Area News
Benton’s altercation story differs from Jones’
By JOYCE GRAHAM Five days after an altercation involving state House of Representatives candidate Brenden Jones of Tabor City, Democratic opponent Tim Benton offered his first in-person account of Saturday’s incident during Bladenboro’s Beast Fest. Jones obtained a criminal summons charging Benton with assault Saturday. Benton, who said he initially had no plans…
Read MoreProbation/Parole visit leads to meth lab, arrests
By DEUCE NIVEN A probation/parole visit led investigators to an active methamphetamine near Tabor City Wednesday evening, and the arrest of two people in the home, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Tatum said Thursday. David Michael Holt, 41, and Julie Ann Floyd, 36, were arrested in the home they share at 3644…
Read MoreSecond spouse fails to appear in court in animal case
By DEUCE NIVEN Like her spouse before her, a Tabor City woman facing animal abandonment charges failed to appear in District Court in Whiteville Monday, Columbus County Animal Control Officer Joey Prince said. Morgan Blaire Gore, 24, will face a $20,000 bond when she is taken into custody on the failure to appear…
Read MoreAfter Matthew, some donations no longer needed
By DEUCE NIVEN Donations of water, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), personal items and clothing will no longer be accepted at the Columbus County disaster receiving center set up in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, a county news release said Saturday. North Carolina Forest Service officials have been managing the food collection and…
Read MoreYam Fest is off to a sweet start for students
By DEUCE NIVEN Hurricane Matthew changed lives with its visit two weeks ago, but folks in Columbus, Horry and surrounding counties carry on in the face of all types of adversity. This year’s North Carolina Yam Festival at Tabor City enjoys its biggest day tomorrow, but students from Tabor City Elementary School and…
Read MoreBroken water main has big impact on Whiteville
By DEUCE NIVEN A water main break on one of Whiteville’s main lines Thursday afternoon has prompted a city-wide boil water notice, an urgent request for water conservation, early dismissal of city schools, and cancellation of surgeries at Columbus Regional Healthcare. A contractor bored through a 12-inch water main on Warrior Trail at…
Read MoreFiber cut impacts 911, cell phone service
By DEUCE NIVEN A fiber-optic line has been cut by a “third party construction crew” impacting 911 and Verizon wireless services in Columbus County, a CenturyLink spokeswoman said Thursday evening. “In the event of an emergency, Verizon customers should use a landline or go to the nearest police or fire station, the representative…
Read MoreUPDATE: SBI joins probe after missing man’s body found in Lake Tabor
UPDATE: Friday By DEUCE NIVEN Investigators are exhausting every effort to determine what caused the death of a local business owner whose body was recovered in Lake Tabor Thursday morning, Capt. Greg Sibbett of the Tabor City Police Department said. Agents of the State Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation soon after the…
Read MoreRoad repairs in Columbus could take a year
By DEUCE NIVEN Word that U.S. 74 was open again at the Columbus and Robeson county border was a bright beginning in what will be a slow process rebuilding roads damaged by Hurricane Matthew, NC Department of Transportation District Engineer Drew Cox said Tuesday. Transportation officials have created a new traffic pattern on…
Read MorePublic access closed to Fair Bluff
By DEUCE NIVEN Public access to the town of Fair Buff has been eliminated, with checkpoints established for all roads leading into the town, a news release from Columbus County government said. “Only emergency responders and local residents will be allowed past checkpoints,” the news release said. “Local residents need to be prepared…
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