November 30,1995 08/17/1996 12 °”^ coUSTY LI = RS"'' ..p ... a.cad. 1’^ ’ «tv r 77f4*+ pERTF'^SD '^C 20 The Perquimans Weekly 350 Vol. 63, No. 46 The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people Hertford, North Carolina 27944 Five plead guilty to drug charges ^ j 1 OF Fall *■ -i-t f/r !II 1 .■ - *{i5 lililil lii -3k. PHOTO COURTESY JOHN MATTHEWS This year’s late fall has presented a colorful holiday golden yellow tree at the home of Mrs. Walter Edwards Sr. approach. Reds, yellows and golds dot the landscape. This on Dobbs Street is one of the most beautiful around. Holiday celebrations begin in downtown Hertford Saturday By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor City sidewalks Busy sidewalks Dressed in holiday style In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas. The words to the well- known carol will describe Hertford Saturday when a fes tival atmosphere will usher in the holiday sei^son. Volunteers will kick the day off around 10 a.m. when they assist residents on North Church Street to string tiny white lights on trees and shrubs from the S-bridge to the downtown block. All those living on North Church Street are urged to support this effort by making certain you have lights and extension cords. For information, contact Bert Hayes at 426-7800. The Stand Up Band will begin playing downtown at noon. The Christmas parade will step off from Perquimans High School at 2 p.m., arriving downtown at approximately 2:30. After the parade, the Rockin’ Willie Band will take center stage. The Stand Up Band and Rockin’ Willie Band were engaged by the Hertford Downtown Merchants Association. Parade route changes; traffic patterns altered By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor Traffic patterns will be altered in Hertford Saturday to accommodate the parade and downtown events. The parade will follow a different route this year. Entries will leave the high school and go down Edenton Road Street to Grubb Street; follow Grubb Street to Church Street; turn right onto Dobbs Street; follow Dobbs back to Edenton Road Street and end up at the high school. Santa will get off his sleigh downtown, so those who wish their children to see Santa and his reindeer should park on the north side of town. Santa will not be on the sleigh on Dobbs Street. Those wishing to drop off parade participants at the high school should enter Jimmy Hunter Drive from Edenton Road Street, then turn right onto Ainsley Drive to leave. Jimmy Hunter Drive and Ainsley Drive will be one-way streets on parade day for the safety of participants. The gates to Cedar Wood Cemetery will be locked at 10 a.m. The Hertford Police will be patrolling the area. All cars should be removed from the down town block of Church Street by 1 p.m. The downtown block of Church Street will be closed to tfic immediately follow ing the parade. Changes in traffic pat terns and street closings have been approved by the Hertford Police Department. The Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the Christmas parade, will take orders for the Perquimans County afghans at a downtown booth. Raffle tick ets will also be sold for $1. The fmst prize is $100 in cash. The second prize will be an assort ment of gift certificates from downtown merchants. Third prize is an afghan. The draw ing will be held around 4 p.m. The Cancer Society will hold its annual made-from- scratch bake sale. The Perquimans County Athletic Boosters will sell nachos, popcorn and novelties. Grand marshal for the parade will be Don Slater, weather forecaster from WAVY-TV channel 10. The parade will feature five bands, floats, baton twirlers, a drill team, cheerleaders, horse and more. Bands include the award-winning Marching Pirates of Perquimans High School, the Perquimans Middle School Eighth Grade Band, Northeastern High School, Creswell High School and Elizabeth City State University. Santa Claus will leave his sleigh at the courthouse to hear the wish lists of local boys and girls. Parade entries are still being accepted. For informa tion or an entry form, call Diane Stallings at 426-5723 or Susan Harris at 426-5728 (busi ness numbers). County in need of office space; options to be considered By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The Perquimans County Commissioners will meet soon to discuss building needs and projections, county manager Paul Gregory said this week. Gregory will present some options to the board to help alleviate overcrowding and consolidate related services. Gregory said the most feasi ble plan he will submit to the board will be to add on to the extension building. In addition to providing space, that would allow federal farm agencies to move into the extension build ing with other agriculture- related services. The county is already nego tiating with Carolina Telephone to rent a portion of its Grubb Street building .to house the dispatch depart ment. Space in Winfall has been rented for more than two years to house social services’ over- ■ Ford brothers expected to pull stiff sentences By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The fancy cars and gold jew- elery are being replaced by prison blues for a handful of county men who pleaded guilty to drug charges in feder al court in Raleigh Monday. Barry Lorenza Ford, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine base (crack) and agreed to for feiture of any of his property which was derived from or used to facilitate drug traffick ing crimes, according to feder al prosecutor Jane JoUy. Willie Louis Ford, 36, plead ed guilty to the same charge and will also forfeit property derived from or used to facili tate drug trafficking crimes. Jolly said neither man was sentenced Monday, but that Barry Ford faces a mandatory term of 20 years to life. Because of his prior convic tions on drug charges, Willie Ford faces a mandatory life sentence. Later in the day, both James Robert Miller, 27, and Fronzy Levell Miller, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack) and agreed to forfeiture. Both men face mandatory 10 years to life sentences and fines of up to $8 million. Ponce Lemont Lee, 30, pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base (crack) and agreed to forfeiture. He faces a mandatory 5 years to life sen tence and fmes of up to $2 mil lion. Neither the Millers or Lee were sentenced, but prosecu tor Christine Dean said sen tencing should occur within 60 days. On October 30, Rodney Lightfoot, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and agreed to forfei ture. Nicole Montressa Lightfoot, 24, pleaded guilty to distribution of crack cocaine to a pregnant individual. Neither has been sentenced. Jolly said she expects to travel to Elizabeth City Thursday for the arraign ments of James Louis Riddick, 52, and Delaware Khan Hunter. Riddick and Hunter are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine. The cases stemmed from a long-term, joint investigation by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. A feder al grand jury sitting in Raleigh handed down sealed indict ments on the individuals in August. All were subsequently arrested. Officials: We’re not finished By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor They’ve won a battle, not the war. That’s the response of the local sheriff to the guilty pleas of the Ford brothers and others sus pected of playing a role in the Fords’ alleged drug trafficking ring in Perquimans County. And they’re still armed for battle. “It goes to show that the system does work,” Lane said about the pleas entered in federal court. “It sends out a message that if you deal with drugs, it can come back to haunt you. ‘"This is just the begin ning,’’ he continued. “We’re going to keep on working as hard as we can.” Lane is not just talk ing about his depart ment. He said both the sheriffs depEirtment and Hertford Police Department will contin ue joint efforts to elimi nate drug dealers.. “It just shows what can happen when all agencies work together in a cooperative effort - local, state and federal (agencies),” Hertford Police Chief Bennie Murphy said. Murphy said those indicted in the Ford case presented a large prob lem in the county. Although neitiier Lane nor Murphy was in office at the time the investiga tions began, both applauded the efforts of those who spearheaded the investigation, and both supported the oper ation when they signed on with their respective agencies. Quandra Demone Downing, 19, was also indicted, but is still at large. He is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine. According to evidence gath ered since 1991 and presented at the first appearances of the group in federal court in Elizabeth City in August, Barry Ford was the apparent leader of a suspected drug organization primarily selling and distributing crack cocaine in Perquimans County. The other nine were thought to hold various positions within the organization. Outside flow. The county had considered purchasing the King Street annex of the high school from the school board for renova tion into office space. But Gregory said refurbishing only a portion of the building would cost about $850,000. He will not recommend it. High: Low: High: Low: High: Low: 50s 40s 50s 30s 50s 30s COOL FAIR FAIR

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