B&GH BASKETBALL SIGNS ERECTED ACROSS GATOR GIRLS TAKE HOME CAMPUS IN MEMORY OF WIN IN ECHS CHRISTMAS JANET MITCHELL WINSTEAD TOURNAMENT uu B&GH 3A uu SPORTS 2B The News Reporter Published since every Monday and ursday for the County of Columbus and her people. WWW.NRCOLUMBUS.COM Thursday, December 29, 2016 75 CENTS Matthew response was a highlight of for the county By Allen Turner [email protected] Looking back on what by any stretch of the imagination was a difficult year for Columbus County, County Manager Bill Clark said Wednesday that a highlight for him of 2016 was his sense of pride at the way county employees and others responded during Hurricane Matthew and the subsequent flooding that inundated the downtown Whiteville business district and virtually destroyed downtown Fair Bluff. New schools, resumption of rail service, expansion of coun- ty water service, a decision to purchase the former Georgia- Pacific plant site and other economic development events also were major issues, Clark said, but for him the way the county pulled together and bounced back after the storm was the major event of the year. “The way we responded to the flood showed the best in us,” Clark said. “When things go bad, we pull together in Columbus County, and we really pulled together after Hurricane Matthew.” Acknowledging that some issues primarily involving com- munications arose after the storm, Clark said, “There are always going to be some issues whenever you have an event of that magnitude. Let’s be frank, we were overwhelmed by that event, but I think we responded to it very well.” Clark said he was referring not only to county employees but also to fire and rescue units throughout the county, as well as to outside agencies and volunteers. “From my view of the world, it really was nice to see everybody pulling together. I was very proud. I hesitate to start naming groups and agencies for fear of leaving someone out, but obviously the Red Cross, the Forest Service, the National Guard and the Highway Patrol were invaluable. The response was outstanding.” uu MATTHEW RESPONSE 3A NCDOT to begin on U.S. damage By Jefferson Weaver [email protected] Staff Photo by Les High County Animal Control Director Joey Prince stands by the gas chamber. Kills at the shelter have been reduced dramatically. Work will begin next week on another hurricane damaged road in Columbus County. The N.C. Department of Transportation will replace a box culvert damaged by Hurricane Matthew with a bridge on U.S. 701 North of Peacock Road. The box culvert was severely Shelter removing gas chamber eroded by water resulting in major damage to the culvert and roadway, according to the DOT. By Jefferson Weaver primarily just empty masonry blocks, Animal Control over the device, even af- E.S. Wagner Company, LLC of Piedmont, S.C. was awarded [email protected] Prince said the chamber is in the way, and ter the county ceased using the chamber. the $1.4 million express design-build contract. The design-build serves no purpose except to remind staff Some groups publicly accused the county method allows the design, environmental permitting, utility A sad symbol that was a rally point for and visitors of how unwanted animals of continuing to use the chamber even af- relocation and construction to take place under one contract, critics of the Columbus County Animal were once euthanized. ter it was rendered inoperable by shelter which reduces overall construction time, helps the department Shelter will soon disappear. Chambers were used widely across staff in 2008. avoid cost inflation, lessen environmental impact and alleviate The gas chamber that was used to kill the country for decades. Animals were The chamber was last used around driving delays for motorists. thousands of animals over the course placed in the sealed metal and concrete 2007, and shelters were banned by state Work is expected to begin Jan. 3, with the project wrapping of decades will soon be dismantled, ac- box, then carbon monoxide was pumped law in 2014. Dogs, cats and other animals up by late May. cording to Shelter Manager Joey Prince. inside, asphyxiating the animals. Death have been killed by lethal injection since This was one of 12 road and bridge projects recently award- The chamber hasn’t been used for years, could sometimes take several minutes. the chamber was shut down. Thankfully, ed by the N.C. Department of Transportation. They came in Prince said, and was partially disassem- Before laws were passed reforming cham- Prince said, improved adoption rates at about $177.9 million, which was nearly $5.6 million under bled some time ago. ber use, animals were, in some cases, have significantly reduced the number DOT engineers’ estimates. The contracts were awarded to the “It serves no purpose except to bring literally packed inside similar cham- of animals put down at the shelter. lowest qualified bidders, as required by state law. back bad memories,” Prince said. bers to be killed. Animal welfare groups For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or fol- Although the remaining structure is spent years criticizing Columbus County uu GAS CHAMBER 6A low NCDOT on Twitter. -year-old Girl Scout is a re and rescue volunteer By Clara Cartrette or more dedicated toward a service proj- caring for others in a time of need. She [email protected] ect that makes a difference. also helped recruit more youth to join the Natalie is the daughter of Stefan volunteer program and will continue to A Girl Scout project that has won a and Joan Jacobs and her dad is chief of volunteer with Buckhead Fire and Rescue prestigious award for a Bolton girl may Buckhead Fire and Rescue. She was only in the future. become a career for her. 14 years old when she became a member She influenced three other young peo- Natalie Jacobs has been awarded the of the squad. She will be 15 on Dec. 31. ple to participate in volunteer work, and Girl Scout Silver Award by Girl Scouts – She got acquainted with and interested all four have been added to the Buckhead North Carolina Coastal Pines. The Silver in fire and rescue work through her dad, Fire and Rescue roster. The others in- Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout and when she was looking for a Girl Scout clude Natalie’s second cousin, Austin in the sixth through eighth grades can project, that was what she chose. Young, Jacob Young and Matthew Jacobs. earn. Her service project was assisting She also spread awareness of the junior All ran their first calls in April and now Buckhead Fire and Rescue members. member volunteer program at the fire and they “do pretty much what all members The Silver Award recognizes the work rescue department by sharing her expe- do, with supervision,” Natalie said. Submitted Photo of Girl Scout Cadettes who demonstrate rience with others. Through her project, Robyn Hamme and Hillary Jacobs with Natalie Jacobs, right. leadership skills culminating in 50 hours Jacobs learned that she has a talent for uu NATALIE JACOBS 2A Volume , Number Yokos Hibachi in Fair Blu passing inspection Tuesday and preparing to reopen? People were passing by the Whiteville, North Carolina restaurant on Main Street honking horns and yelling out owner George Roy’s name in anticipation of the opening. Yokos was heavily damaged from Mahew’s oods. 2A • The News Reporter • ursday, December , Bear season numbers show big increase By Jefferson Weaver Locally, 19 males and 21 January, hunters have com- hunters, and splitting the sea- [email protected] females were harvested in plained to Wildlife commis- son for western bear hunters. Brunswick and Columbus sioners about bears raiding Bait would only be allowed on The season isn’t quite over, last year. Adverse weather corn piles designed for other private property, not on game but preliminary numbers conditions in the 2015-16 sea- game species since at least lands. show more hunters taking ad- son, including heavy rains 2001. The WRC said the propos- vantage of Columbus County’s and unseasonably warm tem- A temporary rule change for als would increase the amount extended bear hunting season. peratures, were credited with the 2014-15 season, extended to of time still hunters have The season began in reducing the number of report- this year, could become perma- to take bears with the aid of November for the second year ed harvests in deer as well as nent for the 2017 season. unprocessed foods, as well as in 2016, and ends Jan. 1. Bag bear. Among the proposals being encouraging deer hunters to limit is one bear, and sows with Columbus and Brunswick put up for public comment in harvest bears. dependent cubs or cubs under counties have had a separate, January are plans to make Final tallies for this year’s 75 pounds are prohibited. shorter season since the 1980s. the local season permanent- harvests will be available in In a presentation Dec. 4 Surrounding counties, with ly coincide with surrounding January. to the Wildlife Resources the exception of Robeson, had a counties, and to loosen restric- Bear hunters are also still Commission, Dr. David Cobb November starting date, while tions on bears being hunted being encouraged to partici- Photo by Grant Merritt showed that 55 bears have local hunters had to wait until over bait. pate in the Bear Cooperator Noah, the Springer Spaniel, poses with Santa at Bumblebees in been harvested and reported the middle of December to har- Rules were slightly relaxed program. The program, which Whiteville last Tuesday afternoon.