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A publication of the Washington DailyPROFILE News2017 – Washington Daily News 1

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You First means building relationships.

Member FDIC • firstsouthnc.com 6 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

PROFILE 2017

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PERSON OF THE YEAR

12:00 AM

12:01 PM

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JOHN BUTLER

BED AND BREAKFAST OWNER

31

MONICA SQUIRES UTILITIES DISPATCHER

32

EMILIE PENDLEY

EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR

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DEBRA WEST

NEWSPAPER CARRIER

Portraits Will Preslar

TOM ANGLIM PROSECUTER

OSCAR ESPINOZA ATHLETE

4:32 PM

4:21 AM MICHAEL WEATHERINGTON FIREFIGHTER

36

BEN MCKEITHAN STAR STUDENT

5:07 PM

5:02 AM CARLTON ROBERSON SCHOOL BUS DRIVER

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AMY THOMAS

OWNER, FITNESS UNLIMITED

6:02 PM

6:15 AM

38

RICHARD ANDREWS FISHING GUIDE

AMY DAWLEY HAIR STYLIST

7:00 pM

7:07 AM

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LAUREN JOHNSON TEACHER

CHRISTINE JONES EMT/PARAMEDIC

8:19 PM

8:02 AM

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MIKE GODLEY FARMER

BOBBY HODGES

FUNERAL HOME DIRECTOR

9:13 PM

9:08 AM

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HEATHER JACOBS RIVERKEEPER

JERRY LANGLEY

COUNTY COMMISSIONER

10:02 PM

10:30 AM

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AUTUMN ANDREWS GIRL SCOUT

JACLYN CULLIPHER BARTENDER

11:01 PM

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COURT

Editorial Michael Prunka Caroline Hudson Vail Stewart Rumley Mackenzie Tewksbury

COOK, BACKWATER JACKS

3:30 PM

3:39 AM

Publisher Ashley Vansant

YASMIN VASQUEZ

2:05 PM

2:03 AM

JACKIE MERCER

CAFETERIA MANAGER

1:16 PM

1:17 AM

11:30 AM

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ABBIE HOPKINS

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RUBEN HASSELL POLICE OFFICER

Marketing & Sales Cecilia Prokos Dave Singleton Spencer Stanley Distribution Sylvester Rogers Art Direction Ryan Webb Amy Whitaker

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PERSON OF THE YEAR

“You see how hard you have to work to achieve those goals.

It’s life skills that we’re teaching, as well as a lifelong sport.”

— SPENCER PAKE 8 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

Building Champions

Teaching life lessons and bringing home titles Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA • Photos by ASHLEY VANSANT

Back-to-back 1-A/2-A state championships — and the countless hours of work that’s gone into it — earned Washington High School swimming coach Spencer Pake the distinction of Beaufort County’s person of the year.

Parents, siblings, recent graduates and fans of swimming have represented Beaufort County well in the lobby of the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. For two years in a row now, they’ve patiently waited for Washington’s boys’ swim team to emerge from the competition pool and come upstairs after being anointed champions.

Pake is at the helm of this program, which has become one of the most successful in Washington history. When he and the Pam Pack swimmers were received following last year’s meet, it was perhaps with a bit of surprise. The meet came down to the wire. This year, though, the boys ran away with their second-consecutive state championship.

“I think it means a lot to Beaufort County. It puts us back on the map,” Pake said. “We’re championship contenders.

I know that we have very sharp teams in all sports. We’re going to continue to have very sharp teams in all sports. Those two state championships mean a whole lot to me, as well as the boys and the team, and I think this whole town is appreciative.”

Back-to-back titles are the result of so much more than the work in this two-year span. Pake has been helping build this boys’ program into what it is since Pam Pack seniors such as Kevin Andrews and A.J. Howard were 5 or 6 years old.

“You can’t really put into words the time and effort that my brother and I have put into swimming in this town,” Pake said. “We’re really starting to see it pay off. It’s been a long, but fun journey to get this far. We just want to see it continue to excel.”

Pake, who swam and dove for Washington in his high school days, has been

the team’s coach for 13 years. He started as an assistant to his brother, Scott Pake, with the year-round East Carolina Aquatics team upon returning to Beaufort County in 2003.

A year later, Pake took the reins from his own high school coach, Stephen Thomas.

“He was a very good coach. I still

call him coach,” Pake said. “I had some big shoes to fill. That was his team I was inheriting. I just wanted to make sure I’ve made him proud.”

Since then, Pake has had to exercise a much different kind of balance than when he was standing on the edge of a diving board donning the Pam Pack colors.

Unlike other high-school athletics, Pake’s PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

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commitment to swimming is almost year round. He’s also the assistant principal at Chocowinity Primary School and has a family.

“Between my three children, home and work, it’s hard to balance,” he said. “But we make it happen. I also coach the summer-league team, as well. Swimming is year-round coaching. You get some breaks here and there, but by the end of the break, you miss it and want to go back.”

It’s a combination of Pake’s love for the sport and the swimmers he coaches, as well as his pride for Washington, that constantly drives him. He said that the championships the Pam Pack has won over the last two years are the highlight of his coaching career, but there is no shortage of reminders for why he does what he does.

Each person who goes

through Pake’s Pam Pack and ECA teams is getting so much more than just the ability to swim at a championship level. Pake finds value in the life lessons that accompany swimming.

“When you see those beginning swimmers from 5-year-olds all the way up to my high-school beginning swimmers and it’s really starting to click and they’re getting better, that’s when you look back and say, ‘That’s really why I’m doing this,’” Pake said.

“It’s a lifelong sport. It’s something these kids can do for the rest of their lives. …

They can move on with it because you really learn to set goals for yourself. You see how hard you have to work to achieve those goals. It’s life skills that we’re teaching, as well as a lifelong sport.”

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Who’s Who in Beaufort County

Meet the 2017 Executives & Professionals

Cindy Baldwin Servpro of Bath

Providing 24/7 services for water, fire and mold re mediation services and restoration Member: Bath Historic Commission, Chamber Member, Citizens for Better Government, Washington Noon Rotary Alma Mater: BS Virginia Commonwealth University Personal Motto: The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home Contact: 252-923-0213 or cbaldwin@servprobath.com

Cynthia D. Crane Aurora Fossil Museum Foundation, Inc.

Local science education museum increasing knowledge of geology, paleontology and prehistory of coastal NC. Member: Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Association for Women Geoscientists, and Honorary Member, North Carolina Fossil Club.

Alma Mater: East Carolina University Coastal Carolina Community College Personal Motto: Strive to be an inspiration.

Contact: 252-322-4238 www.aurorafossilmuseum.org

Mauri Evans Mauri F Evans Insurance Agency Inc. State Farm’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams.

Alma Mater: Northern Kentucky University- Norse Personal Motto: Do onto others as your would want them to do onto you Contact: 252-946-5114 maurievans.com

G. William Taylor, III First Bank

First Bank, founded in 1935, remains committed to helping its clients achieve their dreams. At the newly renovated Washington branch, you’ll find professionals on hand to provide you with best-in-class financial solutions and support for your goals.

Awards: Area Executive First Bank/Past Washington Noon Rotary President/JayCee’s Boss of the Year in mid 80’s Alma Mater: East Carolina University Personal Motto: We are all in this together Contact: 252-948-0050 or wtaylor@localfirstbank.com

Congratulations!

Ryan Whitford AssureVest Insurance Group/Allstate A family business since 1968.

Specializing in Auto, Home & Life Insurance, with Financial Products.

Awards: Premier Service Agency, Honor Ring, National Conference, and Chairman’s Conference.

Alma Mater: East Carolina University Personal Motto: Being Great is a Decision...Decide!

Contact: 252-946-3904 or RyanWhitford@allstate.com

Thank you for your hard work and contributions for a better Beaufort County!

PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

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12:00 AM JOHN BUTLER

BED AND BREAKFAST OWNER

Inn focus

Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA

Staying one step ahead defines the B&B experience It’s midnight. One day is turning to the next and, ideally, John Butler is in bed asleep. He and his partner, Richard Smoot, own the Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn on West Main Street in Washington, as well as the event river cruiser Belle of Washington.

That’s not always the case, though. If he’s not answering the door for guests, there’s a good chance Butler is lying in bed — awake or asleep — running through what’s to come for the following day. Sometimes he’s up, trying to get ahead on cleaning or setting up for the next morning’s coffee and tea service.

Even when he’s relaxing, Butler is thinking about what more 12 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

he can do for guests.

“The funny thing is, I go to bed looking at Pinterest and looking at different cooking sites to see what we’re going to cook the next morning,” he said. “That’s how I unwind — by scrolling through what’s out there and what we want to cook the next morning.”

There’s a lot to go through. Elmwood hosts guests and private events. Each day begins with a three-course breakfast and ends with happy hour and dinner parties, with so many duties in between. Extravagance is the focus.

“It’s all part of the experience,” Butler said. “What makes

She’s a classic, timeless lady with great history, a quirky and curious sense of style, and character.

We are innkeepers, but we’re also stewards.”

— JOHN BUTLER

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

luxury ‘luxury’ is attention to detail and service.”

The guest experience is Butler’s priority. He goes above and beyond for those staying in his home.

Moreover, Butler knows that Elmwood and his business is about more than him and his clients. The building itself is a part of Washington’s history. In many ways, he says, it personifies the town.

“Elmwood is really the embodiment of Washington,” he said. “She’s a classic, timeless lady with great history, a quirky and curious sense of style, and character. We are innkeepers, but we’re also stewards.”

1:17 AM MONICA SQUIRES UTILITIES DISPATCHER

Guardian of the city

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by MIKE VOSS

Infrastructure under constant surveillance “Something’s wrong.

Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong,” repeats the alarm at Washington’s utilities communication center at 1:17 a.m.

After a quick look at a computer screen, Monica Squires moves her mouse, clicks, and the alarm stops. No intruder at one of the city’s water wells: just another city employee checking well No. 8.

Such alarms may happen any time during her 12-hour shift. Squires monitors the city’s water plant, wastewater-treatment plant and electric system.

A phone call from a city resident whose power just went out or whose sewer line is blocked could come in during the middle of the night.

Squires, at her job for 14 years, sends the “trouble truck” to handle such situations.

“We’re here for the customers. That way they’re talking with someone,” Squires said.

“Somebody’s here 24/7.”

There are memorable events other than outages and clogged sewer lines. During Hurricane Irene, Squires contacted a city cemetery worker after receiving a call about coffins floating away from Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Spring is the time for an increase in power outages. “A lot of strange things can happen when all the new babies are hatching,” she said. Young squirrels have not learned power lines can be deadly. Squires said there’s a name for the phenomenon: suicidal squirrels.

14 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

Squires said her job requires multi-tasking, especially during hurricanes and similar events. “Sometimes you need nine hands and six brains,” she said. “Alarms are always going off. … It’s organized chaos.”

Squires loves the unpredictability of her job, but when there comes a time when no alarms are sounding or phone calls about power outages, Squires uses that time to read a book, do a puzzle or balance her checkbook. Most of the time, though, she’s keeping a close watch on the monitors and listening for the phone to ring.

And when she leaves home for the next shift, she does so with the same words: “I’m always saying I’m going to guard the city.”

Sometimes you need nine hands and six brains.”

— MONICA SQUIRES

2:03 AM EMILIE PENDLEY

EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR

Super power

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Saving lives at all hours of the day While many are in a deep sleep by 2 a.m., Emilie Pendley, 33, is up and saving lives.

Pendley is a physician in Vidant Beaufort Hospital’s emergency department. It may seem strange, but her career grew out of an interest in cheerleading.

“When I was in middle school, I did not make the cheerleading team,” she laughed. “I came home and my dad, he was like, ‘Just stay focused in school, and you can do anything you want to do.’ And that’s when I decided I wanted to be a doctor.”

She also serves as the hospital’s EMS medical director.

“It’s definitely what I consider to be the best job because you can walk out of being with a patient for three hours, and you know, trying to save their life and then get to go see a baby and play with them. To me, it’s a great bal-

ance,” Pendley said. “I like the super sick patients because I think that that’s what we all go into it for — is to save people. Those patients are challenging, but they make you think.”

Night shifts run from midnight to 7 a.m., and it’s usually busy during at least the first half of the shift, she said. Operating on such a schedule can be difficult, but it also creates a strong bond.

“It makes it very hard, so the phone’s constantly ringing during the day when you’re trying to sleep,” Pendley said.

“We come to work, and it’s like a family, especially on night shift.”

Pendley is one of about 10 regularly scheduled doctors in the emergency department, plus physician assistants and nurses, and she has no desire to go anywhere else.

“I was actually born in this hospital,” she said. “I think the job itself can be extremely gratifying.”

It’s definitely what I consider to be the best job because you can walk out of being with a patient for three hours, and you know, trying to save their life and then get to go see a baby and play with them. To me, it’s a great balance.”

— EMILIE PENDLEY

3:39 AM DEBRA WEST

NEWSPAPER CARRIER

Deliverance

Story by MIKE VOSS

Newspaper carrier finds ‘peace and quiet’ in early morning hours Even if it’s raining at 3:39 a.m., Debra West drives city streets and back roads to deliver newspapers.

West knows people expect their newspapers at certain times in the mornings — and she knows what happens when those newspapers are late being delivered or not delivered because of snow, ice and major storms. People complain; they want their newspapers, no matter what happens.

“They think the paper fairy delivers their papers every morning,” West laughed.

West has been a full-time carrier of the Washington Daily News for 15 years. It’s her job as a carrier (an independent con16 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

tractor, not a newspaper employee) to deliver newspapers in the dark hours into early morning daylight.

It takes West about 90 minutes to run her route in Washington and about 3.5 hours to run a route that takes her to Plymouth and Roper. When she starts her city route depends on when the newspapers arrive from Ahoskie, where they are printed, and shipped to the Daily News by truck.

West encounters varied situations while making her rounds.

“We see a lot of things we don’t want to see,” West said.

Those things include crime and nasty weather. “We do pretty good, unless it’s real foggy out there. You have to slow down if

Peace and quiet.

You can do a lot of thinking. Peace and quiet.”

— DEBRA WEST

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

it gets real foggy. I’ve wrecked a car before in the fog — you can’t see the stop signs; you can’t see where to stop. You have to be real slow just to make sure you don’t miss something.

The snow and the ice — you slow down.”

During Hurricane Matthew, a tree fell in front of West’s car.

“We’re pretty much like the mail service. We run every day during everything,” West said.

West works in the early morning hours so she can help take care of an autistic grandson during the day.

What’s the appeal of delivering newspapers at night: “Peace and quiet. You can do a lot of thinking. Peace and quiet,” West said.

4:21 AM MICHAEL WEATHERINGTON FIREFIGHTER

Rapid response

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by MIKE VOSS

Middle-of-the-night calls common for firefighters, EMTs The alarm sounds at 4:21 a.m. Firefighter/ EMT-P Michael Weatherington has about two minutes to get fully awake, put on his clothes and get into his boots, which are always by the door to his room when he sleeps.

At the end of those two minutes, the fire truck or ambulance should be rolling out of the fire station.

Early-morning alarms are usual for Weatherington and other firefighters/EMTs with the Washington-Fire-Rescue-EMS Department.

Weatherington’s been with the department for four years. His father reached the rank of lieutenant at the

department, so he grew up around the fire service.

“It can be frustrating some mornings, depending on what the call is, trying to get your mind awake and get everything functioning, figuring out what’s going on, what you need to do,” Weatherington said. “EMS call, 4 o’clock in the morning, you’ve to wake up, remember your protocols.

Based on what dispatch says, you’ve got to get a game plan started before you get to the house where you’re going. It’s the same thing with a fire, trying to get downstairs, get your gear on and get out of the station as quick as possible.”

Weatherington said early morning calls, on average, occur “a couple a shift.” It’s

18 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

not unusual to get back into bed, only to be sent out on another call within minutes, he said. “A fire comes in at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, you’re liable to be there until 8 or 9 o’clock … trying to get the fire put out, everything cleaned up and overhaul done, everything packed up and get the truck back in service,” he said.

Once back at the station, there’s no going right back to bed.

“You’ve got to get fire hose cleaned, hung up to dry and new fire hose on the fire truck, ready to go to the next call if we have one. Air packs are cleaned, cylinders refilled,” Weatherington said.

Once that’s done, it’s back to bed or his shift is over.

EMS call, 4 o’clock in the morning, you’ve got to wake up, remember your protocols.”

— MICHAEL WEATHERINGTON

5:02 AM CARLTON ROBERSON SCHOOL BUS DRIVER

Precision driver

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Setting high standards no matter the circumstances At 5 a.m., the sun hasn’t risen, but Carlton Roberson is about to start his day. He’s got to be at Chocowinity Middle School within the hour to start his bus route.

Roberson, 48, has driven school buses for a total of 15 years, and bus No. 127 is his territory. He doesn’t take too kindly to writing up students, but he does foster a positive relationship with those 40-50 kids — and expects respect.

“I look forward to doing it because it’s something I love to do,” Roberson said.

“I can do anything I want to, but I just love the school, and I love kids.”

He always makes a point to speak to the bus riders, giving fist bumps and cutting a few jokes. Roberson said it goes a long way with the students, and he has few behavioral issues.

The job he loves, however, came out of a negative situation.

“I ripped by Achilles’ 4 inches apart,

so I couldn’t walk for a whole year,” Roberson said. “I got well enough to where I could walk after I did my physical therapy, and I decided to go get my bus license.”

Between bus driving, head custodial duties and car detailing, Roberson is no stranger to working 10- to 12-hour days, but it’s the children who motivate him.

He also has a loving wife, two daughters and two granddaughters.

Last year, Roberson made it to the state-level Bus ROADeo contest for his bus-driving skills. He came in second in the county and 10th in the region.

Those early mornings and long days don’t break his spirit.

Roberson is one of 103 bus drivers for Beaufort County Schools, running multiple routes every school day and serving hundreds of students.

“What I do, I do my best, and you can tell,” Roberson said.

I look forward to doing it because it’s something I love to do. … I can do anything I want to, but I just love the school, and I love kids.”

— CARLTON ROBERSON

6:15 AM RICHARD ANDREWS FISHING GUIDE

Top-notch guide

Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA

A go-to for fishing and exploration By 6 a.m., Richard Andrews has been heading to the day’s fishing location for about half an hour. Bluegrass music and tires on the road are his soundtrack at that time of morning.

Andrews, owner of Tar-Pam Guide Service, already prepared most everything for the day’s charter the night before. He tiptoed through his house so as not to wake his family, grabbed a cup of coffee and hit the road for the day’s charter.

“It gets me excited about my day,” he said.

Andrews’ trade is showing clients the vast fishing opportuni20 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

ties in local waters. Among the first orders of business is getting everyone oriented and learning what each person wants to get out of the day’s expedition.

Whether he’s spending the day with a novice or a seasoned angler, Andrews is committed to making his clients better fishermen by the time they leave. He’s found that to be a successful approach.

“Even if we don’t, for some reason, have a stellar trip, they feel like they’ve got their money’s worth,” he said.

The experience with Andrews is about more than fishing, though. His knowledge of eastern North Carolina waterways

When they leave, I want them to feel like they’ve learned something not just about the fishing, but the area itself.”

— RICHARD ANDREWS

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

extends much farther than fishing hotspots. Part of the journey is to take in the beauty and history of the area.

“I’ve found, over the years, that people enjoy the scenery and the sights,” Andrews said. “I try to focus on what they’re looking at and where we are. … When they leave, I want them to feel like they’ve learned something not just about the fishing, but the area itself.”

Some of the lessons include a primer on the ecosystem, including an explanation of the salinity gradient between the Pamlico Sound and river. Historically, one of his go-to tidbits is the story behind the replica of the Pamlico Point lighthouse on the Washington waterfront.

7:07 AM LAUREN JOHNSON TEACHER

Shaping the future

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Teacher uses passion to inspire young readers It’s 7 a.m., and Lauren Johnson is busy mingling with students eating breakfast at Chocowinity Primary School.

Johnson, 34, came to CPS in 2010 and attended the school during her own elementary years. She’s a Reading Recovery teacher, who helps catch struggling students up to their age-appropriate reading level.

There’s no doubt that Johnson was meant to be a teacher. Her work is exhausting, and it isn’t a 9-to-5 profession, but she loves every minute of it.

“Honestly, there is nothing I have ever wanted to do in my life than teach,” Johnson said. “Reading Recovery is the research-proven best program out there, and I hate to see people drop it in all these other counties and states because it works.”

Her day is jam-packed with helping individual students and small groups hone their reading skills. Johnson sees 28 children, 22 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

or more, each day — more than a regular classroom teacher does.

“I always describe Reading Recovery, well, really teaching in general, as the hardest job you will ever love,” she said. “It’s a challenge every day, and I want to rise to that challenge.”

According to Johnson, seeing the look on a child’s face once a concept is understood, and knowing the time spent made a difference, keeps her pushing forward. There’s no room for negativity in her day-to-day work.

Johnson is one of 507 teachers in Beaufort County Schools.

Chocowinity Primary School is one of seven schools in the district that serves elementary-age students.

“We’ve created a great balance in this school of literacy instruction, and the teachers are on fire, and everyone just wants to do it — to do better, to learn more and to do what’s best for kids,” Johnson said. “I get up every day for the kids, to help them. I just want them to be successful in life.”

We’ve created a great balance in this school of literacy instruction, and the teachers are on fire, and everyone just wants to do it — to do better, to learn more and to do what’s best for kids.”

— LAUREN JOHNSON

PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

23

8:02 AM MIKE GODLEY FARMER

Right at home

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Farmer continues family legacy of agriculture Mike Godley, 59, is well into his day by the time most people have to report to work at 8 a.m.

Depending on the time of year, one might find him filling out paperwork in the winter, or working with farm machinery in the spring.

He can remember the exact moment he sat at a stop sign in crowded Raleigh and thought, “This is not the place for me.”

Godley grew up on his family’s farm off of N.C. Highway 92 in Bath, and he returned there to farm with his father in 1988. On the 1,200 acres — a relatively small farm compared to the neighbors, he said — Godley grows mostly cotton, some 24 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

grains and soybeans.

“I am within 100 feet of completing a full circle of where I started and where I am now,” Godley said. “There is no typical day.”

The economics of it all can be difficult, but Godley said there’s nothing like watching a crop grow and prosper.

“My job is a lot of what my father used to do for me. That I am now the gopher, the person who makes the arrangements, who gets the product in line, who makes the phone calls and puts everything in place for somebody who is doing the labor,” he said.

I was never going to be happy unless I had the connections to the farming I grew up doing.”

— MIKE GODLEY

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Godley is also involved in many organizations, including Beaufort County Farm Bureau, Farm Services Agency, Bath High School Preservation and Bath Community EMS. It’s farming, though, that is his true calling.

Farming is a way of life in Beaufort County. As of 2012, there were 364 farms in the county, spanning a total of 148,286 acres, according to the latest census data. Crop and livestock sales are a multimillion-dollar industry for the county’s economy.

“I was never going to be happy unless I had the connections to the farming I grew up doing,” Godley said.

9:08 AM HEATHER JACOBS RIVERKEEPER

Sound rivers

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Education, advocacy a river way of life It’s 9:08 a.m. and Heather Deck is on hour three of this particular boat ride. Which body of water she’s on depends on where a water crisis may be taking place or where and what’s being researched by university marine labs.

Deck is the Tar-Pamlico riverkeeper. She’s also the deputy director of Sound Rivers, a 30-year-old homegrown environmental organization, the mission of which is to teach people about, advocate for and protect eastern North Carolina waterways.

Deck’s role is broad — she could be in a classroom teaching children about the importance of protecting the county’s greatest resource, or she might be taking samples at Goose Creek to send to the state lab at a report of an algal bloom; she may be in a conference room, talking about the need for more stringent rules to prevent pollution from reaching the river, or she could be in a courtroom, testifying about how freshwater discharge into a local creek could permanently change the creek’s ecologi26 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

cal role as a nursery for aquatic species.

Sometimes it means getting anonymous calls reporting strange happenings in the river: a fish kill, an industrial spill, water turning green. Then it’s off to the boat to investigate and alert state officials of any issue threatening the health of the waterways and its species.

“Every week it’s a little different,” Deck said. “I get to be involved with lots of different people in all different walks of life. I work with scientists, policy makers, communities when issues arise. … It’s safe to say, I probably learn something new every day with this job, which is pretty neat.”

It’s all part of being a good watchdog for the system of streams, creeks and rivers that bisect the county. According to Deck, Beaufort County has more shoreline miles than any other county in the state — there are 320 miles of paddle trails in the county alone. Overall, the Pamlico-Tar River Basin, which covers 19 eastern North Carolina counties, has 2,543 miles of river.

It’s safe to say, I probably learn something new every day with this job, which is pretty neat.”

— HEATHER DECK

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PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

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10:30 AM AUTUMN ANDREWS GIRL SCOUT

Life skills

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Third-generation Girl Scout plans to carry on tradition Look for Northside High School junior Autumn Andrews at 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and she just may be found serving her community.

That’s what Autumn has done for most of her life as a member of Troop No. 802 in Belhaven. Whether it was, as a sixth-grader, hosting a fire safety day for the community as part of her Bronze Award, or making and collecting blankets last year to donate to the county’s domestic violence shelter, Ruth’s House, for her Silver Award, the idea of community service is deeply instilled.

“It makes you feel really good that you’re able to

help and give back to your community,” Autumn said.

She’s a third generation Girl Scout — a part of Troop 802 since the age of 4 — and when she graduates from high school, she plans to help mom Dana with the troop while in college. But her Girl Scout career won’t end there.

“After college, she’ll probably hand it over to me,” Autumn said. “And if I have girls, they can also carry (the family tradition) on.”

As it is, Autumn is already sharing what she’s learned as a Girl Scout with a younger generation.

At 16, she’s taken over leadership of the Daisies,

28 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

kindergartners and firstgraders, in the troop. She’s teaching them the lessons of the Girl Scout promise and law, helping them with earning badges and, essentially, teaching them life skills. It’s a job she loves, she said.

Troop No. 802 is one of 17 Girl Scout troops in Beaufort County, and consists of 30 girls of a countywide total of 216.

Regardless of the troop to which one belongs, Autumn is advocate for the benefits of scouting.

“We’re kind of like a big family,” Autumn said. “It’s a lot of fun, and you gain plenty of skills that you’ll use all through your life.”

It makes you feel really good that you’re able to help and give back to your community.”

— AUTUMN ANDREWS

11:30 AM JACKIE MERCER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COURT

Court case

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Tracking cases the backbone of court system At 11:30 a.m. on any day of the week, Assistant Clerk of Court Jackie Mercer could be anywhere in the Beaufort County Courthouse. She may be representing the Clerk’s Office in a Superior Court trial or pulling case files for attorneys in the criminal department. She might be overseeing a first court appearance in the basement jail or in the Magistrates’ Office dealing with bondsmen.

She could be found helping someone pay a fine, or she might be scheduling court dates, clerks’ courtroom coverage, employee vacations, evaluations and more.

Mercer oversees the criminal department of the local judicial system — her office keeps tracks of all information about any criminal case, from a menial traffic infraction to first-degree murder. It’s a lot of information, and a lot of data entry, considering that a single day of traffic court in District Court plows through 600-700 cases, often before lunch.

“I don’t think people realize how much we do back here, or in this office, period. It takes a

lot of team effort, and good moods, but we get it done,” Mercer said. “It’s a not a job for everybody.”

To handle all court business, the Beaufort County Clerk of Court’s office employs 18 people, including Clerk of Court Marty Paramore, an elected official. The criminal department consists of only seven of those 18 employees, which means it takes a team effort to keep up with the thousands of cases they see each year.

What Mercer loves about her work is the variety, the different people she meets, helping others, being a part of what she calls “the greatest judicial system in the world.”

“I just like the whole process. I truly enjoy my job most days,” Mercer said.

Her role, and those of others in the criminal department, takes place behind the scenes, but ultimately, keeps the wheels of justice grinding one case at a time.

“This is not a job where you’re going to sit on a daily basis and have nothing to do,” Mercer laughed. “There is always something to do.”

This is not a job where you’re going to sit on a daily basis and have nothing to do. There is always something to do.”

— JACKIE MERCER

12:01 PM ABBIE HOPKINS

CAFETERIA MANAGER

Food-service expert

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Changing lives one meal at a time At noon, children are pouring into the cafeteria at Northeast Elementary School, and Abbie Hopkins is working to make sure they leave with full stomachs. She’s already been through breakfast service, and she and her five other co-workers are moving smoothly into lunchtime.

In her back office, there’s a picture of her grandfather pushing a plow: “I hang this picture of my granddaddy to remind me of what hard work is,” it reads underneath.

The 63-year-old has worked with Beaufort County Schools for 36 years — 11 of them as a cafeteria manager.

Hopkins received the Louise

Sublette Award in 2008 and has earned 13 Awards of Excellence during her tenure.

She also won second place in the state for her signature cinnamon buns.

“I’m a tobacco farmer’s daughter, and I married a commercial fisherman, and I tell you what, we’ve had an adventure,” Hopkins said. “My ladies are why I am where I’m at, because I couldn’t do some of the extra things I am able to do if I did not have people in here who could work and get things done.”

Hopkins treats every student as if they are her own children.

“I love my job, and I love my children, and I’m

30 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

just a grandmama trying to take care of them out here,” Hopkins said. “I really got attached to the kids, and I got to a place where I just enjoyed working.”

Known as “Mama Abbie,” she said she gives every day her all, full steam ahead, no matter what challenges or changes come her way. That’s what makes her a leader.

Hopkins is one of 11 cafeteria managers in Beaufort County Schools, serving breakfast and lunch to hundreds of students every school day.

“I’ve always wanted to improve. I’ve always wanted to be the best I can be at whatever I do,” Hopkins said.

I love my job, and I love my children, and I’m just a grandmama trying to take care of them out here.”

— ABBIE HOPKINS

1:16 PM YASMIN VASQUEZ

COOK, BACKWATER JACKS

Prep work

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Making meals a kitchen choreography Yasmin Vasquez is good with knives.

She has to be.

At 1:16 p.m., the kitchen at Backwater Jack’s is a blur of activity. Vasquez is right in the middle of it, set up at a stainless steel prep table, chopping onions, lettuce, tomatoes; rolling wraps and stacking sandwiches to send out to hungry patrons.

And Backwater Jack’s has a lot of hungry patrons — so many that Vasquez is stumped by the question: how many meals do you think you fix on a given day?

“A lot. There is no telling. We fix about …

I couldn’t tell you,” Vasquez laughed. “We get in the zone, and we just send plates out and send plates out and send plates out. And then it’s time to close, and we sit there and say, ‘Wow, we did all that?’”

For 10 years, Vasquez has truly been behind the scenes at the popular restaurant that sits at the very end of East Main Street in Washington. It’s a small kitchen, and being

able to get the job done during lunch- and dinner-time rushes requires coordination and dexterity. At lunch, two or three others are on the prep table with her; at dinner, it may be four; all caught up in this unique kitchen choreography demanded by close quarters.

“When you start working with new people, yes, you get in each other’s way,” Vasquez said.

“But when I work with (owner) Cathy Bell, we actually know what we’re thinking, so we know which way to go. … You have to be able to multitask. Make sure that everything goes out good.”

Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar and Grill is one of many restaurants in Beaufort County catering to all tastes, from down home southern fare to fine culinary creations.

Though the outdoor, on-the-water aspect makes Backwater Jack’s a seasonal restaurant, Vasquez can’t wait for opening day each year.

“I love everything about this job,” she said.

“It’s not even a job anymore. It’s like your family here. It’s fun, and you’re getting paid.”

I love everything about this job. It’s not even a job anymore. It’s like your family here. It’s fun, and you’re getting paid.”

— YASMIN VASQUEZ

2:05 PM TOM ANGLIM PROSECUTER

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Life calling

Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Seeking justice more than a full-time job It’s 2:05 p.m., and Chief Assistant District Attorney Tom Anglim is in the courtroom.

A criminal trial awaits, and, on any given day, Anglim could be doing a number of tasks: pouring through the case file; amassing information relevant to jury selection; working with the victim witness legal assistant to ensure witnesses are lined up; speaking with investigators about coming testimony. Anglim could be making the state’s argument; he might be striking a juror from the pool of those called.

For 23 years, Anglim has been a prosecutor. As an administrator, his trial schedule is not as demanding as it has been in the past: 20 to 30 criminal trials 32 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

per year, each varying in preparation time depending on the length of the investigation and the significance of the offense — drug arrests, murder, child abuse. In one memorable week in Washington County, Anglim once made the case for the state in seven separate trials.

“I’ve always felt it to be a calling to serve,” Anglim said. “I think part of the responsibility of the prosecutor is to seek justice, and within that idea of seeking justice is to ensure that those individuals in our community who are vulnerable are protected and feel safe.”

The Second Judicial District is comprised of five counties: Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington.

The district has eight ADAs, five of which are based in Beaufort County, along with the District Attorney Seth Edwards, an elected official. It falls to Anglim to discern which prosecutor is assigned to each case, based on experience or the need to gain it.

“We want to make sure that every prosecutor is able to prosecute on every level from Juvenile Court to Superior Court,” Anglim said.

It’s a demanding job, and a life calling.

With more than 600 trials per year in Beaufort County alone, Anglim always has a jury to pick, cases to assign, investigations to wrap up and, most importantly, a victim for whom to find justice.

Within that idea of seeking justice is to ensure that those individuals in our community who are vulnerable are protected and feel safe.”

— TOM ANGLIM

PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

33

3:30 PM OSCAR ESPINOZA ATHLETE

Soccer star

Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA

Athlete’s dedication a key for Pam Pack It’s around 3:30 p.m. on a weekday during the fall semester. Classes just let out for the day at Washington High School, and Oscar Espinoza is riding over to Kugler Field with teammates for soccer practice. Shoes are on, and the team gets in its run to warm up.

Game day is entirely different. If it’s an away game, Espinoza and the Pam Pack are already on the bus well on their way. He’s got his headphones on listening to something like “Eye of the Tiger” or “Remember the Name.”

It’s all about getting in the zone.

34 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

“The whole day, it’s all you’re thinking about. It’s time to play,” Espinoza said. “You keep looking at the clock thinking, ‘When’s it going to come down?’ It’s nerve-racking.”

Being a student-athlete requires a lot of balance. Superior time-management skills allow Espinoza to go nonstop from early in the morning all the way through the late afternoon or night.

An average day has him going from classes right to practice or a game, then right back home to do schoolwork.

By all accounts, he handles it just fine. Espinoza, a sophomore midfielder, was a vital part of the Pam Pack squad this past fall.

My hat trick against North Pitt was super memorable. I’m never going to forget that bicycle kick.”

— OSCAR ESPINOZA

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Washington graduated some of the best players in program history from a 2015 team that played for a 2-A state championship.

Espinoza played a key role in the Pam Pack winning 21 games and reaching the fourth round of the playoffs in 2016. He also had the highlight of the season when he scored the third of three goals with a beautiful bicycle kick in a game against North Pitt.

“My hat trick against North Pitt was super memorable. I’m never going to forget that bicycle kick,” he said.

Beaufort County prides itself in its athletes, and Espinoza will continue to be an important part of a championship-caliber club.

4:32 PM BEN MCKEITHAN STAR STUDENT

Star student

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Story by CAROLINE HUDSON

Fining success on the court and in the classroom Around 4:30 p.m., Washington High School senior Ben McKeithan is changing into workout clothes and lacing up his shoes for tennis practice.

The 18-year-old finished school, took a break and is now ready to give it all he’s got on the court. It’s a lot to balance day to day, but McKeithan handles it like a pro.

McKeithan is a star student, and he’s also very involved with his school.

Along with tennis in the spring, he plays soccer and football in the fall, and is a member of Key Club, an officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and student body vice president. He

was also recently accepted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I’ve kind of gotten used to it,” McKeithan said of his busy schedule. “I just get into a routine, and it’s pretty easy from there.”

“With all the stuff I’m doing, if I don’t have a routine, it’s pretty easy to forget certain things, especially like homework or studying for a test,” he added.

McKeithan has big plans for the future. Although that time on the court won’t continue at the collegiate level for him, McKeithan said he hopes to study history and then earn a law degree.

“I want to come back to Washington and hopefully

36 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

start a practice here,” he said. “I like a small town, and I really, really like the river, which is the main part.”

There’s plenty on his plate, but every swing, every test, every meeting is pushing McKeithan toward a bright future.

“I’ve wanted to go to Carolina my whole life, so it’s really nothing but excitement,” he said.

McKeithan is one of roughly 400 Beaufort County high school seniors, many of whom play multiple sports throughout the year.

Washington High School is one five schools in the district serving high school students.

With all the stuff I’m doing, if I don’t have a routine, it’s pretty easy to forget certain things, especially like homework or studying for a test.”

— BEN MCKEITHAN

5:07 PM AMY THOMAS

OWNER, FITNESS UNLIMITED

Continuing education

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Promoting health, fitness is a way of life The weights drop to the floor with a muffled thud. It’s a common sound at Fitness Unlimited, and at 5:07 p.m. on a Friday, Amy Thomas is likely the one doing the lifting.

Seventeen years of gym ownership means Thomas knows the importance of practicing what she preaches. If she’s not behind the desk greeting members as they come in, she’s participating.

“I can understand the struggle of each member — making time to get here, doing it, being sore,” Thomas said. “I’m not preaching perfection by any means. I still eat bad every now and then; I don’t work out every day, but I do try to keep it consistent, and that’s what I want my members to do.”

Thomas is a firm believer that staying active means better health, and the more offerings the gym has — weight-loss programs, Silver Sneakers classes for older adults, kids’ fitness camps, low- and high-impact classes every day, yoga, personal training and more — the

more she can do to promote health.

The Beaufort County Health Department’s latest health assessment ranked the county 81st of 100 counties in health indicators, meaning the residents of Beaufort County are pretty unhealthy. Nearly 12 percent of residents are diabetic; more than a quarter are overweight or obese. Heart disease is prevalent, as are high-risk behaviors such as smoking and drug use.

Giving people the opportunity to be proactive about their health is part of Thomas’ job. Another is providing a place where people feel comfortable, no matter how young or old, large or small, in shape or out of shape, they may be.

Though she started her career in elementary education, she continues to teach today, not only by leading spin and body sculpt classes, but by promoting fitness as a way of life, and a way to health.

“You’ve got to stay active,” Thomas said.

“It may not cure it, but it definitely helps.”

I can understand the struggle of each member — making time to get here, doing it, being sore. … I’m not preaching perfection by any means.”

— AMY THOMAS

6:02 PM AMY DAWLEY HAIR STYLIST

Dream to reality

Story by MACKENZIE TEWKSBURY

Stylist brings smiles to clients Amy Dawley places her scissors on the counter, unties a smock and swivels a studio chair to face the mirror in front of her. She’s waiting for her last client of the night to see her new hairstyle.

By now it’s 6 p.m., and Dawley is headed home for the evening. She’s already snipped off inches of hair, transformed brunettes to bleached blondes and given a full makeover.

Dawley, a hairstylist at Oasis Hair Salon and Spa in downtown Washington, said a typical day for her changes each time she walks in the door. She may have a day full 38 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

of simple haircuts and sometimes a day full of major color changes.

Her dream to be a hairstylist began back in middle school and came true when she moved to Washington and obtained her hairstyling license.

“It all started in middle school. I always said I was going to be the next famous hairstylist,” Dawley said.

Dawley has lived out her middle-school dream of becoming a hair stylist for a little over eight years. With each day comes the opportunity for Dawley to positively affect her clients. On the outside, it may just look like her job is cutting

I love being able to show my clients something beautiful about themselves, something that most people already see.”

— AMY DAWLEY

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

hair. But to Dawley, her job is putting a smile on people’s faces every single day.

“I love being able to show my clients something beautiful about themselves, something that most people already see,” Dawley said.

Dawley is one of many hair stylists in Beaufort County, and she works hard to bring positivity and beauty to her clients with a pair of scissors and a hair dryer.

“Most people see themselves in the worst way. … Being able to show someone what others already see and making them feel good about themselves is an amazing job to have.”

7:00 pM CHRISTINE JONES EMT/PARAMEDIC

Answering the call

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Volunteer firefighter, EMT carries on family tradition At 7 p.m., Christine Jones may be relaxing at home after a day of assisting teachers in the Pamlico County school system and delivering children home safely by bus after school. But when the call comes in, Jones answers, and at any moment, she could be behind the wheel of a fire truck, racing down rural roads on the way to put out a fire.

Helping is a family tradition.

“Coming up, my great-grandmother always talked about lending a hand whenever you can, because you never know when you might need a hand up,” Jones said.

40 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, Jones helps others, just as her father and uncle did when she was growing up in Aurora.

“Seeing my dad and my uncle go out of their way to help a stranger. It could be any hour of the day, day or night,” Jones said. “There’s no words to really explain the feeling I get when I get to answer a call. It’s just a passion I have.”

Aurora is a small town — understanding that she will very likely be answering a call to help someone she knows, and who knows her, makes her volunteerism and her presence even more meaningful.

“I like to be there. I like to give that

reassurance, saying, ‘I’m here; we’ve got you,’” Jones said.

Jones is one of 40 volunteers (30 active) for the Aurora Volunteer Fire Department, one of five on the EMS squad, which is mostly paid positions.

Throughout Beaufort County, there are 14 fire squads, representing hundreds of volunteers, and seven EMS squads.

For Jones, as a female volunteer firefighter, she’s not only helping when needed, she’s setting an example for the next generation of girls.

“I always tell little kids to always follow your dreams,” Jones said. “Don’t let people tell you can’t do something.”

There’s no words to really explain the feeling I get when I get to answer a call. It’s just a passion I have.”

— CHRISTINE JONES

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8:19 PM BOBBY HODGES

FUNERAL HOME DIRECTOR

Dignified

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by MIKE VOSS

Meeting family’s needs is top priority for funeral director Visitation was scheduled to end at 8 p.m., but it’s 8:19 p.m. and Bobby Hodges, owner of Paul Funeral Home and a funeral director, waits as the family of the deceased lingers after others have left.

As long as the family stays, “We do not leave,” Hodges said.

Hodges, who’s been at the funeral home since 1986, said one visitation kept him at the funeral home until 11:20 p.m. It began at 6 p.m. and was scheduled to end at 8 p.m.

“Our first priority with a visitation is we would have the room set up to accommodate the family coming in. We would find out what they want, whether they want their friends to float in and out — have a floating-type visitation — or if they want it more structured, like a receiving line,” Hodges said. “If we have a receiving line, we have to make sure we’ve got a way into the parlor and an exit to keep as much flow 42 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

as possible going.”

Hodges added: “Generally, we have two people working a visitation, unless it’s a real big crowd. We generally have two people at the door greeting folks as they come, directing people to the parlor.”

On occasion, funeral directors have to support family members and others who become overly emotive during visitations.

“Sometimes they’ll get emotional. You see if they need a cup of water, a bottle of water, to sit down or if they need a moment, step outside. We are here to help them anyway we can,” Hodges said.

Why is visitation important? “It gives a chance for the friends of the family to come speak to the family and offer condolences. It gives them some closure. It seems like now most families gather now at weddings or funerals. With young folks, especially, it gives their friends an opportunity to come and offer their condolences,” Hodges said.

We are here to help them anyway we can.”

— BOBBY HODGES

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43

9:13 PM JERRY LANGLEY

COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Quality of life

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Listening a matter of local government It’s 9:13 p.m. on the first Monday night of every month. Jerry Langley may be home winding down, or he could be on hour four of a five-hour meeting. In his career, Langley has worked as a criminal investigator with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, with probation and parole and pastor at Zion Grove Church of Christ (DOC), but for the past 17 years, he’s also served the people of Beaufort County as an elected official on the Board of Commissioners.

He started down that path for a reason.

“To make a difference,” Langley said. “That has evolved a lot because, basically, people are so inclined to say you need business people in government. And that is good, but you also need common folk in government; people who go to work every day, and if they miss a paycheck, they are in deep trouble.”

Langley grew up in the Washington area, one of eight children, during an era when hard times meant relying on the generosity of neighbors and family. Part of the reason he became a commissioner was to ensure that social safety nets are in 44 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

place for those experiencing hardship — to ensure that quality of life extends to all residents.

“In order to have a great quality of life, there has to be opportunities,” Langley said, adding that opportunity starts earlier than one might think. “Education is important: the more you know, the more you grow.”

Langley is one of seven county commissioners, elected officials who preside over the creation of a nearly $60 million budget each year and make decisions affecting the school system, law enforcement, economic development, health programs, whether residents have access to the county’s greatest single resource — its waterways — and more.

“We impact people’s lives,” Langley said.

“Sometimes negatively, sometimes positively, but we do impact lives.”

It’s a role Langley takes very seriously, and when a board of commissioners meeting goes long into the night, he views it as a learning opportunity.

“To me, the most important thing to do in any meeting is listen,” Langley said. “People who aren’t good listeners aren’t very effective leaders.”

We impact people’s lives. Sometimes negatively, sometimes positively, but we do impact lives.”

— JERRY LANGLEY

10:02 PM JACLYN CULLIPHER BARTENDER

With a smile

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA

Employee sets the bar for tending It’s about 10 o’clock on a Friday evening. The weekend is in full swing, and things at Grub Brothers Eatery on Main Street are calming down for everyone except the staff.

Bartender Jaclyn Cullipher is serving a crowd. Some may be locals, while others may have come to Washington from far away. Whatever the case, she’s well equipped to meet their needs.

“They’re really just coming in to hang out,” Cullipher said. “They’ll have a few drinks in a family atmosphere. … I just want them to enjoy their time out and about with their friends.”

Cullipher is experienced in mixing all sorts of drinks. She can make all the traditional drinks, but also has no qualms about creating something new. Cullipher describes her craft as adventurous. One of her most popular concoctions is what she calls “Mermaid Water.”

“It’s a cheesy name, but it’s really cute,”

she said. “It’s pretty. It’s blue and green with that good old sitting-on-the-beach taste.”

“Hippie Juice” is another, and it’s Cullipher’s personal favorite. She finds it to be refreshing, especially on a hot day. She’s mixed a few that weren’t as great, but she’s always willing to try again until the customer is satisfied.

“I’ve never made something that wasn’t repairable,” Cullipher chuckled.

Even more so than meeting a person’s nightlife needs, Cullipher perpetuates the hometown feeling on which Washington prides itself. There are folks she sees almost every Friday, but she’s also had patrons come from as far as England.

“I treat everyone like I’ve known them forever,” she said. “I think that’s one of the reasons we do have people come back all the time. Whether they’re local, or from out of town or out of the country, we just greet them with a smile.”

Whether they’re local, or from out of town or out of the country, we just greet them with a smile.”

— JACLYN CULLIPHER

11:01 PM RUBEN HASSELL POLICE OFFICER

Never the same

Story by MICHAEL PRUNKA

‘Routine’ not a part of officer’s job description It’s 11 p.m. and the streets of Washington are quiet, or so Washington Police patrol Officer Ruben Hassell hopes. At this point, he’s almost halfway through his 12-hour night shift, which starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m.

Hassell is patrolling the city looking for anyone or anything that may be out of place. Chatter between other officers is coming across the radio. When he gets to Main Street, Hassell may choose to get out of his squad car and patrol on foot.

Often the calls at night are more infrequent than during day. However, the reports that do come in can be more severe.

46 PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

No matter what time of day, much of the job boils down to vigilance.

“A lot of times, things are not happening. So, as a patrol officer, you have to be proactive,” Hassell said. “You go into your crime-prevention thinking. You’re checking into buildings, making sure that no one is breaking into the buildings or hanging around. … As a police officer, you should have an idea of who stays in what area.”

Hassell’s job is about staying one step ahead. That’s about the only part of his duties that’s consistent, which

A lot of times, things are not happening. So, as a patrol officer, you have to be proactive.”

— RUBEN HASSELL

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

is how he likes it. He’ll spend a month on the night shift before alternating back to the day shift.

At the end of the day, Hassell’s duty is protecting the citizens of Washington. He has many anecdotes about doing so, but one stands out.

“We get a call that there’s a breaking and entering to a residence on Market Street,” he said. “We busted in there: we take the gun from the guy, lay him down and handcuff him. I look at the older couple. … The guy looks at me and says, ‘You guys were on time tonight.’”

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PROFILE 2017 – Washington Daily News

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