Area News

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      Three Tabor City businesses and a fourth south of Whiteville were the subject of search warrant raids Friday afternoon and the seizure of suspected illegal video gaming machines. Chief Deputy Aaron Herring of the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office said.      Warrants were served simultaneously at Deep Pockets pool hall, Vasco #1 and…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com UPDATE: Aug. 2      A pipe replacement project that shut down U.S. 701 just north of South Columbus High School on Monday was complete Thursday afternoon, a North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman said.      Scheduled to take two weeks, the work was complete in four days, the highway reopening about 4 p.m.…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      A City of Loris employee was killed when his motorcycle slammed into an oncoming car head-on north of the municipality Sunday night.      Anthony Depriest “Rabbit” Melvin, 34, of Loris died on the scene of the 9:35 p.m. crash, Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Dontell said Tuesday morning.      Three vehicles were involved,…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      A second sex crimes against a child trial for a Tabor City man has essentially doubled his prison sentence, leaving Calvin Sherwood Watts unlikely to leave state custody alive.      Trial in Columbus County Superior Court ended Friday with Watts, who is 57, found guilty on all charges against him. Superior Court…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      A Loris area man died in an overnight fire at his home.      Presley Hardee, 28, died in the fire at his home on Daisy Road, Horry County Deputy Coroner Michelle McSpadden said.      Horry County Fire Rescue crews responded to the fire in the Cherry Hill Community at about 10 p.m. Tuesday,…

Story & Photos By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      Nearly 100 alumni of the former Tabor City High School gathered beneath the big tree outside the old two-story building, now months away from demolition, for a warm farewell Saturday morning.      Most present said the 10 a.m. gathering time was good, earlier might have been a little better…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      One person was airlifted to a regional trauma center, some others were taken by ground ambulance to a hospital following an auto crash that left a Cadillac convertible broken in two, it’s trunk landing more than a dozen yards away after narrowly missing gas pumps at a convenience store north of…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      On the run since fleeing in handcuffs from the Tabor City Police Department last December, Mhalik Jhamal Graham is back behind bars, tracked down by US Marshals and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Monday night.      Graham, 21, was found inside a Covey Run apartment in Whiteville, a report by Sheriff’s Det.…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      Gunfire at a home off of Walter Todd Road claimed a local man Friday, left another injured, and prompted an ongoing Columbus County Sheriff’s Office investigation.      Timothy Tyrone Riggins, 31, died after apparently being shot at his home, which has a Lowery Lane address on the corner of Walter Todd Road.…

By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com      Fleeing from a traffic checkpoint set up by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office HEAT Team, a Conway man led deputies on a high speed chase that ended after he rammed a patrol car, careened into a yard, slamming into the back of a truck parked there.      Donald Allen Bonini, 50, of…