Mail damaged, destroyed when postal truck catches fire

Submitted by Ashlea Kosikowski, WECT News

Thursday, May 16th, 2013, 7:36am

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – A United States Postal Service transportation vehicle caught fire along Highway 74/76 in Columbus County, damaging and destroying some mail.

The driver reported that there was an engine fire Wednesday night, while he was transporting mail collected from two offices in Leland.

Officials said the truck had collected mail from the Leland Post Office and a contract postal unit in Leland. Customers who sent letter mail and/or packages from either postal location in Leland, NC are being asked to contact the Consumer Affairs Office at 704-424-4422.

No one was injured in the incident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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2 BB&T locations could close their doors

Submitted by Gavin Johnson, Reporter

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, 5:07pm

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The BB&T branches in Fair Bluff and Lake Waccamaw could be closing down, according to Fair Bluff Mayor Randy Britt who said he received a call with the news a few days ago.

Britt said he was told the banks are not producing like they should.

The mayor said he's seen several banks come through Fair Bluff and leave after they reach a certain size and they can't help it grow anymore.

Britt believes the only way a bank will succeed in Fair Bluff is if it's a small, community bank with its purpose to serve the area.

The mayor plans to make some calls soon to see if there's any interest for another bank to come to town. He thinks it's ridiculous people could have to drive nearly 20 miles for a bank.

WECT is waiting on a call from BB&T to confirm it is closing the two locations.

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Police chief who was shot is back on the job

Submitted by Gavin Johnson, Reporter

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, 7:38am

Bolton Police Chief Edward Gillim is back on the job.

BOLTON, NC (WECT) - It's been a little more than a month since the Chief of the Bolton Police Department, Edward Gillim, was shot helping a fellow officer. The man who shot him is still on the loose.

Gillim is not 100 percent back to normal, but he is back on the job.

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Seniors learn ways to stay safe and healthy during annual event

Submitted by Debra Worley, Digital Content Director

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013, 12:45pm

Seniors learn ways to stay safe and healthy during annual event

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The 30th annual Columbus County senior picnic took place at the fairgrounds Tuesday.

The event is organized by the county’s Department of Aging.

Seniors say they enjoy the event because they see people who live in other parts of the county they haven’t seen in years.

The sheriff’s office and healthcare agencies have booths set up to inform seniors how to stay safe and healthy.

The event is organized by the county’s Department of Aging.

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WEATHER: Record cold to summer's hold

Submitted by Colin Hackman, First Alert Meteorologist, Reporter

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013, 7:36am

Near record morning lows (in the 40s) will give way to some warm and sunny conditions as we roll throughout the week.

Expect to see highs today considerably cooler than normal, only reaching the low 70s. As the cool high pressure center aloft stats to move off shore to our east, we will see temperatures moving back into the 80s.

The pattern becomes a bit more summer like and stagnant as we roll into the weekend with zonal flow and not to many potent features this far south. Highs will hit the 80s with some small rain chances into the Friday, Saturday and Sunday associated with the summer sea breeze
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YWCA Lower Cape Fear receives $15, 000 grant award for the fluid recovery program

Submitted by Debra Worley, Digital Content Director

Monday, May 13th, 2013, 9:28am

YWCA Lower Cape Fear receives $15, 000 grant award for the fluid recovery program

News Release from YWCA:

(Wilmington, NC, May, 2013) - The YWCA Lower Cape Fear is pleased to announce that it has received a $15,000 grant from the Cape Fear Memorial Foundation for the Fluid Recovery program, which was developed in partnership with the Pretty in Pink Foundation. The Fluid Recovery program is modeled after the YWCA USA’s Encoreplus program that was created over 30 years ago.

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Weather: Record cold?

Submitted by Colin Hackman, First Alert Meteorologist, Reporter

Monday, May 13th, 2013, 7:50am

A couple of cooler (although pleasant) days ahead as Canadian cool air moves in under a dome of high pressure.

Today, we will slowly press into the low 70s, with tons of sun and some light northwesterly winds. Tonight, we will make a run at a century old record low temperature.

Back in 1917 we hit 44F for the low, I'm predicting 45F for tonight. So you get the idea: clear and cooler weather is expected tonight into tomorrow.

As we move into Wednesday or temperatures will move back into the 80s with some of that summertime humidity returning as well.

Some rain chances are possible this weekend, but with zonal flow aloft our pattern won't be changing much for the last half of the week. Highs in the mid-80s lows in the 60s.

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