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Business
owner shares
recipe for cold-
fried frites, B5
Reminder: Next week’s edition will come
out on Thursday, April 2.
“News from Next Door” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25,2020 $1.00
Mayor Brown: ‘We Are In This Battle*
Nearly 600 meals served
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Some good news to
brighten the day...
Saturday afternoon by
First Baptist Church on
King Street, Hertford Town
Council was providing
lunches prepared by Mc
Donalds and Captain Bob’s
to ensure not only that peo
ple had a hot meal, but to
support our local business
es.
Helping one another out
- that’s what Hertford and
Perquimans County are all
about because these are
the kinds of stories people
want to read; that folks are
working together to provide
a ray of hope in these trying
times.
“The Coronavirus is af
fecting us all in one way
or another,” Mayor Earnell
Brown said. “It is giving us
time to to be alert, safe, re
flect, be kind to ourselves
and others. It is bringing the
township together, causing
us to break down barriers
with acts of kindness and
open communications.
Grateful we have no infect
ed citizens in Hertford, the
Town Council wants to pro-
actively reach out and let
our citizens know that we
care about their continued
well-being. We are actively
identifying ways to help our
neighbors and loved ones.”
Check out the video post
ed to the Perquimans Week
ly’s Facebook page - that’s
Mayor Brown handing out
meals. Later, that’s Council
man Frank Norman helping
to direct meal flow. Working
together, these dedicated
public servants delivered
395 meals and 200 Happy
Meals in 48 minutes.
“The meals distribution
See BATTLE, A3
PHOTO BY MILES LAYTON
Hertford Mayor
Earnell Brown and
Councilman Jerry
Mimlitsch gave
out hot meals on
Saturday by First
Baptist Church.
More than 600
meals prepared by
Captain Bob’s and
McDonalds were
served by Hertford
Town Council
among other
dedicated public
servants.
PQ County
Declares
State of
Emergency
BY STAFF REPORTS
Perquimans County
County and Town leaders
have declared a state of
emergency.
Friday, the Perquimans
County Contr ol Group met
to determine the best way
for our county to proceed
for the protection of our res
idents. At the recommenda
tion of Battle Betts, Direc
tor of Albemarle Regional
Health Services, county and
town leaders have declared
a State of Emergency for
Perquimans County, the
Town of Hertford and the
Town of Winfall.
Below is a list of services/
events that have been im
pacted:
• Regional Library closed
through March 29
• Senior Center closed
through March 31
1. Meal on Wheels deliv
ery will continue through- '
out the county.
2. Congregate Meals are I
available for curbside pick-
up at the Senior Center.
• Recreation Center activ
ities are postponed through
March 31
• Perquimans County
Judicial System — Please
contact the Clerk of Court’s
Office at 252404-5000 to
verify if your date has been j
postponed. Their office
hours are Monday - Friday
from 8 a.m. — 5p.m.
• Extension Office has
cancelled programs through
March 31
• County/ Town offices
are requesting that business
be conducted electronically
or by phone when possible.
• Schools closed per Gov
ernor’s Executive Order un- j
til March 30
1 . Electronic and Paper
Learning Packets are being
prepared for students.
• Electronic is available
on the school website.
• Paper packets can be
picked up at your child’s
school on Wednesdays.
• If there is no transpor
tation available, please con
tact your child’s school for
further information.
2 . Meal Program for chil
dren under 18.
• Perquimans Central
School and Hertford Gram
mar School are a pick up
site for breakfast
from 7:30-9:00 a.m.
and lunch from 11a.m.
-1:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.
See EMERGENCY, A2
Perquimans Schools Perform Miracle
PHOTOS BY TANYA TURNER
Hallmark should make a movie about a school system coming together during a stressful time to help
prepare meals to feed hungry students from Belvidere to Bethel. (L-r/front row) Tammy Nixon, Paulesia
Keyes, Dena Clifton. Back row: Ronda Forbes, Tina Bundy, Jamie West, and Kim Cullipher.
Unsung Heroes Serve
Hundreds of Meals Each Day
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Miracles and the Gos
pel story of the fishes and
loaves come to mind when
considering the Perquimans
Schools’ triumph of feed
ing children throughout the
county.
North Carolina Gov. Roy
Cooper announced Mon
day afternoon that all pub
lic schools in the state will
remain closed until May 15.
Cooper ordered the state’s
schools to close for two
weeks beginning March
16 but extended that order
during a press conference in
Raleigh on Monday.
“This is what we need to
do to help slow the spread
of this virus, but I am com
mitted to ensuring our stu
dents get the best education
they can this year,” Cooper
said. “We arrived at May 15
by looking at the CDC and
Governor Cooper: School Closed Until May 15
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Back in the day when
Heavy Metal singer Alice
Cooper sang “School’s Out” it
was a reason to celebrate.
When Governor Roy Coo
per, no relation we hope, an
nounced Monday that school
doors will be closed to stu
dents until May 15, the mood
was less than celebratory in
Perquimans County.
“I would say school clo
sures are definitely devastat
ing to most students,” said
Celia Manning, a student at
Perquimans Middle School.
“It’s sad that we are missing
formal and possibly Stir-grade
public health guidance, but
as you know this is a rapid
ly evolving health crisis and
if the guidance changes, we
will adjust the order.”
Statewide, all 115 pub
lic school districts - many
working with community
partners such as food banks
and faith-based entities -
have approved plans to
serve meals to children in
North Carolina As of March
22, more than 1,165 schools
had already served 1.2 mil
lion meals and 6,500 snacks.
When the school systems
were closed as a precaution
to prevent the spread of
Covid-19, local school ad
ministrators scrambled to
find a way to feed hundreds
of students from Belvidere
to Bethel. Many children are
at risk for being hungry with
out a cafeteria to provide
breakfast and lunch in this
See MEALS, A3
graduation. It’s also hard on
students who play sports
and participate in other after
school activities. Plus, our
spring musical was cancelled
and we were really looking
forward to performing. Of
course, not being able to see
friends face-to-face is hard
as well. While we can video
chat and text each other, it’s
boring not seeing friends in
person.”
Superintendent Tanya
Tuner said based on the
governor’s plans last week
to close the schools, she is
not surprised that the date
was extended past the two-
week window of March 30.
She said Perquimans schools
Sweet little Keonni Hunter has a book, a hot meal
and smile on her face.
are prepared for the days and
weeks to come.
“I am optimistic in the
Perquimans County Schools
staff and their commitment
to our students and com
munity,” she said. “I believe
that they will do everything
in their power to continue
teaching and learning to the
best of their abilities. This is
a huge shift in our current
vision of education and there
will be an adjustment period
for teachers, students, and
families. However, l am con
fident that we can overcome
the challenge and work to
gether to make the best out
of this situation.”
Turner said unless the gov
ernor’s orders dictate other
wise, the school system will
continue to feed its students.
“This is an essential ser
vice to our community and
rewarding to our staff,” she
said. “Our school nutrition
and transportation depart
ments have been superhe
roes in this effort I am thank
ful that we are able to provide
this service.”
Teaching classes can be a
challenge on any given day,
but imagine teaching music -
band - via video conference;
now that’s something. Still,
Pirates’ top notch Band Di
rector Evan Copeland is up
to the task.
‘Teaching band virtually
! Round-up
Sermons,
Banks
& Taxes
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of
all things
Perquimans
County...
First, since our high
school sports coverage
is going to be ... harder
... in the days ahead, we
thought we’d try some
thing new on Bl - see the
front page of the second
section of the Perquim-
I ans Weekly.
Since we are endur
ing tough times, folks’
thoughts turn to God for
answers, so I sought out
pastors for their wisdom
and guidance.
Also, because many of
our readers, who attend
church on Sunday, but
do not use Facebook or
social media, they are un
likely to see the streamed
worship services that
have become more com
mon in recent weeks.
And quite honestly,
Facebook’s algorithm,
which decides what posts
are spread near and far,
is not necessarily the
best means of spreading
God’s message or helping
businesses advertise, but
that’s a discussion for
another day.
So that folks can
embrace the Word, we’ve
asked for Sunday ser
mons to be printed in the
newspaper - as best as
we can with the space we
have available.
If your pastor and
congregation want your
See LAYTON, A2
is definitely a challenge, but
I have one main goal,” he
said. “I want them to play ev
eryday. I have assignments I
have sent home, but with the
extension announced, I will
be sending home some fun
music for the kids to work
on in addition with that 1
goal Play everyday. Music
is a honed skill that is only
refined through practice and
performance. Unfortunately
the performance aspect is not
a possibility for the time be
ing. For any of my kids read
ing the paper, go practice!”
As to planning for mile
stones like prom and gradua-
See CLOSED, A3
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