Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Nov. 7, 2007, edition 1 / Page 1
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Rotary refurbs fountain Page 2 Rogers is Shining Star Page 3 Sports/Schooi Page 8 Subscriber of the Week: Dean Lane i>^I PERQLMRMNS COUNTY UBRAR now ACADEMY ST Ijhif n ^ HERTFORD, HC 27944-1306 NOV Q f P-r »■ November 7,2007 Vol, 75, No. 45 Hertford, North Carolina 27944 News from Next Door** 35 cents Central student diagnosed with MRSA CATHY WILSON Staff Writer A student at Perquimans Central School has been di agnosed with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a staph infection that is spreading across the nation. Superintendent Dwayne K. StaUings sent a letter home to parents last Thurs day notifying them that the student is under a doctor’s care and has been released by a physician to return to school. The school’s nurse will monitor the student’s progress while at school. Central houses pre-K through second grade. Last week, the same school reported a probable case of viral meningitis. That child was hospitalized for observation, but is now back in school under a doc tor’s care and supervision. The school system began sanitizing and disinfecting the schools three weeks ago in an aggressive effort to stave off any outbreaks of viruses including MRSA. In addition to cleaning the schools, maintenance staff is also spraying the schools with Anolyte, a salt-based solution that is stronger than bleach to both sani tize and disinfect surfaces. Stallings said those clean ing practices will continue. Staph is a common bacte ria that is found on the skin of about 1/3 of the popu lation, but can turn into MRSA skin infections when the bacteria invades a cut or open wound on the skin. It begins as a red bump that looks like a pimple or a spi der bite, and may become hard, painful, or Med with pus. While the MRSA in fection is resistant to most antibiotics used to treat staph, MRSA does respond to several high-powered an tibiotics and can be treated successfully. Stallings also told par ents that the North Caro lina Department of Public Instruction allows a stu dent with MRSA to attend school regularly as long as the wound is covered, and the student is receiving proper treatment and has been released by the doctor to attend classes. Stallings also reminded parents that the best way to prevent transmitting vi ruses is using good person al hygiene such as wash ing hands, washing cuts or breaks in the skin and ap plying a bandage. Avoiding contact with other people’s wounds or bandages is an other way to help stop the spread of MRSA as well as avoiding sharing personal items such as towels. MRSA has been found in schools across the nation and state, as weU as locally in Currituck, Pasquotank and Gates counties. It has also been found in Eliza beth City State University^ In other states, deaths from MRSA have occurred. center reopens CATHY WILSON Staff Writer The media center that was damaged during a fire at Perquimans County High School two weeks ago reopened to students on Monday. Brenda Lassiter, public information officer for the school system, said vol unteers from other school districts and from the com munity helped school per sonnel move back into the repaired facility Thursday with final touches to the center completed on Friday. “The center has been re paired to a state which is safe and conducive to learn ing for our students, with limited spending because the final phase of the ongo ing construction project is to remodel the existing me dia center for office admin istration,’’ Lassiter stated. “Consequently, this was kept in mind as the media center was repaired. One such example is that ceiling tUes were not replaced. Al though, aesthetically, this is not very pleasing, there is no safety issue or con cern.’’ Total repair cost to the center is estimated at $125,000. Fire broke out early in the morning of Oct. 21 on the roof of the high school building that houses the me dia center, computer labs, a distance-learning class room, and administrative offices. A Hertford police of ficer on routine patrol first spotted the fire and sounded the alarm. School person nel and volunteer firefight ers responded quickly and kept the blaze from spread ing. Fire damage was con tained to the roof area, but the interior of the building sustained smoke and water damage. The section of the roof that caught fire was under going renovation. A roof ing crew had worked on the roof the day before the fire. Hertford Police Chief Dale Vanscoy said investi gators have determined the fire to be accidental, not ing that the roofers used a torch to heat tar, and the tar remained hot enough to ig nite insulation. The school’s media cen ter is equipped with 35 multi-media computers and laser printers as well as magazines, newspaper, books, reference materials, instructional materials and audiovisual equipment. .J. f r X #-1 DOWNTOWN TRICK OR TREATING - Merchants jf’O • in downtown Hertford X gave out goodies to the trick or treaters dressed - in a variety of costumes on Halloween after noon. T; Veterans monument to be dedicated CATHY WILSON Staff Writer The county’s new veter ans monument will be dedi cated on Monday at 10:49 a.m. on the Perquimans County courthouse lawn. Guest speaker will be Wayne Peedin, assistant director of the North Car olina Department of Vet erans Affairs. The public, especially veterans and their families, is invited to attend. Also taking part in the ceremony are members of the local Boy Scouts, the Perquimans County High School band, local politi cians and the commanders of American Legion Posts 362 and 126. The granite monument is the county’s only monu ment to honor all veterans, past, present and future. It features two removable bronze vases, one on each side, with the middle stone highlighted by emblems of the six branches of service including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Ma rines. The stone also features an emblem of the Ameri can flag along with the fol lowing inscription: “The willingness to sacrifice is the prelude to freedom. The sacrifices of few ensure the freedom of many. A grate ful community remembers those who serve in the armed forces of the United States during times of war and peace, whose courage and personal sacrifices de fend and preserve our free dom.” The monument is located to the far right side of the county courthouse. The vet erans monument committee originally sought to place the monument in front of the courthouse to the right of the sidewalk, but several people complained that do ing so would detract from the historic courthouse and interfere with the court house green that is used for public events. Most sug gested placing the monu ment in the park located adjacent to the county li brary, and designating that park as a veterans’ park. Others suggested moving the monument honoring Dr. John Harris, which sat on the courthouse green, to his gravesite in Cedar Wood Cemetery. County commis sioners agreed the veterans monument should be locat ed on the courthouse green, and replaced the Harris monument with the monu ment honoring veterans. A brick border will sur- seeks grant Funds would facilitate infrastructure for proposed subdivision CATHY WILSON Staff Writer The town of WinfaU is applying for a $250,000 grant to lielp pay for infra structure needed for the de velopment of the proposed WinfaU Landing housing project planned on property near WinfaU Landing Park. Members of WinfaU town councU are holding pub lic hearings outlining the grant application process necessary to obtain a North Carolina SmaU Community Development Block grant under the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Community As sistance. The 80-unit housing proj ect, featuring both houses and town homes, has been in the planning stages for four or five years. Mayor Fred Yates said. Phase I of the project, designed for low to moderate-income fami lies, wUl include 14 units that wUl seU in the $125,000 range, he said. One public hearing was held Oct. 29. A second pub lic hearing wiU be held Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. Deadline for the grant application is Dec. 15. The developer for the housing project is John Harris Jr. with REAL De velopment, Inc. round the monument and a walkway featuring bricks with inscribed names of veterans wUl be buUt lead ing from the monument in several directions. Bricks are being sold at $50 each and wiU hold three lines of inscription including such information as the veter an’s name, rank, branch of service, or dates of service. Only 550 bricks wUl be sold, with another 100 reserved for future veterans. Applications for bricks can be picked up at the Perquimans County Li brary, the Perquimans County Senior Citizens Center, or at the Veterans Service Office located at 104 Dobbs Street (Mondays only). To buy a brick, just fill out the information and mail with a check for $50 for each brick and mail to the county manager’s office. Weekend Weather Thursday High: 58 Low: 40 Mostly Sunny Football Friday High: 62 Low: 42 Few Showers Saturday High: 61 Low: 43 Mostly Sunny
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Nov. 7, 2007, edition 1
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