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Muscadine wine Turning the sweet muscadine grape into wine – that’s what is happening at Bannerman Vineyards in Burgaw. Read more about the Pender County winery on page 1B.
Volume 44, No. 46
POST Voice The Pender-Topsail
&
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Jamboree Saturday Pender County football teams will put on the pads for the annual scrimmage at the Pender County Football Jamboree Saturday at Topsail High. Read more in sports on page 9A.
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Commissioners approve school bond contracts Contracts with architects, construction managers to begin work on projects By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Pender County Commissioners approved $1.98 million in contracts for school bond projects Monday night. The contracts will begin to fund architectural work on the projects, along with hiring construction managers. The projects Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew are placed in three Commissioner David Piepmeyer groups including the pressed school officials for a time Penderlea School when a decision would be made about project, the new K-8 the Penderlea School project. school in Surf City, and third group which includes the smaller projects at Cape Fear schools, Pender High School, West Pender Middle School, and Burgaw Middle School. Pender County School Board attorney Rod Malone, who made the presentation to commissioners, also told the board the $2.95 million commissioners voted on last month to begin the projects would not be enough to take the projects to the point of being ready for bids. Malone said another $1.2 million is needed to bring the projects to bid. That news was not received well by commissioners. Chairman David Williams was surprised at the request for the additional funds. “We didn’t know about this. I’m hoping there is some sort of
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Surf City board opposes off-shore drilling, testing By Barbara Hazle Contributing Writer The Surf City Town Council unanimously passed Resolution No. 2015-10 banning off-shore drilling and seismic testing off the coast of the town at the August 4, 2015 town council meeting. The Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s decision to pursue offshore seismic testing in the midAtlantic ocean has cities and townships all along the coast examining the potential environmental and revenue impact on the region. Councilman Helms opened the discussion by indicating that no one has a “real clear feeling of the continued impact” opening up the waters to these activities. He stated that the council needs to be in the position of protecting all aspects of the tourism and fishing industries, along with the stewardship of protecting the ocean and beaches for the marine life and people who live there. “Based on what our peers
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up and down the coast have done I recommend we pass this resolution.” he said. Motion was made to accept and approve the resolution by Mayor Pro-Tem Medlin, seconded by Councilwoman Albury and was carried. During the public forum Steve Unger of Hampstead and Chairman of the Pender County Democratic Party, addressed the council, “I want to speak in support of your resolution that you have already passed today that opposes drilling and seismic testing. “This is a long time coming, I am glad to see Surf City has stood up. Our gold is our seafood, our beaches and our recreation facilities. We need to protect those facilities and take a stand when it’s necessary.” Deborah Hill a resident of Holly Ridge, and North Topsail Beach Planning Director, applauded the council’s for passing the resolution. ”A lot of times when people
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Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Stephanie Renae Sharp, 24, died in the fire early Friday morning on Point Caswell Road.
Woman dies in early morning blaze
SBI investigating fatal Atkinson house fire By Jefferson Weaver Contributing Writer A Point Caswell Road woman died early Friday after her home was destroyed by fire. To m my B at s o n o f t h e Pender County Emergency Management Office said the fire is still under investigation. “There are a lot of questions right now,” Batson said.
the fire, according to emergency officials. A storm knocked out power in many areas Western Pender Thursday night, and Sharp apparently stayed home while her companion stayed with friends and the child spent the night with her grandparents. Firefighters were called to the home around 3:30 a.m., Batson said, after a passerby called 911. Firefighters initial-
“The cause of the fire is still undetermined.” The home, located at 5271 Point Caswell Road, was completely destroyed. Stephanie Renae Sharp, who would have turned 25 next month, lived in the home with her boyfriend, whose name has not been released, and their daughter, Armani. Armani and the boyfriend were not at home at the time of
ly thought no one was home, but later found Sharp’s body in the wreckage. An autopsy was required to confirm her identity. A t k i n s o n f i re f i g h t e r s, Pender EMS and Pender Emergency Management responded to the call. Sharp was an employee at Lanes Ferry Dock and Grill, which was closed several days in her memory.
25 birds gone in one night
Chicken theft leaves empty coop By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher When Bill White went out to check his chickens early Saturday morning, he didn’t expect to see what he found – a nearly empty chicken coop. Thieves came during the night and stole 25 of White’s chickens from coops located beside his home on N.C. Hwy.. 210 in Rocky Point. White, a retired teacher who raises chickens as a hobby and gives the eggs away, was saddened by the loss of his birds. “Steal my weed eater, steal my chainsaw, but don’t steal my chickens,” White said. Sometime between sunset Friday evening and sunrise Saturday mor ning, one or more thieves came and raided White’s chicken coops, taking laying hens, a rooster, and a
number of young birds. White said his first thought was a predator, such as a fox or weasel, had taken the birds. But there was no evidence of such an attack. “A fox would take one bird, and a weasel would kill them all. But there wasn’t even a feather in the yard,” White said. White concluded it was a two-legged predator that had taken the birds. “I called the Sheriff ’s Office and said I know you are busy with drug dealers and serious crimes, but I wanted them to know about this,” White said. “They said it was important and sent a deputy out to take the report.” There was no evidence of anything suspicious around the coops – no tire tracks from
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Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Bill White stands in front of an empty coop with a hen that managed to avoid the thieves.