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514 S CHURCH ST L ' BR ARY
HERTFORD NC 27944-1225
“News from Next Door”
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020
$1.00
Due to Virus, Closings Likely to be Extended
BY PAUL NIELSEN
For the Perquimans Weekly
Local libraries have been
closed, organized recre
ation activities have been
suspended, and events like
the N.C. Potato Festival
have been canceled as local
officials take precautionary
measures against the spread
of the coronavirus.
President Donald Trump
has issued a national dec
laration of emergency and
Gov. Roy Cooper has issued
a state declaration as well.
Around 25 of the state’s 100
counties have declared a lo
cal state of emergency and
more are expected to follow
in the coming days.
The White House ad
vised all Americans to avoid
groups of more than 10 and
urged older people to stay at
home in a set of new guide ¬
lines designed to fight a
spreading coronavirus out
break.
Tuesday, Gov. Cooper an
nounced a new executive or
der in response to COVID-19
that closes restaurants and
bars for dine-in customers
but allows them to continue
takeout and delivery orders.
The executive order also
included an expansion of
unemployment insurance to
help North Carolina work
ers affected by COVID-19.
The order was effective
by 5p.m. today, Tuesday,
March 17.
There are no confirmed
cases of COVID-19, the dis
ease caused by the corona
virus in the area, Albemarle
Regional Health Services
Director Battle Betts told
officials.
See CLOSINGS, A2
Leaders
Prepare
to Engage
Threat
BY STAFF REPORTS
Monday, leaders from Al
bemarle Regional Health Ser
vices, Perquimans County, the
Town of Hertford, the Town
of Winfall, and Perquimans
County Emergency Services
met to coordinate our local
response to COVID-19, also
known as Coronavirus 2019.
Over the last few days,
things in our nation have dras
tically changed, and we find
ourselves in unprecedented
territory. We are currently
under a U.S. and N.C. State of
Emergency.
In an effort to encourage
social distancing in North
Carolina, Governor Cooper’s
Executive Order included two
mqjor points:
■ AU NC Public School
Systems are closed, for two
weeks from March 16- March
27.
■ A prohibition of nrass
gatherings (100 persons).
On Sunday morning,
Perquimans County Emer
gency Services Staff joined
Pasquotank-Camden EMS,
Pasquotank County, the Eliz
abeth City Fire Department
and Sentara Albemarle Hos
pital to set up a Triage Tent
at Sentara Albemarle Medical
Center.
Even though .there are no
reported cases of COVID-19
See LEADERS, A2
Changes
Ahead for
Newspaper
STAFF REPORTS
You’ve asked and we’ve
listened because the Perqui
mans Weekly wants to serve
our community better.
Based on our readers’
input, we are pleased to an
nounce a few changes that
we hope wiU enhance this
newspaper.
We want to get more
news in the newspaper, par
ticularly local government
meeting stories but also
Monday’s sports scores,
should the season resume.
Because many local gov
ernments meet Monday eve
nings, it has been challeng
ing for reporters and editors
to provide stories in a timely
manner for the upcoming
edition.
Doesn’t matter if you
read a weekly or a daily
newspaper, news is a 24/7
operation.
So as to better get this
information and include
any late breaking news,
See NEWSPAPER, A2
PHOTO BY MILES LAYTON
Perquimans Schools administrators met Monday to provide the Board of Education an update as to plans to
provide learning access and distribute meals to students while schools are closed.
Schools Prepare to Cope with Closure
Meals to be Offered; Remote Learning Plans Created; Internet Access Made Available
BY MILES LAYTON
“This has been difficult and a little
6 89076 47144
Editor
Perquimans Board of Education and
school administrators met in a special
meeting Monday to discuss a plan of
action for coping with the aftershocks
from closing schools due to precau
tions taken to prevent the spread of
Covid-19.
Though schools statewide are
closed until March 27, planning is un
derway to provide meals and access to
technology that will facilitate learning
for what may be a long time away from
classrooms.
bit stressful on staff, but we have a
great group of people who are pulling
together and doing what we need to do
to serve our children,” she said.
Tinner was cautious but realistic
as the news cycle changes day to day
with the latest announcement from the
White House for Americans to avoid
groups of more than 10 and urged older
people to stay at home in a set of new
guidelines designed to fight a spread
ing coronavirus outbreak. Many public
officials are bracing for the fact that
things may not return to normal any
time soon.
“As we plan for the specifics, let us
remember why we closed the schools,”
Perquimans Board of Education Chair
woman Anne White said. “We didn’t
just close the schools for two weeks
just to close them. We have a virus-the
numbers are continuing to escalate.
The deaths are continuing to escalate,
so the key word should be the safety of
our students, staff, faculty - everybody
-in our community.”
Friday afternoon, school officials
statewide had a conference call with
Governor Roy Cooper. TIrmer said af
terward, school administrators did not
think school systems would close.
‘The state said the CDC recommend-
ed that schools stay open and that there
was no research that showed that clos
ing schools would prevent the spread
of the illness,” Timer said. “In fact,
they said closing schools would have
more negative impacts than we would
have positive. We left Friday aftermoon
thinking that we’re good, schools will
stay open. Saturday afternoon, every
thing went totally the opposite way. So
that’s the way the information has been
coming to us. We’re trying to adjust as
quickly as information is being provid
ed to us.”
Last week, 'Rimer asked teachers
and staff to prepare for fire days to
come.
“Everything right now - it’s changing
- by the end of this meeting we might
not be in school any more until Au
gust,” Tinner said.
White added, “That’s the truth from
what I’ve been hearing. But teachers are
creative. They’ve been coming up with
all kinds of creative ideas - all those
virtual classrooms where students are
calling in. As our teachers continue to
plan, we’ll just be amazed at what we
can accomplish”
Perquimans Schools Nutrition Di
rector Kim Cullipher said starting to
day (Wednesday) the school system
will be' able to feed students from two
hubs - Hertford Grammar School and
Perquimans Central School - by utiliz
ing the drive-thru method between the
hours between 11 am. and 1 p.m. Start
ing Thursday, plans also call for school
buses to deliver meals in the commu
nity and to local churches for pick-up.
Meals will be at no cost to the students
“We want as many kids to eat as
possible,” Cullipher said. “Families can
come and pick meals up for the chil
dren for students attending the schools.
Service is first-come, first-served.”
Cullipher said the school district will
be reimbursed from the national school
lunch program for the costs associated
with the meals.
“More kids we feed, the more reim ¬
bursement rates we can get back - we
want to make sure the kids eat and that
there is no cost to students,” she said.
Cullipher cautioned that because a
lot of parents are still working, school
planners have no idea what the meal
participation rate will be, so they are
aiming high at first and then adjusting 1
to fill the need.
“I’m hoping that once we get out into
the community, we’ll have better partic
ipation so we can feed more students,”
she said.
Meal distribution is based on the
honor system, so school administrators
are placing folks who are familiar with
the various communities being served
at the hubs and churches so as to bet
ter assist with recognizing the families
who are being served.
Board member Leary Winslow was
concerned that‘if this thing takes a dra
matic turn for the worse, there might
be a free-for-all that would clean us
out so that we wouldn’t be able to feed
anybody” if this program is not closely I
monitored with accountability as to
who is picking up meals.
Cullipher said school officials will
be asking each person which kids they
are providing meals for. People that re
trieve the meals should be parents, sib- I
lings or family members.
“That family has to have one child in
our school system to receive a meal,”
she said.
Chairwoman White added, “I think it
is great that you are asking for names
- probably going to be some abuse.
It’s just the nature of the system, but
if you start asking for something, then
it doesn’t send a message that this is a
free-for-all that lets everybody go have
lunch”
Perquimans schools Chief Technolo- j
gyOfficerMarthaNixonsaidtheschool |
system has organized an internet based
learning regimen so teachers can con
nect with students. Since internet ac-
See SCHOOLS, A2
Round-up
Triage,
closures,
Bocephus
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of
Perquimans
County...
A lot of things
are shifting because of the
coronavirus, so bear with us
during these trying times.
First, read this very
important public service
announcement from Coastal
Carolina Family Practice
of Hertford.
Please do not come into
Coastal Carolina Family
Practice if you are running a
fever or are symptomatic of
the COVID-19 Virus. Clinic
is setting up a triage outside
to screen any of its current
patients that are symptomat
ic. The drive through will be
open as soon as possible from
3-4 p.m. Monday through
Thursday with anticipated
expanded hours. Please call
before coming 4265711 ext:
221 and 225.
“It is very important to
be patient realizing that we
are trying to do the very best
we can,” said Chris Lane
of Coastal Carolina Family
Practice. “We are being inun
dated with phone calls. If you
are not symptomatic, please
stay home if at all possible.
Isolation is the best way to
prevent the spread of this
deadly virus.”
In other news, Hertford
United Methodist s Lord’s
Table that runs between
11:30 am and 1 p.m. on
Wednesdays is canceled
today (March 18) and next
week (March 25).
And Piney Woods
Friends Meeting has
canceled all services and
activities until April 1.
Lot of houses of worship
are streaming their Sunday
services, so go online to
check things out Yeah it’s
different not being in church
but you can watch these ser
mons in your pajamas if you
want And you can check out
the different church services.
First Responders Ball
scheduled for March 28 has
been postponed.
The Perquimans Weekly,
Chowan Herald and Daily
See LAYTON, A6
March on Meals Raises Awareness of Food Delivery
BY NICOLE BOWMAN-
LAYTON
Chowan Herald
Throughout the month
of March those who receive
deliveries from Meals on
Wheels will probably see a
few new faces as the orga
nization hosts its March on
Meals.
“Celebrities” ranging from
Perquimans County Sheriff
Shelby White to Edenton
Steamer’s Sam the. Clam
were to help deliver meals
to 12-13 residences one day
the month on one of the Area
Agency on Aging’s 47 routes
in a 10-county service area
That service area includes
Chowan, Pasquotank, Perqui
mans, Gates, Tyrrell, Wash
ington, Hyde, Dare, Camden
and Currituck.
In Perquimans County,
Sheriff Shelby White covered
several routes. Santa — Per
quimans County resident
Gary Lico — served in Cam
den.
In each county, a site co
ordinator, who is a volunteer,
finds and trains volunteers,
said Laura Rollinson, admin
istrative and volunteer co ¬
ordinator for the Albemarle
Commission Area Agency on
Aging and Senior Nutrition
Program. They also make
sure volunteers are sched
uled every day and know
their routes.
They deliver every week
Monday through Friday, ex
cept for one week around
Christmas, in which partic
ipants receive shelf staples
PHOTO COURTESY
LAURA ROLLINSON
Chowan Herald
editor Nicole
Bowman-
Layton delivers
a meal for
Meals on
Wheels on
Thursday,
March 12, in
Edenton.
— canned goods. During this
time, Meals on Wheels , con
ducts an internal audit and
takes inventory.
Three caterers cook the
meals provided to the home-
bound clients for the Area
Agency on Aging. Captain
Bob’s, in Hertford, serves
Perquimans, Pasquotank and
Chowan.
Due to the threat of coro ¬
navirus, Meals on Wheels of
America, the national orga
nization, has recommended
that the tray used to serve the
See MEALS, A2