P , THE
ERQUIMANS
. WE E K LY
"News from Next Door" WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2017
Perfect attendance, 7
J^'j 2 8 RETO
50 cents
County extends solar projects moratorium
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Perquimans County has ex
tended a moratorium on con
sidering any new solar power
projects for another 90 days.
The existing moratorium
was set to expire on July 18.
The county adopted the orig
inal 120-day measure in March.
At the time the majority of the
six-member board said they
wanted more time to look at
the rules governing industry-
scale solar projects.
Last week Charles Woodard
made the motion to extend the
ban, and Wallace Nelson sec
onded the motion. It passed
unanimously with Kyle Jones
absent.
The next scheduled commis
sion meeting is set for July 3 at
7 p.m.
When the original mora
torium was adopted, at least
one commissioner — Nelson
— asked if it could be longer
than 120 days.
County Attorney Hackney
High said it could, but noted
the courts might frown on ex
tending a moratorium for too
long.
Over the past three months
commissioners have ad
dressed issues like making
sure the developer had money
set aside in the form of a cash
bond for paying for removing
the solar panels if they were no
longer operational. They also
See SOLAR, 2
STAFF PHOTO
BY PETER WILLIAMS
Plants partially
buffer a solar
power project on
Belvidere Road.
The Perquimans
County Commission
has enacted a
second moratorium
so the rules can be
amended to make
sure developers in
the future provide
buffering.
Golf
tourney
starting
today
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Golf pros from North
Carolina are helping round
out the field for the fourth
annual Biggs Cadillac Buick
GMC Classic golf tourna
ment at the Albemarle Plan
tation this week.
The tournament officially
starts today, but warm up
events started on Monday.
“The shoot out (Monday
night) was great, and we
should have a full field,”
said Tom Loughlin, a Planta
tion resident who is heading
up the tournament this year.
“So far everything is great.”
As of Tuesday morning,
37 golfers had signed up to
play.
Spectators are invited to
come view the event for free.
The first round is scheduled
to start at 7:30 a.m. today. A
long drive contest is sched
uled for 4 p.m. sponsored by
First National Bank.
Action continues Thurs
day with round two. On
Friday, there will be several
invitation only parties spon
sored by Biggs, Swimme and
Son, and Albemarle Bank.
The final day of the cer
emony is Saturday. An
awards ceremony is sched
uled for 3 p.m.
In addition to the return
ing the entry fees as prizes,
the Plantation will be put
ting in another $5,000 for
first place, $3,000 for sec-
See GOLF, 2
Parade Coming Saturday
STAFF PHOTO BY PETER WILLIAMS
Jennifer Byrum decorates the window at Woodard's Drug Store last week in preparation for the Fourth of July.
A parade is planned for Saturday starting at Perquimans County High School at 5 p.m. For more information
call 426-5956 or 333-8959. Fireworks will follow once it turns dark over the Perquimans River between
Hertford and Winfall.
County dedicates new boat ramp
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
State and local officials held a rib
bon cutting Friday for an industrial-
sized boat ramp next to the Perqui
mans Marine Industrial Park.
The more than $800,000 project
was made possible by land dona
tion Perquimans County, a $304,000
grant from Golden LEAF and fund
ing from the NC Wildlife Resource
Commission and a federal grant set
aside for sport fish restoration.
Dan Gerlach, the president of
Golden LEAF, said it was a bit un ¬
See RAMP, 2
STAFF PHOTO BY PETER WILLIAMS
Dan Gerlach, (center), the president of Golden LEAF and county and
town officials, cut the ribbon on a new boat ramp in Hertford on Friday.
Schools
make
final pitch
for SRO
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Perquimans County
Schools Superintendent
Matthew Cheeseman made
a final plea to county com
missioners to fund a fourth
School Resource Officer
(SRO) last week.
Cheeseman was origi
nally scheduled to appear in
person to address the board.
Instead he sent a two-page
letter. In it he thanked the
board for considering his
budget request, but again
asked for a fourth SRO.
In Perquimans County,
SRO’s are sworn law en
forcement officers and
members of the Perquimans
County Sheriff’s office. The
office has had two SRO’s for
at least the past 10 years,
according to Sheriff Shelby
White. One floats between
Perquimans County High
School and Hertford Gram
mar School. The other floats
between Perquimans Coun
ty Middle School and Per
quimans Central School.
Commissioners had al
ready agreed to hire a third
SRO, but not a fourth one.
Cheeseman appealed one
last time in his letter for the
additional position.
He pointed out last Octo
ber a fight broke out at the
high school while the SRO
was at the grammar school
dealing with an issue. The
event made “national news”
Cheeseman said in his letter,
and left 13 teachers injured
before the deputy was able
See SRO, 2
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Students and
coaches attending
the National Hunter
Safety competition
will include (front
row) Dylan Bass,
Kaitlyn Ward and
Jenna Ward and
(back row) Matthew
Meads, Nathan
Williams, Coach
Talmadge Meads,
Coach Ashley
Williams and Coach
Wayne Bass.
PCMS students headed to New Mexico
BY PETER WILLIAMS
News Editor
Five Perquimans County Middle
School students are scheduled to go to
New Mexico next month to compete in
the national hunter safety competition.
Rosa Forbes, a coach for the team,
said it’s the first time a Perquimans Mid
dle School team has made it to nation
als in the 16 years she’s been associated
with the program. The high school had
participants attend about four years
ago.
Participating will be Nathan Wil
liams, Matthew Meads, Dylan Bass,
Jenna Ward and her twin sister Kaitlyn
Ward. Bass is a sixth grader. The other
four are eighth graders.
In order to qualify, the five competed
in a regional and state competition.
In April, the five along with Tanner
Thach, Logan Brown, Jett Winslow,
Willow Stokely, Trent Byrum, Mason
See STUDENTS, 2
A’s pay tribute to Catfish Hunter
From Staff Reports
OAKLAND, Calif. — Fam
ily members of the late Jim
“Catfish” Hunter were on
hand for a ceremony honor
ing him on June 17 in Cali
fornia.
The Oakland A’s renamed
the C Gate at the Oakland
Coliseum in Hunter’s honor.
Hunter, a Hall of Fame
pitcher, was 53 when he
died in 1999 after being di
agnosed with ALS one year
prior.
The ceremony was held
before the A’s played the
visiting New York Yankees.
Hunter spent his last four
seasons in major league
career with the Yankees.
The Hertford native played
for 15 seasons in the major
leagues.
Hunter’s widow, Helen,
their three children and their
families were in attendance
along with Hunter’s for
mer teammates Vida Blue,
Bert Campaneris, Darold
Knowles, John “Blue Moon”
Odom, Joe Rudi, and Gene
Tenace. Monte Moore, a
former As broadcaster, was
also present for the dedica
tion ceremony.
The World Series trophies
from 1972, 1973, and 1974
See HUNTER, 2
SUBMITTED F^OTO
Helen Hunter (center) and members of the family pose with three World Series
trophies won by the Oakland A’s when her late husband Jim “Catfish” Hunter played
for the team.