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Sports
Page 6
Subscriber of the Week;
Quevon Stallings
OSHA
looks
into
HPD
issues
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
A complaint alleging
safety or health hazards
has been filed against the
town and its police depart
ment.
The town’s notice is dat
ed Sept. 8, notifying them
that a complaint was filed
through the Division of
Occupational Safety and
Health with the North Car
olina Department of Labor.
The complaint alleges that
police officers aren’t pro
vided adequate/appropri
ate safety gear such as bal
listic vests and riot control
gear. The complaint also
states that insufficient staff
is available to provide back
up support in the event of a
crisis, and that employees
are subjected to hostile/un
safe working environments
as a result of insufficient
staffing.
Town Manager John
Christensen said Diedrik
Lewis, a safety compliance
officer with OSHA, visited
the town last week for an
inspection of the police
department. Diedrik, he
said, looked at equipment
throughout the depart
ment.
Christensen said that
while the town has not re
ceived a final report, the of
ficer indicated to him that
the officer would not recom
mend any action be taken
against the town.
Diedrik, contacted by
email, responded, saying
that it is a continuing open
investigation and that he
could not comment on it.
The complaint stems
from a situation that oc
curred Aug. 31 when two
females were stabbed on
Stokes Drive during the ear
ly morning hours. A lone
town police officer was on
duty at the time, and when
he responded, he eventu
ally faced an angry mob
of about 80 persons, some
throwing rocks and bottles.
The officer called for
back up and one county
deputy responded as well as
two Chowan County depu
ties.
Police who responded
drew their weapons in an
effort to control the scene
so that emergency medical
personnel could respond
and help the injured, in
cluding a 14-year-old.
Due to high turnover, the
town police department is
down to four officers with
one of those out on sick
leave. The department also
does not have a chief.
The town manager is
handling administrative
matters for the department,
and the county sheriffs de
partment is answering calls
when Hertford has no one
on duty.
6 "“89076"
7143
Photo courtesy PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS
STUDENTS AT CENTRAL SCHOOL observe the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the date of the terrorist attacks against the
United States that killed people in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Most students at the school were not born
on that date, which brought so much horror to America.
Students encouraged to graduate
State urges
graduation as
success tool
SPREE is no longer just a
colorful candy to first grad
ers at Central School.
Each student received a
pack of SPREE to help them
remember the importance
of high school graduation.
SPREE is an acronym for
Students Pledge 2 Reach
Education Excellence.
“Graduate from high
school” was the message
delivered by Superinten
dent Dr. Dwayne Stallings,
school board members.
County Manager Bobby
Darden, Minister’s Council
Chairman Bishop Landon
B. Mason, WinfaU Mayor
Fred Yates and Herford
Photo courtesy PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS participated in Gradua
tion Awareness Week at Central School last week. Graduation
Awareness is a statewide initiative aimed at encouraging high
school graduation to first graders.
Mayor Sid Eley.
Sept. 7-13 was proclaimed
Graduation Awareness
Week in North Carolina by
Gov. Mike Easley. High
school graduation is a mini
mum requirement for suc
cessful adulthood today.
and yet, approximately one-
third of the North Carolina
students who enter high
school each fall will not
graduate within four years.
This creates an epidemic
that will have a lasting im
pact on the future of the
country. Research shows
that students who drop out
of school make a “million
doUar mistake” - the dif
ference in lifetime earnings
between the average high
school dropout and a bache
lor’s degree recipient.
Community leaders re-l
cently signed a resolution
pledging energies to en
sure successful academic
performance and schoo:
engagement for students
in Perquimans County
They delivered this mes
sage, targeting the class of
2020 - current first-grad
ers at Perquimans Central
School.
Shamrock’s Bingo opens on Ocean Highway
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Shamrock’s Bingo offers
an evening of entertain
ment with a chance of win
ning a cash jackpot.
Located in the new MCS
Shopping Center at 220G
Ocean Highway, the beach
bingo opened Aug. 6. A rib
bon cutting ceremony was
held Saturday by the Cham
ber of Commerce.
Owned by William and
Nancy Go, Shamrock’s
Bingo offers many different
ways to play Bingo as well
as the supplies needed to
enjoy the game including
markers, gluers and other
Bingo necessities. Free cof
fee is availahle to those who
enjoy playing the game,
along with snacks and so
das.
Nancy, who also man-
Perquimans Weekly photo by CATHY WILSON
THE PERQUIMANS CHAMBER OF Commerce held a ribbon cut
ting Saturday afternoon at Shamrock's Bingo, a new business
located at 220G Ocean Highway in the new MCS Shopping Cen
ter. Owned by Nancy and William Go, they are open nightly
except Thursday from 6 p.m. until midnight.
ages the facility, said beach
bingo differs from normal
bingo by allowing the play
ers to “come and go” any
time.
“You can play as many
cards as you like,” she add
ed.
No admission is charged,
and players pay by the num
ber of Bingo sheets played
So far, the largest jackpot
has been $150, she said.
' Smoking is allowec
while playing. “Smoke-eat
ers” have been installed to
help clear the air for those
who don’t smoke.
In a Bingo parlor, one
might think the name
Shamrock refers to the luck
of the Irish in playing the
game. But, Shamrock’s is
actually named after Go’s
American Eskimo Spitz
dog, a beloved pet who re
ceived many awards from
police in helping protect
his , neighborhood before
he died. His picture and at
tributes hang behind the
counter in his memory.
Shamrock’s Bingo is
open every night except
Thursday from 6 p.m. until
midnight. For more infor
mation, caU 482-7915.
Town
starts
chief
talks
Interviews set
for this week;
Christensen
responds to
officer claims
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Hertford Town Manager
John Christensen is ex
pected to begin conducting
interviews for a new police
chief this week.
Letters have been sent
to eight candidates for the
position. Interviews con
ducted by a committee were
slated to begin Sept. 15.
Both Christensen and
town council have been crit
icized recently for taking so
long to name an official po
lice chief following the res
ignation of former Chief
Dale Vanscoy who left in
March to join the Edenton
Police Department.
Former sergeant Brian
Riddick was named interim
police chief immediately af
ter Vanscoy left. After near
ly six months of serving as
interim chief, Riddick also
left. He joined the county
sheriff’s department amid
concerns of lack of support
from town management. He
also voiced concerns over
working extensive hours
without compensation.
The town’s police depart
ment is now down to four of
ficers. Their only sergeant
is out on sick leave, leaving
just three patrolmen to cov
er the town. Sheriff’s depu
ties are answering calls
when no police officer is on
duty.
In explaining why the
town had not named a chief
since March, Christensen
said Riddick was a strong
candidate for the job, but
lacked a complete advanced
certification, one of sev
eral requirements the town
needs in a chief. Because
Riddick didn’t meet aU of
the town’s requirements,
Christensen said Riddick’s
best opportunity to secure
the position was by work
ing and showing town offi
cials he could do the job.
CONTINUED on page 10
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