r7JLJOHTDFMFCSBUF)PNFDPNJOHXJUITIVUPVUPWFS4PVUI3PCFTPO r&BTU#MBEFOIBOET4PVUI$PMVNCVTêSTUDPOGFSFODFMPTTr1BDLSPNQT QBTU8FTU#MBEFOUPFWFODPOGFSFODFSFDPSEr#VMMEPHTCMJTUFS(BUPST r1BDLCPPUFSTSBMMZUPXJOPWFS/PSUI#SVOTXJDLr8)4 4$)4OFUUFST Sports RVBMJGZGPS&BTU3FHJPOBMQMBZ 4FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, October 17, 2011 Parents call Aging in-home on city for Volume 121, Number 31 services issues Whiteville, North Carolina more rec not solved 50 Cents support nMore than 70 so-called “contract By JEFFERSON WEAVER workers” eligible for retirement. Staff Writer By NICOLE CARTRETTE Inside Today Parents and supporters Staff Writer 4-A of youth athletic programs r&BTUFSOSFTJEFOUT turned out Tuesday to encour- An emotionally charged meeting Thursday age the Whiteville City Council between management and nurse aides at the WJDUJNTPG#&T to provide more funding for Columbus County Department of Aging ap- r4IPPUJOH TUBCCJOH youth sports. pears to have created more animosity between WJDUJNTSFDPWFSJOH Whiteville is in the midst of the county and 100 or more workers whose job a series of public forums that classification and benefits have been in limbo will help determine long-range for weeks. plans for the city’s parks and Deborah Hollingsworth, a certified nurse recreation department. Infor- aide who has been with the department for mation from an exhaustive 15 or more years, said Friday she and fellow survey and the forums will be co-workers were told they will not be called used to create the city’s master contract workers but “special” employees. recreation plan, which will in The nurse aides go into the homes of turn be used to help the city disabled and elderly patients throughout the qualify for grants and loans. county to help them with bathing, cleaning City Council candidate Sara and meal preparation, among other tasks. Thompson criticized the coun- “They have used us,” Hollingsworth said, cil at an earlier meeting for not pointing out for years they have been called attending the parks and recre- contract workers and denied benefits given Today’s ation forums. Several members to other employees, although the county has of the board Tuesday indicated for tax purposes treated them as regular em- American Pro- they planned to attend this ployees. fle features “Hey, week’s forum if the council It has been more than a month since Colum- meeting adjourned in time. bus County commissioners voted to make as Lefy!” Blessings Willie Wilkins told the City many as 100 or more aides at the department and curses of being Council Tuesday that with independent contract workers. additional financial support It was a decision that came on the heels of a a Southpaw. from the city, Whiteville could huge loss within the Department of Aging this become a hub of Dixie Youth year. Expenses were greater than revenues, baseball and softball action. resulting in at one time a more than $800,000 DIDYOB? loss. Officials later recorded additional income See Support, page 2-A leading to a loss of about $500,000. Did you observe ... Officials believed part of the problem Ella and Santee Reg- See Aging, page 2-A Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist ister celebrating their Orange 60th wedding an- Fair wrap up not just for The Body Beautiful team fghts for every inch in the ladies tug-o-war niversary Saturday? Sunday at the Columbus County Agricultural Fair. They came in sec- No action at Tey attribute their hunters ond place after N.C. Pink Heals, a group of women frefghters and long marriage to love rescue personnel. and faith. ... Laurie anymore DSS special Roy fnding a 1987 By JEFFERSON WEAVER Perdue says battle ongoing can of Campbell’s veg- Staff Writer called meet n etarian vegetable soup Conventional deer season for ‘heart and soul’ of state Director remains on paid leave. in her fling cabinet? started Saturday, but not every person wearing an orange cap By NICOLE CARTRETTE Perdue said she met a professor By NICOLE CARTRETTE It cost 43 cents from or vest in the woods this fall Staff Writer who won the prestigious Milken Staff Writer the old Red and White will be chasing whitetails. Award, which is given to engage stu- The N.C. Wildlife Resources Gov. Bev Perdue told supporters dents and interest them in the field of It has been weeks since Columbus County grocery store. ... An Commission (WRC) is urging who gathered at Vineland Station teaching. He told her in a meeting he DSS Director Gerald Fogle was put on “non- irritated goose at the anyone who enjoys the out- Thursday that there is a battle going might lose his job for telling the truth disciplinary” paid leave as a result of a probe doors to consider wearing an on in North Carolina. but he had told a student uncertain into Fogle’s termination of an employee who county fair nibbling orange safety garment of some In a speech that focused on educa- about the teaching field to “continue made profane Facebook posts and other public at any errant fngers kind while walking, biking, tion and job creation, Perdue said: to pursue her degree, then move to a complaints. horseback riding, or just enjoy- “This state can be a Mississippi if state (not North Carolina) where she Tuesday, the DSS board met in yet another that made it into his ing the woods during hunting you want it to be. There is a battle would be valued for her work.” of a series of recent special-called closed meet- cage? ... season. going on in North Carolina for the “You can never turn your back on ings to further discuss personnel. Saturday was one of the heart and soul of this state.” an investment in jobs and in educa- The board is investigating complaints and busiest days of the year for Perdue said the educational sys- tion,” Perdue said, adding that she plans to continue that investigation with addi- hunters, as seasons for white- tem is a priority and the ultimate has great concern over what was tional interviews next week in a special-called County Deaths tail deer, squirrel, raccoon, job creator. going on in the state. closed session at 9 a.m. Monday. opossum, and bobcat begin. “Education is why North Carolina Perdue emphasized that the reces- “We have a few more people to interview,” Whiteville Quail and rabbit seasons start is different from our other Southern sion is felt not only in North Caro- DSS board chairman Michael Lewis said. “We states. You live in the greatest state lina, but globally. will finish wrapping up our investigation, Sylvia Covington next month, along with sev- eral waterfowl seasons. Bear in America and our constitution “I moved into the worst economy compile everything and go from there.” Eula Estelle White guarantees a free public education,” season opens in December in See Perdue, page 3-A Lewis said he expects no action to be taken Perdue said. Bolton See Hunters, page 12-A Marjorie Helen Kendall See DSS, page 9-A Lake Wacamaw Ivory Oliver Chadbourn J.W. “Jake” Gore Longacre works to bring Clark house back to 1892 By RAY WYCHE one had lived in for about 12 years expense in his quest to be authentic Staff Writer – and since he began his restoration with his restoration efforts, replaced Index effort, he’s added to the debris with those pillars that were beyond On his first trip through the town the painstaking work of bringing repair, had supporting brick struc- &EJUPSJBMT" of Clarkton two years ago, David the old house to the glory it had in tures built around the remaining 0CJUVBSJFT" Longacre took a long look as he 1892. crumbling pillars, and put in new 4QPSUT# passed by the decaying Oscar Clark There was a lot of fundamental sills where the old originals had house and said to himself, ”I’ve got work to be done before the restora- fallen victim to dry-rot. $SJNF" to have that house.” tion could be undertaken in the big The foundation repair work, a -JGFTUZMFT" He was looking for a place to live, house located on a spacious lot at process many old house restorers an older place he could restore to its the corner of U.S. 701 Business and bypass, resulted in slight movement former stately condition. N.C. 211. of the plastered walls throughout Longacre, a Pennsylvania native “The big thing was trying to level the structure. The result was sheets who is transferring his insurance the house,” Longacre says. of 110-year-old plaster the size of agency to Whiteville, took posses- The two-story plus attic dwelling, blankets came crashing to the floor, sion of the old house, built in 1892 roughly in the style called colonial adding to the debris to be removed. by one of the early businessmen of revival, was giving in to crumbling The plastering still adhering to Clarkton. brick foundation pillars, causing the laths on the walls had innumer- He also took on what most people portions of the house to become able cracks that will be patched would say was a hopeless task – unleveled. before the final paint job. Longacre, sparing no time or cleaning out the big house that no See Longacre, page 3-A David Longacrein period garb. 2-A – The News Reporter, Monday, October 17, 2011 This week, on... This week, on... Lake, Whiteville sewer situation settles By JEFFERSON WEAVER Lake Waccamaw originally contract with the Whiteville. conversation regarding the emergency diversion of Lake Staff Writer signed on to the multi-million Faison and Currie said emergency agreement. sewerage and was prepared dollar regional sewer project Lake Waccamaw has sent “We do want to have an to do so for a second service to provide additional funding wastewater to the city once, agreement in place so if a outage,” Faison wrote in an October 17, 2011 Lake Waccamaw will con- tinue treating its own sewage for the overall project and and was prepared to do so situation warrants it, we can email.