Voters Still Flocking to Cast Early Ballots More Solar Farms Planned for The

INSIDE TODAY HALLOWEEN "TQFDJBMTFDUJPOEFEJDBUFE .PUPSJTUTBSFBTLFEUPUBLFTQF UPUIJTXFFLT/PSUI$BSP DJBMDBSF8FEOFTEBZFWFOJOH MJOB1FDBO)BSWFTU'FTUJWBM BTUSJDLPSUSFBUFSTUBLFUPUIF JTJODMVEFE TUSFFUT ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, October 29, 2012 Good sweet More solar potato harvest Volume 122, Number 35 farms planned Whiteville, North Carolina under way By RAY WYCHE for the county 75 Cents Staff Writer By NICOLE CARTRETTE Staff Writer Sweet potato growers are in the middle of the harvesting Columbus County commissioners received Inside Today phase of what evidently is a notice via email in early October that three good crop of the tubers. 4-A more solar farms are planned for the county. “I haven’t heard of anybody r%BOOZ3BZ/PCMFT Work is under way now on a solar farm complaining,” said Extension along Midway Road. NVSEFSUSJBMPQFOT Service Horticulture Agent “I have only talked with engineering firms; Howard Wallace. IFSFUPEBZ I haven’t received anything on paper,” County Columbus County growers Planner Robert Lewis said. “Building inspec- set out 1,483 acres of sweet tions has not received anything on paper potatoes this year, placing the either.” county in the top 10 in the state Lewis, in the meantime, is looking into in sweet potato production. what other counties are doing, if anything, The Columbus County Com- to regulate solar farms and tackle issues with munity Farmers Market ob- setbacks and other matters. served Sweet Potato Day last “I’m asking surrounding counties to see Saturday at the market, and if they are incorporated in local ordnances,” market manager Carol Shu- Lewis said. man said the tasty tuber will be In early October, Lewis sent an email to for sale at market Saturday “to County Manager Bill Clark about potential go along with the fall greens solar farms. that will be available.” One is proposed off Dessie Road in an un- The farm market newsletter Today’s zoned area of the county, according to the gives some hints on storing and email. Another is proposed in an Industrial 1 American Profle using sweet potatoes. Don’t put zone area off Georgia Pacific Road. the fruit in the refrigerator; features “Te White Southeastern Community College is also such a move will cause the pursuing plans to locate a solar farm on prop- House, Symbol of center of the potato to become erty near the college. hard and adversely affect the the U.S. Presidency.” County Commissioner James Prevatte flavor. Store sweet potatoes in a mentioned the email in a recent commission- cool, dry, well ventilated place. ers meeting. Prevatte said he suggests more When cooking sliced sweet DIDYOB? openness in the process. potatoes, rinse the slices with “I don’t have a problem as long as it is Did you observe ... cold water to prevent brown- proven to be safe,” Prevatte said. ing. Faculty from SCC “It is a good alternative energy and we do See Potato, page 3-A have a number of people who have spoken distributing 500 See Solar farms, page 3-A Venus fy traps, grown at the college, Dog retires from to journalists at- Whiteville Police Voters still Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist tending a national By JEFFERSON WEAVER science writers con- Staff Writer Friends Day focking to cast In a last bash Friday before Hurricane Sandy brushed the Carolinas, ference in Raleigh A drug dog with the White- early ballots Saturday? Each pot ville Police Department was dozens of people flled the Whiteville Rec Center parking lot for Friends officially retired from duty Day, where they enjoyed dancing, games and a picnic lunch, organized By NICOLE CARTRETTE was wrapped in a Tuesday night. by the volunteers of the Columbus County Special Olympics. Staff Writer label that promoted Fox, a Belgian Mallinois, suffers from a degenerative More than 5,700 Columbus County voters the SCC Agricultural spinal condition. While the have cast early ballots in the Nov. 6 General Biotechnology Pro- problem could be solved by Election. surgery, Lt. Mark McGee of Halloween times set by towns As of 1 p.m. Friday, the total was at 5,699 gram… Lily Bass the Whiteville Police told the By JEFFERSON WEAVER opportunity for the community. and counting. taking home the city council Tuesday that isn’t Staff Writer Chadbourn’s Living Word “They are coming in steady and we are prize in the fourth a sure thing. Church will also sponsor its popu- not seeing much of a break here,” said Carla “There is always the possi- Ghosts and goblins likely won’t lar festival, with a wide variety of Strickland, county elections director. grade spelling bee bility that he might not make be roaming the streets of Columbus games and activities for the whole The East Columbus location is the busiest at the County Fair? it through surgery, or that he County towns like they once did, but family. of the six off-site one-stop locations in the might not be fit for further there will still be plenty of opportu- Both events are set for 5:30-8:30 county. As of Friday afternoon, 541 ballots had ... Whiteville na- duty,” McGee explained. nities for Halloween fun. p.m. been cast there since the site opened Oct. 24. tive Steve Willetts The 5-year-old Fox was ex- Since Oct. 31 falls in mid-week At Lake Waccamaw, the annual Tabor City had voted 493 and Chadbourn 330. amined first by Dr. Nicole this year, many area churches and Halloween Carnival at the Boys The Old Dock one-stop location has the meeting former NFL Martin of Southern Veteri- other organizations are holding fall and Girls Home arena will feature a lowest early voter turn out with just 32 bal- star Joe Montana nary Hospital, then referred festivals and other events through haunted house and hayride, bounce lots cast. to a specialist in Wilmington, the weekend. Alternative events house, games, trunk or treat and “The cost per ballot cast will be phenom- on a fight from San McGee explained. The surgery have also been scheduled in area other fun. Hours are from 6-8:30 p.m. enal,” Strickland said. Francisco to Char- would cost between $3,100 and towns. Traditional trick or treating will Strickland said with such a low turn out, $4,200, McGee said, with no Chadbourn Police will again be allowed 5 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. the site could be in danger of not being oper- lotte? ... guarantee of how long the dog host their trunk or treat at the Town in Chadbourn, Whiteville and Lake ated as a one-stop site in future elections. could continue to serve, or Hall. Candy and treats are donated Waccamaw, and from 5-8 p.m. in It costs more than $4,000 to run each one- with what quality of life. by area businesses. Patrol cars will Tabor City. Police ask that younger stop location and collectively about $25,000. County Deaths The average service life of a be decorated for the occasion, and children be escorted by a respon- “The board will be looking at volume for police use the event as an outreach See Halloween, page 3-A Whiteville See Police dog, page 3-A See Voters, page 3-A Elizabeth High Brooks Tabor City James Howard Nobles Chadbourn Two in race for soil Seven seeking fve sanitary Rosetta I. Frink and water board seat board seats in Riegelwood Index By NICOLE CARTRETTE Lloyd Ransom and Alex By NICOLE CARTRETTE make contact with six of them who Staff Writer Jordan. Staff Writer shared why they are running and what &EJUPSJBMT" Harold Dean their hopes are for the district. Austin 0CJUVBSJFT" Harold Dean Register, 73, of Seven Register Two members of the did not return messages left. 4QPSUT# Creeks Highway, Whiteville, and Frank Register is a Riegelwood Sanitary Ronald McPherson $SJNF" Galloway, 72, of Waccamaw Shores sales representa- Board are seeking re- Ronald McPherson, 67, is the owner -JGFTUZMFT" Road, Lake Waccamaw are in the run- tive with South- election this year. of Acme General, which has been ning for the Columbus County Soil and e a s t e r n F a r m Incumbents Wayne in business for 28 years. He was ap- Water Board. Equipment. He (Smitty) Austin and pointed by the board to fill a vacancy The board oversees conservation has worked there Ronald McPherson, who this summer and said that his interest programs related to soil, water and for 35 years and was appointed to a vacan- is in water. natural resources. It also provides as- lives on a farm. cy on the board this sum- “We’ve been getting water from the sistance to landowners in the form of Register said he is mer, will appear on the ballot paper mill and there are some com- cost share and similar programs. making no promises. for the Riegelwood Sanitary Board plaints about water quality. It looks Three of the board’s five members “If I get on the board I am one along with five newcomers: Maurice like we are going to be able to make a are elected. The board appoints two of five,” Register said. He said he was Hobbs, Mike Porter, Sam Hunt, Earl move to go either to the county water members. “talked into running” but would like Brown and Eddie Caines. or a well. The number one thing is the Current Soil and Water Board mem- Seven candidates are seeking five bers are James Sarvis, Bobby Stanley, See Soil and water, page 2-A seats. The News Reporter was able to See Sanitary, page 2-A 2-A – The News Reporter, Monday, October 29, 2012 This week, on..

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