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It’s fall and Old River Farms, located between Rocky Point and Burgaw, is ready. The pumpkin patch is filled with pumpkins of all sizes. Read more about the fall activites at Old River Farms on page 1B.
The Pender-Topsail
&
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Football in the rain Rain caused Pender football games to be moved last week. Trask and Pender played early, and Topsail waited until Monday. Read about football and more in sports beginning on page 7A.
Volume 45, No. 52
50 Cents
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County Total of 13 accesses closed
Erosion forces closure of Surf City beach accesses By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher High astronomical tides due to the lunar cycle coupled with stormy weather over the weekend caused Surf City to close 13 of the town’s beach accesses due to erosion. High tides associated with the supermoon event along with a low pressure system that brought rain and wind to eastern Pender County caused the erosion. “We have some damage and we are still assessing the situation. We have about 13 beach accesses that we have closed due to the damage,” said Surf City Mayor Zander Guy. “We are still getting debris off the beach.” Guy says the Surf City town council will be consider-
ing the possibility of a sand push within the next 30 days to help repair some of the beach damage and reinforce the dune line. “We definitely felt the effects of the high tide,” Guy said. “The storms played a role, but the biggest problem was the high tide. It was extremely high. Guy said the heavy rain over the weekend caused some minor street flooding as well. The so-called supermoon is a full moon at its closest point in orbit around the earth. The closer the moon is to earth, the greater its gravitational pull. This usually results in tides that are several feet higher than normal. Damage from the high tide and rain was reported all along the North Carolina coast.
Health Department schedules flu clinics across Pender County From Staff Reports The Pender County Department of Health has released its flu clinic dates for the remainder of the year. Flu vaccinations will be available at the Health Department, 803 S. Walker St. in Burgaw every day Monday through Friday beginning Oct. 5 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Vaccinations will also be available at the Pender County Government annex in Hampstead every Wednesday beginning Oct. 7. Vaccinations will be given from noon until 4 p.m. Be sure to bring insurance cards. For adults with no insurance, regular dose vaccinations are $35, the high dose is $55 for individuals 65 years-old and older. Vaccinations are free for uninsured children ages six months through 18 years-old.
Rain can’t stop the spots
Flu vaccinations will be offered at other locations in Pender County. See page 13A for a full listing of all Health Department flu clinics. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s not possible to predict what this flu season will be like. Flu seasons are unpredictable in a number of ways. While flu spreads every year, the timing, severity, and length of the season varies from one year to another. Most seasonal flu activity typically occurs between October and May. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the United States between December and February. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease.
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Despite a rainy weekend that forced cancellation of the Spot Festival’s Friday night and Sunday activities, the fryers were hot and the tasty fish kept coming as locals lined up to buy spot dinners at the annual event.
At the Surf City Community Center
Pender Relay for Life kickoff Saturday By Lori Kirkpatrick Post & Voice Staff Writer The 2016 Pender County Relay for Life Kickoff Celebration will take place Oct. 3. at the Surf City Community Center from 2-4 p.m. Information on how individuals and teams can be a part of Pender County’s 2016 Relay for Life will be provided. The occasion will be a time of fellowship, free food and door prizes. A 50/50 cash drawing, guest speakers and a photo booth will all be featured at the kickoff. Area residents are invited to join in the event and “Rock thru’ the Decades,” 70’s style. This year the community voted on the relay theme. While each scheduled event will depict a different decade, the kickoff will be set during the 70’s. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite 70’s attire. Each year at Relay for Life events, communities around the world unite to
Miller’s Pond Park to open this week Town of Surf City photo
Debris washes up on the beach after the high lunar tide causes erosion in Surf City.
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
honor cancer survivors and remember loved ones lost to the disease. According to the Relay website, the funds raised make a considerable difference in the fight against cancer, with an estimated 14 million cancer survivors celebrating another birthday this year. The countywide
Pender County officials say Miller’s Pond Park, located on U.S. 117 south near the N.E. Cape Fear River, will hopefully be open by the end of the week. The park, which was closed for renovations last year, will feature a number of new attractions and facilities, including restrooms and a picnic area.
goal for 2016 is to raise $40,000. The Pender County Relay’s chair for the year to come is Courtney Rooks, with Shannon Humphrey as co-chair. Tiffany Fountain represents both Pender and New Hanover Counties as the Community Manager for Relay for Life. Nearly all of us have been touched by the disease or know someone who has, and Shannon Humphrey is no exception. “I relay for the many people affected each and every day by cancer,” began Humphrey. “Cancer is a terrible disease that is not prejudiced to race, gender or economic status. Everyone in their lifetime will have a loved one that has to endure this awful disease. I am hopeful that one day, through research, a cure can be found. In 2009, I lost my best friend, my mother Mary Ann Briley, to breast cancer. My mother was the most
Continued on page 13A
“There are still a few more things we will be doing this fall and winter, but that won’t keep us from opening the park this week,” said Pender County Manager Randall Woodruff. “Even with all the rain, we are ready to open with new restrooms, a water fountain, landscaping and a new sign. There have been a lot of nice improvements at the park and
I think people will really enjoy using that park.” The improvements at Miller’s Pond are not finished. “We are hoping to extend the pier further out into the lake. We ran into some issues trying to get a contractor to do the work,” Woodruff said. “Hopefully that project will be completed by the spring.
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