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December 5,
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The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 64, No. 45
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Commissioners silent on Winfall detention center site
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Winfall residents packed
the commissioners’ room
Monday asking that the pro
posed state juvenile detention
center in their town be moved
elsewhere in the county.
The overflow crowd caused
commissioners to move the
meeting to the courtroom
upstairs in the county annex.
But the only response the
group got from the board was
silence. Commissioners chair
man Mack Nixon said that
because no commissioner put
a motion on the table for dis
cussion, no action would be
taken by the board.
Group spokesman J.G.
Ward said that he had called
Senator Marc Basnight to find
out what those opposed to the
site of the detention center
could do to stop its construc
tion. Basnight told him to
approach the county commis
sioners and ask them to pass a
resolution not to put the center
near Cedar Grove United
Methodist Church and the
recreation fields.
Ward said Basnight told
him if the resolution were
passed and forwarded to the
state, the detention cOnter
would not be located in
Winfall.
Although Ward was the
only resident who had asked to
be placed on the meeting agen
da, Nixon did agree to let three
other people speak.
Frank Owens, who lives
near the site, said he feared for
the safety of his wife and
teenaged daughter if the deten-
tion center were placed in
Winfall. He cited escapees and
people who might wait around
to pick up escapees as his
main concern.
“Fm certainly against it...I
sincerely believe that the
majority of people in that area
are against it,” Owens said.
Joan Mansfield and com
missioner-elect Bert Hayes
also spoke against it.
“We feel like were were
bulldozed over top of,”
Mansfield said.
She said the group didn’t
take immediate action after
the public hearing on the mat
ter because they expected offi
cials to ask them what they
thought about the issue. She
said the honest people of
Winfall sat back and waited
while others took the reins.
Mansfield warned that the
commissioners might not be
re-elected if they did not recon
sider their position. She said
Second grade Thanksgiving
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Perquimans County’s second graders enjoy a Thanksgiving feast fit for pilgrims and Indians last Tuesday. The menu includ
ed seafood, venison and even bear prepared by parents and Hertford Grammar School staff.
Parade is Ward elected board chairman
Saturday
The sights and sounds of the
holidays will fill the streets of
Hertford Saturday when the
annual Christmas parade
marches through.
This year’s parade, themed
“Christmas: The Birthday of a
King,” will feature bands from
Perquimans,Chowan,
Pasquotank and Camden.
The parade will leave
Perquimans County High
School at 2 p.m. Participants
will move north on Edenton
Road Street, turn east on
Grubb Street, turn south on
Church Street, turn west on
Dobbs Street, turn south on
Edenton Road Street and end
up back at the school.
The Cedarwood Cemetery
gates will be closed Saturday.
All parade entries should
enter the line-up area on
Jimmy Hunter Drive and
leave by turning right onto
Ainsley Drive.
Santa will leave his sleigh
downtown to make his list for
county children.
Pony rides will be available
during the parade in the park
ing lot on the corner of Market
and Church streets.
Skinner leaves;
Hayes, Yates,
Miller sworn in
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Monday was the day for
changing of the guard at the
Perquimans County
Commissioners meeting.
Charlie Skinner, a commis
sioner who served one term
and chose not to seek a second,
was presented with a plaque
for his service to the county
after the old business portion
of the agenda was discussed.
Elbert C. Hayes, who ran as
an unaffiliated candidate in
November with the backing of
the Republican Party, was
sworn in by Clerk of Court
Gail Godwin. Incumbents
Shirley Yates and Archie
Miller also took the oath of
office for their second terms.
Before turning the floor
over to county attorney John
Matthews for the election of a
chairman and vice chairman
for the new board. Chairman
Mack Nixon said he would
step down as chairman.
“I feel it’s time for a
change,” Nixon said.
When the floor was opened
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
for nominations for chairman,
Yates nominated Charles
Ward, which was followed
immediately by a motion that
the nominations be closed.
Ward was elected.
Miller nominated Nixon for
vice chairman, again followed
by a motion that the nomina
tions be closed. Nixon was
elected.
Next, Ward was chosen to
be the county’s voting delegate
the show of force Monday
showed that Winfall residents
don’t want the center and that
“all the county is watching.”
Hayes, who spoke before
being sworn in, said no
Winfall resident spoke in favor
of the detention center at the
public hearing.
“Look guys, give the people
what they want,” he said. He
promised to look for a suitable
location for the detention cen
ter if the board would revisit
the issue.
Hayes referred to the bill of
rights, constitution and Abe
Lincoln’s words to press his
point about representative
government.
With no comments from the
board after listening to the
four speak. Ward asked to be
heard again.
“...this country is supposed
to be a democracy where the
people rule and not a dictator,”
Ward said. He added that if the
commissioners did not act
they could be guilty of being
dictators because they went
against the will of the people.
He added that if the governor
allowed the project to go as
planned, he would be guilty
also.
Ward also threatened court
action.
Safe food handling
can make holidays
happier, healthier
Moiidouf UfXA
Part 2 in a series
(Submitted for publication
by Juanita T. Bailey, County
Extension Agent)
Food safety is important all
year long, but during the holi
days it becomes increasingly
important.
During the
holidays we
usually pre
pare larger
meals, leave
food out of
the refrigera
tor for longer
periods of
time, and
over-load our
refrigera
tors. The fol
lowing topics
cover a number of potential
hazards in preparing and
enjoying holiday meals.
Follow the suggestions for a
healthier holiday season.
Planning for your holiday
meals
When planning a holiday
meal or party, choose foods
that can be served safely
under the conditions of your
planned activity. For example,
hot foods need to be kept above
140 degrees and cold foods
need to be kept below 40
degrees. Temperature abuse is
a common cause of foodborne
illness. On the buffet table,
keep hot foods with chafing
dishes, crock pots and warm
ing trays. Keep foods cold by
nesting dishes in bowls of ice.
You can also use small serving
dishes and replace them often.
Never leave the food on the
table for more than two hours.
Don’t plan to serve cold or hot
foods if you can’t keep them
hot or cold.
Good sanitation is critical.
Because we are serving larger
numbers of people and storing
and preparing more food than
usual, we have an increased
risk for foodborne illness.
Refrigerators are often over
loaded. Therefore, poor sanita
tion in the kitchen can cause
more problems than usual.
Cross-contamination is
another major cause of food
borne illness. Any surface that
food comes in contact with is a
source of contamination.
Cooking uten
sils, dishes
and cutting
boards
exposed to raw
meat and/or
poultry prod
ucts should be
thoroughly
washed prior
to use for any
cooked foods
to prevent
cross-contami
nation.
Shopping for holiday foods
Plan your holiday menu and
then do your shopping. When
you are out, grocery shop last.
Never leave food in the car -
the car can become very hot.
Take food straight home to the
refrigerator to keep it safe.
When buying large pieces of
frozen meat, such as turkey,
remember that it takes several
days to safely thaw it. So you
will need to buy frozen meat at
least 4-5 days before your
planned activity.
Don’t buy food in poor con
dition. Make sure refrigerated
food is cold to the touch.
Frozen food should be rock-
solid. Canned goods should be
free of dents, cracks, or
bulging lids. Packaged foods
should have no rips or tears.
Also, check use by dates that
are on packages. Don’t buy
anything that is past dated.
When buying raw meat or
poultry, wrap in a plastic bag
so meat juices won’t drip on
other foods in your cart.
Storing holiday foods
Storing foods for holiday
meals can be a real challenge.
During holidays, we buy more
food than usual and quite often
Please see Tips, page 8
Elbert C. “Bert” Hayes was sworn in as a Perquimans County
Commissioner Monday by Clerk of Court Gail Godwin. Hayes
earned a seat on the board in November. Incumbents Shirley
Yates and Archie Miller also took the oath of office.
Outside
to the Legislative Goals
Conference.
In his first act as chairman.
Ward appointed Wayne Howell
to the RC&D board and Miller
to the District Jail
Commission. The two will
replace Thomas Nixon, a for
mer commissioner who served
on behalf of the county on both
boards. Nixon resigned effec
tive Dec. 31. Howell and Miller
begin on Jan. 1.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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