Jobless rates

released by state

RALEIGH — Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 83 of North Carolina’s counties in October, increased in eight, and remained unchanged in nine, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Robeson County’s month-over-month unemployment rate held steady at 6% in October, making the county one of the nine that remained unchanged from September’s report. Scotland County also held steady at 7.9% and Richmond County is at 5.8%.

Bladen County showed a jobless rate of 4.5%, while Columbus was at 5% and Cumberland 5.6%.

***

LRCOG to unveil

study results

PEMBROKE —The Lumber River Council of Governments will be presenting elected officials and the general public with results from a broadband demand study conducted on its five-county region Tuesday at 10 a.m.

The LRCOG in conjunction with its members, Robeson, Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, and Scotland counties, and the municipalities therein, have been working on the study which is aimed at improving broadband availability within each of the five counties.

David Richardson, executive director of the LRCOG, stated that, “this session will provide an excellent opportunity for elected officials and the general public to learn about the status of broadband within the region and opportunities to improve that access.”

***

Second-grader

has gun at school

LUMBERTON — A W.H. Knuckles Elementary School student was suspended Thursday after bringing a handgun to school, according to the school system’s spokesman.

An 8-year-old second-grader has been suspended for 365 days after he showed off a gun to another student while on the playground about 1:30 p.m., according to Gordon Burnette, chief communications officer for the Public Schools of Robeson County.

The gun had bullets in it, but one was not in the chamber, he said. No one was injured.

***

Man arrested

after shooting

ST. PAULS — One Lumberton man has been arrested in connection to a shooting near St. Pauls Sunday, while one more remains at large.

Dylan Sirmans, 20, was arrested and charged with felony conspiracy and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. Sirmans was placed into the Robeson County Detention Center under a $500,000 secured bond.

Tymele McCrae, 19, is also charged in connection with the shooting. McCrae is charged with felony conspiracy and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle. He remains on the loose.

From Champion Media report