MAY 1 « P THE MAI » b ' ERQUEMANS iLWEEKLY Students have a Field Day, 2 "News front Next Door" MAY 18, 2011 - MAY 24, 2011 Bunch honored at Eagle Court of Honor, 3 50 cents • t Planners hear wind farm opposition By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer The gentle breeze of opposition to a proposed large-scale wind farm blew into the county planning board meeting last week. While not gale-force yet, County Planner Donna Godfrey said several peo ple spoke May 10 in oppo sition as well as in support of the project that calls for up to 150 wind turbines to be erected on land strad dling Perquimans and Pas quotank counties. It was the first time any opposi tion to the planned project has been vocalized at pub lic meetings conducted by the county. The change in direction came during the planning board’s discus sion of a conditional use permit requested by Atlan tic Wind, LLC, a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables, to construct the project in the area known locally as the Desert. The most surprising gust came from the U.S. Navy that is currently studying whether or not the pro posed wind facility might hamper radar operations at a base on the Currituck County/Chesapeake, Va. line. Members of the plan ning board took no action on the request last week, but agreed to consider the STAFF. PHOTOS BY CATHY WILSON Firefighters froirr Hertford, Bethel and Winfall conduct live burn training at an abandoned house on Church Street in Hertford, Saturday. Firefighters train by burning house By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer A rea firefighters received valuable experience Saturday when three area departments took part in a joint live burn training exercise on Church Street. Hertford Fire Chief Todd Tilley said training went extremely wen, especiaUy for 14 firefight ers who experienced going into a burning structure for the first time. Burn on See more photos from Saturday's live burn exercise, page 7. Firefighters from Hertford, Bethel and WinfaU departments biorned the vacant house located at 213 Chirrch Street near Holy Trinity Episcopal Church during the exercise that was led by certi fied instructors from Elizabeth City Fire Department. Church Street was closed from King to Dobbs Street during the training exercise! In all, 47 firefighters participated. “We had no problems at aU,” commented Tilley. “There was one dead tree branch that caught on fire high in a tree, but we were able to extinguish that with the Even in the rain, local firefighters trained and gained valuable experience Saturday during a live burn training exercise at 213 Church Street on Saturday. About 35-45 firefighters participated. ladder truck.” “It was a good day,” he added. “A long day, but a very good one. The training and experience for our firefighters was invaluable.” Lead Instructor Michael Cartwright and other instruc tors took turns showing 14 teams of firefighters how to attack fire inside the blazing house. As one team of firefighters entered the blazing house, a back-up team stood ready outside if needed. Tilley said training actually be gan in January for the firefighters in preparation for the live burn. While the morning was over cast with occasional showers, the afternoon brought clear skies, a hot sun, and warm temperatures. Members of the ladies auxil iary set up a place where firefight ers could rest and replenish with cold water and snacks. Members of Perquimans EMS were also on hand to assist if needed. matter again last night (Tuesday). In a letter delivered to both Perquimans and Pas quotank planning officials, Lt. Cmdr. D.L. Huber in dicated that preliminary See OPPOSITION, 8 By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer A lone 'gunman robbed a male clerk inside the small country Bethel Store aroimd 5 p.m. Sunday after waving a sawed-off shotgun and demanding money. ‘The clerk said the gunman pointed the gun at him and started screaming. ” Eric Tilley Perquimans sheriff Witnesses say the black male gunman was wearing dark clothes with a scarf tied around his face. He left the scene with another suspect in a creme-colored Chrysler heading towards Snug Harbor Road, wit nesses told police. The car, registered to Christopher Stephan Posten of the 1400-block of Harvey Point Road, was found parked on Third Av enue by sheriffs deputies and impoimded for inves tigation. The car was still warm fi-om ruiming when deputies arrived. Perquimans Sheriff Eric Tilley said Posten, age 19, turned himself in aroimd midnight later that evening. He is charged with armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, second degree kidnapping, and assault by pointing a gun. He is held in Albemarle District JaU under $95,000 bond. TUley said Posten gave police . the cash reported stolen during the robbery, and also helped police re cover the gun which was . hidden beside the road off Creecy’s Lane. “The clerk said the gun man pointed the gun at him and started screaming,” said Tilley “The money from the cash register was taken and the store’s bank bag was also taken. We be lieve about $200 in cash was taken. I am proud of my of ficers for locating the car so quickly and following through with it.” The incident is stiU un der investigation. Strolling starts Friday By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer Another weekend of ac tivity is set to begin Friday evening when the Perqui mans Chamber of Com merce kicks off its monthly Friday Night Stroll in his toric downtown Hertford. 89076 47144 Starting at 5:30 p.m., ven dors will offer food, fun, music, artisans, plants, produce, and much more on the courthouse square until 8 p.m. Pony rides will be available for children on the grassy area behind the Hertford Baptist Church. Several downtown mer chants wfil be open late. Other businesses will be available to offer informa tion. See STROLLING, 8 Nei^bors stop suspected break-in By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer Neighbors looking out for each other helped area law enforcement stop a suspected burglary in progress last Wednesday. Perquimans Sher iff Eric TiUey said four Edenton residents were arrested following a sus pected break-in at a home on Cottonwood Drive near Winfall. A neighbor called police after seeing four Boston C. Twine K. Twine T. Twine people and an unfamiliar white car in the neigh borhood. A neighbor saw the vehicle back up to the garage of one house and three people had gotten out of the vehicle, Tilley said. The neighbor con fronted the female who was left in the car, and she then drove away in the ve hicle, but. then returned. The three others fled on foot,, police said. “Apparently, they were communicating on cell phones,” said Tilley “We believe the female was trying to pick them in the car in the area.” Deputies arrived and detained the driver of the vehicle, and then found guns, computers, and See BREAK-IN, 8

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