Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 3 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
Bertie booze on life support
Published Tuesday, November 10, 2009
WINDSOR – It looks like it may be fourth and long for the mixed beverage referendum in Bertie County.
Following Friday’s approval of 20 provisional ballots by the Bertie County Board of Elections, little changed from the original tally in which the referendum was defeated.
Bertie County Elections Director Shirlie Davenport reported that 20 ballots were approved, but only 19 have been tallied. The other will be formally counted today (Tuesday) before the election canvassing.
With the 19 provisional ballots, the mixed beverage referendum now stands to be defeated by a mere 12 votes. The current tally stands at 695 against with 683 for the measure.
The last hope for those wishing to see the measure pass will come today when canvassing is done to certify the election results. If no new information is found, the measure will be declared defeated.
If the referendum fails, the defeat will have happened in the Windsor II precinct where only eight of 114 voters cast ballots in favor of the measure.
The measure also lost in Snakebite (27-11), Indian Woods (14-9), Roxobel (90-60) and Colerain II (42-13).
The biggest support for the measure came in Windsor I where 181 people voted in favor and 137 against. It was also favored by one-stop voters by a count of 120-89.
Other precincts that approved of the mixed beverage referendum included Mitchells 1 (19-14), Whites (23-19), Merry Hill (27-16), Woodville (38-23), Mitchells II (119-108), Colerain I (35-20) and mail ballots (10-1).
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by InquiringMind (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know this is small by why not allow the sale of mixed drinks in Bertie. How long is Bertie gonna stay in its bubble? Bertie County is dying. The brightest minds leave, the education system is falling apart, not from a lack of people trying to do better, but a lack of funds. Bertie has to finally come into the year new century. The way to lower taxes and get more public funds is to attract people and business. There is no major business in Bertie. No major restaurants. There is nothing to attract anyone to Bertie unless you are interested in dying towns and plenty of open fields. I'm not saying develop the entire county but people flock to good schools, convenience and clean living. Bertie could have a monopoly under the right leadership. Right now, most people drive to Virginia or Greenville just to do their Xmas shopping, get a meal at a Red Lobster, Outback, Chilis, Applebees. You dont even have access to much other than general medical care. We have the largest county land wise in the state and we are not utilizing it. I might be in the minority but Bertie will never keep the jewels (great minds) leaving Bertie County Schools if it doesn't change. When you go off to school, being close to a mall shouldn't be the highlight of your first week. Just my opinion. also posted under survey
Posted by blue (anonymous) on November 14, 2009 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ditto!
Posted by aerieNC (anonymous) on December 10, 2009 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I live in Yadkin Co. NC which is in the same situation. Our schools are some of the lowest scoring in state & the buildings are very old without modern necessary facilities for learning. The smart kids move away to attend university after HS & don't usually come back except to visit. The ones that stay, struggle with joblessness & low pay. We have no major business, restaurants, shopping centers, nothing; not even medical care. Most go to neighboring Surry Co. & Forsyth Co. (Winston-Salem, 30mins away) for medical, shopping, dining, movies, & anything else. Yes, our teenagers make this trip too which puts them at risk for accidents & danger (young women disappear in cities all the time!) . There is NOTHING to do in town for the kids (except school activities). Some less school-involved kids hang out in the Food Lion parking on weekends! That invites trouble, always.
Unfortunately, the most reliable voters are older & more religious. They protest increased taxes for quality education while voting NO to alcohol so NO funds from taxes that are directed for education. It's ignorance & backwards thinking. They don't value the future of our youth. Education is not their "problem" anymore & "what was good for them growing up, is ok for kids nowadays too". You can't grow & nurture intelligent, well-equipped young people with that attitude.
These people say it will lead to "sin" & more crime. Ironically, one footstep across Surry Co line, where they gladly take our money for alcohol & people bring it (drive) back into Yadkin. So we still get the hazards & alcohol related crime without ANY benefit from the tax money.
Blinded by the religious, moral high-ground they fail our young people each time they vote NO. I have little patience for this Dark Ages thinking, it's purely selfish! These same folks are usually fearful of change & progress; they don't want growth, they're happy just to see our Co. stagnate & dry up.
Fortunately, we finally got a YES vote & now have prospered from the explosive growth of the Wine Industry. We have several already famous wineries in Yadkin Co. alone. We even have an ABC store! in the county seat but not many bigger restaurants or chains as of yet. The smaller NO towns continue to suffer from the NO vote.
If there's hope for Yadkin Co and it's backwardness then there's hope for Bertie Co. too!
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)