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OCTOBER 15, 2014 • VOLUME 26, ISSUE NO. 1318
Serving Anson County and the Municipalities of Ansonville, Lilesville, McFarlan, Morven, Peachland, Polkton and Wadesboro.
18
Taste of the Pee Dee - Engaging, Enticing, Entertaining!
On Saturday, October 11 uptown Wadesboro was the place to be as the first annual
Taste of the Pee Dee kicked off at 9 a.m. The family friendly festival sponsored by the
Town of Wadesboro had a little something for everyone. Engaging activities included Es-
cape the Zombies 5K Walk/Run/Obstacle Course presented by the Wadesboro Police De-
partment (Garrett Thomas was the winner), Discover Anson Bike Ride presented by the
Anson County Chamber of Commerce, Timber Sport Competition and a Climbing Wall.
There were plenty of enticing foods, including BBQ by Anson Rescue Squad, Civitan Hot
Dogs and lots of wings, funnel cakes and sweets. A Food bake-off presented by NC Coop-
erative Extension also proved to be very enticing for those who love to cook as well as those
who love to taste! Janice Dennis won first place for her Persimmon Pudding, Betty Hasty
won second place for her Carolina Apple Cake and Minnie Moore won third place for her
Pecan Pie - all proving the local tastes of the Pee Dee to be scrumptious indeed.
Atop the list of entertainers were several local groups and bands who provided music,
as well as other entertainment throughout the beautiful day. The Mixx, the Divine Angels,
Gina Clarke & Family, Sons of Saron, B. J. Pratt, Lucas Gathings and Kyle Leary filled
the streets with their musical sounds. Local baton school group Majorettes by Melanie
performed to a packed audience.
Several entertaining activities for children were hosted - a Kids’ Safety Zone sponsored
by the Wadesboro Fire Department, face painting, a tractor pull (Luke Thomas was the
winner) and a creative squash contest (Riley Jones was the winner).
Unfortunately the night concert and fireworks were cancelled due to rain, but otherwise the day’s
festivities went off without a hitch, and the weather during the day couldn’t have been better.
There are lots more pictures on page 6.
Thank you Town of Wadesboro for the engaging, enticing and entertaining
way we were able to spend an October Saturday in Anson County. We can’t
wait for next year! By Melanie Lyon
Anson County Manager Lawrence Gatewood
Announces that He is Ending His Tenure December 31
With the letter presented below, Anson County Manager Lawrence Gatewood an-
nounced his intentions to retire from that position on December 31. Gatewood’s time
as County Manager is noted especially for his spearheading many needed major projects
in Anson County, including renovating the courthouse, renovating the Belk Building,
guiding the creation of the Anson County Government Center, planning and construction
of the Anson County Emergency Services Center, creation of the Anson Animal Shelter,
and planning and moving toward construction of the Anson Agri-Civic Center.
Gatewood’s letter: “After careful consideration and much deliberation, I have informed
the Board of County Commissioners that I will not seek renewal of my employment con-
tract when it expires December 31, 2014. This is my final and irrevocable decision and
I am truly excited about it.
I want to thank you for your hard work and support, and I especially want to thank the
Anson County Board of Commissioners - Chairman Anna H. Baucom, Vice Chairman
Ross Streater, Bobby Sikes, Dr. Jim Sims, Harold C. Smith, Vancine Sturdivant and Jarvis
Woodburn - for entrusting me with the fantastic opportunity to serve as County Manager.
Sincerely, Lawrence”
Anna Baucom released this response to Gatewood’s retirement announcement: “The
Board of County Commissioners accepted Lawrence Gatewood’s decision not to renew
his contract when it expires at the end of 2014. We are grateful for Mr. Gatewood’s
service to Anson County.
He has served on the Wadesboro Town Council and with Anson County’s Social Serv-
ices Department, as Anson County’s Personnel Director and as County Manager. We
are looking forward to seeing what he does next.
Lawrence’s contributions to county government through his thoughtful planning and
attention to detail have set a standard that your board will continue to work toward.
Please join the Board in sharing best wishes for Lawrence. Anna Baucom”
Pee Dee Electric Announces Community Solar Project
Pee Dee Electric has announced
plans to install a 100-kW community
solar farm adjacent to their corpo-
rate headquarters in Wadesboro.
The community solar farm will have
360 individual panels which will pro-
duce approximately 150,000 kWhs
of electricity annually.
Members of Pee Dee Electric
will have the opportunity to pur-
chase individual panels and then
sell the power produced by the
panels back to the cooperative
each month. Participants of the
project will receive a credit on
their electric bill for their pro rata share of the output of the solar farm. In addi-
tion, Pee Dee Electric will maintain the panels and insurance requirements for
the solar farm, eliminating a costly burden for the member.
“Pee Dee Electric’s Community Solar Farm offers several advantages to our members,”
stated Donnie Spivey, CEO of Pee Dee Electric. “By grouping solar panels together in
a solar farm, members will benefit from economies of scale that is often times not attain-
able when panels are installed individually. The Community Solar Farm approach elim-
inates certain barriers that prevent individuals from installing solar at their homes, such
as tree shading, roof size and weight restrictions, availability of land, or not owning the
home where you reside.”
Pee Dee Electric, in conjunction with electric cooperatives across the nation, has long
advocated for a balanced approach to electric power generation that encompasses elec-
tricity generated from nuclear, clean coal, natural gas and renewable resources. Pee Dee
Electric’s Community Solar Farm supports this type of ‘All of the Above’ strategy by pro-
moting the use of a renewable resource - solar power.
Clearing and grading of the land has begun and site preparation is underway. Con-
struction of the solar farm will begin in mid-November to early December, with a targeted
completion date for the end of 2014.
Details of the project, such as cost of the panels, contract terms, etc. are still being fi-
nalized. Members of Pee Dee Electric who are interested in learning more about the
Community Solar Farm are asked to contact Todd Moore at 704-694-7607, or email
their questions and interest to solar@pdemc.com.
Pee Dee Electric is a not-for-profit cooperative whose goal is to provide reliable, de-
pendable electric service for its members while focusing on value, quality customer service,
and enhancing life in the communities we serve. Pee Dee’s service area consists of
Anson, Richmond, Union, Stanly, Montgomery, Moore, and Scotland counties. For
more information about Pee Dee Electric please visit www.pdemc.com.
Freddie Paxton Awarded Jail Administrator of the Year
On September 24 Anson County Jail Admin-
istrator Capt. Freddie Paxton was recognized
and awarded the Jail Administrator of the Year
for 2014 by the North Carolina Jail Administra-
tors’ Association. The presentation was made
at their annual training conference in Greens-
boro. The Jail Administrators’ Association is
made up of the 100 plus county jail administra-
tors and senior jail staff across North Carolina.
The Association recognizes one of their own
each year who has been nominated by their jail
staff and recommended by their Sheriff for
“meritorious service and major accomplish-
ments that enhances the overall operations of
their county facility.”
Sheriff Tommy Allen, who attended the
evening ceremony, said that he was most
pleased with Paxton’s recognition by his peers.
“Capt. Paxton has been my jail administrator
since 2006. He has improved every aspect of
our jail operations and continues to meet all
local, state and federal standards for a facility this age and size,” said Sheriff Allen. “He
has implemented all new policy and procedures in the jail; overseen a complete renova-
tion of the main control room and holding cell area; updated medical and sick call pro-
cedures; implemented a “cashless” bookkeeping system; set up a new food service
contractor and upgraded the jail’s computer and security camera systems. Those are all
complicated tasks. The county could not ask for a more loyal, dedicated, hard-working
and well informed employee. I’m fortunate to have someone of his caliber.”
Capt. Paxton has been in law enforcement since 1993 and a Sheriff’s Deputy since
1996. In addition to his jail administrator duties, Paxton is a member of the Anson
County Board of Elections, a member of the Morven Volunteer Fire Department, Kilwin-
ning Masonic Lodge #64 and a Deacon in his church.
Vets Appreciation Night at AHS Football Game October 24
In honor of veterans and their special guests, Anson County Schools and Woodmen of
the World extend an invitation to join them at Anson High School Stadium for a special
“pregame” ceremony on Friday, October 24. Anson High School takes on the Cuth-
bertson Cavaliers. The Anson High School Marching Band and the J.R.O.T.C. will con-
duct the “Presentation of Colors” utilizing a 60 x 100 US Flag.
There will also be a tailgating for veterans starting at 6 p.m.
Veterans and special guests are asked to use the entrance located off Highway 74, di-
rectly across from Wal-Mart.
Veterans who plan to attend are asked to RSVP before October 17 by calling
704-694-2631.
Friday Night
Football Game
Postponed
Until Monday
The Anson High School ver-
sus Piedmont football game
scheduled for this Friday, Oc-
tober 17 has been rescheduled
to Monday, October 20. The
game will be played at Pied-
mont High School at 6:30
p.m. The Junior Varsity game
scheduled for this Thursday
has been canceled.
Ron Massey, Piedmont
High School’s Head Football
Coach, died of an apparent
heart attack on Saturday,
October 11 at the age of 56.
Anson Athletics extends
condolences to Ron
Massey’s family and to Pied-
mont High School Athletics.
Chamber
Members Invited
to Business After
Hours at Anson
Health & Rehab
Anson Health & Rehabili-
tation and the Anson
County Chamber of Com-
merce cordially invite Cham-
ber members to attend a
Business After Hours on
Thursday, October 16, from
4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The
event will take place at
Anson Health & Rehab, lo-
cated at 405 South Greene
Street in Wadesboro. The
facility was formerly known
as Lillie Bennett.
This will be an opportu-
nity to meet Marketing Di-
rector Debbie Malarz and all
the staff, take a tour of the
facility, and enjoy beer, wine
and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Rabies
Vaccination Clinic
The fall Rabies Vaccina-
tion Clinic will be held on
Saturday, October 18 at
Brown Creek Animal Hospi-
tal, on Highway 74 in Polk-
ton, from 2 to 5 p.m. All
dogs, cats and ferrets that
are four months of age or
older must have a current ra-
bies vaccination that is ad-
ministered by a licensed
veterinarian.
Groups Petition EPA to Oppose
Natural Gas Permit in Wadesboro
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and Pee
Dee WALL have filed a petition with the US Environmental
Protection Agency opposing the natural gas pipeline com-
pressor in Wadesboro. The petition calls upon the EPA to
revoke the permit issued by the NC Department of Air
Quality in September because it allows excess toxic pollu-
tion levels. The plant is operated by Piedmont Natural Gas.
Lou Zeller, Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Environ-
mental Defense League, explained that his group took ac-
tion under Clean Air Act Section 505 because the state
had failed to heed earlier requests. He said, “We filed our
petition to the EPA in part because the state’s permit al-
lows 17,560 pounds of formaldehyde to be emitted into
the air over Wadesboro annually.” Formaldehyde is a toxic
gas dangerous to human health. Zeller continued, “Not
only is pollution from the plant excessive, it places a dis-
proportionate burden on low income and minority popu-
lations.” The petition calls for a cumulative impact analysis
of pollution in Anson County.
Denise Lee, President of Pee Dee WALL, agreed saying,
“This is one of the many threats to Anson County's environ-
ment. The industry is relying on the citizens’ lack of knowl-
edge so they can push this on us. We will not be silent.”
The groups’ petition points to studies showing historic pat-
terns of high pollution in at-risk communities and faults the
DAQ with not performing an environmental justice analysis.
Cary Rodgers, the League’s environmental justice com-
munity organizer, sees the permit as an example how
North Carolina is trying to deregulate pollution. He said,
“It appears that DAQ is cooking the books in order to allow
energy companies to profit.” Last month the League filed
a similar petition against a Duke Energy Progress gas-pow-
ered electric plant in neighboring Richmond County.
Rodgers added, “People have no clue that PNG is ap-
proved to dump tons of toxic cancer causing pollutants in
their air. EPA needs to revoke this permit.”
Rodgers associated the compressor with a larger issue.
He said, “This plant is related to fracking issue in Anson
County.” He said that once the gas is extracted from the
earth, it is transported in trucks, compressed and delivered
by pipelines to be burned for heat and power. At each
stage in this process, pollution is created. “This is an ex-
ample how they are setting up and expanding the infra-
structure for gas.”
Rodgers and Lee encourage all Anson County residents to
attend the next anti-fracking meeting at Hampton B. Allen
Library at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 13.
The Piedmont Natural Gas compressor station is located
on Pleasant Grove Church Road in Wadesboro. Power for
the compressor is provided by eight natural gas-fired inter-
nal combustion engines, each rated at 4,735 horsepower.
The petition was filed on October 3; the EPA has 60
days to respond.
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League was
founded in 1984 and has chapters in six states. Its local
chapter Pee Dee W.A.L.L. (Protecting our Water, Air, Land
and Lives), formally Anson County CACTUS (Citizens
Against Chemical Toxins and Underground Storage) was
organized in 1982.
Wadesboro Council Meeting is Thursday
The Wadesboro Town Council meeting that had been
scheduled for Thursday, October 9 has been rescheduled
for this Thursday, October 16 at 3 p.m. at Town Hall.
This special meeting has been called to view a demo of
an automated garbage truck. The public is invited to at-
tend. However, any members of the public need to be at
the Town Hall by 2:50 p.m. to be shuttled to Wadesboro’s
public works yard for safety reasons.
