Local Sea Scout Ship was among best in na- Te annual rSCC Rams are Region 10 cham- tion in 1940s. Part two property tax list- pions. rClinton nips Lady Pack in of Columbus Scouting ings are printed tight second-round soccer match. appears today. Tax in today’s issue. rGators defeat Mariners. Sports Inside See page 5-B. See page 1-B. TODAY See page 1-C. LISTING ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Tursday, May 19, 2011 Tomas gets life as jury deadlocks nJurors hung 11-1 in favor of death, and tive terms of life in prison without parole. asperation by the 11 jurors who wanted to sentence Volume 114, Number 90 life in prison is automatic result. These life terms are to begin at the expiration of Thomas to death. Whiteville, North Carolina a life term he got in 2009 for a murder in Durham. There was one juror who refused to talk with oth- By BOB HIGH Thomas also received an additional 618 to 763 months er jurors as they deliberated, and wouldn’t answer Staff Writer for the crimes of attempted murder, kidnapping, questions, or even participate in voting during the 50 Cents burglary and attempted robbery. last four days the jury wrestled over the sentencing Danny Lamont Thomas wiped tears from his eyes Longest trial recommendation. for almost two minutes here Wednesday afternoon Thomas stood between his defense lawyers James Deadlocked DIDYOB? when he realized a deadlocked (11-1) sentencing jury Payne and Mike Ramos to be sentenced, and the only They were sent in to begin Wednesday’s session Did you observe ... would result in his not being sent to Death Row. thing heard in the courtroom was Lock’s voice as he at 2:05 p.m., and the foreman sent a note to Lock at The 38-year-old former Chadbourn resident who took almost five minutes to complete the longest trial 2:45 p.m. that stated they were “deadlocked in all Area trapping enthu- returned in 2005 and terrorized the black commu- in Columbus County history. four cases.” Called to the courtroom, the foreman, siasts lining up for nity for a period of five months by killing four and The jury didn’t move from its 11-1 position from in the presence of the other jurors, confirmed his attempting to kill two others, never said a word as Saturday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, and note at 2:58 p.m. this weekend’s class at ended more than 25 hours of deliberation with ex- Judge Thomas Lock sentenced him to four consecu- See Thomas, page 4-A Honey Hill Preserve? It’s the frst time the Trappers Association Schoolteacher and Wildlife Resources County budget Commission have held arrested in such a class in the area March murder includes salary, ... Mitchel Tyler get- ting “all the credit” nMichael Shawn Brown, fee increases Chadbourn teacher and for bringing Gov. Bev By NICOLE CARTRETTE counselor, faces second- Staff Writer Perdue to the Seventh degree murder charge. District Democrat Columbus County Manager Bill Clark pre- Convention? It was the By BOB HIGH sented a $70.5 million spending proposal for Staff Writer fiscal 2011-2012 that holds the county’s tax rate frst time in memory steady at 81.5 cents per $100 value but calls for a sitting governor has Michael Shawn Brown, 45, a increases in salary expenses, education spend- attended ... Gov. Perdue teacher and counselor at Chad- ing and solid waste user fees. bourn Elementary School, was The budget is about a half million less than volunteering to hold a arrested at his home early that proposed for 2010-2011 and includes $26 microphone for Teresa Wednesday for second-degree million in local property tax revenue. Formyduval? ... A sure murder in the pistol death of Pay Larry James Towns on March Clark proposes a 2 percent cost of living sign of spring – T-ball 29. adjustment for county employees who make players hitting the prac- Brown killed the 55-year- $25,000 or more and a $500 pay increase for old Towns at 3:55 p.m. when those making less than $25,000. tice felds? ... Clarence he thought the victim was an The budget also reflects an $88,000 increase Ganus, athletic direc- “intruder” of Brown’s coun- in the employer contribution to the Local tor at SCC, reacting to seling business at Five Points, Government Retirees System, up from 6.48 just west of Chadbourn along someone’s comment U.S. 76. See Budget, page 7-A about what time SCC See Murder, page 4-A would play the fnal playof game the next Charter school ofcials: day as the Rams trailed State stakes out Surry Community Col- right of way Staff photo by Dan Biser Statements about lege 4-1? “Tere won’t Champions return be a game tomorrow. encroachments Southeastern Baseball Coach Scott Johnson, with title plaque in hand, charter schools We’re going to come leads the Ram team off the team bus Tuesday following their return from By JEFFERSON WEAVER winning the Region 10-Division II Tournament championship at More- are ‘distortions’ back and win,” Ganus Staff Writer head City Monday evening. The Rams will advance to the 2011 NJCAA said. Turns out he was Division II World Series May 28-June 4 in Enid, Okla. See page 1-B. By FULLER ROYAL State highway officials are Staff Writer right, and the Rams are taking back public property on the way to the World along area highways. The leadership of Columbus Charter Series ... A writer to The News Re- School and its parent organization, Roger porter’s interactive “Ask Us” City teachers, personnel to Bacon Academy, are taking issue with com- forum recently wanted to know ments made by county commissioners and about survey stakes near busi- local school board members during a meeting County Deaths nesses along U.S. 701 Bypass receive annual supplement of the three groups two weeks ago. (J.K. Powell Boulevard) in nRequested changes in uni- of their annual salary and classified The meeting was requested by the Colum- Whiteville Whiteville. form policy not addressed in personnel 2.5 percent of theirs. bus County Board of Commissioners to dis- Latha Jacobs The stakes are near the 15-minute meeting. Board member Carlton Prince cuss the ramifications of a locally mandated James Ralph Long Soules Swamp bridge, and voted against the measure. Board merger of the Whiteville City and Columbus Steve Koenig residents were speculating By FULLER ROYAL member Greg Merritt was absent County school systems versus a state-man- that a widening project was in Staff Writer from the meeting. dated merger. Mozelle Hooks Bunn the near future, or if the state Superintendent Thomas Hager During the meeting the subject turned to Delco was planning a bridge replace- Teachers and staff in the White- said that as bad as the financial situ- financing and to charter schools. Enos Gayle Stocks Sr. ment project. The overpass has ville City Schools will receive their ation is this year, it will be worse next Mark Cramer, the superintendent and CEO Riegelwood been the scene of numerous annual salary supplement for the year and that employees should not of Roger Bacon Academy, said he was particu- car crashes at Virgil Street 2010-11 school year. expect a supplement in 2011-12. larly concerned with most of the comments Rose Lee Waddell that made it into the The News Reporter. Bolton and is called by some one of In a 3-1 vote, the board approved The subject of revisions to the the most dangerous bridges in the release of funds to pay certified uniform policy did not come up. At “For the last five years we have quietly sat Marsal L. Tompson personnel a supplement of 5 percent back and listened to the false accusations, See State, page 2-A See Board, page 2-A Chadbourn See Charter, page 10-A Della Jackson Montgomery Willie Ralph Bellamy Evergreen Joshua Van Nance Ofcials advise: look, but don’t touch, young wildlife By JEFFERSON WEAVER Black bears – one of the fastest growing game species Staff Writer in the state, especially in this area – can be deadly if the mother thinks a cub is threatened. A young cub can Index As spring peaks, so do interactions between humans also cause serious injuries to a well-meaning human. and wild animals—especially baby wildlife. “Wild animals are not pets, and they are not meant Editorials ......... 14-A Opossums, bears, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, squirrels, to be raised and fed by humans,” said David Cobb, chief Obituaries ......... 12-A coyotes, rabbits and deer are teaching the young of the of the Commission’s Division of Wildlife Management. Sports ................ 1-B year how to survive right now, and experts say that often “Wild animals never totally lose their wild instincts, leads to a youngster that appears lost or hurt. even if the animal seems tame. Those instincts can show Crime ................ 4-A While touching and feeding young wildlife may be up anytime and the results can be harmful to people Living ................ 1-C tempting, said Carolyn Rickard of the N.C. Wildlife and the animal.” Commission, it can be harmful to both the animals and From January to March 2011, a total of 83 rabid ani- humans. mals were identified in 43 North Carolina counties. Dur- “The best thing you can do for a wild animal is to leave ing the same time period in 2010, the Division of Public it alone and enjoy watching it,” Rickard said.