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SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 - SEPTEMBER 13, 20]^CEIVED 50 cents
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Indian Summer Fest: Let the fun begin
By CATHY WILSON
Staff' Writer
Craft vendors, enter
tainment, antique cars,
boat rides, street dance,
good food. It’s aU planned
for this weekend’s Indian
Summer Festival (ISF) in
Hertford.
Sponsored by Historic
Hertford, Inc., this 30th
ISF begins Friday night
(6-10 p.m.) with a ^
free street dance O
and resumes ^
aU day on Sat
urday (9 a.m.-5
p.m.). Activi
ties are planned ,
on Church Street
2c5ii
and Missing Mill Park
with plenty of free parking
available at the old Har
ris Shopping Center on
Saturday.
“This year’s festi-
val reflects much
of what attracted
many to the town’s
first festival 30
years ago,” said
Festival Co-
Chairman Joe East-
erwood. “When the ISF
first began in 1982, people
from all over the area came
to Hertford to participate
in a three-day event that
featured not only entertain
ment and vendors selling
their homemade crafts and
delicious foods, but also a
street dance. This year, fes
tival goers will experience
much of the same.”
On Friday night, DJ Pete
opens the show with tunes
from 6-6:45 p.m.-as food and
craft vendors line Church
Street. The street dance,
featuring pop, rhythm and
blues/soft rock sounds of
the popular band “Wind
fall”, gets underway at 7
p.m.
A beer garden offering
beer and wine wiU be avail
able in an enclosed area at
the corner of Church and
Market streets. A three-
drink limit will be im
posed, organizers say.
See FESTIVAL, 6
If you go
' What: Indian
Summer Festival
• When: Starts at 6
p.m. Friday, continues
through Saturday
• Where: Downtown
Flertford
' Cost; Free admission,
vendors selling
food and crafts
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
John and Susan Christensen share a moment dur
ing his retirement reception last week.
Christensen
retires as
town manager
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
J ohn Christensen unwrapped the
oddly shaped bulky package given
to him from several Hertford town
employees.
He grinned from ear to ear when
he realized he had snagged one of the
antique street lights that once directed
traffic in town.
“And, it works, too!” he chuckled
as the light turned green as if telling
Christensen to go forward and begin the
next chapter in his life.
The street light was a gift from the
public works department to Christensen
who retired as town manager last
week after nearly 18 years on the job. A
reception and luncheon were held in his
honor. Comments were made, gifts were
given, and awards bestowed.
But, Christensen’s legacy to town
citizens lies in the financial well-being
of the town that has seen tremendous
water and wastewater improvements
See RETIRES, 12
County makes federal disaster list
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
County and town officials comprise the county’s emergency control group. Here they discuss emergency plans when Hurricane Irene was making
its way to Northeastern North Carolina.
Residents can seek funds to cover damage
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Perquimans and five other
surrounding counties have
been added to the federal di
saster list that has been ap
proved for both individual
and public federal assistance.
Residents and local gov
ernments in Perquimans,
Pasquotank, Chowan, Gates,
and Camden counties may
now seek federal assistance
to help pay for damages from
Hurricane Irene. Governor
How to apply
Residents can apply online
at DisasterAssistance.gov
or by calling 1-800-621-
FEMA (3362) or HY
at 800.462-7585.
Beverly Perdue made the an
nouncement on Sunday. The
declaration enables families
and business owners to seek
low-interest loans or grants
to help them recover. Local
governments may also seek
reimbursement for costs asso
ciated with the storm includ
ing debris removal.
Currituck County had al
ready been approved for fed
eral assistance as weU.
Preliminary figures show
that 87 homes in Perquimans
County were damaged during
the storm including two that
were destroyed and three that
suffered major damage.
Jarvis Winslow, the coun
ty’s emergency management
coordinator, said preliminary
estimates show the county
suffered about $107,000 in
damage. That figure does not
include the estimated costs of
agriculture crop losses or the
anticipated cost of debris re
moval by local government.
Winslow said the cost of
debris removal in the county
and towns is estimated at
nearly $100,000.
The amount of crop losses
in the county was not avail
able at press time.
See DAMAGE, 6
Shoaf begins as new Hertford manager
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
It was baptism by fire for Hert
ford’s new town manager.
Less than a week before his official
first day on the job, Hertford Town
Manager Brandon Shoaf watched
and waited to see what Hurricane
Irene would do to the area. He at
tended the county’s official emer
gency management control group
meetings, helped plan emergency
response for potential destruction
in the town,'and then helped lead re
covery efforts including debris pick
up from town streets.
Shoaf took the reins of leading
the town Sept. 1 following the Aug.
31 retirement of 17-year veteran
town manager John Christensen.
Christensen trained Shoaf for four
months prior to retiring.
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
Hertford Town Manager Brandon Shoaf addresses the local NCSTEP volunteers who
have worked on planning and developing proposed projects for the past year. Concepts
of the projects will be presented to Hertford Council members in October.
89076 A
It was on-the-job-training (includ
ing budget creation) and seeing how
emergencies such as hurricanes are
handled that has kept Shoaf busy
the past several weeks.
“Fm excited and nervous about
the job, but I wish we weren’t deal
ing with storm stuff,” said Shoaf
candidly. “It’s tough to disrupt our
departments’ every-day duties. It’s
been a tough two weeksifor our pub
lic works crews, but I’m thankful
debris pick-up is basically all we’re
dealing with.”
See SHOAF, 12
9/11 anniversary:
We will remember
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
From parents feeling
iU suspecting the USA
was at war with terror
ists to four-year-olds not
understanding anything
other than being scared
that day, local residents
remember the tragic
events of the upcoming
10th anniversary of the
Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists
attacks that killed nearly
3,000 innocent people in
three different locations
around the nation.
In a series of four co
ordinated suicide attacks
by al-Qaeda against the
United States, terrorists
hijacked and took control
of four passenger jets that
fateful Tuesday 10 years
ago. Two of the planes in
tentionally crashed into
the twin towers of the
World Trade Center in
New York, a third crashed
into the Pentagon in
Washington, DC, and the
fourth plane crashed in a
field outside Shanksviile,
PA after passengers triec^
to take control of the
plane to prevent it from
reaching a second target
in or near the nation’s
capital.
“I was in my house talk
ing with my son Zachary
who was home sick from
school,” remembered
Sherree Winslow. “I just
happened to answer the
phone. My husband Scott
was on the line and told
me to turn on the televi
sion. He explained that a,
See REMEMBER, 8
47144 2 ing with storm stuff,” said Shoaf See SHOAF, 12 ago. Two of the planes in- See REMEMBER
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Crafts, food, entertainment
Free Street Dance Friday Night
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Sept. 9th, 6 to 10 p.m.
Sept. 10th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.