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•Wolfpack defense comes up big in Thursday clash. •Stallions blitz Vikings to extend rivalry streak. •Devils charge past Gators. •South Columbus High School spikers add another Sports Three Rivers Conference victory. See page 1-B. ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Thursday Reporterfor the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, October 5, 2015 Hurricane Volume 125, Number 28 Whiteville, North Carolina misses, but 75 Cents flooding hits By LES HIGH, NICOLE CARTRETTE, Inside JEFFERSON WEAVER, BOB HIGH, RAY WYCHE and ALLEN TURNER 3-A Hurricane Joaquin moved out of the pic- •Fall rabies clinic ture Saturday after flirting with the Carolina is Friday. coast, but a system being funneled into the •Sunday hunting Carolinas by the storm brought torrents of rain to the area, perhaps more than 16 inches begins. in some areas. Flood warnings are in effect for the entire 4-A area through Tuesday morning. •Woman arrested for County and city schools will be closed for teachers, staff and students today (Monday) intimidating witness. due to flooding and the potential for downed trees. Some events at the Fair Bluff River 5-A Fest were cancelled, but the Go Tell Colum- •Cameron bus crusade at South Columbus High School Honeycutt releases continued services – after moving indoors. All county government offices are closed song on iTunes. today. Surprisingly, there have been few reports of downed trees or power outages. Dry soil conditions and low water levels in creeks have helped absorb the heavy rainfall. See Rain, page 2-A Gray is Chief Deputy Secretary Staff photos by LES HIGH and FULLER ROYAL Water problems at state’s DOT Today’s The weekend’s rains proved to be major headaches for Columbus Countians including the driver of American Profile this car, top photo, navigating Slippery Log Road; the driver of this truck, bottom left, which flipped By NICOLE CARTRETTE features “Fiendish this morning on U.S. 74-76 near mile marker 243; and the Town of Lake Waccamaw, bottom right, News Editor which brought in pumping trucks to handle a rain-related sewage spill near Dale’s Seafood. Fun: Get Halloween- Walt Gray, a White- ville native, has been Ready with Simple named the new Chief Crafts, Costumes & Deputy Secretary of the N.C. Department Tr e a t s .” Gann Memorials toy company of Transportation. He steps into his new DIDYOB? role today, Monday, to create 50 jobs in Tabor City Oct. 5. Did you observe ... Gray previously nCounty considers lease most of the jobs will not require a served as adminis- Lake Waccamaw – and based on job creation. college education. trator of the North county – residents “This is a way to meet the needs Carolina Industrial making trips to the By NICOLE CARTRETTE of all Columbus County citizens not Commission, where and ALLEN TURNER just a select few,” Lanier said. he oversaw budget, dam to gauge the level It was “a group effort” that pulled personnel and inter- Walt Gray of the lake? ... Pastor A lease agreement that ties re- the project together, Lanier said. He governmental and legislative affairs. Ronnie Wilson taking a duced rental fees to job creation credited BEMC, Diane Ward, Tabor “I’m deeply humbled and honored to serve City promotions director, and many big bite of his birthday could seal the deal on a Raleigh- on (Governor Pat) McCrory’s administration,” based toy company opening a manu- others for their help. Gray said. “It’s a privilege to serve the people cake right in the middle facturing facility in Tabor City. In all, should Gann sublease the of North Carolina.” of his sermon Sunday Tonight, Columbus County com- building without exercising its op- Gray said he has “always been very civic tion to purchase after three years morning? He used it as missioners are expected to approve See Gray, page 9-A an agreement with Gann Memorials and after creating 50 jobs, it would an example of how the LLC. pay the county and Tabor City a total gift of salvation is there The firm, founded in 1999 by of $312,000 in rent over a ten-year but must be received. ... Chris Gann, makes custom plush period. Rain fails to dampen toys and plans to move operations The rent incentive is new to Co- to the former Brunswick Electric lumbus County but Rick Edwards, Spirits as Go Tell incubator in Tabor City Industrial president of the Columbus Jobs County Deaths park within 90 days. Foundation, believes it is a worth- Crusade begins run Full-time jobs while. Chadbourn This 15-foot stuffed rabbit was “This is a company that has the The rent is conditioned on Gann custom-built by Gann Memori- nMore than 300 individuals of all ages Herbert Reynolds Griffin creating at least 12 new full time jobs ability to grow,” Edwards said. went forward at the end of the service Latonya Stephens Smith als as a set decoration in Tony ‘Seals the deal’ between now and the end of 2016 and Stark’s house for the Walt Dis- to dedicate or re-dedicate their lives Riegelwood additional fulltime jobs in 2017. The low-cost rent “seals the deal,” to Christ. ney film Iron Man 3. he said. Rosa Belle F. Freeman The contract calls for 13 new full- “The low-rent factor increases By BOB HIGH time jobs in 2018 and 14 additional $10 an hour Delco fulltime jobs in 2019. their cash flow and increases their Staff Writer Average wages will be roughly $10 Margaret ‘Bopeep’ Evans “Obviously I would love to have 50 ability to increase product. With an hour for general labor. Manage- It was raining, as expected. Bolton jobs in place by the end of next year more product they can hire more ment positions will be salaried. But, hundreds of volunteers began gather- but a lot of it just really depends on people,” Edwards said. Nettie Freeman “We have not done a lot of adver- ing at 2 p.m. Sunday at South Columbus High the demand,” Gann said. “We just think that’s a fair ap- tising about this facility,” Gann said. School to ready the facility for the opening “There is a lot of interest in proach,” County Commissioner He is hopeful for a “huge influx of of a four-night Go Tell Columbus Christian American made toys. They are very Trent Burroughs said. “It gives them business in the next six months.” Crusade. Index few, far and in between. an opportunity to get on their feet He said 50 jobs by 2019 is a “con- By 4 p.m., the public began to appear. They “Most of the toy jobs have moved and hopefully create a lot of jobs.” Editorials .......... 8-A servative estimate. I would love to came with umbrellas and raincoats, feet en- oversees and I wanted to bring it Burroughs anticipates the agree- see something much greater than cased in boots. Obituaries ......... 7-A back.” ment will be accepted mostly “as it that. I have a lot of goals for this They came without umbrellas and rain- Sports ................ 1-B Gann said he plans to hire skilled is” but thinks there is going to be facility.” coats. Crime ................ 4-A labor for sewing work, general labor “some tweaking.” Gary Lanier, Columbus County They came as individuals, in groups of in shipping and will have employees ‘Off guard’ Lifestyles ........... 5-A economic development director, said to manage inventory. See Toys, page 9-A See Go Tell, page 10-A EVERYONE WELCOME Monday Night October 5 OCTOBER 4-7, 2015 NIGHTLY SOUTH COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL 2-A – The News Reporter, Monday, October 5, 2015 Rain Continued from page 1-A Still, heavy rain was expect- ment in storm drain perfor- in flood-prone communities gusts are not expected above 30 ed to continue through today, mance, despite heaver than such as Delco, Riegelwood, mph, that’s still enough wind with areas south of Whiteville usual rain Friday, to recent Nakina and extreme southern to push over trees and break getting hit the hardest. Up- efforts by the town to clear Columbus. limbs. “If someone finds a dates will be available through storm drains, but by Satur- None of the rivers in the tree down, they’d better look the day at Whiteville.com. day morning several streets county are expected to cause for a downed power line. The All county offices closed including Brown were closed major flooding, although the line will probably still be live today, and Clerk of Superior to traffic. Waccamaw at Conway, S.C. is with power.” Court Jess Hill said Sunday Flooding left high water on projected to crest. Brown Street (N.C. 410) in that court would not be held multiple streets with detours Some residents of River Chadbourn was again cov- Monday. overlooked or ignored by some Road along the Waccamaw ered with water early today Cycle NC cancelled the final motorists, including beachgo- River in the Pireway commu- in the vicinity of BB&T bank leg of its Mountains to the ers, who cut police tape or nity refused evacuation Sun- and city hall. The Wellonton Sea trip, which would have moved road cones. Some mo- day and early today despite Apartments’ driveways and brought more than 1,000 bicy- torists avoided high waters by rising water from the river, access road were also under clists to Whiteville Friday. The navigating parking lots along plus swamps behind their water after Saturday’s respite Parks and Recreation Depart- Brown Street including town homes, according to Kaye Wor- from rain allowed the area to ment and Live After Five com- hall’s parking lot.