Public Safety

  Law enforcement agencies across the state will be paying extra attention to speeding drivers through April 20. The “Speed A Little. Lose A Lot.” initiative is one of several annual joint campaigns to curb reckless driving. The campaign emphasizes that even a small increase in speed significantly increases the risk of severe or fatal crashes. The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is reminding drivers that speeding...

  Eight law enforcement agencies combined for saturation patrols and a sobriety checkpoint in Evergreen Friday. A total of 46 traffic citations were issued during the operation, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. The operation was part of the statewide initiative led by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NC GHSP) to combat impaired and unsafe driving.  “Collaborative operations like this are vital to keeping...

  Less than 36 hours after a fight and shootout at Functionz Venue and Lounge, multiple safety violations shut the doors on a downtown Whiteville business. “During my inspection I found conditions that constitute a clear and inimical threat to human life, safety and health,” City Fire Marshal Hal Lowder Jr. wrote in a letter to Tamika McCray, operator of Functionz. Multiple gunmen traded shots outside the business...