SPORTS VETERANS COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN SCOUTS HELD A FLAG WRAPS UP FALL SPORTS RETIREMENT CEREMONY SEASON WITH LOCAL VETERANS uu CCA 3B uu SCOUTS 4A The News Reporter Published since 1890 every Monday and Thursday for the County of Columbus and her people. WWW.NRCOLUMBUS.COM Monday, November 14, 2016 75 CENTS ‘What we need now are people willing to work’ By Jefferson Weaver [email protected] There hasn’t been measureable rainfall in Columbus County for weeks, but the effects of Hurricane Matthew’s flooding are still a problem for many residents. “This is not going to be over soon,” said Doug Sasser, county volunteer coordinator. “We are going to need people for some time to come.” uu VOLUNTEERS 3A Photo by Wallyce Todd Todd and Lori Collins watch as Robert Simmons and Donnie Coleman lay down new flooring in the gift shop side of Collier’s Jewelers. Britt says Downtown slowly rebounding to normal By Wallyce Todd ceeding in continuing to serve. Businesses Matthew while ‘Keeping it Columbus,’” said Riverwalk Special to The News Reporter like Mann’s, Collier’s Jewelers, Ward’s Grill, the proprietor of J. Cody Design. All Tied Up, Furniture Depot, Bumblebee Terry Mann is the mayor of Whiteville. “It Whiteville’s downtown has been an integral Café, Families First Thrift Store, Vineland looks like downtown is slowly coming back to part of Columbus County for years. Even as Emporium, Quality Cleaners and more are normal,” he said. chain and big box stores came into the area, endeavoring to repair buildings, make up for Mann and his cousin, Jackie Steinberg, are will return downtown merchants continued to represent lost capital and move forward. the owners of Mann’s, a family-owned and hometown commitment and success. Fraternal twins and business owners Casey operated men’s apparel store, which has been Allen Turner Over the decades in both millennia, down- Hamilton and Cody Bunch debuted their hol- a part of the downtown for nearly a century. [email protected] town merchants have hired local, bought lo- iday window display a bit earlier than they Steinberg is also the president of the Whiteville cal and sold local. The county’s tax base and might have originally. It became a celebration Downtown Development Commission. While the future of downtown Fair Bluff it- community investment have been strength- of sorts. The store on the corner of Madison and Main self remains very much in doubt after severe ened by the existence of an ongoing downtown “We were thrilled, absolutely thrilled to streets took in water. Mann and Steinberg flooding in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, business district. be back in our store,” Hamilton of Credence called in industrial cleaners to help them to Fair Bluff Commissioner Randy Britt says Hurricane Matthew hit the historical down- Boutique stated. “We’re hoping by putting up recover after Hurricane Matthew. there is no doubt that the town’s iconic town hard, especially businesses that took in our festive holiday window display – it will “There were 180 gallons taken out of the car- Riverwalk will be repaired and restored, floodwaters or were impacted when power was help boost morale and encourage people down- pet in our store,” Steinberg said. “Our grandfa- although no time frame is in place and,, a lost and/or restored. town and enjoy shopping local.” ther started the business in 1922. We’ve never complete survey of damage to the structure As autumn makes itself known by the cooler Bunch agreed. “We’re looking for the hol- heard about any flooding like we got.” still isn’t completed a little over a month after temperatures and the advent of the end-of-year iday season bringing shoppers downtown the storm. holiday season, downtown merchants are suc- to help businesses recover from Hurricane uu DOWNTOWN 2A uu RIVERWALK 5A World War II veterans recall service and sacrifice Deadline today for By Jefferson Weaver “A lot of these guys are in their Wyche were among the group who chanic and operator on a mine- storm unemployment [email protected] 90s,” Wilson said. “The youngest attended Friday, enjoying a lun- sweeper in the Navy, and was are in the late 80s. Some of them cheon of chicken bog, shrimp and entering Tokyo Bay when the Jefferson Weaver As Lacey Wilson worked his way don’t have much longer with us. salad. atomic bomb was detonated at [email protected] down the list of local World War II That’s why we need to honor them The men served in a variety of Hiroshima. veterans this year, he marked off every chance we get.” posts during the war. Storm victims whose jobs were affected by five names. It was the second year that the Curtis Barnes was a diesel me- uu VETERANS 6A Hurricane Matthew have until 5 p.m. today to The names were of local veter- Whiteville American Legion post apply for temporary unemployment benefits. ans of the war who attended last held a luncheon and fellowship Larry Parker of the N.C. Employment year’s Veterans Day Luncheon for local WW II veterans. Curtis Security Commission said Thursday that at the American Legion hall, but Barnes, Leon Merritt, Cecil just over 200 people have signed up for un- have since passed away. Gurkin, Mitchell Barnes, and Ray employment since the hurricane. “It’s hard to tell how many are directly re- lated to the storm, since they have to apply for regular unemployment first,” he explained, “but since the storm, we’ve had a fair number above normal.” Parker said storm-related unemployment is generally temporary, as opposed to typi- cal unemployment claims that are valid for months. “Usually it’s because roads are impassable, or a business has to do significant repairs,” he said. “Sometimes there are different reasons.” Business owners may also qualify for di- Staff Photos by Jefferson Weaver saster-related unemployment, Parker said. U.S. Navy veterans Leon Merritt and Cecil Gurkin share stories during Lacey Wilson listens as James Council describes five Hallsboro men “Your best option is to go to the disaster the WWII veterans luncheon at the American legion hut Friday. killed in action in World War II. recovery center closest to you,” he said. Volume 126, Number 39 Columbus County Economic Development Director Gary Lanier on PBS’s Carolina Business Review Friday night Whiteville, North Carolina DIDYOB speaking about solar power in the state? It is one of the few times he’s worn make-up, he says. • All the pickup trucks DID YOU OBSERVE? in the parking lot near Vineland Station Friday night? It was Ducks Unlimited banquet night. 8 95297 00000 6 2A • The News Reporter • Monday, November 14, 2016 East Columbus dedicates new solar panel array By Fuller Royal ulum and lesson plans for the Special to The News Reporter school’s faculty to use with the solar panels across a variety of East Columbus High subjects, providing a hands-on School’s students and faculty experience for its students. are taking advantage of the During the ceremony, power of the sun. ECHS’ Dr. Bryan Abernethy Last week, the school held a welcomed guests. ceremony to dedicate its new The Columbus County solar panel array installed Schools Career Technology on the south side of the main Education Director Ken Buck building. also spoke as did ECHS teach- ECHS was one of four North er LaTanya Patillo. The ECHS Carolina schools award- band performed, followed by a ed grants this year by NC poem by Alex Rye and Alisha GreenPower to install a 5-kilo- Howard.Since the launch of watt solar panel system. With the program in October 2003, more than a dozen donors, NC GreenPower has supported the school partnered with the more than 950 renewable en- State Employees Credit Union ergy projects in nearly every Foundation for a matching county across the state. These challenge grant to fund the projects have produced 560 bil- panels. lion kilowatt-hours of green Photo Collage by Fuller Royal As part of the pilot, NC power to the N.C. electric grid Clockwise from top left: Audience members at ECHS’s solar panel dedication; Alisha Howard; Natalie Jacobs, Alex Rye; the school’s GreenPower is providing and donors have provided solar panel array; Vicky McCann; LaTanya Patillo; the ribbon is cut by Donald Dowless, LaTanya Patillo, Dr. Bryan Abernethy, Mariel ECHS with monitoring equip- nearly $5.5 million in incen- Sellers and Vicky McCann. ment and is developing curric- tive payments to generators. DOWNTOWN Continued from 1A The flooding impacted vir- Williams said. “Our thrift tually all of Mann’s merchan- store directly helps the work dise. So Mann and Steinberg of Families First and supports made some necessary deci- those who have been affected sions in order to be able to re- by domestic violence and sex- open and continue operating ual assault. with success. “Considering we only have “We ran a sale to try to one side of our store back open stimulate some capital,” Mann and we’re still waiting on our said. “That ended a week or floors to be done, we have real- so ago. We were very busy. ly had good support,” Garrell Now, we’re trying to restock stated. for Christmas. We’re hopeful “Our customers have really about the holidays.” been good about donating and “The downtown has always purchasing. We’re now able to been supportive of the commu- again take clothing and other nity,” Steinberg stated. “We’re small items as donations,” the all trying to keep it strong.” manager said.