P THE ERQUIMANS _jii|s^ ^ ^ 27944-1306 "News from Next Door" OCTOBER 18, 2017 Helping fire program, 3 OCT 1 8 RED SOcents Bridge agreement up for review this month BY PETER WILLIAMS News Editor The N.C. Department of Transportation, US Coast Guard and other parties in volved in the final debate over a replacement of Hert ford’s S-Bridge, are being asked to sign off on agree ment this month so the proj ect can proceed. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will so lidify some of the finer de tails of the $40 million plan to build another swing-span to replace the one built in 1927. The project is several years behind schedule. One snag is because that part of Hertford is considered an historical district and any re moving the old bridge auto matically would have an ad verse impact on the district Because a federal permit will be required to build a new bridge, the federal government was obliged to do everything possible to lessen any impact. To reach that end, the Town of Hertford and 12 residents representing the group Citizens for the Pres ervation and Growth of Hertford were named con curring parties in the MOA process and allowed to pro vide input. A list of stipulations was compiled on how the proj ect should proceed. First, the DOT agrees that before it starts work it must pho tograph the existing con ditions of properties and landscapes in the district, including the old bridge. The second point sets out the design of the new bridge. That includes the require ment for decorative pedes trian lights that match the streetlights already in the town. There is also a re quirement to build two ob servational “bump outs” on the bridge. Jay McInnis, the project engineer for DOT, said each would be about 10 feet wide and six feet deep and ex tend off the sidewalk on the bridge. The five-foot wide sidewalk would extend from Hertford to Winfall along the east side of the bridge. McInnis said ideally one of “bump outs” would be on the Hertford side of the bridge and the other would be on the Winfall side. How ever if the final location of the new bridge is too close to Hertford, both “bump outs” would be on the Win fall side. “We may have to shift them,” he said. The agreement also calls of reusing the current bridge plaque on the new bridge along with the addition of a second plaque for the new See BRIDGE, 2 Foundation elects new officers From Staff Reports FIELDS of Faith ' The Perquimans County Schools Foundation, Inc. re cently elected Antoine Moore as president and Todd Kemp as vice president for the 2017- 2018 academic year. MOORE Moore is a 2003 gradu ate of Perqui mans High School and 2007 gradu ate of NC State Univer sity where he earned a de gree in Agri ¬ SUBMITTTED PHOTOS cultural Communications and Agricultural Business Manage ment. Brenda Lassiter, the executive director of the founda tion, said Moore has been active on the board JOHNSON and provided leadership on the scholarship selection committee for a number of LAMB Lassiter said. years. Kemp also has been on the founda tion board for a num ber of years and is active and visible in schools on a daily basis, “He probably has the most KEMP volunteer hours of any individual that I know. He serves as a youth pas tor at Bagley Swamp and is well ac- quainted with and has a real desire to ensure stu dents are successful.” The board also approved two new board members for three year terms at the Octo ber meeting. Phil Johnson is employed with Pepsi Bottling Ventures, See FOUNDATION, 2 Top, groups form circles to - —- pray Sunday during a Fields of Faith event at Perquimans County High School. About 180 people attended the event. Right, Students and adults sit in the stands for the start of Sunday’s Fields of Faith event at Perquimans County High School. Belvidere Day returns on Oct. 28 BY PETER WILLIAMS News Editor The fifth annual Bevidere Day will be coming again on Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Doug Layden and a handful of supporters started the event to put a focus on what Belvi dere had to offer. “It’s grown every year since then,” Layden said last week. The event will feature food, crafts, hay rides, raffles, prizes, a cake bake off, a tractor race, and a parade. There will be events at Layden’s Country Store, 1478 Belvidere Road, the Ruritan Club building, The Nicolson House and other locations. Roughly every 30 minutes from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. there will be somebody in the dunking booth. The public can pay $1 for a chance to throw three balls and all the money goes to local Ruritan Club for projects like scholarships. Those who will be getting dunked will be: Glen White, 9:30 a.m.; Michael Stallings, 10 a.m.; Henry Norman, 10:30 a.m., Matt Norman, Noon; Tony Howard from 252 Grill, 12:30 p.m., David Stumsky, 1 p.m.; Sheriff Shelby White, 1:30 p.m.; someone from the Belvidere Fire Department, 2 p.m.; Tony Cook, 2:30 p.m. and See BELVIDERE, 2 Christmas gifts sought for area seniors SUBMITTED PHOTO Workers assemble gift bags for seniors in the Albemarle area who might not of had any presents last Christmas. The Hertford-based Albemarle Commission is doing the program again this year. BY PETER WILLIAMS News Editor Ashley Lamb still wants Santa Claus to come to older residents in the northeast re gion who may not any friends or family that can bring Christ mas this holiday season. Lamb, an aging program specialist with the Albemarle Commission, said the group was able to help last season in part because of a grant from SunEnergyl, a solar power de veloper. The Santa for Seniors grant provided money for gift bags for seniors in the nutri tion program in all 10 counties in the region plus shelf stable meals for the holidays for cli ents in Camden, Chowan, Cur rituck and Gates counties. This year the Commission is try ing the program without the grant. Lamb said some seniors have no family in the area, or any family at all. Lamb wants to make sure they get a little something at Christmas. That includes members of area se nior seniors, not just those in the meal program. The Commission is asking for donations of blankets, towel sets, socks/slippers for both men and women; puzzle books; bath robes for men and women, candies, sta tionary and wall calendars. “We want everybody to have something,” Lamb said. “Last year we sort of threw it together at the last minute, but this year we’re starting early. Lamb said Hertford United See SANTA, 2 Rotary concert to feature classic rock From Staff Reports The Rotary Club of Hert ford will be hosting an eve ning of “Classic Rock” for its 12th annual scholarship concert. The show will be gin at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Perquimans High School Auditorium. 89076 47144 6 2 The Rotary Club of Hert ford has been providing scholarships for Perqui mans County students each year for the past 11 years. Ad sales and ticket sales for the concert are solely used to fund the scholar ships. Earlier this year, $5,000 in scholarships were awarded to Perquimans County high school graduates. The con cert also funded a $1,000 scholarship administered by the College of the Al ¬ bemarle for a Perquimans County student. The Rotary Club of Hertford intends to pro vide a similar amount for scholarships in the spring of 2018. This year’s concert will feature Savannah, a Nor folk-based band, that has been performing since 1977 in more than 30 states from Florida to Connecticut and as far west as Texas. See CONCERT, 2 SUBMITTED PHOTO The Savannah Band will perform Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in the annual Rotary Club of Hertford concert at the Perquimans County High School Auditorium. For more information on tickets, call 426-5246.