Post & Voice 1.26.2017

Page 1

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Medals to help others

The Pender-Topsail

After hearing about a local teen that needed a kidney transplant, Ethan Blevins from Hampstead began to work on a way to help with the cost. Read about Ethan and his idea on page 1B.

Volume 47, No. 17

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Weightlifting champ Topsail High School graduate James Tatum has made a name for himself in weightlifting, Tatum has traveled the world winning titles. Read more on page 8A.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

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The Media of Record for the People of Pender County

Commissioners approve funding for larger school building in Surf City

A hearty breakfast for the search crews

Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew

Louise Shrum and Karen Snemyr with Pender EMS and Fire Public Relations and Support Services prepare breakfast Saturday morning for the PENSAR search and rescue exercise. Searchers from across the state came to the annual event, held on a large tract of land off U.S. 421 south.

From Staff Reports The Pender County Board of Commissioners approved increasing the student capacity of the Surf City projects from a capacity of 1,213 to 1,568 during its regular meeting Jan. 17. “We are thankful to the community and our local elected officials for continuing to support our schools,� said Dr. Terri Cobb, Superintendent of Pender County Schools. “The decision to increase the capacity at the Surf City projects will help the district address growth.� The Pender County Board of Education presented the request to the Board of Commissioners after reviewing the plans and cost associated with expanding the project during its regular January meeting. Construction Manager Justin Whitley, of Barnhill Contracting, said the guaranteed maximum price to increase the student capacity is $3.49 million, or $175 per square foot, adding that this figure may be negotiated lower through value engineering. “We know that there is a need for additional space now, and that need is going to grow as the region experiences continued development,�

said Pender County Board of Education Member Brad George. “Both Boards know that moving forward with plans to increase the capacity of students at the Surf City projects now is the fiscally responsible decision, as the cost of construction will rise in the future.� The additional space at the school will not require a tax increase to fund. Bids on the building came in lower than expected, and interest rates are also lower, allowing the expansion to happen without an increase in funding. “When we went out and talked about the bond, we had some wiggle room on the interest rate. Because the interest rate is so good, we were able to borrow more money without raising taxes,� said Commissioner David Williams. Commissioner David Piepmeyer pointed out the Surf City school would be at capacity when it opened under the first plan. “We authorized them to do the architectural work pending approval of the final funding, to submit this plan,� said Piepmeyer. “We are able to do this under the current funding for the school bond.�

BOC says no to permit for Currie shooting range Pender County Commissioners rejected a request for a Special Use Permit (SUP) for a shooting range facility in the Currie community off Canetuck Road. The request for the SUP was made by applicants Jonathan Blanchard and Chris McDougal on behalf of Chad Allan Squires, owner of the property. Burgaw attorney

Rick Biberstien represented the applicants. Biberstien made a presentation on the project, called The Gun Park, which outlined the applicants positions regarding the operation, facility, and need for the shooting range in Pender County. Blanchard and McDougal spoke to the board regarding the operation of the shooting range. Commissioners heard from a number of citizens of the community, mostly opposed to

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Pair arrested for break-ins in Hampstead

Charged with sale of stolen property online From Staff Reports Parker Ryan Legwin, age 18, of Hampstead, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 18, in relation to burglaries that occurred in

By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher

the Hampstead area earlier this month. Legwin is accused of breaking into the same residence on two separate occasions and committing larcenies from the residence. Currently he is charged with two counts of first degree burglary, two counts of felony larceny, two counts of felony possession of stolen property, three counts of breaking/entering a motor vehicle and one count of misdemeanor larceny Legwin is being held under a $60,000bond in the Pender County Jail. The Sheriff ’s Office also reports the arrest of Tyler Owen

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the range before making their decision. The Jan. 17 hearing on the shooting range lasted more than three hours and can be viewed in its entirety on the Pender County website. Resident Ted Brown raised concerns about the close proximity of a church to the range, and a small cemetery located on the property. Brown said the nearest house to the project was “just several hundred feet� away. “There are over 19 houses

Continued on page 3A

The additional space to increase the student capacity from 1,213 to 1,568 students is pictured in red in this oor plan.

Smith’s co-defendant is Legwin. Smith is charged with one count each of first degree burglary, felony larceny, felony of stolen goods and Push Mowers • Lawnpossession Tractors • Zero Turn two counts of felony breakTrimmers & Chainsaws ing/entering a motor vehicle. Smith is currently being held in the Pender County Jail under a $210,000 secured bond. Additional charges for failure to appear were also served on Smith resulting in the higher bond amount. During this case, investigaTyler Owen Smith tors discovered that Legwin to his participation in the bur- and Smith had posted stolen glary of a home in Hampstead property on buy, trade and sell on Jan. 10. web sites and that some items

had already been sold before their arrests. The sheriff ’s office is requesting anyone who purchased property from these Mowers individuals to contact detectives at 910-259-1212. The Pender County Sheriff ’s Office also is requesting the public to take extra precautions at home – locking their homes and vehicles and removing valuables from their cars, installing security motion lights or alarms, and taking time to report suspicious people and vehicles in their neighborhoods to law enforcement.

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Parker Ryan Legwin Smith, a 25-year-old resident of Wilmington Jan. 20. He was charged with crimes related

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just over a half a mile from this thing,� Brown said. “Mistakes can happen – bullets can go astray. And for noise, they can stand here all night and say that noise isn’t going to go but a thousand feet. I know better. I’ve been hunting all my life.� After hearing testimony both for and against the project, Commission Chairman George Brown closed the

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