•East Columbus girls, Whiteville boys and girls to host opening-round TRC Tournament games. •Lady Gators claim fifth straight TRC hoop title. •Wolfpack boys clinch runnerup finish Sports in TRC. See page 1-B. ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Thursday Reporterfor the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, February 15, 2016 Bootleg CDS/DVDs worth Chadbourn Volume 125, Number 66 Whiteville, North Carolina wants to 75 Cents thousands are seized here nFather, son, third man ar- remove rested for dealing in more Inside than 22,000 counterfeit CDs and DVDs. ABC board 2-A By BOB HIGH By ALLEN TURNER •Local trains to start Staff Writer Staff Writer moving soon. A Whiteville man, his son from A divided Chadbourn Town Council voted 3-A Chadbourn, and a third man from 3-2 Thursday night to find out how to remove Cerro Gordo were arrested here the members of the West Columbus ABC •Retired, refired, fully Thursday by ALE agents and rep- System board. hired for the ‘King- resentatives of the N.C. Secretary Council members James Green, Colene dom of Heaven.’ of State’s office for dealing in more Kelly and Rashad Roberts favored the action than $300,000 worth of counterfeit with Donald Ray Bass and David Worley vot- music albums and movies on CDs ing no. 4-A and DVDs. Agents and law enforcement personnel remove armloads of illegal Green’s original motion to “dissolve” the •Thieves find new A search-warrant raid was con- DVDs and CDs Friday. ABC board came at a special called meeting way to break into ducted Thursday afternoon by of the council Thursday. several Alcohol Law Enforcement 22,000 tapes had been made from the building. Under the motion, which finally passed, vehicles. officers, assisted by sheriff ’s depu- “There were thousands of tapes Agents said the search-warrant town attorney Harold G. “Butch” Pope will ties and Whiteville police on the in that building,” an ALE agent said raid was the result of complaints, investigate the proper legal procedure for re- 5-A home of Garry Tyrell McCray at Thursday. Agents filled the bed of a and undercover buys during a moving the board and report to council. 1862 Chadbourn Highway – a white •Lake manager calls large pickup truck, plus other vehi- month’s investigation. One agent Members of the town council were unhappy building just west of the Whiteville on residents to help cles to haul the counterfeit products said he was told bootleg items had with financial statements from the ABC board Auto Auction. Thursday afternoon to Wilmington been sold from the Chadbourn High- presented earlier in the month. The ABC board clean up. Garry Tyrell McCray, 51, living where they were catalogued and way location for at least 10 years. did not share profits with the town for the at the same address, his son, Mark held as evidence. Charges fourth quarter of 2015. Anthony McCray, 25, of West Prin- Friday, the ALE announced there Garry McCray, Mark McCray and ABC chairman Tony Freeman and member DIDYOB? cess Street, Chadbourn, and Robbie were more than 22,000 bogus CDs Stephens are each charged with con- Hattie Kelly were present, but member Guy Stephens, 44, of Cherry Grove Road, Did you observe ... and DVDs confiscated, with the spiracy to possess pirated audio and Long did not attend due to illness. CPA Alan Cerro Gordo, were arrested on nu- value of the products placed at more visual recordings, two counts each Thompson accompanied ABC board members merous counts each of dealing in Parties around town than $300,000. One agent said the of failing to disclose the original to the meeting. CDs and DVDs pirated from original typical cost for a music CD was $5, While Thursday’s meeting was called to celebrating Valentine’s manufacturers. See Bootleg, page 4-A and several undercover purchases discuss the financial statements, discussion Day and the mid- centered on management decisions. The ABC season return of “The board purchased its current store location Walking Dead” televi- recently and refused to deed the town a piece of vacant property the ABC board owns. sion show? ... Hugh Advanced manufacturing The ABC board, which always used rental Jones of Wilmington property for its store, obtained the vacant with possibly the cold- est job on Saturday See ABC, page 9-A morning? Jones was a major priority for SCC holding a “going-out- n$6.8 million could come of-business” sign for from bond. Wellness Family Dollar beside By NICOLE CARTRETTE Sam Potts Highway News Editor in Lake Waccamaw, proposal On March 15, voters statewide where the temps were will consider a $2 billion bond ref- in the 20s and the wind erendum that will benefit the UNC was whipping. He shift System, agriculture, state parks, draws fire was from 11 to 4. ... Jim community colleges and water and By JEFFERSON WEAVER sewer infrastructure projects. Staff Writer High wrestling a T-shirt It is about more than the $6.8 mil- away from another fan lion in capital funding it could bring Some residents are concerned about a pro- during a giveaway at a to Southeastern Community College posal to put a countywide wellness center at break during the N.C. in President Dr. David Clarke’s eyes. Elizabeth Brinkley Park at Lake Waccamaw. It’s about giving – giving students “It would be a big mistake to put this build- State-Wake Forest bas- at SCC more training opportunities, ing at the park,” Gray Rogers told the town ketball game Saturday. giving local industries a better edu- board of commissioners Tuesday. It was his first ballgame cated workforce, giving the county The Columbus County Youth and Family manufacturing programs that will Antonio Murdock, Logan Ward, Associates (CCYFA) organization is in discus- T-shirt, which he gave attract new industry and giving eco- SCC President Dr. David Clarke sions with the town to put a public wellness to Olivia Rogers. ... nomic development a boost, he said. and Saladean Young. center with a gym, pool, exercise areas and “What it means for us is really more at Brinkley Park as part of an expansion an opportunity to move the college we need to do that.” of the facility. The town received a donation of forward,” Clarke said. “If we can Among those priorities are plans 26 acres last year to improve the park, and is County Deaths get this $6.8 million we can really to renovate training areas like SCC’s pursuing a Parks and Recreation Trust fund change how the college is a partner Whiteville welding facilities. (PARTF) grant to fund the expansion. for economic development and edu- Clarke said on a recent tour While the wellness center would not be Wilda “Betty” P. Roddy cational attainment.” of Robeson Community College funded by the PARTF or the town, the Lake Fair Bluff Advanced manufacturing he couldn’t help but see that the could gain points toward approval of the Anne McKenzie Powell The college plans to create three welding facilities there were more PARTF grant for including the wellness cen- Tabor City centers within existing buildings at attractive. ter. Several residents, however, are concerned the college for advanced manufac- Catherine Ward Spivey “Their welding area is larger and that the center would detract from the park’s turing technologies, electrical and better organized than ours; ours is primary purpose – that of a recreation area for Clarendon energy technologies and construc- smaller, it’s old and probably could youth and families – and potentially disrupt David Thelton Godwin tion trades. use a better ventilation system,” the surrounding neighborhood. Plans include an addition to the he said. “This would be in my front yard,” Rogers T-building to double the manufac- ‘Oh, my goodness’ said. “I don’t want it there, and no one else I turing simulation space and add “I worked in the industry for 15 know does either, except for people who don’t Index technologies not currently offered years,” said Clarke, a former execu- live in town.” at SCC. Editorials .......... 8-A tive with General Mills. “If I went to Mayor Pro Tem Jimmy Stanley pointed Hydraulics, pneumatics, en- Robeson’s welding shop I’d say ‘ok, out that he lives near the park as well, and he Obituaries ......... 7-A hanced mechanical training and me- this is a decent welding shop but if I has not made his mind up about the proposal. Sports ................ 1-B chatronics offerings would be added went to our welding shop I’d say ‘oh “Nothing has been set in stone,” Stanley to provide more advanced training. Crime ................ 4-A A virtual welder gives beginning my goodness’.” said. “The grant and the wellness center aren’t “Right now we don’t have that Lifestyles ........... 5-A welding students at SCC prac- Clarke said that has nothing to do the same project. Right now there is a lot of equipment. We are pursuing money tice before moving to authentic with the quality of instruction SCC support for the idea, but I’m not for or against to get it and we need to put it some- welding. offers in welding. it yet. I think we need more input.” where,” Clarke said. “That does not talk about instruc- Rogers said he felt the center would be a He said SCC is focused on en- tion, that talks about facility,” he waste of tax dollars at the Lake. hancing and adding programs that nally, our priority was a $19 million said. “We prepare welders but as “The land was donated for the people of the will benefit existing employers and building for advanced technology.