•Last-gasp effort gives Wolfpack victory over West Columbus. •Lady Gators grab Three Rivers Confer- ence win over South Columbus. •Gators shock Trask. •Lady Rams run past Wake Tech. •Gator netters nip Red Springs in Three Rivers Conference match. Sports See page 1-B. ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Thursday Reporterfor the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, April 11, 2016 Hearing today Volume 125, Number 82 Whiteville, North Carolina on Best’s bid 75 Cents for new trial nDNA results that show a 490 trillion to one chance Best didn’t commit 1991 murders of Baldwin couple here will Inside be part of hearing. 2-A By BOB HIGH • Teacher brings Staff Writer imagination to It took 23 years for court proceedings to science. bring Norfolk Junior “Fuzzy” Best from • Bolton water prison to a courtroom customers for a judge to hear his attorneys’ motion for a to receive new trial for the White- adjustments. ville man who has been on death row since his 3-A conviction in 1993 of • Animal Control first-degree murder in sees 94 percent the slayings of an es- teemed local couple. Best adoption rate. The hearing begins at 1 p.m. today (Monday) in Superior Court in 4-A Whiteville with Judge Douglas Sasser presid- ing. District Attorney Jon David is expected • Car wrecks across to represent the state in a bid to rebuff claims county take two lives. 9-A Best’s attorneys claim the state with- • Work-day yields Staff photo by FULLER ROYAL held evidence that implicated two Community Garden Play ball white males in the November 1991 at museum. Members of the Civitans Dixie Youth Baseball team take Harritan Field Saturday to be introduced killings, and the motion disputed the during opening ceremonies for the Whiteville Optimist Club’s 47th season of baseball. date of the murders. However, state law DIDYOB? in 1993 required the state to only share Did you observe ... evidence it intended to use in a trial. Did you observe Potential for wildfires grows By JEFFERSON WEAVER made by Best’s lawyers. hundreds of Co- Staff Writer Although Best was convicted by a Bladen County jury, the hearing was moved here to lumbus County A month into the spring fire accommodate court personnel. High School Ju- season, N.C. Forest Service officials The Baldwin murders is the most notorious are gearing up for what could be a case in Whiteville history since the 1903 kill- niors visiting SCC big summer. ings of a bootlegger and his assistant led to the Statewide, N.C. Forest Service last public hanging here in 1904 when Jabel Wednesday and (NCFS) workers are gearing up for Register paid the ultimate price for his crimes. 480 trillion Thursday for Ca- what could be a busy summer fire season. Best still claims he didn’t murder and rob reer Exploration “Long-term forecasts are call- local photographer Leslie Baldwin and his wife Gertrude in their Burkhead Street home Days? ... An elated ing for drier-than-normal weather, with thunderstorms in May and See Best, page 4-A Mark Bannerman June,” said NCFS District Eight For- ester Shane Hardee. The district cov- winning first-place ers Pender, Bladen, New Hanover, Brunswick, Sampson, Duplin and overall at the N.C. Columbus counties. A North Carolina Forest Service crew working a fire. Grandmother Azalea Festival Dry weather and cloud-to-ground lightning are a worrisome combina- The wetter than usual fall and tions. Even with a rainfall surplus Art Show in Wilm- tion, he said. winter made fire prevention work for the fall, winter and spring, the killer receives “That combination could mean easier this year, Hardee explained, fire danger chances remain high ington Thursday some severe fire risks in our entire but past rain doesn’t play as big of night? ...? area,” Hardee said. a role in wildfires as current condi- See Fires, page 2-A 30-plus years By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer County Deaths Duke Energy awards $249,526 to SCC The Supply man who killed his grand- Duke Energy and Southeast- mother in Hallsboro in 2011 will serve at least Whiteville ern Community College have an- 30 years in prison. nounced a $249,526 investment in Jesse Vernon Pace, Estelle Summersett Walker the college from the Duke Energy 34, pleaded guilty to sec- Zilphia Lee Hall Foundation to prepare students for ond degree murder and Plummer Smith careers in advanced manufacturing. armed robbery Thurs- Evergreen The funds will be used to rep- day in Superior Court Billy Carroll Lee Sr. licate the floor of an advanced here. He was represent- manufacturing facility through the ed by defense attorney Chadbourn purchase and installation of a me- Kevin Peters. Chris Gen- Kadeem Javon Keel chatronics manufacturing training try prosecuted the case Tabor City system and complementary hydrau- before Judge Douglas John Tisdale lics, pneumatics and mechanical Sasser. Pace Irene Long trainers with supporting simulation Pace was facing first software. degree murder for the killing of his grand- Hallsboro Project GAME (Growing Ad- mother, Betty Larue Smith Pace, in June of Jenny Richardson Wilson vanced Manufacturing Excellence) 2011, according to his arrest warrant. Under will enhance current continuing the plea agreement, he was sentenced for education advanced manufacturing second degree murder. As part of the plea, training and establish a Mecha- Pace admitted slashing the woman’s throat Index and stealing her cellphone, credit cards and tronics Engineering Technology John Elliott, second from right, presents the check to SCC Direc- Editorials .......... 8-A car. The credit cards were discovered when Degree program. This strengthens tor of Industrial and Workforce Training Mark Lennon, left, Dr. Tony authorities searched his Blackbeard Drive, Obituaries ......... 7-A the pathway from high school to job Clarke and SCC Vice President of Workforce and Community De- Supply, home, according to the indictment. Sports ................ 1-B placement through curriculum that velopment Beverlee Nance. Crime ................ 4-A addresses an employer-identified The car was later found in Soldier Bay, on the manufacturing skills gaps. Brunswick County line near Ash, according Drawing upon the principles of “The equipment that this grant is Duke Energy’s director of govern- to the District Attorney’s office. mechatronics, students will master providing will enable Southeastern ment and community relations. “We The defendant’s return to Columbus County the skills to install, maintain, trou- Community College to increase our are pleased to strengthen our part- Superior Court was a circuitous one because bleshoot, and repair sophisticated contribution to economic develop- nership with the college to develop of his admitted ties to the Folk Nation alliance equipment in an integrated manu- ment and educational attainment a highly-skilled workforce that will of gangs. facturing system. This system’s in Columbus County,” said SCC attract and retain businesses in the A Sept. 4, 2014 Safekeeping Order signed approach closes the educational President Dr. Tony Clarke. region for years to come.” by Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher loop by incorporating hands-on ex- “Southeastern Community Col- This grant is part of Duke En- says Pace was a “high ranking member” of the perience with practical knowledge lege is committed to training a ergy’s $30 million investment in group, and ordered the murders of inmates as needed to be a successful multi- workforce equipped to meet today’s skilled technician. business needs,” said John Elliott, See SCC, page 2-A See Pace, page 4-A 2-A – The News Reporter, Monday, April 11, 2016 Teacher brings imagination to science By SHALON SMITH activities to observe. Staff Writer In focusing on the creativ- ity of the students, Adams’ Kim Adams always knew favorite student assignment she’d be a lawyer. Her grand- directs the students to take mother was a teacher she four to five of their favorite had admired growing up but animals and create a new one she knew she’d never teach based on those characteristics. because it was just too much By doing so, the students get a work. chance to review the subject Her mind was changed her matter while showing off their senior year of high school imaginations to the class. when she fell in love with “They tend to get very ex- chemistry. She went on to ma- cited and competitive about it. jor in Chemistry at UNC-Cha- Sometimes we have an animal pel Hill and received the N.C. survival-of-the-fittest competi- Teaching Fellows Scholarship. tion to see which animal is After exposure to a variety of most adapted for the environ- classrooms in the Teaching ment,” she said. Fellows program, she set her Adams wants her students sights on teaching in high to enjoy the time and the school and received a master’s classmates they have in high degree in the Art of Teaching school. She also wants her from UNC-Wilmington. students to know that they will Adams said coming to work learn more from the subjects at the Columbus Career and than they think if they are College Academy, where she open to the idea of learning. has taught each of her five The teacher of biology, years in the field, is an adven- chemistry, Earth and environ- ture and a roller coaster ride. mental science, and physical “I love the students’ science said it was an honor thoughts, ideas and creativity. to be selected by her peers as I never know how or what my hard working and deserving. day will bring; no two days are “I’m still amazed I was the same. My students make selected,” she said. my day with their questions Preparing lessons for each and comments, their curi- of the courses she teaches and osities at the world and how a job at a café in Leland where much they love to share about she lives keeps the single wom- their lives,” she said.