THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 59.No.10
USPS 428-080
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C. Thursday, March 81990
30 CENTS
"SPORTS .
Try asparagus for |
delicious change -
Page 6
FAftM
Lady Pirates take
first state game
Page 12
FEATURE
Heart Fund raises
money for research
Page 10
—
■
Colson cancols votor
rsglstratlon to withdraw
Perquimans County Commissio
neer candidate Melvin J. Colson,
Jr. is not eligible to seek the third
district seat
Colson canceled his voter regis
tration, and is therefore not entitled
to be a candidate for political of
fice. He can, however, register to
vote on or before the April 9 filing
deadline and be an eligible voter.
Colson was informed that he was
not eligible to run for the seat be
cause he is paid from state and fed
eral funds. The Perquimans County
native works as a disabled veterans
outreach specialist in the Elizabeth
City office of the North Carolina
Employment Security Commis
sion.
After the filing period for the
commissioner’s race had expired,
Colson found out he was ineligible
to run for the office. Since a candi
date cannot withdraw from the
. race after the close of the filing pe
riod, Perquimans Board of Elec
tions Supervisor William “Buddy”
—Tilley wrote to the state board of
elections describing Colson’s pre
dicament and asking for a ruling.
. Tilley said that although a candi
date cannot withdraw after the
close of the filing period, a
cancellation of voter registration
voids eligibility to seek office
according to the elections hand
book.
Colson’s ineligibility means no
Democratic race between he and
candidate Mack Nixon; therefore,
Nixon is the automatic candidate
and will not appear on the ballot.
Nixon will face Republican candi
date H.R. “Bobby” Jones in the No
vember general election.
Job Service places
; employees In Jobs
- In January the Edenton Job Serv
ice office placed 59 individuals in
'jobs. During the past seven
) months, the Edenton office has
^placed a total of 564 individuals in
;jobs. Area employers have listed
865 openings with the Edenton of
fice and Employment Security
Commission staff has filled 736 of
these openings.
Statewide totals show that 9,533
North Carolinians found jobs
through the 77 Job Service centers
, and six branch offices operated by
the Employment Security Commis
sion of N. C. Employers statewide
fisted 19,123 job openings with the
Agency during January and the
ESC staff filled 11,695 of those open
ings- ■
Voter registration deadline
lioarlng for primary
. April 9 is the deadline to register
to vote in the May 8 primary,
according to Perquimans Board of
'Ejections supervisor William
“Buddy” tilley. Any person who
meets the residency requirements
and who wishes to register should
visit the elections office between
■8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Mondays,
■Wednesdays or Fridays. The office
Is located at the extension building
on Edenton Road Street.
Thinking of placing a
Classified Ad; but not
sure how to do it? Just
call our friendly Ad
Visor, Elenora she will
be glad to help you.
;■ V
426-5728
Perquimans
Weekly
119 W. Grubb St.
,8 o.m.-5p.m., Mon.-Fri.
I
William Harris murder trial begins Monday in Hertford
By SUSAN HARRIS
The murder trial of William Jay
Harris began Monday in Hertford.
|
Harris, 22, of Alexandria, Va.,
was arrested on April 30 for the
shooting death of Willard Michael
“Mike” Perry of Elizabeth City
that occurred the same day.
Jury selection began Monday
morning. The prosecution opened
its case in the afternoon. Court offi
cials anticipated that the trial may
be over by Tuesday afternoon or
Wednesday morning. „
Judge Frank Brown is hearing
the case. The doors to the court
room are being secured when court
is in session. No one is allowed to
enter after sessions begin.
The shooting occured in the park
ing lot at Hardee’s Restaurant in
Hertford. According to police re
cords, an argument between Perry,
Harris and others broke out in the
parking lot of the fastfood restau
rant around 2a.m. on April 30.
Former Hertford Police Sergeant
Timothy Spence told the Perqui
mans Weekly after the shooting
that Harris was with Annie B.
Bouey, Teresa McNeill, James
Bouey and Jerome Bouey, all of
Elizabeth City, at the Rainbow
Lounge in Hertford prior to the inci
dent, according to their
statements.
On the same night, Perry and his
wife, Debbie, R.P. and Dianne
White of Belvidere, Stuart White of
Belvidere and Joanne Smith of Suf
folk, Va. had been to the Chowan
Moose Lodge. \
Both parties were in the parking
lot at Hardees Restaurant at
around 2 a.m. Spence said that
words were allegedly exchanged
between the two groups. Racial
slurs were hurled by both sides,
Spence was told, and someone is
sued an invitation to fight.
Perry approached the Harris ve
hicle, according to the report. Har
ris then produced a handgun and
fired two shots in the air; witnesses
said. Perry allegedly did not stop
proceeding towards Harris, ana
Harris, said, witnesses, fired a third
shot, striking Perry in the chest.
Perry died after his 2:15 arrival
at Chowan Hospital.
Although the Rainbow Lounge
group left the scene, police investi
gators picked up all involved ex
cept Harris soon after the incident.
Harris was found that evening at
6:50 and was arrested and charged
with first degree murder.
Annie Bouey, Teresa McNeill,
James Bouey and Jerome Bouey
were all arrested and chafed with
being accessories to the crime after
the fact for allegedly giving fictious
information to police officers con
ducting the investigation. They are
witnesses in the case, but will prob
ably be tried at a later date.
Photo by ChuckSchroeder
Coach Harrell Thach and senior Anita White, Sonja Wilkins and Tonya Privott accept the Albemarle
Conference Tournament trophy from Willie Gilchrist, president of the conference. The Lady Pirates
defeated Manteo to take the conference crown.
Lady Pirates scalp ’Skins in final;
bring home championship trophy
By SUSAN HARRIS __ '
It must be true, the old saying, “The third time is a
charm.”
If no one else believes it, the Lady Pirates sure do
after their 52-34 scalping of the Manteo Redskins
Friday night to take the Albemarle Conference
Tournament championship title.
They tried to win it in 1988. They were defeated in
the final game. Again in 1989 they tried to win. Again
they were defeated in the final game. In 1990, their
luck changed. They won their final game.
As in the semi-final game against Currituck, se
nior point guard Sonja Wilkins directed the game.
Her 32 points, seven rebounds and four steals led the
Perquimans offense.
“Sonja’s on, the team is on,” said a beaming
coach Harrell Thach after the game.
Seniors Tonya Privott, Anita White and Wilkins
especially savored the win. Knowing the agony of
defeat the past two years made the thrill of victory
even sweeter.
The whole team breathed a sign of relief after the
game. With disappointing season losses to Currituck
and Manteo, they began to question their ability.
Coming out on top in the tournament gave them
back their confidence, especially since they de
feated both Currituck and Manteo to take the trophy.
Perquimans tied the score 7-7 with 3:54 to go in the
first quarter when Wilkins yanked down a defensive
rebound and drove to the other end of the court to
sink a lay-up. Privott nailed a three-pointer on the
Pirates’ next possession to take a 10-7 lead. They
never trailed after that.
Up by only three after one period, Thach knew he
wasn’t home free. The squad led by five at halftime -
too close for any early celebration.
The Pirates held the Redskins to a trio of third
quarter points, and ended the period at 33-24. Tracy
Elliott put the first two fourth quarter points on the
Pirate scoreboard, triggering a 19-point last-period
effort by Perquimans. Manteo scored 10.
Elliott .scored 10 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Privott
scored four. Darlene Walton shot for four. Tammy
Leeadded two.
Wilkins led the pack by far in points, but was
helped by the aggressive play and all-out hustle of
her teammates, who opened up the path to the bas
ket.
Thach was disappointed that Manteo star Vero
nica McMurran was allowed to score 15 points and
that Manteo’s zone held off some Perquimans shots.
But die team effort and intensity of the Pirates over
came the technical problems.
Substitutions were few in the contest, as Manteo
played too solid to take any chances. “I couldn’t af
ford to take my first string out,” Thach said after
the game.
The win set up the Pirates’ first game of the state
championships Monday night in Hertford against
Roanoke.
Parents, officials discuss
funding for rural schools
By SUSAN HARRIS
Over 60 parents, school personnel
and interested citizens turned out
last Wednesday night to learn how
they could arm themselves for the
fight for equal educational opportu
nities for all North Carolina chil
dren.
Dr. Mary Jo Martin, schools su
perintendent, told those gathered
about the inequities in programs,
supplies and buildings in public
schools across the state.
"Those of us who have the most
need are furthest away from Ra
leigh and have less representation
in the legislature,” Martin said.
Martin said that the three legis
lators from this district, Marc Bas
night, R.M. “Pete” Thompson and
Vernon James, are aware of the
problems of small school systems
and are supportive of measures to
equalize education.
But, she cautioned, it will take
more than the three to make
changes on the state level.
“I m asking all of you tonight to
become politicians,” Dr. Martin
said. She said it will take a barage
of letters from parents and commu
nity leaders to legislators through
out the state to make lawmakers sit
up and take notice.
“I think it would help if you con
tacted your aunts, uncles and cous
ins and asked them to write their
legislators,” she said. “I believe in
what people can do when they work
together.”
Dr. Martin and Camden Superin
tendent Rick Denning are both on
committees working to remove ed
ucational disparity. Because they
feel that a united stand will be ben
eficial, they have organized a joint
effort between the two school sys
tems.
Groups from both systems have
met individually and have had one
joint meeting. Another is scheduled
for tonight at 7 p.m. at Camden
Middle School.
Perquimans cannot generate the
monies internally, Martin said, to
fund the needed renovation and
construction projects that are
needed now. If the school enroll
ment increases by the state’s pro
jected 17 percent over the next five
years, the strain on local dollars
will be even greater.
The Small Schools Consortium,
composed of educators from the
state’s smallest, poorest school sys
tems, is working to help alleviate
inequity. Both Martin and Denning
are consortium members.
Members of the consortium be
lieve that some proration of state
funds is necessary to pro vied all
children with equal public educatio
nal opportunities. In some in
stances, poorer counties hardly
provide the basics, and in all poorer
systems, there are many programs
not available that are offered to
those students from more affluent
systems.
Studies have shown that funding
has a direct effect on student per
formance. Thus, the student from a
poorer school system is hard
pressed to compete after high
school with the student from a sys
tem with access to more local dol
lars.
“To listen to you talk tonight, it
sounds like we’re about to lose a
whole generation,” said Tildon
Whitehurst, Jr. The father of four
students in the county school sys
tem. Whitehurst is seeking a seat
on the school board in the May elec
tion.
“I think we are at a crossroads.
We’re at a point where we need to
take a long, hard look at what we’re
going to do about education,” Mar
tin said. She believes that the
planned letter-writing campaign is
the best offensive move available
now.
“They’re sure going to listen to
the people who vote for them,” she
said of the legislators.
Prior to Wednesday’s session,
Martin called together the schools’
three PTA presidents to introduce
the Small Schools Consortium and
discuss local funding problems.
“If we do not get money from the
outside, our children are the los
ers,” Martin told Arthur Mitchell,
Nancy Harrell and Susan Harris.
“Everything we talk about doing is
contingent on funding. ’ ’
Perquimans superintendent
presents lofty wish list
By JOE SOUTHERN
Daly Mvanc* Start Wittw
Perquimans County school su
perintendent Mary Jo Martin re
ported to her board Monday night
that a recent meeting of the Small
Schools Consortium, of which Per
quimans is a member, with State
Superintendent Bobby Etheridge
had gone well, though the group is
still in a fight for better funding of
small, rural schools.
At the meeting, each of the mem
ber superintendents were asked to
bring a wish list of items they
needed to run an effective pro
gram. The bulk of Martin’s wish
list called for more personnel -
about 18 more.
“They laughed at mine because it
was too expensive,” Martin said to
the Perquimans board. “That was
okay. They had asked me what I
needed to run an effective pro
gram, and I told them."
Her proposal called for 18 addi-,
, tional employees ranging from tea
chers, to administrators, assistants
and specialists. That, with additio
nal funds for instructional materi
als, came to $490,251.
“We’re getting attention that we
weren’t getting a year ago,’’ Mar
tin said. She added that support of
the parents through a letter writing
campaign was very important,
“We need the parents to stay on top
of it.”
What Martin is looking for is the
addition of nine more teachers K
12, two more exceptional children
instructors, seven more adminis
trators, $50,000 in additional funds
for instructional technology, and a
bold harmless clause for the voca
tional education program. The
clause would allow the school sys
tem to keep personnel at times
when there are temporary reduc
tions of numbers.
Martin told the board that in
about three years the school sys
tem’s population should reach a
point where a part-time position for
an assistant superintendent would
open up. She is asking that the
school system be granted permis
sion to round up half positions to
fell positions, i
Photo by Susan Harris
New business opens
The Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce sponsored a ribbon cutting for Marta Colson’s ne
beauty shop in downtown Hertford. On hand were County Commissioner chairman Lester Simpson
Janie Proctor from Peoples Bank; Carolyn Chappell, stylist; Marta Colson, cwner; Nancy Newborn
Chamber vice president; John Christensen, Chamber board member; and Hertford Mayor Bill Cox.