Public Safety

No Arrest in Hansen Homicide No suspects are in custody but Whiteville Police are continuing to follow leads in the March 11 killing of Cynthia Hansen. “We need your help,” Chief Paul Rockenbach said at a press conference this morning (Wednesday), a week after Hansen was killed in her fitness studio at 711 N. Thompson Street. A client arriving for an early morning session called 911 shortly after...

Whiteville Police will release more information about the March 11 homicide of Cynthia Hansen at a press conference Wednesday. Hansen was found brutally assaulted in her Thompson Street fitness center just before 6:30 a.m. March 11. She later died at Columbus Regional. WPD Chief Paul Rockenbach said in a press release that the conference will be at 9 a.m. in City Council chambers. The conference is open to...

Columbus County and all of southeastern North Carolina are under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. In addition to Columbus, Bladen Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender and Robeson are in the watch area, according to the National Weather Service. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable to the creation of tornadoes. A tornado warning means funnel cloud has been confirmed, and is generally issued for a specific area. Be...