All about community Woodmen of the World representative Travis Horrell does more than sell insurance. Read about the WOW on page 1C
Volume 44, No.21
Bojangles applies for permit in Burgaw
POST Voice The Pender-Topsail
&
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Conference tourney Pender County basketball teams have moved into their conference tournaments. Read more in sports on page 1B.
Blueberry pancake time
Other businesses express interest in property near Walmart
Winter storm skirts Pender By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher A winter stor m which brought snow and ice to much of North Carolina brushed Pender County with a light coating of freezing rain Monday night into Tuesday morning. County emergency officials say only a few traffic accidents were reported, mainly due to icing on bridges and overpasses. About 1,353 electric customers in the Penderlea area were without power Tuesday morning. The Penderlea school dismissed at 11 a.m. due to the power outage. Emergency Management director Tom Collins was concerned with Tuesday night conditions. “I think the DOT will have to get out and salt the roads tonight because the temperature is going to fall. We could have a problem with black ice,” Collins said. “Most of our trouble in Pender County was in the north, around the Duplin County line. The have more power outages and a mess up that way.”
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Move meetings to second and fourth Mondays
BOC to consider meeting change By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Editor
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Representatives of Bojangles have applied for a conditional use permit to build a restaurant on property across from Walmart, according to Burgaw planning director Rebekah Roth. The restaurant would be located on about two acres of land across from the Walmart. A house currently occupies the property. “A public hearing on the conditional use permit is scheduled for the March Burgaw town council meeting,” Roth said. “The permit gives us the opportunity to look at the site design. We are in the process of staff review of their plan.” Roth says the town as not received any additional formal applications from interested businesses. “I am getting phone calls with inquiries, but nothing on paper yet. They are calling to find out what our process is and how long it will take,” said Roth. “I have heard from one other restaurant, but mostly of the time they don’t tell me what kind of business they are. They are just general inquiries.”
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Staff photos by Andy Pettigrew
The North Carolina Blueberry Festival held its annual pancake breakfast in Burgaw Feb. 14. It was standing room only as the line extended out of the Burgaw Fire Station. Extra griddles were set up outside to handle the demand for the tasty griddlecakes. Pender High School volleyball coach Matt Davis (above left) sprinkles blueberries on the pancakes as James Melvin and Brandon Britt flip pancakes as quickly as possible. Tommy Lindsey (left) works to keep the sausage coming off the grill. See more photos of the event on page 4C and on Facebook.
239th anniversary of Revolutionary War battle
Moores Creek Battlefield celebration this weekend By Ashley Jacobs Post & Voice Staff Writer Ever wish you could go back in time? Witnessing history will actually be possible this month thanks to the a celebration of the 239th Anniversary of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, the first patriot victory during the war for Independence. “It is important for people to participate in these events and view these demonstrations as they are living history, our ticket to the past,” Chief of Interpretation and Education Matthew Woods said. “When a visitor interacts with a demonstrator, they are essentially interacting with history. “The living historians who portray this history invest their time and energy to en-
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Reenactors in period costume lend realism to the annual Moores Creek battle celebration. sure that their crafts demonstrate actual history to the best of their ability. For many who participate in this ‘hobby’, it
is a chance to recruit new members to this time-honored tradition of interpreting the past.”
The first patriot victory of the American Revolution essentially ended royal authority within the colony and led to the passing of the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776 – a date that should sound familiar to most North Carolinians, because it appears on the state flag. The celebration is popular; depending on the weather, the event typically attracts up to 6,000 visitors who are invited to roam the battlefield, view musket and cannon demonstrations and interact with the living historians who portray soldiers from colonial North Carolina. “They are able to view various colonial trades demonstrations, including candle dipping, blacksmithing, powder
Continued on page 2A
Topsail Beach approves forms for use of town property By Tammy Proctor Post & Voice Staff Writer The Topsail Beach commissioners approved forms for use of town property. Any resident or visitor wishing to use the New Town Center or town property must complete a request form. Attorney Steve Coggins said the form is a “one size fits all.” But another application was not accepted. An application asking the town for “seed money” was not approved.
Keith Myers, the organizer of the May Beach Blast, had asked the town for $5,000 seed money. “I don’t think the town ought to provide seed money for an event of this nature,” said Julian Bone, commissioner. C o m m i s s i o n e r To m E g g l e s t o n agreed. “I don’t gamble with my money and I don’t want to gamble with the town’s money,” he said. “I think the businesses should put up the seed money,” added Linda Stipe. “This is a slippery slope,” said Larry
Combs, adding that the town would be forced to choose events to sponsor. “I think this is a long-term policy we could use,” said Morton Blanchard. Myers had proposed a spring festival, a one-day event, in which all proceeds would be given to the town for the park. He estimated a profit of $10,000. Concern was expressed if the town did not give seed money could the town still accept the proceeds. Attor ney Steve Coggins said any entity may donate proceeds to the town anytime.
Pender County Commissioners are considering a change in the board’s meeting schedule. Commissioners delayed making the decision to change monthly meetings to the second and fourth Mondays in the month until the next board meeting. The proposal to adjust the meeting schedule was made prior to Monday’s meeting by commissioner David Piepmeyer, who was unable to attend this week’s board meeting. Piepmeyer asked for the change so commissioners would be able to attend Pender County Board of Education meetings. “The motion was made with the idea that we can attend school board meetings,” said commission chairman David Williams. “When they come to see us, they are usually in a hurry to get out to attend their meeting the same night. County attorney Trey Thurman reminded the board if three or more commissioners attended a school board meeting, it could be considered an official commissioners meeting that would require public notification. “If you go and discuss or deliberate on anything involving county business, we would have to give notice of the meeting,” Thurman said. “But if you go, sit, and listen, that is not a meeting. If you interact, it becomes a meeting and we have to give notice” Williams said he wanted to understand what commissioners would gain by the change in meeting day. “If you go to a school board meeting and speak during the public comment, it is much different from our public comment,” said Williams. “Somebody says what they are going to say and sits down. The school board doesn’t discuss it.” Commissioner Jimmy Tate said he didn’t see the change as just an opportunity to attend school board meetings – he saw it as a chance to do something different. “He (Piepmeyer) specifically stated to me it was about the school board,” Williams said. Commissioner Fred McCoy was not comfortable acting on the meeting change with Piepmeyer absent from the meeting. “We need to make sure we are all in one accord,” said commissioner George Brown. The board decided to postpone action on the meeting change until the March meeting.
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