i V, »i "■ i. Vi •-
A look at mothers
Rage 2
Lady Tigers are champs
F^ge 7
Ann Butt gives 50 years to church
Rage 14
The
May 9, 2007
Vol. 75, No. 19 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Perquimans
Weekiy
MAY 0 9 2007
Ibwn
b^ins
sewer
project
SUSAN HARRIS
After almost 10 years
of planning and prepara
tion, the town of Hertford
began the upgrade of its
wastewater system last
month, according to
Town Manager John
Christensen.
The $10.2 million proj
ect will be completed
with a combination of
grants and loans through
the state General
Revolving Loan Account,
the state Clean Water
Bond Fund, Rural
Development,
Community Development
Block Grant, the Rural
Center and the Town of
Winfall. Christensen said
the town will borrow $5.3
million with the balance
of the funds coming from
grants. The state
announced last week that
the town will be able to
borrow $3 million from
its General Revolving
Loan Account.
Christensen said the
upgrades will include
increasing the capacity of
the wastewater treatment
plant from 400,000 gallons
per day to 700,000 gallons
per day At present, the
system treats about
350,000 gallons per day,
Christensen said, . but
during rainy periods,
that amoimt rises to over
400,000 gallons, stressing
the plant.
The town has received
permits that will allow
treated wastewater from
the new plant to dis
charge directly into the
Perquimans River.
However, the town will
construct a spray field on
its property on Grubb
Street Extended, and will
apply as much waste-
water as possible to that
area. Trees will be plant
ed on the property as part
of the project.
Christensen said the
construction is expected
to take about 16 months
to complete.
Because the upgrade
has been in progress, the
town has already extend
ed its wastewater treat
ment pipes into the com
merce centre and is serv
ing customers located
there, Christensen said.
Pipes have been laid
down all commerce cen
tre roads.
The town has a mora
torium on subdivisions
set to expire in October.
Christensen said it is
likely that the town coun
cil will allow the expira
tion with the increased
capacity the new plant
will bring. He said there
are people “waiting in the
wings” to submit subdivi
sion plans for approval
once the moratorium
expires or is lifted.
Christensen said the
project will accommodate
expected growth and
service to Winfall.
Pfayei
PHOTO COURTESY PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Perquimans High School's Inspirational Voices sing during the National
Day of Prayer observance on the courthouse lawn last Thursday (above).
About 100 people gathered for the annual prayer service, sponsored by
Communities In Schools and The Ministers' Council for Education in
Perquimans County. Clergy and lay persons James Spaugh, Larry Frank,
Mattie Paylin, Henry Felton, David Beck and Willie Vaughn offered
prayers for federal, state and local leaders; educators, communities of
faith and families and children. Communities in Schools' Nancy Barrow
welcomed all who attended, while Estelle Felton (right) ended the serv
ice in music with the song which has become her trademark, "One Day
at a Time."
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Crack
bust
SUSAN HARRIS
A Hertford man faces drug
charges after allegedly being caught
with crack cocaine in his pocket.
Brandon Skinner, 20, was arrested
by Hertford Police last Tuesday,
charged with possession of crack
cocaine, trespassing and resisting
arrest.
According to Hertford Police
Chief Dale Vanscoy, Skinner had
previously been banned from Wynn
Fork Courts, but was caught there by
the Perquimans Sheriff’s
Department. A deputy attempted to
apprehend Skinner, but Skinner
allegedly ran from the property and
could not be located.
On May 1, Hertford Officer Jeff
Thomas was on patrol at Wynn Fork
when he spotted Skinner there.
Skinner again ran from an officer,
but this time, fled inside apartment
116. He later came out and Thomas
took him into custody, Vanscoy said.
It was discovered at that time that
Skinner had 8.2 grams of crack
cocaine and $300 in cash in his pock
ets. He was charged with possession
and a $7,000 bond was set. Upon
appearing in district court, his bond
was increased to $57,000 secured by
the Honorable J.C. Cole, Vanscoy
said.
Hp was also charged by the olu.
iff’s department with violation of
condition of release.
PCHS student wins $15,000 car
Edenton Motors
teams with
Perquimans,
Chowan school
systems to offer
drop-out preven-
tion program
SUSAN HARRIS
When Daniel Eaves looks back
on his high school days, there’s no
dotibt that May 4, 2007 will stand
out in his mind.
Eaves was one of 156 high school
juniors and seniors from
Perquimans and John A. Holmes
who qualified for and entered a
drawing for a new Chevrolet Aveo
donated by Edenton Motors. Last
Friday, those students were bused
from their respective schools to
Edenton Motors for the drawing.
There'was an undercurrent of
excitement as the winning ticket
was drawn. Eaves had won the car.
“I really didn’t believe it at
first,” said the Perquimans senior.
“I was just standing there. I didn’t
think I was going to win.
“I think it’s great. I really appre
ciate it. I’ve never won anything
like this before.”
Eaves said he looks forward to
driving his new $15,000 car to class
es at Elizabeth City State
University next year, where he will
pursue a degree in business.
The car give-away was the brain
child of Nancy Barrow of
Perquimans County Communities
in Schools. Barrow had heard
about a similar program in anoth
er area designed to give students
an incentive to perform academi
cally and therefore, stay in school
until graduation.
Barrow said when CIS board
PHOTO COURTESY PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Daniel Eaves could hardly believe his luck when his name was
announced as the winner of a new Chevrolet donated by Edenton
Motors as part of a drop-out prevention program in Perquimans and
Chowan schools. He was congratulated by Edenton Motors' Stuart
Deacon (center) and PCHS Principal James Bunch.
member and schools public infor
mation officer Brenda Lassiter
heard about the program, she
began to explore opportunities for
a local incentive.
Enter Stewart Deacon of
Edenton Motors. Deacon agreed to
provide a brand new vehicle for a
drop-out prevention program to
serve both Perquimans and
Chowan counties. And Barrow
said he has been a driving force
behind getting students excited
about the program.
“I think what he’s done speaks
volumes about his commitment to
our kids,” Barrow said. “He is as
excited as anybody (about the pro
gram.)”
Barrow said Deacon was there
when entries were collected at the
schools, shaking each students’
hand who qualified to enter by
earning As and Bs on their report
cards. Some students earned as
many as 16 chances, others only
one, depending on their grades.
Eaves had 11 tickets in the draw
ing.
“Every kid knew from Stuart
Deacon himself that they had a
chance to win that car,” Barrow
said. “He really went above and
beyond.”
In addition to Deacon’s generos
ity, Farm Bureau of Chowan
County is providing $1,500 towards
insurance and RBC Centura Bank
branches in Hertford and Edenton
did fund raisers to provide the
funds to pay for taxes and tags.
Barrow said she is presently in the
process of getting gas donated,
also.
Eaves will drive the vehicle
away from the PCHS Awards Night
on May 16, Barrow said.
Not only did Deacon give a car
this year, Barrow said he has made
a commitment to do it again.
Another thing at the drawing
that impressed Barrow was how
genuinely happy the 155 students
who didn’t win the car were for
Eaves.
“They were excited for him, all
155 of them,” Barrow said. “They
cheered and clapped. That spoke
well for them and for their school
systems.”
Barrow thinks now that the first
car has been given, the reality fac
tor will hit home with students and
there will be more participation
next year. This year, only 156 out of
over 500 juniors and seniors in the
two systems chose to participate.
“In life you’re not going to win
everything, but if you’re not in it,
you’re for sure not going to win it,”
Barrow said.
Eaves agreed that he’d encour
age next year’s juniors and seniors
to take the program seriously and
earn the right to enter, then do it.
“Even if you think you’re not
going to win it, just try because
you could luck up like I did,” he’d
tell others.
Eaves is the son of Howard and
Karen Eaves.
Weather
Thursday
High: 77, Low: 63
Partly Qoudy
Friday
High: 79, Low: 64
Isolated Tstorms
Saturday
High: 78, Low: 61
Scahered T'storms