"News from Next Door" SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23,2023 $1.50 @ SCAN ME ^ Pages A2, A6, B5 'All I want for Christmas': Kids write letters to Santa Page A4 Orr: Egg nog tiramisu great holiday'pick me up'dessert Page A5 Hartman: Christmas love offers humanity a peace treaty with God Something to celebrate White ready to tackle sewer, other Winfall priorities PHOTOS BY KESHA WILLIAMS/THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Nora Crouch performs Christmas carols and other seasonal music on the hammered dulcimer during the Perquimans County Restoration Association's Colonial Christmas event at the Newbold-White House,Thursday, Dec. 14. PCRA marks 50 years of NW House ownership KESHA WILLIAMS Correspondent Perquimans County Res toration Association mem bers had two reasons to cele brate at the Newbold-White House last week. First, Thursday, Dec. 14, was the date ofthe PCRA’s Colonial Christmas event, an annual celebration that shows off how the early 18th century Newbold-White House might have been dec orated for Christmas. Secondly, PCRA mem bers used the occasion to celebrate a milestone in their own history: the 50th anni versary of their purchase of the Newbold-White House DPS: Job interest high at juvenile center CHRIS DAY The Daily Advance ELIZABETH CITY — Nearly 50 jobseekers turned out recently to apply for positions at a juvenile detention center in Winfall that closed in 2012 but is set to reppeathis spring. Matt Detanam, commu nications officer for the and its surrounding prop erty. “We are using this annual celebration to recognize the efforts of those peo ple 50 years ago who made all this possible — char ter members of PCRA,” restoration member Lyn Winslow said. Dressed in Colonial-era clothing, Winslow said the PCRA was formed in 1969 to restore the house built by Quaker couple Abraham and Judith Sanders in 1726. Two years later, the prop erty would be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More CHRISTMAS | A3 N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, said the Nov. 29th careers fair at the K.E. White Center “was well attended and generated considerable interest. “We had a total of 40 peo ple in attendance and 20 interviews were conducted, with multiple recommen dations for hire,” he said. The interviews were conducted during a day long job fair hosted by the juvenile justice divi sion, which falls under the N.C. Department ofPub- lic Safety. People attending the hir ing event were primar ily interested in positions as juvenile justice officers at the Perquimans Juvenile Perquimans County Restoration Association member Lyn Winslow, dressed in Colonial-era clothing, discusses Abraham and Judith Sanders, the first owners of what would later become known as the Newbold-White House, the type of bricks that were used to construct the house in 1726, and the house's connections to North Carolina history, during the PCRA's annual Colonial Christmas event at the historic building in Hertford, Thursday, Dec. 14. Detention Center, which is located on Jessup Street in Winfall. According to Debnam, the center was closed in November 2012 because of state budget constraints and a shrinking number of juveniles who needed to be held in secure custody. More CENTER | A3 New mayor: LCG pleased with town's progress on finances PAUL NIELSEN The Daily Advance WINFALL — New Winfall Mayor Pres ton White is hitting the ground running after being elected to lead town in last months election. Improving the town’s finances, addressing sewer infrastructure, attracting new businesses and pro viding activities for both the young and old are some ofthe top priorities facing the town, White said. White was the mayor pro tern ofthe Win fall Town Council before defeating first-time can didate Jimmie D. Ritter Jr. with 69.54% ofthe vote in the Nov. 7 election. White succeeds long-time Win fall Mayor Fred Yates, No contested county races on 2024 ballot JULIAN EURE AND KESHA WILLIAMS Staff Writers While there are plenty of contested races at the top ofthe Perquim ans County election bal lot next year — includ ing for state representa tive and state senator — there won’t be any for any county offices. There are three open seats on the Perquimans Board of Commission ers in next fall’s election and only three candidates who had filed for them by last week’s filing deadline. Similarly, there are three open seats on the Perqui mans Board ofEduca- tion and only three candi dates who filed for those as well. Register ofDeeds Jac queline Frierson, who is a Democrat, is also running unopposed. “I am surprised,” White who did not seek re-elec tion. “My vision is this is a fresh start for the town,” White said. “I know people don’t accept change sometimes, but change is good.” Winfall has been on the state’s Local Government Commission’s Unit Assis tance list since July2022, mainly over concerns about its sewer fund. White said that the LGC has been pleased with the prog ress the town has made in improving its finances. According to data pro vided by the LGC, Win fall’s risk assessment for internal controls and the condition of its gen eral fund is low while the sewer utility is considered a moderate risk. More MAYOR | A3 Republican Commis sioner Charles Wood ard said when asked this week if he was sur prised no one had filed to challenge him or fel low incumbent, Joseph Hoffler, a Democrat, or even first-time candi date Kathryn Treiber, a Republican who decided to run after learning that incumbent GOP Com missioner Kyle Jones would not seek re-elec tion. Woodard said he thought someone else, whom he didn’t name, was planning to file after Jones’ announcement but that person evidently had decided against it. For her part, Treiber said she was “actually a lit tle disappointed” that only three candidates filed for the board’s three open commission seats. More FILING | A3 Volunteers lay wreaths at vets’ graves at New Hope UMC VERNON FUESTON Chowan Herald NEW HOPE — About 30 volunteers and donors gathered at New Hope United Methodist Church Saturday, Dec. 16, to place holiday wreaths on the 6 " 89076 47144 Vol. 88, No. 51 WWW.PerquimansWeekly.com @2021 Perquimans Weekly All Rights Reserved graves ofveterans in sev eral cemeteries, including some veterans buried at the church. Wreaths Across America is a national program that places wreaths at more than 4,000 gravesites ofveter ans each year. Local donors contributed $17 to provide 52 spon sored wreaths this 2 year, with $5 ofthat amount going to the New Hope United Women ofFaith Mis sion program. Wreaths were placed on the graves ofveterans who have served in all the nations conflicts dating back to the Civil War. Ginny Bick served as mistress of ceremonies for the event. She said express ing thanks for veterans’ sac rifices is important. “We are all to be Ameri cans who live in a free soci ety made up of many peo ple from all walks oflife,” Bick said. “The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying here in our graveyard and in the cemeteries through out this nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in free dom.” Keynote speaker for the morning was Perqui mans County Commis sioner Joseph Hoffler, an Air Force veteran who said that giving thanks to all vet erans, not just those who served in combat, is some thing everyone needs to do. More WREATHS | A3 VERNON FUESTON/ CHOWAN HERALD Vicki Wilson, of Hertford, places a wreath on the grave of veteran Brooks Barclift, who died in 1955, during the Wreaths Across America event at New Hope United Methodist Church cemetery Satuday, Dec. 16.