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P The
ERQUIMANS
Police investigate series of thefts A8
Pirates are second
in region A7
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"News from Next Door"
June 3, 2009 - June 9, 2009
Ml 0 3 2003
County budget has no tax increase
Manager proposes $1.6 million cut from this year’s figures
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
County commissioners
have proposed a budget for
the next fiscal year that
keeps the same tax and wa
ter rates as well as the same
solid waste fees.
Monday night, County
Manager Bobby Darden
presented a proposed $12.1
million general fund budget
based on an ad valorem tax
rate of 41 cents, down $1.6
million from last year’s fig
ures. While much of the de
crease is due to the slowing
economy, about $1 million
of the decrease is due to ob
ligations owed last year that
won’t reoccur in 2009-2010.
Commissioners managed to
craft a proposed budget de
spite revenues that have de
creased to the lowest levels
in 5-10 years.
“Many of the county’s
revenues are directly tied to
the economy,” said Darden.
“While a relatively stable
property tax collection an
chors the county’s revenues,
other sources such as sales
taxes, building inspection
fees, register of deed fees,
and land transfer taxes have
always represented a large
portion of the county’s bud
get, and are impacted the
most by a slow economy.
“Collectively, these fees
have represented about 25
percent of the county’s reve
nues in recent budgets; how
ever, they are projected to be
only 15 percent of the coun
ty’s revenues in the coming
. year,” he added. “With no sign
of any recovery in revenues,
this budget is based on a con
tinued suppression of eco
Darden
nomic-based
revenues for
the entire up
coming fiscal
year.”
New prop
erty tax rev
enues next
year are ex
pected to in
crease about
$100,000, down from the usual
growth of about'$400,000.
State sales tax revenue
here is expected to be about
1 percent less next year while
local sales taxes are budgeted
at about 30 percent lower than
the 2007-08 fiscal figures.
Since expected revenues
are less next year, proposed
expenditures either were cut
or wiU stay the same as last
year. Department and agency
See BUDGET on Page 9
REMEMBERING D-DAY
THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
Cart Morris, 89, of Holiday Island, waded asbore on the beaches of Normandy on June 6,1944 as part of the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry.
Saturday marks the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion during World War II.
Morris recalls tales of valor
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
His eyes don’t see very
well anymore, but hidden
deep inside lies a deep-seed
ed pride that causes those
eyes to sparkle when he
talks about his memories of
the invasion of Normandy
on D-Day, 65 years ago.
Carl Morris, 89, of Holi
day Island, waded ashore
on Utah Beach June 6, 1944
as part of the U.S. Army’s
4th Infantry At the age of
21, Morris boarded the USS
Bayfield in England for what
he thought would be just an
other practice run. Instead,
former General Dwight D.
Eisenhower gave the order
to ferry the troops to the
beaches of France that day,
sending Morris and his fel
low soldiers into battle on
foreign ground in World
Warn.
He wasn’t afraid when he
was sent to Europe, Morris
remembers.
“I told my mother I had
to go, not knowing whether
we’d have a war or not,” he
said. “If everything works
out. I’ll be back, I told her.”
Everything worked out
for Morris, who, as part of
the 8th Regiment, fought
his way through France and
Germany.
Over the past 60 years,
Morris has hand-writtem
his memories of the war.
He enjoys talking about
the war, especially with his
feUow World War II buddies
who he sees diming reunions
ever so often. But, hearing
how members of the young
er generation know little or
nothing about the war con
cerns him, he said.
“It hurts when people
don’t even know what D-Day
was,” he said.
He remembers D-Day
weU.
“The scheduled date was
June 5, but because of bad
weather and high seas,
the date was postponed 24
hours,” wrote Morris. “In
the meantime. General
Eisenhower made the an
nouncement to the U.S.
Navy to ferry the troops to
the beaches of France. The
ship’s sick bay became over
crowded with sailors...sick,
sick, sick.”
During the early morning
hours of June 6, Morris and
his troops boarded landing
See MORRIS on Page 9
Winslow, Baccus
top class of 2009
Graduation set for
June 11 at 7 p.m.
Jaclyn Faith Winslow and
Chase Dylan Baccus will lead
the class of 2009 during com
mencement exercises at Per
quimans County High School
on June 11.
Winslow recorded the
highest academic average in
the class of almost 100 mem
ber’s, earning the distinction
of being named class valedic
torian. Right behind her was
Baccus, who is serving as sa-
lutatorian.
Both top students plan to
go into the medical field. Win
slow will begin her quest to
become a doctor as a chemis
try major at Asbury College.
Baccus has chosen UNC-Cha-
pel Hill, where he wiU major
in biology, as the first step on
Winslow
Baccus
his journey
Winslow has been awarded
the George and Frances Lon
don Educational Scholarship.
The London Scholarship is a
$7,500 renewable scholarship
and the recipient must at
tend an accredited four year
college or university Recipi
ents may renew the schol
arship each year subject to
maintaining a 3.0 cumula
tive grade point average and
See GRADUATION on Page 8
Riverfest promises
fun in Hertford
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
Paddlers and non-paddlers
alike can join in the fun Sat
urday during Riverfest and
Pad^e the Perquimans Day at
Missing MiU Park.
Sponsored by the Historic
Her^ord, Inc., Perquimans
County Trailblazers, and the
Albemarle Paddlers, the event
not only encourages folks to
enjoy the river, but to wade
through the downtown busi
nesses as weU.
Kayak vendors, face paint
ing, and a rock climbing wall
wUl greet folks in the park
from 11 a.m.— 4 p.m. The
Coast Guard Auxiliary will
also feature “Coastie,” the re
mote controlled tugboat.
Kayakers paddling from
Belvidere are expected to ar
rive during the event. Other
kayakers wfil paddle around
the harbor. Kayaks wiU be
available for rent.
Wander to the courthouse
and listen to a variety of mu
sical entertainment. The New
Hope Christian Fellowship
Praise Group wfil perform
from 11 a.m.—12 p.m., followed
by the Tri-County Jazz Quar
tet from noon to 1 p.m. The
Albemarle Sounds wfil take
See RIVERFEST on Page 4
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 79 Low: 64
SCAHERED T'STORMS
Friday
High: 79 Low: 63
Scattered T'storms
Saturday
High: 82 Low: 66
Isolated T'storms
Winslow comes home to practice law
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
Opening his own law firm
in his hometown is a dream
come true for Jeff Winslow.
The Perquimans County
native has returned home
to practice law including
real estate, criminal, traf
fic and military justice not
only here but in surround
ing counties.
“It’s good to be home,”
said Winslow when wel
comed by the Perquimans
Chamber of Commerce
during a ribbon-cutting cer
emony last week.
A graduate of Campbell
University with both grad
uate and undergraduate
degrees, Winslow has prac
ticed law since 1993.
He is‘a former member
of the U.S. military special
forces and has served four
tours in Afghanistan. He
still serves his country as
a member of the U.S. Army
Reserves, 108 Training Com-
mand-IET, where he serves
as chief of legal assistance.
Winslow lives in Hertford
with his dau^ter, Jessica,
•21, and son, Zabhary, 16.
He is the son of Lawrence
and Kathryn Winslow of
Belvidere.
Winslow’s law firm is
located at 144 N. Church
Street in the building for
merly occupied by Simply
Southern.
For more information,
call 426-5726.
THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
The Perquimans Chamber of Commerce welcomed Hertford’s newest law office, Jeff Winslow-Attorney at Law,
with a ribbon cutting last week. Opening his own law firm in his hometown is a dream come true for Winslow,
a native of Perquimans County. He operates a generai law practice including real estate, criminal, traffic and
military justice.