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POST Voice Thursday, April 25, 2019
Vol. 49, No.28
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Scrambling for Easter Eggs
Wildfire makes run at Hampstead neighborhood Blaze stopped halfmile from homes By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Hundreds of children at Kiwanis Park in Hampstead make thousands of eggs disappear Saturday at the annual Easter Egg Hunt. The Kiwanis Park event was one of a number of Easter Egg hunts across Pender County.
Suspect sought in double murder ont Coleman, 36, of Castle Hayne and Dakota Ontaria Moore, Jr., 30, of Harrells. One suspect in the murder, Eric Jamel Pigford, 36 of Burgaw has been arrested and is charged with first degree murder. He is currently being held under no bond in the Pender County Jail. Warrants for first degree murder are outstanding for Jamie Dante Coleman, 31, of Atkinson. As of press time Tuesday, Coleman was still at large. Anyone with information concerning this investiga-
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From Staff Reports T h e Pe n d e r C o u n t y Sheriff ’s Department is investigating a double murder that occurred April 21 in the Ivanhoe community At approximately 12:30 a.m. April 21 a 911 call was received from 3460 Halfway Branch School Road in Ivanhoe reporting shots fired and that two people had been injured. De puties ar rived on scene and found two dead gunshot victims. The two deceased individuals were identified as Marcus Lam-
Eric Jamel Pigford
James Dante Coleman
tion or the whereabouts of Coleman should contact the Pender County Sheriff ’s Office at 910-259-1212.
Coleman should be considered armed and dangerous.
A wind driven wildfire in the Holly Shelter Gamelands threatened more than 20 homes in a Hamsptead neighborhood last week Pender County EMS & Fire, along with Surf City and Holly Ridge fire departments, the Pender County Sheriff ’s Department and the NC Forest Service responded to a wildfire April 17 in the area of the Holly Shelter Game Lands. According to Pender County Emergency Management reports, the fire made a fast, narrow run toward the Pinnacle Parkway neighborhood in Hampstead, off US Hwy. 17, near Sloop Point. The fire had the potential of impacting about two dozen homes. According to Pender County Fire Marshal Tommy Batson, the fire was within a half-mile of homes
on the Parkway. “The fire was burning through heavy Carolina Bay vegetation and was being pushed by the wind toward Pinnacle Parkway.� Batson said a change in vegetation and a power line cut helped slow the fire, along with the air water drops and Forest Service equipment. A mandatory evacuation was issued and later rescinded after the fire was brought under control. “The Forest Service brought in aircraft from Kinston and made six water drops to help contain the fire,� Batson said. “There were seven tractor plows cutting fire lines.� Officials estimated the fire involved approximately 14 acres. Be careful burning Pender County is into the spring fire season. Although the county received much rain during the winter and early spring, it only takes several days of sunny,
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Horse owners urged to vaccinate against EEE, West Nile viruses
From Staff Reports Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging horse owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus. “April until November is prime mosquito-breeding season in North Carolina and when horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated,� Troxler said. “EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent. Both diseases are preventable by vaccination.� Last year, North Carolina saw its first case of EEE in July. There were
Both EEE and West Nile virus are carried by infected mosquitoes. seven recorded cases of EEE and five cases of WNV in horses in North Carolina in 2018, but the mild winter could cause that number to go up this year, State Veterinarian Doug Meckes said. Meckes recommends that
equine owners talk to their veterinarians about an effective vaccination protocol to protect horses from mosquito-borne diseases. The combination vaccination initially requires multiple injections for horses,
mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history. Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days, so removing any source of Push Mowers • Lawn Tractors • Zero Turn Mowers standing water can reduce Trimmers & Chainsaws the chance of exposing animals to WNV or EEE. Keeping horses in stalls at night, using insect screens and fans and turning off lights after dusk can also help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Insect repellants can be effective if used according to the manufacturer’s Photo contributed instructions. Hattie B., John-Ward, and Windsor Farrior of WalSymptoms of EEE in- lace attended this year’s annual Easter Egg Roll at
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the White House in Washington. The children are the grandchildren of Jane Highsmith.
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