Post & Voice 3.22.18

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The Pender-Topsail

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Elizabeth H.

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

Shooting leads to arrests, more charges possible

By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher

Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew

Pirate Johnny Westbrook shares a laugh with Burgaw Area Chamber of Commerce Director Emily Baker at The Arts @ Burgaw Antiqueplace masquerade party Mar. 15.

By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher

“One of the most important things about downtown Burgaw is the Courthouse, and other than the building itself, the trees are extremely important. It takes a hundred years to grow a tree, and they come down in a matter of hours.� B u r g aw b u s i n e s s m a n Johnny Westbrook spoke to Pender County Commissioners Monday prior to the Board taking up the issue of tree removal on the Courthouse Square. “Please don’t take out any more trees than you absolutely have to take out,� Westbrook said. A reluctant Pender County Board of Commissioners approved a plan to begin removal of dead and dying trees from the Courthouse Square in Burgaw. The plan calls for trees to be removed in phases over the next several years. Commissioners amended the original timetable of the plan

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Please don’t take out any more trees than you absolutely have to take out.

Burgaw Businessman Johnny Westbrook

to begin removal this summer after the Blueberry Festival in June. Along with tree removal, new trees will be planted using a tree spade, which will allow larger young trees up to 12 inches in diameter to be planted, rather than smaller saplings. Knowing the issue of tree removal on the Square is a controversial topic, but one that had to be addressed, the Board discussed a number of options before settling on the approved plan. The danger of falling limbs and trees was the chief motivating factor. “I had a man ask me to consider keeping the trees until the festivals were over. Knowing the liability involved, I don’t know if we can do that,� said Commissioner David Williams.

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School and county officials are hopefully optimistic that the new Surf City K-8 school will be ready for students in August. Questions had floated earlier this year regarding the school being ready to open for the new school year. The questions did not involve the new building itself, but the availability of utilities – water and sewer – for the new school. Pender County school officials are depending on Surf City to have the utilities ready. Surf City contactors have been working to extend water and sewer lines to the new campus. And while the school building has progressed on schedule, utility work has been a concern. “It’s going to be very, very close,� said Pender County School’s Chief of Auxiliary Services Allen Vann. “Originally it was June 1 for water and Aug. 1 for sewer, which is pushing it very close. Now, if everything goes well, it’s possible we could have water and sewer the first of June.� Vann says the building portion of the project is on budget and more than 75 percent com-

plete, with substantial completion expected by July 1. Surf City Town Manager Larry Bergman says the water line to the school is 65 percent complete as of Monday. “We are expecting a directional drill to come this week for another 1,200 feet of line. If you add that together, we will be very close to all the water line being installed,� Bergman said. The sewer line is currently 40 percent installed. Bergman said the contractor indicated the water line will be ready for testing in mid-May, with the sewer line ready at the end of May. “There as been a lot of coordination between contractors, other agencies, and the NCDOT. I think they are doing a great job,� said Bergman. The Surf City K-8 school, along with the new Penderlea School, are part of the $75 million school bond approved by Pender County voters. The opening of the Surf City School will necessitate a redistricting plan for students along the U.S. 17 corridor. The new plan for the 2018-19 school year can be seen on the Pender County School’s website, www. pendercountyschools.net

Board delays Courthouse tree removal until after Blueberry Festival

From Staff Reports Of ficials with the Kure Beach Police De par tment charged Jason Lee Ramsey, 39, from Rocky Point, with indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape of a person who is 13, 14, or 15 years of age by a defendant who is at least six years older. Following the report from

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The Media of Record for the People of Pender County

Volume 48, No.24

From Staff Reports Three men were arrested Monday after a shooting in western Pender County. The Pender County Sheriff ’s Office responded to a 911 call on Bell-Williams Road at 9:17 a.m. Mar. 19 where a mother reported that his son had been shot in the head. Deputies responded and found Zachary Barnes, 26, suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported by EMS to New Hanover Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Hayden Wade Hines, 18 of Atkinson, Tyler Glenn Hines, 21 of Atkinson and Christopher Blake Rivenbark, 21 of Watha were all arrested and charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance inflicting serious injury and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. In addition to these charges, Rivenbark was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. All three are in the Pender County Jail under $325,000 secured bond each. Additional charges are expected to be filed related to auto and residential burglaries in the north and western parts of Pender County within the last two months. The altercation began when the victim confronted the alleged shooters about a family member’s residence, which had recently been burglarized. Anyone with information concerning these individuals is asked to contact Lt. Shepard with the Pender County Sheriff ’s Office at 910-259-1212.

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Square. After a long discussion with no commissioner willing to take the lead on the issue, the Board agreed with Newton’s idea to delay the first phase of removal until after the Blueberry Festi-

Commissioner Jackie Newton proposed waiting until after this season’s festivals, Spring Fest in May and the Blueberry Festival in June, before cutting the trees. Assistant County Manager Chad McEwen said county extension agent and certified Mowers • Lawn Tractors • Zero arboristPush Tim Mathews, who Trimmers & Chainsaws conducted the tree survey, was concer ned about the safety of the trees. “Based on his professional opinion, those trees are a risk to fall, damage property, and a risk to life,â€? McEwen said. The proposal before the Board recommends removal of two-thirds of the trees on the Square over a two-year period, with new trees planted to replace the trees removed. The trees would be removed in sections, beginning with the northwest corner of the

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val – and hope the trees and limbs stayed where they are for now. The trees will also be surveyed again to determine if additional limbs need to be removed before the upcoming festivals for safety.

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