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A graduation moment for the Spaugh
family, page 2.
Banks wins state titles, page 8.
''News front Next Door"
June 2, 2010 - June 8, 2010
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Group wants to save the S-Bridge
By CATHY WILSON
Staff" Writer
A movement is under
way to save the historic S-
bridge from being replaced
by the North Carolina De
partment of Transporta
tion (NCDOT).
Chris Lane and Harriet
Woodard are spearheading
a campaign called Save Our
Bridge-Save Our Towns.
The ladies are asking as
many people as possible
to sign a petition support
ing keeping the current S-
bridge with a swing span.
“We are passionate
about keeping our bridge
and about keeping Busi-
Bus
drivers
Weekend
Weather
Friday
High: 87 Low: 70
Scattered storms
Saturday
High: 88 Low: 71
Isolated T-storms
Sunday
High: 93 Low: 72
Partly Cloudy
mill
ness 17 where it is,” said
Lane. “The original High
way 17 is a National Scenic
Byway. It was once used as
the main artery running
from north to south, from
Main to Florida, with all
the little towns benefitting
along the way”
The NCDOT is consid
ering several options to
replace both the S-bridge
and adjacent Causeway
that connects Hertford and
Winfall because of main
tenance issues with both.
The bridge was built in
1929.
Back in A.pril, nine op
tions involving three dif
ferent bridge designs were
presented by a company
hired to study the project
and to determine viable
options.
The NCDOT wUl inves
tigate replacing the bridge
either in its existing loca
tion or on a new location
crossing the Perquimans
River. It has not yet been
determined if the existing
Causeway wDl be repaired
or rebuilt or if a new road
way wiU be constructed on
a new location.
The project is projected
to be funded for construc
tion in 2015.
The nine options include
See BRIDGE, 6
STAFF PHOTO BY
BRETT A. CWRK
The S-Bridge in
Hertford has a
swing-span that
allows taller
boat traffic in
and out of
the riverfront
near the town.
A group of
residents wants
to save the
bridge, which is
scheduled to be
replaced.
From staff reports
Two school bus drivers
charged in connection
with an after-school inci
dent involving two Hert
ford Grammar School stu
dents last March have been
found not guilty in Perqui
mans District Court.
According to court re
cords, District Judge Rob
ert Trivette found Jamel
Hurley not guilty on May
12 of two counts of assault
on a child under 12.
Judge Trivette also
found Faye Riddick not
guilty of misdemeanor
child abuse.
Criminal warrants,
taken out by the parents
of the two 11-year-old
children involved, alleged
that Riddick created and
allowed a substantial risk
of physical injury by call
ing Hurley onto a bus and
pointing out that a stu
dents said. they did not
like him.
The warrants alleged
that Hurley assaulted
one child by grabbing the
child by the arms, pick
ing her up, saying “Look,
here, 1 do not care if you
like me or not” and then
dropped her.
The warrants alleged
that Hurley also assaulted
a second child by grabbing
the child by the wrist and
pushing her back into the
bus seat.
At the time of the inci
dent, Perquimans County
Schools officials placed
Riddick on suspension
and said Hurley no lon
ger was employed by the
school system.
Remember the fallen
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
Charlie Skinner (left) with American Legion Post 126, helps Jay Dillon as he leads the Memorial Day crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance as Al Gessler (right)
looks on. Dillon, who is 99, is the oldest veteran in Perquimans County.
Small: Support the nation’s troops
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
I s the American public doing
enough to show support for
the nation’s military troops
on duty around the world?
That was the question posed
by retired Judge Herbert Small
Monday during the annual Me
morial Day ceremony held on
the historic courthouse square.
The 84-year-old former Naval
officer who served during World
War n told of the sacrifices
made during that war by civil
ians back home in a national
effort to support the troops
overseas. Campaigns to collect
scrap metal to help with the war
efforts were nationwide and
included school children who
saved pieces of tin foil in which
gum was wrapped, and women
collecting aluminum pans.
Citizens also sacrificed by
rationing during World War II
included tires, gas, shoes, meat,
butter, processed food, and
sugar. Citizens also held war
bond drives to help raise money
for the troops, he pointed out.
“Sacrifices were made back
then,” Small said. “Fm con
cerned about the amount of
sacrifices we make now to sup
port our troops. We need to do
something to ensure they know
we support them. They’re doing
their job, whether or not you
agree with the reason why they
are over there.”
He said this country, however,
is not failing in supporting its
troops.
“We’re just not doing as good
a job as we ought to be,” he said.
As he watched local Boy and
Cub Scouts (Hertford #150)
present the flags flown by the
See MEMORIAL, 6
Crowd helps open farmers market
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Over 330 people attended
the grand opening of the
Perquimans Farmers Mar
ket last Wednesday.
Denise Richards, market
director, was pleased at the
turn out, and hopes even
more vendors and visitors
will join in the fun.
“I feel we had a great
first day,” said Richards.
“The vendors were happy,
they were making money,
and the customers seemed
pleased with our early of
ferings.”
Vendor Marshall Bate
man, along with his mother
Ruby with Sunshine Nurs
ery, said he sold out of veg
etables, and had to restock
his green beans a couple of
times during last Wednes
day’s opening day.
“We were very pleased,
and very surprised,” added
Ruby. “Being as this was the
first one, we really didn’t
know what to expect.”
The Perquimans Cham
ber of Commerce held a
ribbon cutting officially
opening the market that
was held under bright red
tents at Missing Mill Park.
Vendors offered everything
from homemade sausage to
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
The new Perquimans Farmers Market opened last Wednesday in style with a ribboon cutting
held by the Perquimans Chamber of Commerce. Officials estimate about 330 people visited the
See MARKET, 6 market during the afternoon hours.