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November 14 2007
Vol. 75, No. 46 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
**News from Next Door**
Honoring those who sehve
Hundreds
attend
monument
dedication
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
He was bent over from
the years’ toll on his body,
but 96-year-old Jay Dil
lon saluted strongly and
proudly as his nation’s
anthem rang out over the
county courthouse green.
Having served in the
United States Navy, he is
believed to be the oldest liv
ing veteran in Perquimans
County. He and his wife,
Blanche, watched Monday
morning as officials un
veiled an attractive granite
monument erected on the
courthouse green honoring
him and all Perquimans
County veterans...past,
present and future.
The Veterans’ Day cere
mony and monument dedi
cation drew a large crowd
that watched veterans from
each branch of service
honored as Perquimans
County High School band
members played service
songs representing each
branch of the military.
Wayne Peedin, assis
tant director of the North
Carolina Division of Veter
ans Affairs, reminded the
crowd that they would not
be enjoying the freedom to
gather and commemorate
this special day if it had
not been for the service
and sacrifice of veterans.
He asked what Veterans’
Day means to the individ
ual, and reminded those
present that the special
day to remember those
who served their country
is not just a day off from
work or school, or a day to
shop for sales.
He told war stories of
those who fought and are
still fighting for freedom,
and stressed the impor
tance of preserving those
stories for generations to
come. He quoted former
President Calvin Coolidge
who said, “A nation who
forgets its defenders will
itself be forgotten.”
“Today we are at war...
Perquimans Weekly Photos by CATHY WILSON
A LARGE CROWD ATTENDED the Veterans Day ceremony and monument dedication Monday
morning on the courthouse green. The granite monument is the county's only monument to
honor all veterans, past, present, and future, and includes emblems of the six branches of ser
vice. Jay Dillon and Rufus Rouse (below) share a moment following the dedication of the vet
erans monument on the courthouse green. Dillon, 96, is believed to be the oldest living veteran
in Perquimans County.
but this is not a time to
protest, but rather to unite
in support of our troops,”
Peedin said. “You can’t
separate the troops from
its mission, or a war from
its warrior... May God
bless all veterans present
for having served.”
The county’s represen
tatives in the state legis
lature also attended the
service and showed their
support of local veterans.
Rep. Annie W. Mobley
spoke her sincere appre
ciation for what veterans
have done for the country,
and Sen. Ed Jones said citi
zens should list service to
country as second in order
of importance in life.
THEY SERVED IN DIFFERENT
branches of service during dif
ferent eras, but two veterans
proudly wore the hats noting
their service and saluted the
flag and other veterans during
the Veteran's Day program on
the courthouse lawn Monday
morning. Johnnie Holloweil
(left), retired staff sergeant
with the United States Air
Force, and Charles Sims (right)
, Sergeant First Class with the
United States Army, are both
proud to be keepers of free
dom for Americans.
“In Iraq, as in wars past,
there are service men and
women who are dying for
their country, for those
they do not know,” he
pointed out.
Fred Yates, Commander
of American Legion Post
362 in Winfall, said the
veterans moniunent was a
vision many years ago of
Jack Hoffler and Shirley
Wiggins, both veterans of
the United States Navy. He
thanked county and town
officials who supported
the monument project,
and recognized veterans
groups and many others
for their help.
Mack Nixon, chairman
of the Perquimans County
Board of Commissioners
and himself a Vietnam vet
eran, dedicated the attrac
tive monument, calling the
visual place of honor a fit
ting tribute to all who have
served.
Ken Rominger, com
mander of American Le
gion Post 126,,pointed to
the empty chair draped in
black and placed beside
the veterans’ monument
in recognition of the pris
oners of-war and missing
in action who stfil have a
place in local veterans’ ob
servances.
He also reminded the
public not to forget the fam
ilies of the veterans who
served, or the young men
and women who step forth
each day volunteering to
still serve their country.
The monument is the
county’s only monument
to honor all veterans, and
features two removable
bronze vases, one of each
side, with the middle stone
highlighted by emblems
of the six branches of ser
vice including 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 in
sure the freedom of many.
A grateful community re
members those who serve
in the armed forces of the
United States during times
of war and peace, whose
courage and personal sac
rifices defend and preserve
our freedom.”
A walkway leading to
the monument will feature
pavers purchased in mem
ory of and in honor of vet
erans.
Country Kettle has new owner
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 66
Low: 37
Thunder Showers
Football Friday
High: 56
Low: 35
Sunny
Saturday
High: 59
Low: 44
‘ Parly Cloudy
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
The Country Kettle Res
taurant has a new owner,
a new look, and new menu
items.
Recently purchased by
Donna Baccus, members of
the Perquimans Chamber
of Commerce welcomed
the recently remodeled es
tablishment into their fold
last week with an official
ribbon cutting.
The spacious restaurant,
which will seat 100, sports
new floors, a fresh coat of
paint, new decor, and re
furbished restrooms. Bac
cus says the dining room is
available for holiday par
ties, special dinners, meet
ings, even bridal showers.
Perquimans Weekly Photo by CATHY WILSON
PERQUIMANS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE members welcomed
the new owner of County Kettle by holding a ribbon cutting
last week. The restaurant sports new floors, new paint and de
cor, refurbished bathrooms, and new menu items.
“We’ll work to provide special
a wonderful meal for your said.
occasion.
she
Look for a daily special
in her varied menu which
includes such favorites as
roasted pork loin, baked
ham, fried founder, and
pork chops. Her specialty
is homemade desserts
ranging from apple pie to
brownie delights. A soup
and salad bar is also avail
able for eat in or take out.
Country Kettle is lo
cated at 102B Center HiU
Highway. The restaurant is
open Monday through Sat
urday, 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.
for breakfast, lunch and
early dinner.
Baccus says she plans to
extend dinner hours after
Thanksgiving.
For more information,
or for take out orders, call
426-5848.
WmfaU
elects
two new
board
members
From Staff Reports
Four incumbents and
two political newcomers
were elected to municipal
seats during last week’s
town elections.
In Hertford, Sid Eley
was re-elected mayor with
127 votes. Three write in
votes were cast for Charles
T. Skinner Jr. and one
write in vote was cast for
each of the following: Mu
riel Harmon, Norman Al
len Thorne, Claudia Bunch
and Horace Reid.
For town commission
ers, Anne F. White was
re-elected with 120 votes
while Carlton A. Daven
port Jr. won his seat back
with 96 votes.
Four write in votes were
cast for Maurice Bunch,
three for Diane Stallings,
and one each for Mary Al
ice Brinn, Ralph Autry, and
Julian Winslow.
In Winfall, Fred Yates
was returned as mayor
with 95 votes cast. Wajme
Hurdle, Cliff Towe, Dur-
wood Barber and Lessie
White each received two
write in votes whUe one
write in vote was cast for
Evelyn Mason.
Elected as new Winfall
commissioners were Eddie
F. Fields Jr. with 56 votes,
and Cynthia Stallings with
52 write in votes. Cliff
Towe received 31 write in
votes, Lloyd Ray Morgan
received 13 write in votes,
Lewis Smith received two,
and Wajme Hurdle, Ed
Madre, and WiUiam Ray
Miller each received one.
Bullying
serious
problem
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Nobody deserves to
be bullied, especially in
schools.
The Perquimans County
Schools held a staff devel
opment session last week
focusing on bully preven
tion as well as intervention
strategies and programs.
Billy Lassiter, manager
of the Center for the Pre
vention of School Violence
for the state’s Department
of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention,
said his department wants
every school to be bully
free. He said people used to
accept simple bullying in
years past, but the school
shooting at Columbine
changed all that. Iri April
1999, two Colorado high
school seniors entered Col
umbine High School and
shot 12 students and one
teacher before turning the
weapons on themselves.
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