P I The ERQUIMANS IxIXWkkkt.v Former PCHS standout , Pettaway is excited about her future at Ciemson,? ''News from Next Door" JUNE 29, 2011 - JULY 5, 2011 RECEIVED 50 cents Commissioners pass budget, taxrdte By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer County commissioners passed a $12.2 million gen eral fund budget Monday night that includes a two- cent increase in the ad-va lorem property tax rate. Officially a 6-0 vote, com missioners approved rais ing the tax rate from 42 to 44 cents per $100 valua tion. Commissioners Tammy MUler-White, Ed Muzzu- lin, Janice Cole and Sue Weimar cast the yes votes with Ben Hobbs and Mack Nixon not voicing a vote, which, by board policy, equates to a yes vote. County Manager Bob by Darden, in his earlier budget message, said even with the tax increase, Per quimans would still have a very favorable tax rate compared to other coun ties in Northeast North Carolina. Darden said the new tax rate would up the typical county homeowner’s taxes by about $35 annually Only one person spoke during Monday night’s public hearing. Alan Barnes, a senior citizen from the Snug Har bor area, said his income has gone down so he tries to live within his means. “What is your plan to live within yours?” he questioned the board. He voiced concerns over paying higher tax rates on property that was last reassessed when real es tate saw its highest peak values. See BUDGET, 4 Hurricane Drill: BEREADY I i xj Ui' STAFF PHOTOS BY CATHY WILSON Hertford and county officials work together during a hurricane tabletop exercise in preparation for hurricane season, Thursday night. Prepare for loss of public services 'm Ml fiP By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer I f there was one overall message heard during a hurricane prepared ness tabletop exercise for emergen cy management officials here Thurs day night, it was this: Residents need to be ready to evacuate the county when officials give the order. If not, be prepared to take care of yourself with no public services for five to seven days. Nearly 100 representatives from a variety of agencies, organizations, fire departments, and local government officials converged on the Albemarle Commission to work through a make believe scenario depicting a hurricane hitting Perquimans County after first making landfall on the Outer Banks, then making its way up the Albemarle Sound to Hertford. Each group of participants ranging from certified emergency response teams in subdivisions to nursing homes to Harvey Point to county officials were asked to work together to determine what actions would be taken if such an event ever occurs. Participants were encouraged to respond as if involved in a real life event. “With the weather events we’ve Michael Cartwright, with the Intercounty Fire Department (left), and Jimmy Spivey, of Du rants Neck Fire Department, discuss how fire departments will conduct search and rescue efforts following a local hurricane. heard about across out nation in the recent months, weather eVents are certainly on everyone’s minds,” said Christy Saunders, emergency manage ment coordinator from Pasquotank County who helped facilitate the drill. “This exercise is to remind us of what is in our plan and how we would respond,” added Ashley Stoop, pre paredness coordinator for Albemarle Regional Health. Local firefighters, who are charged with the responsibility pf first clear ing paths to sites of destruction and See HURRICANE, 8 THOMAS J.TURNEY/THE DAILY ADVANCE A memorial for Miles Shipman was placed near the site of the June 22 fatal vehicle accident that took his life on U.S. Highway 17 Bypass in Elizabeth City. Holiday Island child killed in U.S. 17 accident By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer A 10-year-old Holiday Island boy was killed last Wednesday afternoon when the vehicle he was riding in overturned after swerving to avoid a farm tractor on U.S. 17 Bypass in Pas quotank County. According to the N. C. Highway Patrol, Miles Shipman, of West Is land Tran, was ejected from the 2000 Ford Explorer driven by Kimberly Johnson, 39, of Virginia Beach. Six other peo ple, including Johnson, were injured and taken to area hos pitals. Police say Johnson was traveling south on the by pass when she encountered a form tractor ahead of her in a curve. Johnson swerved to miss the tractor and then overcorrected, the patrol said. The Explorer flipped over and came to rest upside down off the roadway. The large John Deere tractor was driven by Eddie Cartwright and was displaying proper slow-moving equipment placards, police said. On Monday, state police charged Johnson with misdemeanor death by vehicle in con nection with the accident. She faces an Aug. 18 date in Pasquotank County District Court, Trooper J.N. Wood said. Wood said Johnson also is charged with driving with a revoked North Carolina driver’s license and also noted Johnson was driving with a suspended Virginia driver’s license. See ACCIDENT, 8 Shipman Schools seek waiver for teacher workdays By CATHY WILSON Staff Writer Perquimans County Schools will keep their 2011-2012 school calendar as planned despite a new state law that requires students to add five more in structional days diming the school year. Members of the Perquimans Board of Education voted Monday night to seek a waiver from the State Board of Edu cation to use the additional five days as teacher workdays that are already scheduled in 89076 47144 this year’s school calendar. A new state law that goes into effect July 1 requires stu dents to receive 185 instruc tional days a year rather than the current 180 between Au gust 25 and June 10. However, because the law goes into ef fect so close to the beginning of the next school year, school systems across the state may apply to the SBOE for a waiver seeking to use those five extra instructional days as teacher workdays for this school year only. “Of course, there is no guar antee we will get it,” Super intendent Dwayne Stallings said. Stallings said the only way See WAIVER, 4 July 4th fireworks show is Sunday From staff reports Pack up the lawn chairs or grab a blanket and head to the local Fourth of July and Unity Day celebrations in Hertford and WinfaU on Sunday, July 3. Sponsored by the Perquimans Chamber of Commerce in Hertford, an old-fashioned fam ily celebration is planned at Missing Mill Park and will feature food vendors, live musical en tertainment, periauger rides, and of course, plenty of fireworks. The celebration begins at 5 p.m. with a children’s foot parade from Hertford Baptist Church parking lot to Missing Mill Park. Deco rated tricycles, bicycles, carriages, wagons, and anything else pedal-powered may take part in the parade. Children are encouraged to partici pate. Among the food vendors planned at the park that evening are hot dogs, hamburgers, sau sages, cotton candy, homemade ice cream, and more tasty choices. In addition, two book signings are planned. See FIREWORKS, 8 STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON You don’t know what you might see at the children's parade through Hertford during the Fourth of July celebration on Sunday.

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