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ERQUIMANS
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AUGUST 24, 2011 - AUGUSt 30, 2011
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SUBMIHED PHOTOS
Using air-soft weapons that shoot plastic BB’s, participants in a recent Extreme Seal Experience learn close-quarter combat
skills at the former Don Juan building.
Building is site of Extreme SEAL Experience
By CATHY WILSON
Sta/T Writer
A small black he
licopter travels
into Hertford in
the middle of the night,
swoops down and lands
on top of an empty
building situated on the
outskirts of town.
Several heavily-clad
men wearing green camo
with their faces concealed
and carrying what appear
to be automatic weapons
jump out of the helicop
ter and make entry into
a local vacant building
that once housed a shirt
factory.
At first glance, it looks
like tactical police teams
or clandestine military
operations surrounding
the former Don Juan
building that hasn’t seen
any kind of action for at
least 20 years.
But, relax. It’s actually
a team of civilians paying
money to experience what
it’s like to be trained as
the elite of the most elite
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Participants train much like SEALs do at the old Don Juan building in Hertford.
military teams known as
the U.S. Navy SEALs and
the local former factory
building is part of the
experience.
Sort of like a military-
themed vacation complete
with aU the trimmings
like experiencing the first
24-hours of strenuous
punishment known as
HeU Night, participating
in a rigorous physical
fitness program, tak
ing part in training and
mission operations, lack
of sleep, and enjoying
plenty of good food along
the way. The owners of
Extreme Seal Experience,
a Chesapeake, VA. mom
and pop business featured
recently on a Discovery
Channel documentary
on SEALs, have leased
the building for space to
hold close quarter cwnbat
training for their par
ticipants. Former veterah
SEAL and SEAL instruc
tor Don Shipley began the
business to give young
and old alike the chance
to experience what SEAL
team training is aU about.
For two weeks every
month, participants pay
See EXTREME, 8
Watch ‘Mr. G’ is Teacher of Year
on Irene
From staff reports
As of press time. Hur
ricane Irene is still five
days away and moving
on a yet undetermined
course.
The latest predictions,
however, include possi
ble landfall on the North
Carolina coast.
Local emergency
management officials
encourage county resi
dents to keep an eye on
the hurricane’s tract
and strength.
In the meantime, take
precautions and prepare
just in case bad weather
hits Perquimans County
PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS PHOTO
Perquimans’Teachers of the Year are (l-r) Jason Griffin, Perquimans Central; Alta Allen, Hertford
Grammar; Cynthia M. Swinney, Perquimans Middle; and Robert Lowney, Perquimans High.
Griffin never imagined being a teacher
See IRENE, 4 From staff reports
89076 4
7144
Jason Griffin is the
new Teacher of the Year
for Perquimans Cour^ty
Schools.
Chosen earlier as the
Teacher of the Year for
Perquimans Central
School, Griffin has nine
years of experience in
education including three
in Perquimans County
He earned his bachelor’s
degree in elementary edu
cation from East Carolina
University as well as his
master’s in middle grades
math from the same insti
tution.
Griffin says he never
imagined becoming a
See GRIFFIN, 8
Hi^ speed chase
nets drugs, cash
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
A 25-year-old Hertford
man led law officers from
three different agencies on
a high speed chase through
the streets of Hertford and
into Perquimans County
Sunday afternoon before
eventually stopping in
Chowan County. .
Police say no . one was
injured in the chase that
reached speeds of 85-90
miles per hour through
town streets and over 100
miles per hour on county
roadways. The driver even
tually stopped on Highway
32 in Chowan County and
now faces three felonies
and two misdemeanor
charges, police say.
Driver Steven Matrez
TiUet, of the 600-block of
Woodland Church Road,
faces felony charges of
fleeing to elude arrest with
a motor vehicle, posses
sion with intent to manu
facture, sell or distribute
drugs, and maintaining
a vehicle as a place to sell
drugs. He is also charged
with no operator’s license
and a vehicle window tint
violation.
Following his arrest. Til-
let was taken to Albemarle
District Jail under a $4,500
secured bond.
Hertford Police Chief Joe
Amos said Patrolman Al
len Peterson first stopped
“I think it
was a good
outcome to an
unfortunate
situation.
Anytime
anyone runs
from police
creates a
potential for
someone to get
hurt. We were
fortunate no
one wrecked
or no one was
injured. ”
Joe Amos
Hertford police chief
the 1999 Ford Escort driv
en by Tfilet around 2:30
p.m. on U.S. 17 South near
the high rise bridge for a
window tint violation and
no identification. As the
officer sat in his police
cruiser checking vehicle
registration information,
TiUet drove off, turned
on Church Street and
sped through downtown
See CHASE, 8
Crash kills Texas man
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STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
A 23-year-old Texas man died Friday morning when he flipped
his vehicle eight times on Muddy Creek Road.The North Carolina
Highway Patrol says Alvin R. Wilkins lived on Muddy Creek Road
and was returning home from work when the accident occurred.
Wilkins was coming
home from work
From staff reports
A 23-year-old Texas
man was kUled when the
vehicle he was driving at
a high rate of speed ran
off Muddy Creek Road
early Friday morning and
flipped eight times.
North Carolina Highway
Patrol Trooper J.F. Bray
said the body of Alvin R.
WUkins, Jr. was found by
a nurse traveling to work
around 6 a.m. on the rural
Perquimans County road.
WUkins was not wear
ing a seat belt at the time
of the accident and was
thrown from the vehicle.
Police said Wilkins
moved to the area about
eight months ago, lived on
Muddy Creek Road, and
worked for a contractor on
the Coast Guard Base in
Elizabeth City
Wilkins apparently got
off work at midnight and
was traveling home when
the accident occurred.
Trooper Bray said the
2005 Kia SUV was travel
ing at a high rate of speed
when WUkins lost control
and roUed the vehicle eight
times before coming to rest
in the front yard of a resi
dence. Police say they also
suspect alcohol was a con
tributing factor in the fatal
crash.
WUkins was alone at the
time of the crash.
Members of the Per
quimans EMS, Durants
Neck Fire Department,
and Perquimans County
Sheriffs Department also’
responded.
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