P The
ERQUIMANS
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''News front Next Door"
JUNE 1, 2011 - JUNE 7, 2011
Missiig Mill o|MR$, 2
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Arrests made in Snug Harbor, Bethel break-ins
By CATHY WILSON
Stajf Writer
Four men were arrested
last week in connection
with several break-ins in
the Bethel and Snug Har
bor areas.
Investigator Shelby
White, with the Perqui
mans Coimty Sheriffs
Department, said the four
men face numerous felony
charges related to break
ing into the Bethel Fishing
Center and Snug Harbor
Clubhouse. Three of the
men are also tied to break
ing into several cars in the
Snug Harbor area while
two are linked to break-ins
in three homes in the area
over the last six months.
“This area has been hard
hit by break-ins for the past
18 months,” said White.
“We stepped up patrols in
the area and watched cer
tain areas...lnvestigation
is continuing and more
charges are expected.”
White said the Bethel
Fishing Center was broken
into May 26 around 3:30
a.m. with $586 in alcohol,
cigarettes, cigars, and light
ers reported stolen.
Police say the following
men were arrested and
charged in connection with
the store break-in: Devin
Carmichael, age 18, of the
100-block Arapahoe Trail;
Thomas Bridges, age 19, of
the 100-block Cottonwood
Street: Joshua Burkheiser,
age 18, of the 200-block
Creecy’s Lane; and Mat
thew Morgan, age 17, of the
100-block Arapahoe Trail.
Each face charges of break
ing and entering, larceny,
possession of stolen goods,
and possession of burglary
tools.
The Snug Harbor Club
house was also broken
into that same evening,
but nothing was reported
taken, police said. All four
men are charged in connec
tion with that break-in as
weU.
White said Morgan,
See BREAK-INS, 4
Memorial Day honors the fallen
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
N inety-two year
old Marcella
Kumlander
could barely keep still
as the spirited strains
of Anchors Aweigh
blared out on the loud
speakers. With a quick
salute followed by
clapping hands, the
veteran of the U.S.
Navy grinned and
danced as they played
“her” song.
Originally from New
York, Kumlander was
one of many veterans
showing and voicing
pride in their military
service Monday dur
ing the Memorial Day
Observance sponsored
each year by American
Legion Post #126. Her
joy brought smiles to
many faces around her
as the patriotic Navy
song brought excite
ment and happiness to
eyes that, just mo
ments before, reflected
memories of not only
her own service to her
country, but that of
other members of her
family as well.
The World War II
veteran deciphered
code for the Navy in
Washington, DC for
three years, family
members said. She
met her husband while
he was serving in the
Army during World
War 11.
Her father, also
a Navy man, saw
action during both
world wars and sailed
around the world four
times. Her son, an
Army man like his
father, served in Korea
and in other stations
in Europe.
Today, she has her
memories of those
who have gone before
her, a feeling shared by
many others as they
gathered under the
courthouse shade trees
to pay tribute.
“The observance
of Memorial Day is
one of our richest and
most cherished of
I
V • M
• STAFF PHOTOS BY CATHY WILSON
Navy veteran Marcella Kumlander, 92, remembers those gone but not forgotten during the Memorial Day obsetvance in
Hertford on Monday, Her father, husband and son also served in the militaiy. See more photos at DailyAdvance.com.
'vLi.
American traditions
because it reminds
us of the most basic
of principles and
beliefs on which this
nation was founded:
the belief that liberty
is more precious than
any gift, and some
times, even more pre
cious than life itself,”
said Corbin Cherry,
guest speaker. “We
should never forget
the lessons learned by
every generation that
our nation and the
ideal's of our demo
cratic society were
founded and have been
preserved by men and
Veteran Earl Owens, a
member of American Le
gion Post 126, helps place
flags on more than 550
graves of veterans in Per
quimans County during the
Memorial Day observance.
Owens lost a leg from inju
ries received while serving
in the Vietnam War.
women willing to lay
their well being on the
line for the well being
of this nation.”
“Americans of every
conflict who went to
war were not faceless,
and feelingless ro
bots,” he added. “They
came from everywhere
in our country, every
town, every city, every
village and farms and
reservations across
this nation. They were
sons and daughters.
See FALLEN, 8
Counties
like plan
to change
district
By REGGIE PONDER
The Daily Advance
County commissioners in Perqui
mans and Gates counties have endorsed
a Gates citizen’s proposal to unite Per
quimans, Pasquotank, Chowan and
Gates counties in a new state House
district.
Officials in Pasquotank and Chowan,
meanwhile, are discussing the redis
tricting proposal advocated by Gates
resident and former state Board of
What is the plan?
Under the plan, Perquimans and Gates,
now part of the 5th Fiouse District, an en
clave that also includes Bertie and Hert
ford counties, would leave to join the
other two counties. Pasquotank would
leave the 1st House District which it now
shares with Currituck, Camden and Tyr
rell counties, to join the new district.
Chowan, meanwhile, would leave the
2nd House District, which it shares with
Washington, Dare and Hyde counties.
Transportation member Earl Rountree.
Rountree says he believes the four
counties can be a “tight-knit group” in
a new House district.
The four counties already are con
nected economically, he said.
Rountree indicated the plan would
not harm the minority strength of the
5th District, which is currently repre
sented hy state Rep. Annie Mobley.
Rountree said Gates County is about
60 percent white, so pulling Gates out of
the 5th District actually would strength
en the percentage of black residents in
that district.
Rountree says he has sent letters to
the House redistricting committee and
walked door to door at the General As
sembly, talking to legislators.
A letter from Perquimans Board of
Commissioners Chairman Ben Hobbs
to the Redistricting Committee states
that commissioners have agreed unani
mously that they would like to see Per
quimans grouped in legislative districts
with Pasquotank, Gates and Chowan.
“There may be other counties that
could be included as well, but as a
See DISTRICT, 4
Nixon retires from
Chowan Hospital
volnnteer services
By REBECCA BUNCH
The Chowan Herald
Barbara Nixon, of Per
quimans County, worked
at Chowan Hospital for 23
years. But she’ll quickly
tell you, she considers her
work as director of volun
teer services was a mis
sion, not a job.
Being able to bring com
fort and encouragement to
89076 47144
those who passed through
the hospit^’s doors was
her goal. And she uses an
example about the hospi
tal’s gift shop to make that
point.
“No matter what trauma
a family is going through,”
Nixon said, “they could
stiU get a smile and a hot
cookie therd.”
Nixon, who retired at
the end of May, first be
came associated with the
hospital as a volunteer. At
the time she was operat
ing a gift shop in Elizabeth
See NIXON, 8
PCHS names top 10 honor seniors
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
The top 10 honor seniors
for the Class of 2011 each
carry grade point aver
ages over 4.0, and, in fact,
only .273 of a point sepa
rates the top honor gradu
ate from number 10.
With such high GPAs,
it’s no surprise that each
top senior plans to attend
college following high
school graduation.
As Perquimans County
High School seniors pre
pare for baccalaureate
service Thursday evening,
top honor seniors recently
took the time to reflect on
what they feel are high
lights of their years in
high school.
Carrying grade point
THOMAS J.TURNEY/THE DAILY ADVANCE
The top 10 honor seniors at Perquimans County High School for the class of 2011 include: (front,
l-r) Samuelle Copeland, Rachel Hudson, Rachel Phthisic, Kylli Lassiter, Brandon Winslow; (back, l-r)
Elizabeth Phelps, Stephen Parker, Zachaiy McGee, Deniqua Nelson and Arnethia Wills.
averages that range from
4.6083 to 4.41, the top 10
honor students include
Samuelle Copeland (vale
dictorian), Rachel Hud
son (salutatorian), Rachel
Phthisic, Kylli Lassiter,
Brandon Winslow, Eliza
beth Phelps, Stephen
Parker, Zachary McGee,
Deniqua Nelson, and Ar
nethia Wills.
Copeland, son of Mac
See TOP 10,4