March 28,
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The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 64, No. 13
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Sheriff
issues
eon man
warning
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Spring is the season for
home repair. Unfortunately, it
is also sometimes the season
for con men.
Perquimans Sheriff David
Lane said he has received
reports from senior citizens of
what may be con men at work
in the county. Lane said
seniors have paid about 10
times the actual value for
loads of gravel and rock.
“It just breaks my heart,
especially when people take
advantage of our senior citi
zens,” Lane said.
Lane said he has been told
that people have been
approached in their homes by
men selling loads of gravel and
rock. Once it’s dumped, they
are told the price is $400 for
what Lane said is probably
only about $40 worth.
While there have been no
reports of other types of
unscrupulous business prac
tices in Perquimans, accard-
ing to Lane, he has heard of
con artists at work in the sur
rounding counties.
“There are many honest,
hardworking people in the
field of home improvement,”
Lane said. “But watch out for
dishonest home repair firms.”
The sheriff said there are
some ways to avoid being
stung by home improvement
and repair frauds;
1 Be suspicious if someone
offers to do an expensive job
for an unusually low price.
Once you sign the contract and
pay the fee, you learn why;
They never deliver the service!
1 Always get several esti
mates for every repair job, and
compare the prices and terms.
Check to see if there is a
charge for estimates before
asking for one.
1 Ask you friends, neigh
bors, and co-workers for rec
ommendations, or ask the firm
for references and check them
out.
1 Check a company’s reputa
tion before you authorize any
work to be done.
1 Be wary of high pressure
sales tactics, such as people
stopping by your home with
warnings abouf your roof
being in danger of falling in.
1 Pay by check, never with
cash. Arrange to make pay
ments in installments, one-
third at the beginning of the
job, one-third when the work
is nearly completed, and one-
third after the job is done.
1 When you find repair peo
ple you trust, stick with them
and tell your friends.
“Sometimes you might not
know you’ve been cheated
until it’s too late,” Lane said.
“If you don’t report fraud,
you’re only helping the croos,
and that’s just what they
want.”
The sheriff said anyone who
knows or suspects they have
been victims of con artists
should call law enforcement
immediately.
“Contact the Sheriff’s
Department or Hertford or
Winfall Police Departments,
and give them as many details
as you can,” Lane said. “They
want to know about this.
“If we all take special pre
cautions, we can avoid being
duped by crooks and also help
the hard-working, honest peo
ple stay in business.”
Jewel of an art show
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Ruth Kemp’s “Jewel Box” quilt is just one of
the many quality pieces on display at the
Perquimans County Library as part of the
Perquimans Arts League’s first Members
Show and Sale. Stop by during regular
library hours through April 15 for a look at
the creations of many local artisans. You
can also vote for “The Peoples Choice.”
Commissioners play Jeopardy
Extension uses
game show to
share information
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Guests at the Perquimans
County Cooperative Extension
Center’s annual commission
ers luncheon held earlier this
month played extension’s ver
sion of the popular game show
“Jeopardy.”
Extension Director Lewis
Smith and agent Jewel
Winslow were hosts for the
question and answer game
that provided a great deal of
information about the work of
extension in the county in an
enjoyable format.
Among extension’s major
projects over the last year
were health seminars, nutri
tion programs, school enrich
ment sprojects, 4-H programs,
water quality programs, after-
school care. Governor’s One
On One, A&T Creative
Programming, Alzheimer’s
education, care for the aging,
farming education and stew
ardship.
Community health semi
nars took three nutrition and
wellness seminars to 85 minor
ity adults in their own commu
nities. Volunteer health care
professionals donated an esti
mated $4,000 in services
through the project. In a relat
ed program, extension spon
sored its fourth annual Senior
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Perquimans County Extension Director Lewis Smith and agent
Jewel Winslow host “Perquimans County Extension Jeopardy”
during the organization’s annual commissioner luncheon earli
er this month. Using the popular game show’s format, exten
sion agents provided information on the numerous services
provided to the community throughout the year.
Day Health Fair, providing the
senior population with current
health and nutrition informa
tion and health screenings.
Health information was also
disseminated through the
Snug Harbor 4-H Teens
Reaching Youth team, who
taught the Wonderful Body
Machine and Skin Cancer
Prevention curriculum.
Nutrition information was
also provided through several
extension programs. Agent
Juanita Bailey developed a
local program for third
graders on nutrition basics.
Volunteer trainers donated
about 70 hours of time to the
project, which teaches basic
nutrition, food selection and
preparation. Student partic-
pants’ knowledge of nutrition ^
almost doubled from pre-pro
ject to post-project testing.
The Expanded Food and
Nutrition Educational
Program continues to provide
nutrition education to econom
ically disadvantaged families.
A youth EFNEP program
helps youngsters learn early
the value of good nutrition.
Cooperative Extension contin
ues to provide traditional farm
services. Today’s extension, how
ever, has expanded its program
ming to meet many needs.
Interest shown
in comity’s
commerce centre
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The Perquimans County
Commerce Centre may be
months away from infrastruc
ture completion, but that
hasn’t kept possible tenants
from expressing an interest in
locating at the site.
Perquimans County
Economic Developer and
Planner Robert Baker Jr. told
the economic development
commission late last month
that there has been interest in
the center, namely from two
boat manufacturing firms.
Previously, Baker had told the
commission that a department
store and home improvement
store had made inquiries into
the center. Baker has also had
contact with two
developer/broker firms inter
ested in the property.
Baker said he has enlisted
financial support from
Electricities, Albemarle
Electric Membership
Corporation and North
Carolina Power which will
allow him to develop and print
promotional material to dis
tribute to businesses inquiring
about the center. All those who
inquire will receive informa
tion. Serious inquiries will
receive a broader package
comparable to those distrib
uted by areas like Raleigh and
Hampton Roads. The three
utilities companies’ contribu
tions amount to about $15,CX)0.
Baker expects to let the con
tract for engineering design
services in August and present
a master plan by mid-
September. A final master
plan is expected by Nov. 15.
According to the site devel
opment flowchart Baker pre
sented commission members,
he expects water and sewer
extension to the commerce
centre to be complete by May
1,1997.
“You have a nice piece of
property out there,”
Northeastern North Carolina
Regional Economic
Development Commission
Executive Director Rick
Watson told the county com
mission members. “I see a
very bright future for you.”
Patching potholes is
DOT’S top priority
RALEIGH - NCDOT’s Chief
Engineer of Operations has
instructed the department’s
division of engineers to make
patching potholes theri top
maintenance priority.
The winter of 1996 brought
North Carolina the most dam
aging weather in recent histo
ry. Nowhere were the effects
more evident than on the
state’s roads. Potholes and
missing or damaged lane
reflectors showed the destruc
tive power snow and ice have
on highways.
“Mother nature dealt us a
severe blow this winter,” said
Don Goins, the North Carolina
Department of
Transportation’s chief engi
neer for operations. “Every
year we prepare for some dam
age, but this year it was far
worse than anticipated.”
The NCDOT budgeted $13
million for snow and ice
removal this year, but costs
are estimated at three times
that amount to repair the dam
age.
More potholes were caused
this year because of the ice.
The pressure applied by the
ice along with the continuous
cycle of freezing and thawing
produced potholes on most
roads throughout the state.
Work will continue
throughout the spring to patch
the dangerous pitfalls that
cause accidents and damage
vehicles. Potholes will be
patched in order of their sever
ity.
In addition to pothole
repairs, replacement of lane
reflectors lost or damaged dur
ing snow removal is a priority.
Reflectors are used on 24,000
miles of state highway. Roads
in the eastern part of the state
lost about a third of the lane
reflectors, while the western
counties lost 80 percent or
more.
Inside
Lady Tigers open season, 3-0 Page 7
Pirate athletes honored Page 7
Central School holds D.A.R.E. .graduation Page 8
Spotlight on Business Page 10
Outside
High: Low:
60s 40s
MOSTLY CLOUDY
High: Low:
60s 50s
MOSTLY CLOUDY
High: Low:
60s 50s
MOSTLY CLOUDY