Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Jan. 16, 1997, edition 1 / Page 1
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January 16,1997 013165 10/09/1997 ■ library Mu />} ACADEMY ST HERTFORD MC 27944 The Perquimans Weekly 350 Vol. 65, No. 3 The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people Hertford, North Carolina 27944 NationsBank robbed at gunpoint Robber steals undisclosed amount of cash By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor A lone masked gunman entered NationsBank in Hertford just before closing Friday, taking an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing. Hertford Police Chief Bennie Murphy said Monday that a black male dressed in black jeans, a black leather coat with a hood and a teal ski mask entered the bank at Harris Shopping Center around 5:58 p.m. He entered the office of bank manager Diane Stallings and warned Raid netsl kilo of cocaine By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor A Hertford man got a sur prise visit from an army of law enforcement officials last Wednesday, resulting in his arrest for drug trafficking. Fred Julian Harvey, 45, of 317 Brace Street, was arrested and charged with attempting to traffic in excess of 400 grams of cocaine. Officers from several agen cies surrounded Harvey’s home early Wednesday after noon. A search of the premises found approximately one kilo gram of cocaine. Reminder Perquimans County Schools will release early Wednesday-Friday for staff development and the high school exam sched ule. There will be no school for students on Monday, TMartin Luther 'King Day, orTue^ay, teacher workday. Perquimans County an All of Us Care Community January’s theme: Lend a Hand focusing on Generosity Helpfulness Hospitality Charity Service Unselfishness Incorporate these Healthy HABITS into your daily life and help make our community a better place to live! For All of Us Care information, contact Dr. Randall L. Henion, Perquimans County Schools, 426-5741 her not to activate the bank’s alarm system. He was alleged ly carrying a revolver. Murphy said the robber forced Stallings to walk behind the teller line and give him the money in the tellers’ cash drawers. There were three tellers working Friday evening. One of the tellers’ young children ventured behind the counter. Murphy said the teller reached down to pick up the child. The gunman, appar ently thinking the teller was reaching for an alarm activa tion device, threatened to kill the teller if she “hit the but ton,” Murphy said. After robbing the bank, Murphy said the gunmanTeft the bank using the front door and ran east on Grubb Street. Law officers recovered some money from in front of the bank and found a ski mask that fit the description of the one worn by the robber in front of the Hertford fire sta tion. The husbands of two of the bank’s tellers were in the bank’s break room during the robbery. Murphy said they came out and saw that the bank was being robbed and went back into the break room. The two told law officers they wanted to dial 911, but feared activating the intercom system or alerting the gunman that the robbery was being reported. After the robber left the bank, the Hertford Police .--r PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS It was business as usual Monday at NationsBank. The bank was robbed at gunpoint by a lone perpetraitor Friday evening just before closing. A reward is being offered in the case. Department was dispatched to the scene. Murphy said the FBI was called in and the Perquimans County Sheriffs Department assisted with searching the area. Stallings, three tellers, the two husbands and two small children were in the bank at the time of the robbery. None were injured. An armed robbery convic tion carries a mandatory 7- year sentence. Robbing a bank is a federal crime. Murphy said a reward lead ing to an arrest and/or convic tion in the case is being offered through the bank and law agencies. Anyone with infor mation about the robbery should call the Hertford Police Department at 426-5587. m- mm » Sir JK' School board celebrates receipt of funds c-' ■ PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS Officers from the Perquimans County Sheriff’s Department, Hertford Police Department, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Department and State Bureau of Investigation search the Brace Street home of Fred Julian Harvey last Wednesday. Harvey was arrested and charged with attempting to traffic in excess of 400 grams of cocaine. “He (Harvey) is a serious drug dealer in this county,” Perquimans Sheriff David Lane said. According to Elizabeth City Police Detective Joe Tade, a veteran drug enforcement offi cer, a kilogram of cocaine weighs 2.2 pounds. If com pressed, it is a little smaller than the size of a shoe box. Tade said the bulk value of cocaine fluctuates from about $15,000-$25,000 per kilogram. The street value skyrockets as it is broken down for sale. Harvey was placed in Albemarle District Jail in lieu of a $500,000 secured bond. Jail officials confirmed that Harvey was still in custody Tuesday morning. Records at the office of the Perquimans County Clerk of Court indicate that Harvey is scheduled for a court appear ance on Jan. 29. Two men hold up Trade Mart By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor Exactly two weeks prior to the NationsBank Robbery Friday, Trade Mart on Church Street Extended was held up by two men. Hertford Police Chief Bennie Murphy said a lone black male entered the conve nience store around 9:43 p.m. on Dec. 27 carrying a small cal- ibur revolver. He was joined by a second black male. Both were dressed totally in black, Murphy said, and wore ski masks. One of the men waved the gun, motioning the two cashiers on duty to move behind the counter, Murphy said. Both men took money from the cash registers. The man brandishing the gun went into the store office, Murphy said, and opened at least one drawer there, appar ently looking for more money. When the man left the office, he noticed a security camera, and allegedly tried to rip the camera off the wall. There is Police chief; Always lock your vehicle If you get out of your car, lock it. That’s the recommen dation of Hertford Police Chief Bennie Murphy. The chiefs warning came after a purse was reported stolen from an unlocked vehi cle hear the Hertford Post Office Thursday. The victim said she left the vehicle for only a few moments. Murphy’s advice is to always turn off the vehicle, remove the keys and lock the vehicle when you leave it. “It only takes a minute to grab it (a purse) and run,” Murphy said. Most perpetraitors who steal from vehicles are looking for easy targets, Murphy said. Because they look to strike quickly and get out of the area immediately, most do not draw attention to themselves by breaking out vehicle windows, especially during daylight hours in high-traffic areas. The chief said he is also con cerned about the number of vehicles he has seen left unlocked and running in the area. “We’re lucky we haven’t had one stolen lately,” Murphy said. The chief said even if you’re only going to leave your car for a minute or two, locking it can save hours of headaches. video of the robbery, Murphy said. The pair left the store on foot, heading north on Church Street, leaving a trail of money and dropping the revolver in the store parking lot. Murphy said police recovered money and the broken weapon. Murphy declined to say how much money was taken. A reward is being offered in the case. Anyone with infor mation should call the Hertford Police Department at 426-5587. King Street annex set for demolition Building new buildings is high on the agenda of the Perquimans School Board, but they also voted to move ahead with tearing down a vacant structure Monday night. The board authorized super intendent Randall L. Henion to complete specifications and advertise for bids for tearing down the King Street Annex at the high school with HBA Architects. Henion said the board needs three bids, and will opt for the lowest if the low bidder meets the job specifications and con ditions. The board will review bids next month. Perquimans receives $2M from state By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor It was a night of rejoicing for the Perquimans School Board, as the group celebrated notification that the school district will receive over $2 million in state facilities funds. Coupled with the $4,133 mil lion Perquimans initially received from the.passage of November’s state bond refer endum, the funds will cover a majority of the cost of building a new elementary school in Winfall and renovating Hertford Grammar School. Estimated costs of complet ing the proposed projects at both sites exceed $8.77 million. Perquimans has received over $6.17 million from the state. Perquimans County’s share will be $2.6 million. The local funds will come from $600,000 already set aside through the county’s land transfer tax, and a $2 million loan through the county. The school board met with county commissioners in December, after receiving the initial bond funds, to discuss the projects. At that time, county manager Paul Gregory had already reviewed the county budget to see what funds would be available local ly without raising ad valorem taxes. Gregory determined that using land transfer taxes and other funds earmarked for facilities, while holding the line on school maintenance budgets, the county could pay back a $2 million loan without raising taxes. Without receipt of the addi tional $2 million from the state, county officials said the Hertford Grammar School ren ovation project would proba bly have to be put on hold. At last Wednesday’s state board meeting in Raleigh, offi cials sat down to divide the $30 million set aside in the state bond referendum for small school systems. The formula used for determining funding was based on long-range needs, local effort and ability to pay. Perquimans superintendent Randall L. Henion and board chairman Wallace Nelson were in Raleigh last Monday and Tuesday for a superinten dents and board chairmencon- ference. The two got wind that Perquimans was being consid ered for funding, but had to wait until Wednesday for offi cial notification. “There was a tremendous amount of jockeying and lob bying going on (at the confer ence),” Nelson told the board Monday. Nelson credited ongoing efforft of the loccd administra tion and board with giving Perquimans an edge in receiv ing fte funds. “I am convinced that our planning...was instrumental in getting this money,” Nelson said. Board member Helen Shaw agreed. “Somebody has done his or her homework...you pulled it off,” Shaw said. Paul Boney and Cliff Long of Boney Architects, Wilmington, were at the meet ing with a preliminary propos al for Central School. Long will return to the county sev eral times over the next few weeks to meet with adminis trators, faculty and staft for input on work at both schools. Outside 1 THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY High: Low: 50s 30s CHANCE OF RAIN ■ 1 » 1 High: Low: 40s 30s PARTLY CLOUDY P J High: Low: 40s 30s PARTLY CLOUDY
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Jan. 16, 1997, edition 1
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