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P The
ERQUIMANS
Weekly
"News front Next Door"
2 u 2^U9
May 20 - May 26, 2009
Mediation does not resolve Hertford-Mnfall sewer dispute
By Cathy Wilson
Staff" Writer
Despite mediation by the
funding agency, Hertford and
Winfall still disagree over
payment for wastewater treat
ment.
WhUe. Hertford officials
termed last month’s media
tion by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture Rural Devel
opment as “fruitful,” they
have not signed off on the
mediated settlement amount.
saying they want more infor
mation from WinfaU before
they sign on the dotted line.
WinfaU officipls abided by
the result of the mediation,
and sent Hertford a check last
week for $9,972.74, saying the
settlement is finalized.
Hertford, however, says
they can’t accept WinfaU’s
check if it represents a final
settlement. WhUe the amount
of the check represents cost
agreed upon during media
tion, there are stUl issues to
be resolved before the matter
is settled, said Hertford Town
Manager John Christensen.
Brian NoU, with Rural De
velopment, met with Chris
tensen and a delegation from
WinfaU that included Mayor
Fred Yates, engineer BiU Die
hl, and town accountant Terry
ChappeU on AprU 22 to medi
ate an on-going dispute over
payment for WinfaU’s waste-
water treatment by Hertford
dating to March 2008. FoUow-
ing broad discussions by both
towns, a settlement amount
was supposedly reached, with
that amount not being legaUy
binding untU agreed upon by
both town councUs.
“After considerable nego
tiation by both towns. Rural
Development understands
that the final negotiated price
agreed to by both parties was
for WinfaU to pay Hertford a
total of $9,872.74,” wrote NoU
to Doug Causey, Rural Devel
opment area director. “This
cost would resolve aU out-
A different perspective
p'
“Vve travelled more miles
than Forest Gump...
The Lord leads me. He
guides me with His eye.
— Curan Wright, on his trip across
country to bring awareness to home
lessness, HIV/Aids, medical marijuana
99
i l
PHOTO BT CWm^NllSON
BMX biker Curan Wright is riding his bicycle backwards across America and pedaled through Perquimans County Friday afternoon. He is on
a mission to heighten Aids Awareness, advocating the homeless, and to bring attention to legalization of medical marijuana.
Traveling backwards in hopes of going forward
By Cathy Wilson
Staff" Writer
You can’t teU if he’s com
ing or going.
Curan Wright is riding
his BMX bicycle backwards
across America. He rode
through Perquimans County
Friday afternoon on his way
to crossing each state in the
nation. WhUe he’s moving
forward in one direction,
both he and his bike are fac
ing in the opposite direction.
“I’ve traveUed more mUes
than Forest Gump,” said
Wright, 38.
Wright, from Venice, Calif.,
is riding to bring awareness
to homelessness, HIV/Aids,
and legalization of medi
cal marijuana. He says he
is homeless and was using
drugs before beginning his
backwards adventure cross
ing America’s roads on Au
gust 17,2007.
He has crisscrossed Ameri
ca in six different directions,
hitting 41 different states
along the way He plans to
ride backwards through
each of the nation’s 50 states
and says he holds the world
record for riding a bike back
wards.
He sleeps on the side of the
road, or grabs a hotel room
along the way. He usuaUy
rides about 70 mUes a day.
“Nothing is easy about
what I’m doing,” said the
man who wears a cross neck
lace, a Jesus tee-shirt, and
quotes scriptures as he freely
voices his political opinions
on national politics. He was
a boimty himter, he said, be
fore he began his ride across
America.
Why ride backwards?
“Our nation’s senate and
congress are taking this
country backwards,” he an
swers.
He said he has not had any
safety problems to arise rid
ing backwards, and notes
that it’s legal as long as the
bicycle is going the same di
rection as traffic.
“Thank God I can see
what’s coming (behind me)
so I can get out of the way,”
he added.
Facing backwards for
the most part, he does turn
around to see where he’s
heading.
“The Lord leads me,” he
said. “He guides me with His
eye.”
To foUow Wright on his
journey, log onto bikingback-
wards.us.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 79 Low: 63
Partly Cloudy
Friday
High: 82 Low: 65
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 82 Low: 66
Isolated
T-Storms
Memorial Day observance planned
HliMHIl UHII
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
Memorial Day wUl be ob
served Monday with a pro
gram on the courthouse green
at the Veterans Monument be
ginning at 11 a.m.
Sponsored by Hertford
American Legion Post 126, the
program wUl feature a new
initiative this year.
The names of aU Perqui
mans County veterans who
have died from Jan. 1, 2008
through Memorial Day 2009
wUl be read.
In the future, names of vet
erans who have died during
the year from the previous Me
morial Day wfil be recognized
as part of the annual obser
vance.
Guest speaker this year wfil
IF YOU GO
• What: MEMORIAL DAY
SERVICE
• When: MONDAY, MAY
25,11 A.M.
• Where: VETERAN’S
MONUMENT
• Speaker: LEGIONNAIRE
JAMES ERVIN
be Legionnaire James Ervin,
a candidate for commander of
the state American Legion.
Ervin is currently member
ship chairman for the state
group and a former Division 1
commander.
He is a member of American
legion Post 110 in Nashvfile.
The program wfil also in
clude a moving POW/MLA
standing issues brought up
at the meeting and allow both
parties to move forward with
an agreeable relationship.”
Winfall sent Hertford a
check for that amount May
12 with a letter from Yates
saying the check finalizes the
settlement of the wastewater
treatment dispute between
the two towns.
However, Hertford Mayor
Sid Eley sent WinfaU a let
ter May 6 agreeing that Win
faU owes Hertford a total of
$9,872.94 for wastewater treat
ment in December 2008, Janu
ary 2009, and for engineering
services and sales tax previ
ously credited to WinfaU er
roneously
But, Eley also wrote that
the mediation left one signifi
cant issue outstanding.
The dispute centers on past
wastewater treatment charg
es biUed by Hertford that
WinfaU contends are skewed
because of temporary meters
See SEWER on Page 2
Banks sprints to gold
Sophomore breaks
state record held by
former Lady Pirate
By Susan Harris
Editor
Leroya Banks was nervous
heading into the state 1-A 200
meter championship race.
“I was confident. I was just
nervous because the two girls
I ran against were state cham
pions,” she said.
But as the minutes ticked
closer. Banks said her deter
mination swelled.
“I (knew I) could do it, I was
ready,” she said.
The gun went off and Banks
began strong.
“I saw one of them (com
petitors) and I tried to run as
hard as I could. I ran harder,
then I didn’t see either one of
them. I thought ‘They can’t
catch me now!”’ Banks smUes
as she remembers how it felt
to win her first state champi
onship.
Not only did Banks lead the
pack, she broke the state 1-A
record with a time of 24.86,
a record set by former Per
quimans track star Shaqwita
Copeland.
Banks was the regional
champion in both the 100 and
200, and brought home the sil
ver in the 100.
“That girl just leaned across
the line before I could,” Banks
shook her head with a grunt,
remembering the 100 race.
“We were so close, they knew
she won by the tape (camera)
at the end of the track.”
The Lady Pirates sopho
more was almost as upset
about not winning the 100
as she was elated about win
ning the 200. You see. Banks
doesn’t like to lose. After aU,
she’s been the fastest girl she
knows since she began racing
in Head Start.
“I’ve been running since I
could walk,” Banks grinned.
“I was field day champion ev
ery year and I was undefeated
since seventh grade (in track)
untfi state last year.”
She continues to be the
fastest. She topped the 100
and 200 dashes aU the way to
state last year, where she fin-
Leroya Banks - the new state 1-A
200-meter race champion.
ished second in the 100. She
only lost one race this year,
and that at 3-A South Central
High School in Pitt County
where the Perquimans track
coaches took their teams to
help them see tough competi
tion and prepare them for late
season. She won’t even think
about that race now, consider
ing it practice, not a loss. Los
ing is just not her style.
In addition to being sure
points for the Lady Pirates
in the 100 and 200, Banks also
anchors the relay teams.
In her future, she sees a
better work ethic, more wins,
running track in college,
and maybe even a shot at the
Olympics.
“I’m lazy and I’ve just got
raw talent,” Banks laughs,
adding that she’s going to try
to develop a better training
routine to see just how good
she can be. “I want gold, rings,
pictures (on the PCHS Wall of
Fame): I want it all!”
Banks has already realized
that she wfil be the first Per
quimans sophomore to have
her picture on the Wall of
Champions, and that makes
her proud.
Her coach, Carolyn Rogers,
however, seems to think that
Banks works harder than she
gives herself credit for.
“She had something to
prove from last year (when
she didn’t place at state) and
she proved it in a big, big
way,” Rogers said. “She’s got
natural ability and she works
See RECORD on Page 8
remembrance
service as weU
as a salute to
the various mil
itary services
i and Merchant
, Marines with
FRVIN
tKVin members of the
Hertford Boy Scout Troop 150.
The post’s own honor guard
wfil take part in the ceremony
as well.
American Legion members
who attend the program are
encouraged to wear their Le
gion hats.
Retired veterans may wear,
their service uniform to the
observance, organizers say
“They may also just wear
their awards and decorations
on their civilian dress,” point
ed out Ken Rominger.
Pig on the Green
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PERQUIMANS WEEKLY PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
Jim Bielski, member of Historic Hertford, Inc., mops the
smoked pork Friday afternoon during the annual Pig-out on
the Green. While many folks grabbed take out plates, others
enjoyed a nice spring evening eating barbecue on the court
house green.