North Carolina Newspapers

Ur i. i; I i , Sports: School: Perspectives: Lady Pirates track Central School Gail Winds bids team on winning computer award winners good-bye after course: Pages named: Page lo 10 years: Page 4 THE PEB ' ‘ L 1 J I- , L6/16/S^ 2C t GUI,VM CCLMY LIBRARY . ^ new :. C/5t£i^YST ;■N S WEEKLY Hertford to be sued By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor A businessman who said he was assaulted by a Hertford Po lice Department officer In August filed a civil suit against both the officer and the town. Joseph I. Meads Sr., 63, said last week that he filed a lawsuit in December. Papers were served on the town and the officer, Andre Alfred, before Christmas, Meads’ attorney. Branch W. Vin cent III of Elizabeth City con firmed last week. Vincent confirmed that Meads had filed the suit, charg ing that Alfred used excessive force and assaulted Meads. The suit Edso clEilms that Meads’ civil rights were violated. Vincent de clined to name the monetary compensation Meads is seeking. He did say that Meads is “suing for damages in an amoimt in ex cess of $10,000.” The lawsuit stems fi'om inju ries Meads said he suffered as a result of an altercation with Al fred on Aug. 24, 1993 at Meads’ business, Joe’s Place in Hertford. Meads maintains that he was having a conversation with Hert ford Police officer Ray Jedele out side Joe’s Place when Alfred approached the two. Meads said Alfred made a remark that Meads considered an attempt to engage the two in a verbal argu ment. Meads said he held up his hands, took two steps backward and told Alfred, “Lnok, 1 just can’t talk to you.” Meads maintains that Alfred began pimchlng Meads in the forehead vdth his finger and threatened to assault him. When Meads reached up and pushed Alfred’s finger out of his face. Meads said Alfred pushed him with both hands, knocking him 6-8 feet backward and slam ming him onto the pavement on his back. Meads said Alfred got into his patrol car and left the scene before Meads could get up off the pavement. Later that day. Meads said he contacted Hertford officials and asked that the incident be inves tigated and some type of action be taken by noon the next day. Meads said when he got no re sponse from town or police offi cials, he met with magistrate Broughton T. Dali Sr. to swear out a WEurant for simple assault against Alfred. Dali Issued the warrant, but the charges were dropped by District Attorney H.P. Williams Jr., Meads said. Williams said Tuesday mom- Ing that the charges were dropped pending eui investigation by his office per the policy he has set regarding complaints received against officers for actions taJcen during the discharge of their du ties. After an investigation by the DA’s office, Williams said Meads was notified and told that Meads could swear out a second war rant against Alfred and that Wll- “ Hams’ office would prosecute if Meads chose to pursue the as sault charge in court. Meads said last week he did not obtain a second warrant. Alfred left the poUce depart ment last fall. Hertford Mayor John G. Beers said he could comment neither on the case or why Alfred left the department. Injuries to Meads’ hand and hip caused him to seek medical treatment the day after the inci dent. No bones appeared to be broken, but Meads said he was put on medication for the Infu- ries. Meads continued to experi ence problems with his back. He said he imderwent back simgery on Feb. 10 in Pitt Memorial Hos- K ltal to repair two ruptured discs e attributes to the incident with Alfred. He remains under a doc tor’s care. Vincent said no trial date has been set, but that the town of Hertford has requested that the case be moved to federal court in Elizabeth City because of the civil rights claims in the suit. Vincent expects the case to be heard in February or March. Anything Goes! \; fa The Perquimans High Schooi Drama Department will present ans will be joined by a few newcomers in this annual musi- its spring production, Anything Goes! on Tuesday, April 19 cal. The play is being directed by Lynwood Winslow, at 7-30 p.m. In the schooi auditorium. Scholastic stage veter- Admission to the play is $3. (Photo by Susan Harris) J.C. Cole to sit on state committee RALEIGH - Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basni^t has appointed J.C. Cole of Hertford to the Legislative Research Com mittee on Adult Guardianship. The committee will review Issues such as House BUI 451 which fo cuses on the ways and means of Improving guardianship services including: Increased quaHty of services, the avoidance of con flicts of interest, the role of State agencies, the coordination of services statewide, and the ad equacy of staffing and funding. “J.C.’s legal ejqjertise as well as his former Involvement with the Guardian and ad Litem Pro gram will be a strong addition to the Adult Guardianship Commit tee. I know J.C. wUl prove to be a valuable asset to the progress of the committee,” said Senator Marc Basnlght. Cole currently has a private law practice and handles both criminal and civil matters. A graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, he continued his education with a Masters Degree from Long Island University in New York and later attended North Carolina Central Univer sity law school. Cole is a member of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers and serves as secretary-treasurer of the First Judicial District Bar. He is an active member of the community In various service organizations including the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee of the Governor’s Crime Commission and on the Board of Directors of the Albe marle Mental Health Center. Cole is currently a candidate for Dis trict Court Judge of the 1st Judi cial District. “It’s a pleasure to be ap pointed to this very Important committee,” Cole said. “I hope that my expertise In this field will add to the productive output of the committee. This is a critical issue to our senior citizens and this committee will work towards adult guardianship.” Record crack bust in Hertford Agents confiscate cocaine worth $250,000 on street By MOLLIE WILDS SCHMIDT The Dally Advance Wynn Fork Court, Hertford, con- tainted cocaine. Returning from New York last Tuesday, Grade Jenkins was greeted by several drug en forcement agents ready to search her car. Following tips from an ong oing investigation, officers from the Northeast Regional Drug Task Force had a him.ch the car driven by Jenkins, 32, of 111 “We had information (the drugs were) coming in from New York,” said Lt. Joe Tade. “We didn’t know who would be driv ing, but we were looking for a pmtlcular car.” Their hunch was correct Two and a half poimds of crack co caine wrapped in newspaper was In the car’s trunk. Agents found it crammed into the spare tire when thty stopped Jenkins on Sandy Cross Road in the Belvl- dere community around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. “That’s a record for North eastern North Carolina,” said Tade. Tade said the drugs have a street value of about $250,000. “By anyone’s standards, that would be a lot of crack,” he said. Jenkins told authorities she did not know how the drugs got in her trunk, Randy Cartwri^it said. She did admit she was com ing from New York. Tade said ho tel receipts collaborated that story. Agent Douglas Hooper found $1,700 In Jenkins’ car, but no other drugs were found. Jenkins was charged with trafficking in drugs by posses sion. She was detuned at Albe marle District Jail In Ueu of a $205,000 bond. The only comt records Jen kins has In Perquimans County are traffic violations. Police would not comment on whether other arrests might be forthcom ing. Task force members said the Investigation Is continuing. Hertford men arrested Chowan narcotics operation nets nine trade, said Greg Hassell, com mander of the Albemarle Nar cotics Task Force. TWo Hertford men were among nine people arrested for d^ing drugs in Edenton last 'Tuesday during a narcot ics sweep called “Operation ANT’. “We’re getting the drug pushers off the street whether they be high, middle or street level,” Hassell SEdd. The targets of the raid were mostly street-level deal ers. PoUce officers and sheriffs deputies spent the day gather ing suspects and serving war rants. 'Those arrested were the subject of an eight-month in vestigation Into Edenton and Chowan County’s narcotics Charged were Sherman Gray Nixon, 27, of Rt.. 1, Box 91, Hertford and Marcus Fore hand, no age or address avail able. Nixon was charged with one covmt each of sale and de- Uveiy of marijuana and pos- session of marijuana. Forehand was charged with two counts each of sale and delivery of crack cocEilne and possession of crack cocaine. Social services expands County rents additional space for department tor Chiystal Towe said four social workers and one clerical employee will be moved. 'Ihe Department of Social Services got some relief from Its overcrowding problem Monday afternoon when the Perquimans Covmty Commis sioners approved leasing office space at Apple 'Tree Mall In Wlnfall. Overcrowding has been a problem at DSS for several years. In addition to the 23 people who occupy the pre sent building, filing cabinets sit in eveiy available area. 'The commissioners were con cerned a few months back that the weight of the filing cabinets might cause structu ral damage to the building. Social services wlU three rooms into the new of fices, and will eventually house seven employees there. Initially, social services dlrec- The cost of the new space will run about $2,243 for the county for the last three months of fiscal 1993-94. 'The state will cover 60 percent of the cost. County Manager Paul Gregory said the county may have to hit Its fund bal ance to cover the cost. County may owe deputies $13,500 in overtime pay By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The Perquimans County Commissioners may have to dig into county coffers to pay out over $13,500 in overtime pay that may be due local deputies. 'The commissioners hired lo cal accountant Rhonda Gregory to review time deputies’ time sheets from June 1, 1993 to the present to determine what over time pay was due deputies un der federal law. Gregory consulted the federal register and recomputed all time sheets to make her determination. She told commissioners Monday that the deputies must be compen sated for the time. The change in the pay re quirements for the deputies kicked in in Jime when the county approved hiring a fifth deputy. Under federal law, deputies may log up to 480 hours of com pensatory time before overtime must be paid. Deputies must be kept informed of the number of compensatory hours they have amassed. Coimty Manager Paul Gre gory said that in order for the pay system to work properly, he needs further documentation from Sheriff Joe Lothian. Paul Gregory said he needs a docu ment signed by the sheriff that states that the deputies are re quired to work on 28-day, 171- nour cycles per the state person nel department. 'Ihe sheriff must also sign a statement that the deputies must log 480 hours in compensatory time before being paid overtime. Individual statements must also be pro vided to each deputy stating that they have 480 hours over com pensatory time on the books. The county manager also asked the commissioners to de termine if holiday pay would equal eight or 12 hours of pay because the deputies genermly work 12-hour shifts. Paul Gre gory said that Information is es- sentlEd before the actual amount of overtime can be computed. Deputies are due double time pay for holidays that they are on duty. Assistant finance officer Sha ron Ward said the $13,500 esti mate does not Include FICA and retirement. Rhonda Gregory gave recom mendations on desi^ng a new time sheet for deputies to make their hours easier to compute. Commissioner Leo Higgins said he is concerned about tiie Eimount of money the commis sioners may be forced to take • from the fund balance. “I’m concerned about pro tecting the pubUc purse,” he said. Higgins asked county attor ney John Matthews and Rhonda Gregory If the commissioners can ask for specific dates, times and duties being performed by deputies that caused overtime hours to be worked. He also asked if commissioners could find out if other deputies were also on duty, £md If they were, why those deputies coiftd not perform the duties that caused the overtime. Both the attorney and the accountant said tiie commissioners could request that Information. Higgins went on to ask If each deputy could be required to keep a daily work log. Commis sioner Shirley Yates said tiiere is a need for accountability, but the computations should be the responsibility of the department supervisor, not the deputies, Yates said so much Information should be not required on the time sheet that me sheet be comes hard to understand.