PCMS honors grandparents
Page 9
Lady Pirates still winning
Page?
ALS events begin Friday
Page 2
September 21, 2000
Vol. 68, No. 38 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
I SEP 2 S EK3 I
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PER FQfPAND ABOUT PERQUIMANS CoUNTY AND ITS PEOP' ^^^
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Weekly
Marijuana crop harvested by law officers
Officers look for
clues to owners
of plants
JEREMY DESPOSITO
*■ The Daily Advance
Around 30 marijuana plants,
some as tall as 6 to 9 feet, were
cut down by police in Winfall
last Wednesday. Police Chief
David Shaffer said he is look
ing for the owners and tenders
of the crop.
Shaffer said he received a
confidential tip about the farm
in May and has been conduct
ing surveillance efforts and
building leads since then.
Shaffer seized the crops, locat
ed in privately owned woods in
the vicinity of U.S. Highway 17
and Old Neck Road, between 2
p.m. and 3 p.m.
“I’ve been investigating
who’s farming the area,”
Shaffer said.
That investigation is still
continuing. In the several
times he’s been to the area for
surveillance, Shaffer said he
once saw a person near the
plants, but when he was spot
ted, the suspect fled on foot
before being identified.
Evidence leads Shaffer to
believe the crops were harvest
ed for some time. The trail
leading to the area is well
maintained and trodden, he
said. Remnants of past crops
harvested are scattered around
the area, along with old pots
and fertilizer. And the area
within the woods is conducive
to sunlight he said.
“(The plants) had been
growing there on more than
one occasion,” Shaffer said.
“The trail was well main
tained. The plants were well-
manicured and spaced, out.
This was not just growing wild.
They (the suspects) knew what
they were doing.,”
'The area where the plants
were growing is about 10 feet
wide, and the length of the plot
varies. Most of the plants were
about 6 feet tall. One of the
stalks was about 2 inches in
diameter near the base, he
said.
Shaffer said some of the
crops had been harvested.
However, he estimated that the
30 plants he seized had a value
of between $2,000 apd $3,000.
The harvest will eventually
be used to train narcotics dogs
in Hertford and Winfall, he
said.
Suspects, if caught, are like
ly to face multiple charges
related to manufacturing, and
stiffer charges if the case falls
under federal laws. The farm
ing took place on private prop
erty, and Shaffer said he still
has to talk with the landown
ers.
The Pasquotank Sheriff’s
Drug Task Force, including
deputies Max Robeson, Aaron
Wallio and Brent McKecuken,
assisted in the raid. The
Perquimans Sheriff’s office
was unavailable for assistance
at the time of the raid due to
court and other commitments.
Helicopter support was
sought from the U.S. Coast
Guard, but they were unable to
assist because of search and
rescue . priorities. However,
Shaffer said he is seeking heli
copter support from the U.S.
Army or National Guard.
“We haven’t seen anything
like this (in Winfall) before,’-’
he said, but we want to scan the
area for any other crops grow
ing.”
Farm
tour set
for Oct.
Tour will show
importance of
agriculture
to county
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
“Well, life on the farm is
kinda’ laid back...” John
Denver sang it.
Many in Perquimans
County wonder what he was
talking about. Rising with the
sun, working in the summer’s
heat and winter’s cold, worry
ing about the weather, and
risking everything year after
year to plant a crop is not a
slow-paced, worry-free
lifestyle.
And yet, for generations,
there are families in
Perquimans County that have
remained true to their agricul
tural roots.
Everybody can get a taste of
life on the farm on Oct. 7 and 8
when 10 farms and agricul
ture-related sites open to the
public for tours, demonstra
tions and information.
Tourists will get an up-close
look at horses, cattle, hogs,
chickens, cotton, peanuts,
grapes, hand-stuffed sausages
and; smoked meats, a cotton
gin, old-timey farm equipment
and a 4-H demonstration of
animals shown at a plantation.
Farming is still an impor
tant part of the economic and
social character of
Perquimans County.
“While many regions of
this country are experiencing
a decline in agriculture,
Perquimans County remains a
primarily agricultural coun
ty,” said Lewis Smith, exten
sion agent for. Perquimans
County. “This weekend will
give the general public an
opportunity to learn about the
farming community and expe
rience both the beauty and
hard work found on the farm.”
Stops on the tour will
include:
B&P Acres (Preston, Ed and
Nick Nixon): The Nixons
breed and train beautiful quar
ter horses and will offer
demonstrations.
Willow Creek Farm (Billy
and Joyce Elliott): Willow
Creek Farm is one of the
region’s top producers of
Simmenthal influence cattle.
Please see Tour, page 6
Three honored by Main Street Program
JEREMY DESPOSITO
The Daily Advance
Three locals were hon
ored with Main Street
Champion awards present
ed during a gala event cele
brating the North Carolina
Main Street Program’s 20th
anniversary last
Wednesdday.
Mayor Sid Eley, Harriette
Woodard and Chris Lane
received the honor.
The one-time award rec
ognizes persons who’ve
played key roles in down
town revitalization in Main
Street communities.
Hertford became A Main
Street community this
spring.
Hertford’s nominees were
chosen by a panel that
included Main Street
Program Manager Belinda
Washlesky, Town Manager
John Christensen and
LuAnne Pendergraft, devel
opment officer with the N.C.
Division of Tourism, Film
and Sports Development.
All three were chosen for
the countless hours they vol
unteered to make Hertford a
Main Street community,
Washlesky said.
Eley was chosen for his
'-■r ■ -7 ■ ■' •JCl”
Hertford Mayor Sid Eley and Perquimans County Restoration
Association President Chris Lane (above) were chosen, along
with Harriette Woodard,were chosen by a local panel to earn
Main Street Champion awards. The awards recognized the
trio's efforts in downtown revitalization.
leadership in town govern
ment— he served as a coun
cilman for eight years before
he was elected mayor last
year—and because of his
support for the Main Street
application, Washlesky said.
“Without him, a Hertford
Main Street program would
not have been possible,” she
said. “He is a strong sup
porter of Hertford’s econom
ic development and revital
ization.”
Woodard, who along with
her husband Charles has
owned Woodard’s Pharmacy
the past 30 years, was nomi
nated for her involvement in
a host of downtown events
and promotions, Washlesky
said. Besides volunteering
for the annual Indian
Summer Festival, 4th of
July celebration and
Christmas parade, Woodard
is a member of the Historic
Hertford Business
Association, Heritage
Tourism and Perquimans
County Chamber of
Commerce.
“She has been involved
with downtown most of her
life and wants it to remain a
vital community in which
her children can grow,”
Washlesky said.
Please see Main, page 6
Those who nail signs
to poles may get nailed
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Nailing a yard sale sign to a utility pole in
Hertford will bring more than buyers to your
home. It’ll also bring you some mail.
Posting signs on utility poles is against a town
ordinance. Those caught violating the ordinance
will get a letter letting them know they are break
ing the law. The town will use addresses and tele
phone numbers from the signs to identify cul
prits if there is no name on the sign.
Town resident Don Morris volunteered several
months ago to take down signs he passes on his
walks. Last Monday, he told the town council they
should let people know they’re violating a local
ordinance when they post signs.
Residents have complained at times about
signs being posted but not removed after an event
or election. Mayor Sid Eley has pointed to the
problems nails and other fastening devices can
cause repairmen.
In other business, the town:
• congratulated the Electric Department for
the Safety Award presented by Electricities in
recognition of no lost work time due to on-the-job
injuries in 1999.
• heard Councilman Jo Ann Morris recom
mend that condemnation be discussed at an
upcoming work session. Morris said council
should prioritize properties on its condemnation
list so town attorney Walter Edwards Jr. will be
able to proceed.
• told resident Joe Meads the town will inves
tigate his request that the town pay for repairs to
his business equipment resulting from a break in
ah electric connection.
Seatbelts save victims of accidents
SUSAN R. HARRIS
and
JEREMY DESPOSITO
No one was seriously injured
when a pick-up truck overturned on
U.S. 17 Bypass Thursday afternoon.
Hertford Police Chief Dale
Vanscoy said a 1994 Ford Ranger
pulled into the path of a 1992 Honda
at the intersection of U.S. 17 Bypass
and Harvey Point Road around 5:30
p.m. on Sept. 14. The Honda hit the
truck broadside, causing the truck to
tiirri upside down in the median.
According to eyewitnesses, the
truck, driven by Jamie Jernigan, 18,
of Hertford, stopped at a red light,
then proceeded through the intersec
tion. Vanscoy said Jernigan alleged
ly pulled into the path of the Honda,
driven by Wendy Smithson of
Shawboro.
A passenger in the truck, Ashleigh
Jernigan, was taken to Albemarle
Hospital as a precaution because she
hit her head in the accident. Vanscoy
said all those involved in the accident
escaped serious injury, probably due
to the seat belts all were wearing. In
fact, the Jernigan sisters were held
in the truck by the seat belts when
help arrived.
The truck was totalled and dam
ages to the car were estimated at
$3,000.
Vanscoy said Jernigan will be
charged with disregarding a traffic
signal.
Seatbelts prevented injuries in an
accident involing a tractor trailer
and four cars along Main Street in
Winfall Friday morning.
The accident occurred around 7:30
a.m. when the driver of a 1993
Pontiac traveling north near Church
Street crossed the double yellow line,
sideswiping the rear end of a tractor
trailer and then a 1989 Ford that was
close behind the tractor trailer.
Trooper Jim Bray said the driver
of the Pontiac was unclear about
what caused him to cross into oncom
ing traffic. The driver was traveling
slightly faster than the posted 35 mph
speed limits, but not fast enough to
consider it speeding, Bray said.
After sideswiping the second vehi
cle, both the Pontiac and Ford cam
eto a stop in a ditch along the south-
hound lane. Both cards were totaled,
Bray said. The tractor trailer had to
replace the rim adn tire on the left
rear axle.
The driver of the Pontiac, Ronald
Sutton, was ticketed for traveling left
of center.
An inexperienced driver rear-
ended a woman who slowed down at
the accident scene, according to
Winfall Police Chief David Shaffer.
Shaffer said the woman was taken to
Albemarle Hospital as a precaution
because of her heart condition, but
was uninjured. Wesley Adam
McLawhorn, 16, was ticketd for fol
lowing too close.
Hertford
Council
wants to
slow
traffic
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The pace of small-town life
may get slower.
Hertford Town Council is
considering lower speed limits
in two places on Church
Street. Several members of
council said speed limits on
the S-bridge and between
Newby’s Bridge and U.S. 17
Bypass should be lowered.
Mayor Sid Eley said with
increased development on
South Church Street, there is
more traffic on the road. When
the health department being
built on ARPDC Street is fin
ished, traffic will increase
again, he said.
Councilwoman Jo Ann
Morris added that another fac
tor justifying a decrease from
the 45 miles per hour speed
limit is the heavy pedestrian
treiffic along that stretch of the
street.
Because of its width, age,
Wcdkway on which people both
walk and fish, and hus traffic,
the speed limit on the S-bridge
should be very low.
Councilman Dan Daneker
said. Daneker said 20 miles per
hour is “plenty fast” to travel
the span.
Because Church Street is
also U.S. Highway 17 Business,
the town must request that the
state lower the speed limits.
Town Manager John
Christensen will set up a meet
ing with a DOT district engi
neer to discuss speed limits.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 86
Low: 63
Isolated TStorms
Friday
High: 82
Low: 61
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 82
Low: 63
Partly Cloudy