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In This Edition... • Pick up a pizza and help raise money for a child suffering from cancer. Read more about it on page 1B. • The All-County Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams are out. Read more in Sports on page 7A.
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
Volume 48, No.21
50 Cents
Burgaw man killed in Monday shooting
Veteran pancake maker
From Staff Reports A Burgaw man was shot and killed Monday afternoon, according to reports from the Burgaw Police. Rakeem Brown, 23, was walking in the area of Satchwell and Bodenheimer streets when he was killed by a gun-
shot. Burgaw Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Police Department and speak with Detective Sgt. Fuller. No additional information was available at press time Tuesday.
Pender NAACP questions residency of county school board candidate By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Charlie Krynicki is an experienced blueberry pancake maker, having manned a grill at the annual N.C. Blueberry Festival Pancake Breakfast for several years. Charlie was kept busy Saturday as a record number of plates were sold at the event. See more photos from the event on page 4B and on Facebook.
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From Staff Reports The Burgaw Fire Station was the hot spot of activity Saturday morning as the North Carolina Blueberry Festival conducted its annual pancake breakfast. More than 1,160 plates were served at the scholarship fundraiser. “Our annual breakfast is an evergrowing tradition of the festival’s that we look forward to every February,� said Olivia Dawson, N.C. Blueberry Festival coordinator. Pender High School’s volleyball and soccer teams and students from
Blueberry Festival pancake breakfast sets record Pender Early College served pancakes, sausages, and beverages to all those in attendance. More than 180 pounds. of blueberries were used to make the blueberry pancakes and the 20 gallons of blueberry syrup, along with 500 pounds of sausage patties and 100 pounds of linked sausage. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival Pancake Breakfast has been an annual event for more than 10 years. The proceeds of the breakfast helps fund the student scholarship program. On
average the North Carolina Blueberry Festivals awards approximately $20,000 in scholarships each school year. “We could not host our annual blueberry pancake breakfast without the support from our more than 80 dedicated volunteers along with our contributing sponsors, which includes Smithfield,� said Dawson. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival is set for this June 15-16 in downtown Burgaw to celebrate 15 years. For more information visit the website at ncblueberryfestival.com or call 910-259-2007.
The Pender County NAACP has sent a letter to School Board candidate June M. Robbins questioning her residency. Robbins has filed as a Democrat candidate for the open District 4 seat on the board. The seat is open following the announcement of longtime school board member Katherine Herring that she will not seek reelection. In the Feb. 20 letter, Pender NAACP president Dante’ Murphy said the organization received a “confidential complaint� alleging Robbins changed her address for the purpose of seeking a seat on the school board. Murphy asked for a response. In a letter to Murphy, Pender County Board of Elections Director Dennis Boyles wrote “Our records indicate Ms. Robbins has been registered at the N.Cowan Street address in Burgaw since Feb. 20, 1976. It also shows she has
voted in every election held within the county since that time. “Candidate qualifications are based on information contained in voter’s registration record, with the current residency listed as 552 Garden Road Willard, she is a qualified candidate for District 4.� Boyles said Robbins indicated she moved in the Garden Road location with her mother to help care for her. NAACP invites School Board Candidates to meeting The Pender NAACP has invited School Board candidates to the group’s Mar. 3 meeting. “We want to give candidates a chance to respond to a recent inquiry that challenged the established residence of one of the candidates. We believe that clearing this issue up will allow informed decision making when supporting persons seeking to fill this important post,� Murphy wrote. The NAACP meeting is Mar. 3 at 11 a.m. at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Rocky Point.
School threats result in arrests By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
A Snapchat post about a possible school shooting in Pender County sent fear through the school community Feb. 20. The news of the threat Push Mowers • Lawn Tractors • promptZero spread on social media, Trimmers & Chainsaws ing many parents to pull their children from school. According to Pender Coun(R) for his seat on the Board ty Schools, at approximately 7 of Commissioners District a.m. Feb. 20, the Pender County 1. Encumbent David Piep- Sheriff’s Office and Pender meyer (R) will be challenged County Schools received inforby Carol Ann Johnson (D) in mation from a concerned parent regarding a Snapchat post District 2. Pender County Sheriff Car- warning of a possible shooting son Smith (R) will face John in Pender County Schools. All gathered information Johnson (D) for the N.C. House was immediately shared beDistrict 16 seat. The final candidates’ list tween local school district will be available after filing personnel and Sheriff’s Office personnel – who began invescloses at noon Wednesday.
tigating the threat. Around 9 a.m., a message was sent to all parents notifying them of the threat and that it was not credible. The Pender County Sheriff’s Office has charged a 15-yearold Heidi Trask High School Turn Mowers student with making a false report concerning mass violence on educational property. The student in this case was the first to post the Snapchat threat that circulated Tuesday morning, A 14 - ye a r - old Top s a i l High School student was also charged with making a false report concerning mass violence on educational property. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate threats that have been made or communicated via social networking sites.
Election filing period ends Feb. 28 at SALES noon• SERVICE • PARTS • DELIVERY By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Candidate filing for the November general election ended at noon Feb. 28. The final listing of candidates was not available at press time Tuesday. Locally, seven candidates have filed for the sheriff’s race. As of Feb. 26, Republicans Larry Brown, Randy Burton, Alan
Cutler, Jason Spivey, Jimmie Stokes, and Chester Ward have filed. Democrat Lawrence Fennell has also filed. The Republican candidates will face off in the May 8 primary election. Republican County Commission chair George Brown will face a primary challenge from David Fallin. New this year is the partisan School Board election.
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Previously School Board candidates were non-partisan. As of Feb. 26, Rochelle Whiteside (D) is the lone filed candidate for District 1. Beth Burns (R) of Hampstead will challenge Kenneth Lanier (D) for the District 2 seat. In District 4, June Robbins (D) and Ken Smith (R) will vie for the seat. In other races, Dorothy Royal (D) of Surf City will challenge David Williams
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