Happy New Year!
P The
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,1 " , ' H '“ , ‘' A ^ COUNTY LIBRARY
PERQUIMANS COUNI
514 S CHURCH ST
HERTFORD NO 27944-1225
“News from Next Door”
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020
$1.00
SUBMITTED
PHOTO
Flanked
by family,
Earnell
Brown signs
the line
to run for
mayor. After
the ballots
were counted
Nov. 5,
Brown would
make history
as the first
woman,
first African-
American
woman too,
to be elected
as Hertford’s
mayor.
Newsmaker of the Year:
Mayor Earnell Brown
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Perquimans Weekly’s
Newsmaker of the Year for
2019 is Hertford’s new may
or, Earnell Brown.
Brown, who made his
tory Nov. 5 by becoming
the first woman to win a
mayor’s race in Hertford,
believes she was victorious
because of her message.
“I think the reason I won
is because of my slogan
(Unity in the Hertford com
munity), my narrative and
how my belief was sincerely
presented to the citizens of
Hertford: Unity — we can
do this together,” she was
quoted as saying in the Dai ¬
ly Advance.
Brown, who defeated
Quentin Jackson, a sitting
member of Town Council,
by garnering more than 60
percent of the vote, said the
results show citizens em
braced change, including in
how their government con
ducts business. Flanked by
newly elected councilmen
Jerry Mimlitsch and Robert
“Ashley” Hodges, Brown led
a movement intent on trans
forming town government.
“I believe the citizens of
Hertford want their town to
move forward with integri
ty, transparency and with
truth for every citizen,” she
See BROWN, A2
Round-up
Santa
& PAL
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
F irst, Hertford Police
have discovered the
whereabouts of the
Town vehicle’s license tag
for the Tahoe within the
trunk of the Town’s Impala.
Someone went to the
trouble of removing the
Tahoe’s license plate while
it was parked in the mu
nicipal lot the night of Dec.
11/12 and placed it inside
the Impala!?
- Anyone with informa
tion about the incident is
asked to contact HPD at
(252) 426-5587.
Speaking of HPD, give
thanks to Officers Down
ing, Sullivan, Martin, along
with Chief Brown who
worked Christmas day.
Officer Downing, Captain
Rodriguez and Officer
Webb deserved to be on
Santa’s nice list too for
working Christmas Eve.
In other news, Holiday
Island Civic League held
its annual Breakfast with
Santa Dec. 14 at the club-
house. Forty-nine children
had their picture taken
with Santa. The children
also wrote letters to Santa
letting him know what they
wanted.
Swearing-in ceremonies
and oaths aside, once you
get the new email address
and the shiny name plate,
you’re officially the mayor.
So in another inauguration
of sorts, Mayor Earnell
Brown’s official email
address is: mayor@townof-
hertfordnc.com
By sending the “Way-
Back Machine” to read a
copy of the Perquimans
Weekly for the first week
of January in 1940, we
learn that the honors for
the first baby of the New
Year goes to the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Murray
D. Lane of Belvidere. The
little lady was born at
11:30 a.m. Monday (Jan. 1)
according to Dr. C. Daven
port, attending physician.
Several counties have
come forward claiming
the honor of the first baby
born in the Albemarle in
1940, the newspaper’s front
page story reports. These
claims will not dissipate,
but to Mrs. Lane goes the
honor of being the New
Year’s baby of Perquimans
County.
Perquimans Arts League
will host a new show, “His
tory & Heritage,” beginning
See LAYTON, A2
Breakfast with Santa
PHOTOS.BY PAM HADDEN
Volunteers from Historic Hertford, Carolina Moon and 3 Rivers Rotary Club made Christmas special for many
families.
Annual event held in new location
Historic Hertford Happenings
Carolina Moon to Santa
BY SUBMITTED REPORTS
Historic Hertford held Breakfast
with Santa at its new location at
110 W Academy St., Dec. 21. Tickets
were purchased in advance so San
ta’s helpers would know how many
gifts to bring for the children. Break ¬
fast was pancakes, sausage and or
ange juice.
Forty children had an opportunity to
sit on Santa’s lap and request new toys.
Little Connor Aydlett, l-year-old son of Erik and
Brittany Aydlett, received a toy tiger from Santa.
Not only children had requests, Joe Musico with the
Weeksville Fire Department asked for a new fire
truck. Pictured with Joe is his daughter Olivia.
BY LYNNE RAYMOND
Historic Hertford
W elcome to our
column that
will keep y’all
informed about Historic
Hertford, Inc. and Caroli
na Moon Theater’s events
and plans.
It’s hard not to look
back at the joyous holiday
season in Hertford. On
Dec. 6, HHI kicked off
the holiday season with
the Grand Illumination
attended by over 350
people. Santa arriving in a
mule-drawn carriage was
a big hit!
The River Trees were
put up by Skip Matthews,
Frank Jaklic and Don
Keith and looked just
great. Kudos to Pam
Hurdle, Town Manager,
Dwan Bell, Public Works
Director, the Town.of
Hertford staff, and our
own Downtown Beautifi
cation Committee, Joyce,
Nancy, Lillian and Debbie
who without them we
could not “light up the
town” in so many ways! A
big thank you to all who
performed at the Grand
Illumination... you made
the night a big success!
On Dec. 15, the Albe
marle Community Orches
tra performed Christmas
songs in the Carolina
Moon Theater for our
listening pleasure. What a
great opportunity to see
the wonderfully talented
musicians right here in
Hertford!
On Dec. 21, HHI hosted
our first annual Breakfast
with Santa. We were over
subscribed and am sorry
we had to turn so many
away. We had 54 children
from 11 days old to 10
years old and 46 adults
who attended.
Olaf visited and was, of
course, a big hit and then
the man in the Red Suit
showed up to listen to
their hopes for Christmas
presents; have their pic
tures taken and receive
a gift from Santa. What a
great day for everyone -
young and old alike!
We couldn’t do all this
without our wonder
ful volunteers so a big
THANK YOU TO ALL OF
THEM!
January Calendar
Below are some op
portunities to become
involved and things to do!
■ Historic Hertford,
Inc., in conjunction with
the Town of Hertford,
has put up new banners
downtown to welcome
visitors! Don’t they look
great! Watch for 10 more
banners to go up once the
snowflakes come down.
■ Auditions are com
ing for Carolina Moon
Theater’s upcoming play,
“Red Velvet Cake War”
written by Jones, Hope,
and Wooten. Go to caro-
linamoontheaterinc.org
website for dates! Play
dates are May 15,16 and
17th.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
During Christmas tree season, Historic Hertford
volunteers were out putting the finishing touches on
downtown for the Grand Illumination.
■ On Friday, Janu
ary 24th from 5-7 p.m.
Historic Hertford, Inc.
will host a Business After
Hours, If you haven’t had
an opportunity to see
the renovated building
step in! In the words of
P.T. Barnum you will
be amazed! There is no
charge but you must
Taxpayers
fund trip
to Texas
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
mitted public
FELTON
HERTFORD - A trip to a
conference in San Antonio
cost taxpayers thousands
of dollars and may have
spurred growing calls to
reform Town Hall’s travel
policy.
Perquimans Weekly sub
records re
quests to
Town Hall
to learn
more about
the costs
associated
with Coun
cilman
Quentin
Jackson
and Coun
cilwom
an Gracie
Felton’s
trip in No
vember to
the Nation
al League
of Cities
confer-
ence.
Texas
trip is but
one of many conferences
across the nation that the
taxpayers have funded, so
Town Council has halted
any new council travel,
ordered a review of the
town’s finances and is re
vising the travel policy.
“Town Council is improv
ing upon existing policy to
apply and ensure transpar
ency, integrity and account-
See TRIP, A2
signup at Carolina Trophy
or on line at office@his-
torichertfordinc.org. for
planning purposes.
■ On February 22nd at
7 p.m. the Carolina Moon
theater will host The
Grassabillies, a high-energy
group of musicians based
See HISTORIC, A2
6 89076 47144