•Vikes squeeze past Gators. •Whiteville High tracksters run in frigid ‘indoor’ meet. •ECHS girl bowlers earn state tourna- ment berth. Sports See page 1-B. ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Thursday Reporterfor the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, January 25, 2016 Three judges don’t use new district 2015 busy Volume 125, Number 60 Whiteville, North Carolina courtrooms because of health issues year for nNew study about mold, mildew in new court- 75 Cents house set in motion by county commissioners. Emergency By BOB HIGH Staff Writer Inside The environmental study last November about mold Management and mildew causing unhealthy conditions in the two 3-A new district courtrooms in Columbus County has caused By ALLEN TURNER three of the seven district court judges to not use the Staff Writer • Dog ordinance new facilities until a new report declares the area safe approved at Lake for workers and the public. Columbus County Emergency Services Waccamaw. Chief District Judge Jerry Jolly and Judges Scott Director Kay Worley last week gave county Ussery and Fred Gore don’t plan consistent use of the commissioners an update of departmental 6-A new courtrooms until a new study, commissioned by the activities for the year 2015. Worley’s report was county commissioners, is done and shows the facilities • Bolton stepping Main entrance of the new courthouse. divided into separate sections for emergency aren’t a danger to the public. management, 911 center operations, the fire up fats, oil, grease “The last time I was in one of the new courtrooms marshal’s office, large events and projects, prevention measures. was in early January. I’m scheduled to hold court in house because of some concerns about health issues. 911 addressing, emergency medical services Whiteville Tuesday (this week), and I’ll go where Clerk County Manager Bill Clark said last week new tests (including communications), and meetings 9-A Jess Hill has me placed, but I really don’t want to use on the courtrooms’ air quality were to be done Friday, attended and conducted. the new courtrooms until I see something in writing Jan. 22, weather permitting. Emergency Management • No changes to state that says conditions aren’t harmful to humans,” Gore Superior Court Judge Douglas Sasser said he under- Emergency Management, which received bird flu plan. declared Sunday. stands the new electronic equipment for all three new $34,306 for completion of an emergency “I’ve been in the new courtrooms and holding court courtrooms will be installed, although there was no management performance grant and $5,500 in the old annex when in Whiteville, but I haven’t been timetable announced. for a hazard material emergency prepared- DIDYOB? scheduled for court in Whiteville in the past few weeks,” The new video hardware and software will enable ness grant, hosted a disaster preparedness District Court judges to hold closed-circuit appearances Did you observe ... Jolly declared. He has stayed away from the new building workshop at Southeastern Community Col- since the November 2015 report about harmful bacteria for persons charged with a felony and still in jail. This lege in July, responded to four land searches, being present, based on dampness caused by insufficient will aid greatly in reducing the number of prisoners to two water searches and four major wrecks in Sylvia Walters, cooling equipment. be transported to the courthouse, and save money and 2015. The wrecks included an accident outside “I don’t know if the courtrooms’ atmosphere is good the sheriff ’s resources. of Chadbourn involving a bus carrying the who is in charge or bad, but I don’t feel comfortable using the new court- Television sets for each courtroom will be mounted Carolina Mudcats baseball team, a response of Whiteville rooms until I see in writing the two courtrooms are safe on the rear wall in the jury seating area so each juror from the Wilmington-based regional response for the court staff and public to use,” Ussery said. He can easily view evidence being presented in trial cases. team to an accident on U.S. 74/76, an accident United Method- hasn’t used the new courtrooms since early November. In addition, microphones and other equipment are to be involving a Ready Ice truck on N.C. 410 and Ussery said he believes the county commissioners installed at each defense and prosecution seating areas, another N.C. 410 accident involving a gasoline ist Church’s coat should tell the citizens of Columbus County the new plus small TV monitors are designated for each judge’s tanker. Emergency management, which hired ministry, noting courtrooms don’t have harmful mold and/or mildew. bench, each defense and prosecution location. an addressing specialist, a deputy fire marshal Former District Court Judge Marion Warren, now Clark said Monday morning (today) the study for and three tele-communicators in 2015, is in the that she was told the state administrator of the Office of the Courts in harmful bacteria in the new courthouse was done Sun- process of reviewing the county’s emergency Raleigh, said there had been a delay in the placement of day, Jan. 24, and results should be in the county’s hands operations plan. that the delivery new video and electronic equipment in the new court- by the end of this week. 911 Center of coats to White- The department’s 911 center dispatches for all fire, emergency medical services, police ville Primary departments and the sheriff ’s office, as well as for the N.C. Forestry Service, SCC campus was like Santa security, the N.C. Department of Transporta- Claus had been Music is motivation tion, Animal Control, utility companies, the Department of Social Services, Emergency to Whiteville Management, the fire marshal and Juvenile a second time Justice. at Tabor City Middle A total of 192,269 calls were received by the this year? ... The center during 2015. The vast majority, 134,650, By NICOLE CARTRETTE Rev. Ryan Clore News Editor See EMS, page 6-A preaching his first Music is motivation in Tabor City Middle School teacher and band sermon as the director David Barkley’s eyes. A few days a week for one class period, a small group of students new minister at flocks to his classroom to get bonus instruction in learning how to play R.J. Corman the guitar. Whiteville First The intervention period is an incentive for students to do well in Baptist Church school and keep their grades up. ‘on track’ for “It’s a reward,” Barkley said. Sunday? ... Folks “It makes me feel good,” Victoria Rowe said. The eighth-grader, like most students in the program, has never March start enjoying lots of played the guitar before. She enjoys practicing with the small group “cold weather” as Barkley goes over the basics of tuning the guitar and proper By ALLEN TURNER strumming technique. Staff Writer oysters at the Barkley, a teacher for 28 years with the Columbus County Schools, suggested guitar lessons as an incentive. It is nBridge work is nearly 80 percent area’s seafood the first year Tabor City Middle has offered them. complete. restaurants? ... He said the guitar appeals to students who might not otherwise be interested in music. Repair and renovation work along the Barkley also teaches chorus, brass and percus- former Carolina Southern Railroad line in sion, woodwind and band classes at the school. western Columbus County has reached an “I like it a lot,” Anthony Norris, an eight- accelerated pace and Bill Henderson, vice County Deaths grader said, one Wednesday as Barkley dem- president of the R.J. Corman Railroad Group onstrated how to use an electronic guitar tuner. that purchased the line several months ago, Chadbourn “I just like almost everything about it,” said Friday his company remains committed Joseph T. Jablonowski seventh-grader Kelsey Brown said. to having freight rail service here restored by Barkley said since the classes began he has Ben Fulton Williamson March 1. been impressed with how quickly many of the stu- Cerro Gordo Large quantities of brand new crossties sit dents have learned. “We have some good students,” in the railyard in Chadbourn and ties were Aldred “Bob” Blackwell Barkley said. being staged Thursday between Chadbourn Principal Dianna Bellamy said Barkley’s sugges- and the South Carolina state line to the east tion to offer guitar was a hit with students. in preparation for beginning replacement of “I think it’s great,” Bellamy said. “I have some old ties. Corman also has placed a huge mound Index children who were not interested in regular band of gravel near the intersection of Braswell or chorus, and wanted something to do.” Editorials .......... 8-A and Grist Roads just west of Chadbourn in She said several students participate. anticipation of spreading new gravel along Obituaries ......... 7-A “The thing is we need guitars,” she said. Many the tracks after new ties are installed. Sports ................ 1-B students had to borrow one. Most tie replacement already has been com- Crime ................ 4-A “They are very excited about it and love to pleted on other parts of the line, beginning in try it . (and) most stick with it. Students need Lifestyles ........... 5-A Conway, S.C. and working northward to Tabor something a little different.” City and then to Chadbourn. “He is doing an awesome job with it,” she said. A Corman crew member who did not want Bellamy said there is a noticeable positive to be identified paused Thursday from his impact on behavior and grades. work staging new ties along June Baldwin “Your behavior has to be good,” Bellamy Road west of Cerro Gordo to say that the stag- said.