Beach towns ready,
Surf City mayor says

Island residents whose vehicles have been registered with their respective towns will be able to use either bridge to return after a major storm, according to Surf City Mayor Zander Guy. The agreement was just one of several details worked out between the towns of Topsail Beach, Surf City and North Topsail recently, Guy said. “Anything that can be done to lessen the worries of our residents is good for all of us,” Guy said. Guy said the confusion that is often the rule after a major storm adds to tensions as well as slowing down the recovery process.  more...

Health Dept. to seek interim director

The Pender County Board of Health has decided to seek an interim director outside the health department. Dr. Jack Griffith, the current director, will retire on Sept. 30. Griffith offered to stay on as the interim director until a permanent replacement could be found. The Board of Health said thanks, but no thanks. “It appeared a minority on the board could not handle that,” Griffith said. “I told the board if they would rather have an interim, it would be fine with me. I think the consensus of  more...

Pender County unemployment
rate unchanged

The unemployment rate for July remained unchanged at 10.2 percent for Pender County. Unemployment rates dipped in nearly all counties in Southeastern North Carolina, except for Pender. “I was a little disappointed we didn’t follow the state average and drop a little bit,” said Rosemary Pittman of the Pender County ESC office. “We have a few businesses that have opened, and a few people hiring, but some are still laying off.” Pittman says job-training programs offered by the ESC have generated interest. “Not only do we have classroom training, we can pay for people  more...