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Two sign to play college baseball. Page 8
Three win school board seat. Page 4
MAY 2 5 2010
"Neirs front Next Door"
MAY 12, 2010 - MAY 18, 2010
Schools request $380K increase
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
The Perquimans Board
of Education has request
ed $2,859,311 in local funds
from county commission
ers to support the schools
during the 2010-2011 fiscal
year.
The budget request is
nearly $380,000 more than
Pig out,
shop and
walk this
weekend
Many ‘Pig Out’
events scheduled
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Get ready to chomp on
barbecue, kick up your
heels, shop till you drop,
walk to cure cancer, and
eat ice cream!
A host of activities this
weekend, ranging from
roasting pigs to dipping ice
cream sundaes, will keep
you busy
Historic Hertford, Inc.
starts the weekend off
right on Friday with their
annual Pig Out on the
Green featuring smoked
barbecue with aU the trim
mings. Lunch is available
from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m
and dinner can be enjoyed
from 5-7 p.m. You may re
lax and eat on the historic
courthouse green or take it
home with you. Plates are
$8 each.
Once full with dinner,
get some exercise by stick
ing around for the Denim
and Diamonds Street
dance from 7-10 p.m. on
Church Street which wUl
be closed to allow dancing
to the tunes of “Uphill, a
popular blues and mojo
band. Tickets are $10 each
and may be obtained at the
Chamber office.
Also Friday, the Chow
an/Perquimans Relay for
Life gets underway at 6
p.m. at the John A. Holmes
High School athletic com
plex in Edenton. Several
teams from Perquimans
County are participating,
and many local cancer
survivors will take part in
the meaningful survivor
lap that kicks off the over
night event. The Survivor
Reception begins at 6:30
See WEEKEND, 3
Weekend
Weather
Friday
High: 79 Low: 62
Cloudy
Saturday
High: 85 Low; 65
Scattered
Thunderstorms
Sunday
High: 83 Low: 64
Scattered
Thunderstorms
this year’s local funding,
or a 15.3 percent increase
from last year.
Budget requests total
$283,023 more next school
year for school expenses
and $95,384 more for capi
tal outlay projects.
The schools’ budget
wishes will be taken into
consideration by members
of the Perquimans Board
of Commissioners as they
continue to craft the next
fiscal year’s budget which
must be adopted by the end
of June and is effective
July 1.
I^oposed figures for
local school funding in
cludes $43,020 more in
regular instruction, $7,000
less in vocational pro
grams, nearly $9,000 less in
school principals budget,
and almost $2,500 less for
athletic programs. Local
funds for band programs
almost remain the same as
last year’s, instructional
staff support is increased
by a little over $1,000, and
transportation increased
by nearly $12,000.
Local monies going to
fund fiscal services is up
almost $22,000, human re
sources/personnel needs
almost $3,500 more than
last year, and the executive
administration budget is
up by almost $38,500.
The budget for board of
education members de
creased by $1,000.
Plant maintenance is up
over $33,000 while opera
tional costs are expected to
A calling
STAf? mOTOS ByISIiHY WILSON
Diane McHone, a member of the gospel singing group Called Out II, worships and sings with enthusiasm even though
doctors have told her that she has inoperable lung and bone cancer.
Called to sing even
in the vaiieys of iife
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
I f her doctor is cor
rect, Diane McHone
probably won’t be
celebrating any more
birthdays.
A month ago she went
to see her doctor for a
pulled muscle and asked
while she was there to
check a spot on her face
for skin cancer. Tests
results showed that the
Snug Harbor woman has
final stage lung and bone
cancer instead.
No radiation, no sur
gery, no chemotherapy
treatment was ordered.
The cancer has spread
too far. It wouldn’t do
any good, she was told.
Her doctor told her
she is facing “imminent
death.”
“Hey doc, can you
lighten up a little bit?”
she asked.
The redheaded, nail-
painted spirited lady,
who loves to sing and
praise her God, isn’t giv
ing up on life no matter
what the diagnosis may
be. A member of the gos
pel-singing group Called
Out II, she says God has
performed miracles in
her life before. She’s
praying for another, but
continues to laugh, sing,
and celebrate her faith
as long as she can.
“You know, God gave
me this ministry of sing
ing in Called Out II,” she
said. “I will continue to
sing as long
See MCHONE, 4
run nearly $145,000 more
than last year. Much of
that increase is due to an
ticipated higher electricity
costs.
Community relations
costs is up over $8,000 more
than last year’s figures.
Superintendent Dwayne
Stallings pointed out that
See FUNDS, 6
County
to fill
Wiggins
seat
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
County commissioners
are looking for an Afri
can-American to fill Shir
ley Wiggins’s seat on the
board.
Wiggins, an African-
American politician who
served on the board of
commissioners for 18 years
died April 18 following a
brief stay in a local hospi
tal. Commissioners have
60 days in which to appoint
someone to fill her xmex-
pired term on the board.
While the proces,s of se-
‘lecting her replacenlfeiYi
will be open to the public,
some commissioners made
their feelings known last
week just who should ap
ply to be considered for
appointment...and who
shouldn’t.
“I believe Shirley should
be replaced by a black,”
said Commissioner Ben
Hobbs who suggested com
missioners open the selec
tion process to the public
for input in addition to the
local Democratic Party, and
commissioners.
“I think we should ad
vertise and let the public
offer names of people who
are interested in serving
as commissioner,” Hobbs
added. “Legislation (voting
redistricting) requires that
we have minority represen
tation on the board. White
folks need not apply”
Chairman Mack
Nixon agreed, saying
commissioners are looking
See SEAT, 2
Locals pray for nation on special day
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Prayers were uplifted for
our nation, our communi
ty, and our families around
the county last week in ob
servance of National Day
of Prayer.
Believers gathered at
noon Thursday on the his
toric courthouse green and
listened to pastors pray for
a variety of local entities.
Later that evening,
prayers continued in Holi
day Island as two churches
there sponsored a special
evening of prayer offered
by 20 speakers at the local
homeowners’ association
clubhouse.
Adding a special touch of
patriotism to the ceremony
held downtown, members
of HoUy Weeks’ first grade
class at Perquimans Cen
tral School sang “You’re
a Grand Old Flag” while
waving American flags in
choreographed movement.
They ended their offerings
with “God Bless the USA”.
Bishop Larry Gordon,
Rev. Edwin Rutenkroger,
and Rev, Henry Pillow of
fered prayers for federal,
state, and local leaders
while Pastor Richard Wil
cox, Rev. Wfilie Vaughn,
and Mayor Fred Yates
lifted up prayers for educa
tors, communities of faith,
and the military
Pastor Greg Clark prayed
for families and children,
noting how it blesses the
heart to see the young
J
m
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY VI/ILSON
First-graders from Perquimans Central School opened the National Day of Prayer observance
See PRAYER, 2 with a spirited rendition of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” on the courthouse green.
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