Kemp, Townsend to
face off for mayor
FAIRMONT — The municipal election in Fairmont pits an incumbent mayor against a former mayor who is a member of the town’s Board of Commissioners.
Charles Kemp has been campaigning relentlessly, but it was Charles Townsend who rode in the mayor’s car at the recent Fairmont Farmers Festival.
Kemp and Townsend have deep ties to Fairmont and both have served as mayor and members of the Board of Commissioners. Kemp is currently a commissioner and has served on the board for 28 years and mayor for eight. Townsend is completing his first four-year term as mayor and served 12 years on the board.
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Forums held as
part of search
CLINTON — Progress is being made in the search for the next president of Sampson Community College.
Following the announcement in May of President Paul Hutchins’ plan to retire, the college Board of Trustees began searching for the next leader of the educational institute. As part of that search, the personnel sub-committee held forums Monday and Wednesday to gather input from the faculty and staff concerning the needs and wants for a new president.
The search process began immediately, with the trustees electing to forego services of a search consultant and to handle the search in house.
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Pilot is killed in
small plane crash
WHITEVILLE — A Rhode Island man died at the controls of his airplane Tuesday morning near Columbus Regional Airport.
The N.C. Highway Patrol said George Howard Charteress III, flying a single-engine Beechcraft, left a Florida airport shortly before 8 a.m. heading for Rhode Island with one passenger, Richard Shawn.
Officials said Charteress was heading in to land when the plane lost power and crashed 400 yards short of the runway.
Shawn was treated for minor injuries.
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Kidnapped girl
is found safe
SPRING LAKE — A Spring Lake man has been arrested and is accused of abducting a 3-year-old child and her 11-month-old brother from their residence in Spring Lake. The boy was found unharmed earlier in the weekand the girl was found Wednesday.
Daquan Seandre Thomas, 20, is charged with one count of felony child abduction and two counts of misdemeanor child abuse. He is accused of taking Zy-Rah Holliday from the home about 7 a.m. Tuesday.
— From staff and wire reports.