PERQUIMANS
WEEKLY
"News from Next Door" APRIL 23, 2014 - APRIL 29, 2014
APR 3 2 RECTI 50 cents
STAFF PHOTO
BY PETER WILLIAMS
Participants in an
upcoming NGA pro
golf tournament at
Albemarle Plantation
discuss plans on a
balcony that overlooks
one of the holes at
The Sound Links, last
week. Pictured are
Rick Durrent Jr., vice
president of Biggs
Cadillac-Buick-GMC, Todd
Barbee, tournament
director for the NGA,
Harry Umphlett, a sales
consultant at Biggs and
Kenny Saunders, the golf
pro at The Sound Links.
J Pro tourney gets sponsor
BY PETER WILLIAMS a relationship,” said Rick Durren Jr., vice
1 News Editor president of the dealership.
An Elizabeth City Cadillac dealership
has signed on as the title sponsor for the
NGA pro tour’s tournament at The Sound
Links at Albenwrle Plantation.
Biggs Cadillac-Buick-GMC cited their
long bond with the Perquimans County
golfing community in announcing the deci
sion. The tournament will be held June 23-
29 and should bring more than 150 young
pro golfers to the area.
“We realized 20 years ago what this de
velopment would involve and that started
vice
‘Over the years we’ve probably sold
hundreds of cars to residents down here
and serviced far far more. Service is a big
thing for us. When we heard of this oppor
tunity to be title sponsor we jumped on it.
We’re glad to give back to community.”
Todd Barbee, the senior tournament
director for the NGA, said landing a title
sponsor for any event is key. The NGA is
based in South Carolina.
“It sets a precedent and the tone for the
See PRO TOURNEY, 2
Number
of workers
is down
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Monthly statistics not
withstanding, there were
107 fewer people working
in Perquimans County in
February than there were a
year ago.
That’s the number Larry
Parker finds most disturb
ing.
Parker was talking about
the latest figures by the
N.C. Department of Com
merce. Parker is the public
information officer for the
Department of Employment
Security.
* On the surface, the Per
quimans jobless rate of 8
percent in February was
2.7 percentage points lower
than that it was the year
before. The latest Febru
ary figure was one tenth of
a percentage point higher
than it was the month be
fore, but the figures aren’t
seasonally adjusted and the
Department of Commerce
discourages month-to-
month comparisons.
But February numbers
compared year to year with
2013 show the number of
people employed is down
by 107.
“Overall there are 107
less people employed in
the county. That’s in a la
bor force of 5,000. Year-to-
year the rate dropped 2.7
percentage points, and I
can’t say it’s a good or a bad
thing.”
Some people may view a
drop in the unemployment
rate as a good thing. It can
be, but in some cases it can
be a negative sign.
Unemployment can go up
or down based on several
factors. The rate can decline
if the labor pool remains the
same and the number of
• See WORKERS, 7
STAFF PHOTOS BY PETER WILLIAMS
Dozens of children took part in an Easter Egg Hunt at The Brian.Center in Hertford, Friday. The hunt also
included a bounce house and tours of a fire truck and rescue vehicle. Jeb Roberts, 2 months (top), sleeps
through all of Friday’s activities at The Brian Center.
County
forms
10-year
plan
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Building a new library
and merging the emergency
management and EMS ser
vices should be two of the
goals for Perquimans Coun
ty over the next 10 years.
The recommendations
come from a retreat held
by the Perquimans County
Commission on Feb. 1. The
board holds a retreat every
other year. The board re
viewed the final report on
the retreat last week.
The six-member board
looked at four core areas
that all contribute to en
hancing the quality of life
in the county. One looks at
infrastructure needs, one
looks at sustaining county
leadership and personnel
development, a third fo
cuses on economic develop
ment and job ^creation and
another looks at funding
educational facilities and
programs.
In a 2012 retreat, the
board looked at the same
four areas and set some
priorities. At the time, the
county had seen improve
ment since 1998. Back then
the county ranked 92nd in
terms of population and in
2012 it was 90th. The prop
erty tax rate was 23rd low
est in 2012 and it 1998 it was
86th. Per capita income was
the 96th lowest in the state
and by 2012 the figure was
up to 56th.
County Manager Frank
Heath, who was interim
comity manager in 2012 the
last time a retreat was held,
See 10-YEAR PLAN, 7
Church to dedicate
its new sanctuary
Friday Night Singin’ and Strollin’
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
A Bagley Swamp church
will hold a dedication Sun
day for a new sanctuary
to replace one used by the
church for the past 100
years.
Bagley Swamp Wesleyan
Church will gather to cel
ebrate the opening of their
newly constructed, 12,000
square foot facility at 402
Bagley Swamp Road at 4
p.m.
The celebration includes
a dedication service and
open house. Pastor James
Spaugh said the event is
designed for the whole fam
ily and the public is encour
aged to attend.
“Ten years ago, we
dreamed big dreams,
prayed bold prayers, and
took some significant steps
of faith toward this building
project,” Spaugh said. “I’m
praying a lot now about our
next steps, about what the
next 10 years might hold. I
envision using the new facil
ity as resource for the whole
community, as well as a
powerful ministry tool.”
The congregation has
roots going back to a Sunday
school and camp meeting in
1905. It was officially orga
nized in 1914. It’s located in
an area between Winfall and
Can CANCTII4DV 9
PHOTO BY PAM HADDEN
The band Passion for Christ performed Friday night in front of the Perquimans County Courthouse as part
of Friday Night Stroll. The monthly Chamber event is on the third Friday of the month in downtown Hertford
through October. Pictured are Jeff Balduf, lead singer; Brent Elliot, guitarist; Tony Turner, sax; Leon Overman-
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