rSCHS blanks Eagles to advance to Eastern 2A fnals. r7JLJOHTUPPQFOIPPQTTFBTPOUPOJHIU Sports 4FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, November 21, 2011 Ofcials Furloughs, pay Volume 121, Number 41 cite need cuts for aging Whiteville, North Carolina for fu shots considered 75 Cents By RAY WYCHE Staff Writer By NICOLE CARTRETTE Staff Writer The week of Dec. 4-10 has Inside Today been declared National In- Curbing financial losses at the Columbus fluenza Vaccination Week, County Department of Aging may come in 4-A according to information re- the form of furloughs for full-time employees r8PNBOêSFTTIPU ceived by the local county but nurse aides still face significant pay cuts. health department. In his latest recommendation to reduce the BUCVSHMBS Columbus County Health shortfall at the department, County Manager Department Director Kim Bill Clark in an email Friday to commissioners Smith emphasized the need for and others recommends a 15-hour per month residents to receive the immu- furlough for all full-time employees at the de- DIDYOB? nization and issued a reminder partment for the remainder of the fiscal year. Did you observe ... to people that “we are in the Those brief unpaid leaves of absence paired beginning of the season when with an 8 percent cut to all nurse aides will influenza cases are most likely still leave the department with a shortfall for Jubilant South Co- to occur. the second consecutive fiscal year but a much lumbus football “We will give flu vaccina- smaller one than last year. tions during the morning as “The county will contribute $112,000 from fans traveling home well as the afternoon hours at our fund balance to eliminate the remaining Friday night in the our clinic in the Miller Build- shortfall,” Clark told the board in the email. ing (old hospital),” Smith said Under the plan, the county will pay retire- southbound lane of of the health department’s ment for all personnel who work more than U.S. 701 following efforts to ensure all residents 1,000 hours per year, as required by federal receive shots. law. The county will continue to deduct fed- the Stallions’ third- Vaccinations are also avail- eral, state and FICA taxes for nurse aides they round playof victory able at some pharmacies and See Aging, page 3-A at private physicians’ offices. over East Bladen? … Cost of the influenza vac- Tirty people eating cination at the health depart- Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist ment is $31, and the cost is Commissioners 10 bushels of oysters covered by most Medicare and Tool time at the Wildlife Ac- Medicaid insurance policies. Bob Crutchfeld of Whiteville Plywood, left, and Columbus County Com- The Health Department will missioner Edwin Russ, center, look over a tool head manufactured at to consider tion Headquarters be closed Thursday and Friday Council Tool Co. during a tour of the Lake Waccamaw plant Wednes- recently? ... A dessert of this week in observance of day by dozens of regional manufacturers through N.C. State University. crisis at Our Place Council Tool employee Wayne Inman, right, points out the tool’s features. voter ID bill See Flu shots, page 3-A Family Restaurant nPart of lengthy agenda. during Friday’s Bear killing By NICOLE CARTRETTE Families First beneft Sixth annual Festival of Staff Writer luncheon? More pie investigated Columbus County commissioners will be was found to save asked tonight to call on the state legislature By JEFFERSON WEAVER Trees slated for Dec. 3-7 for local legislation related to voters being re- the day. ... White- Staff Writer quired to show photo identification at the polls. ville City manager Lower Cape Fear also conducts humor The measure follows the governor’s veto of Wildlife Enforcement of- Hospice & LifeCare- workshops through the such a bill passed by the legislature this year. Larry Faison fnding ficials are looking for the per- Center will present the Osher Lifelong Learning Supporters say the new voter ID legislation himself persona non son who poached a black bear sixth annual Festival of program at UNCW. would restore integrity to the voting process recently in the Dothan area. Trees Saturday through Moulin has been de- but opponents argue it is unnecessary and will grata afer his be- Investigators said the paws Wednesday, Dec. 3-7, at scribed as a combina- negatively impact minority voters. loved Virginia Hok- were cut off, but the rest of the the newly renovated tion of Lucille Ball and In June, Gov. Bev Perdue vetoed the GOP-led ies beat UNC Chapel carcass was left on a roadside. North Carolina Mu- Sophia Loren. initiative to require a photo ID, but in recent Charles Hinson of the Wild- seum of Forestry, 415 One cannot spend weeks some boards of commissioners are Hill? Tar Heel loyalty life Resources Commission S. Madison St. in White- more than 10 minutes seeking local legislation. Some, such as Craven is very strong in his said the bear was dead for ville. Admission is $5 at with this talented per- County, are considering letting their respective “a day or two” before he was the door. former without chuck- counties take on the cost of providing a photo new hometown. ... contacted. The bear was found Holiday luncheons ling or giggling. Her ID to voters. At one time, the cost for the state on Howard Cox Road in the on Thursday and Fri- humor is unique – some- to provide ID’s to non-voters across North Dothan community. day, Dec. 8-9 from 11:30 times sarcastic, occa- Carolina was estimated to be $1.4 million. “It died of a gunshot,” he a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Vine- sionally silly, often biting Opponents such as Democracy North Caro- County Deaths said, “but we couldn’t tell what land Station are a high- and always unpredict- lina claim that more than 140,000 minority kind of weapon it was.” light of this year’s fes- able. voters in the state have no photo ID. Whiteville The bear was definitely not tival. Luncheon tickets Sandra Moulin To reserve tickets Advocates say it is needed to prevent voter struck by a vehicle, Hinson are $35 per person and for these entertaining fraud. Peter Joseph Ashley said. $250 for tables of eight. luncheons, call 910-796- North Carolina is one of nearly 20 states Bolton Bear season opens in Colum- The luncheons, catered by South- 8099 #6 or visit www.hospicefesti- with no voter ID requirements, according to James W. Hufam bus and Brunswick counties in ern Kitchen, will feature keynote valoftrees.org. the National Conference of State Legislators. Fair Bluf December. The season opened speaker Sandra Moulin, author of Lower Cape Fear Hospice & Lif- There are eight states with “strict” laws that Adron “Jimmy” Blackwell Jr. in Bladen and other neighbor- “Before and Laughter, A Humor- eCareCenter is a nonprofit agency make no exceptions for a photo ID. They in- ing counties last week. ous Perspective of the Mundane.” that provides the highest level of clude Kansas, Wisconsin, Texas, Mississippi, Juanita Bullock The state’s bear manage- Moulin writes regularly for Wilma care and comfort to people with life- Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. At the Chadbourn ment model is used as an ex- Magazine and Livin’ Out Loud in limiting illness; support and counsel- beginning of 2011, only two states were noted Maude Lee Smith ample nationally for successful Wilmington where fans enjoy her ing to families and education to the as having such requirements. Jenetta Carter Gillespie column, “Laughin’ Out Loud.” She community. Six other states require a photo ID or other Tabor City See Bear death, page 2-A See ID bill, page 2-A Barbara Graham Gracie Chestnut Cerro Gordo Carol Ann Giobbi SCC grant to connect unemployed with jobs By NICOLE CARTRETTE on-the-job training opportunities for Workforce Investment Act, this one can “Some need to be more educated Staff Writer the unemployed in manufacturing. It serve a broader population because it in how to perform expectations of Index benefits the worker because they gain is not limited to only “very, very low” the employer and how to keep a job,” On-the-job experience. valuable experience and have a chance income, officials say. Nance said. &EJUPSJBMT" It really means something in a at new careers. “Very few would not be eligible for The college originally asked for 0CJUVBSJFT" struggling economy where employ- It benefits the employer because it this job training,” Triplett said of the $90,000 and had hoped to serve more 4QPSUT# ment opportunities are often scarce. helps to reduce training costs by pro- program that may include participants dislocated workers but is pleased that Officials at Southeastern Commu- viding up to 50 percent reimbursement at 200 percent of the poverty level. 30 to 40 individuals will be served with $SJNF" nity College know that and have been of those costs. “Small manufacturing is going to be the appropriated funds. -JGFTUZMFT" selected for a $40,000 grant that will be “It is a community-driven work- our focus,” Triplett said. The 12-month grant will be avail- used to pair unemployed and dislocat- force development strategy,” Teresa Beverlee Nance, vice president of able for 2012 with no administrative ed workers with small manufacturers Triplett, associate dean of continuing continuing education and economic or overhead costs involved. who need good employees. education, said of the JOBS Project. development, said the training empha- “It goes directly to services,” Nance As of Friday, the college had no of- Triplett said the college worked sizes what it takes to keep a job and be said.