Tabor City man sentenced for kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 7:38am

Anthony Jemell Grate (Source: J. Reuben Long Detention Center)

LORIS, SC (WMBF) - A Tabor City man charged with kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct has been sentenced to spend more than two decades behind bars.

The victim in that crime was traveling through an unfamiliar Horry County town in May of 2012 when she stopped at a gas station for a soda and headache medicine, and returned to find an unwelcome visitor.

It wasn't until the victim had driven nearly a mile from the gas station in the direction of Tabor City that she noticed someone else was in her car.

The male suspect, unknown to the victim, appeared from the back of her van saying he needed a ride and didn't intend to hurt her. He then gave her directions to turn down several roads she, being unfamiliar with the Loris area, did not recognize.

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SCC nurse aide students graduate

Submitted by Justin Smith, Southeastern Community College Director of Marketing and Public Affairs

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 1:27pm

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Instructors Rebecca Wisdom and Sharonne Dutton(front left) stand with area students who recently completed Nurse Aide I training at Southeastern Community College.

They are (first row, from left)Debbie Soltysiak of Whiteville; Ladonna Rogers of Whiteville; Teresa Troy of Whiteville; Montana Hamilton of Whiteville; Ashlee Scott of Lumberton; (second row) Hannah Goins of Whiteville; Merly McLean of Council; Heather Patrick of Clarkton; Citlalli Vera of Dillon , S.C; Ashley Pagan of Tabor City; Delicia Webb of Bolton; Aundria Brown of Whiteville; Shanaya Johnson of Whiteville; (third row) Stephanie King of Ash; Jarena Garrell of Hallsboro; Shatisha Jackson of Hallsboro; Derrick Breeden of Lumberton; Autumn Wells of Evergreen; Maricel Melvin of Whiteville.

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WEATHER: Scattered afternoon showers

Submitted by Colin Hackman, First Alert Meteorologist, Reporter

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 7:57am

Some more shower and thunderstorm chances move through the region today as the same broad area of low pressure slowly moves east across the Carolinas. That means we will have to watch out for the possibility of afternoon showers and thunderstorms today, and for the western edge of the area pockets of hail embedded within some of these storms is possible – although other than that the severe weather threat remains low.

In what has been an unusual run of days to say the least the cooler than normal conditions will continue today as they have for the entire month.

That's right – after an unusually cool April – so far in May we haven't had a daytime average temperature above normal. I expect this trend to end Thursday or Friday as this system finally moves northeast of the region allowing more seasonable temperatures to build in.

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Department of aging trying to prevent future audits

Submitted by Gavin Johnson, Reporter

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 6:04pm

Department of aging trying to prevent future audits

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Monday night, workers at Columbus County's Department of Aging are planning to tell county officials how they will prevent future audits from the state.

The move comes after a self-audit revealed the county owes the state $68,000.

County manager Bill Clark says, the department was getting paid for services it wasn't providing. Now steps are being taken to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"The supervisor of that department which is the home care department is now reviewing all the documentation that matches up with the billing. Before we actually send in the billing," said Clark. He also says, case managers will have their work randomly reviewed. Copyright 2013 WECT. All rights reserved.

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More than seventy charges filed in sweep in Fair Bluff, Chadbourn areas

Submitted by Scott Saxton, News Director

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 4:58pm

More than seventy charges filed in sweep in Fair Bluff, Chadbourn areas

FAIR BLUFF, NC (WECT) - A combined effort from local law enforcement in the Fair Bluff area earlier this month led to more than seventy charges in Columbus County.

The Fair Bluff Police Department, NC Alcohol Law Enforcement, Columbus County Sheriff's Office and vice and narcotics division of the Whiteville Police Department held a sweep on May 3rd.

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WEATHER: Showers and thunderstorms

Submitted by Colin Hackman, First Alert Meteorologist, Reporter

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 7:52am

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will riddle the forecast this morning into the early afternoon as a slow moving low pressure center advances toward the east coast. Some locations could pick up on a half inch to an inch of rain, while others may just miss the showers all together.

The showers chances will door this afternoon as some dryer and cooler air aloft moves over eastern NC. Highs will briefly move into the mid 70s as the break in showers moves through.

Tuesday we will have another chance at showers and embedded thunderstorms as the low finally exits the coast. Mid week will embrace the return of mostly sunny skies and daytime temperatures back into the seasonable upper 70s and low 80s,

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