THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
111 ? ? .
Volume 39, No. * USPS 428-080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, February 10, 1983 , 20 CENTS
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Perquimans man charged with extortion
| A Perquimans County man was
arrested Thursday night and charged
with three counts of extortion after
he threatened to kill his estranged
wife, her attorney and a District
Court Judge.
Michael Allen Walker, 28, of
Durants Neck, was apprehended by
the Perquimans County Sheriff's
Department, the State Bureau of
Investigation, and the Highway
Patrol, according to Perquimans
County Sheriff Julian Broughton.
Walker had told his attorney,
Walter Edwards Jr., about the
threats. Edwards said that he,
following the code of professional
responsibility and his client's in
struction, reported Walker's threats
to the wife's attorney.
Walker had threatened to ac
complish these killings through the
use of explosives, if a civil court
hearing between he and his wife did
.not result in his favor, said
Broughton.
Walker had been scheduled to
appear in Pasquotank District Court
at a comtempt hearing for failure to
pay child support and alimony, but
the case was continued.
According to Brou&hton, when
Walker was arrested, a large pipe
bomb was discovered inside his
truck, and as several concealed,
deadly weapons were found in his
possession.
Three additional pipe bombs,
numerous electrical detonator
devices, equipment for manufac
turing gun powder and a sawed-off
shotgun were seized following a
search of Walker's residence by the
sheriff's department and the SBI.
All four pipe bombs, made up of
pipes filled with gun powder and
detonators, were completely
assembled and ready for use said
Sheriff Broughton. The bombs were
disarmed by an SBI bomb squad.
Walker is ci,rr?ntly incarcerated in
the Albemarle District Jail under
$900,000 bond. According to
Broughton the investigation is
continuing and additional charges
are pending.
Phase II well sites
show ample water
By VAL SHORT
) A Phase II county water project
test well in Winfall is pumping 400
gallons per minute, according to
reports made by Ron Sessoms of
Rivers and Associates to the
Perquimans County Commissioners
Monday morning.
; Another test well at the Winfall
location Is pumping 165 gallons per
minute and according to Sessoms, an
I average of 150 gallons per minute is
, needed for an adequate water supply.
?? Sessoms told board members that
the well drillers would be ready to
begin as soon as he received tests
results made on the water samples.
He reported that no pipe had been
laid because of the wet weather.
Sessoms and board members told
Joe Robinson of New Hope that
residents should be on county water
before next winter. "We can't really
| give a date," said Sessoms, "It's
been too wet to lay pipe, but as soon
as it clears, we will start laying
? No action was taken on the
proposed hunting ban with dogs and
{flicks in the Bethel and Harvey
Point areas. The Board tabled the
fttocoHion until tl*v?xt jrafltOu
meeting.
I The board approved a budget
amendment for the Perquimans
County Department of Social Ser
vices. Director Paul Gregory
requested (1,973 to be used for a
seven month social work and food
stamp position.
Gregory explained that this was
not actually an increase because the
department was under budget in
several areas. He said he anticipates
being able to turn funds back into the
? county at the end of the fiscal year.
Gregory reported that ap
proximately $85,000 in federal funds
had come into the county to assist
with energy needs. He said the
county had received an additional
$2,000 in foster care funds and that
the county case loads are down from
past years.
The director told the board that
^Perquimans County had 552 food
stamp cases as of January 1982 and
MS were reported by January 1983.
Gregory, said good verification and
stricter requirements were two
reasons for this.
Gregory reported that the county
agency had recently been audited
and had received a good report with
only minor changes requested.
County Extension Chairman Bill
.Jester presented an update on Ex
tension activities in the county.
Jester announced plans for a peanut
production meeting, the
Perquimans-Chowan vegetable
meeting, a swine supper, field crops
meeting, cotton production meeting
and an executive farm seminar.
Jester told the board that quarterly
training sessions were being held for
county 4-H leaders and he announced
the Northeastern District 4-H Horse
Show will be hosted by Perquimans
County next summer.
Extension homemaker activities
reported by Jester included
programs in the use and care of food
processors and coping with
disabilities.
Commissioner Charles Ward was
appointed to fill the seat of ex-officio
member of the Perquimans County
Chamber of Commerce board.
Chamber president Mary Harrell
appeared before the board
requesting an appointment to the
Chamber and asked the Com
missioners' cooperation in Chamber
activities.
"It's going to take all of us working
together," Harrell commented.
Perquimans CouSyrResVue1>qua<f*
members Annice Peckham and
Milton Dail requested the counc set
up a retirement account for men,
bers who also serve on fire depart
ments and are covered under a
fireman's pension plan. Peckham
explained that members cannot
collect twice under the state system.
No action was taken on the request,
but the Board approved another
request to give credit in the
retirement system to any former
rescue squad members who had
rejoined before June 1982.
Board members voted to give
Skills, Inc. $500. Jimmy Weeks,
Skills, Inc. president had requested
$1,050 from the county to help extend
the budget of the sheltered workshop
program.
Commissioner Welly White
reported to the board that the county
Dispatch Board had voted to add the
new Winfall Police Department to
the dispatch system for a $4,500 fee.
White said the board had agreed to
provide dispatch service at no charge
until July 1, 1983.
The County Commissioners re
appointed Bob Spivey to the board of
the Albemarle District Jail for a two
year term.
^v- Bejcauim M>s the if<y^ w?ieM ft dteate. Frozen to' the witefiT ? probably not travel far until
County as this pnotograpnof Perquimans River may in- edge, these boats will Spring.
Hertford Grammar School gets nod
of approval from school board members
By VAL SHORT
Continuing their tour of the
Perquimans County Schools,
members of the County Board of
Education were pleased with what
they saw at Hertford Grammar
School Monday afternoon.
Board chairman Clifford Winslow
said he was pleased not to see signs of
leaks at the school. "Overall, I'm
impressed with Hertford Grammar
School. I think it looks really good,"
Winslow commented.
Annoucing the finalizing of the
window replacement .project at
Perquimans Union, Superintendent
t Pat Harrell told the Board of other
capital outlay projects that would be
necessary including renovation of the
high school auditorium and the
library at Central.
Also on the list were repairs of the
ceiling, walls and floors at the high
school as well as purchases of fur
niture and chalk boards and a
mower.
The Board agreed that the
auditorium renovation and purchase
of a mower were priorities.
In his legislative report Harrell
told board members that people were
"very optimistic" about Senator Ken
Royal's bill to increase sales tax by
one cent. Harrell said the increase
will provide funds for school con
struction which could mean ap
proximately $160,000 for Perquimans
County.
Harrell told the board that school
bus driver training representatives
now had the authority to approach a
bus at its next stop, hold the bus and
contact a school official when he
observed a problem. Harrell said the
county bus drivers had been alerted.
"The state is concerned with safety
as we all are," said Harrell, who also
totd the board that the county bus
drivers had no chargeable accidents
last year and the first five months of
this year. He said a bus driver was
charged in a recent accident in
volving a parked car.
Harrell gave a report on the law
conference he recently attended at
the Institute of Government in
Chapel Hill with attorney John
Matthews. Custody cases, search and
seizure laws, health law issues and
use of school facilities by outside
groups were among the topics
discussed said Harrell.
The chairman presented a report
of the National School Boards
Association Federal Networks
meeting he attended in Washington.
He said federal funding, tuition tax
credits, a department of education
and the national education and
economic development bill were
important issues at the meeting.
While in Washington Winslow was
able to talk with Congressman
Walter B. Jones about educational
issues, he told the board.
In other business at the Board of
Education meeting:
?Harrell announced the arrival of a
school bus with a lift.
?Harrell announced champagne
colored panels had been selected for
the window replacement project at
Perquimans Union.
?the board discussed participation
in the PIK program, sponsored by
the ASCS.
?the board approved the
resignation of Valerie K. Price,
tutorial aide at Hertford Grammar
School and the employment of Jean
Chappell as interim tutorial aide.
?the board granted six weeks sick
leave to Claudi^ Hurtle, aide at
Central.
Local man dies in shooting
A 36 year old Hertford man died
Monday after being shot in the head
while standing outside a Currituck
County nightclub Saturday morning.
According to Currituck County
Sheriff Norman Newbern, Clarence
Hinton McPherson, of Route 3, ap
parently accidentally shot himself
just below his ear while standing
outside the Watering Hole, a night
club located on the U.S. 158 near
Barco.
? Although the case is still under
investigation by the Currituck
County Sheriff's Department,
Newbern said," Unless new evidence
comes?p, it was accidental."
According to Newbern, his
department received a report around
12:47 A.M. Saturday from the
nightclub. McPherson was taken to
Albemarle Hospital by the Currituck
Rescue Squad and later transported
to Norfolk General Hospital where he
died Monday morning.
A native of Camden County, he was
the son of Mrs. Ruth Right Mc
Pherson of Camden and the late
William Douglas McPherson and the
husband of Mrs. Linda Perry Mc
Pherson.
He was employed by the E.S. White
and Son Deep Well Drilling Co. of
Camden.
Besides his wife and mother, he is
survived by a daughter, Melissa
Colleen McPherson, and two sons,
Jonathan Perry McPherson and
Andrew Ryan McPherson, all of the
home; two brothers, William
Douglas McPherson, Jr. of Elizabeth
City and Ronald Glenn McPherson of
Camden.
Swindell Funeral Home is in
charge of arrangements but funeral
arrangements were incomplete at
press time.
The family requests no flowers.
Contributions may be made to either
the Perquimans County or
Pasquotank County rescue squads.
Mrs. Sarah Meads' sixth
grade class at Hertford
Grammar School recently
received > certificate from
U.S. Department of
Agriculture for their par
ticipation in a cherry
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"
dogwood seed exchange
between the United States
?nd Japan. The class
collected 8,000 seeds for the
project. Among those par
ticipating were: left to right,
.
Nicky Morgan, Robert Boyce,
Duane McDilda, Jay Cor
prew. Mrs. Meads, Amy
Lavczzo, Darby Ward,
Teresa Powers and Lisa
Matthews. : 3:
Chamber to appoint new director
The Perquimans County Chamber
of Commerce is still searching for a
new director and vice president,
according to Chamber president
Mary Harrell. But no decision was
reached at Monday night's board of
directors meeting.
The appointment will be juade by
the board, according to fill
the post vacated by Allan Aabell, who
resigned' his positions with the
Chamber and the Bank of North
Carolina to accept a position in
Kinstoa.
Belvidere director Shirley Perry
reported on the public hearing held in
Elisabeth City recently on the
proposed telephone rate Increase!.
Perry served as spokesperson for the
Perquimans Chamber. She told the
Chamber board that she presented
issues that would effect the people of
Perquimans.
Harrell presented a report to the
board on the meeting she attended
(Continued on /Age 1)