BY MILES LAYTON

A round-up of a few things from across God’s country…

These items are in no particular order – just stuff I’ve been working on from Bertie and Gates counties, also an up-to-date listing of shootings in Elizabeth City, so that I can clear them off my plate all at once before heading to the barrier islands.  

First stop – Bertie County!

I like the food, especially the giant egg rolls, at the Chinese food restaurant – China King on South King Street in Windsor – so I try to keep on top of the news and personalities from that area. A few weeks back, my youngest son ran in the regional track meet held at Bertie County High School.   

Anyway, Bertie County Board of Commissioners recently finalized the General Fund budget — responsible for the core county services — for fiscal year 2025–2026, approving a total budget of approximately $24.95 million that represents a 5% cut (about $1.30 million) compared to the previously adopted budget at around $26.2 million. Graphic about law enforcement pay scales comes from the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office.

Highlights:

• Maintains current property tax rate at $0.93 cents per $100 of assessed value – The commission held the millage steady, avoiding increases amid rising costs.
• Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) – County employees are set to receive COLAs, preserving workforce morale and retention.
• Strategic investments – The budget allocates funds for much-needed capital assets, including vehicles and equipment for public safety and maintenance services.
• Public engagement – The FY 25-26 budget was released for public inspection online and at the Clerk’s office, ensuring transparency ahead of the official adoption .

UPDATED: Commissioners discussed but did not approve a 5 percent salary increase for all sheriff’s office staff—including deputies and telecommunicators—as part of the county’s efforts to bolster recruitment and retention efforts.

Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin – love the cowboy hat – praised the decision, calling it a “critical investment”. 

“If we don’t offer competitive pay, we’ll continue losing experienced deputies”—a trend he warned was already impacting staffing levels.

Bottom line: Bertie County is proactively addressing law enforcement staffing challenges by granting a 5% raise to sheriff’s deputies and support staff. This move—backed by local officials—aims to boost competitiveness and curb turnover, while still fitting within a fiscally responsible budget.

ECPD Has Been Busy: Listing of Shootings Since Jan. 1

Speaking of law enforcement, Eddie Graham Jr. was appointed as Elizabeth City’s acting police chief in May. A native of Bertie County, Graham began his law enforcement career in May of 2000 with the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office. After initially serving on Patrol, he later transferred to the Criminal Investigative Division working on all felony cases, later serving as a detective for Domestic Violence.  

Graham joined ECPD in November of 2005 – so he is coming up on his 20-year service anniversary with the department.  

Based on the number of recent shootings, Graham and his hardworking crew of officers have been busy. Unlike most mainstream media outlets, the Albemarle Observer backs the blue — so publishing this listing is not an indictment of ECPD because we know the officers are working hard to keep the public safe from the bad boys.

After the shooting incident in Elizabeth City this past week, I got to wondering how many shootings there have been since Jan. 1.  

• Jan 20 – Shots were fired at three teenagers in the Parkview Drive area. No injuries were reported, but shell casings were recovered.
• February 1 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired in the area of White Street and Herrington Road, officers discovered Tyell Britt, 26, of Elizabeth City had been shot – he was flown to Norfolk General Hospital for treatment. 
• February 8 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired around 11:30 a.m. within the 700 block of Southern Avenue, officers discovered Dominic Townes, 39, of Elizabeth City had been shot. Malik L. Harrell, 25, of Elizabeth City, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and intent to kill.  
• March 10 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired around 5 p.m. by the 400 building of Walkers Landing Apartments, officers discovered an apartment had been struck by gunfire while occupied by a mother and two children. Rontrez T. Coleman, 21, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, shooting into an occupied dwelling, damage to property and shooting in the city limits.  
• April 24 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired around 8 p.m. in the 1000 block of Walkers Avenue, they discovered several shell casings and how several apartments were hit by gunfire. Joshua T. Marquette, 22, of Elizabeth City was arrested and charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling.   
• Apr 27 – In the early morning hours of Sunday, a shooting occurred at the center of campus at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) following Yard Fest, part of the Viking Fest events held in the quad area, according to a press release from ECSU. Six people were wounded, four of them by gunshots, with Isaiah Caldwell, 24, being killed, while the other two were injured in the commotion.  
• April 29 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired around 5 p.m. in the area by Herrington Road and Brown Street, they discovered and recovered shell casings. Joseph Richard Small Jr., 23, of Hertford was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed gun, armed terror of people, discharge of a firearm in city limits and a probation violation. A juvenile was also arrested.  
• May 9 – Gideon C. Griffin Jr. was shot-killed in his apartment at Walker Landing Apartments. Joseph Earl Simmons, 45, was arrested and charged with murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied property.  
• June 5 – When ECPD responded to a call of shots fired in the area of West Ehringhaus Street, officers discovered several subjects were firing shots. Derontae Norfleet, 18, and a juvenile were arrested — each charged with two counts of shootig into an unoccupied property. No one was hit.
• Jun 20 – There was a shooting incident around 4:30 p.m. Friday in the 1500 block of West Ehringhouse St. Lamont Riddick, 47, was shot in the leg and transported to Sentara Norfolk Hospital in stable condition. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Tremanye Tobias, 30, for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill/inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Another warrant was issued for the arrest of Brandon Lamar Harris, 39, for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill/serious injury   

Moving onto Gates County

Local governments produce an annual report detailing their water quality. 

Toward that end, Gates County officials have released the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, affirming that their drinking water meets all state and federal safety standards—but ongoing concerns persist over elevated fluoride levels in the groundwater supply. See download at the end of the story.

A persistent issue: fluoride concentrations have consistently measured 2.7–2.9 mg/L—above the EPA’s recommended 2.0 mg/L level—raising concerns about potential dental fluorosis in children. County testing continues, but no violations have been recorded.

“Our samples were not at elevated limits” said Brad Arnold, the county’s Public Utilities Director. “The County had taken five routine BAC-T samples and sent them to our testing facility and our testing facility lost them. Even though the sampling facility lost them the County was still issued a notice from DEQ due to the fact that the required 10 samples per month were not received in the required month. According to the DEQ rule, I still had to include it in the Consumer Confidence Report. The samples were retaken, tested and submitted to DEQ. Gates County’s water is fine, and we are continuing to test and explore options to remediate the fluoride issue.”

Long story short – fluoride levels are coming down.  

Flashback to the Gates County Commission meeting from October of 2024.  

During that meeting Board Chair Althea Riddick opened the discussion by introducing Representative Bill Ward and Senator Bobby Hanig, both of whom worked very hard to secure a $10 million appropriation for Gates County water and wastewater infrastructure, according to the meeting’s minutes.   

Riddick explained in recent weeks, Hanig brought important information to the County’s attention regarding new reporting on elevated fluoride concentrations in our groundwater which is naturally occurring. 

Hanig coordinated meetings with County Manager Scott Sauer and legislative staff, including the NC Department of Health and Human Services to the discussion as led by our own local health department-Albemarle Regional Health Services, who are represented here this evening by Ms. Sandra Ferebee, and Ralph Hollowell.

Hanig shared his concern for protecting the public water supply and the lack of effort by the State to address the fluoridation study required by S.L. 2023-134, and when the National Toxicity Program (NTP) report was released August on 21, he called the County Manager. 

Arnold explained that upon review of the information shared by Hanig, that Jenny Kelvington (a staff member for the NC General Assembly), Gates County immediately initiated an accelerated water quality sampling protocol with weekly testing our three water supply wells.

Arnold reviewed current NC regulations and explained public water supply systems are required to test for fluoride every three years. Gates County’s most recent sampling for Fluoride occurred in November 2023 and the Fluoride concentration was 2.9mg/L.

The federal limit for acceptable fluoride is 4.0 mg/L which is set by the EPA and fluoride concentrations exceeding this level require treatment. Sampling results exceeding 2.0 mg/L require notice to the public and further study.  

The County’s health department, Albemarle Regional Health Services, communicated with NCDHHS and reported that “Gates County has been compliant with all testing and reporting requirements that are currently in place,” noted Sauer.

According to Arnold, weekly testing was to occur at all three water supply wells for three months, then transition to once per month testing for six (6) months to develop a current bi to measure the Fluoride concentration. 

Arnold also noted that the County’s annual water quality report has indicated high fluoride levels for ten years or more.

Then, Arnold said initial sampling occurred September 4, and yielded the following results:

• Well #1 sample – 3.2 mg/L (allowable limit is 4.0); flow rate for well #1 pumping is 250 gpm
• Well #2 sample – 1.0 mg/L flow rate is 625 gpm
• Well #3 sample = 1.1 mg/L flow rate is 900 gpm

Arnold explained the blended effluent leaving the water plant, sampled on the same date (9-11-2024) indicated 3.1 mg/L and the County’s action in response to those sampling results-. effective immediately Gates County Public Utilities Department has shut down Well #1. 

Arnold said Well #1 is back in service.  

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