A burn ban is in effect on Saturday for unincorporated areas of Brunswick County as authorities on the coast continue battling a massive wildfire at Boiling Spring Lake all burning within 100 feet of any structure is prohibited within unincorporated areas The town of Leeland also issued a burn ban within town limits The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office said nearly 800 acres have burned and the North Carolina Forest Service lists the fire as is 0% contained and we are grateful for the dedication of every agency involved," said the sheriff's office on Facebook which started on Friday in the area of West Boiling Spring Road and Sunset Road in Brunswick County has grown exponentially in the last 24 hours In an update Friday night Brunswick County officials said the fire was as big as 200 acres and was considered “100% contained," but dry air and brisk winds helped rekindle the fire One family said they were forced to evacuated Friday night and their hopes of returning Saturday were dashed as the fire picked back up "We were really hoping to get home tonight it might make sense to continue to have a slumber party over at some family's house," said Nick and Rocky Losasso Brunswick County and Boiling Spring Lakes both declared a state of emergency due to the fire and the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office said evacuations are in place for some areas Authorities are investigating how the fire started NC (WWAYY) — Officials say the wildfire affecting Boiling Spring Lakes and surrounding parts of Brunswick County is still active According to Boiling Spring Lakes Mayor Jeff Winecoff high winds this morning caused the fire to pick up again Officials are now working to box off an estimated 4,500 acres as the fire continues to shift The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department reports that the following areas/roads are under mandatory evacuation: Officials have confirmed that the detour route is closed Residents should instead use Pine Road to East Boiling Spring Lakes Road to Funston According to officials South Brunswick High School remains open as a shelter for displaced residents Mayor Winecoff also shared that he is at city hall with other officials Video Central|Live Stream (This story has been updated to reflect the most current information.) FOR THE LATEST ON THE WILDFIRE, GO TO THIS STORY FOR UPDATES A wildfire in Brunswick County that began with five acres on Friday a forest fire broke out in Boiling Spring Lakes between West Boiling Springs and Barclay roads It led to a state of emergency declaration for Brunswick County Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte is currently at the incident command center in Boiling Spring Lakes He said the fire has escaped its containment lines and is burning in both the city of Boiling Spring Lakes and unincorporated areas of Brunswick County Forte said the winds are gusting at 25 miles per hour which is making it difficult for firefighters battling the blaze Forest Service is leading the firefighting efforts and they are putting together a plan to dig "massive trenches" around a 4500-acre tract of wooded land to drive the fire into that controlled area and let it burn itself out "God bless these men and women," Forte said of the first responders He said five blocks of Boiling Spring Lakes are under mandatory evacuation orders he said voluntary evacuation orders were issued for nearly 200 people living near the blaze the wildfire in Boiling Spring Lakes has grown to 650 acres Firefighters are continuing to battle the blaze The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department announced that Pine Lake and Drayton roads are closed to westbound traffic and those evacuating should head eastbound to Funston Road Josh Stein said he is "closely monitoring" the wildfire and reiterated a state of emergency is in place in the city "Please make sure to turn on emergency alerts and listen for evacuation orders," the post stated the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office reported ongoing dangerous conditions in Boiling Spring Lakes in a Facebook post The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department provided updated directives in a Facebook post Saturday afternoon alerting of several mandatory evacuations including Barclay Road Bordeaux and all areas north of Drayton and Robin an updated post from the department alerts residents that Pine Lake and Drayton are closed for westbound traffic and that residents should evacuate eastbound to Funston Those in need of shelter are directed to South Brunswick High School Effective at 5 p.m., Brunswick County has issued a burn ban for all unincorporated areas due to dangerous conditions and impacts from the Boiling Spring Lakes wildfire. The county has advised additional updates will be provided through its webpage. 87 shut down again | 9 a.m.Not long after reopening N.C a portion of the highway has been shut down again according to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office The section closed is between Danford and East Boiling Spring roads the wildfire is 100 percent contained but not out Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte said a wildfire in Boiling Spring Lakes remained an active incident multiple departments and law enforcement agencies remained on the scene through the night to control the blaze and protect nearby homes and businesses Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte said the fire was 100 percent contained He explained crews had equipment and firefighters staged around the blaze to keep it from spreading But he noted the wind was continuing to create issue with smaller fires popping up around the perimeter Forte said they were "making progress," and he did report that N.C and they were able to open another road -- North Lake -- which has been detoured since Hurricane Florence An air quality alert has been issued for much of the area due to the blaze the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources has issued a code red air quality action day for fine particulates and the agency has issued a code orange air quality action day for New Hanover County For more information about these alerts and air quality, visit www.ncair.org/airaware/forecast The latest: Track wildfires in NC and across the country the wildfire is estimated to be 150-200 acres and is considered 100% contained according to a news release from Brunswick County and this status is subject to change based on future conditions There are no reports of damages to or loss of any residences as of Friday night Firefighting crews will remain on the scene throughout Friday night and into Saturday until the fire is controlled The mandatory evacuation has been lifted for most areas except for the following roads Residents are urged to remain alert and follow local law enforcement for any updates or changes to mandatory evacuation areas BordeauxPine Lake Black HawkHuntersBarclayBluebirdGaragePine Lake Road will be accessible with controlled access to allow traffic to return to residences no longer under a mandatory evacuation Residents returning home should keep windows and doors closed and all pets inside Conditions will remain smoky in the area for the next few days Individuals who need a place to shelter due to a mandatory evacuation or who are affected by the fire can visit the shelter at South Brunswick High School According to the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department's Facebook page Greenmoss and Drayton roads have been asked to evacuate and follow the instructions of emergency personnel Brunswick County has declared a state of emergency chairman of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners and the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office are assisting the N.C and the City of Boiling Spring Lakes in response to the fire," the release stated and Horry (South Carolina) counties were also on scene providing aid The news release from Brunswick County advised community members to check the websites for both Brunswick County and the city of Boiling Spring Lakes for updates and encouraged residents to sign up for emergency alerts from Brunswick County at brunswickcountync.gov/email Brunswick County Schools also announced some cancellations due to the fire Both the Brunswick County Middle School Robotics Competition at Town Creek Middle School and the Bolivia Elementary School book fair More people evacuated as wildfire grows | 6 p.m.Boiling Spring Lakes Mayor Jeff Winecoff declared a state of emergency in the city due to the wildfire They included residents along Pine Lake Road and Bordeaux Lane Brunswick County announced it has opened a shelter for residents who have been issued a mandatory evacuation order or are affected by the fire The shelter is at South Brunswick High School the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office announced in a Facebook post that N.C and traffic is being diverted down Danford Road from U.S Motorists are asked to avoid the area and use caution Firefighters battle wind and dry conditions | 2 p.m.Boiling Spring Lakes Mayor Jeff Winecoff at 2 p.m said the fire is about 15% contained with no reported deaths or injuries the North Carolina Forest Service website stated the fire stretched 10 acres noting high winds are making fire containment challenging the North Carolina Forest Service's wildfire public viewer noted the fire had grown encompassing 108 acres and was at 0% containment Trenches have been made to protect residential structures emergency medical services and the North Carolina Forest Service are on site "Everybody's on site working their tails off trying to keep this maintained," the mayor said One nonresidential structure caught fire but has been put out First Baptist Church of Boiling Spring Lakes has opened its doors for evacuees STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest Brunswick County news by signing up  for the Brunswick Today newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@gannett.com Chicken wing fans in Cumberland County have two new reasons to celebrate taking over the former Bojangles building near Methodist University The restaurant chain, which has more than 40 locations across the Southeast, offers traditional and boneless wings in 30 different flavors, alongside menu items like Philly cheesesteaks, fried rice, burgers and seafood, according to the company's website Previous coverage: Chicken wing chain set to open its first Fayetteville location in former Bojangles Just up the road in Spring Lake, The Wing Company also recently opened its new location at 400 S The restaurant announced its opening earlier in April with a live video on social media and promises, “THE BEST WINGS ON EARTH!", according to an April 7 Facebook post The Wing Company has several locations across North Carolina, including Hope Mills, Pembroke, Coats and Lumberton, according to the company's website Attempts to reach both restaurants for comment were unsuccessful May 2 On the web: touchdownwings.com On the web: theoriginalwingco.com Reporter Lizmary Evans covers dining, retail, entertainment and culture for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com Firefighters and first responders from Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Rescue and multiple mutual aid agencies fight a 10-acre wildfire in Boiling Spring Lakes Smoke billows above Boiling Spring Lakes City Hall on Friday Firefighters and first responders from Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Rescue and multiple mutual aid agencies were battling a 10-acre wildfire in the city After fully containing the wildfire late Friday night county authorities are now saying the blaze has broken containment lines The North Carolina Forest Service says the blaze has now grown to 650 acres BCSO has ordered evacuations for Pine Lake Cherry and Bordeaux as well as all areas north of Drayton and Robin A mandatory evacuation order is still in place for Black Hawk The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at South Brunswick High School Brunswick County has issued a burn ban for unincorporated areas of Brunswick County beginning at 5 p.m All burning within 100 feet of any structure in these areas is prohibited County officials say the burn ban will be lifted once conditions improve Brunswick County has also issued a state of emergency Authorities are also asking news outlets and the general public not to use drones in the area; according to the North Carolina Forest Service drone incursions forced the grounding of firefighting aircraft for 45 minutes as the fire continued to spread on Friday This is a developing story. For updates, including important information on shelters and evacuations, visit the Brunswick County website or the BCSO Facebook page NC (WWAY NEWS) — Brunswick County has declared a state of emergency due to a wildlife affecting Boiling Spring Lakes and surrounding communities What began as a small brush fire quickly grew into a large wildfire due to high winds Maribella Moss lives in the area near where the fire first began and she was able to see the fire from South Brunswick High I saw like planes flying around it and it was like reaching all the way over there,” Moss said Evacuations had already begun for the west side of Boiling Spring Lakes as Moss and her family had not been allowed near their home for more than 4 hours Evacuation efforts grew as the fire moved northeast towards Highway 87 which is the main road leading in and out of the city more than 85 units or trucks from at least five counties (Brunswick He said the fire has been a challenge to contain it’s breached various stages of containment and every time we get lines all the way around it “So it’s contained and then it’s not and then it’s contained and it’s not I can’t give you a percentage right now but we’re we’ve got so many units and resources here on the ground that hopefully we’ll have it suppressed.” Efforts to fight the fire came from the sky as well as helicopters and planes carrying water were used to try and slow it’s spread Boiling Spring Lakes Mayor Jeff Winecoff has declared a state of emergency for the city and Governor Josh Stein is aware of the situation Mayor Winecoff spoke about the efforts of the firefighters trying to contain it it’s really unpredictable and when the wind picks up it makes it even tougher for these firefighters,” Winecoff said “So we’re just crossing our fingers and make sure hydrated so they’re out there fighting this fire.” State officials also say a code red air quality action alert is in effect for Brunswick County because winds are blowing smoke towards the Wilmington area The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department wants more people to evacuate due to the wildfire in Boiling Spring Lakes Officials say residents in the area of Nassau please evacuate at this time and to follow the instructions of emergency personnel The American Red Cross has opened the South Brunswick High School Auxiliary Gym as a shelter due to the Boiling Spring Lakes fire Any domestic animals must be in a kennel or crate (kennels will be available from the sheriff’s department) Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, all roads are back open and all evacuation orders have been lifted due to the fire in Boiling Spring Lakes. The American Red Cross was helping people who were forced to leave their homes. As of Sunday, fire officials say the fire is only 10% contained but no longer poses a threat to neighbors. The North Carolina Forest Service Incident Management Team will continue to monitor the fire. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBOILING SPRING LAKES, N.C. (WECT) - According to Megan Kascsak with Brunswick County, the fire is 100% contained as of Friday night. Brunswick County says the first is estimated to be 150-200 acres. While the fire is considered to be contained, it is still an active incident, and the status could change. Fire crews will remain on scene throughout the night and tomorrow. Previous Coverage: Crews are responding to a fire in Boiling Spring Lakes, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). In a Facebook post, Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Rescue says the fire began on W. Boiling Spring Road and Sunset Road. Crews arrived at a scene of heavy fire and wind. Mutual aid was immediately requested along with the NC Forest Service. According to an update with BCSO, U.S. 87 is shut down through Boiling Spring Lakes. Traffic is now being diverted down Danford Road from U.S. 17. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and use caution. In a Facebook post, the City of Boiling Spring Lakes shared that Mayor Jef Winecoff has declared a State of Emergency for the city. Pine Lake Road and Bordeaux Road are under a mandatory evacuation. Other areas around the city are under a voluntary evacuation. The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department announced that residents in the areas of Nassau, Queens, Mission, Woodhaven, Greenmoss, and Drayton should evacuate immediately. South Brunswick County High School will be open as a shelter for those who have to evacuate. The address to the high school is 280 Cougar Rd, Boiling Spring Lakes, NC, 28461. Domestic animals must be in a crate or kennel in the shelter. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office will provide crates for those who need it. Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Rescue says several firefighters have been treated for smoke/heat-related illness. Earlier Friday, the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department told our crew on the scene that the fire was mostly contained but then wind sparked it back up and shifted it back towards the highway. BSL Fire Rescue reports that outbuildings were claimed by the fire, but no homes have been damaged as of now. The City of Boiling Spring Lakes posted on Facebook that the area of W. Boiling Spring Rd. & Barclay Rd is also impacted by the fire. Cape Fear Regional Jetport said in a statement to WECT that low-flying aircrafts are being utilized to put out the fire. The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department says to refrain from flying drones in the area. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBOILING SPRING LAKES, N.C. (WECT) - All roads in Boiling Spring Lakes are reopened after closure due to a wildfire in the area. “We’re pleased to share that all roads in Boiling Spring Lakes are now open, and all evacuation orders have been lifted,” said the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) in a Facebook post. BCSO says despite the open roads, there is still an active fire that crews are working on and drivers should continue to use caution in the area. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that took place last night. On April 29th at approximately 6:37 p.m. deputies responded to Courage Drive for a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they located an adult male with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It was discovered the shooting took place at the Spring Lake Motel, located at 3817 Richmond Highway, and the victim was brought to a residence on Courage Drive. The alleged shooter has been identified and was known to the victim. There is no threat to the public. Detectives are still investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective J.T. Lynch at 540-658-4450. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. The Lakers put runners in scoring position three times but couldn’t send them home in Game 1 Maddux Kipling gave up two hits and struck out six batters in the loss for the Lakers Owen Smies had a double to lead at the plate Oliver Smies got the win on the mound against Reed City We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy NC (WWAY) — Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department is wanting more people to evacuate due to the wildfire in Boiling Spring Lakes Follow the instruction of emergency personnel Anyone who lives North or East of Nassau Road in Boiling Spring Lakes and is evacuating must use East Boiling spring lake to Funston Road Brunswick County Chairman Mike Forte has declared a state of emergency effective Friday due to the wildfire that currently exists in the Boiling Spring Lakes community and surrounding environs Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor Catholic Charities is seeking volunteers to transport seniors to appointments errands and social visits around Santa Rosa easy scheduling and gas reimbursement available For more information, go to pdne.ws/3FaUSGu Support garden efforts for a healing meals program Ceres Community Project is seeking volunteers to help in its organic garden at Live Oak Farms in Petaluma The garden provides fresh produce for meals prepared for community members facing serious illness For more information, go to pdne.ws/40hapwy Cheer on walkers and help out at Spring Lake Council on Aging is seeking course monitors for its Generations in Motion walk and picnic on May 17 at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa pass out water and assist with picnic activities Ideal for students or groups looking for service hours For more information, go to pdne.ws/42Vj1t3 Speak to seniors about disaster preparedness Emergency Prep Help is looking for volunteers to lead educational workshops for Sonoma County seniors on how to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters Ideal candidates are seniors themselves and comfortable speaking to groups For more information, go to pdne.ws/4hg2zKk Help spruce up the garden for a spring fundraiser Giant Steps in Petaluma is looking for volunteers to assist with garden tasks like weeding digging and planting to prepare the property for the organization’s upcoming May fundraiser Volunteers age 14+ are welcome (12+ with an adult) For more information, go to pdne.ws/4i2yn4k Help prepare an organic garden in Santa Rosa The Roseland Lions & Lioness Club is seeking volunteers to assist with outdoor cleanup and organic garden preparation at its Santa Rosa resource center For more information, go to pdne.ws/43IlRUj Help prepare and distribute meals to those in need Sonoma County Acts of Kindness is looking for volunteers to join its team in preparing and distributing daily meals to people living on the streets For more information, go to pdne.ws/4bQBcmy To submit volunteer opportunities, email good.deeds@pressdemocrat.com You can reach intern Eden Collier at eden.collier@pressdemocrat.com A woman faces multiple felony charges after a Spring Lake homeowner was shot and robbed on Sunday according to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury felony possession of stolen goods and felony conspiracy Three men and a woman broke into a Spring Lake home on Gordon Lane on Sunday who investigators identified as one of the suspects was arrested Tuesday and held without bond The sheriff's office is still working to identify the three men who were involved SPRING LAKE — What started as a mother’s homemade recipe passed down through generations has become a full-blown family business in Spring Lake at 8018 Elliott Bridge Road in Spring Lake with a menu of sweet and savory empanadas crafted from scratch and steeped in the flavors of Uruguay He said the restaurant is the product of hard work sacrifice and the shared vision of his family who were determined to bring their culture — and his wife Maria MacEachen's cooking — to the table the same ones that made her a hit at family gatherings and church events long before the storefront existed "I learned from my mom back home," MacEachen "Everything here is made by hand — the dough More: What is a Mexican hot dog, and where can you find one in Fayetteville? eventually starting his own landscaping business MacEachen stayed home to cook and care for their three oldest sons in their family of seven Although the family had owned a restaurant back in Uruguay remained a long-held dream and one they put on hold for years That changed when they came across a former pizzeria for sale inside a gas station off N.C "We didn’t think it would happen," said Federico Lagos "But after we met with the owner and told him our story said the family quickly got to work renovating the space themselves pouring more than $20,000 into the project with everything from new flooring and furniture to painting and branding "It was really a group effort from the family." Lagos said the restaurant is entirely family-owned and operated with their adult children pitching in after their full-time jobs and cousins cooking out in the kitchen and ham and cheese to sweet fillings like Nutella made with care and tradition and baked in the oven said the restaurant is a tribute to the sacrifices her in-laws made to build a better future for their family She said everything from the tables and chairs to the decorations and menu was thoughtfully chosen to reflect their journey and bring the vision of Abby’s Empanadas to life sort of behind closed doors with my husband top five hardest working people I've ever met," she said to see them sort of come into this and bring this into fruition for them was fulfilling and exciting Since opening, Abby’s Empanadas has gained a lot of attention on the Fayetteville Foodies Facebook page especially among locals who stop by for lunch or pick up orders for family dinners Alberto Lagos said the family hopes to continue growing and possibly add more menu items and services in the future which allows them to connect with the community beyond the storefront The food truck opened March 7 and is parked in the parking lot at US Foods at 511 Cross Creek Mall and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to a March 7 Facebook post from Abby's Empanadas "We all came together in order to do that for our parents," Federico Lagos said we were trying to kind of give it back a little bit." Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays On the web: abbysempanadas.com (This story was updated to correct an address.) Break out the foul weather ponchos; it could be a weekend for the ducks with damp air rain showers and shifting breezes in the forecast it's early spring and the weather is quite cantankerous Trout season opens Saturday and the Shark River Surf Anglers traditional kids trout contest is still a go Just make sure to dress the kids warm and keep some hot chocolate in the Thermos There are tons of trout in the lake though between the several hundred the club stocked last weekend with the help of dozens of kids and the 460 trout added by Fish & Wildlife during the two weeks leading up to Opening Day That should help keep kids and parents plenty busy There is no registration fee as the club puts on the event free for the kids The club does request that trout anglers not in the contest let the kids have the lake for the morning of the contest While the contest has lots of prizes to give away there can only be one grand prize to the youth angler who catches the heaviest trout More: Spring Run: party boats land season's first striped bass on Raritan Bay Fish & Wildlife deposited 180,000 rainbow trout and larger broodstock in the many trout streams and lakes ahead of opening day  The rainbows average 10 ½ inches and a half-pound in weight Fish & Wildlife will keep stocking trout after the opener until 570,000 trout are added during spring trout fishermen make keep six fish at nine inches in length per day The daily limit will be reduced to four trout beginning June 1 and continuing through winter 2026 The bass were biting at Union Beach and at the mouth of the Raritan River on the high tide Thursday afternoon said Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Shop in Hazlet said Sciortino said while they're still waiting for the fishery to ignite in Raritan Bay proper anglers have being doing alright in the back bay areas The fish have been mainly interested in bloodworms and plastic swim shads Steve Meserve at Lewis Fishery in Lambertville reported his first catch of shad on the Delaware River on Wednesday night and it returned with three shad and one sucker fish When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor Signup for our newsletter to get notified about sales and new products Return to shop 7 seed Rosemount pulled a mild upset over No 2 seed Centennial/Spring Lake Park with a 3-2 win in the first state quarterfinal game of the Class AA Tournament and Gianna Marchese was outstanding in goal as the Irish advanced to Friday’s state semifinals where they will play the winner of Andover and Hill-Murray Hockey Finalist Sophie Stramel opened the scoring when she banged home a rebound off her own shot for her 29th goal of the season for a 1-0 lead Holzer got her first on a power play at the 9:20 mark  of the third period for a 2-0 lead with just over six minutes to play But Centennial/SLP’s Grace Laager scored on a power play just over a minute later on a nice individual effort finally solving Marchese who had been lights out all game by stifling several close chances by the Cougars But Holzer answered again for the Irish when she skated down the left wing of the Cougar zone and fired a shot that deflected off a stick and found the back of the net for a 3-1 lead The Cougars mounted more pressure by pulling their goalie and Laager added a goal with 38 seconds left on a one-timer but time ran short as Rosemount held off a late surge by the Cougars to win 3-2 and advance in the tourney Rosemount’s Marchese stopped 22 shots to earn the win Click the button below in order to sign into your account to renew your subscription update your payment method and much more.. Let's Play Hockey 524 4th St S Sauk Centre Publisher/Owner: Bryan Zollman bryan@letsplayhockey.com 320-333-3279 www.letsplayhockey.com www.letsplayhockeyexpo.com Privacy Policy ○ Terms of Use ○ Contact .no-prefetch a"}}]},"eagerness":"conservative"}]} Login Username or email address *Required Lost your password? You can call Patricia Archie-Jackson the Spring Lake Betsy Ross She refers to herself as the Black Betsy Ross, a reference to the historical figure considered the first person to sew a U.S. flag. It’s fine either way — neither of these titles is official But what Archie-Jackson would like to see made official is the recognition she says she deserves for being the sole person who designed the flag for the town of Spring Lake in 1978 and conceived its motto From what I saw in her thick file of paperwork I am wondering if the town should consider taking one more deep dive into the matter to settle it especially with our country's track record of erasing or diminishing the accomplishments of Black Americans “My flag has been flying up there for 46 years,” she said In 1978, Archie-Jackson, then a 15-year-old student at Spring Lake Junior High, competed in a student contest to design a town flag, an initiative sponsored by the Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce, which is defunct. In the town’s official version of events, the head of the chamber presented to the Board of Aldermen the flag and motto as "a composite of three student drawings which were derived from the submissions of these students: Patty Adams although it describes the source of the motto as "unclear." She was stung by her daughter’s wordsParts of this account is where history went off the rails She says both the design and the logo were never composites but her ideas alone She believes the story was concocted so that she would not get credit for being the sole designer of the flag She said after meeting with Mayor Vernon Hobson she was later informed that she would share the honor with two other students and cried but felt like there was nothing she could do Opinion Pitts: Cumberland anti-racism event highlights good call in keeping E.E. Smith off Bragg Opinion Pitts: Decorated veteran joins cause of Fayetteville man seeking to clear name Archie-Jackson did not dwell on the situation That's until her daughter failed a Black History presentation in which she had portrayed her mom The family was living in New Jersey at the time The teacher had found the story not credible and Archie-Jackson was stung when her daughter told her she had "lied." But after Archie-Jackson went to the school the teacher called town officials down in Spring Lake to confirm her role in designing the flag Not only did the teacher raise her daughter's grade to an A but she told Archie-Jackson her accomplishment made her a part of history She is married to the military and is the daughter of the military and a former third vice president of the NAACP in Fayetteville King wanted for us all," said Archie-Jackson to be that dream that he was talking about And now I have four grandchildren and I want that dream to be theirs as well." one of the other two winners according to the town history I reached out to a Fayetteville woman I believe is Juanita Yarnell over social media but did not hear back by press time and part of the group that visited Archie-Jackson at school he wrote a letter nominating her for a McDonald’s MDA Star Search award noting her involvement in community activities since Junior High and participating as a Girl Scout in the town’s annual clean-up drives “One of her noteworthy achievements was the winner of Spring Lake’s Chamber of Commerce Town Flag design contest,” he wrote The Spring Lake flag has a vertical red stripe at the hoist and a horizontal blue strip atop a white stripe A seal that includes the motto overlaps a portion of all three stripes An official town scrap book includes a page on the flag contest with all the students' designs submitted and the three “best” flag designs grouped together the top-most one shares many elements with the eventual Spring Lake flag including the placement of a seal in the middle; a vertical stripe along the hoist; and horizontal bars The Spring Lake flag does not really look like a “composite” of the three flags to me; it looks more like Archie-Jackson's showed all three students under the headline “Spring Lake Winners” and said each received a savings bond Two students at the time disagree over what happened in 1978I reached out to Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony and heard instead from Sona Cooper a town board member who said Anthony told her I had been asking about the flag “I was a student at Spring Lake Junior High when they held that contest,” Cooper said over Facebook messenger “The man who compiled everything came to a meeting and explained the whole process,” she said She added that Archie-Jackson “had her day in court and has caused enough trouble,” referring to an unsuccessful 2018 lawsuit that Archie-Jackson had filed against the town who owns a martial arts school in Spring Lake also was a student at the school back then He is certain that Archie-Jackson was the sole designer of the flag and he has helped her in her quest for recognition “There’s many people that she grew up with that went to Spring Lake that know about this I think it’s time to recognize her for what she’s accomplished.” Archie-Jackson's lawsuit against Spring Lake alleges the town violated her civil rights and she sought relief in the form of the town recognizing her achievement on the advice of a friend who said she would not be taken seriously unless she put a dollar-figure on it She said it was never about the money to her because the statute of limitations had expired Archie-Jackson has worked to get formal recognition through several public office-holders over the years Marvin Lucas when he served in the General Assembly Lucas had also served as mayor of Spring Lake Lucas said last week that his staff at the time researched the situation which he described as “somewhat controversial.” “I’m not too sure she had exclusive rights We searched as best we could and there was no recollection that she was the sole developer of that." also looked into the matter and came up with the same conclusion — credit for the design and motto could not be narrowed down to Archie-Jackson alone The late Mayor Clark reached a similar conclusion He wrote to Spring Lake’s Mayor Dobbins in 2018 and said: “After a review of all the available information provided it is my belief that the preponderance of evidence suggest that Ms Archie is the sole designer of the Spring Lake Town Flag as well as the Town Motto and should be recognized as such.” He encouraged the town to recognize Archie’s contribution by passing a resolution Archie-Jackson said race was a factor in her not getting credit but I asked her what about the fact that many people who have considered her claims She said she believes the town has held onto an untrue narrative so long that to change course now would cast a negative light on many prominent figures told me he would research the situation as he promised Archie-Jackson But he said formal recognition would likely have to come from a municipality and his understanding was that she had been recognized by the town along with two other winners he would look for some way under House rules to give her credit I don't know how Colvin or his staff plan to look into it But most if not all past investigations into who exactly won this contest goes back to town minutes or faulty recollections — all of which was shaped by the original narrative of 'three winners,' which Archie-Jackson maintains was fake talking to people still around who were there Is it worth the investment of time and money Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com WHITEHALL – While it isn’t March yet the Whitehall-Spring Lake contest gave us a stellar sneak peek the rematch between these two programs fell right into order regular season success doesn’t guarantee a happy ending—every team except one will finish with a loss a bad dream has turned into reality over the last three seasons The 2022 Whitehall squad’s season was cut short in a 77-69 loss to Fruitport; last year the Vikings fell victim to Spring Lake 73-61 with a heartbreaking 46-44 loss to Spring Lake again the Lakers are 14-10 overall and 6-6 in the OK-Black while Whitehall finishes with a 17-6 record 6-6 in the conference and 14-10—very rarely do we come in here with a glamorous record We feel that the schedule we play prepares us for the state tournament,” said Spring Lake Coach Bill Core The first quarter was a dogfight between both schools Thompson nailed a free throw to start the game and Jaden Core raced down the court to score a layup Thompson scored 10 of his 29 points in the first eight minutes That was until Core knocked down a triple that quieted the Viking faithful Spring Lake took an 11-6 lead with 2:40 left in the quarter but after a couple of Thompson buckets and a three-pointer by Brock Morningstar The second quarter was a complete 180 from the first Thompson drilled both free throws at the line at the 5:23 mark—the first points of the second quarter Sam Bajt and Finn Muller traded buckets nearly back-to-back for their respective schools Reid Grimmer and Kal Koehler followed suit The Vikings had their best quarter of the game in the third but the biggest bucket was Hunter Osborne’s three with just under five minutes left Reid Grimmer missed the Lakers’ final regular season game against Unity Christian due to a neck injury Grimmer scored four points toward the end of the third quarter scored seven straight points to close the third and gave Whitehall its biggest lead of the night Brock Morningstar cut the nets with his second three-pointer of the night at the 7:18 mark extending the Vikings’ lead to seven and a successful 2-for-2 at the line helped the Lakers trounce their way back into the game The final minute was utter chaos for both teams Thompson swiveled his way into the paint and converted a go-ahead layup to take the lead forcing Whitehall to take a timeout with 15 seconds left Whitehall held possession coming out of the timeout and ran through its stars Thompson and Koehler both had a few good looks to take back the lead giving Spring Lake a couple of tries at the charity stripe making the Laker lead 46-44 with 1.6 seconds left Coach Christian Subdon was able to draw up a nicely designed play to try and win it and Spring Lake pulled off a state-shocking upset The Lakers have won six games this season by single digits When asked what makes them able to close out these tight contests Core racked up 20 points to go along with his big fourth quarter Reid Grimmer and Sam Bajt chipped in nine and eight points “We only got a little bit of time because Tracy Ruel… they are a really good team and I’ll focus on Oakridge in the morning,” Coach Core said Spring Lake will continue its playoff run in the district final against Oakridge at Whitehall on Friday Interested in more content from us? Check out our website catchmarksports.com, our Facebook page, or our YouTube page Myles Welch joined CatchMark in February 2024 as a CatchMark SportsNet Intern He would like to become a sports broadcaster or analyst He currently attends Whitehall High School and will graduate in 2025 and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Oh and trailblazer in Michigan Womens Wrestling Montague Bowling has just finished up their season Copyright © 2023 CatchMark SportsNet. Website Design & Development by CatchMark Technologies Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBOILING SPRING LAKES Madison Sayre has been located and returned home safely “The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department would like to thank the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal Apprehension Unit NC and Southport Police Department NC for their partnership to bring Madison home safely,” the department said in a Facebook post The family of a missing 15-year-old is offering a reward for her return as the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department continues to search for her Madison Paige Sayre was last seen between 9:30 p.m She is five feet and three inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds Sayre’s family is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to her return home call 910-363-0011 during business hours or 911 Newly-released 911 calls reveal more details about a frightening shooting at a Subway restaurant in Cumberland County A juvenile Subway employee was shot March 12 at the chain's Spring Lake location on Murchison Road Spring Lake police officers responded around 5 p.m Police said an argument between employees and a customer ended in the customer shooting an employee was charged with multiple felony counts and taken into custody by Fayetteville police Reed was being held in the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond screaming can be heard in the background as a witness calls for help There is frantic shouting in the background There is the sound of crying in the background and a woman yelling profanities we got a gunshot wound to the head," one caller describes and I just saw a customer shoot into the building and shoot our 16-year-old manager in the face," another caller says The caller said a customer shot the teenager and left the building "She shot through the front door," the caller said Another caller who appears to know the victim is screaming with fear as she talks to the 911 operator The caller said the shooter left before the police arrived The teenager's mother created a GoFundMe to pay for medical expenses the Subway employee has had multiple surgeries and will face more treatments including physical and occupational therapy Police did not share the employee's age or condition Anyone with any information related to this incident is asked to contact the Spring Lake Police Department at 910-436-0350.