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JULY 31, 2013 - AUGUST 6, 2013
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TillEVES MAKE OFF WITH SWORDS, KNIVES
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Thieves made off with 21
swords, 30 knives, a pistol
and at least $3,400 worth of
other items Sunday from a
business on Grubb Street.
Mike Libricich, the owner
of Hertford Bargain & Auc
tion House, called police
shortly before 9 am. Sim-
day to report the crime.
Libricich boosts an inven
tory of more than 40,000
items and said Monday that
he’s still noticing things that
were stolen but weren’t list
ed in the original police re
port. 'That includes watches,
cosmetic jewelry and a jar
of coins.
Hertford PoUce Officer
Kenneth Lynch said that it
appeared nearly every item
in the store was knocked
to the floor or moved. 'The
items stolen had a total val
ue of $6,700.
In his report Lynch said
Libricich told him that he
left the store about 2 p.m.
the day before. When he
returned the next day he
found the back door to the
business was open.
A section of wood was
broken open.
Lubricich called the
thieves “stupid” because
they took some things that
didn’t work, or stole items
but not the electrical cord
that you need to run them.
Some items were left out
side the open door “where
See THIEVES, 7
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Perquimans County
Schools expects to lose
five teacher’s assistants and
$148,000 for classroom ma
terials and textbooks under
a new budget plan adopted
by the N.C. General Assem
bly.
Superintendent Dwayne
Stallings said the teacher’s
assistants should know by
next week if they will have
a job next year. Letters were
being sent out Monday to
alert those involved that
cuts are coming.
The school system had 29
teacher’sas-
sistants last
year. They
earn about
$30,000 a
year with, |
benefits.
No certified
classroom
teachers
STALLINGS
will have to be cut at this
point, Stallings said.
Teacher assistants are
paid through any of five
sources, including the state,
federal Title I funds and lo
cal funds.
Stallings plans to meet
with principals and then the
Perquimans County School
Board to discuss what to do
next.
While cutting the posi
tions will end up reducing
the education budget, it
won’t do it instantly. Under
the school system’s “Reduc
tion In Force” policy, em
ployees who have their jobs
eliminated will still be able
to draw on their health in
surance plan for a year after
termination.
Stallings said he was dis
appointed in the funding de
cision, and said the school
system will have to contin
ue to be resourceful to find
ways to educate children.
Funding for textbooks
had been drastically re
duced over the past few
years. The logic was ' the
state would be shifting to
the new Common Core and
Essential Standards model
and it made no sense to buy
books if they would be out
dated.
'The common core has
been adopted, but the fund
ing for books has been
slashed from earlier projec
tions.
In the planning allot
ment provided to the Per
quimans schools, the state
See SCHOOL CUTS, 7
6 89076 47144
Courthouse GREEN gets a makeover
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
T he Perquimans
County Courthouse
green is green once
more.
The county is finish
ing up work this week to
install an irrigation system,
re-sod the grass and install
new landscaping.
The problem was the
mighty oak trees that have
been shading the historic
courthouse lawn for at
least 70 years have been
slowly killing the grass.
“The reason the grass
looked so bad was the oak
trees soak up a lot of water
and the grass couldn’t sur
vive,” said County Manager
Frank Heath. “The grass
was becoming less and
less.”
Removing the trees was
never considered, but in
stalling an irrigation system
was.
A landscaping plan
developed by a committee
in 2007 was estimated to
cost about $73,000. That
was also about the time the
national and local economy
started a serious downturn.
Heath estimates the cost
of the work going on now
should be between $20,000
and $25,000. Some of
that will come from local
tax dollars and some of it
will be from penalties and
fees collected by the court
system.
^ Katy Shook, area con
sumer horticulture agent
for the N.C. Cooperative
Extension service, said the
oak trees were just doing
what oak trees do.
“The top plant is going to
take the most of every
thing,” Shook said Monday.
STAFF PHOTOS BY PETER WILLIAMS
Workers from Planter’s Ridge unload mulch for the beds at the historic Perquimans County Courthouse on
Tuesday morning. Flowers, shrubs and new sod were also added.
■.
INtWHOllANOV
i
Oak trees have big root
systems. If they look big on
the surface, the courthouse
oaks probably have a root
system that is twice as
wide and twice as deep.
The courthouse was
built in 1825 and is the cen
terpiece for many events,
Heath said. SidEley, the
director of the Perqui
mans County Chamber of
Commerce, estimates the
trees are between 70 and
100 years old based on old
photographs.
Improving the look has
been a goal for the county
Heavy equipment carries
concrete for a walkway
to the Confederate War
memorial outside the
Perquimans County
Courthouse on Friday. The
county has removed all the
grass and will be installing
an irrigation system, new ‘
sod and plants.
for some time. Heath said.
“Fifteen years ago we
talked about some of the
things the people of the
community would like to
see, and landscaping the
courthouse was one of
them,” Heath said. “We had
the plan and we’re trying
to carry it out the best we
can.”
Heath has been working
See COURTHOUSE, 7
Pirates football looking forward to season
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
'The Perquimans Pirates foot
ball team wants to make 2013 as
a season to remember, not one to
forget.
Under new Head Coach Elvin
James, the Pirates open the season
Aug. 23 in Robersonville against
South Creek High School. Practice
starts on Thursday.
'The less said about the last two
years, the better. The Priates were
0-11 in 2012 and 1-11 the year be-*
fore.
“I think we’re going to surprise a
few people, unless
of course they fool
me,” James said
recently.
“We’re looking
a little top heavy
with juniors and
seniors, but that’s
a good thing,” JAMES
Bishop said last
week. “Our seniors this year are
really showing some leadership
and all of them showing a strong
work ethic.”
The season opener is hardly
the calm before the storm. South
Creek beat the Pirates last year 32-
7. However it was the only game
the Cougars won last year in the
Four Rivers Coiderence.
After South Creek, the Pirates
host Johri A. Holmes — a larger 2-
A team that went 11-1 last season
including a 62-0 Win over Perqui
mans.
But James points out that was
last year. It’s history.
“My thing is the foundation has
been laid, and we’re going to be
ready.”
James, who has only been on
staff since the first of July, believes
he’s seen improvement.
James said 50 students have
signed up for football. He said 31
students showed up for voluntary
weight traiiLing and running the
day before and about 30 have con
sistently been attending.
Nathan Gardner should be back
as quarterback this year. While
only a junior, Gardner has started
in that position for the past two
years.
James is especially impressed
with the offense.
“The offensive line may be our
biggest strength. We’ve got great
size. And we’ve got a lot of speed
See JAMES, 6
Festival vendors needed
From staff reports
The deadline is drawing near for vendors to sign up
for the 2013 Indian Summer Festival in Hertford.
The festival, now it in its 32nd year, will be held Sept.
6-7.
It features food, crafts, rides for kids and music.
People interested in becoming a vendor should call
228-990-2021 or 377-7386 by Friday. Food vendors are
required to get a permit from the Perquimans County
Health Department.
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See SUMMER FEST, 7
TH
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Layden nominated for 2 NC posts
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
The head of the Repub
lican Party in Perquimans
County has been appointed
to one state board and may
be appointed to another.
Gov. Pat McCrory has
asked Diane Layden to sit on
the committee that oversees
licensed professional cotm-
selors. It’s a seven-member
panel that
includes
two mem
bers from
the public.
Layden will
be taking
the place
of a Shelby LAYDEN
resident.
House Speaker Tom 'Mis
has asked her to sit on the
board that licenses recre
ational therapists. Layden
said Monday she will take
the position once it is deter
mined that it is not a coifflict
to sit on two boards at the
same time.
Layden has been involved
in Raleigh politics in the
past In May she went back
to the capitol to serve as an
honorary page for a day. She
See LAYDEN, 7
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