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Surf City CFCC
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Trask Fall Fest
The Pender-Topsail
The Surf City campus of Cape Fear Community College is open for business with a variety of classes offered. See what is happening at Surf City CFCC on page 1B.
Volume 44, No. 44
513 Roland Avenue Surf City, NC (910) 328-2105 www.shopthebee.com
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Thursday, July 30, 2015
Trask High School Athletic Boosters will hold a fall festival Aug. 1 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the football field. Barbecue plates will be available and fun for all. Read about it on 9A
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
Citizens rally in support of DSS director Shiver
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Enjoying crafts in the park in Surf City
Speakers give commissioners an earful at BOC meeting Monday By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher For the past few Pender County Commissioner meetings, residents have packed the meeting room waiting for something to be said about the situation with county Department of Social Services Director Dr. Reta Shiver. Shiver was placed on investagory leave June 25 for 30 days, with an additional 10 days added to the leave. With nothing being said during those meetings, residents took it upon themselves to bring up the subject during the public comment section of Monday’s meeting. And commissioners got an earful. S p e a ke r a f t e r s p e a ke r praised Dr. Shiver and her work at DSS and demanded her reinstatement to her job. Among the speakers were former Pender County Commissioners Dwight Strickland and Cleve Simpson, along with Pender County NAACP president Dr. Rachel Stephens. Strickland, a former BOC chairman and former member of the DSS board, spoke in support of Shiver. “Through all the years of service, I don’t remember anyone from the federal, state, or county level who came to complain or question the performance of the director of Social Services,” Strickland said. “I think it’s fair to say
Dwight Strickland that Dr. Shiver has operated DSS in the most professional manner. Her career as director is impecable. I know this firsthand. It’s not hearsay.” Strickland’s comments drew applause from Shiver’s supporters. He went on to comment on the investigation of Shiver. “I know you have to investigate things when they are reported, but there are a lot of thing that need to be investigated,” said Strickland. “Sometimes we might need to investigate in the investigator.” Stephens brought spirited comments regarding Dr. Shiver’s leave, making reference to the letter Shiver received from director of Health and Human Services Carolyn Moser. “It sounds as if Dr. Shiver
Continued on page 3A
Board must approve contracts
BOC fronts money for bond projects; strings attached By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Pender County Commissioners approved $2.95 million to help move school bond projects along at the board’s Monday meeting. But the money has conditions – commissioners must approve all contracts related to the use of the money. Commissioner George Brown made the motion to approve the funds with the contract approval stipulation. Brown is upset with the Board of Education regarding the
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current mediation over funding and the threat of a lawsuit by the BOE. “I was to the point this afternoon I’m not going to do another thing with the schools until we know if we are going to get sued or not,” Brown said. “We don’t know what we are going to have to pay out of the fund balance to pay for legal expenses.. Even though they are separate issues, we have to take money out of the fund balance for the school bond projects. This money comes
Continued on page 3A
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
John Rinka with Hot Mess Studios in Hampstead helps a young lady with crafts in Soundside Park in Surf City before the movie Friday evening.
Suspects charged in Hampstead, Atkinson, Watha cases
Arrests made in east, west Pender breakins By Jefferson Weaver Contributing Writer Pender County Sheriff ’s deputies have made arrests in several breakin cases spanning Pender County from east to west. Captain Jamie Ezzell of the Sheriff ’s Office said the Atkinson and Currie area have been hit hard recently. “We are experiencing an increase in break-ins over the last week in the western Atkinson area around Slocum Trail,” he said. “We had two Friday on Slocum Trail, with an arrest in one of them. Possibly the same suspects, we just haven’t proven that yet. We’ve also had a few around Blueberry Road.” Those were in addition to a major theft off Widow Moore Road, and the break-in of the Atkinson Pharmacy. Investigators suspect some of the crimes are related, but haven’t made a determination yet. “Some are who-done-its,”
Rothwell Jacob Simmons
Dante Lamont Hobbs
Patrick Tyrone Carr
Tony Amir Jackson
Ezzell said, “and some we just haven’t proven yet. We always
encourage people to keep their eyes open—if something looks
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suspicious, there’s a good chance it is.” Arrests made in Atkinson, Willard breakins Deputies with the Pender County Sheriff ’s Office arrested Tony Amir Jackson, 315 South Dudley St. Burgaw July 24 and charged him with with two counts of breaking and entering, larceny and possession of stolen goods. The arrest came while detectives were investigating breaking and entering cases in the Willard and Atkinson areas of the county that occurred on Friday. Investigators have also obtained warrants for arrest for Patrick Tyrone Carr of 2915 Willard Road, Willard for breaking and entering, larceny and possession of stolen goods. The charges for both suspects are for a breaking and entering that occurred at 7801 Slocum Trail, Atkinson July 24 and for a breaking and en-
Continued on page 13A