THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY 1 Volume *9. No. 29 USPS 42>-Q80 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, July 14, 1983 20 CENTS Hertford Council approves insurance change By SUSAN HARRIS The Hertford Town Council voted Monday night not new its employee health insurance coverage with Travelers Insurance Company, which had proposed a 60 percent rate hike for this fiscal year. The town will purchase the coverage through the self-insurance plan offered through the League of I Municipalities. The town already carries workmen's compensation with the League. Although the cost will be 37 percent higher than the premium paid last year, it represents substantial savings over like coverage offered by private companies, according to Mayor Cox, who contacted numerous insurance companies seeking in surance. The town will pay $55.55 per em ployee each month (or the em ployees' personal coverage. Em ployees can purchase dependent coverage for an additional $96.65 per month. Hertford resident Mary Dance asked the Council for suggestions for financial assistance. Dance told councilmen she had been without income since 1974. "I have been struggling very hard to try to live," Dance said, adding that she has been in contact with Hertford Mayor Bill Cox on several occasions seeking extensions on utility bills because there has been no money with which to pay them. According to Dance, she has sought help from Social Security, EIC, Catholic Social Services, the Department of Social Services, the Salvation Army and other agencies, which Dance said did what they could. She has been trying to get Social Security Disability for six years, and is at present waiting for a review. The council could give her no alternatives. Cox said he had given Dance names of all the sources of assistance of which he was aware. ABC Director Cecil Winslow reported that sales for the month of June totaled $33,912.65, down $590.15 from June 1982. Winslow said that the ABC checking account is now an interest-earning account, which yielded some $564 during the last quarter. As of August 1, the town will receive five cents more on each bottle of alcohol sold as a result of new state legislation, Winslow said. Chief Marshall Merritt presented council with a June police report. Arrests for the month totaled 21, with 24 violations and investigations reported. Eight citations were issued, along with two warning tickets. Overtime hours remaining on the books are down to 702.5 from a high of 888.8, which got nods of approval from councilmen. "That's going in the right direc tion," Councilman Jesse Harris said, adding, "It's just a good report." Albemarle Cable TV president Vince Ridikas requested that the council allow a $1 per month in crease, from $6.95 to $7.95, in the base rate of cable TV service. Although the council has control over the price of the base rate only, Ridikas outlined all proposed increased. The two-star rate will rise $2.10 to $11.95; three-star service will rise to $20.95 from $18.85; and four-star customers will pay $27.95, up from $24.85, if Albemarle Cable is allowed its new rates. "We're here to seek your blessing for all the rate increases we have in mind," Ridikas said. He attributed the need for rate increases to poor subscription rates, the rising cost of programming, and other business cost increases. Council tabled action on the request until its next meeting. The council approved four ap pointments for the 1983-84 fiscal year: Marvin Hunter, city clerk; Bill Cox, city manager; Lloyd (Pete) Riddick, fire chief; and Marshall Merritt, police chief. In other business, the council: ?granted an easement to the power agency to install * metering system in the town substation. ?accepted the resignation of town attorney, William Bentley. Faircloth will speak July 20 Lauch Faircloth, former North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, will be the speaker at a meeting of Perquimans County's civic and I business leaders and elected officials " July 20, 1983 at 6:30 p.m. at Angler's Cove. Faircloth was appointed as Secretary of Commerce by Governor Jim Hunt in 1977. He resigned in June of this year. While Faircloth was Secretary, industry announced over $11.5 billion of new and expanded investment in North Carolina and over 180,000 jobs. In addition, during that period, P travel expenditures in North Carolina have nearly tripled over $3 billion annually and exports have doubled to over |4 billion. North Carolina state ports, also administered by the Commerce Department, have become among the fastest growing ports on the East Coa"S^.Wfth revenues growing from 17.2 million to $15 millilon. Faircloth is a native of Sampson County. He served on the state Highway Commission during the ad ministration of Terry Sanford and was appointed Chairman of the High way Commission by Bob Scott. Local ? Babe Ruth team wins The Perquimans 13-year-old Babe Ruth All Star team will compete in the state championship following a tour game sweep in the District 7 finals. Perquimans defeated Edenton 12-2 in the final game. 1 In the six years of participation in Babe Ruth baseball, this is the first Perquimans team to win a district championship. The state tournament will be held in Wilmington beginning Thursday. In the first game last , Friday, Perquimans eased past Currituck, 7 5. Brad Hurdle was the winning pitcher, giving up five runs on four hits. a At the plate, Andy White and ^ Rodney Lyons each had two hits. The next day against Bi-County (Tyrrell and Hyde) the local boys had a field day, romping 21-4. Eddie Lassiter was the winning pitcher, allowing only one hit and walking eight. Brad Hurdle and Andy White collected two hits apiece. Sunday against Elisabeth City, the ? all-stars Jumped out to a 9-0 lead, only to hold on for an exciting 9-7 victory. Brad Hurdle, who had a no hitter through five innings, took the " win, allowing five hits while walking ?even. Leading hitters for Perquimans wr? Andy White, Rodney Lyons and Mark Hurdle. The championship game Monday, played at the Boys' Club in Elisabeth A City, pitted Perquimans against pre *? 111 favorite, Edenton, which upset early in the pairings by Elisabeth City. The local team scored in each of the last four innings to pot Edenton away, 12-2. Eddie Lassiter was the winning pitcher, giving up tour Uts, walking six. Leading hitters These children are among 700 children in Perquimans and Pasquotank counties who enjoy a free lunch daily during the summer feeding program. All children under age 19 in the county are eligible to receive the lun ches. Twelve sites in Perquimans, including the one above at Missing Mill Park, are used for serving the lunches in the county. (Photo by Val Short) Perquimans Chamber sets Indian Summer F estival By VAL SHORT The datea are let and plans are now underway for the second annual Indian Summer Festival, according to Mary Harrell, coordinator. Indian i Summer Festival Sponsored by the Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce, the Feathral is scheduled September 15, 11 and 17. Beginning with Heritage Day, the three day event will also include Old Fashioned Merchants' Day and Fun Day. Heritage Day will be held Thur sday, September U at the Newbold White House and will focus primarily on Indian cultures and history of the area. North Carolina Indians will be invited to participate and a Brun swick Stew lunch will be served. Old Fashioned Merchants' Day, Friday, September 17, will feature sidewalk sales, antique exhibits, colonial costumes, and a quilt show by the Perquimans County Quitters Club. Entertainment and a fish fry will be held Friday evening. Fun Day will be held Saturday, September 17. Entertainment will be scheduled throughout the day. Arts and crafts, displays, a pig pickin' and a street dance will be highlights of the day. Confirmed entertainers for the Festival inclyde the Flatland Cloggers, the Navy Band and the EdentM Optimist Club's train. Arts, crafts, food and commercial display booths will be set up down town during Fob Day. Thoee in terested in participating should contact the chairmen: Crafts ? Judy and John Christensen, 428-5464; Art ? Rebecca Spivey, 297-2402; Food ? Clyde Merritt, 420-5860; and Display - Hal Fleming, 426-5213. Contact person for entertainment is Shirley Perry ? 297-2680. Other Indian Summer Festival committee chairmen include: Pat Harrell, assistant coordinator; Gene Boyce, treasurer; Jean kumphlett and Kim Humphlett, publicity; Becky and Allen Winslow, merchant activities; Leonard Love, sound; Emmett Landing, construction; and Bobbl Veon, 5-K run. Other chairmen are: Chris Christensen, T-shirts; Mary Ruth Smith, street dance; Larry Chappell, coke wagons; Paul Smith Sr., pig pickin'; Pete Riddick, fish fry; Barbara Nixon, balloon* and novelties; Boy Scout Troop 155, clean up; and Ila Grey and Billy White, Heritage Day. Grand jury indicts local attorney on drug charges By VAL SHORT A Hertford attorney was indicted Monday by a Perquimans County grand jury on charges of conspiracy to felonious possession of marijuana and accessory before the fact to feloniously possess marijuana. James David Singletary, 33, of Kenyon Drive, Hertford, was arrested and charged Monday at the courthouse by State Bureau of In vestigation special agent Walter L. House. According to Assistant District Attorney Frank R. Parrish, Singletary was taken before the magistrate and was released on a written promise to appear in court on the scheduled date, October 10. Singletary, a Columbus County native, who practices law in Hert ford, is scheduled for arraignment July 18 in Chowan Superior Court on charges of conspiring to burn a building and burning a building. In a plea bargain agreement David Cletis Aaron pleaded guilty to the felony of aiding and abetting in the sale and delivery of cocaine during his arraignment in Superior Court Monday. Aaron had been charged with conspiracy to trafficking in cocaine and trafficking in cocaine. With Superior Court Judge Herbert O. Phillips III presiding, Aaron's sentencing is scheduled Tuesday. Also arraigned was Billy Nixon who had been charged with violating a town ordinance. He was ordered to pay court costs and received a prayer for judgment on the condition that he safely confine his dogs on his premisis or on a leash off the I premisis. Bernice White pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and received a six months suspended sentence. The case of Luckie Douglas Cart wright was continued until the next session of Perquimans Superior Court October 10. Also on the calendar for Perquimans Superior Court this week includes: ?Larry Wayne Sanders, charged with conspiracy to burn a building and burning a building. ?Clayton Llewellyn Godwin, charged with obtaining property by false pretense. ?James Robert Boyce, charged with driving under the influence. ?Clifford Pritchard Towe Jr., charged with driving under the in fluence. ?Michael Gordon Billos Jr., charged with driving under the in fluence. ?Victor Parker, alias Tony Parker, charged with simple assault and two counts of assault on a fem ale. ?Henry Wilson Ormond, charged with driving under the influence. ?Charlie Welch, charged with assault inflicting serious injury. ?Charlie Welch, charged with assault inflicting serious injury. ?Nellie Mallory, charged with simple assault. ?Annette Whedbee, charged with simple assault. ?Odell Parker, charged with communicating threats. ?George Willie Parker Sr., charged with trespassing. New policeman on duty A Winfall native has joined the Hertford Police Department, announced Chief of Police Marshall Merritt today. Timothy Ken Spence, 22, a 1978 graduate of Perquimans County High School has joined the department, replacing Dean Cartwright, who resigned recently to accept a position with the Edenton Police Department. Spence will remain on probation during his first year of employment and he will also be required to attend a police academy, explained Merritt. Spence, who now lives in Hertford, was formerly an em ployee of the Perquimans County Recreation Departmeut and also Auto World in Elizabeth City. Merritt said, "I'm very happy and pleased to have Spence join the police department. He is a very personable and a very nice young man and I think he will make a good police officer." Spence is among five policemen at the Hertford department. Directing traffic will be among Timothy S pence's duties as a policeman with the Hertford Police Depart meat. Spence, a native of Winfall, began work last week