it and could
hear Daniels' justification. No action was
taken.
The Hertford Town Council called a
special session on the matter Tuesday
morning.
The board also:
?heard a report from Keith Haskett
that 89 percent of the 1980 tax levy had
been collected so far, the same as last
year at this time;
?decided to discuss allegations of
misuse of county vehicles by water
department employees with main
tenance supervisor Russell Chappell,
and;
?approved landscaping on the cour
thouse green to be headed up by Hertford
resident Jean Winslow.
Fire consumes 2,000 acres
N.C. Forest Service employees
worked all night Sunday to contain a
forest fire that burned some 2,000
acres of land off Old Tram Road in
northwest Perquimans County. The
fire started Sunday afternoon and
burned across land belonging to both
Larry Larabee and Harrell En
terp rises, according to Bill Cram, of
the Forestry Service district office.
Some X men fought the blue, using
tractors and pumper trucks, and
brought it under control early Monday
moraiag, Crain said. He said, though,
that the fire is still dangerous because
of high winds and smoldering peat
Lowly ground pea caught in midst of price dispute
ty mike Mclaughlin
Planters Peanuts began contracting
f> quota peanuts for the coming growing
season at $?00 per ton last week, an in
crease of almost 32 percent
The increase was a landmark in that
for the first time since the lMfe, the
government support price for quota
peanuts had not acted as a ceiling on
peanut prices, according to Perquimans
County Extensiopn Chairman Bill Jester.
The figure may not, however, be high
enough to offset rising production costs,
I according to Jester and area peanut
farmers.
Jester has called a meeting of growers
for Thursday night (tonight) to discuss
the matter further.
The dispute started when the USDA
opted not to increase support prices this
year.
That decision led to the formation of
the Virginia-North Carolina Peanut
?Growers Coiltt ion, "which sought to band
together growers from both states to
demand $800 a ton from shellers for
contracted quota peanuts.
The new organization threatened to
plant no quota peanuts if their price
demand wasn't met. Membership was
said to be as high as 90 to 100 per cent in
Virginia and parts of North Carolina.
Farmers here, however, committed
only about 30 per cent of their allotment
to the coalition, according to county
peanut grower Ed Nixon.
Some 60 Perquimans County farmers
attended a Gates County meeting
soliciting membership in the coalition
recently, and some of them signed up.
Thomas Nixon, another county grower,
was among them. Nixon, however,
wasn't terribly disappointed with the
recently announced price increase.
"We took (455 for the year that just
went by and if we get (600 it wouldn't be
too bad," said Nixon. ?
"If a farmer raised a normal crop he
wouldn't make too much money ? but he
wouldn't go broke at it," he said.
Jester said the contracting price ap
pears to be much better than it has been
in the past. "It represents a major
breakthrough from the standpoint of the
growers," said Jester.
"It may not be as much as many
growers need but it's a major im
provement," he said. "I think you'll see
many growers planting peanuts at least
up to quota at $600," Jester said.
But Jester has prepared production
costs figures for the county of just over
$600 a ton, no profit included. Seed will be
up 30 to 60 percent because of the peanut
shortage, he said.
Many seeds will be of lower ger
mination than in previous years as well,
Jester said.
Ed Nixon did not cofomit any of his
peanut acreage to the coaliton, but is in
sympathy with its goals ? higher peanut
prices.
He said that Planters had asked for
production cost estimates from the North
Carolina Peanut Growers Association
and the organization had given them a
figure of more than $600 per ton, not
including profits.
Nixon argued that the $800 figure the
coalition was demanding might be more
than the market would bear.
But he said the $600 currently being
offered is little more than a start. "It's
not what we were looking for," Nixon
said. "For the average peanut grower in
North Carolina Jt will be below
production costs."
. A $700 figure had been established as a
fair price by the peanut growers
association, he said. The coalition has
now adjusted its goal and is calling for a
28 percent production cutback.
"Possibly, if it's a strong enough
movement, the shellers will come out
with an additional price." Nixon said
He felt that farmers should at least
wait a little longer before signing con
tracts. "I hope they don't rush out and
sign right now because several more
companies will be coming out with
contracts," Nixon said. He predicted,
however, that their prices would be close
to Planters.
Nixon and Jester agreed that the
coalition probably had at least some
impact on increased prices from the
shellers.
"It's the first time we've had this many
farmers grouped together like this."
Jester said.
But Nixon said that at W55 per ton.
very few peanuts would have been
planted anyhow, coalition or not.
Despite the increase in prices, though.
Jester did not anticipate a stampede of
contract-signing growers.
*'A lot of these growers are glad to see
the higher prices but not many will rush
out and sign a contract right away," he
said.
To provide information for farmers
wrestling with whether or not to contract
their peanuts. Jester has scheduled a
meeting Thursday night at 7:30 at the
extension office on Edenton Road Street.
An N.C. Peanut Growers Association
member will be there, as well as a
representative of the coalition and
probably a buyer, Jester said
He will distribute production cost
estimates and there will be a question
and answer session.
Perquimans County has 135 peanut
, growers and ranks Uth in the state in
peanut acreage.
Communities may soon
be watching for thieves
According to Tony Young, a field
) representative of the N.C. Department of
Crime Control and Public Safety, the key
to a good community watch program can
be summed up In one word ? neigh
DOnuKSS.
Young addressed a group of about SO
county residents Thursday night at the
Perquimans Oounty Courthouse, offering
> C This week
I A post in the old Amy At Oorps I
I reflects aa Ms gkrydays-soe page J |
Weather word
them tips on making their homes more
secure, and on putting the good neighbor
coacept to use in crime control.
Young toM the group that community
watch has a better chance to succeed in
rural areas of the state because concern
for the property of one's neighbor is such
a vital aspect
Much at his hour and a half lecture,
though, was spent talking about security
Young said that many locks are
designed only for privacy, and perform
virtually no security function. "We
suggest you use a deadbolt lock with a
one inch throw," said Young. Such a lock
It credit card proof, he said.
If there is glass within 40 inches of the
lock. Young recommended a double
cylinder dead bolt, which must be opened
with a key from both the outside and the
When replacing a door, use a solid
wood or afoul rather than the hollow core
doors that are not sturdy enough to be
holes should go all the way through the
inside sash and deeply into the outside
sash.
Then slide a nail in each of the holes.
The potential thief cannot see what is
keeping the window from sliding up, and
must break out the pane to get in. "It
makes 'em take tflne and make noise,"
said Young, "and it slows 'em down."
He warned, however, that the holes
must be drilled large enough so that the
wood doesn't swell around the nail and
close the window for good.
Young said that sliding glass doors are
a classic security gap. Not only are they
easy to take off the tracks, but they
provide a wide exit space for the thief to
carry out his ill gotten gains.
He recommended screwing two
woodscrews in to the upper horizontal
track, making sure that you leave
enough space for the door to slide.
Use a broomstick in the door to keep
the lock from being popped open.
Making the would-be-burglar think
you're at home is another preventive
ploy. Young advocated the use of timers
that turn lights and radios on at specified
timer He also said that a radio tuned to a
stntton that programs a lot of talk shows
can also provides smoke screen.
Keep the radio loud enough so that
voice* ean be heard, but not so loud that
it sounds Uke a radio.
"A lot at people we're dealing with are
young people," said Young, adding that
In 1971, 80 per cent at those person,
?' 5 r
Tony Young
arrested in North Carolina for certain
crimes, including housebreaking, were
24 years-old and under.
"We're not dealing with professionals.
We're dealing with people we ought to be
able to outsmart," Young said. "All of it
depends on the local community, on
people caring about each other," he said.
Many of Young's observations were
obvious, but probably bore repeating.
For instance, he said not to keep keys
under doormats or flowerpots. If ?
person feels he has to have a key outside
he should keep his at his neighbor's bouse
and his neighbor's at his house, Young
said.
He also advocated marking property
and displaying stickers in cooperation
with Operation ID. "That tells young
people that if they steal, we can identify
R, and get a conviction," said Young.
In a final word on break-ins, Young
told members of tht audience to think
about how they get ibto their house*
when they're locked out, and figure out
how to keep other people from getting in
that same way.
(ComtiMKdomptfl)
School lunch
prices may leap
by NOEL TODD
Mclaughlin
Perquimans County school lunch
prices could double next year if the
Reagan administration's proposed 47
percent cut in food service is approved.
In his February address to the nation.
Reagan proposed a some tl.S billion
reduction in child nutrition programs,
including the following cuts which would
have local impact:
?elimination of all reimbursement for
meals served to non-needy (or paying)
pupils;
?elimination of all USDA donated foods
for meals served to paying pupils;
?reduction of reimbursement for reduced
price meals by some SO percent;
?eliminatin of the standard deduction
included in the revised income poverty
guidlines for free and reduced price
meals;
?required verification of income levels
on 10 percent of all applications received
for tree and reduced meals;
?elimination of the food service equip
ment assistance program, which had
been funding up to 75 percent of all school
kitchen appliances;
?elimination of the summer food service
program for children;
?and, of the ipirial milt
^According to Ann G. Smttk, associate
director of tl? North Carettna Division of
Child Nutrition. Reagan's cutbacks
would mandate an increase to hack
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prices by at least 100 percent.
"We perceive that approximately $0
percent of school children will be
required to pay 2 to 2>* times as much for
lunch next year if these cuts are ap
proved ? 55 to fiO cents for reduced price
meals and $1.15 to $140 for paying
students." said Ms. Smith.
Students in Perquimans County
presently pay M cents for a full-priced
lunch in grades K-3; (5 cents in grades 4
t; and TO cents in grades 9-12.
Reduced-price lunches went up from 10
cents at the beginning of the year to 20
cents in January, when the county was
required to overhaul the income scale
qualifying families for aid.
While Reagan maintained that his cuts
would affect all but "the truly needy,"
Perquimans County child nutrition
divtson director La Claire Rogerson said
she was out to prove that the entire
county should be perceived as sudi
"I an going to show that this county
should continue to be designated as
*sevore Med,"' said Mrs. Rogersoo. who
added that between TT and 71 percent of
all county students presently qualify for
free or reduced meals, and that Reagan's
? A ? ? , , n>i . , A., , , ?- W .A
cuis would rwucf wis numoer oy at
While Mrs Rogerson maintained that
there were mm areas that the nutrition
program couid do without, nameiy
federal equipment assistance and the
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