December 3,1
Hi
12 013165 10/09/1999 *C20
PERQUIMANS COUNTY LIBRARY
110 w ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD NC 27944
The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 66, No. 49
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Meeting to focus on local tourism
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Those who would like to
have input into planning a
comprehensive heritage
tourism program in the county
may do so at a public meeting
next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the
historic Perquimans County
courthouse.
Attending the meeting will
be representatives of the
Perquimans County Heritage
Tourism Development
Council, the team of local resi
dents who are developing a
master plan for Hertford’s
future as a heritage tourism
community. The plan will be
submitted to the N.C. Division
of Tourism, Film and Sports
Development. Bettie Stokes is
chairing the committee devel
oping the plan for Hertford
Township. Harriette Woodard
chairs the committee develop
ing the plan for the downtown
district.
Hertford was recently
named as the pilot community
for heritage tourism develop
ment in eastern North
Carolina, one of only two sites
to be chosen in the state.
Director of the North Carolina
Division of Tourism, Film and
Sports Development Gordon
Clapp cited the town’s tremen
dous historic resources and
strong community interest
and support as key reasons for
its selection.
Interest in preserving the
rich history of the area has
remained strong for many
years thanks to the efforts of
the Perquimans County
Restoration Association. That
organization’s first project
was the restoration of the
Newbold-White House, the old
est standing brick house in
North Carolina. The site is
now a historic complex featur
ing the restored and furnished
house, the restored David
Newby Cottage and a visitor’s
center. Tours and a video
interpret the importance of the
Newbold-White House not only
to local history, but to the his
tory of the state as well.
The ongoing work of the
PCRA coupled with growing
knowledge of the positive eco
nomic results of tourism
brought the Chamber of
Commerce into the efforts to
highlight the area’s history.
The chamber has worked for
many years to promote down
town renovation and restora
tion and other tourism promo
tions.
Working together with oth
ers interested in preserving
and promoting historic preser
vation and tourism, a commit
tee was formed to develop the
Old Neck Rural Historic
District and submit a nomina
tion to the National Register of
Historic Places. Next, interest
in the Belvidere community
sparked that area’s move to
become a National Register
District. Hertford is the latest
community to be included in
the Register.
In addition to the establish
ment of the historic districts
and the restoration and devel
opment of Newbold-White, the
chamber developed guide
books for the Hertford
Walking Tour and audiotapes
for a driving tour through the
county’s scenic backroads.
PCRA is also taking steps to
broaden and expand interpre
tation and programs at the
Newbold-White historic com
plex.
Recognizing the potential in
eastern North Carolina, the
Division of Tourism, Film and
Sports Development hired
LuAnne Pendergraft as a
tourism development officer
based at the Newbold-White
House.
The Tourism Development
Council is now considering the
resources and programs
already in place and develop
ing a plan to integrate those
existing resources with more
steps to bring tourists into the
area.
Tuesday’s meeting will
allow interested county resi
dents to ask questions and
have input into the plan to be
submitted to state and federal
agencies for review.
S bridge
hours may
shorten
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The U.S. Coast Guard is con
sidering changes to the hours
of operation of the draw bridge
across the Perquimans River.
The requested changes
would require the draw to
operate as follows: During
May through September, the
draw would open on signal
from 8 a.m.-lO p.m. seven days
per week; during April and
' October, the draw would open
on signal from 8 a.m.-lO p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays; dur
ing March and November, the
draw would open on signal
from 10 a.m.-lO p.m. on
Saturdays and Sundays; dur
ing December, January and
February, 24-hour advance
notice would be required for
openings. At all other times,
the draw would not be
required to open.
The bridge is currently
required to open on signal.
The North Carolina
Department of Transportation
requested that the Coast
Guard modify the hours of
operation of the bridge. The
proposal is intended to reduce
the cost of manning the draw
bridge 24 hours a day while
still providing for the reason
able needs of navigation.
NCDOT reported to the
Coast Guard that the bridge
presently operates as follows:
April 1-Sept. 31, 8 a.m. until
midnight; Oct. 1-March 31, 10
a.m.-lO p.m. With the blessings
of the Town of Hertford,
NCDOT requested that the
number of hours the bridge is
attended be decreased. In sup
port of the request, NCDOT
reported that in the 3 years
from 1995-1997, the bridge
opening logs show that marine
vessel traffic significantly
decreased during April and at
night from 10 p.m.-midnight
throughout the year.
The Coast Guard reviewed
the logs and verified that the
bridge opened 233 times from
January 1995-December 1997, a
decrease from 370 openings
from January 1992-December
1994.
Those who wish to make
written comments concerning
the proposed change may
write Commander, USCG
Atlantic Area (Aowb), 431
Crawford St., Portsmouth, Va.
23704-5004 by Dec. 9. AU corre
spondence should include the
party’s name and address, the
rulemaking number (CGD05-
98-069) and the specific section
of the rule to which the com
ment applies. The document
may be reviewed at the
Hertford Town Offices.
,?#*
^
PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS
Phillip Brent, Brandy Holioweli, and Linwood Jackson (left to right, front) earned first, sec
ond and third places, respectively in the premiere Perquimans Arts League Young Artist
Competition. Noted for honorable mention were (back) David Haisiip, Matthew White, Jason
Warden and John Grosjean. The winning art was on display at the PAL Gallery (below) dur
ing November and is now at the Perquimans County Library.
Youth
win art
contest
From staff reports
Seven local young artists
created lasting impressions
for the premiere Perquimans
County Young Artist
Competition snonsored by
the Perquimans Arts League
last month.
“All your entries were so
good the judges really had a
difficult time choosing the
winners,” PAL president
Dolores Davenport told the
youth as she presented the
awards Monday. “You are all
very talented and we hope
you’ll continue your interest
in the arts.”
Phillip Brent claimed first,
place, a check for $75. Second
place and $50 went to Brandy
Holioweli for her untitled
drawing. Linwood Jackson’s
entry, “The End of the Line,”
earned third place and $25,
i.Ionorable mention rec'- ni-
tion went to John Gro an,
David Haisiip, Jason
ml
m
Warden, and Matthew
White. Each student
received a one-year member
ship in PAL and a grant to
participate in any PAL-spon
sored art class or workshop
during 1999. The PAL mem
bership will also allow the
young artists to display and
sell theii' work at the organi
zation’s gallery.
The art contest was open
to all high school students,
and all forms of art were
accepted. One entry was a
decorated cake. Davenport
said PALS put no restric
tions on art forms for the
contest in order to allow the
young artists to be creative
and encourage entries in aU
media.
The winning works were
displayed at the PAL gallery
in Hall of Fame Square
through November. They are
now hung in the Perquimans
County Library, where they
can be viewed throughout
the month.
Nosebleeds plague
Central School
Health officials
called to inspect,
recommend
ways to curtail
problem
From staff reports
Construction for the new
pre-k—2 school facility in
Winfall is on schedule — and
won’t he completed a moment
too soon, according to schools
superintendent Gregory T.
Todd.
The existing Perquimans
County Central School in
Winfall dates back to 1939 and
the building
is deteriorat-
ing, over
crowded and
outdated. In
addition, stu
dents and
staff at the
school have
experienced
an increase in
nosebleeds in
recent weeks.
Last
month, eight
students and
one teacher,
all assigned to
one of the
school’s mobile units, were
diagnosed with nosebleeds.
Once notified of the situation,
Todd said he took immediate
steps to research the causes
and look for ways to prevent
further problems.
School nurse LouAnn
Jackson contacted Tim
Peebles, Environmental
Specialist at PPCC District
Health Department, after the
increase in nosebleeds.
Peebles advised the school to
change aU air filters in the out
side buildings and to check
with the construction manager
about any possible chemicals
and fumes at the construction
site that may cause nasal pas
sage irritation. Direk
Faulkenberry, Site Engineer
for Kahn Construction, veri
fied that no chemicals used in
the construction of the new
“The safety of the
students is my
primary concern, i
wiil take whatever
steps necessary to
ensure a safe learn
ing environment for
the students.”
Gregory T. Todd
Perquimans Schools
Superintendent
facility would be dangerous to
students.
In a letter dated Oct. 22 to
Todd from PPCC
Environmental Specialist
Walker Rayburn, Rayburn
stated, “Although I cannot say
that you do or do not have an
indoor air quality problem,
dust could reduce indoor air
quality.”
Neither Rayburn nor
Jackson could confirm why
there has been an increase in
student nosebleeds, only that
dirty air filters, dust, farming,
an unusually dry summer and
the time of the year contribute
to the nosebleed problem.
Rayburn visited the school
in October and recommended
that all classrooms be thor-
o u g h 1 y
cleaned to
reduce dust
and to open
windows as
weather and
construction
work permit
ted to bring in
fresh air. In
addition to
dust control,
these'efforts
may help to
reduce mold
growth,
which can
cause air
quality prob
lems.
School principal Susan
Winslow said Rayburn’s rec
ommendations are being car
ried through. Rayburn will
inspect the school again this
month and immediately report
his findings to Todd.
Students continue to be
monitored closely for nose
bleeds, Todd said. A log is
being kept of reported nose
bleeds and Todd is being kept
apprised of the situation.
“The safety of the students
is my primary concern,” Todd
said. “I will take whatever
steps necessary to ensure a
safe learning environment for
the students.”
Construction of the new
facility, located directly
behind the present structure,
is on schedule for occupancy
in January, Todd said.
Gustafson directs of Perquimans County Communities in Schools
Barbara Gustafson Las been
named Executive Director of
the Perquimans County
Communities In Schools.
She will be working to inte
grate the delivery of services
at the schools.
“The focus for this year wiU
be on reading, writing and
math,” said Gustafson. “Our
goal will be to provide rein
forcement of what students are
taught during school.”
Gustafson said her board is
committed to serving students
as well as other areas of inter
est in the county.
Communities In Schools is a
nationwide nonprofit organi
zation that helps the communi
ty take responsibility for its
own children and their educa
tion. It is a process that
engages a wide range of pri
vate businesses and public
human service organizations
in collaborative action to iden
tify and meet the needs of stu
dents and their families.
Founded in 1977,
Communities In Schools Inc.
provides leadership support to
the nation’s largest stay-in-
school network. The CIS mis
sion is to champion the con
nection of needed resources
with schools to help young
people successfully learn, stay
in school, and prepare for life.
Small, caring teams of social
service providers form one-on-
one relationships with stu
dents and work alongside
teachers, volunteers, and men
tors in the battle to keep chil
dren in school.
For additional information
on Communities In Schools or
to volunteer, call Gustafson at
426-9698.