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SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 - OCTOBER 4, 2011 “ 50 cents
County seeks lottery funds for schools
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
It’s usually the other
way around.
Instead of local schools
asking county commis
sioners for money, Mon
day night County Man
ager Bobby Darden asked
the Perquimans Board of
Education for permission
to draw down state lottery
funds that
are ear-
marked
for capi
tal school
projects.
B 0 E
members
quickly
agreed
Darden
for the county to draw
$400,000 from lottery dis
tributions to help pay this
year’s loan payment for
the high school addition
and renovation completed
in 2008.
County commissioners
are expected to approve
the same measure at their
Oct. 3 meeting.
■ Darden explained that in
years past, the county has
only drawn lottery funds
twice since the North
Carolina Education Lot
tery began in 2006: once to
complete the high school
renovation, and a second
time to help pay for the
HVAC installation at Hert
ford Grammar School.
“We have drawn down
Lottery funds for projects
on an ‘as needed’ basis in
the past,” Darden added.
“Historically, we have
used the revenue from the
land transfer tax to pay
the debt payment for the
school addition and reno
vation project. This year,
commissioners propose to
use the Lottery funds for
that payment instead.”
Darden pointed out that
a few years ago the state
withheld Lottery funds
designated for counties
when the state found itself
in a budget crunch.
“We realized we can’t
always depend on it...the
state can withhold it from
us again. We learned in the
past that those funds are
not as safe as we thought”
he added. “We’re worried
about the volatility or fu
ture access to those funds.
It takes about 60 days to
process, so we’re starting
the process now.”
See LOTTERY, 8
Remembering Jimmy, Fighting ALS
JHOMAS J. TURNEY PHOTOS/THE DAILY ADVANCE
Despite the morning’s rain, about 115 people participated in Saturday’s annual Jim^y “Catfish” Hunter Walk for ALS. The
walk raises money for the research on the dis'ease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. -
Sarah
Stevenson,
17, (left)
and Amber
Stallings, 14,
place flowers
at the grave
of baseball
Hall of
Famer jimmy
Hunter after
completing
Saturday’s
Jimmy “Cat
fish” Hunter
Walk for ALS.
V
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Hertford and Winfall police held a training exercise last week
end at Hertford Grammar School that involved a “gunman.” Par
ticipating in the training are (l-r) Hertford officers Kevin Worster,
Glen Needham, Allen Peterson, Chris Firkel and Winfall Police
Chief David Shaffer.
Traiiuiig teaches
rapid deployment
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
With far too many busi
ness and school-related
shootings occurring across
the nation over the last few
years, local police depart
ments. are training how
to handle such a situation
should one ever arise in
town.
For the past two week
ends, members of the
Hertford and Winfall po
lice departments trained
in rapid deployment for
active shooter situations
both in the classroom and
in scenarios at Hertford
Grammar School.
Hertford Police Chief Joe
Amos said 13 officers from
both departments took the
training to complete state
required 24 hours of an
nual training.
“This type of training
actually evolved from the
Columbine High School
shooting in Denver in
1999,” explained Amos. “It
can be used in a business,
building, or school set
ting.”
Officers received train
ing involving two teams
that would be deplored if
an active shooter was dis
covered in a building or'
school.
One team, the contact
team, would* enter the
building, locate and isolate
the shooter, then either
prevent the shooter from
escaping or take the shoot
er into custody
The second team, known
as the rescue team, escorts
medical staff into the
building safely or removes
the injured victims from
the building without any
See POLICE, 8
Hodges is AL Post 126’s
first female commander
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Short grey hair —
check. Red jacket—check.
Smartly creased black
American Legion cap —
check. Lipstick...what?
When you compare the
new American Legion
Post 126 commander with
those of the past, one trait
definitely stands out. This
one wears a slight hint of
lipstick.
Dorothy Hodges, 71, is
the first woman chosen
to lead the local veterans
group. It is an honor she
cherishes deeply.
“I am actually sur
prised by all the support I
have received from fellow
veterans,” said Hodges.
“They are the ones who
elected me. It has been
just great.”
mm
STAFF PHOTO BY CATHY WILSON
A member of American Legion Post 126 for five years, Dorothy
Hodges is the first woman to serve as Post Commander. .
89076
7144
A member of Post 126
for the past five years,
Hodges served 15 years in
the military; four years as
a medic in the Air Force
and 11 years as an admin
istrator in the Army. All
of her duty was served
stateside.
“Back then, women in
the military served in ar
eas of support only,” said
Hodges. “Today, it is a
whole different story”
She is proud of the role
women play in the nation’s
military and is working
to draw more women vet
erans into American Le
gion, the largest veterans’
organization in the coun
try Currently, there are
five women veterans who
hold membership in the
local post and Hodges en
courages them to become
See HODGES, 8
Juried Selection
4
lit.'
THOMAS J.TURNEY PHOTOS/THE DAILY ADVANCE
This past weekend’s arts and crafts show, which was sponsored by the Perquimans Arts
League, featured more than 40 juried artists and craftsmen from throughout the region.
Craftsman John Keil-
wein (left) discusses
his work with Jean
Corbett at the Perqui
mans Arts League’s
Arts and Crafts Show
held Saturday at the
Perquimans County
Recreation Center.