Get ready for hurricanes
Cathy's Corner, Page 6
County constructs camping platforms
Page 4
School
Page 7
Subscriber of the Week:
Norma Butt
■i'ii
A
-AV.
June 18, 2008
Vol. 76, No, 25 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
*^News from Next Door”
Officials did
not follow law;
taxes to rise,
not fall
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
While Winfall’s tax rate
dropped from 45 cents to 41
cents, real estate taxpayers
in town will probably see
their tax bills increase sub
stantially due to the county
wide property revaluation.
At first glance, the bud
get approved by members
of Winfall Town Council
June 9 appears to reflect a
reduction in taxes for town
citizens. However, a closer
look reveals that the town
did not include a revenue-
neutral tax rate in their
proposed budget for com
parison purposes as is re
quired by state law.
Town of Winfall
Public hearing on
Revenue-Neutral
Tax Rate
Winfall Town Hall
June 27 6:30 p.m.
On Tuesday morning,
town officials worked to de
termine a revenue-neutral
rate of 29 cents, giving tax
payers an effective 12-cents
tax increase.
Winfall will hold a public
hearing June 27 at 6:30 p.m.
in the town haU for the pur
pose of making that reve
nue-neutral tax rate public.
According to North Caro
lina law G.S. 159-11 (e), local
governments must include
a statement of the revenue-
neutral property tax rate
in the budget for compari
son purposes each year in
which a general reappraisal
of real estate is conducted.
The revenue-neutral prop
erty tax rate is the tax rate
that is esti
CONTINUED on page 2
HVtaAIHBl
Thursday
High: 84 Low: 66
Isolated T'storms
Friday
High: 85 Low: 67
Scattered T'storms
Saturday
High: 87 Low: 69
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For The Perquimans Weekly BY PHIL HARRIS
THERE WERE LOTS OF smiles as the Perquimans County High School Class of 2008 left Memorial Field Saturday morning.
See more photos at dailyadvance.com.
102 graduate from Perquimans
SUSAN HARRIS
“Pomp and Circumstance. ” Tears
and cheers. Introspection and cel
ebration.
All were a part of the day as 102
young adults stepped out onto the
next stages of their lives when Prin
cipal James Bunch declared them
graduates of Perquimans County
High School Saturday morning on
Memorial Field.
Valedictorian Tamara Greg
ory and salutatorian Michael
Ross addressed those gathered.
“High school has undoubtedly
been our most involved growing ex
perience thus far,” Ross said to his
classmates. “Throughout the years
we’ve met friends, joined clubs,
played sports, aU good memories
that we can hold closely to us for the
rest of our lives.
“Additionally, high school should
be remembered for its not-so-good
moments because those mistakes
or uncomfortable situations have
only made us wiser.”
Ross, the son of Michael and The
resa Ross, will attend Elizabeth City
State University where he will pur
sue a degree in pharmacy. He attend
ed Governor’s School last summer
and has served as both a House and
Governor’s page.
Gregory encouraged her class
mates to use what they’ve learned
in aU aspects of life to make a posi
tive mark on the world.
“Many of us, including our
parentws, are wondering how our
lives are going to turn out, and
question what the future holds,”
Gregory said. “We will all take dif-
A A
# a’
♦To
For The Perquimans Weekly BY PHIL HARRIS
TAMARA GREGORY HEADS BACK for her seat after receiving her diploma, as
Michael Ross shakes the hand of Principal James Bunch and Candice Nixon is
congratulated by Board member Walter Leigh.
ferent paths.:. The important fact to
remember is that no matter where
our paths take us, we must continue
to give it our aU. This is no time to
stop giving that 110 percent! We are
in charge of our destination. It will
be our names on the line, we wiU be
the ones held responsible for our ac
tions. Continue giving it your best,
and never give up and never settle
for less ... We must leave our mark
on the world in a positive way; this
is our chance to let the world know
that we are the generation born to
make a difference.
“High school is not the end, it is
only the beginning. Let’s take all
the knowledge that we learned and
put it to good use and make our edu
cation work for us.”
Gregory said that the class as in
dividuals must be prepared to work
hard to succeed in life.
“We will be competing against
other graduates just as skilled and
qualified as we are; therefore we
must learn to be more marketable
so that we will stand out in the
crowd.”
The valedictorian is the daugh
ter of Romona Ferebee and wiU
attend UNC-Chapel HiU. Her goal
is to become a pediatrician. She
has participated in three medical
career programs. Ventures into
Health Careers at ECU (two weeks).
Rural Health Scholars Internship
at Chowan Hospital (six weeks) and
Youth Legislator’s School for Lead
ership Development at ECU (six
weeks). In addition, she is a mem
ber of several clubs.
35 cents
YOUtll’ 18 2eoa
summer
activities
planned
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
A community effort is
underway to offer summer
activities for children in
Perquimans County.
Communities in Schools
is coordinating the program
which is slated to ^et under
way July 7 and run for five
weeks until Aug. 7 — pro
vided that county commis
sioners agree to come up
with $6,000 to fund it.
Over 100 contacts were
made to get the community
involved in the program
that will offer children ages
7—18 activities Monday—
Thursday from 11 a.m. — 3
p.m.
“It’s unbelievable how
the community has come to
gether to puU this program
together,” said Chirleen Ev
ans, executive director of
CIS.
Parents can bring their
children to Missing Mill
Park, WinfaU Landing Park,
and Snug Harbor Com
munity Church to enjoy a
USDA—approved lunch at
11:30 a.m. daily.
Children under 12 wiU
stay at the sites and enjoy
supervised activities from
noon untU 2:30 p.m.
ChUdren wUl enjoy
crafts, presentations, pro
grams, and activities at the
three lunch sites.
Each site wUl have a site
manager, a site worker, and
volunteers to help the chU-
dren.
Workers and volunteers
wUl receive training and
background checks prior to
opening day. Parents bring
ing chUdren to the sites
must sign chUdren in and
out.
Youth 12 and older wUl
have the opportunity to
ride the Inter County Pub
lic Transportation Author
ity bus to the county recre
ation department at noon
to take part in recreational
activities there. The ICPTA
bus wUl return to the rec
reation department at 3 to
pick up the chUdren and re
turn them to their original
lunch site.
ICPTA buses wUl also
be available to transport
chUdren from Wynne Fork
Court and Holiday Island
Community Center at noon
each day to take them to
CONTINUED on page 2
Positive Futures offers assistance to community
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Positive Future, LLC
offers new beginnings to
those suffering fropi men
tal and substance abuse dis
orders.
Located in the Apple Tree
MaU in WinfaU since Sep
tember, the community sup
port agency hosted a rib
bon-cutting ceremony last
week by the Perquimans
Chamber of Commerce.
“Our goals are to
strengthen famUies and
empower communities,”
said Crystal Lee, owner.
“We provide assistance and
support to the community’s
most vulnerable and at risk,
both adults and chUdren.
We strive to accomplish
Perquimans Weekly photo by CATHY WILSON
THE PERQUIMANS CHAMBER OF Commerce held a ribbon cut
ting at Positive Future, LLC located in the Apple Tree Mall in
Winfall.
our mission through care-
fuUy constructed programs
designed to assist consum
ers to better realize their
potential and live out their
dreams.”
The business offers com
munity support services,
mental health support for
both adults and children.
and a 24-hour crisis re
sponse line. On-site and off
site contractual staff serve
clients.
The business helps indi
viduals by placing a chUd,
adolescent, or adult with a
trained and qualified com
munity support parapro-
fessional to work with that
individual on specific goals
within the community or in
the home.
Some clients come in
asking for help while others
are referred by Albemarle
Mental Health, the court
system, or schools, Lee
said. WhUe fees are based
on ability to pay, payment
for services offered is often
funded through Medicaid,
she added.
Support is offered
through individual men
toring, management pro
grams, skill development
programs, summer chal
lenge for young people, ac
tivity centers, social skills,
school ' behavior, anger
management, building rela
tionships, coping skills, job
skfils, self-esteem, and spe
cialized services.
In addition to offering
support. Positive Future,
LLC also offers a food and
clothing drive, taxi service
to office appointments, and
financial assistance for
bills and rent.
Positive Future LLC is
open Monday—Friday, 8
a.m. — 5 p.m. and can be
reached at 426-7537. Week
end and evening appoint
ments can be scheduled.