The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County and its people
Seniors have busy spring
Rage?
Volunteers honored
Rage 6
Summer concerts return
Rage 3
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HERTFORD
June 7, 2001
Vol. 69, No. 23 Hertford North Carolina 27944
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Weekly
County will
hold line
on tax rate
New budget
position
already filled
^ SUSAN R. HARRIS
The county will hold its
tax rate steady, and hope
that the state wUl not hold
the county’s reimburse
ments hostage because of
North Carolina’s budget
shortfall.
County Manager Paul
Gregory gave that message
to the commissioners
Monday in his annual
budget message.
“Our leadership must
continue to move forward
with itjs plans for
Perquimans County, which
includes a strong financial
plan, even now in the wak
of the state legislature’s
dilemma,” Gregory said.
"Our great state is very for
tunate to have intelligent,
financially capable legisla
tors who will work hard to
return North Carolina to
its proper financial status.
1, along with each you, sin
cerely hope that Governor
Easley does not work
toward this end by reduc
ing and/or reverting any
part of the reimburs-
esables belonging to
Perquimans County to the
state: We must have these
revenues to balance our FY
2001-2001 county budget.”
The biggest hit to the
county’s budget is expected
to come in rising Medicaid
costs. Gregory estimates
that the county will pay
$661,531 in Medicaid
expenses next year. This
year, Medicaid is expected
to reach $528,806, exceeding
its $425,000 budget by
almost 24 percent.
Continued on page 10
Regatta
The Perquimans River was criss-crossed with
color Sunday afternoon as the North Carolina
Moth Boat Championships were held here. The
event was hosted by Perquimans Heritage, Inc.
and boasted some 17 boats.
Survivor’s lap
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Cancer survivors
from across Chowan
and Perquimans
counties prepare to
take the survivor's
lap (above) at last
weekend's Chowan-
Perquimans Relay
for Life, a fund rais
er for the American
Cancer Society.
Receipts to date
from the event total
$105,715. During
the opening cere
mony, Parker
Robertson played
with his grandmoth
er, Sherry Harrell of
Hertford, a cancer
survivor and Relay
volunteer, and
grandfather. Tommy
Harrell (right).
PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS
PCHS to graduate 91 Friday night
Friday night is the
one all high school stu
dents eagerly await:
It’s graduation night
at Perquimans High.
Ninety-one sen
iors are expected to
walk across
Memorial Field to the
refrain of “Pomp and
Circumstance” at 8 p.m.
Class valedictori
an Don Morring will
present the address
to the seniors. Erica
Sinkovic, valedictorian,
will give the farewell
address. Morring is the son
Don Morring
of Don
Morring.
daughter
Kim Jones
Erica Sinkovic
and Dorothy
Sinkovic is the
of Walter and
Morring will continue
his education at
Elizabeth City State
University where he
plans to major in
both pre-medicine
and economics. FaU
wUl find Sinkovic at
NC State University.
FeUow honor gradu
ates Ben Godfrey, Julane
Chappell, Shellie
Hurdle and Ashley
Copeland will also
take part in the program.
In the event of rain,
graduation will be held
Saturday at 10 a.m.
Flower business grows in new shop
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Mary Sheldon’s blooms
outgrew her Winfall shop,
so the entrepreneur estab
lished new roots in
Hertford.
Mary’s Olde Towne
Floral & Gift Shoppe
opened its doors at 115 West
Market Street in late
March. Since then, Sheldon
said her business is grow
ing.
“The new location just
made more sense,” Sheldon
said. “We had outgrown the
other building, we needed
more space and we needed
to generate more foot traf
fic. It’s working, too.”
Growth has been a hall
mark of Mary’s since her
opening in April 1994. She
started out offering crafts
and flowers, but said flow
ers are now the bulk of her
business.
“The flowers have really
increased,” she said. “We
do everything, weddings,
funerals, birthdays, any
occasion. We also do birth
day balloons and potted
plants.”
For special orders or
unusual flowers, Sheldon
recommends ordering at
least three days in advance.
Delivery within a 5-mile
radius is free. For same-day
delivery, orders should be
placed as soon as the florist
opens.
Sheldon still keeps her
original crafts in stock. She
said she carries gift items
starting at $2.50.
“We try to keep things
that kids can come in and
buy for their parents,” she
said.
Sheldon is a self-taught
floral designer and crafter.
At first, she arranged most
of the flowers at her shop.
Now, she .said, veteran
arranger Ann Winslow
does about half of the
orders. During especially
busy periods, Darlene
Nowell and Sheldon’s
daughter Sonia Davenport
lend a hand.
Mary’s is open Monay-
Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and
on Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The phone number is 426-
7617.
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Employees, well-wishers and town, county and busi
ness leaders welcomed Mary's Olde Towne Floral &
Gift Shoppe to Hertford last month during a ribbon
cutting sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
Mary's relocated to 115 West Market Street.
hdps
students
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Twice a month, about a
dozen adults from 10 local
agencies gather at 7:30 a.m.
to make a difference in the
lives of county children
whose absences from
school raise concern.
Called the Judicial
Attendance Council, the
group brings the skills, tal
ents and services of a mul
titude of agencies to one
place. Although the coun
cil members are all profes
sionals, they volunteer
their time for the early-
morning meetings. None
are compensated by their
employing agencies for the
time they spend with the
council.
The council was formed
two years ago. The middle
school was attempting to
deal with attendance
issues and District Court
Judge J.C. Cole contacted
Commimities in Schools to
help coordinate the effort.
CIS contacted service
providers in the county
and formed a group dedi
cated to helping students
and families deal with
issues that keep students
out of school.
Continued on page 10
Family loses
belongings
in house fire
SEAN JACKSON
The Daily Advance
A Woodville family lost
most of its possessions
during a Friday morning
fire that originated in the
home’s living room.
Michael Cartwright,
assistant fire chief with
the Inter-County Volunteer
Fire Department, said the
fire was reported at 10:24
a.m. Friday. The home, at
125 Beechwood St., is
owned by William P.
Pritchard Jr.
Cartwright said a lit
candle fell off a table in the
living room, rolled near a
curtain and set the curtain
ablaze.
“The fire was contained
to the living-room area,”
Continued on page 10
W m MwiPIkiMp ilK III#
Weather
li Wf mmiinik ii H P ilMfi i m
Thursday
High: 80
Low: 61
ScAHERED Showers
Friday
High: 78
Low: 63
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 80
Low: 62
Sunny