5
1
P The
ERQUIMANS
W E E K LY
4 Albemarle EMC
* v to hold Relay
RELAY ^"^
FOR LIFE page3
"News from Next Door" MARCH 28, 2012 - APRIL 3, 2012 50 cents
7 2 8 2012
Changes to S-bridge options reviewed
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
A public workshop is expected
to be scheduled this sum-
1 mer to bring the public up
to speed on recommended chang
es proposed for replacement of
the S-bridge and Causeway be
tween Hertford and Winfall.
Last week, local officials
listened as representatives of
the North Carolina Department
of Transportation and Kimley-
Horn and Associates, the firm
that serves as NCDOT’s con
sultant on the project, recom
mended two new alternatives
and suggested removing one of
the original alternatives pre
sented last summer. Although
no formal changes to the list of
alternatives will be made until
after the summer workshop,
preliminary design studies are
expected to be performed on
the new alternatives following
feedback from local and agency
officials last week.
The two new alternatives
include:
• Alternative B Swing Span:
build a new swing span bridge
on approximately the same
height as the existing bridge
and add a decorative truss. The
new bridge would follow the
existing alignment along the
causeway, and the swing span
bridge would be built parallel
with the existing bridge. Both
this alternative and Alterna
tive D-Mod would connect with
Church Street more towards
Front Street and require the
relocation of one house. This
alternative would minimize or
eliminate the need for retaining
walls on Church Street.
• Alternative B15’ Swing
Span: build a new swing span
bridge with 15 feet of clearance
which would allow about 75 per-
What are the alternatives?
The two new alternatives include:
• Alternative B Swing Span: build a new swing span bridge on
approximately the same height as the existing bridge and add a
decorative truss. The new bridge would follow the existing align
ment along the causeway, and the swing span bridge would be .
built parallel with the existing bridge. Both this alternative and Al- j
.. ternative D-Mod would connect with Church Street more towards
Front Street and require the relocation of one house. This alterna
tive would minimize or eliminate the need for retaining walls on
Church Street.
• Alternative B 15' Swing Span: build a new swing span bridge
j with 15 feet of clearance which would allow about 75 percent of
■ current boating traffic to pass-underneath the bridge. The swing
: span would allow traffic by taller boats. Since more boats would be J
' able to travel underneath the bridge at this height, the span would
I not be opened as often which would reduce wear and tear on the
j bridge, extend its life expectancy, and decrease maintenance costs.
I The feasibility of a decorative truss would be determined during b
the design phase.
cent of current boating traffic to
pass underneath the bridge. The
swing span would allow traffic
by taller boats. Since more boats
would be able to travel under
neath the bridge at this height,
the span would not be opened as
often which would reduce wear
and tear on the bridge, extend
its life expectancy, and decrease
maintenance costs. The feasibil
ity of a decorative truss would
be determined during the design
phase.
In addition to adding t.
new alternatives, officials also
suggested the elimination of an
earlier Alternative A that en
tailed rehabilitating the existing
S-bridge swing span.
Teresa Gresham with KHA
explained that the existing
bridge does not meet current
design standards. In order to use
available federal funds for the
project, the existing bridge
See S-BRIDGE, 4
Did Someone Order A Pizza?
—S W S
^21
w>
PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOLS PHOTOS
Who loves pizza? Perquimans County students love pizza! Local restaurant Tommy’s
Pizza donates large pizzas for PreK to second grade students at Perquimans Central
School as a reward for their good behavior. Classes earn “Turtle Bucks” with good
behavior and get pizza when they reach a total of 750 “Turtle Bucks.” These students
(above) have fun chowing down on their pizza. Second-grader.Hunter Scott (right)
prepares to take a bite!
Wind farm permit
extension requested
By REGGIE PONDER
The Daily Advance
Iberdrola Renewables
has requested a three-
year extension on the
conditional use permit
for its proposed large
wind farm project in the
Desert area of Perqui
mans and Pasquotank
counties.
“The extension is nec
essary as construction
is delayed until market
conditions improve to
the point that a power
purchase agreement can
be secured,” Craig Poff,
senior business devel ¬
6 11 89076 47144
oper with Iberdrola said
in a March 6 letter to Pas
quotank commissioners.
Pasquotank County is
expected to address the
issue in April.
Perquimans County
Manager Frank Heath
said IR would need to
give Perquimans com
missioners a status up
date in June regarding
their project.
“At that time, the board
could choose to renew or
revoke the CUP,” he said.
The request is expected
to come before commis
sioners in Pasquotank
County next month.
Perquimans and Pas
quotank officials ap
proved conditional use
permits for the project
See WIND FARM, 4
Stations of the Cross
SUBMITTED PHOTO
A Stations of the Cross ceremony was held recently in preparation for Easter. Among those
particpating are (l-r) the Rev. Sadat Mendez of Center Hill United Methodist; Jim Darnell of
New Hope United Methodist Church; Jean Ashley of Hertford United Methodist, the Rev. Ray
Tavenner, pastor at Perquimans UMC Charge and the Rev. Larry Bowden, pastor at Hertford
United Methodist. About 50 people walked the 14 stations through town, beginning at Hertford
UMC and ended at Missing Mill Park, where communion was observed.
Schools
face $1M
shortage
in funds
By CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Perquimans County
Schools may be facing more
than a $1 million shortage
in current funding for the
upcoming school year.
School administrators
are busy preparing bud
gets for the 2012-2013 school
year. So far, the outlook
already includes possible
cuts in state and federal
funds.
Spokesperson Brenda
See SHORTAGE, 3