County's $3.5 Million Incentive May Save IP Jobs Memory Is Pecan Festival Parade Grand Marshal
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
•Whiteville defeats West Columbus 46-6 while South Columbus picks up its first win in a game against East Columbus. •Dan Biser writes about Yogi Berra. •WHS’ Grace Morningstar sets school Sports record in cross country. ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Thursday Reporterfor the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, September 28, 2015 County’s $3.5 Volume 125, Number 26 Whiteville, North Carolina million incentive 75 Cents may save IP jobs By ALLEN TURNER Inside Staff Writer 2-A The International Paper (IP) Plant in Riegelwood would •Fair Bluff hosts receive nearly $3.5 million in local incentives under a proposal the Columbus County Board of Commissioners is considering. Riverfest 2015 The incentives would be paid over a five-year period and this weekend. based on the company’s new investment of $128 million to add a new production line. 3-A The line will enhance IP’s competitiveness and save jobs that would otherwise be lost, said Gary Lanier, economic develop- •West Columbus ment director for Columbus County. High School to IP recently divested itself of one product manufactured in celebrate 50th year. Columbus County and intends to expand its local production capacity of another product to be manufactured at the plant •Cerro Gordo named Staff photo by LES HIGH in Riegelwood, which will require the $128 million investment. poetic achievement A second production line to manufacture a fluff paper prod- honor school. Friday crash uct will be added, Lanier said. The driver of this transfer truck hauling lumber veered off of westbound U.S. 74 Fri- That comes after IP sold their Carolina Brands Paper prod- 9-A day evening, travelling hundreds of feet before crashing into the woods. Abuwi Umar uct, which had been manufactured at the Riegelwood facility, II, 22, of Charlotte, fell asleep Friday about 5:15 p.m. as he drove west on U.S. 74, to another company. •Lawmakers shift just beyond the U.S. 76 intersection, and his 18-wheel flatbed truck went into the The conversion may result in fewer positions. primaries to March. edge of the woods. Umar had minor injuries. The truck traveled more than 600 feet “We are still working though the staffing process, but are on the shoulder of the road before hitting some trees. optimistic that no one will involuntarily lose a job or be perma- nently laid off as a result of the planned conversion project,” DIDYOB? said Kim Clewis, communications manager at the mill. Did you observe ... “The decision to reposition Riegelwood is an effort to best position the mill for the future. It was based on the growing Whiteville High Memory is Pecan Festival global market demand for fluff pulp, the Riegelwood Mill’s competitive advantages and our ability to make quality fluff School Athletic pulp. We currently make hardwood, softwood and fluff pulp, but Director David with the conversion will make 100 percent fluff and softwood Parade grand marshal pulp,” she said. Smith catching his Employees who operated the Carolina Brands production son Taylor’s kickoff By JEFFERSON WEAVER gas.” line now will operate the second fluff line. Without the addi- Staff Writer The family eventually shift- tion of the new fluff production line, the employees who had during Thursday ed interests into building and worked on the Carolina Brands line would no longer be needed. night’s game at Bettie Lou Memory has nev- development, with Billy Sr. Clewis declined to comment on the specific number of jobs noting early on that the U.S. 701 West Columbus? er been afraid to work. “All my life, that’s what I bypass would be an economic See Jobs, page 2-A ... North Carolina have done,” she said. powerhouse. poet laurete Shelby The grand marshal of this “He bought land out there year’s Pecan Harvest Festival when nobody else was buying Stephenson not only is not, like many people think, it,” she said. “He came home reading poetry, but a native of Whiteville. She one day and told me, ‘I bought State incentives moved here at a very young that piece out there where the also breaking out age when her father opened the highway is going, and we’re go- Hudson automobile dealership ing to develop it.’ his guitar to sing old “It seemed like every time bill becomes law here. Memory lost her mother Hank Williams Sr. to cancer at age 52, and said you turned around, Billy was nCounty and state officials discuss what it means her parents had the same work building another building. Peo- tunes and Amazing for Columbus County. ethic they instilled in their two ple realized you had to be out Grace? Stephenson daughters, as well as a strong there,” she said. “That’s where was the guest of the marriage. Bettie Lou Memory the traffic was going to be.” By NICOLE CARTRETTE “I never heard my father say Whiteville – especially up- News Editor town Whiteville – has always Reuben Brown Soci- a cross word to my mother, and a better job when you got out.” had a special hold on Memory. State lawmakers reached a compromise on incentives that she was the same,” Memory “Mr. Ed” Memory was still ety Sunday. ... “Most of the businesses are designed to attract new industry to the state. said. “I never heard them raise heavily involved in the family’s moved downtown, while we The Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) bill earmarks their voices, or get angry with grocery stores, gas stations kept the lawyers and the court- up to $35 million per year in grants to companies and extends one another. That’s how they and other interests in uptown house uptown,” Memory said. the program to Jan. 1. 2019. did things back then.” Whiteville. Bill Sr. ran the gro- “I always felt like it was all The Senate voted unanimously for the compromise born of County Deaths Upon her marriage to the cery store, while Bob ran the about downtown, downtown, a conference committee report. It later passed the House 84-24 late Billy Memory Sr., “Miss gas station that stood where downtown – well, what about and on Friday Gov. Pat McCrory signed it into law. Whiteville Bettie Lou” said she was al- the uptown BB&T bank is today. uptown? We’re Whiteville too.” The bill provides for a type of tax rebate to industries based Joyce Simmons Page ready a good fit for the Memory Memory laughed when she When Mrs. Memory was on the number of jobs created. family. said she has done “almost every Thurmon Yancy Penny tapped to fill out her husband’s Local matches on cooperative agreements would call for $1 in “The Memorys have always job in the family. Lawson McCoy Long seat on the Whiteville City local funding to $3 in state grant funds for more economically been hard workers,” she said. “I swept floors, I worked be- Wayland C. Hedgepeth Council, she said, she worked distressed Tier One counties like Columbus. Those matches can “It wasn’t a change for me hind the counter at the grocery with mayor Horace Whitley and be made with cash, in-kind services, fee waivers, donations of Harry Donnell Goss Jr. – when I was growing up, ev- store, collected rent, delivered later, Ann Jones. assets and infrastructure. Veda Kelly eryone worked. If you went to bills and payments – I did just 10 jobs Cerro Gordo college, it was so you could get about all of it, except pump See Memory, page 9-A Projects in Tier One counties, such as Columbus, would Marjorie Faye Strickland qualify for the grants if 10 or more jobs are created. The Tier Evergreen Two county threshold is 20 jobs. In Tier Three counties the Mitchell Burgwin Griffin requirement is 50 jobs. Tabor City Cycle NC, Live After 5 event High-yield projects that add $500 million in value and bring at least 1,750 jobs could qualify for the maximum grant and Buster Durden payout periods of up to 20 years. Nakina The legislation has seen no real action since March when the Norvan Babson comes to Whiteville Friday House passed a bill that capped funding at $20 million. The bill appeared to be stuck in the Senate. party downtown. almost daily year-round, usu- By JEFFERSON WEAVER A tiny provision included in the state budget specified that if Live After 5 is from 6-9 p.m. ally around the lake. He left Staff Writer H.B. 117 did not pass, certain portions of the budget bill itself Friday. The event will feature Friday to connect with the rest would not become law. Index Local tourism officialsfood, music, cornhole boards, of the group in Boone. Heartburn hope that the 1,000 plus bicy- dancing and other family fun Steve Smith of the Colum- Editorials .......... 8-A “It gave heartburn to some folks,” said Rep. Kenny Waddell, clists coming to Whiteville at the corner of Madison and bus Trails Alliance said the a Chadbourn Democrat. Obituaries ......... 7-A next week return – and bring Main streets. Cycle NC visit is a benefit to Opponents of the incentives say it shifts tax dollars to wealthy Sports ................ 1-B friends. Carolina Soul Band will be the entire area. corporations and some call it corporate welfare. The 17th annual Mountains the featured performer for the “The Columbus Trails Al- Crime ................ 4-A Advocates say incentives are part of the economic develop- to the Sea Cycle North Caro- event, bringing a selection of liance advocates for expanded Lifestyles ........... 5-A ment game of today and without them the state would lose out lina ride will visit Whiteville beach, Motown and classics to ecotourism for our commu- on industries that have grown to expect them.