Cause of Dangerous Death Intersection Her body was found Plans made for N.C. in September. 87/11 interchange. uuSEE PAGE 4A uuSEE PAGE 2A The News Reporter Founded 1890. Published every Tuesday and Friday for the County of Columbus and her people. WWW.NRCOLUMBUS.COM Friday, November 30, 2018 75 CENTS County schools will have first all-white board in 46 years By Justin Smith said. “There is nothing I can [email protected] do about that, but I think Mr. Strickland is going to Starting next month, Co- be fair about it and he’s not lumbus County Schools — in going to look at it as a color which nearly one in three thing. I don’t look at it as a students is black — will be color thing. governed by an all-white “I know that people are board of education for the going to say, ‘Well, we don’t first time in nearly half a have any representation. We century. don’t have any representa- Chair- tion.’ But the woman Bar- people that bara Yates- are on the Staff photo by Grant Merritt Lockamy board will be fair and will Whiteville City Council members toured the new City Hall in construction on Madison Street Tuesday of the Mt. Olive co- be willing to afternoon with City Manager Darren Currie, right, acting as a tour guide around the facility. Construc- do what’s best tion is expected to be completed by spring 2019, and the construction budget is all according to plan. munity, the only black for the people Smith and Allen, LLC General Contractors is in charge of construction. See story on page 9A. member of in their dis- the five-per- trict as well son board, as the coun- launched an ty,” she said. unsuccessful “At this point, run for the I think it’s go- N.C. House Barbara Yates-Lockamy ing to be okay, Hearings begin today for rather than even though seek a third term on the people need school board. Her district to see somebody like them 2 school board seat will be sitting in that place in order filled next month by Ronnie to feel like they may have sheriff’s election protests some decision or some hand Strickland of Evergreen, who is white. He garnered in the work that’s going on. half the votes in a three-way I believe my people felt that By Allen Turner Tuesday’s print edition of been reached. Regardless in the primary election. race during the Nov. 6 gen- way with me there.” [email protected] The News Reporter and be of what the county elec- Smith also said that some- Despite Yates-Lockamy’s posted as soon as they are tions board decides, the one was sitting beside the eral election against Chad- bourn residents Rashad confidence that the new The Columbus County known on our website, protests could eventually voting machine when a Roberts, a black candidate board will look after the Board of Elections was NRcolumbus.com. go before the N.C. Board voter cast her ballot in who received 30 percent of interests of all students, she scheduled to begin hear- The four-member Co- of Elections and Ethics Cerro Gordo and that the votes, and Shane Enzor, said she offered a unique ing four protests at 9 lumbus County Board of Enforcement and the deci- multiple voters at several a white candidate who got 20 perspective. o’clock today (Friday) that Elections preliminarily sions of that board then precincts were purged percent. Each school board “I’ve had plenty of in- seek to have the results began hearing two of the could be challenged in from the registration rolls member represents a dis- stances that would relate to of the Nov. 6 general elec- protests in an emergen- court. after having voted in the trict but is elected by voters me being black or me being tion for Columbus County cy meeting Tuesday but primary. throughout the county. a woman who helped people sheriff thrown out and a rescheduled completion Allegations Smith also complained “The people made the de- feel better about the situa- of all the hearings until Hill and Smith testified that the county elections new election ordered. cision to have Mr. Strickland tion,” she said. today because County briefly at Tuesday’s coun- board rejected absentee Republican as their representative, and But that hasn’t always ballots cast Jody Greene de- I have to go along with that been the case. feated Democrat- by voters. Al- decision,” Yates-Lockamy uuSEE BOARD 12A ic incumbent though her Lewis Hatcher protest didn’t by 34 votes, 9,403- specify, she 9,369, in official was referring results from that to nine absen- election. How- tees delivered Commissioners ever, a recount to to a White- which Hatcher ville precinct was entitled be- instead of to will receive cause the mar- the elections gin was less than office by an one percent had employee at not been com- Liberty Com- school merger pleted as of our mons nursing deadline Thurs- home, where day afternoon. the voters study Monday Four people, reside. The two of them county board By Allen Turner elected officials rejected those [email protected] and two of them Staff photo by Allen Turner ballots be- officers in the Co- Attorney Boyd Worley, left, who represents Sheriff-elect Jody Greene, cause state law In a rare morning business session, Colum- bus County commissioners will receive a report lumbus County sits at a recent county Board of Elections meeting Friday with Greene, forbids nursing home employ- Monday from former N.C. Superintendent Democratic Party, right, and his wife, Angie. filed formal pro- ees from han- of Public Instruction June Atkinson on the tests of the election. Attorney Amanda Prince ty hearing but neither dling absentee ballots. advantages and disadvantages of merging the County Commissioner recommended — after McKenzie nor Thurman, She also protested that Columbus County and Whiteville City school Amon McKenzie, who consulting with lawyers both of whom arrived late a former county Repub- systems. leaves office Monday at the state Board of Elec- for the meeting, spoke. All lican party chairman, The meeting when Jerome McMillian tions — that the people four were expected to take Mitchell Mercer, served is scheduled for The News Reporter will takes the oath to replace filing the protests and the stand at the hearings as a poll worker at the 9 a.m. in com- stream the meeting on missioners’ him, Brunswick Mayor others, including poten- today. South Williams precinct Facebook Live Nancy Hill, Democrat tial witnesses, were not Smith’s written protest and Elections Director chambers at Party Chair Franklin timely notified that Tues- alleged several irregulari- Carla Strickland couldn’t the courthouse Thurman and Democratic day’s “emergency” board ties. She complained that produce a letter showing annex, but the Vice-Chair Gloria Smith meeting would include a Whiteville #2 precinct did that Mercer had resigned report will not be received until later in the meeting because commissioners must first hold filed the protests, citing planned decision about not open on Election Day from his Republican Party their annual organizational session to elect a several irregularities. those protests. until 6:40 a.m., ten min- office. Mercer testified chairman and vice chairman, have swearing-in Two of them, McKenzie Neither Greene nor utes after the scheduled Tuesday that he had pro- ceremonies for Commissioners Jerome McMil- and Hill, also are pro- Hatcher would comment opening time. She said vided Strickland his letter lian, Charles McDowell and Ricky Bullard and testing the outcome of a on the election results that at several precincts of resignation from the conduct a previously scheduled public hearing. liquor-by-the-drink refer- or on the protests. Both some people had to cast party office. County commission meetings are usually endum in Tabor City that men said they will issue provisional ballots be- Smith also complained held at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays passed by 11 votes, 401-390. statements eventually but cause they were told they that, for the 2018 election, Results of decisions on want to wait until deci- were not registered, even uuSEE MERGER 3A uuSEE PROTESTS 9A the protests will appear in sions on the protests have though they had voted Volume 128, Number 046 Yesterday morning’s frosty conditions making us all thankful for gloves, hats and warm layers? The Whiteville, North Carolina DIDYOB Whiteville Junior Woman’s Club will collect new and gently used coats today and tomorrow (Saturday) DID YOU OBSERVE? at Mistletoe Market in Vineland Station... Author Nancy Naigle requesting that her photo be taken with 100-year-old retired English teacher Mary W. Mintz at the SCC Foundation Christmas luncheon?... 2A • The News Reporter • Friday, November 30, 2018 IN BRIEF DEADLY INTERSECTION Disaster Recovery Center moves to Econo Lodge FEMA has relocated its local Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for victims of Hurricane Florence to the Econo Lodge at 503 N. J.K. Powell Blvd. in Whiteville. The office is scheduled to be opened 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. through at least Wednesday. The deadline for Florence victims to apply for help is Dec. 13. Applicants are not required to visit a DRC and, instead, they can call toll-free to 800-621-3362. This is the second time the local DRC has moved following Hurricane Florence. It was initially located in the former Columbus County Board of Elections office on Chadbourn Highway, but moved after FEMA staffers complained about Staff photos by Jefferson Weaver coughing and sneezing in the building, which had previously undergone mold remediation treatments.