Perdue urges General Assembly to reject merging community colleges

Monday, July 18th, 2011, 12:32pm

Perdue urges General Assembly to reject merging community colleges

RALEIGH, NC (WECT) – Governor Bev Perdue called upon the General Assembly Monday to reject a proposal that would merge dozens of mostly-rural community college campuses.

Perdue said the mergers would be an attack on the rural part of the state and be another blow to North Carolina's education system.

"Community colleges are important economic drivers for their individual communities," Gov. Perdue said. "They are crucial partners in growing jobs, especially in rural areas. Local control is essential for addressing local needs, particularly in the areas of job creation, training and economic development. To merge rural community colleges is to move our education system backwards. The General Assembly should reject that proposal."

A report by the General Assembly's Program Evaluation Division recommends merging community college campuses in mostly rural areas of the state.

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Local student wins Woodmen of the World American History Award

Submitted by Ashley Barker, Community Web Producer

Monday, July 18th, 2011, 11:55am

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) — Haleigh Milligan, of Williams Township School, won the Woodmen of the World American History Award, according to the News Reporter.

The award is reportedly presented to the eighth grader with the highest GPA in history.

She is the daughter of Patrick and Melissa Milligan of Tabor City.

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Swamp Loggers cast member to participate in Take the Lake challenge

Submitted by Ashley Barker, Community Web Producer

Monday, July 18th, 2011, 11:44am

Swamp Loggers cast member to participate in Take the Lake challenge

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) — A Swamp Loggers cast member will be the Take the Lake celebrity on August 27.

The committee announced that 49-year-old John Deans, of Whiteville, will participate in Take the Lake X-TREME!

Deans is a broker who contracts the logging jobs on the Discovery Channel show. He will reportedly swim four miles, bike for 12 miles, hike for 3 miles, paddle across Lake Waccamaw for 14 miles and finish up by walking/running a 15-mile trail.

According to TakeTheLake.org, Deans has participated in 20 triathlons.

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Fair Bluff's Columbus Career and College Academy to open Sunday

Submitted by Ashley Barker, Community Web Producer

Sunday, July 17th, 2011, 11:08am

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) — The Columbus Career and College Academy in Fair Bluff will open Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m., according to the News Reporter.

The facility will reportedly offer radio and television broadcasting, culinary arts and advanced metalworking opportunities for students.

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Young man enters guilty plea for 2nd degree murder in 2007

Submitted by WECT Web Staff

Friday, July 15th, 2011, 6:03pm

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – A young man pleaded guilty Friday to second degree murder charges for an incident that happened near the end of 2007.

Connail Reaves and another other young man were charged in the shooting death of 22-year-old Darnell Frink in Lake Waccamaw in September 2007. The shooting happened at Sam's Pit gas station after a high school football game.

Reaves pleaded guilty Friday for his involvement in the drive-by shooting. Marquell Hunter, who was also charged, pleaded guilty in July 2010 for his involvement in the shooting death of Frink.

There is speculation 14-year-old Rashad Jones was killed for being a witness in this incident. A hunter found his body in a wooded area in Hallsboro just three months later.

Santonio Jenrette was arrested and charged in connection to Jones' death and for his involvement in the drive-by shooting of Frink. He is still awaiting trial.

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Not much opposition in some Columbus County races

Submitted by Scott Saxton, News Director

Friday, July 15th, 2011, 4:45pm

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Races in the town of Brunswick Town and Cerro Gordo are over before they began.

Two commissioner seats are up for grabs in Brunswick Town and two candidates signed up - Everlene Davis and Jacqueline Williams Rowland.

In Cerro Gordo, David White will run unopposed for mayor, while Daniel Jenkins and Lisa McKee are running unopposed for council.

There is a contested race in Sandyfield though. The mayor's race with Garry Keaton is unopposed, but four candidates are running for three jobs on Sandyfield town council. They are Joseph Brown, Claudia Bray, Joe Smith Jr. and Azalie Graham.

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Race on for mayor of Bolton; alderman unopposed

Submitted by Scott Saxton, News Director

Friday, July 15th, 2011, 4:41pm

BOLTON, NC (WECT) - The town of Bolton has a contested race for mayor.

Frank Wilson and Gary Graham will face off for the top job.

There are three seats open on the board of alderman and three candidates. Geraldine Bellamy, Eugene Neal Jr and Ruth Waddell will all secure positions this November.

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