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TICKETS RELOCATION DELAYED Digital dismissal system Merritt encourages bypass Whiteville High School’s for traffic violations businesses to move downtown Legion Stadium field house going online. when widening begins. project running late. uuSEE 4A uuSEE 2A uuSEE 3A The News Reporter Published since 1890 every Monday and Thursday for the County of Columbus and her people. WWW.NRCOLUMBUS.COM Monday, July 25, 2016 75 CENTS SLICE TWICE ... SLICE THRICE ... SLICE NICE WESTERN PRONG PRECINCT MOVE IN MONDAY MEETING Elections board to consider new voting machines By Allen Turner [email protected] The Columbus County Board of Elections will meet to- day at 5 p.m. to consider purchasing new voting equipment to be used throughout the county. A new polling site for the Western Prong precinct is also under consideration. The board is expected to approve the purchase of 42 new voting machines at $245,000. The new machines would be in use by the November General Election. Michelle Mrozkowski of New Bern-based vendor Print- Elect demonstrated the new voting machines Friday for Board of Elections members and the public. The DS200 precinct scanner and tabulator would re- place older machines in use in Columbus County since 2006. When a voter casts his or her ballot, the new machine will be able to detect whether the voter has undervoted (by not voting in all races or by not voting for as many candidates as possible in a race) or overvoted (by voting for too many candidates in a race). The voter will be alerted by the machine and given the choice of either casting the ballot as marked or returning Staff photo by ALLEN TURNER A machete-weilding volunteer makes short work of preparing watermelon samples during Saturday’s N.C. Watermelon it to poll workers to receive a new ballot and try again. In Festival In Fair Bluff. case of such returned ballots, the returns would not be tabulated in vote totals. The machines feature newer computer technology, which officials say will cut down on glitches. For example, SHIELDING THE SHIELDS INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT the voting date will be recorded on secure USB flash drives instead of on less reliable older technology. The newer technology is less susceptible to errors caused by power CommUnity Day uuSEE VOTING 6A strives to bring WHS redesign, people together new building By John Thomas and between people of differ- meeting is Tuesday Special to The News Reporter ent races. He said easing those national tensions starts locally. By Nicole Cartrette We’re stronger together. “I can’t go out and affect [email protected] That is the message a group what happens on a nationwide of Whiteville churches hope to scale,” Clore said. “But maybe The second in a series of public input sessions on convey through a free commu- I can have a positive impact redesigning or building a new Whiteville High School is nity-wide event on Saturday, here in our community. Maybe planned for 6 p.m. Tuesday July 26 in the WHS cafeteria. July 30. on a communal level, there are “The goal of these sessions is to gather a large amount The event, known as Com- some loving relationships that of community input regarding our facilities during this mUnity Day, will be held in can come out of this.” process,” Superintendent Kenny Garland said. “The in- Nolan Park in Whiteville from Clore said he believes White- formation obtained from our study will guide the board 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and encourages ville is somewhat separated of education in a decision that will significantly impact all who attend to bring food, from the nation’s larger cities education of our students in Whiteville City Schools.” blankets, chairs and outdoor on this particular issue. But he The first session fell on the night of heavy rainstorms. games. also said he would be naïve to It attracted about 40 participants ranging from teachers Rev. Ryan Clore of First Bap- think racism does not still exist. and parents to business leaders and administrators. tist Church in Whiteville said “The only way that racism Tom Boney of LS3P architectural firm told the group he has worked together with will be broken down is through Lisa Clark at the first meeting that the goal was to include the public Rev. Charlrean Mapson of St. relationships,” he said. “I hope very early in the planning stages of the project. “There Mark A.M.E. Zion Church and this will help begin very posi- are no preconceived ideas,” he insisted. Rev. David Flowers of Central tive conversations.” Boney, a third generation architect whose father and Missionary Baptist Church to Clore emphasized that all SCC names Clark grandfather both designed buildings at WHS, said the help create an event that would are welcome to attend Com- plan was to compare “apples to apples.” build positive relationships mUnity Day, and he said he Officials are discussing building a new high school or between people. hopes that relationships will as new director remodeling the existing school at the current location. “The more opportunities we be formed through fellowship “We haven’t looked at any new property,” Boney said. “We are excited to have Lisa on have to bring people together, between varieties of people. By John Thomas He emphasized the session was not intended to discuss board,” said SCC president Tony the stronger we’ll be as a com- “I hope white people who Special to The News Reporter cost, specific locations or specific designs but to consider Clarke in a press release. “She is munity,” Clore said. have a little racism and black needs. well known in Columbus County Members of local law en- people who have a little racism Lisa Clark of Whiteville was Security, space utilization, academic excellence, col- and brings a wealth of fundrais- forcement, including Sheriff can look and say ‘That person recently named director of insti- laboration, athletics and extra curricular activities are ing experience. We are confident Lewis Hatcher and Whiteville is a human being, I like him tutional advancement at South- top objectives, officials say. in her ability to build on the past Police Chief Jeffrey Rosier, will or her,’” he said. “‘We played eastern Community College. A few business leaders and parents advocated for success of the SCC Foundation be in attendance. cornhole together, we ate food Clark will primarily coordi- keeping WHS at its present location in town. “There are and work well with our existing Clore said recent conflicts together.’ That’s very idealistic, nate the fundraising projects of a couple of things you really can’t put a price on,” said donors.” around the country have creat- but I think the folks who are the SCC Foundation, which serves Les High of The News Reporter. He said the location was ed nationwide tensions between involved with this event will to help students obtain financial Clark most recently served the police and the community be affected in a positive light.” aid. uuSEE CLARK 10A uuSEE WHS 6A Volume 127, Number 7 The excessive heat keeping folks inside? ... Area fall-semester high school athletic teams beginning workouts for Whiteville, North Carolina DIDYOB the beginning of their respective seasons? Football, soccer, tennis and volleyball games begin within the next DID YOU OBSERVE? month? ... The new floor in the Whiteville High School gymnasium? ... Cole Faircloth having his picture made with “Walker, Texas Ranger” star Chuck Norris in Las Vegas last week? ... The Charlotte-Wilmington Connector Western Run Arrives Whiteville 9:25am >Arrives Charlotte 3:50pm Eastern Run Leaves Charlotte 7:15am >Whiteville at 1:45pm >Wilmington 2:45pm Intermediates Stop in Lumberton, Fayetteville, Laurinburg, Rockingham, Wadesboro, & Monroe To Book go to: www.greyhound.com (the lowest fares are online booking) or call 910-483-2580 2A • The News Reporter • Monday, July 25, 2016 Merritt encourages bypass businesses move downtown By Jefferson Weaver Merritt said that there is “Nobody is going to lease a win-win.” [email protected] more than enough room down- a building that has a caved-in He said he sees both retail town in both existing build- roof,” he said. “The old say- and professional businesses in Before the expansion of ings and developable property. ing is that you have to spend the main part of the district, J.K. Powell Boulevard takes “People ask me, ‘You’re money to make money, and while larger retailers and place, businesses along the gung ho about bringing a mo- that’s truly the case. Folks are service firms like garden sup- bypass will be getting a visit tel downtown, where would going to have to invest in their pliers could easily find a place from Gene Merritt. you put it?’ or ‘Where would properties if they want good on the edges of the district. The director of the White- you put a retirement center?’” tenants, and we’re trying hard “Whiteville is in so much ville Downtown Development Merritt said. “They don’t real- to bring more good tenants better shape than many small Commission (WDDC) said ize how much good dirt we downtown.” communities,” he said, “but Friday he wants to invite busi- have vacant. Downtown is a He said he will be compil- we have to make it better nesses displaced by the high- natural for businesses that ing a list of improvements for before we can make it great. way expansion to find a new want or need to move from the specific downtown buildings We’ll never see a Walmart or home in the city’s traditional highway.” in the coming weeks.