Endless Summer!
Free sunglasses with any purchase of $50 or more!
8211 Market Street #BB Wilmington, NC (910) 319-7693
Offered through 8/23/15.
Art at Hot Mess Providing a creative art outlet for aspiring artist of all ages and skill levels, Hot Mess Studios in Hampstead has a new location. Read about the studio and more on page 1B.
Volume 44, No. 47 Burgaw Planning Department update
Incubator Kitchen sees growing interest
513 Roland Avenue Surf City, NC (910) 328-2105 www.shopthebee.com
POST Voice The Pender-Topsail
&
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Ready for football? The annual Pender Jamboree opened the football season in Pender County. Read about the county teams, and the predictions for this week’s opening games on page 9A.
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
Topsail Beach revises town dog ordinance
Young entrepreneurs
By Barbara Hazle Contributing Writer
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher One new tenant has signed up to use the Burgaw Incubator Kitchen and another is in the process, according to Burgaw Planning Director Rebekah Costin. “We have a start up business that will not be in the kitchen full-time. The tenant that we have is intending to use the kitchen once a week and the other that is working on the process would be in several times a week,” Costin said. “Our last tenant left last fall, so it has been a few months with no one using the kitchen.” Costin says those interested in using the Incubator Kitchen can check the town’s website, www.townofburgaw.com for information on the Incubator Kitchen. “The website outlines the process to begin using the kitchen. A lot depends on what type of product you are interested in producing. We allow products that are approved through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and also some products that are per mitted through the Pender County Health Department,” said Costin. “Most depends on what they want to do. If they have questions they can either call me or see the checklist on the website.” Burgaw Taco Bell progress Costin says the Burgaw Taco Bell is making progress in it’s move to begin construction. “They have updated all their construction documents and they are scheduled for the Sept. 8 Burgaw Commissioners meeting for a public hearing,” Costin said. “In the conditional use process, if they can meet the standards and the ordinance requirements, the board is supposed to approve their application.” Bojangles to open in September Bojangles officials are expecting an opening of the Burgaw location in early to mid-September. The 3,800 square-foot restaurant will seat about 75 customers and will be open from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Sundays. The restaurant represents a $1.7 million investment and will create about 50 new jobs.
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50 Cents
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Operating a lemonade stand is a time-honored summer activity for kids. This group in Burgaw was raising money for their school, Providence Preparatory Academy in Wilmington. Pictured left to right is Mary Kate Jorgensen, Peter Jorgensen, Eli Smith and Oakes Smith. The children raised $124 for their school.
Revisions to the Town of Topsail Beach dog ordinance created lively discussion and public comment at the August Commissioners meeting. Topsail Beach Commissioner Larry Combs spearheaded the revisions to the Town’s dog ordinance at the meeting. “There seems to be a blatant disregard for the dog ordinance particularly by visitors,” said Combs. Commissioner Combs shared the story of being with a town police of ficer while patrolling the beach for violators. “When the police officer approached, the male of the couple scooped up the animal and the wife proceeded to go inside to get $25 in cash to give to the officer. She knew what the fine was and she knew exactly what the officer was there for. They waited until the officer went north, then came back past them and again the dog was off leash, and stayed that way all week long,” Combs said. “Most people who come to the beach with a dog understand we have a leash law. This is not an education issue. We need to make the fine hurt. I think we can
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Major travel route in western Pender County
New Cape Fear Hwy. 11 bridge could be open by Labor Day By Jefferson Weaver Contributing Writer The new Blackrock Bridge over the Cape Fear River could be open by Labor Day. “The contractor has said Aug. 27,” said Rusty Marsh of the N.C. Dept. of Transportation. “At this point in a project this size, you can have weather delays or any number of other problems, but it could very well happen. We expect to have traffic on the new bridge just before or after Labor Day.” The bridge, located near the extreme southwestern Bladen-Pender county border, is a primary route for commuters and tourists. HRI Bridge Construction, a national firm, has handled the multi-million dollar project. Work began last week on paving the new stretch of roadway on the east side of the bridge. Blackrock and its companion at Tar Heel were the last remaining steel truss bridges in the area. The replacement project on both bridges began in 2011, but for several years, motorists and fishermen reported being able to see through the roadway on the Blackrock Bridge in extremely hot weather. Built in 1954, the N.C. 11 bridge was con-
structed when fewer than 100 logging trucks per week followed the route to the Riegelwood paper plant, built in 1951. According to DOT traffic counts, 3,900 vehicles per day go through the junction of N.C. 11, N.C. 53 and N.C. 210, four miles northeast of the river. On the Columbus County side, 5,300 vehicles per day go through the N.C. 11/N.C. 87 intersection, a short distance from the Blackrock Bridge. Roughly a third to half of those 9,000-plus vehicles cross the Blackrock Bridge. The steel bridge and the Tar Heel spans are considered architectural landmarks. Blackrock is featured in a number of online and print travel guides, and has been featured in a number of movies and television programs. The steel bridge replaced a ferry that had been in operation since colonial times. The ferry and later, the narrow steel span bridge, were capable of transporting small trucks going east and west, but most traffic had to make a wide swing through Wilmington or Elizabethtown to cross the river. The bridge was called the most modern crossing in the state when it was built,
Continued on page 3A
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Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Ice cream was a popular treat on a warm Saturday afternoon at the Penderlea Festival. See more photos on page 4B and on Facebook.