QUIMANS
EEKLY
“News from Next Door"
THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021
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PAGE B3
Beyond the
Books: Tails and
Tales
PAGE Bl
Arts and
Crafts show
needs exhibitors
PAGE B3
Today in North
Carolina history
A Rising Star: Bhatia Wins Biggs Classic
BY MALCOLM SHIELDS
For the Perquimans Weekly
In the seven editions in which
the Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC
Golf Classic has been held, there
have been notable performances
by competitors.
Akshay Bhatia added his name
to the list of memorable moments
in the tournament’s history this
week.
Bhatia posted a 9-under-par 63
during the third and final round of
the Biggs Classic on Saturday.
He finished the classic at 24-un-
der-par 192 to win the tournament
by four strokes.
“It took a lot,” Bhatia said af
ter the tournament. “I had to play
well. Everyone was chasing me.”
Bhatia, a resident of Wake For
est, needed every stroke as Lukas
ONLINE
Go to this story at www.DailyAd-
vance.com to view a photo gallery of
the final round.
Euler had a final round charge.
Euler, who began the final
round tied for fifth place, matched
Bhatia with a 9-under-par 63.
Bhatia had a strong finish.
He birdied six of the last nine
holes, including birdies on No.
16, No. 17 and No. 18 to secure
the victory, a payout of $20,000
and 750 points towards the GPro
Tour’s Race to the Albemarle Play
er of the Year competition.
Euler, of Scottsdale, Arizona,
finished second at 20-under-par
196. His round was highlighted
by eagles on nine and 12 and six
birdies, but gave back shot with a
bogey on the sixth hole.
Bryson Nirnmer was third at
19-under-par 197, Carson Young
was fourth at 18-under-par 198
and Mookie DeMoss finished fifth
at 16-under-par 200.
One of Bhatia’s standout shots
of the round occurred on the par
4 13th hole.
On his third shot, Bhatia was
just off the green on the short
rough to the bottom of the hole
and about 30 feet away. He
chipped the ball onto the green
and watched the ball roll and roll
and into the hole for a birdie.
Before that shot, Euler was
within three shots of Bhatia.
See BIGGS, A6
MALCOLM SHIELDS/THE DAILY ADVANCE
L-R: Akshay Bhatia, of Wake Forest and Rick Durren, vice president
of Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC auto dealership in Elizabeth City, after
the third and final round of the Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC Golf
Classic on The Sound Golf Links at Albemarle Plantation, Saturday,
May 29,2021 in Hertford. Bhatia, 19, won the event at 24-under-
par 192 by four strokes.
Town Hall
Prepares
Annual
Budget
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Town Hall has released a j
proposed budget for fiscal
year 2021-2022 that does
not raise property taxes,
but increases water/sewer
rates.
“While the budget adop
tion occurs annually, the
budget process is continu
ous as we all monitor per
formance, spending and
review priorities.” Town
Manager Pam Hurdle said in
her budget message to Town
Council. “Unlike previous
recessions which affected
town revenue for one or
two fiscal years and could
be addressed by short term
measures, the recovery by
COVID-19 is projected to
be gradual. The recovery
requires that we make ad
justments to our programs,
rates and limit new expen
ditures for the projected
future.”
Hurdle’s recommended
budget is around $6,935 mil
lion - up more than $200K
from fiscal year 2020-21
budget at around $6.7 mil
lion. She said the recom
mended budget includes
the general fund, water,
sewer, electric, stormwater
and other infrastructure in
vestments to keep the town
running smoothly. Hurdle
said funds are set aside for
one-time capital purchase
and how the budget aims to
improve a healthy fund bal
ance.
Budget must be approved
by June 30, although coun
cil seeks final adoption
sooner.
Property taxes remain the
same at $0,555 of value per
$100 per value. Perquimans
Weekly reached out to learn
more about a proposed wa-
See BUDGET, A2
6
89076 47144
2
Vol. 87, No. 23
WWW.PerquliTiansWeekly.com
@2021 Perquimans Weekly
All Rights Reserved
PHOTO BY KEN ROMINGER
Color Guard is part and parcel of any Memorial Day observance.
‘Freedom Isn’t Free’
Wreaths laid in tribute to fallen
heroes
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
Memorial Day in our small town
represents patriotism, civic pride
and serves as a tribute to those
heroes who gave their lives to pre
serve the American legacy of free
dom.
Rather than wax poetic like
some pontificating poppipjay lib
eral journalist, this country editor
is going to take a different tact, as
always, by just telling it like it is.
More than a hundred patriotic
See FREEDOM, A3
Big Pop Up: Anti-poverty Event Draws Hundreds
Organizers gave away produce,
chicken, canned iced tea
BY CHRIS DAY
For the Perquimans Weekly
Landon Mason arrived at the
Perquimans County Recreation
Center Tuesday morning (May 25)
and checked his watch.
It was only 7:15 a.m. and peo
ple were already lined up in their
vehicles for a free food giveaway
event that wasn’t scheduled to
start for another three hours.
“I am extremely surprised,” said
Mason, who is executive director
of the Edenton-based Economic
Improvement Council. “We knew
there was a need, but the volume
PHOTO BY KIM BRINN
Flags stand as sentries at Monday’s Memorial Day service.
of traffic speaks volumes.”
Mason was commenting short
ly after the 10 a.m. start of the
Big Pop Up, a community free
food distribution organized by the
EIC. The event served residents
throughout the region, among
them a van filled with residents
from nearby Tyrrell County. Some
people also made the drive from
Virginia to receive the food and
household products that various
agencies and organizations were
distributing.
As the event unfolded, traffic
backed up from Granby Street,
where the recreation center is lo
cated, onto Harvey Point Road. At
the center, traffic was divided into
See POP UP, A3
Round-up ,•
Pirates’
Val and
Sal
BY MILES LAYTON
Editor
A round-up of all
things Perquimans
County...
Reminder: Pirates’
Commencement takes
place at 10 a.m. Saturday,
PIERCE
DENSON
June 5 at
the athletic
complex.
Pirates’
Class of 2021
valedictorian
is Grayson
Belle Pierce
and the sa-
lutatorian is
Maci Den
son.
Pierce
played bas
ketball for
the Pirates.
She plans to
attend ECSU
to pursue
a degree in
aviation. Her
dream of be
coming a pilot and enter
ing the military is within
reach thanks to a scholar
ship from the Albermarle
See ROUND-UP, A3
CHRIS DAY/THE DAILY ADVANCE
William Sawyer, a volunteer and the vice president of the Economic
Improvement Council’s board of directors (center), passes free
diapers and other infant supplies through the window to an Edenton
woman who was attending the Big Pop Up drive-through community
benefit at the Perquimans County Recreation Center in Hertford.