r4UBMMJPOTQVMMPVUWJDUPSZPWFS -PSJTUPTUBZVOCFBUFOr4USPOH TFDPOEIBMGQSPQFMT8PMGQBDL QBTU1FOEFSr(BUPSTUIVNQ /PSUI#SVOTXJDLr7JLJOHT Sports UBNF8JMEDBUT4FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, September 3, 2012 Wildlife ofcer briefs group Volume 122, Number 19 Whiteville, North Carolina on beaver laws By JEFFERSON WEAVER 75 Cents Staff Writer Local legislation and a fur- buyer’s license would likely Inside Today be required before Columbus 4-A County can get into the beaver bounty business. r5XPIVSUJO-BLF Officer Keith Rogers of the XSFDL4VOEBZ Wildlife Resources Commis- sion met with members of the Columbus County Beaver Committee last week to dis- cuss the commission’s role in encouraging trapping of the problem rodents. Beavers cause hundreds Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist of thousands of dollars in damage annually in Colum- In the long run bus County, damaging trees, Dr. Peter Kindschuh, left, and members of the Whiteville High School girls cross country team were among 410 flooding crops and damming people who completed the nearly 15-mile Take the Lake Walk/Run Saturday. waterways. While the U.S. De- partment of Agriculture traps problem beavers in the county under the Beaver Management Today’s Assistance Program, county Mailer raises questions about absentee ballots commissioners have refused By NICOLE CARTRETTE State Board of Elections. directly to our office,” Strickland said. American Profle to increase the amount of lo- Staff Writer “This mailing has been approved by The mailer makes no mention of the cal funding available for the features “Cider the state board. They have seen it and Oct. 30 deadline to request a ballot by mail program. Mill.” Pressing a A high-quality mailer is popping up say it is ok,” Strickland said. “But I can but does note that the deadline to return in mailboxes across the state urging vot- understand the concern.” “an absentee ballot” is Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. traditional Ameri- See Beavers, page 3-A ers to avoid long lines on election day The mailer directs voters to provide Strickland recommends that individu- can beverage. by using a postage paid card attached to their name, address, county, phone num- als who request an absentee ballot (avail- request an absentee ballot. ber and date of birth on an open postal able Sept. 7) return it “as soon as they Fisher, city That card, however, is addressed to a card that goes to the Americans for Pros- can” by the Nov. 5 deadline. DIDYOB? conservative advocacy group, Americans perity Raleigh office. Strickland said she wanted to assure to discuss for Prosperity; not the Board of Elections. Strickland said her office has not yet voters that her office is available to them. Did you observe ... Any registered voter can request an received any of the cards from Americans “We are here for them,” she said. absentee ballot by mail directly from the for Prosperity. Voters who may have already sent a A lonely banana single meters elections office, Carla Strickland, county “If we have voters who want to cast voter registration card to a third party elections director said. an absentee ballot by mail they can come other than the Board of Elections and feel drifing in the waters By JEFFERSON WEAVER Strickland said she had received calls into the office to make a request or send uncomfortable about it may send a new of Lake Waccamaw Staff Writer about the mailers and made a call to the a request with the same information See Mailer, page 2-A over the weekend The owner of a 48-year- only to be snatched old mobile home park asked Whiteville officials last week Lake’s whale skull may be studied by scientists worldwide up and eaten by to change the rules on water and sewer service. By RAY WYCHE America. hungry Take the The city council refused to Staff Writer The animal lived probably three Lake XTREME! reverse its policy on charging million years ago when the ocean participant Walter a minimum fee for rentals, but The skull of a prehistoric whale covered a portion of what is now the the city’s public works depart- found by Cathy Neilson in May 2008 eastern United States. This is one of Palmer during the ment will coordinate with in shallow waters along the north the youngest examples of the species paddling portion of Jesse Fisher to install single shore of Lake Waccamaw is expected of this whale. meters on each home and lot to generate considerable interest “This is the most complete whale the event?... Blake in the Eastwood Mobile Home throughout the scientific world. skull. It turned out to be the young- McPherson complet- Park. “It’s quite rare and it should at- est specimen; all others are at least 4 Attorney Harold “Butch” tract a lot of attention. It’s really million years old. This one is quite ing basic training at Pope represented Fisher before a unique specimen,” said Dr. Alton a bit younger than that. It is about 3 the N.C. Department the board. The city council Dooley, curator of paleontology for million years old,” Dr. Dooley said. last year approved a policy the Virginia Museum of Natural The skull had lain in the shallow of Corrections as an that bills property owners History in Martinsville, Va., who water off Lake Shore Drive near honor graduate with with multiple services on a assisted North Carolina officials in where Pecan Lane intersects Lake meter for the number of po- identifying the skull. Shore Drive since the ocean that Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist a grade of 96? He tential occupants, not actual The remains of the whale that covered a good portion of the Coastal Virginia Museum of Natural History Paleon- works at Tabor Cor- occupancy. The policy is a may attract so much interest from Plain at that time retreated eastward tologist Dr. Alton Dooley explains to a small standard procedure in many scientists worldwide is the only com- eons ago. audience at the Lake Waccamaw State Park rectional Institute. communities. The owner is plete whale skull of that unnamed Part of the skull was accreted in visitors center how rare the ancient whale … species of the Pleistocene Epoch skull before him is during a reception for the See Meters, page 2-A found on the east coast of North See Whale, page 2-A new exhibit at the park. County Deaths Marion tapped to lead BB&T region Whiteville By NICOLE CARTRETTE Marion be gan his covering business in Pleasant Garden for 50 years, Martha G. Smith Staff Writer banking career in 1981 as having a positive influence on his work ethic. Tabor City as a management trainee “You can see where I get my stability from,” Clinton Jones C. Phillip Marion Jr., Wilmington area executive with Southern National. Marion said, adding that reputation is key. Chadbourn for BB&T Bank, will step up as the southeastern He holds a bachelor’s “Reputation is very important and I believe that regional president for the bank in coming months. degree in business from reputation is all that we have,” Marion said. “I work Bailey Wayne Britt Marion, 54, a Greensboro native who has been East Carolina University hard every day to do what I say I’m going to do and Eddie Powell with BB&T 31 years, will fill a position held by Jeff (1980) and is a graduate give back 100 percent. Etheridge who is retiring. of the Graduate School BB&T has been a great place to learn and grow,” “I’ve spent 20 years in southeastern North Caro- of Banking of the South he said. ”In 31 years I’ve met a lot that have taught lina, in this nine county region,” Marion said. at Louisiana State Uni- me and I have always promised my teachers I would Index His assignments have included Clinton. Lumber- versity in 1995. do my best and not let them down.” &EJUPSJBMT" ton and Wilmington-based positions but Marion said Within five years, he Marion is optimistic about the strength of the Friday he is looking forward to making the region’s had transitioned to a Phillip Marion region. 0CJUVBSJFT" headquarters, Whiteville, home. position with BB&T in “We’ve got a great region and for the last 10 to 12 4QPSUT# “This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long Raleigh, later Winston-Salem and then Lumberton. years we have enjoyed some good times and some $SJNF" time,” Marion said. “Jeff has been a great mentor “Twelve years ago Jeff asked me to transition to challenging times,” Marion said. -JGFTUZMFT" and leader and he has helped prepare me for this the Wilmington market,” Marion said. opportunity.” He credits his family, owners of a floor and tile See Marion, page 2-A Customer Appreciation Week Large Only September 3-9 $ 99 WHITEVILLE 2 Topping Each 5Carry Out Only 640-2211 2-A – The News Reporter, Monday, September 3, 2012 This week, on... Whale Continued from page 1-A limestone that covers much of Lake Waccamaw’s bottom. When the specimen was re- moved from the lake, represen- September 3, 2012 tatives from the N.C. Museum of Science and from the Lake Waccamaw State Park handled Whiteville.com the delicate task of chipping away the limestone that held Biser Ball the skull and with transport- Sports Trivia ing the skull, with attached Question #153: Former limestone, to the laboratories East Columbus High of the Museum of Science in School girls basketball Raleigh. great T.T. Bennett is now There, the exacting work of playing for what college? separating the bone from the Answer: Find the answer today, at limestone was performed, a Whiteville.com, in our Sports Section.