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j M PERQUIMANS COUNTY LIBRARY
J . 514 SCHURCH ST
HERTFORD NC 27944-1225
“News from Next Door”
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12,2020
$1.00
Tribute to a Country Doc
Coastal Carolina Family Practice
celebrates 25 years of service
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Perquimans County’s favorite coun
try doctor, Robert Earl Lane, is cele
brating 25 years of service at Coastal
Carolina Family Practice in Hertford.
Doc has been helping people for
nearly 50 years - 42 years of that time
in Perquimans County - so it was nat-
ural to want to know more about him.
First, Doc said his name is not just
Robert - no - it’s Robert Earl - use his
first and middle names. When said cor
rectly, using all three names - Robert
Earl Lane - rolls off the tongue and it’s
one of those endearing things South
erners do, particularly those from the
deep South.
Lane is from Mississippi, attended
Mississippi State, studied medicine at
Tulane University in New Orleans and
served as a doctor aboard a nuclear
submarine during the Vietnam era.
When 2023 rolls around, Lane, 77, with
a birthday ahead Feb. 28, will have
been practicing medicine for 50 years.
“I enjoy what I do - the people are
the best,” he said.
Lane’s clinic used to be downtown
across from the newspaper office on
See DOC, A2
PHOTO BY
MILES LAYTON
Dr. Robert
Earl Lane is
the founder
of Coastal
Carolina
Family
Practice in
Hertford,
which is
celebrating
its 25th
birthday
Monday at
the clinic
on South
Church
Street.
BEYOND The BOOKS
County’s
Black
History
BY MICHELE LAWRENCE
Perquimans Librarian
C arter G. Woodson,
an African American
historian, educator, and
publisher, created “Negro
History Week” in 1926 to
celebrate achievements and
contributions of African
Americans.
CALE
WOODSON
In 1976, it
grew to the
month long
celebration
we observe
today. While
there are
many in our
community
that deserve
recognition,
I am going
to mention
just a few
today in
keeping
with the
theme
for Black
History
Month 2020,
“African
Americans and the Vote”.
Hugh Cale, an African
American bom in Perquim-
■ans County, was elected to
the NC General Assembly
in 1876 according to Capital
News Service. He was also
a county commissioner in
See LAWRENCE, A3
Perquimans
Farm Bureau
Wins Award
BY STAFF REPORTS
GREENSBORO — Per
quimans County Farm Bu
reau was recently named
the winner of the 2019
County of Excellence
Award, Division 3.
The county organization
was judged North Carolina
Farm Bureau’s most effec
tive in its membership class
in implementing programs,
services and activities that
build active county Farm I
Bureaus and fulfill the mis
sion of the organization.
The award ceremony
took place during NCFB’s
84th annual meeting, Dec.
8-10, at the Joseph S. Koury
Convention Center, Sher
aton Greensboro Hotel at
Four Seasons.
“This award is presented
to the county that executed
the best all-around effort for
See FARM, A3
89076
2
COA President, Hertford Mayor Speak
Hertford mayor talks at
reception in Edenton
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON
For the Perquimans Weekly
EDENTON - When
College of the Albemarle
President Jack Bagwell
interviewed for his current
position, the first stop in
his interview process was
the community college’s
Edenton-Chowan campus.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4,
Edenton was the first
place to host a reception
for Bagwell, as the 1767
Chowan County court-
house served host to about
50 citizens and members
of the COA staff.
Bagwell noted that as
an administrator at COA,
his job includes helping
faculty and staff take that
next step in their own pro
fessional development.
“I get to try to make sure
that the process is running
a solid making sure we
have the resources put in
place for everyone, much
like I used to do in lab set
up,” he said. “I think life
gives you opportunities.
Providence gives you op
portunities to establish
yourself, grow yourself,
change yourself over
time.”
Edenton has always
welcomed Bagwell, the
former biology professor
noted. That friendliness is
a regional phenomenon.
“When I talk to some
one relatively new to this
area of northeastern North
Carolina, everyone had the
same reaction,” he said. “I
cannot believe how friend
ly people are, how wel
coming they’ve been. So
kudos to you as represen
tatives of that. Community
development is hinged on
how we receive the incom
ing workforce.”
While COA and other
surrounding universities
are involved with local
high school and school dis
tricts, the college is look
ing for community part
nerships, Bagwell said.
“We’ve got program
ming, training at the cam
pus here locally and some
of our other campuses,”
O’Brien named general manager for region’s newspapers
BY JULIAN EURE
for Perquimans Weekly
Sean O’Brien has been
named general manager
for The Daily Advance,
the Chowan Herald and
The Perquimans Week
ly, Robin Quillon, presi
dent of Adams Publish
ing Group Eastern North
Carolina, announced last
week.
As general manager,
O’Brien, currently ad
vertising director for the
three newspapers, will
oversee all operations of
the three newspapers,
including its editorial,
he said, noting the recent
groundbreaking on a facili
ty in Currituck County.
Each of the seven coun
ties in the COA region has
a different set of needs.
“Each community has
a different set of expec
tations in a way. They are
fantastic to work with,” he
said.
Bagwell noted that
while COA works with
high schoolers, the col
lege needs to bring in ca
reer-changers, those who
wish to switch jobs.
“So I always do a para
phrase. Somebody taught
me this recently and I love
and I keep saying it. I think
it hits home. ... Diversity
is making sure that every
one is invited to the party.
Inclusion is making sure
everyone at the party is
dancing. Sometimes you
can be at the party and be
around the periphery. We
want to make sure every
body’s dancing.”
During the reception,
COA student and Hertford
Mayor Earnell Brown talk
ed about her time at the
community college, where
she is working on a fine
arts degree.
, Brown knew of the
area, as she grew up vis
iting family in Belvidere.
The former Washington,
advertising and circula
tion departments, Quillon
said.
“I am very pleased to
announce the promotion
of Sean to general manag
er of The Daily Advance
and sister weeklies,”
Quillon said. “Sean is a
true newspaper profes
sional in every aspect. His
dedication to excellence
in journalism shows by
his determination to be
the very best. Sean has
earned the respect of his ing and I have met some
peers and I have no doubt
that he will succeed in his
new responsibilities.”
O’Brien, who will con-
College of the Albemarle president Jack Bagwell
speaks Tuesday, Feb. 4, during a reception at the
1767 Chowan County Courthouse.
DC, resident, had been a
manager, administrator
and diplomat.
“When I retired I said, let
me turn off the bean count
er and turn on the artistic
side,” she said. “Out of all
of my accomplishments,
I did not have a four-year
degree. So I said I want to
go back to school.”
Brown attempted to at
tend Elizabeth City State
University because her
mother went there. How
ever, the university would
not take her credits.
Brown noted that many
retired people like her
O’BRIEN
tinue to be
based at
the news
paper’s
new offic
es on Eh-
ringhaus
Street,
said he’s
looking
forward
to his new role.
“Since moving here six
years ago, Elizabeth City
amazing people,” he said.
“I’m glad to be a part of
this great town.”
O’Brien, who grew up
has been very welcom- executive at the Rocky
Mount Telegram for 3^
PHOTOS BY
NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON/CHOWAN
HERALD
Earnell Brown,
mayor of
Hertford, talks
about her
experience at
the College of
the Albemarle
on Tuesday,
Feb. 4, at the
1767 Chowan
County
Courthouse.
want to go back to school
— not for continuing edu
cation but to earn a four-
year degree. Their experi
ences should be taken into
account then they apply
for school.
“We need programs
that take into account
our experience level, our
training, travel or certifica
tions,” she said.
While going to college,
Brown started learning
about Hertford and want
ed to get involved and
help address some of the
See COA, A2
in Frisco where his fam
ily owns a business, has
been advertising director
for the three newspapers
since 2014. Before com
ing to Elizabeth City, he
worked in Greenville as
advertising/digital man
ager for Cooke Commu
nications North Carolina,
the previous owner of
The Daily Advance, for
4^ years. Prior to that,
he worked as an account
years.
“I’ve been with our
group of papers now for
14 years and have seen
Round-Up
Snakes -
You Can
Cook Them
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of all things
Perquimans County...
. First, due to space
and time constraints, not to
mention a sick editor who
has caught the crud that’s
been going around town, the
joyous comings and goings
of Hertford Town Council’s
multi-hour meeting Monday
will appear in a future edition.
Next, Elizabeth Jones
of Hertford, formerly of
Edenton, sent me a photo
of a large water snake she
discovered at the very end of
East Punch Alley on Feb. 5.
Originally, folks thought it
might be a water moccasin,
but after posting the photo to
the newspaper’s very active
Facebook page, Phil Fisher
commented that the snake
has different patterns than a
moccasin, so it is probably a
non-poisonous water snake.
Because it’s still winter, it
seems reasonable that we’d
get a reptile reprieve, but
since it has been so warm,
maybe not so much.
Sandy Harrison reported
a sighting of two copper
heads at Holiday Island.
While Joseph Leotta was
kayaking, he saw a rattle
snake resting in the mud by
John’s Island, not really an
island, in Edenton Bay.
Cathy Harrell comment
ed about how snakes are
beneficial - and she’s right
I’m not a big fan of snakes.
Depending on where you
go boating or kayaking, you
See LAYTON, A2
PHOTO BY ELIZABETH JONES
Water snake or delectable
treat?
many changes during that
time,” O’Brien said. “I’m
excited to see what the
next 14 years will have to
offer.” ‘
In addition to his expe
rience working for Cooke
Communications North
Carolina and now Adams
Publishing Group North
Carolina, O’Brien also has
been a member of Mid-At-
lantic Newspaper and
Marketing Executives for
seven years, serving on its
board of directors and a
stint as its first vice pres
ident.
See O’BRIEN, A3