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For information about the
May 8 Oid Timers D^,
which wiii feature the kick-off of the
Jim “Catfish” Hunter ALS
Foundation, visit
Perquimans.com.
Read about events in The
Perquimans Weekiy next week!
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March 25, 1999
Vol, i-,f. NO,
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HfMlford. Nortti C.trollii.i 2704*1
Weekl
MAR 2 4 1339
350
Hertford
women
commits
suicide
From Daily Advance reports
The body of a 35-year-old
Hertford woman who police
believe committed suicide by
drowning was found in the
Pasquotank River last
Thursday.
Carla Skinner Chappell of
206 Woodland Circle was found
floating in the river near the
northwest end of Riverside
Avenue at approximately 7:20
a.m., an Elizabeth City police
spokesman said Thursday.
Police had been searching
for Chappell since her hus
band, Roger Chappell, notified
police at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday
that he had found a suicide
note in her car.
A young girl reportedly had
found a cell phone, pair of
glasses and other identifica
tion belonging to Chappell on
a pier near the RiverWind
Health and Racquet Club late
Wednesday afternoon.
Someone at RiverWind
began trying to notify
Chappell’s husband, police
said. When they did, Roger
Chappell reportedly drove to
Riverwind and found his
wife’s car in the parking lot.
Looking inside, he found the
suicide note.
After police were called,
divers from the Elizabeth City
Police Department immediate
ly began a search of a lOO-by-40
year area of the river near the
pier.
At approximately 11:30 p.m.,
a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter
crew and boat joined the
search, conducting a wide
sweep of the river.
Meanwhile, police officers
canvased the nearby neighbro-
hood, motels and Albemarle
Hospital, hoping that Chappell
might be found safe.
The search was halted
around 1 a.m. because of dark
ness and resumed at sunrise
Thursday morning. Not long
afterward, the body was found
floating less than 100 years
from the pier where her per
sonal effects were found,
police said.
Chappell’s body was trans
ported to Albemarle Hospital
where Pasquotank County
Medical Examiner Joe
Robertson determined she had
died as a result of drowning.
No autopsy was performed.
Police said they found no
evidence of foul play. They
have determined Chappell
died as a result of a suicide.
Police officials declined to
release the contents of
Chappell’s suicide note. She
was seen on the pier alive at 6
p.m. Wednesday.
Easter fun
Breakfast with the Easter
bunny, an egg hunt, decorated
bike and hat contests, games
and more are on tap when the
Historic Hertford Business
Association, formerly Hertford
Downtown Merchants
Association, hosts is second
annual East Egg Hunt on April
3. Children ages 3-10 can enjoy
the activities while parents
shop and browse through the
Big Flea Market. For space
rental, call 426-2021.
Accident claims life of child
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Photo by SUSAN R. HARRIS
Linda McEnerny’s floor harp was awarded first place in wood sculpture at the fourth annual
Perquimans Arts League Member Show that opened with a reception Friday night. The show,
which features a wide variety of offerings, will be on display at the library through April 17.
Quilt named PAL Best in Show
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
«
Ena Lynn’s Sunburst color
wash quilt was named Best In
Show at the fourth annual
Perquimans Arts League
Members Show that opened
Friday night.
PAL members and library
staff welcomed a steady flow of
visitors during the opening
reception which featured
music by the local recorder
group and homemade refresh
ments.
The 63-piece show will be on
display in the library through
April 17. Most pieces in the
show are for sale.
“It’s really a good show,”
said PAL member, show artist
and county librarian. “There
aren’t as many entries as last
year, but I think what we have
is a wonderful assortment of
quality items. People from
Chicago and other cities would
not believe the quality of the
art on display for those prices.
There is a lot of talent here.”
Prices for the pieces on dis
play range from $30-$2,600,
with most in the $100-$250
range.
Visitors to the show may
vote on the People’s Choice
Award to be presented on the
final day of display.
In addition to Lynn’s quilt,
which also captured first place
in the fiber art category,
awards went to: J.K. Oltman,
first place, photography
(Swamp Quilt), Purchase
Award, Albemarle Plantation;
Philip M. Owen, second place
photography (Sunset, Yeopim
River), Purchase Award,
Albemarle Plantation: Marcia
Phillips, first (Springtime) and
second (Spring Irises) place,
stained or cut glass. Purchase
Award, Captain Bob’s; Helen
Piontka, second ( Water Lily)
and third (Naples, Italy) place,
drawing; Nancy Reighard, sec
ond (Floating) and third (Sky
High) place, graphic art; B.E.
Richardson, first place, draw
ing (Peggy at COA); Erik
VandeBogart, second (Black
Crappie) and third
(Kingfisher) place woodwork
ing; Harriett Wood, second
Youngest victim of
dangerous US 17
bypass dies Friday
place, painting: oil/acrylic (
Belvidere Swamp); Jen
Abbate, Purchase Award,
Albemarle Plantation (Church
Door), third place, photogra
phy (Up and Down, Round and
Round), honorable mention
(Edenton Garden), photogra
phy; Mary Anne Baird, first
place, graphic art (Dream) ;
Pat Burkett, third place, paint
ing: watercolor (Misty
Bouquet); Dolores J.
Davenport, third place, paint
ing: oil/acrylic (Moonglow);
Carlton Dozier, third place,
stained or cut glass (State
Bird); Janice Eure, second
place, painting:watercolor
(Shells Three); Mary Friesen,
first place, painting:watercol-
or (This Old House); Gary
Guth, first place, painting:oil,
acrylic (Faces); Lynn Hilbom,
honorable mention, fiber art
(Rainbow in the Round); Ruth
Kemp, third place, fiber art
(Log Cabin Quilt); Ena Lynn,
second place, fibert art (Cat on
a Roof); and Linda McEnerny,
first place, woodworking
(Floor Harp).
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
A 2-year-old died Friday
night after the car in which he
was riding was hit by a trac
tor-trailer on U.S. 17 Bypass
less than 12 hours earlier.
Quinton Elias Stallings of
Tyner died as a result of his
injuries in Pitt Memorial
Hospital late Friday night.
According to Hertford
Police Chief Dale Vanscoy, the
accident occurred at 11:46 a.m.
at the Perquimans Centre turn
lane. Wanda Stallings, 29, the
child’s mother, was traveling
south on U.S. 17 when she
attempted to make a left turn
to go to McDonald’s. She
pulled into the path of a trac
tor trailer driven by
Christopher Perry, 32, of
Camden. The truck slammed
the 1995 midsize Ford in the
passenger side, with the main
impact on the rear passenger
door. Quinton Stallings was
sitting in his carseat oh the
passenger side of the ceir.
Neither Stallings, who is
pregnant, nor Perry reported
injuries, Vanscoy said.
Quinton Stallings was taken
to Chowan Hospital by ambu
lance before being transferred
to Pitt.
The chief said Perry was
traveling well below the posted
speed limit of 55 and did
attempt to slow down to avoid
the collision, according to
measurements taken at the
scene and witness reports.
The Stallings vehicle was
totalled.
No charges have been filed
and the incident is still under
investigation, Vanscoy said.
The accident is the first
major wreck at the intersec
tion since NCDOT changed the
traffic pattern there in late
1998, Vanscoy said. He did
report that there have been
minor accidents there.
In response to concerns in
the community about the safe-
ty of U.S. 17 Bypass at the
Perquimans Centre cross-over,
DOT installed turn lanes at the
site. Drivers can no longer go
straight across or'turn left
from the service roads that
lead to the intersection.
The new traffic pattern has
increased U-tums at the inter
sections of US 17 and Church
and US 17 and Wynn Fork,
Vanscoy said. There has been
a fatality at the Wynn Fork
intersection since the traffic
pattern changed, as well as
several accidents resulting in
costly damages to vehicles.
“That one and a half mile
section (of US 17 Bypass) there
is really becoming a major
problem,” Vanscoy said.
The chief said that town
officials have done everything
they can to improve safety on
the highway. Because it is an
interstate roadway, the town
cannot control installation of
traffic lights or set speed lim
its. In response to concerns
from local officials, the state
changed the traffic pattern at
the Perquimans Centre cross
over, put up 45 mph signs at
the intersection, and installed
a caution light that flashes
when traffic is entering US 17
from the service roads.
However, the state has refused
to add another stoplight on the
bypass.
Vanscoy said the 45 mph
signs are cautionary, warning
drivers to be careful. They are
not enforceable with citations.
The town has requested that
NCDOT lower the speed limit
inside the town’s municipal
limits on US 17, but no action
has been taken by the state.
In the meantime, Vanscoy
said he has applied for a grant
through the Governor’s
Highway Safety Commission
to hire a traffic officer who
will investigate accidents and
patrol problem areas such as
US 17 to strictly enforce traffic
laws.
He said the only actions
local law officers can take is to
try to make the community
aware of the danger on US 17
so that they will slow down
and be extra careful on that
stretch of road and to strictly
enforce traffic laws, which
means doling out tickets.
In the meantime, Vanscoy
doesn’t see an end to increased
traffic on the highway.
“It’s a problem we’ve had
for a while. I don’t foresee it
going away in the very near
ftiture.”
Sunday night, Vanscoy
answered another call on US
17, this one at New Hope Road.
A tractor-trailer traveling on
US 17 evidently failed to stop
at the stoplight, broad-siding a
car driven by a 16-year-old
female from Hertford. The car
was entering the intersection
from New Hope Road and was
spun back in that direction
upon impact. A male passen
ger was thrown from the vehi
cle. No report was available
from the highway patrol at
press time.
Weekend Weather
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
High 70s
High 60s
High 60s
Low 40s
Low 40s
Low 40s
Fair
Partiy
Partly
Skies
Cloudy
Cloudy