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Helping birds of prey
The Pender-Topsail
A special hospital in Rocky Point has patients that don’t swim or crawl – they y. Read about the important work of the Cape Fear Raptor Center on page 1B.
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Off to a fast start The Topsail High Lady Pirates softball team is off to a 5-0 start this season, the only undefeated softball or baseball team in the county. Read more on page 8A.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Volume 47, No. 23
50 Cents
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
No tax increase
Winter still hanging on
County officials work on budget By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publsiher Spring is budget time for Pender County Commissioners, and it’s the job of the county manager to prepare and submit a budget for consideration by the BOC. County Manager Randall Woodruff says he is well along in the process of meeting with department heads and preparing a new budget. A budget workshop scheduled for Mar. 9 was postponed until Mar. 31 due to a conflict.
Cape Fear Council of Governments director Chris May, the facilitator for the workshop, was unable to attend. The Mar. 31 meeting will be held at the Hampstead Government Annex beginning at 8:30 a.m. Woodruff also has good news for Pender County residents – there will be no tax increase in the 2017-18 budget. “I’m confident we will maintain our current property tax rate and live within our means, We’ve done it for the
Continued on page 7A
Land donation will provide nature area at Kiwanis Park By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Photo above by Cassie Barnhill
Pender County Commissioners are looking into an offer of 42 acres adjacent to Hampstead’s Kiwanis Park to be used as a nature area addition to the facilities. Under the proposal, the tract of land, which includes a significant wetlands area, will feature a walking trail and raised boardwalk area over the wetlands. The developer who
Right photo by Andy Pettigrew
It was here and then gone. A late winter snow fell in Pender County Sunday morning, leaving areas of the county with a covering of white. Snow amounts varied from no accumulation to more than an inch in the western areas. Most of the snow was gone by midday Sunday as temperatures warmed and rain fell. The house above is located in Atkinson. The old house on the right is in the Shiloh Community.
Wilmington man arrested on rape charges
ArtBeat of Burgaw
Community mural project begins April 17 By Lori Kirkpatrick Post & Voice Staff Writer
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ArtBeat of Burgaw is planning a community mural project April 17 through May 6. The project is being funded by the town of Burgaw, in conjunction with the 21st Century Grant from Pender County Schools. Canadian artist Danae Brissonnet will be working on the mural, along with help from the community. A meet and greet with the artist will be held April 17 at 7 p.m., with light refreshments served. The community is invited to bring their stories of the history of Burgaw and Pender County, and ideas to inspire the artist. Danae Brissonnet is an international artist from Quebec, Canada who is known for her public murals, illustration, mask making and puppetry. She has created colorful folk-inspired art in North, Central, and South America, as well as Europe and Asia. She enjoys creating imagined worlds in her paintings, and is inspired by the process of becoming involved in communities where she can tell stories of the people, their land, and their culture. Alison Boyce is facilitating the community project. She said that Cape Fear
Raymond Anthony Stevens
Pender County Sheriff ’s d e t e c t ive s a r r e s t e d R ay mond Anthony Stevens, 31 of Wilmington Mar. 9 on multiple sex and rape charges. Stevens is charged with first degree kidnapping, second degree forcible sex offense, second degree forcible rape, assault by strangulation, and assault on a female. He is currently being held in the Pender County Jail without bond. The victim in this case is an adult female and the assault and rape occurred earlier in the week of Mar. 9.
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owns the property is proposing to build the walking trail and boardwalk, and then donate the land to Pender County. “The donor will construct the elevated boardwalk and multi-use path through that portion of the property. The majority of the property is wetlands,� said Pender County Planning Director Kyle Breuer. “Their proposal is to do the improvements and deed the property over to the county. They are requesting a non-profit foundation be set up to accept the property and become a support arm to Pender County Parks and Recreation for county-wide parks and recreation improvements. The property owners have had success in other communities working with parks foundations for the greater good of citizens.� Breuer says there is no initial direct expense to the county for the land beyond researching and setting up a non-profit foundation. Also the county would assume the cost of maintaining the park property after the donation. “Before accepting the donation, we will have an engineer inspect the property and construction to make sure it is built to quality standards necMowers essary for public use,� Breuer said. “We are also looking at long term maintenance costs to present to the commissioners for their consideration. The commissioners wanted to make sure the benefits of a parks and recreation foundation would be for everyone in the county, not just those on the east side. This should be a positive for everyone.� The area will highlight the
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Photo contributed
Middle school student Amanda Hammers helps Noah Harrell at a recent work day at ArtBeat in Burgaw.
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Continued on page 7A
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