Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / April 22, 1982, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Volume 38, No. 1* USPS 426-010 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, APR. 22, 1982 20 CENTS Spring forward Fine spring weather over the last week brought out the rabbit in Joyce Belton (left) as she jumps rope with her kids at Perquimans Union school. Below , youngsters in Belton's Head Start class line up to see who will be next Town looks at park ordinances The Hertford Town Council ac cepted a set of regulations governing Missing Mill Park in Hertford at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday of last Week. With this action, the regulations will be presented at a public hearing for comment at a later date, after which they will be adopted as town or dinances. The regulations, drawn up by Perquimans County Parks and Recreation Department Director Mac Sligh, will govern the new park ? now [under construction and not yet open to the public ? along with all other Recreation Department facilities. The regulations must be made into orfiinances because they carry misdemeanor penalties. Presenting the regulations to the council, Sligh said, "This policy is best suited for Hertford and for everyone's benefit." Councilmen, who don't have much experience operating parks, indicated that they were open for suggestions and changes in the regulations. "We'll have to play it by ear," said Coun cilman Jesse Harris, echoing the feelings of the other members. Along with the usual regulations against abuse of property or patrons of the facility, and against com mitting criminal acts already illegal, the code also makes it illegal to: ?Drive motor vehicles, bikes, skates or skateboards on the facilities except where marked. ?Camp overnight at the park without a permit from the depart ment. ?To carry or fire guns, fireworks or explosives on the facilities. ?To carry or consume alcoholic beverages on the park. ?To start fires except in the grills. ?To sell goods or solicit on the premises except for department sponsored concessions and non-profit organization with department per mits. ?To dock boats on or within 30 feet of the park. This was one of the only regulations the council questioned, and it may either be changed or docking facilities constructed. Bathrooms at the park will be kept locked to prevent vandalism, and a $10 returnable deposit will be required to obtain the key. The picnic shelter and the restrooms can be reserved, but other tables and grills at the park are available on a first-come-first serve basis. ^Social Services submits budget ? By SUSAN HARRIS Social Services Director Paul Gregory submitted the 19S2-83 proposed social service* budget of $25?,M4 to the county commissioners at their Monday night meeting. Gregory told commissioners that frlals budget ha4 been trimmed to the bone and contained "no frills." Three programs which have been sliced by the Reagan budget axe, AFDC, medicaid and special assistance, will require more county dollars to operate. collectively ran over - by |16 W?. forcing programs in last year's budget proposal. Medicaid, which showed the largest cost overrun of 111, Ml, accounts for $75,244 in the new budget request, an amount second only to administrative costs. AFDC (aid for dependent children) needs $58,088 to operate and special assistance, which pays resthome costs for the elderly, is budgeted at $25,748. | - figures represent county as the total monies Mate and federal the three programs Is costs arc down $881 to $110,602 due to a change in office personnel. The only new item on the budget is $1,968 for equipment leasing. Food stamp machines presently being tested by food stamp specialists will be leased in the future. Gregory said that the county's food stamp error rate that was so wMely publicised had made office personnel "a little nervous" about figuring food stamp cases. These machines provide a system of internal audit. Social services also provides funds for foster care, AFDC-fOster care, family planning, day care, protective services, CHORE and aid to the blind Other expenses include equipment, general office needs and board Store to move to town Two chains indicate they are ready By SUSAN HARRIS Rumor hit the streets of Hertford this week that a new grocery store was coming to replace the recently closed Big Star. Then the rumor grew into a story about two grocery stores coming to Hertford. Bob Wiche, president of Be-Lo food stores in Norfolk confirmed today that barring any unforeseen com plications, his chain should be moving into the building formerly occupied by the Big Star within a month. "We've reached an agreement with Grand Union in principal," he said. "It's in focus and I think it'll come about," he added. Wiche said that the legal documents must be signed to close the deal, from which time Be-Lo could open within two to three weeks. Also interested in the Hertford market is C.R. Byrd, president of Byrd's Food Stores, Inc. from Burlington. According to Jessie Harris, owner of Harris shopping center, Mr. Byrd spoke with him about obtaining a lease to the old store with provisions to add approximately 400-500 square feet during Byrd's visit to the town on Tuesday afternoon. When Harris revealed that the lease would be transferred in the sale of Big Star, Byrd reportedly said, "If that store has been taken. I'm ready to put up another one." Byrd will make a final decision by the end of the week. Hertford Mayor Bill Cox said, "I'm real pleased that we're going to have a grocery store and the possibility of two." Bad water continues to be a subject for the county board By SUSAN HARRIS "We have bad water every week," Keith Haskett told the county com missioners at their meeting Monday night. Haskett reported that he still received three or four calls every week complaining about the water quality. Haskett also told the commissioners that a fire hydrant left running to flush out pipes in Woodville had flooded a farmer's ditches and field. Aside from damaging the man's field, Haskett said, the county had suffered "a costly loss." Hertford firefighters responded to a call in Bethel on Tuesday and filled their tanker with water from county lines. Upon returning to town, they had to drain the tank due to the rusty water, a fire department spokesman said. . Commissioner Charles Ward su?g?st6jd that an independent engineer be contracted to evaluate the present system and review plans for Phase II of the water project. After some discussion, the board voted to retain an engineer with whom county attorney John Matthews had previously been in contact. The service should cost around $500, but may go as high as $1,000. Ron Sessx>ms of Rivers & Associates, the engineering firm that designed the water plant, said in a telephone interview that he had not been contacted about the present water problem. "It's a surprise to me," he said. Sessoms added that he could not find a solution to a problem about which he was unaware. Of the poor water quality as a whole, Sessoms said, "We have found out where the problem is coming from." He went on to say that the problem is the iron bacteria in the system that he reported to the county commissioners last month. Sessoms said that since that meeting, all three wells have been tested and have been found to contain the iron bacteria. The water depart ment crew was instructed by Sessoms to super-chlorinate the wells to kill the bacteria. "The iron bacteria is being killed," he said, adding that the problem now is the dead bacteria that is escaping from the system. "The filters will not catch the bacteria," he said. Sessoms stressed that the bacteria is not harmful and is common in water systems. The problem should soon be cleared up providing that the new processes he suggested for chlorination and cleaning have been implemented. Rescue squad captain Ralph Barr and squad member John Beers ap proached the board concerning a county-supported pension plan for squad members at a tost to the county of $5 per squad member per month. Through the state rescue squad association, a retirement policy can be bought to include the men who "have served on the squad since its inception at a cost of approximately $24,000. Board members agreed that volunteers deserve some com pensation for their time and dedication to the squad, although no decision was reached on the number of years of service required before retirement. County finance officer Durwood Reed was asked by the com missioners to discuss the policy with John Beers and rescue squad association personnel in the state office, then to report his findings to the board. Reed also reminded the com missioners that he has begun work on the 1982-83 county budget, and asked that they decide on a tax collection estimate to give him a base from which to work. The collection rate this year was over 97 percent, although fear was expressed that with a weakening economy, collection could decrease next year. The board also heard reports from Eldon Winslow on the water pollution problem in the area, and from Bill Jester, county extension chairman. Local man arrested on f elonies A Hertford man was arrested in New Jersey after he allegedly committed an armed robbery and kidnapping using a gun police believe he stole from a Hertford hardware store. According to Hertford Police Chief Marshall Merritt, New Jersey State Police arrested Lennon White, 25, of 316 Stokes Dr. Thursday and charged him with carrying a concealed weapon, driving under the influence, and posession of a stolen motor vehicle. After police in New Jersey ran a check, they found that White description, along with that of his car and the possessions in it, identified him as a suspect in the theft of a ,32-caliber revolver from Pitt Hardware in Hertford Tuesday of last week. In addition, the Wake County Sheriff's Department has charged White with the armed robbery and kid napping of a clerk at a 7-11 con venience store in Raleigh the next day. According to police White was spotted on the New Jersey Tuhi pike by New Jersey police drinking beer while driving. When arrested and searched, police found the pistol. A check on the car revealed that it had been stolen in South Jacksonville, Fla. White is now being held in Hudson County Jail, Jersey City, N.J. without bail pending ex tradiction to Wake County. Police here believe White originally obtained the gun from Pitt Hardware. According to Merritt, White allegedly walked into the store and asked to see the gun, claiming he was interested in buying it. After the clerk gave him the gun, he asked to see a round of ammunition for it. Once he had the ammunition, he tried to load the gun, but the clerk, Sid Eley, told him he could not. Then, White allegedly took the gun over to the door to get a better look at it,' and once near the door, ran out with the gun to a nearby car. Witnesses' descriptions of the robber and the car match those of White and the 1973 Datsun which he was driving when arrested. The Sheriff's Department in Wake County charges that White then went to Raleigh, and with the gun held up a convenience store and forced the clerk outside at gunpoint. In another case, the Hertford Police Department arrested a man early Saturday morning, charging him with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to inflict serious bodily injury. According to Merritt, Aaron Carlton "Junebug" Wilson, 27, of 319 Stokes Dr. was arrested following an argument and fight with Randy White of Hertford at Slim 's Place in town. Police believe Wilson stabbed White at about 5:20 a.m. Saturday during a fight over a dice game. White was treated at Chowan Hospital for wounds in his left shoulder, leg and side of the face and later released. Wilson is being held in Albemarle District Jail on $1,500 bond. Crash kills Tyner man on U.S. 17 A Tyner man was killed early Sunday morning after a head-on collision with another car on U.S. 17, State Highway Patrol officials report. Wallace Elliott Jr., 28, of Route 1 Tyner was pronounced dead on arrival, and Cnrtis McKinley Thomas, S3, of Elizabeth City is in good condition with several broken bones and various internal injuries after being pinned in the wreckage for fO minutes. No one has yet been charged in the accident. According to the report filed by State Patrolman Charles Mims, the accident occurred at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday about S.t miles north of Hertford on a section of U.S. IT just recently resurfaced. The road was wet, and there were not yet any center lines on the road. The state patrol believes Thomas, driving north in a 1971 Pontiac, ap parently Crossed over to the south bound side of the road and struck Elliott, driving south in a 1969 Chevrolet. Mims reported that both drivers were traveling at about the 55 mile per hour speed limit and there were no tire marks on the road to indicate that either driver had tried to stop. The Perquimans County Rescue Squad, along with the Inter-county Fire Department and the Elizabeth City Fire Department reported to the ?cene.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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April 22, 1982, edition 1
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