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ERQUIMANS
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 - SEPTEMBER 27, 2011
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Solar eco industrial park planned on US 17
CATHY WILSON
staff Writer
A Charlotte company is
planning to build an $85
million solar farm in five
phases on property on US
17 near the Perquimans/
Chowan county line.
County commissioners
recently approved a con
ditional use permit for a
large scale solar power gen
erating facility on about
100 acres on the northwest
side of Ocean Highway
South between Long Lane
and 105 Davis Lane. The
project, created by Solar
Green Development, LLC,
How much energy created?
The project is expected to generate 20 megawatts
of energy or enough to power 2,800 homes.
will be known as the Solar
Green Davis Lane Eco-In-
dustrial Park.
SheUey Layden, vice
president/business devel
opment for SGD, said the
company hopes to start
construction and have so
lar panels in the ground by
the end of this year.
“For the past two and
a half years, I have had a
passion for developing al
ternative energy for homes
and power production,”
said Layden who is also
president/owner of Cross
Country Homes of Eastern
NC. In studying the busi
ness, and receiving certifi
cations in classes, Layden
became a believer that a
renewable energy facility
would be a good match for
Northeastern North Caro
lina.
See SOLAR, 4
Officials conduct sex offender sweep
STAFF PHOTOS BY CATHY WILSON
Law enforcement officers checked the residences of 32 convicted sex offenders in Perquimans County last week during a regional effort to
enforce compliance with the Sex Offender Registiy. Deputy Quinton Jordan (l-r), Deputy U.S. Marshal Brandon Taylor, task force officer Will
Britton with the U.S. Marshals Seivice, and probation officer Telonna Hinton enter a local house.
Operation Paladin nets one arrest
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
L ocal deputies joined
forces with federal
marshals and state
probation/parole officers
last week in a regional effort
to make sure convicted sex
offenders are abiding by the
law.
Law enforcement officers
checked residences of 32
convicted sex offenders in
Perquimans during Opera
tion Paladin, a five-
covmty operation
spearheaded by the
U.S. Marshals Vio
lent Fugitive Task
Force.
One arrest was
made, one sex
offender had ab
sconded, and a third Wilkins
was already in jail
facing a murder charge, said
Perquimans Sheriff Eric
Tilley
“The rest were located
and found to be in
compliance with the
law,” he added.
County depu
ties, who were also
deputized by the U.S.
Marshal Service for
this operation, di
vided into two teams
along with proba
tion/parole officers
and two deputy marshals.
They swept the county start
ing early Tuesday morning,
knocking on doors to see if
the convicted sex offender
lived where he or she is
supposed to live. By the
time a few residences had
been checked, TiUey said
convicted sex offenders not
at home were calling into
the Sheriffs Department to
report their whereabouts.
Only one, Thomas M.
Vaughn-age 44, was found
living in a location different
from the address registered
See OFFENDERS, 4
Car overturns off US 17; 1 iigured
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
One woman was flown to a Norfolk
hospital last Thursday afternoon after
the car she was driving crossed four
lanes of U.S. Highway 17, ran off the
roadway, went airborne and overturned
behind a stand of trees and bushes.
Hertford firefighters, EMS rescu
ers, and local law enforcement officers
worked to free Louise Rhoades, 66, who
witnesses said was trapped behind the
steering wheel of the car that landed on
its top. She was later flown by Nightin
gale helicopter to Sentara Norfolk Gen
eral Hospital where she was treated
and later released that evening.
Eyewitness Steav Congdon said he
was traveling southbound on US 17
south of McDonalds when he saw the
car in front of him first veer to the right
and then back to the left, crossing the
two southbound lanes. The car then
crossed the median into the north
bound lanes of the four-lane divided
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
Firefighters, rescuers and law enforcement officers carry Louise Rhoades after extricating
her from her overturned car on U.S. 17 Thursday. Rhoades was flown by Nightingale Medical
helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where she was treated and later released.
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highway and continued to the ditch
where it went airborne through a stand
of bushes and small trees. The vehicle
came to rest upside down behind the
trees between Wynne Fork Road and
Edenton Road Street, barely visible
from the roadway
“It looked like she lost complete con
trol of that car,” said Congdon. “I tried
to help her, but her legs were trapped
See OVERTURNS, 4
Arts & Crafts Show
Saturday, September 24 *10 am - 4 pm
Perquimans County Recreation Center
Over 40 juried artists & craftsmen
Door Prizes • Food
Artist Demonstrations
Admission
$2.00
Schools now
psychologists
By PETER WILLIAMS
The Daily Advance
Perquimans County, with 1,800 students
and four schools, now has three masters de
gree level psychologists on staff, plus a coor
dinator.
“I don’t know of any school system our size
with a program like this,” said Joe Bunch,
director of intervention and psychological
services for the school system.
The program was made possible by a two-
year, $275,000 grant from Kate B. Reynolds
Trust and support from East Carolina Be
havioral Health.
"I would also speculate
we’re one of just a few
school systems that
has mental health
services embedded
administratively in the
school system. ”
Joe Bunch
Intervention and psychological services
director for Perquimans Schools
“My staff has essentially doubled,” Bunch
said. “Our (school) system is no different
than any other system in terms of preva
lence. Studies have suggested that as many
as 21 percent, or one in five children experi
ence signs and. symptoms of emotional or
behavioral difficulties. One of the things
we’re providing is much more emphasis on
prevention and early intervention and not
just focusing on the kids that have a lot of
difficulties.”
Having the staff on board means Perqui
mans can offer help early, and hopefully stem
See STAFFING, 8
If rejected by
FEMA... appeal
From staff reports
A FEMA spokesperson says if you receive
a FEMA denial letter after seeking financial
help to recover from Hurricane Irene, don’t
give up.
“Always appeal,” said Tim Tyson with
FEMA. “Take your documents and go to a
nearby center. Don’t give up. Anyone who
received any damage between Aug. 25 and
Sept. 1 should apply”
As of last week, 88 people in Perquimans
County had registered with FEMA averag
ing about 14 applications daily. Once you ap
ply, everyone receives a FEMA letter explain
ing what the process is, what to do next, or
how funds should be spent.
Applicants should not be discouraged
if they receive a letter indicating they are
ineligible or denied assistance. The letter
provides an explanation of what steps need
to be taken to change the status of their re
quest for assistance. Applicants can take the
letter to a disaster recovery center for help
with the appeals process or call the FEMA
helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY at 800-462-7585)
See REJECTED, 4
PERQUIMANS ARTS LEAGUeJ