Laurel Wilt Strikes Lake Park Bay Trees
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
rѮJSERVBSUFSTVSHFMJѫT8PMGQBDL PWFS7JLJOHTr-BUFTDPSJOHESJWF HJWFT&BTU#MBEFOXJOPWFS (BUPSTr-BEZ1BDLUBLFTUFOOJTWJD Sports UPSZPWFS4$)44FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, August 29, 2011 Department Volume 121, Number 17 of Aging losses Whiteville, North Carolina 50 Cents exceed $800,000 nCommissioners meet Tuesday to Inside Today discuss cuts. By NICOLE CARTRETTE 4-A Staff Writer r'SPHTBZTIFXJMM TVSSFOEFSUPEBZ The Columbus County Department of Ag- ing (DOA) has yet to disclose in clear detail 9-A the circumstances surrounding what officials r$PVOUZTQSPQFSUZ reported in July as a $500,000 loss in the depart- UBYEJTDPVOUFOET ment’s in-home services division. At least one income statement from the 8FEOFTEBZ county finance office indicates that aging’s losses actually totaled $816,014, as of June 30. While the department posted revenues of more than $2.5 million, expenses totaled nearly $3.4 million. The department’s $193,314 fund balance was wiped out, leaving a new fund balance of negative $622,700, according to the income statement provided by the county. Friday, County Finance Officer Bobbie Staff photo by Les High Faircloth could not answer questions about the Whiteville resident Emory Worley works to clear debris from a tree that Hurricane Irene’s winds department’s loss but did say the department toppled onto his house. had reported new income exceeding $300,000 but it is unclear what the department’s finan- cial condition will look like in coming months Today’s as the county had made no changes at the American Profle fea- department to curb mounting losses. Irene leaves thousands without “I can just show you what we have paid and tures “Remembering what we have collected,” Faircloth said Friday. John Wayne.” To his Faircloth said Medicaid billing statements go electricity in county Saturday directly to the department, not her office and youngest son, Ethan, ledger entries the finance office makes are By NICOLE CARTRETTE experienced wind gusts of 50 ley, assistant emergency services the actor known based on reports from the DOA. Staff Writer miles per hour and rains ranging director for Columbus County. as “Duke” was also from 2 to 4 inches, the county had Central Middle School in “We receive a journal entry completed by someone at department of aging or a deposit The weakened Category 1 Hur- no deaths as a result of the storm. Whiteville remained without Dad. slip where they made a deposit,” Faircloth ricane Irene made landfall near The most widespread concern electricity Sunday at noon as Cape Lookout Saturday morn- for residents here was a lack of crews worked to restore power See Aging, page 3-A DIDYOB? ing bringing with her sustained electricity throughout the week- there so classes could resume on winds of 85 miles per hour to the end. time Monday. Did you observe ... Outer Banks but sparing inland Sunday morning Progress Most of the residential custom- counties like Columbus from such Energy crews were out and about ers without electricity Sunday National Spinning strong winds and damage. clearing power lines of trees and were in the eastern portion of Fleets of power com- While the hurricane is re- fallen limbs as 3,300 customers in the county with many losing their pany utility trucks sponsible for five deaths in North Columbus County remained with- has eye on world converging at area Carolina and Columbus County out power, according to Kay Wor- See Irene, page 3-A trade issues parking lots? ... Anx- ious East Carolina nOpens doors and has discussion with Lake Waccamaw congressman at Brunswick plant. University students eager to return to impacted by By NICOLE CARTRETTE Greenville following Hurricane Irene ‘Flash-store’ opens for Staff Writer Irene’s visit to their Five days a week, three shifts a day, 24 hours campus Saturday? By JEFFERSON WEAVER Take the Lake Week a day machinery hums, spins and twirls much Staff Writer like it has for decades in Columbus County at Flooded parking lots, People wanting to avoid lines for right in the store. one of the county’s oldest employers –National downed trees and Crews were scrambling to their Take the Lake Personal Endur- Take the Lake merchandise will Spinning. pump down sewage holding ance Challenges this weekend can be available for donations. T-shirts, Last Tuesday was no different as the the loss of electricity tanks and restore wastewater get their numbered bibs, T-shirts and with four-color printing are $12, hats Brunswick facility opened it doors to offer a cancelled classes to- service around Lake Wacca- hats – they can even register – at the in three colors are $10, and oval bum- few outsiders a peek into the textile industry. day. ... Alice Boswell maw Saturday night. new Take the Lake Emporium flash- per stickers and Crew Tokens are $2 The Brunswick plant employs 270 workers, Meanwhile, numerous sec- store all this week. (when they arrive). Limited quanti- each playing an important role in spinning retiring Friday afer tions of the town remained Set in a corner of Herald Office ties of all items were ordered, so their 50,000 pounds of yarn a day for the craft in- 31 years of daycare? without power Saturday eve- Systems, next to The News Reporter availability is “while they last.” dustry, sock makers, sweater producers and ... Te WHS senior ning. About 500 customers in Whiteville, the Emporium was The Emporium will be open dur- industrial applications. were without power on Canal founded to accommodate the increas- ing normal business hours, closing Chances are, those who have kicked back parade moving down Cove Road and Wooded Acres, ing popularity of Take the Lake, now early, at 3 p.m. Friday. in their upholstered Lay-Z-Boy, earned a let- Madison Street on and a large number of homes in its third year, and with preregistra- Volunteers from RSVP will staff terman’s jacket, put on a classic grey and red- on and near Lake Shore Drive tion nearing 600 participants. the Emporium, and anyone interest- toe hunting sock made in the United States, their frst day of and Bella Coola were also in Bibs will be available for those ed in volunteering for Take the Lake sported Gold Toe or Hanes socks, worn Alfred school? ... the dark. who registered on line by 5 p.m. the (or any other fun activity) should Dunner apparel or knitted with Caron’s sim- Several hundred customers day before, or people may register contact Melody Prevatte, at 642-7141, ply soft yarn, have bought something made from Bolton, to Buckhead to and receive their numbered bibs ext. 294, or Julie Stocks at 646-3583. of threads that were spun here in Columbus County Deaths See Lake, page 3-A See National Spinning, page 2-A Whiteville Ruth Hill Annie Patterson Johnson Laurel wilt strikes lake park bay trees By RAY WYCHE the fungal laurel wilt spores in the wood of the food for the larvae. Staff Writer dying redbays in the park. Lake park workers have “peeled” the bark and Index About 24 redbays that have been infected with cambrium layer from some of the infected trees to The laurel wilt fungus, a disease caused by an the wilt are visible from the trails through the show the dark color of the damaged wood where &EJUPSJBMT" invasive species of beetle from Asia, has been campground area and park officials believe many the fungus has attacked the tree. 0CJUVBSJFT" discovered in the Lake Waccamaw State Park more trees have been hit by the fungus. Helms said the infestation could have started 4QPSUT# Campground area, and officials assume that A side effect of the loss of the redbays will by a beetle that “hitch-hiked” to the campground $SJNF" many other redbay trees are or will be affected. be the absence or at least reduction in the num- on campers’ equipment. -JGFTUZMFT" The disease strikes trees that are members ber of the palomedes swallowtail butterflies as Park rangers check each camper who brings of the laurel family, including sassafras, and is the redbay serves as host tree for the caterpillar firewood into the campground to ensure that fatal to the redbay trees, one of the most plentiful of the swallowtail, the most common butterfly the wood is not redbay and therefore a possible wetland trees in this area. in this area. carrier of the ambrosia beetle, its eggs or larvae. The fungus is spread by the ambrosia beetle, A walk on the campground trails shows sev- The beetle also spreads the fungus by its natu- an Asian native that kills the target trees when eral trees with discolored leaves, indicating of ral migration of about 20 miles per year. it bores into the wood to deposit its eggs. the presence of the disease. There is no effective preventive or cure for a Fungal spores are scraped off the beetle’s body Leaves of an infected tree take on a purplish redbay infected with the laurel wilt, Helms said. and attack the trees’ cambium layer under the color before turning brown and may remain on The redbay has little if any commercial value bark that carries water from the root system to the dying and dead trees for a year or longer. but is prized as an evergreen shade tree in resi- the branches and leaves of the tree. The beetle drills a 1/32-inch hole in the tree dential yards. In the wild, the redbay furnishes Lake Park Superintendent Chris Helms said in which to deposit its eggs and at the same time food for birds and animals with its large blue state scientists have confirmed the presence of leaves fungus spores that will grow to provide berries.