Home Care In Burgaw, NC

More than 15 years have passed since Burgaw officials began working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to construct a bypass around the town.

But after a few years, the project fell by the wayside. What’s happening with the proposal now? Here’s what we know.

Town officials were working with NCDOT.

Talk of a Burgaw Bypass first gained support in the mid- to late-1990s due to the amount of truck traffic passing through the town, a route that includes stop signs, traffic lights, and right turns that are difficult for large 18-wheelers.

In 2005, NCDOT officials estimated that if no bypass was constructed more than 1,000 trucks would snake through Burgaw’s downtown area by 2030. At the time, they predicted a bypass could reduce that number by at least 400.

Both NCDOT and Burgaw officials selected a route.

After years of discussion, the NCDOT presented four proposed routes to the public in 2005. A StarNews article from Aug. 5, 2005, with the headline “Burgaw Bypass Selected” noted while residents and Burgaw officials favored one of the four routes, it was eliminated by NCDOT due to cost and wetlands.

Staff with NCDOT selected a different route, one that was significantly less expensive. Both options displaced residents and disturbed wetlands. According to the 2005 article, the route residents favored would disturb 11 homes and impact more than 20 acres of wetlands, and the route favored by NCDOT officials would disturb seven homes and impact two acres of wetlands.

Eventually a route was selected, but in 2007, NCDOT discussed moving from the original route, which would require building over Burgaw Creek, and opting to take the loop from east of N.C. 53 to the intersection of N.C. 53 and Stag Road.

More:A 'no-kill' animal shelter in Pender County goes thrifting to help stay afloat

Over time, the project stalled.

According to NCDOT spokeswoman Lauren Haviland, staff was not aware of plans for a bypass in Burgaw. In an email, she noted sometimes changes to projects are necessary.

“Some projects, once identified, may not meet criteria to move forward or may no longer be needed based on other adjustments to the transportation network,” she said in an email.

The Burgaw Bypass was listed on the Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization’s project list but was not submitted for scoring in 2020. The listed project proposes constructing a two-lane bypass from State Road 1508 west of I-40 to Malpass Corner Road. However, it states the project was not submitted because the town did not support it.

But that could be changing. According to Burgaw Mayor Olivia Dawson, the project hasn’t been at the top of the Board of Commissioners’ priority list. But she noted in recent weeks, talk about the project has started to pick up, including at a candidates' forum.

“I think it’s great that we’re bringing it back up,” Dawson said.

She said most agree it is needed to alleviate the amount of truck traffic coming through town.

“It affects our residents, it affects our businesses, and it affects the character of our town,” Dawson said.

Emmaline Kozak, owner and operator of Burgaw Brewing, agreed the increased traffic is an issue.

"A bypass would definitely help alleviate some of the truck traffic going through Burgaw," Kozak said in an email. "These large trucks are not providing business to the downtown area. Rerouting trucks away from downtown would also make our roadways much safer for pedestrians and other motorists."

Kozak said she was not concerned about the proposed bypass affecting businesses downtown, noting those who visit downtown Burgaw are there to conduct business at the courthouse or shop.

Dawson said she would be willing to start the conversation with NCDOT to bring that project back to the forefront, however, she noted she didn’t want the project to take precedence over other needed projects and added the town is “at the mercy” of NCDOT.

“We really want to work with NCDOT to get those projects done,” she said.

On Saturday afternoon in downtown Burgaw, 24 chefs from North Carolina and across the country prepared samples of their best dish and answered questions about their potential plans and culinary backgrounds – all in hopes of winning their own restaurant.

In the Own Your Own Competition, put together for Richard Johnson and the Burgaw Now effort to revitalize the historic town, one winner will get the keys to a restaurant at 106-108 W. Courthouse Ave. and up to $1 million to build and outfit the space.

The Town Square Cook-off (which took place as a part of Burgaw’s inaugural Autumn Fest) was meant to whittle down the field even more.

Each contestant had their own pop-up kitchen and served samples of their signature dish to 200 community judges, as well as the panel of award-winning chefs, including Christi Ferretti of Pine Valley Market, Myra and James McDuffie of Mema’s Chick’n & Ribs, Keith Rhodes of Catch, Bill Scott of Cape Fear Seafood Company and Kevin and Emmaline Kozak of Burgaw Brewing. A film crew was also there, in preparation for a possible reality show.

At the end of the event, the list of hopeful restaurateurs is down to 12, based on what the judges believe will be a good fit for Burgaw’s food scene.

This week, those who advanced face more challenges, including a review of business plans and working shifts at the judges’ restaurants. Two finalists will then prepare a seasonal three-course meal and a winner is scheduled to be named on Oct. 29.

Here’s a look at the chefs who are still in the running.

Nathaniel Blanford, Cincinnati

His farm-to-table restaurant concept is called Pharm & Sea, which has a “good food cures all” focus. The Army veteran now serves as the culinary director for a restaurant group that includes five bars, two coffee shops, and seven restaurants. He prepared samples of pan-seared scallops with a roasted corn risotto with a blueberry gastrique.

Shawn Buskirk, Holly Ridge

This chef’s concept called Majorie’s is envisioned as a wood-fired restaurant. And he offered samples of wood-fired skirt steak for the judges. He’s spent many years in the restaurant industry and started a private chef catering business in 2018. His restaurant would be a community driven eatery offering eclectic dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he said.

Christopher Carlo, Waterford, Michigan

This chef offered samples of Uovo Ravioli, a dish with fresh pasta that encases a runny egg yolk when you cut into it. He has spent more than 15 years in the hospitality industry. His concept is called Courthouse Cafe and will feature an open floor plan, kitchen, and environment for families and friends to come together and unite over exceptional food and drinks.

Mandy Chow, Wilmington

Supporters of this chef were wearing T-shirts with the logo of her concept called The Funky Wonton. She was raised in a restaurant family and has been a part of the business since she was 15. Since the age of 15. Her concept would serve Asian-American dishes with a Southern flare. She served slices The Crouching Chicken, a sandwich with fried chicken, pickled carrots and Asian slaw.

Matthew Cole, Winterville

Although he now has a food truck serving Hawaiian street food, the chef’s concept Homage, would focus on the food of his native South Carolina. He attended the Culinary Institute of America and has more than 30 years of experience in high-end restaurants. He and his wife Shaina offered samples of smoked bacon and butternut squash soup with wild boar hash.

Zachary Fabian, of Jersey City, New Jersey

This chef’s concept is Fred’s Garage – but he plans to use his culinary education and experience to offer an elevated menu with a modern-industrial concept, an open floor plan, communal seating, and great food, drinks and music. He prepared coconut koji prawns with a crispy rice.

Joe Friday, Toronto

After attending high school in Jacksonville, this chef went on to the Walt Disney culinary program, which allowed him to gain experience at restaurants in Europe and Asia. Most of his career has been in fine dining, at restaurants like The French Laundry and Nobu in Hawaii. This concept, though, reverse-engineers the smash burger – beginning with his own special pickle recipe. He would also serve chicken sandwiches, salads and more in his retro-style diner concept.

Penny Hayes, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

This chef, who also has extensive experience in various kitchen roles including being the chef de cuisine at the illustrious DeBordieu Club in Georgetown, South Carolina, wants to bring a concept called Heritage Noodle House to Burgaw. She and her husband now have the Fire to Table restaurant in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Heritage would feature her favorite noodle dishes (and other menu items) from a variety of countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and China. She served samples of smoky Japanese noodles with crispy pork belly.

Brandon Hunsaker, Escondido, California

In a West Coast-meets-East Coast restaurant, this chef would offer a two-part concept that includes Callie Restaurant, a cocktail bar and pastry shop, with a full-service dinner. His background includes a mix of corporate and "mom and pop" training and currently co-owns and serves as executive chef at his namesake, Hunsakers, in Southern California. He offered duck-filled tamales with fresh pomegranate.

Khristen Hunter, Wilmington

This chef wants to use her experience in breakfast-and-lunch restaurants to offer a concept called Patty’s Corner Kitchen. She envisions is as a community gathering spot serving Southern-inspired, scratch made breakfast, brunch, and lunch. For the cook-off, she offered a twist on chicken-and-waffles, where fried chicken was served on savory cheddar waffles with a spiced honey butter sauce.

Karoline Schwartz, Tabernash, Colorado

This chef might come from another state, but she's rooted in the local food movement. For her restaurant concept called Outland, she would want to support the local community and offer scratch-made food sourced as much as possible from sustainable farms. She started in the industry as a barista and steadily progressed through positions such as bartender, chef, and general manager. Her sample dish was miso pork belly with crispy Carolina Gold rice and muscadine grape gelee.

Bart Weber, Hickory

Although a few chefs served their version of shrimp and grits at the cook-off, this one must have been a favorite. This chef started working in restaurants alongside his father at 9 years old. After getting a culinary degree from the Art Institute of Charlotte, he worked at a number of restaurants and is currently a catering chef. His concept Bistro 110 would incorporate local, fresh ingredients sourced from across North Carolina to be used in seasonal menus, food and drink pairings, cooking classes, and brunch on the weekends.

STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected]

Myra McDuffie and her family and the staff at MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs in Burgaw had a plan. Between moving from the restaurant’s longtime home at Pender Landing Shopping Center to their brand-new building later this year, they were going to serve from a food truck temporarily at their new space.

But the details just haven’t worked out and they were squeezed between higher rent and a long permit delay. So they made a new plan.

“You know, when you get lemons, you have to make lemonade,” McDuffie said.

Instead, they’re taking a summer road trip, or several of them.

The MeMa's food trailer will be representing Southeastern North Carolina at festivals around the state. They’re focusing on those events that draw large crowds of 30,000 people or more and plan to be at two or more per month. Fans can follow along on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages. It’s something they’ve been calling "MeMa's Road Trippin.”

They were at the Juneteenth celebration in Greensboro on June 19, for example, and will be at the Food Truck Fair in Durham on July 16.

“I feel like we can serve good food and spread the word about MeMa’s,” she said. MeMa’s was featured in USA TODAY’S Top 10 Places for Barbecue in North Carolina and was also a 2021 Coastal Entrepreneur Award Winner.

More:From bourbon to blueberries, check out June food-and-drink events in the Wilmington area

Previous reporting:From dishwashers to cooks, dozens have entered this contest to win a Burgaw restaurant

But they’ll still maintain a local presence, too. They have a regular gig at a Pender County church throughout the summer, and will be catering for baby showers, graduation parties, and more. You’ll also be able to find them at the Ocean City Jazz Festival in North Topsail July 1-2 and at the N.C. 4th of July Festival in Southport.

It’s an effort to grow their brand before they move – and to keep their staff working in the interim.

“That’s something we have to do,” McDuffie said.

With that in mind, MeMa’s is planning to launch two other programs in August. One is a monthly Supper Club, where they partner with a different winery for each event. Another is a meal kit service available for pre-order and delivery. People will have a choice of three meats, as well as a vegetable and starch in plates priced per person with enough for leftovers.

McDuffie and her staff served their final meal at their original location on May 28, at an event that drew a large crowd, speeches from local dignitaries and a kite-flying sendoff.

“I feel so relieved,” she said. “There’s a weight off my shoulders. And we look forward to what’s next.”

They hope to be in their new spot at 1125 N.C. 53 in Burgaw in November. In addition to the restaurant, the family is planning to make MeMa’s products like a barbecue sauce and meat rub, which are available at Lowes Foods locations, onsite.

STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].

SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Every Monday Port City Daily shares upcoming government meetings around the tri-county region for readers who want to participate in local government. If there’s an item of public interest, we’ll include that below the listed meeting, too.

Monday, October 23

Belville Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. at 63 River Road, Belville, N.C. An agenda was not posted by press.

The Kure Beach Town Council will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. in council chambers, 117 Settlers Lane, to consider resolutions on the mid-block crossings project and partnership with the Ocean Dunes Homeowners Association. The agenda can be viewed here.

The Pender County Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 10 a.m. in the Dr. Katherine Herring Resource Center, 798 U.S. Highway 117 S to discuss the design build of a new K-8 school. Meetings are live streamed here. The agenda can be viewed here.

Tuesday, October 24

New Hanover County Board of Adjustment will meet at 5 p.m. at 230 Government Center Drive in Wilmington. An agenda was not posted by press.

A Passenger Rail Symposium, hosted by the Town of Burgaw, will be held at 6 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot, 115 S. Dickerson St. in Burgaw. Officials will be sharing their support for passenger rail in Southeastern N.C. The event is open to the public to learn more about the possible restoration of rail service in Pender County.

Brunswick County Board of Elections will meet at 4 p.m. in the commissioners chambers in the David Sandifer Administration Building, 30 Government Center Drive in Bolivia. The meeting takes place at 4 p.m. and the board will discuss absentee ballots.

The Carolina Beach Town Council will hold a workshop at 9 a.m. in council chambers, 1121 Lake Park Blvd. The agenda includes:

The New Hanover County Schools Curriculum Committee will meet at 3:45 p.m. in the Board of Education Center, 1805 S. 13th St. Meetings are live streamed here. The agenda includes:

The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority meets virtually at 11:30 a.m. The public can call in to participate, 1-650-479-3208 (United States Toll), and enter the access code: 2630 495 6894. An agenda was not posted by press.

The New Hanover County Board of Elections will meet at 5 p.m. in the Longleaf Room at the Board of Elections Office, 1241 A Military Cutoff Road. The board will review absentee ballot applications and discuss other election-related matters. Limited in-person seating is available. Participants can also call in at 1-336-218-2051 and enter the conference ID 523 741 403 followed by pound (#). It can also be streamed here.

Public comments can be submitted by emailing [email protected] (noting the board name in the subject line) by Oct. 23, noon.

Wednesday, October 25

Topsail Beach Planning Board will meet at 10 a.m. at town hall, 820 S. Anderson Blvd. The only items on agenda are approval of minutes and adopting a 2024 meeting schedule.

The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Board will meet at 3 p.m. at 320 Chestnut St. The meeting can be livestreamed via Zoom. A few items on the agenda include:

The Leland Parks and Recreation Board will meet at 6 p.m. at Leland Town Hall. Items on the agenda include the Leland Lend a Hand initiative and a public comment section.

Thursday, October 26

Wave Transit meets at 12:30 p.m. at Forden Station, 505 Cando St. The public is welcome to attend in person (virtual attendance is not available). The public can speak for up to 5 minutes each. An agenda was not posted by press, though Wave said it would be released ahead of the meeting.

Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s sustainability committee and long-term planning committee will meet at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively. Both meet at the IT Conference Room at 235 Government Center Dr. Agendas were not posted by press.

Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission will meet at 2 p.m. at the Surf City Municipal Complex, 214 W. Florence Way. An agenda and livestream link will be available here.

North Carolina State Ports Authority Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place in the Board Room of the North Carolina Maritime Building located at 113 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557. Members of the public may join in person.

The Oak Island Planning Board will meet at 9 a.m. in council chambers, 4601 E. Oak Island Drive to continue review of the table of uses and supplemental regulations. Meeting are live streamed here. The agenda can be viewed here.

Tips or comments? Email [email protected].

Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.

PENDER COUNTY — Pender County is shining a light on veteran’s appreciation next month and encouraging residents to participate.

With Veteran’s Day Friday, Nov. 10, Pender County Veteran Services is asking the public to participate in Operation Green Light. The national initiative support military veterans and raises awareness about the challenges they face.

For the second year, Pender County plans to illuminate with green lights the Hampstead Annex, county administrative building and courthouse in Burgaw from dusk to dawn the week of Oct. 6. County staff also plans to post signs to inform the community about the project.

County commissioners adopted a resolution at their Aug. 21 meeting supporting the effort.

“Some of these Veterans came home without welcome and to nothing,” director of Pender County veterans services Michelle Leach said in a release. “Operation Greenlight is so important because it shows every Veteran, Active-Duty Service Member, and their families that their service to this country is important.”

The county veterans services department assists local veterans and their families access benefits entitled to them from the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Pender County is home to 5,137 veterans. In fiscal year 2022, the VA paid $75 million in Pender County for veteran compensation, medical care, pensions, education and other services.

Residents and businesses wanting to participate can swap out an exterior or interior bulb for a green one.

“Shining a green light lets our veterans know they are seen, appreciated and supported,” a county press release states. “While this event is focused on the week of Veterans Day, we encourage individuals to continue to shine the light year-round.”

Anyone participating can share their photos on social media using the hashtag #OperationGreenLight.

Operation Green Light is spearheaded by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veteran Services Officers.

“With hundreds of counties coming together to light everything from bridges to courthouses, we know veterans across the country will see and feel the gratitude we all feel for their service and sacrifices,” NACo executive director Matthew Chase said in the release.

Tips or comments? Email [email protected].

Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.

Don't Overpay for Copies of Your Recorded Deed

The Pender County Register of Deeds Office has been informed that homeowners have been receiving notices from private companies offering to send them a copy of their deed upon payment of a “processing fee”.

If your deed has been recorded in the Register of Deeds Office, the recording is valid whether or not you have a copy in your possession. A copy of your recorded deed can be obtained from the Pender County Register of Deeds at little or no cost. If you have a computer and printer at home, you can search and print at no cost from our website. pendercountync.gov/rod.

The fee for a certified copy of a recorded deed from the Pender County Register of Deeds Office is $5.00 for the first page and $2.00 for additional pages, and an uncertified copy for .25 cents per page.

The Pender County Register of Deeds Office is located at 300 E Fremont St., Burgaw, NC, in the Howard Holly Administration Building and is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.

Sign up for Free Property Fraud Detection Notification

The Property Fraud Detection Notification Service is a free service provided to you by the Pender County Register of Deeds Office. This program will notify you when a document has been recorded that matches your name. This keeps you informed of all real estate transactions in your name…. those you expect and those you don’t!

This free service will not prevent fraud but will allow residents to find out about it quickly.

Any owner of real property in Pender County may sign up for this service online by clicking here. The online form requires an email address. When you click the submit button, a confirmation email will be sent to your email. When you receive the confirmation email, click the link in the email to activate your Fraud Detection Request.

If a document is recorded in your name, you will be notified by e-mail.

This service does not give the Register of Deeds Office the authority to remove, revise or redact the document that has been recorded. It is only to make you aware that a document has been recorded in your name.

For more information call the Pender County Register of Deeds at (910) 259-1225