Periauger fundraiser
F^e3
New column: Waterworks
Rage 10
Sports updates
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The
PfROT^tivt
October 2, 2002
Vo!. 71, No, 41 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Weekly
HeaUh
Striking out ALS
vendors
changes
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Before you sell tickets for
your next benefit dinner,
make sure you comply with
the state’s new health regu
lations.
Food vendors previously
exempt from state regula
tion may now need to be
inspected or register with
public health officials,
according to Albemarle
Regional Health Services.
Basically, the law still
allows nonprofits such as
churches, school clubs,
civic clubs, and fire and res
cue departments, as well as
political groups to sell food
as long as they operate no
more than two consecutive
days per month. The
change comes in that these
groups must now provide
their tax exempt number to
the health department in
advance of food sales.
Some previously unregu
lated food vendors at events
such as fairs, carnivals, and
festivals may have to be reg
ulated under the law.
Vendors will have to obtain
temporary permits which
have specific requirements
pertaining to equipment
and food preparation meth
ods. Churches, civic clubs,
and other non-profit orga
nizations such as fire
departments and other ser
vice organizations will stiU
be allowed to prepare food
for one- or two-day events
without being subject to
regulation.
Environmental Health
Specialist Donna Gilbert
said individuals may no
longer go out selling food,
and that a group raising
money on behalf of a non
profit must make sure the
nonprofit allows the use of
its tax exempt number. For
example, Gilbert said, a
Relay for Life team sponsor
ing a dinner would have to
use the American Cancer
Society tax ID number or
the number of another par
ticipating group such as a
civic club in order to com
ply with the law.
If a group has no tax
exemption number, the
group must check with the
health department to find
out what must be done in
order to be issues a tempo
rary food service permit.
The temporary permit does
require hand washing sta
tion and potable water on
site.
Health officials say the
legislature tightened the
law to decrease outbreaks
of food-related illness.
According to recent data
from the Communicable
Disease Section of the
North Carolina Division of
Continued on page 8
sy ■
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Members of the Hunter family took on a softball team from WTKR Channel 3 on
Saturday during the annual Jim "Catfish" Hunter ALS Softball Tournament. The
game brought hoots of laughter from players and those in the stands. Three gen
erations of Hunters took the field to help fight ALS. Even Jimmy's brothers, Marvin
and Pete, got in on the action, while his widow, Helen, and sister, Lillie, took turns
at bat. Hunter's great-nephew, Travis Riddick (right) handled pitching duties for
family. Final numbers for the fund raiser are not in yet, but organizers expect that
several thousand dollars will go to the Hunter ALS Foundation from proceeds of
the three-day tournament. On Sept. 21, the Foundation sponsored a Walk to D'Feet
ALS in Hertford, raising over $25,000 for research and patient support. The Jim
"Catfish" Hunter ALS Foundation is an independent organization operated by a
board of directors. The Foundation donates funds to research organizations and
directly for patient support. The Foundation works cooperatively with the ALS
Association Carolinas Chapter, which has just been renamed the ALS Association
Jim "Catfish" Hunter Chapter. Speaking on behalf of the family and Foundation,
Helen Hunter thanked everyone for their support in fighting ALS.
/
County
loses
power
SUSAN R. HARRIS
For about an hour last
Wednesday, much of
Perquimans County was
without power.
Parker Newbern,
Maintenance Director for
the town of Hertford,
looked into the problem
immediately.
“We got out to the substa
tion and we knew it wasn’t
ours,” Newbern said, refer
ring to another substation
serviced by N.C. Power.
At around 3:11 p.m., the
power outage began, affect
ing “most of Perquimans
County” according to
Wanda Trescott, N.C.
Power’s Switching
Superintendent for the
Elizabeth City area.
“A switch failed at the
WinfaU substation, causing
a transformer lockout,”
Trescott said. “The service
people are local that we use
and power was back on at
16:02 (4:02 p.m.)”
The substation is located
near Bagley Swamp.
Seniors need flu, pneumonia shots
Senior citizens should
carefully consider having
both a flu and pneumonia
shot, health officials with
Albemarle Regional Health
Services say.
Nationally, 20,000 deaths
and 110,000 hospitaliza
tions occur each year
because of flu and pneumo
nia.
“Adults 65 years of age
or older are at the greatest
risk of contracting pneu
mococcal (pneumonia) dis
ease,” Jerry Parks, director
of Albemarle Regional
Health Services said.
“Senior adults can get their
pneumonia shot at the
same time they receive a flu
shot. Pneumonia vaccina
tion is recommended for
people 65 years or older
who have never had the
shot. It’s also recommended
for younger patients with
chronic illnesses such as
diabetes or heart disease.”
Those not sure of how
long it’s been since they got
a pneumonia shot should
check with their doctor.
Pneumococcal pneumo
nia, caused from the bacter
ial form of pneumococcal
disease, often begins with
high fever, cough, and stab
bing chest pains. Other
symptoms include shaking
chUls, shortness of breath,
and cough. A more serious
complication of pneumo
nia, meningitis, has symp
toms of high fever,
headache and stiff neck.
Medicare Part B pays for
pneumonia shots
Influenza, commonly
known as the flu, is a high
ly contagious viral infec
tion found in the nose,
throat and lungs, and char
acterized by fever, chills,
muscle and joint pain and
extreme fatigue. Influenza
can lead to pneumonia.
Individuals who are 50
or older are encouraged to
received one flu shot each
year, typically between
November and January, to
prevent influenza. One
dose of pneumococcal vac
cine shovdd provide a last
ing immunity tp pneumo
coccal disease for individu
als age 65 or older.
Family members and
caregivers of adults 65 or
older should also receive
the influenza vaccine.
Individuals at any age with
chronic conditions should
be vcaccinated against the
flu and pneumonia to
reduce the risk of deadly
complications.
Flu and pneumonia vac
cinations wfll be adminis
tered at the health depart
ment from 8 a.m.—5 p.m.,
Mondays—Fridays and on
Thursdays, 5—7 p.m. at the
health department. For
more information, call the
Perquimans County Health
Department at 426-2100.
Private physicians also
offer flu and pneumonia
shots, and also file appro
priate insurance and
Medicare forms. Call your
primary care physician for
information.
McGee chosen Perquimans Teacher of the Year
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Mae McGee has been
teaching aU her life. As
soon as she started first
grade, she came home from
school and taught her
younger sister. She even
left “homework” on a black
board at home for her to
complete before her next
“classroom” session.
Teaching stfll comes nat
urally to McGee. And she
was honored recently by
being named Teacher of
the Year for Perquimans
County Schools.
The fifth grade teacher
at Hertford Grammar
School believes that some
of her greatest contribu
tions in education involve
her work with at-risk stu
dents. Although working
with at-risk students can be
a challenge, McGee con
tends that building their
self-esteem, starting from
their level, praising suc
cesses and individual atten
tion can yield good results.
Because of the attention
she gives her at-risk stu
dents, she said they show
£
Mae McGee
Sandra Jordan
Bonnie Gregory
amazing growth on end of
grade tests.
McGee’s philosophy of
education is that aU chil-
Teresa Spruill
dren can learn. The educa
tional program should try
to meet individual needs
and help each student
develop to his or her full
potential.
Creating a positive envi
ronment conducive to
learning and trying to help
each child experience suc
cess from the beginning of
school contribute to
McGee’s philosophy of
teaching.
Helping children to
reach their potential and
making a difference in a
child’s life are two of th
erewards she finds in
teaching. It gives her plea
sure at the end of the year
to have seen children grasp
concepts and be rewarded
with good marks on end-of-
grade tests.
McGee’s Teacher of the
Year portfolio wfll be for
warded to the regional
committee for competition
at that level.
A Teacher of the Year
was chosen at each school.
Each school’s winner than
prepared a portfolio and
was interviewed by a panel
from the community and
school system to choose an
overall winner. Joining
McGee at the school level
were Bonnie Gregory,
Sandra Jordan and Teresa
Spruill.
Gregory is the preschool
developmental teacher at
Central School. Her job
remains a challenge, even
Continued on page 8
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 88
Low: 69
Partly Cloudy
Friday
High: 86
Low: 70
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 86
Low: 66
Isolated T'storms