Public Safety

Two men are charged with illegal dumping after they were caught red-handed unloading trash from a U-Haul truck Wednesday, the sheriff’s office reported. Jashawn Anthony Brown, 23, of 147 Godwin Trail, Chadbourn, and Shaun Khalil Willis, 20, of 173 Campground Rd., Whiteville, were arrested for illegal dumping, detention center records show. Willis was also charged with an outstanding warrant of felony larceny. Both were held under secured bonds....

A man robbed the North Whiteville Dollar General at gunpoint Tuesday, making off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Deputies were called to the store at 2448 James B. White Highway North just before 8 p.m. The suspect entered the store, displayed a firearm and demanded money from the till. A number of customers and staff were inside at the time. No injuries were reported and no shots...

The most recent update from the N.C. Drought Monitor shows Columbus County and much of Southeastern North Carolina is abnormally dry. Columbus shares the designation with Robeson and parts of Bladen, Brunswick and Pender counties. Despite the heavy rains of mid-October, drought conditions are continuing to worsen across the area. Most of Bladen, virtually all of Sampson and most of Pender counties are listed in the moderate drought...