P The
ERQUIMANS
Weekly
School employees earn certification, 2
Pirates afhraiice;
Pfymoiitli toni^ 6
"News front Next Door"
FEBRUARY 23, 2011 - MARCH 1, 2011
NC’s budget puts more school funding on county
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Gov. Bev Perdue’s two-
year budget proposal for
the next two years could
put a serious crimp in
county coffers.
County Manager Bobby
Darden believes the sug
gested state budget, if ap
proved as is, shifts major
funding responsibilities
Frierson
sentenced
for drug
dealing
From staff reports
A Belvidere man was
recently sentenced to 168
months in prison for deal
ing drugs in Pasquotank
County.
George Frierson, 40,
was sentenced by United
States District Judge Ter
rence W. Boyle to prison
followed by five years su
pervised release.
Frierson pled guilty
back in July to conspiring
to distribute and possess
with intent to distribute
more than 50 grams of co
caine base (crack) and a
quantity of cocaine.
He was indicted by a
federal grand jury back in
2008.
According to a press
release issued by the U.S.
Attorney’s Office, in May
of 2007, during the course
of an investigation into
another case involving a
robbery, miscellaneous
materials indicative of il
legal drug trading were
discovered.
During the course of
the investigation, Frier
son was interviewed and
revealed that he distrib
uted cocaine for several
months.
According to informa
tion reserved in the course
of the investigation, it is
estimated that Frierson
distributed at least 1,800
grams of crack cobaine
and 200 grams of powder
cocaine.
Investigation of this
case was conducted by the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobac
co, Firearms and Explo
sives and the Pasquotank
County Sheriffs Office.
Assistant United States
Attorney Ethan Ontjes
represented the govern
ment.
Weekend
Weather
Friday
High; 68 Low; 40
Thunder Storms
Saturday
High; 51 Low; 44
Partly Cloudy
Sunday
High; 66 Low; 42
Mostly Cloudy
89076 A
7144
Darden
Perdue
for the local school sys
tem from the state to the
county. (
According to the North
Carolina Association of
County Commissioners
(NCACC), the proposed
budget would require the
county to pay for replace
ment school buses and
worker’s comp cost for
state-paid public school
employees. In addition, the
county would lose most of
the lottery money normal
ly earmarked for education
expenses and corporate in
come tax funds now used
for school capital projects.
Darden says the total
impact in dollars has not
been determined yet, but
notes preliminary esti
mates show the county
would have to absorb over
$400,000 in costs usually
paid for by the state.
“Counties expected a
proposed shift in public
education expenses to
counties,’’ said Darden,
“but this proposal will cost
Perquimans County hun
dreds of thousands of dol
lars next year. I expected
the lottery funds to be one
of the first targets, as those
funds are collected by the
state before distribution
anyway But counties hav
ing to provide worker’s
Here
comes
the
bride
STAFF PHOTO BY BREn A. CWRK
Miriam Cooper, 17, models a bridal gown for a fashion show organized by Louisa’s Bridal during the Wedding Gala at Hertford Bap
tist Church, Saturday. Six-year-olds Elizabeth Conway (top photo, l-r)) and Eby Scaff prepare to model dresses during the fashion
show. See more photos at our website at DallyAdvance.com
Wedding Gala is a success
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
I rides in romantic gowns.
iBeautifuUy decorated wed-
'ding cakes. Pretty little girls
swishing around in fancy dresses.
Saturday, Hertford Baptist
Church fellowship hall was trans
formed into wedding central with
their first annual Wedding Gala
that drew about 75 people.
Harriet Woodard, one of the
organizers, said the day-long event
was a success, supported by good
participation and donations from
local merchants.
Vendors showcased everything
from bed and breakfast accom
modations for wedding guests to
caterers offering samples of tasty
wedding cakes.
Panel discussions provided
soon-to-be brides with informa
tion about wedding photography,
make-up, hairstyling, and even of
fering a six-week marriage course
for couples.
Jewelers showcased bridal gems
and one even made hand-made
custom jewelry for the bridal
party Florists, musicians, even
day spas offered information and
samples of what helps make a
wedding day special. The latest
styles in wedding dresses, moth-
ers-of-the-bride dresses, brides
maids, flower girls and other
members of the wedding party
were showcased during a fashion
show produced by White’s Dress
Shop and Louisa’s Bridal.
“We’re looking forward to
having this again next year,’’ said^
Woodard.
compensation coverage for
state employees is a sur
prise. Our commissioners,
working with niembers of
the school board, will be
in contact with our legisla
tors to express their con
cerns and then monitor
any changes to the Gover
nor’s proposed budget as it
goes through the General
See BUDGET, 7
Prison
inmate
caught in
Brooklyn
From staff reports
A prison inmate who
escaped from a state trans
portation maintenance fa
cility in WinfaU last week
was nabbed in Brooklyn,
New York Feb. 14 after
trying to steal a woman’s
purse.
Sheriff
Eric TU-
ley said
George
Johnson,
38, was
arrested
after he
reportedly
snatched
a woman’s
Johnson
purse.
Johnson, who was serv
ing a six to eight-month
prison sentence at Pasquo
tank Correctional Institu
tion’s minimum custody
unit, now faces grand lar
ceny charges by New York
City police and held under
$50,000 bond.
According to Tfiley,
Johnson wrestled the
purse away from the vic
tim after a struggle, and
then ran out of a building.
Several citizens, however,
saw him running, grabbed
him and held him until po
lice arrived.
When questioned by au
thorities, Johnson initially
gave them a false name,
Tilley said. An investiga
tion revealed Johnson’s
real name and the North
Carolina warrants for his
arrest on escape charges,
he said.
Proceedings to bring
Johnson back to North
Carolina have already be
gun, TiUey added.
Johnson had been on
the run since escaping
from the N.C. Department
of Transportation main
tenance facility on U.S.,
Highway 17 in WinfaU on
Tuesday, Feb. 8.
See CAPTURED, 6
Perquimans Weekly snags first place award
From staff reports
A photograph of a young
girl enjoying the annual
Garden Party in Hertford
captured a first place award
in feature photography for
The Perquimans Weekly
in the 2010 North Carolina
Press Association News,
Editorial and Photojour
nalism Contest.
The picture of 10-year-old
Mariah James walking on
the river-front while wear
ing a colorful spring hat
with long flowing ribbons
was taken by Staff Writer
Cathy WUson and captured
first place for weekly news-
Wilson
papers
with a cir-
culation
of 3,500 or
less.
“Beauti
ful photo
graph. The
way the
subject is
framedand
the colors claim the atten
tion of the viewer,” were
the judges comments. The
award was announced Feb.
17 during the NCPA Winter
Institute and Annual Meet
ing held in Chapel HiU.
Other area winners in
cluded The Chowan Herald
in Edenton and The DaUy
Advance in Elizabeth City.
The Chowan Herald
claimed two awards in the
weekly newspaper divi
sion with a circulation of
3,500-10,000. News Editor
Ritchie Starnes won two
second place awards for se
rious columns and special
sections (Albemarle Maga
zine).
The DaUy Advance won
20 awards in the competi
tion, including nine first
place awards, four second
place awards, and six third
FILE PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
This photograph of Mariah James at the Garden Party in Hert
ford last May won first place for feature photography among the
See AWARDS, 7 State’s weekly newspapers with a circulation of 3,500 or less.