Life in Columbus

Endowment to fund program at Boys and Girls Home

November 6, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

The Duke Endowment has awarded a $184,000 grant to support the Success Coach program at Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina. “Our goal is to support families once reunification occurs,” said Chief Operations Officer [Read More]

What we need to do

November 6, 2020 Dave Heller Comments Off

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:40 NKJV Election Day has come and [Read More]

Veterans Day event moves to fairgrounds

November 6, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

The Field of Flags and Veterans Memorial Park Wall of Honor will be on display at the Columbus County Fairgrounds Wednesday for Veterans Day.Angela Norris of the Park committee said construction is underway at the [Read More]

Diabetes: A Closer Look

November 5, 2020 Jeff Allen Jones Comments Off

By Dawn Langley, PA This is the first in a series of columns focusing on diabetes management as part of November as Diabetes Awareness Month. Let’s begin with some statistics from the Centers of Disease [Read More]

Church News

It’s turkey shoot time

November 4, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

Autumn means turkey shoot time in Southeastern North Carolina. If your church or non-profit is holding one of these popular fall affairs, let us know and we’ll publicize it for free on WTXY and Columbuscountynews.com. [Read More]

Wright joins SeHealth medical staff

November 4, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

Obstetrician/Urogynecologist Johnnie Wright, Jr., M.D., has joined the medical staff of Southeastern Health and will provide care at Southeastern Women’s Healthcare at The Oaks. Dr. Wright is certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and [Read More]

Hallsboro saw lines stretching to the other end of the fire station at times Tuesday morning. (Jefferson Weaver photo)

County board seats turn red; governor keeps post

November 4, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

Columbus County had a red tide Tuesday night, as three of four county commissioners seats on the ballot saw Republicans take handy victories.The results will not be official until Canvass Day, but some major changes appear [Read More]

The joy of baby goats

November 3, 2020 Jefferson Weaver 1

I can’t recall the last time an election wasn’t “history making” or “the most important election of our lifetimes.” Once in a while, that’s been the case, but most times it’s been far more hyperbolic [Read More]

In addition to electronic calls, nighthunting, dogs and bait, hunters have another tool to use in hoghunting– technology. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has unveiled a new online reporting tool for people to report any sightings of feral swine or damage to the agency. Feral swine, also called wild boar and feral hogs, are an invasive species that cause significant damage to plant communities and wildlife habitat, prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for limited food and clean water resources and potentially spread diseases that pose substantial risk to livestock, wildlife, humans and pets. Commission biologists, along with other members of the N.C. Feral Swine Task Force, are seeking information from the public to better understand the distribution and abundance of feral swine across the state, and to estimate type and extent of damages they are causing, including damage to agricultural crops, timber, wildlife habitats, landscaping and others. Reported sightings will help members of the task force determine priority areas where they can focus management efforts. Education and outreach events, technical assistance staff, loaner traps, and other control measures will be focused in areas of greatest need. “Reports we receive from the public will be extremely important for developing a baseline of information, which we will then use to track how feral swine move across the landscape,” said Falyn Owens, the Commission’s extension biologist. “Changes in the reports we receive over time will also provide a measure of effectiveness of feral swine control efforts across the state.” Feral swine are highly adaptable animals that can live in urban, suburban and rural areas from the mountains to the sea. In North Carolina, they are typically found in isolated pockets, and have been reported in most counties of the state. Commission biologists hope that citizen reports will help them better assess the extent that feral swine are impacting the states natural resources. In Columbus county, hogs have displaced deer in many areas around the Waccamaw River. Feral swine are also reportedly moving up the river toward the sensitive ecosystems around Lake Waccamaw State Park. They root cemeteries in Nakina, Old Dock and Crusoe, and destroy crops around Tabor and Clarendon. Rodney Register has become known as the “Hawg Eradicator” for his efforts to trap pigs across the county over the past two years. He expects to top the 300 mark this fall. Opportunistic feeders and omnivorous, feral swine will eat almost anything, include a wide range of vegetative matter. While foraging, feral swine root into and turn up the soil, causing extensive damage to landscaping, stream banks, lawns, and agricultural fields. On agricultural and developed lands, they cause an estimated $1.5 billion per year in damages to crops across the United States. While feral swine eat a wide range of vegetation, they also eat snakes, turtles, lizards, the eggs and young of ground nesting birds like quail and turkey, and white-tailed deer fawns. Feral swine have the potential to carry at least 30 diseases and nearly 40 different parasites that can affect humans, pets, livestock and other wildlife. Diseases like brucellosis, pseudorabies, foot and mouth disease, and African swine fever are just some of the concerns when feral swine and people or livestock interact. “Simply put, feral swine are invasive and undesirable as free-ranging animals on North Carolina’s landscape,” Owens said. “Unfortunately, illegal releases continue to supplement the growing population, making control of these destructive animals challenging. “In order to direct resources that will allow landowners and managers to better control feral swine populations and reduce the damages they cause to North Carolina citizens, the natural environment and our native wildlife, we need the public to report sightings to us.” The N.C. Feral Swine Task Force comprises state and federal agencies that are working collaboratively to learn more about and manage the impacts of feral swine in the state. In addition to the Commission, current members include USDA-Wildlife Services, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Natural Resource Conservation Service, NCSU Cooperative Extension Service, USDA-Veterinary Services, N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information on feral swine in North Carolina, visit the Commission’s feral swine web page.

State seeks feral swine sightings

October 28, 2020 Jefferson Weaver Comments Off

In addition to electronic calls, nighthunting, dogs and bait, hunters have another tool to use in hoghunting– technology. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has unveiled a new online reporting tool for people to report any sightings of [Read More]

Vicky McLamb is just one patient who has benefitted from COPD programs at Southeastern. (Submitted photo)

COPD events raise awareness of lung disease

October 27, 2020 Jeff Allen Jones Comments Off

Amanda Crabtree, Southeastern Health Last year, two Southeastern Health co-workers, Melanie McKee and Stephanie Smith, helped to organize an event designed to raise awareness and funds to assist COPD patients. Their involvement was in memory [Read More]