August 29, The Perquimans Weekly 350 Vol. 64, No. 35 The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people Hertford, North Carolina 27944 Chamber welcomes two new businesses County natives come home to open two new businesses By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor They’re back home again. Brad Hurdle, Dabney Woodard and Melanie Morris, all of whom grew up in Perquimans County, have recently opened two new businesses in Perquimans County. Hurdle and Woodard each earned bachelors degrees in pharmacology from the University of North Carolina. The two, along with Woodard’s parents, Charles and Harriette Woodard, have opened Family Care Pharmacy on Church Street Extended. Morris also earned her undergraduate degree in journalism from UNC before going on to earn a law degree from Campbell University. She has opened a law practice on the corner of Punch Alley and Grubb Street. The Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce spon sored ribbon cuttings at both enterprises last week, wel coming the trio back home and into the business, commu nity. '->(1 Perquimans County government, business and community ieaders welcomed two new businesses to the county last week when the Chamber of Commerce sponsored rib bon cuttings at both Family Care Pharmacy Morris offers high quality work with compassion Fed up with city life, local attorney moves back to hometown Hertford’s newest attorney chose to leave the city and come back home to a place where people know each other and care about each other to open her law prac tice. After 10 years of living and working in Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, Morris wanted to practice law in what she terms “a happier environ ment.” She chose her home town. The Chamber of Commerce officially welcomed Morris to Perquimans County’s busi ness community last Wednesday with a ribbon cut- tingat her Punch Alley office. Morris graduated from Chowan Academy before earning a bachelors degree in journalism from UNC. After taking a year off from classes and studying, Morris pursued her desire to become an attor ney by enrolling in Campbell Law School. She earned her juris doctorate in 1986. Her first position in the legal field was as a clerk for the Hon. David B. Sentelle, who sat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She then served as a litigator with two large D.C. law firms before accepting a position as in- house counsel with Ernst and Young. In that role, she han dled appellate litigation across the country. Exciting and challenging as she found her work, she found she was not happy living in a large metropolitan area. She moved to Raleigh, where she worked for a legal publisher while deciding what direction her law prac tice would take. But she found that Raleigh in the 1990s was too much like the city she left for her taste. So, she opted to come home to her family and neighbors and hang out her shingle. That’s where you’ll find Morris’ now, in her office Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Because she realizes it’s sometimes difficult for work ing clients to meet with her during office hours, you can also find her there in the evening meeting with clients by appointment. Morris has chosen to han dle mainly real estate trans actions, domestic matters and wills and estate planning. She said she will occasionally deal with traffic cases and personal injury suits, but prefers not to handle crimi nal defense. Back in her hometown, Morris said she would like to make a name for herself as an attorney who produces high quality work in a timely and compassionate manner. Morris is the daughter of Donald and JoAnne Morris. PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS (above) and Melanie Morris, Attorney at Law (beiow). Both businesses are owned by county natives who chose to come home to live and work after receiving coliege degrees at the University of North Caroiina. Hi (lift mmn m 4* 1 ... Pharmacists team up to offer complete care Brad Hurdle and Dabney Woodard have shared a counter many times over the years. Both pharmacists got their first taste of dispensing medicines behind the counter at Woodard’s Pharmacy in Hertford under the watchful eye of owner Charles Woodard. This summer, the two young pharmacists teamed up with Woodard’s father, Charles, and opened Family Care Pharmacy on Church Street Extended. Hurdle and Charles Woodard co-own the business. Customers will find much more than prescription med icines at Family Care Pharmacy. The store offers blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, durable medical equipment, special ty items for patients with diseases such as diabetes, and carrying cases for med ical needs like insulin and needles. In addition, the pharma cists will take time to make sure patrons understand how to take their medica tions, and how changes in lifestyle can promote overall wellness and help control such medical conditions as high blood pressure. Hurdle and Woodard would like to develop a good working relationship with doctors, and that doctors will refer patients to Family Care because of the pharmacists’ commitment to patients’ well-being and the consulta tion services offered through Family Care. The two want to reinforce the advice given by doctors to help patients get well and stay well. Hurdle graduated from Perquimans High School before pursuing his pharma cy degree, which he earned in 1992. He has four years experience in the field. He is the son of Harlan and Brenda Hurdle of Belvidere. Woodard earned her high school diploma from Albemarle School, formerly Albemarle Academy, before enrolling in UNC’s pharmacy program. She graduated in May. Outside NCHP prepares for holiday High: Low: High: Low: High: Low: 80s 60s 80s 60s 80s 60s PARTLY CLOUDY PARTLY CLOUDY PARTLY CLOUDY Early deadline All Perquimans Weekly deadlines for the September 5 issue will be Friday at 5 p.m. We will be closed on Monday, Sept 2 for Labor Day. The upcoming Labor Day weekend will be the last vaca tion of summer for many peo ple, and the Highway Patrol wants it to be a safe holiday. Heavy traffic is expected, and the Patrol wUl be out in force to assist motorists and pursue violators. “Speeders and drunk dri vers are our biggest concern, because they cause the most accidents,” said Colonel E.W. Horton, commander of the Highway Patrol. “Most of bur citizens do a good job of obey ing the traffic laws, but we won’t hesitate to enforce the. law against those who are vio lating it.” Recent changes in some interstate speed limits mean motorists should pay special attention to how fast they’re going. It’s easy to lose track of your speed when you’re travel ing long distances. The Patrol suggests using cruise control or taking frequent breaks. “Of course, you should always buckle your seat belts and use child restraint seats,” said Col. Horton. “And per haps the most important rule of aU: don’t drink and drive.” As on all major holidays, the Highway Patrol wUl partic ipate in Operation C.A.R.E. The nationwide combined accident reduction effort by state police and highway patrol agencies uses high visi bility and enforcement to reduce accidents on our nation’s highways. The Patrol also continues to enforce the Governor’s Highway Safety Initiatives “Booze It & Lose It” and “Click It or Ticket.” Motorists with cellular phones may contact the Patrol for help or to report accidents, drunk drivers,, speeders, etc. by calling *HP (*47) toll free on their cellular phones. The Labor Day holiday weekend period begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, and ends at midnight on Monday, Sept. 2. Last year, 10 people were killed and 1,258 were injured in North Carolina dur ing the same period. County wetlands restored By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The N.C. Board of Transportation will pay a Tarboro firm $352,115 to restore 600 acres of wetlands in Gates and Perquimans counties. Barnhill Construction was awarded the contract which will restore wetland on Folly Road east of Sandy Cross. The land was once part of the Dismal Swamp. It was drained and cultivated by a private owner. NCDOT bought the land and will restore it to its natural condition. Work is scheduled to begin this month. The project is part of the state’s agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to recreate wetlands in kind when roadways are built through environmentally sen sitive areas, according (o Neil Lassiter, DOT Division Construction Engineer in the Elizabeth City office. During construction, safe guard will be taken to protect small streams and wetlands from contamination by soil or construction materials. Grass will be planted to cover bare ground caused by construc tion. Work on the project should be complete in December. Rain didn’t wash away success of picnic By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor Rain didn’t drench the efforts of the Perquimans County Historical Commission to soak up funds for historic preservation in the county. Although the drizzly Sunday afternoon weather kept many away from the Commission’s first annual fundraiser last month, the group realized a profit of over $4,000. The proceeds wUl be used to apply for a matching grant to hire an historic archives con sultant. The consultant will work to place several Perquimans County communi ties on the National Register of Historic Places. Working as a committee of the Chamber of Commerce, the Commission’s objectives are multi-faceted. Goals for the project include building pride in the county, preserving the county’s most endangered and valuable homes for heritage, improving the quality of life, providing potential benefits to homeowners, and promoting tourism. The commission is not seek ing to restrict property rights of landowners through the ini tiative. Despite the rain, those who attended the picnic hosted by Lucille Winslow at her Front Street home overlooking the river enjoyed fun, food and entertainment. Partygoers enjoyed a gouret meal, danc ing to the jazz and blues tunes of The Walter Plemmer Band, and an evening riverboat cruise.