Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Jan. 9, 2002, edition 1 / Page 1
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Albemarle Chorale presentation page 5 Parenting Power page 6 Senior News page 2 Tffi ' JiS/llFR liiL Ul January 9, 2002 Vol. 70 No. 2 Hertford, North Carolina 27944 Weekly Snow blankets Perquimans last week SUSAN R. HARRIS Snow blanketed Perquimans Wednesday night, dumping 3-4 inches of ice and snow across the county. The snow began falling around 9 p.m. Wednesday and quickly made driving tricky. It stopped early Thursday morning, only to begin falling again around 3 p.m. Instead of heading back to classes Thursday, stu dents in the county headed outside to build snowmen and have snowball fights. The two-day holiday exten sion was welcomed by the students; however, those days will have to be made up later in the year on dates that will be approved by the school board. The snow also caused business to close or open late and made driving treacherous. State Department of Transportation crews got J- ' out immediately after the snow began to fall, salting and sanding roadways. Most main roads were navigable by Friday; how ever, there were significant icy patches along both pri mary and secondary road ways. Rising temperatures made driving easier on Saturday, and Sunday’s warmer rain took care of most of the rest of the problem areas. Local law enforcement reported that for the most part, drivers recognized the poor driving conditions. Students thought they'd be back in school last Thursday and Friday, instead, they enjoyed activities such as building snowmen and snowball fights. Law officials reported no major prob lems as people drove around on icy roads. Hertford Police Chief Dale Vanscoy said his department got no calls during the storm. “We had no problems in town,” Vanscoy said. “We didn’t even have a wreck. For the most part people stayed home and the ones that did have to get out were real cautious.” Vanscoy added that DOT crews did a good job on the roads, especially on the bridges, which often cause problems in Hertford. Out in the county. Sheriff Eric Tilley said several cars slid in ditches, but his department received no calls for wrecks. Power outages which often accompany winter storms, especially when there is ice, were also not reported during last week’s storm. Elsewhere across the state, there were reports of up to 15 inches of snow par alyzing communities and causing power outages. County to seek bids on office renovations SUSAN R. HARRIS County commissioners approved plans Monday to ready county buildings for upcoming agency moves. The county hopes the moves are final ones for its agencies, resulting from lack of space, new build ings and a decision by Sprint to end its office space lease with the county. Space for county agen cies has been at a premium for several years. The reno vation of the former Blanchard’s Department Store Building gave the county an annex next door to the courthouse. That additional space helped tremendously, but there was still a need for more. After the annex was ren ovated, the Sheriff’s Department, Central Communications Department, Building Inspection Department and Magistrate’s Office moved into the downstairs offices. The upstairs was renovated with court facilities funds for much-needed extra court space. Still, the Health Department and Social Services were crowded. The county rented office space in Winfall for its social workers to alleviate some of the space problems at Social Services. The county also entered into a lease agreement with Sprint to renovate an area in its Hertford office on Grubb Street to house the county’s Communications Department, which was at that time housed with the Sheriff’s Department. Less than two years ago, Albemarle Mental Health, which occupied the coun ty’s building on the corner of Grubb and Edenton Road streets, built a new building on ARPDC Street. With Albemarle Mental Health gone, the county moved the social workers into that building, which meant the county no longer had to pay rent. Still, Social Services worked at a disad vantage because not all of its employees were housed at the same site. Last fall, the Perquimans County Health Department moved into its new head quarters on ARPDC Street. When plans were announced a couple of years ago to build a new health facility. County Manager Paul Gregory rec ommended that the health department building be renovated to house all of the Department of Social Services under one roof. Meanwhile, Sprint informed the county early last year that the Communications Department had until Dec. 31, 2001 to move from Sprint’s building on Grubb Street. Gregory was able to negotiate with Sprint to get that date changed to June 30. The additional six months gave time for the health department to be fin ished and its offices moved so that the social workers could relocate to that build ing. That move has taken place. Now, the county will get informal bids to renovate the building on Grubb and Edenton Roads streets so that Communications can move there. The county will also get bids on adding additional space at the former health department so that Social Services can move into that building. Gregory was authorized to get the cost estimates and bring them back to the county commissioners in February. Rhema Ministries hosts programs Prayer group puts faith in action SUSAN R. HARRIS When God spoke, Hattie Sharpe listened. The Hertford native moved back” home from New York in 1995, began a prayer ministry in her home in 1996, and has seen that ministry grow to include an after-school program for children and a health education program for adults. While living in New York in 1997, Sharpe expe rienced medical problems and was very discouraged. A friend introduced her to the Staten Island Chapter of Rhema Prayer Ministries. “It renewed my faith and I just became a war rior for the Lord,” Sharpe said of her involvement with the interdenomina tional women’s prayer group. Even after she moved back to North Carolina, Sharpe visited New York as often as two or three times a month to renew the strength and feel the com fort she received from the group. In May 1996, Sharpe began the local Rhema Ministry with 12 women praying in her home. From there, she felt a need to do something posi tive for the community. The idea of the after- school program to help those children not per forming up to grade level was born. It became the first outreach program in Rhema Ministries history. Sharpe and her fellow Rhema members worked with a lot of faith and very little money to find a build ing and get the program started. The group began to look for a site for the after school program. They had been to Pete Overman, the owner of the building that J r Retired teacher Vivian Trent serves as principal of the Rhema Ministries after-school program, a pro gram dedicated to helping children improve skills and learn that God is with them. for years housed White’s BBQ on Edenton Road Street. Someone else want ed to lease the building at the time, but Sharpe asked Overman to call her if the lease fell through. Sharpe said Overman called her back and said that he and his wife, Grace, wanted to renovate the building for the program. Overman told Sharpe that his mother was a teacher for over 30 years, a teacher with a special desire to see those children working under grade level to grow and learn. “I know it was God touching his heart because we had no money,” Sharpe said. Sharpe also said that a man from Colerain came and put a light in the after- school facility. He was given a check for the light. Soon, Sharpe said, the man returned. He had gone to the bank to cash the check, but felt led to give it back to the ministry Now, 21 children take part in the after-school tutoring program, which focuses on bringing chil dren up to grade level, and teaching them about God and the power of prayer. There is also a waiting list. Sharpe said parents are told upon registration that the program is a Christian outreach and that children are taught to pray and they discuss God in the pro gram. They are taught that God will help them, but that they must first put forth an effort in order for God to do his part. Last year, two students made the A-B honor roll for the first time thanks to their hard work and the dedication of the all-volun teer staff at Rhema. Others reported improved grades. Enrolled students are dropped off by school buses at the center each afternoon. Parents must provide transportation home. Rhema Ministries will begin a health education program for adults, which will cover medications, nutritions, exercise and information on chronic illnesses. It will begin on Jan. 16 from 10 a.m.—noon. Sharpe said she was delighted when local pharmacists Charles Woodard and his daugh ter Dabney Scaff volun teered to teach people about taking medications properly. “I’ll tell you, my heart was just overfilled,” she said. Extension Agent Juanita Bailey will teach nutrition, and Sharpe and a public health nurse will help with other issues. Sharpe said Rhema chapters in several places have been supportive of the local group’s efforts. They have an especially close relationship with the Fayetteville chapter. The two groups visit for prayer, and the Fayetteville group has bought T-shirts for the children enrolled in the after-school program. Rhema is a women’s prqyer group which wel comes all denominations, races and cultures. They gather to pray for positive changes in their communi ties. Sharpe said the group here in made up mostly of black members, while the Fayetteville group is pre dominantly white and the New York chapter is made up of many races. “We do not care about who you are as long as you love God,” Sharpe said. Anyone is welcome to join the prayer group and volunteer for its programs. Without more volunteers, Sharpe said those children on the waiting list cannot be served. The need for one-on-one tutoring requires many volunteers. For information, call Rhema Ministries at 426- 5346. Leave a message is there is no answer. Weekend Weather Thursday High: 61 Low: 39 Partly Cloudy Friday High: 53 Low: 33 Partly Cloudy Saturday High: 47 Low: 30 Partly Cloudy
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Jan. 9, 2002, edition 1
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