Each year at the end of the year, the editorial staff at The Robesonian puts on its thinking cap to come up with the top 10 newsmakers of the year that is ending to share with our readers. This year, for the first time, we delivered the top 10 stories over two newspapers, with the first half being published on Saturday, and the second half today, the final day of 2018. We know not everyone will agree, but we look for a mixture of good and bad, and for stories that had the most profound effects on the most people. So here are the final five. — editor.
“Let’s play ball” was sounded dozens of time in July as Lumberton served as the host of the Dixie Youth World Series, a result of years of work that enabled the city to showcase the Dr. Raymond B. Pennington Athletic Complex and provided an opportunity for local youth to compete against top teams from around the Southeast.
The two-week event attracted an estimated 1,500 people, players, coaches and families from 11 states from as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. The series provided an estimated $3 million boost to the local economy that benefited hotels, restaurants and retail stores.
The Lumberton Youth Baseball Association, working alongside the city, led the effort to land the premier event, which finished on schedule despite periodic thunderstorms that the months of July and August always cook up.
“It was one of the best organized series we’ve ever had,” said Ken Bruxvoort, president of Dixie Youth Baseball. “We’d be happy to come back if they wanted us. There were no complaints from anyone. I can’t say enough about how well it went.”
An effort already has been launched by the LYBA to bring the event back to Lumberton.
— — — —
The unexpected deaths of four people made 2018 a deadly year for key leadership positions in Robeson County.
County Attorney Patrick Pait was killed in an afternoon crash on June 3 in Cumberland County, an accident that was never fully understood.
Pait had been hired on June 2, 2014, making his death almost on that anniversary. Pait, who went to the University of North Carolina and was a big Tar Heel fan, grew up on a farm in Robeson County. He was well-liked and a civic leader.
“He was just a fine fellow,” County Manager Ricky Harris said. “He was always looking for the positive in people and situations. He quickly became part of the Robeson County family, and was always able to provide a quick sense of humor in every situation.”
As the year ends, the county board has yet to name a permanent replacement for Pait.
On July 2, Leon Maynor, the longest-serving member of the Lumberton City Council, died after a short illness.
Maynor, the Precinct 7 representative since 1995, only recently had stood before the county school board to lobby hard for the reopening of West Lumberton Elementary School, whose closing he saw as a threat to that community’s vitality.
A special election to replace him is scheduled for Jan. 29, and Eric Chavis is the only candidate to file. The term ends in 2019.
On Sept. 28, Berlester Campbell, the District 2 representative on the Robeson County Board of Commissioners, died unexpectedly at his home.
Campbell had served two terms on the board before losing in 2002 and then was returned to the board in 2014.
“Berlester has served the citizens of Robeson County admirably for more than 25 years of dedicated service,” board Chairman Raymond Cummings said. “Not only a fellow commissioner but a dear friend. He was a representative to all the citizens of Robeson County. Again, our prayers are with the family during their time of the bereavement.”
Campbell had won the May primary and was unopposed in the general election. The local Democratic Party was tasked with picking his replacement, which it attempted to do on Nov. 15, but the state party found problems with its selection of Campbell’s wife, Pauline, and ordered the election done again.
One of those seeking to replace Campbell, Hubert Sealey, died unexpectedly on Dec. 17 of a heart attack, just two days after he had argued for a new election. Sealey, who served three terms on the county Board of Commissioners representing District 2, was a former highway patrolman who was working as a Red Springs police officer.
Sealey’s wife, Linda, has now indicated she would like the District 2 seat.
— — — —
Robeson County residents collectively were thinking oh no, not again as Hurricane Florence began a 10-day march toward the county. It arrived on Sept. 14 and then hung around for a couple of days, drenching the county with about 2 feet of rain and delivering winds that knocked out power, dropped trees and damaged homes and businesses.
The damage was similar to what occurred during Hurricane Matthew, which occurred just two years before. The storm’s water rushed under the bridge at the CSX railroad track and into West Lumberton. A makeshift sandbag berm at the bridge and the fortification of the city’s water plant mitigated the damage. Even so, the Mayfair was once again one of the hardest hit by a hurricane.
The recovery effort seemed smoother and quicker than during Matthew, including at The Robesonian, which again lost its office.
After Matthew, it took the newspaper eight months to return to its Roberts Avenue office. After Florence, staff returned in about two months.
Just three weeks later, Robeson County braced for the possibility of Hurricane Michael, the track for which was forecast for a period to be right over the county. The storm, however, took a left-hand turn and Robeson County got a good soaking, but avoided the worst.
As the year ends, local residents hit hardest continue their recovery, and elected officials on all levels are working to figure out what can be done to prevent the epic flooding that followed Matthew and Florence, with a lot of talk about how the Lumber River can be tamed during such events.
— — — —
On Nov. 5, a 13-year-old girl was kidnapped from Rosewood Mobile Home Park when someone forced her into an idling family vehicle as she awaited a school bus to take her to Lumberton Junior High School. For the next three weeks, Robeson County, and much of the rest of the country prayed and hoped for a positive outcome. Despite those hopes and prayers, tears flowed on Nov. 27 when the body of Hania Aguilar was found off Wire Grass Road.
On Dec. 8, the same day that Hania was buried after a funeral attended by thousands at Lumberton High School, Michael Ray McLellan, a 34-year-old career criminal, was charged with multiple crimes, including rape and murder, in connection with her disappearance. Robeson County residents united in their show of support for the girl’s family. Residents raised $20,000 in two days to help the family with expenses, and a mobile home dealer donated a double-wide mobile home so the family would no longer have to live where the child was abducted.
— — — —
There is something about hurricanes and the Empty Stocking Fund that we can’t quite decipher, but for the second time in the wake of a major hurricane the fund soared to a record level.
We worried in 2016 after Hurricane Matthew that the fund would suffer, but were surprised when $85,899.80 was raised, enough to take care of every eligible child that year, with some money left over. That extra money was used to take care of every eligible child during the 2017 Empty Stocking campaign.
This year, after hurricanes Florence and Michael, the fund raised $87,503. It wasn’t quite enough to provide Christmas for about 1,900 eligible children, but did take care of more than 1,800 when combined with a couple thousand dollars remaining in the fund from 2017.
There were 212 gifts made to the fund this year, with the smallest being $15 and the largest being $7,500. The average gift was, incredibly, more than $410. All donations were appreciated.
We know it is a bit self-indulgent to include this effort in the top 10 given The Robesonian’s role in raising money that the Department of Social Services uses to provide vouchers to the families so they can do some Christmas shopping.
But this year’s top 10 needed some good news, and the Empty Stocking Fund is something that is shared in our community, not only by those who benefit, but also by the people who contribute.
