September 19,
The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 64, No. 38
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Floods kill fish in area rivers
By GINGER LIVINGSTON
The Daily Advance
A rainy summer and two
hurricanes have flooded local
waterways with stagnant
swamp waters causing scat
tered fish kills in area rivers.
Kills have been reported in
the upper areas of the Chowan,
Cashie and Pasquotank rivers,
the Scuppernong and
Perquimans rivers, and areas
of the Currituck Sound.
State scientists predict the
kills will continue until dry,
cool weather moves into the
area.
“There’s no way to predict
the severity right now, we’re
just trying to map it right
now,’’ said A1 Hodge, an envi
ronmental engineer with the
Division of Water Quality
office in Washington. “In all
likelihood it’s going to be
worse before it improves.’’
The kills are caused by stag
nant swamp water draining
into local rivers and creeks,
dropping oxygen levels. Local
USDA food
will be
distributed
Wednesday
Perquimans County will
receive USDA donated com
modities for distribution on
Sept. 25. The Hertford Lions
Club wiU begin distribution at
9 a.m. at the ice plant on
Grubb Street.
All households who will not
be able to pick up their com
modities may use a represen
tative for this purpose. The
commodities card or applica
tion must be signed in the cor-
rjgct places for this to be
acceptable. No household will
be allowed to pick up food for
more than themselves and one
other household as representa
tive. There will be no excep
tions.
There will be two lines at
the distribution site. The sec
ond line will be for the physi
cally handicapped an,d/or dis
abled who are present at the
distribution to pick up their
food. A doctor’s note stating
the disability or proof of hand
icapped license plates for their
vehicle must be provided.
Those persons using the hand
icapped line may pick up food
for their own household only.
Again, there will be no excep
tions.
Cars may not be driven into
the distribution area. Please
remember to park only in
authorized parking areas as
the Hertford Police
Department will be patrolling
the area.
Applications may be
obtained from the Department
of Social Services, Health
Department, Economic
Improvement Council and
Senior Citizens Center.
The Commodities
Distribution Program is based
on income. It is available to all
eligible persons without
regard to race, color, national
origin, age, sex, religion, hand
icap or political beliefs.
Information about regulations
against discrimination and
how to file a complaint may be
secured from the N.C. Division
of Social Services, 325 N.
Salisbury St., Raleigh, N.C. or
from the Perquimans County
Department of Social Services.
swamps are flooded from a
rainy summer coupled with
Hurricanes Bertha and Fran.
“We have some areas with
five feet of water backed up
and the winds have kept the
water high,” said Sara
Winslow, a supervisor with
the Division of Marine
Fisheries office in Elizabeth
City. Decomposing debris
swept into waterways by the
hurricanes is also depleting
oxygen, she said.
Winds continue blowing
west up the Albemarle Sound,
preventing stagnant waters
from circulating out of the
estuarine system. The winds
need to shift and cooler dry
weather needs to settle into
the area to reoxygenate the
water.
The first local kill was
reported last Monday in
Columbia, Winslow said.
“We’re seeing up to hun
dreds (of fish). The one in
Perquimans is the largest and
it’s definitely the upper hun
dreds,” Winslow said.
Biologists are seeing bass,
catfish, flounder, crabs, sun-
fish, eels and other species in
the kills.
The fish kills’ impact on
loca Ifisherman is unclea at
this time, Winslow said.
“It could have some impact
but there’s nothing we can do
about it. It’s such a big thing,
it’s Mother Nature,” she said.
“Those fish are moving to
good water and right now I
don’t know where that is,”
Hodge said.
State officials and local fish;
erman are waiting to see if the
fish kills will extend to the
Albemarle Sound. So far, no
kills have been seen in the
sound, but as the oxygen
depleted rivers and creeks
drain into its waters, the
sound’s oxygen levels will also
drop.
Tom Aurand, sales manager
at the Boat Doc in Edenton
Marina, said he saw dozens of
fish swimming with their
mouths above the surface, try
ing to get oxygen Friday.
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tmLtLdh
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Hundreds of dead fish were spotted floating in
an inlet off the Perquimans River last weekend.
State officials blame low oxygen content in the
PHOTO BY MARK E. JOHNSON, THE DAILY ADVANCE
water for this fish kill as well as for others in
the state’s coastal areas. The greenish tint on
the fish comes from a nearby fluorescent light.
Festival ‘96
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Indian Summer Festival
1996 will kick Friday evening
with a pork barbecue dinner at
Perquimans High School, 4:40-
7 p.m. Eat-in and take-out
plates are available. Tickets
are $5 and are still available
from the Chamber of
Commerce office and The
Perquimans Weekly.
The second Miss Indian
Summer Festival pageant will
get underway in the high
school auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
Perquimans County teens wUl
vie for the title of festival
queen. Contestants will be
judged on talent, beauty, poise,
and appearance. Contestants
will perform downtown
throughout the day Saturday.
Saturday will get started
bright and early with the
annual Chowan Hospital Fun
Run/Walk at 8 a.m.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
at Perquimans County Schools
Administration Building.
There will also be a 9 a.m.
Family Walk for Life begin
ning at Hertford Baptist
Church.
Entertainment will get
underway on the courthouse
lawn at 9:30 a.m. with
Perquimans County’s own
Harbour Lites Square
Dancers. A variety of solo acts
and groups wUl sing and dance
their way through the day
untU 7 p.m.
Vendors will line Church
Street from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
offering food, crafts, informa
tion and other products.
FESTIVAL TRAFFIC PATTERNS
Street/Parking Lot closings
• Church Street will be closed from Grubb Street to Ned’s BP
• Market Street will be closed from Church Street to
Barrows Alley (beside' Dianne’s Hairstyling)
• Punch Alley will be clos^ from Church Stre^To Grubb Street
• Missing Mill Park parking lots will be closed.
• The municipal boat ramps will be closed.
• The parking lot behind the Hertford Town offices will be
closed until 7 p.m.
• The former Exxon station at the corner of Church and
Grubb streets will be closed.
Festival Bus Stops (10 a.m.-€ p.m.)
• Hertford Town Park by tennis courts
• Intersection of Barrows Alley and Market St.
(next to former office of Dr. Lane)
• Perquimans County High School
(intersection of Jimmy Hunter Dr. and Ainsley Dr.)
• Dobbs Street at former Texaco station
Festival information booth at Chamber of Commerce booth
at corner of Church and Grubb streets.
Yard Waste Pickup Schedule Change
All residents and businesses in the downtown area should
have yard waste to be collected by town cres on the street
ready for removal by noon Friday. Waste put on the streets
after that time will not be collected until hext week.
HAVE A GREAT DAY AT THE FESTIVAL!
Behind the Chamber Office
in Hertford’s park overlooking
the Perquimans River, the
young and young at heart will
find games, food and entertain
ment suited to the younger set.
The Waterfront Pavilion will
open at 10 a.m. and will
include a petting zoo, clowns,
magic, storytime, balloons and
more.
The day will end with the
traditional street dance at
Missing Mill Park from 8-11
p.m. featuring Bill Deal and
Ammon Tharp.
For festival information and
business specials, see the special
festival insert in this edition of
'The Perquimans Weekly.
Clean-up to sweep through county
The Perquimans, Yeopim
and Little rivers and adjoining
creek are some Of the most
beautiful in the state. They
provide recreational opportu
nities like boating and fishing.
They are a welcome addition
to picnics and park gathering.
We can also enjoy observing
the numerous types of plants
and wildlife living in and
around our waterways.
But, unfortunately, our
streams and rivers can become
the recipients of careless litter
ing if we improperly handle
and dispose of our trash. When
this happens, we no longer
enjoy the appearance of of our
waterways. 'The wildlife inhab
iting these areas become
threatened.
Everyone will have an
opportunity to be a part of a
water pollution solution on
Saturday, Sept. 28 when First
Citizens Bank Big Sweep
comes to Perquimans County
from 9 a.m.-l p.m.
Held throughout the state.
Big Sweep will take places in
most communities this week
end. However, the Perquimans
County event has been moved
because of the Indian Summer
Festival.
In 1995, North Carolinians
collected 359,356 pounds of
trash along 1,357 miles of
waterways. The 1995 North
Carolina finds included such
diverse items as answering
ALL OF US project
launched in county
Group forms to
strengthen the
community
Community organizations,
ministers, businesses, local
governing bodies and
Perquimans County Schools
have joined an effort to help
strengthen the community.
Dedicated to all children
everywehre, ALL OF US is a
young and innovative new pro
gram whose purpose is to help
fight violence, crime and soci
etal breakdown by re-weaving
and strenghtening the fabric of
society, neighborhoods and
communities.
ALL OF US is based on the
theory of Marshall McLuen
which states that society is
suffering from the powerful
negative impact of television
and other media program
ming. Simply stated, ALL OF
US creates an antidote for this
by transforming public media
into a positive community val
ues reminder system. 'This sys
tem utilizes media outlets and
technologies to reach everyone
with repeated and reinforced
habit-forming reminders
about practicing good values.
One simple reminder about
living a healthy and meaninful
life is promoted each month.
The monthly themes can be
tied into the on-going projects
of existing organizations and
coordinated with public school
programming. This linkage
creates a heightened atmos
phere of harmony and warmth
among the diverse elements of
a community.
The monthly these for ALL
OF US are:
September—Do Your Best
October—Have Patience
November—Have a Positive
Attitude
December—Celebrate
Community, Family and
Friends
January—Lend a Hand
February—You County!
Build Your Self-Esteem
March—Resolve Conflicts
April—Value and Enjoy
Our Environment
May—Be Appreciative
June—Improve Yourself
July—Be Involved in Our
Community
August—What Do You
Value?
The major advantage of
ALL OF US is that the commu
nity-unity and empowerment
effect is consistent and sus
tainable. It can be continued
throughout the year—year
after year.
ALL OF US proclamations
have been signed by the
Perquimans County
Commissioners and Town
Councils in Winfall and
Hertford. The proclamations
state, in part, “...we do hereby
encourage ALL OF US to help
bring the spirit of ‘people to
people’ relationships, kindness
and goodwill to new heights in
our community.”
If you are interested in vol
unteering your creative ener
gies into building this charac
ter education program, contact
Dr. Randall L. Henion at the
Perquimans County Schools
administrative offices, 426-
5471.
machines, mattresses, men’s
briefs, a bed pan, a steering
wheel, cellular phone, car
engine, furnace, loaded BB
gun, and a concrete shower
along with the usual papers,
cigarette butts, cans and bot
tles.
Big Sweep is coordinated in
Perquimans County by
Marjorie Rayburn. Collection
bags, data cards and other
items will be provided to vol
unteers. Participants can pur
chase Big Sweep T-shirts at a
discounted rate.
To get involved in the local
clean-up effort, call Rayburn at
482-8431 (work) or 426-5097
(home). Volunteers of all ages
are needed.
Outside
High; Low:
High: Low:
80s 50s
80s 50s
FAIR, DRY
FAIR, DRY
SATURDAY
High; Low:
80s 50s
FAIR, DRY