Before he died of an overdoes, this Pender County man had his fair share of run-ins with the law — but his family and friends believe he was also being targeted by a detective; that detective has been moved to a desk job, although officials say it’s not related to harassment allegations.
Town officials started with civil citations, with each $50 fine costing $500 to appeal. The town then moved to the threat of criminal charges and state debt-collection. Ultimately, the owner of the company said he was pressured into a court order that would drop the fines — in exchange, he gave up his business. So, how did it get to this point?
The Arrive hotel and its restaurant recently opened, but not all of the neighbors were happy. In fact, one family filed suit against the city for approving the project’s expansion.
For some, agenda meetings are a crucial part of governance, allowing elected officials to workshop ideas and get clarity on tough issues before they vote at regular meetings. For others, the meetings — which are poorly attended (and usually aren’t video recorded) — mean government is doing business out of the public eye.
For years, development has grown denser and closer to the army’s military terminal and the rail line that supplies it. Now, after MOTSU took a more publicly engaged approach, the county decided to get their opinion on a new development — which was then withdrawn, with eyes on taking the project to Leland for annexation.
