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110 W ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD, NC 27944-1306
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1/11/2005
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January 12, 2005
Vol. 73, No. 2 Hertford, North Carolitra 27944
Perquimans
Weekly
County to join nation in remembering King
ERIN RICKERT
Estelle Felton, 73,
remembers a time when
the color of her skin kept
her from entering through
the front door of Hertford
restaurants or drinking
from the same fountain as
those of fairer complexion
at the courthouse.
A time when black chil
dren had to walk to school
while their white peers
rode the bus and the entire
nation was divided in a bat
tle against race.
“People should not for
get the struggle we have
gone through,” Felton said.
“A lot has gone on. It was
kind of hard but we got
through it. It should make
you better not bitter.”
In the middle of this
struggle was a man who
would go down in history
as an instrumental part of
the civil rights movement.
Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. would lead thousands in
what many consider to be a
decade of some of the most
influential moments dur
ing the civil rights move
ment.
In the 50s King would
lead the black community
in a 382-day boycott of city
bus lines and speak during
the historic March on
Washington in 1963 where
he would deliver his
famous “I have a dream”
speech.
It is because of his influ
ence on the movement that
he is remembered each
year on the third Monday
in January
Monday, offices not only
in Perquimans County, but
also across the nation, wiU
close in his honor and
towns will hold celebra
tions in remembrance.
“His life has meant so
much to our nation,” Felton
said. “Not just black people.
He had a vision and he
opened the doors for some
of us to get through.”
Felton, a longtime resi
dent of Perquimans
County, had the honor of
meeting King in the early
60s as he passed by
Hertford on a trip to
Edenton.
“People were so excited
to know he was as close as
Edenton,” Felton said. “So
many came out to see him.”
Now, decades later,
Felton makes sure not to
miss the annual remem
brance celebration held in
the county each year.
Monday, she and others
will take part in a several of
Estelle Felton
the events put on in King’s
honor.
Starting at 7 a.m. com
munity leaders will meet at
Captain Bob’s in Hertford
for a speech by County
Commissioner Shirley
Wiggins and breakfast
sponsored by Perquimans
County 20/20, Perquimans
County Communities In
Schools and the
Perquimans County
branch of the NAACP.
At 9:30 a.m. the Student
Life Department at
Elizabeth City State
University will put on a
commemorative march in
honor of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.
The march wiU begin on
the ECSU campus at G.R.
Little Library and end at
City HaU where a ceremo
ny officiated by Keith
Richardson, Pasquotank
High School instructor and
adviser for Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, wiU take
place.
Later, at 3:30 p.m., resi
dents are welcome to gath
er in Hertford’s Missing
Mill Park to participate in a
motorcade escorted by the
Perquimans County
Sheriff’s Office.
The motorcade will trav
el through both Hertford
and Winfall before arriving
at Galatia Missionary
Baptist Church in New
Hope where a religious ser
vice will follow at 4 p.m.
“Normally we have in
the neighborhood of 100
people [at the service],”
said Fred Yates, Winfall
mayor and event organizer.
While the ceremony has
taken place for years, Yates
said he hopes this year’s
turnout wUl be the highest
yet.
“People should go [to the
ceremony] to be apprecia
tive to a man that gave his
life to try to make it a better
place for all people,” Felton
said. “We need to honor his
memory because we have
so much to he thankful for.
We should pack the place
[church].”
Historic Winfall
ERIN RICKERT
Farming is a lifestyle
Chowan County native Jeff
Copeland has known since
early childhood.
As a youth, Copeland
helped his family on their
farm before leaving to
study the business at North
Carolina State University.
Copeland
work with. It’s nice to be
recognized, but there are a
lot of other agents that
deserve it.”
While Copeland does
have to put some time in
behind his desk, he said
getting out to the farms is
what he enjoys most.
There he takes his
knowledge to the farmers
and helps
the county to serve as agent
in Chowan and Gates coun
ties also.
It is this dedication that
recently earned Copeland
the 2004 Distinguished
Service Award.
The award, given yearly
to five North Carolina agri
cultural agents, was pre
sented to Copeland not only
for his service, but also for
addressing the educational
needs of area farmers.
“Awards aren’t my
thing,” Copeland said. “The
fact that I got one is really a
reflection of the people I
Jeff Copeland (holding plaque) recently earned the
2004 Distinguished Service Award for his service to
farmers and addressing their educational needs.
Copeland is an extension agent specializing in live
stock for Perquimans, Chowan and Gates counties.
Copeland earns
state service award
Even with a long line of
farmers as his background,
which include his grand
parents, parents and sib
lings, Copeland said he
would not have been able to
depend on farming for
money due to the amount of
acreage needed to do the
job justice.
“I am the first [in my
family] to not rely on farm
ing as niy main income,”
Copeland said.
Though Copeland is
unable to have his own
farm fulltime he does raise
a few hogs in his free time.
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PHOTO BY ERIN RICKERT
The town of Winfall recently installed a historic district sign across from the post
office on space made available by the Parksville Ruritans.The sign, purchased with
grant money, highlights the town history, the location of the historic district and
offers a glimpse into history with old pictures. The town of Hertford also has a sign
at RBC Centura Bank.
Restaurant owners sell local cafe
ERIN RICKERT
After spending nearly 10
years serving Hertford
three squares a day,
Frankie Eason, owner of
Frankie’s Hertford Cafe
and Jerry Peer, restaurant
manager, will say goodbye
to their patrons.
“It’s time to have a life,”
Eason said. “I’ve worked 80
hours a week for the last 14
years and its time to slow
down.”
Eason, who moved to
Hertford from Nags Head to
open Frankies Hertford
Cafe in November 1995, has
had the restaurant on the
market since January 2004.
It was not until recently
that two business partners,
Les Basch and Mark
Varney from Currituck,
made Eason’s dream of a
slower-paced lifestyle a
reality.
On Jan. 23 Eason and
Peer will enjoy their last
day at the restaurant before
moving into their new
home at Brice Ski Resort in
Winchester, Va.
Jerry Peer and Frankie Eason will soon bid farewell to
the restaurant they've called home for almost 10
years.
“I will miss the regular
faces,” Eason said.
“Without the regulars I
would not have made it.”
Basch declined comment
about the sale, but Eason
assures customers that
many of the things they
love about Frankie’s
Hertford Cafe will stay the
same.
Eason said the menu
Police
search
for leads
in string
of crimes
ERIN RICKERT
Officers with the
Hertford Police
Department are currently
investigating a string of
two attempted break ins
and two actual robberies at
the Perquimans County
Library that occurred in
the months of November
and December.
While no one has been
apprehended in either the
break ins or the robberies
of the West Academy Street
building, officers say the
crimes may be connected.
Hertford Police Chief
Dale Vanscoy said the
instances are similar
because they occurred at
relatively the same time
and each time the library
was broken into it was
trashed and money whs
taken.
Vanscoy Said based on
evidence found at the
scenes they also believe the
burglaries to be the work of
more than one individual.
Continued on page 10
PHOTO BY ERIN RICKERT
items should remain the
same, but there is talk of
additional dinner entrees.
He said while Frankie’s
currently runs on an abbre
viated schedule, hours
should go back to normal
after the sale, operating
6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-
Saturday and 7:30 a.m.-2
p.m. Sunday.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 77
Low: 53
Few Showers
Friday
High: 59
Low: 30
Rain
Saturday
High: 43
Low: 25
Partly Cloudy