THE
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020
News from Next Door”
INSIDE
Check out the latest edition of Albe
marle Magazine.
IL IL IA L IL
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
Edenton Steamers to host baseball
game that benefits region’s Meals on
Wheels recipients — Bl
w O
$1.00
5 252
Town Council Embraces Unity, Division, Chaos
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Citizens watching Monday’s
multi-hour Hertford Town Coun
cil meeting witnessed a wide array
of topics being discussed, heated
rhetoric, petition passions and dis
turbing images.
Though sound quality was a fac
tor during the meeting conducted
via Zoom at the Community Cen
ter, more than 60 viewers tuned
in to learn more about a recently
awarded grant, the Tahoe’s fate
and much more.
Council unanimously approved
painting Black Lives Matter on
King St. between Stokes Avenue
and Hyde Park St. by a vote of 5-0.
Council unanimously approved
making Juneteenth a paid Town
holiday by a vote of 5-0.
Council requested the Town
Manager to draft a letter to the
County requesting removal of the
Confederate monument from the
Courthouse grounds by a vote of
4-1. Council will probably vote on
the actual letter content during its
formal session in August.
Council voted 3-2 to sell the
Tahoe, a vehicle that has drawn
fire from many quarters who
claim Councilman Quentin Jack-
son used it as his personal vehicle
when he was serving as mayor pro
tem.
Monday’s marathon session
lasted until 3 a.m. Tuesday, just a
couple of hours before the song-
birds begin chirping at sunrise to
greet the kayak/surfers as they
wake, check the wind and waves.
Mayor Pro Tem Ashley Hodg
es gets the first word about this
lengthy council meeting, that like
many others, stands as tribute to
the fortitude of the mind, body
and soul to serve the public.
“I appreciate the outpouring of
concern from the public as to my
physical well-being. I would like
to assure everyone I am more than
capable of going the distance as a
Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem.
Thank you for your kind words
and I look forward to continu
ing to serve you for the next 3.5
years,” he said.
Every now and then during the
See COUNCIL, A3
SCREENSHOT
A photo depicting a trio of Klansmen and later, a couple of talented
breakdancing peanuts, appeared on the screen for those viewers
tuned into Monday’s Hertford Town Council meeting.
Governor
Announces
Plan for
Schools
BY STAFF, WIRE REPORTS
RALEIGH — Tuesday
during a COVID-19 media
briefing, Gov. Roy Cooper fi
nally announced a decision
on the reopening of the state’s
schools using “Plan B,” which
is a hybrid of in-in person at
tendance and remote learn
ing.
Schools will open for
in-person instruction under
an updated Plan B that re
quires face coverings for all
K-12 students, fewer children
in the classroom, measures to
ensure social distancing for
everyone in the building, and
other safety protocols.
“The most important open
ing is that of our classroom
doors. Our schools provide
more than academics; they
are vital to our children’s’
health, safety and emotional
development,” Cooper said.
“This is a difficult time for
families with hard choices on
every side. I am committed to
working together to ensure
our students and educators
are as safe as possible and
that children have opportuni
ties to learn in the way that is
best for them and their fam
ilies.”
Cooper also announced
that Phase Two will contin
ue after the expiration of the
current order on July 17 and
said that “North Carolina will
continue to stay paused in
Safer at Home Phase 2 for
three weeks.” That puts a
possible Phase Three transi
tion on August 7.
Cooper was joined by
Department of Health and
Human Services Secretary
Mandy Cohen and N.C. State
Board of Education Chair
Eric Davis.
“We all agree the best place
for our students to learn and
our teachers to teach is in
our safe North Carolina Pub
lic Schools,” said Davis. He
went on to emphasize safety
by wearing a mask, washing
See SCHOOLS, A2
89076 47144 " 2
Vol. 86, No. 29
@2020 Perquimans Weekly
All Rights Reserved
Back the Blue Ride stops at the Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office to drop off a metal flag
commemorate the motorcycle rally Saturday, July 11.
Ride Shows Appreciation for
Law Enforcement Agencies
BY STAFF REPORTS
About 189 motorcycles
with more than 200 riders
made their way through five
North Carolina counties to
show support of area law en
forcement agencies Saturday,
July 11.
The Back the Blue Ride was
organized to show apprecia
tion for law enforcement and
the job they do every day. The
route passed by a police de
partment and sheriff’s office
of each county they entered.
Back The Blue Ride start
ed near the Currituck County
ferry area and ended sever
al hours later in Edenton, at
American Legion Post 40 fair-
grounds. On the way to Chow
an County, the riders made a
stop during the sunny day in
Elizabeth City at the veteran’s
memorial garden, adjacent
to Twifford’s Funeral Home.
While there, the riders made
a special presentation to the
sheriff’s and police depart
ments in the five counties.
Co-organizer Michael Boyce
made 11 metal American
flags, which were presented
to 10 local agencies and one
selected officer.
“The community - still
See RIDE, A2
Health Agency Updates COVID-19 Case Counts
BY STAFF REPORTS
Albemarle Regional Health
Services (ARHS) has an
nounced updated data of lab
confirmed positive COVID-19
cases.
As of of Tuesday’s press
time, ARHS cases include:
■ Pasquotank County - 234
lab confirmed cases — 23 ac ¬
PERQUIMANS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
An American flag is hoisted about US 17 in Perquimans County
Saturday, July 11, for the Back the Blue motorcycle rally.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Back
the Blue
rally heads
down US 17
across the
Perquimans
River bridge
Saturday, July
11.
tive, 194 recovered, and 17
deaths
■ Perquimans County -
39 lab confirmed cases - 4
active, 33 recovered, and 2
deaths
■ Camden County - 34 lab
confirmed cases - 7 active, 26
recovered, and 1 death
■ Chowan County - 34 lab
confirmed cases — 9 active
Round-up
Roberts
and
Roman
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of all things
Perquimans County...
Please welcome
Sergeant Edwin Roman Jr.
to the Hertford Police De
partment. Roman has 10 plus
years of law enforcement
experience that will be a big
benefit to our town.
A medical fundraiser for
Mason Roberts will be
held between 12 p.m. and
6 p.m. July 31 - food pick-up
behind the Hardee’s restau
rant. Donation is $9 for a
fried chicken & bbq plates
with cole slaw, potatoes and
hush puppies. Fundraiser is
I for 11-year-old Mason, who
has Type 1 diabetes, to get
a service dog. Make checks
I payable to Parksville Ruritan
Club. When school starts,
| Mason will be a sixth grade
student at Perquimans Middle
School.
Thanks goes to Mrs. Em
mett Long of Snug Harbor
for the greeting card and kind
■ note about the Perquimans
i Weekly. Thanks for subscrib
ing.
Four boxes of fresh pro
duce were recently donated
to Better Together Hert
ford’s program to combat
hunger. Food was delivered
J some to homebound seniors.
In recent days, the group has
delivered more than 20 meals.
Perquimans Schools re
cently presented Jill Cohen
as the Northeast Regional
See LAYTON, A3
and 25 recovered
■ Currituck County - 23
lab confirmed cases — 3 ac
tive and 20 recovered
■ Bertie County - 155 lab
confirmed cases — 7 active,
144 recovered, and 4 deaths
■ Gates County - 29 lab
confirmed cases - 1 active, 26
recovered, and 2 deaths
■ Hertford County - 177
lab confirmed cases — 8 ac
tive, 160 recovered, and 11
deaths
ARHS continues to monitor
outbreaks at local facilities.
The outbreak at the Ahoskie
House is currently stable
with 52 residents and 21 staff
members with lab-confirmed
See COVID-19, A2