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Bladen County
School Menu
February 2010
BladenOnline Hits
February 1 - 6
Total
Hits
2008
19,140
2009
257,057
2010
706,991
Daily
Average
2008
3,190
2009
42,843
2010
117,832
Come
Grow With Us
Call
Bobbie Todd
for Advertising
(910) 876-4884
robert
g hester
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Elizabethtown Middle School Students
AdoptaPlatoon
Elizabethtown
Middle School students sent a little love to
a Platoon of US Soldiers stationed at Camp
Korean in Iraq. Thirty-nine soldiers
received three huge boxes filled with over
150 Valentine Cards and candy.
Students are looking forward to other
campaigns to show their support for our
Troops. AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support
Effort® founded in 1998 is a volunteer based
nonprofit 501C-3 dedicated to serving
deployed United States Service Men and Women
ensuring that they are not forgotten by a
grateful Nation. AdoptaPlatoon strives to
provide a better deployment quality of life
by sending cards, letters and care packages
to lift the morale of Troops as they serve
far from home and assist military families.
AdoptaPlatoon
provides an on-going mail support system,
creates projects that meet the need of
military requests, and establishes special
projects that benefit deployed Troops
representing all branches of the U.S.
military. AdoptaPlatoon also serves
injured Troops through AAP Walking Wounded
Project and assists military veterans who
remain our Nation’s Heroes.
www.adoptaplatoon.org.
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Students personalize Valentine
cards
for US Troops
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Students
prepare bags of cards
and candy for US Troops |
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60 Year Old
Female Killed on NC 87
The body of a 60 year
old female was discovered about 1:45 AM
Monday on NC 87 about 18 miles east of
Elizabethtown.
The body was run over
by at least two vehicles and maybe more.
An auto and an 18 wheeler stopped.
According to Bladen County Coroner Hubert
Kinlaw, Zellas L. Allen may have been the
victim of a hit and run prior to being
struck by the two vehicles that stopped and
called 911. The body was badly
mangled. An autopsy will be performed
to confirm identity.

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Filing for
Public Office Begins
One of the busiest
places in the county at noontime Monday was
the Bladen County Board of Elections.
Filing for local, state and national offices
got underway and will continue through
Friday, February 26.

The lines were long as
Larry Hammond, Election Supervisor, Cynthia
Shaw and Marsha White worked feverishly to
move the process along. (use pic
#2469)
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Elizabethtown Man’s Real
Estate Firm Leads Property Sales On
Wrightsville Beach
Hardee, Hunt and Williams, a real
estate firm located on Wrightsville Beach,
was the top seller of properties on the
beach during 2009. According to THE
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH MAGAZINE, Hardee, Hunt
and Williams sold 14 properties for a total
of $10,705,000. In volume dollars sold
Hardee, Hunt and Williams came in third
among ten real estate firms operating on
Wrightsville Beach.
The average sales price of a property
sold on the beach during 2008 was
$1,024,302. This average decreased to
$944,033 during 2009.
Jim Hardee, formerly of Elizabethtown,
along with Ronnie Hunt and Bruce Williams
are owners of Hardee, Hunt and Williams.
Jim Hardee is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Francis Hardee of Elizabethtown and is
married to the former Beverly Hester of
Clarkton.
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Class
reunion for Bladenboro High School Planned
Anyone interested
in helping to plan the 31 year class reunion
for Bladenboro High school class of 1979,
please meet at the San Jose Restaurant in
Elizabethtown on March 4, 2010, at 6:30 pm.
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What We Are Paying Bladen County
Employees In 2010
The University of
North Carolina School of Government has
released the salaries for all county
employees in North Carolina. We are now
running a weekly series entitled WHAT WE’RE
PAYING THEM IN 2010.
We will be
comparing Bladen County with our neighboring
counties of Columbus, Brunswick and
Cumberland.
County
Manager
Bladen---$99,754
plus $7,200 travel
Brunswick---$172,202
Columbus---$93,500
Cumberland---$181,678 plus $8,100 travel
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Statement
from Bladen County School Superintendent
Greg Killingsworth regarding the death of
Margaret Moore:
"Margaret Moore was a
great ambassador for Bladen County. I
had the honor of working with her in Robeson
County as a teacher where she was an
advocate for doing the right thing where
students were concerned. In Bladen
County she served the school system as a
principal and most recently was the Drop Out
Prevention Coordinator at the District
Office. She represented Bladen County
schools as our 2008-2009 Wachovia Principal
of the Year. Mrs. Moore was a
straight-up person. You knew exactly where
you stood with her and she pulled no
punches. She was always true to her word and
had the interest of Bladen County at heart.
Mrs. Moore's presence will truly be missed
by all in the school system. Our
sincerest condolences go out to the family
of Margaret Moore."
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Cape Fear River
Update
The flood warning
continues for the Cape Fear at William O. Huske Lock
and Dam
3 until Friday evening or
until the warning is cancelled. At 8:30 PM
Sunday, the
stage was 52.3 feet.
Flood stage is 42.0 feet. Moderate flooding is
occurring and
moderated flooding is
forecast. The river will continued to rise to
52.3 feet. The
river will fall
below flood stage Friday morning. At 52.0
feet, extensive flooding will
occur along the left bank
of the river.

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Thoughts while shaving
Good Super Bowl game,
SAINTS WIN 31 - 17
Daytona 500, March
Madness, spring training, a most wonderful
time of the year.
Time to put up or shut
up for candidates, filing time has arrived.
Keep up with who has
filed on
BladenOnline.com.

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2010-2011
Bladen County Memorial Day Queens
The 2010-2011
Bladen County Memorial Day Queens were
crowned recently at Wesley's Chapel United
Methodist Church. The queens mission is to
raise awareness for breast cancer and that
early detection is the best prevention.


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Bladen County
Commissioner Dies Saturday
Mrs. Margaret Lewis
Moore, 55, of 1625 Porterville School Road,
Clarkton, NC, died Saturday.
She suffered an attack
at her home Saturday morning. She was
rushed to Bladen County hospital and
transferred to Cape Fear Valley in
Fayetteville. She reportedly died
Saturday afternoon.
Arrangements will be
announced by
Peoples Funeral Home of Whiteville.
Mrs. Moore was an
educator. She was promoted from East
Arcadia principal to the Board of Education
office prior to this school year.
She has served as a member of the Bladen
County Board of Education and most recently
as a County Commissioner.
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Filing for
Political Offices Begins Monday
A new political process
begins Monday. Many local, state and
national offices are up for grabs.
Filing begins at 12
noon Monday and continues through noontime
Friday, February 26.
At the local level,
County Commissioners, Board of Education,
Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Clerk of Court,
Coroner, Judges, District Attorney and more.
State Senate and House seats will be up for
grabs and at the national level, House and
Senate seats will be available.
Many have announced
their intentions for various positions.
Follow the filings on
BladenOnline.com.
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John Szoka to
run for NC House of Representatives,
District 22
HOPE MILLS, N.C. -- Republican
John Szoka, U.S. Army Veteran and local
business owner, announced his intentions to
run for District 22 in the NC House of
Representatives. District 22 covers
the southern part of
Cumberland
County
including the Stoney Point area, much of
Hope Mills and extends east thru the Gray’s
Creek, Cedar Creek, Stedman and Beaver Dam
areas and all of
Bladen
County.
Szoka announced first at the Hope
Mills
Recreation
Center
at
11:00 am
and at 2:00 pm
on the steps of the Bladen County
Courthouse.

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Bladen Headlines...25 Years Ago
Dan
Allen of Elizabethtown was selected as “Chairman of
the Year in North Carolina” for his work in the
Bladen County Junior Miss Program.
Sew-It-Seams had taken over
operation of the Sportee Plant in Clarkton.
Mark Lloyd Malpass, 17, of Delco
was Bladen County’s first highway fatality in 1985.

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The Raleigh Report
From the Office of
Representative William Brisson
February 4, 2010
The work of the
General Assembly is wide ranging and has
great influence over spending priorities,
economic policies, education, health care
and other critical areas.
The Legislature is
also responsible for working with law
enforcement and judicial officials to write
the state's criminal laws. This past
session, we approved new laws making our
drug laws stronger, toughening sex offender
laws and cracking down on illegal weapons.
These laws help make our communities safer
and help protect our families. A few of them
are highlighted in the information below. 
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Bladen County Sheriff
Issues Warning
The Bladen County
Sheriff's department has issued a warning to
residents. A rash of vehicle break-ins
is occurring in various areas of the county.
Lt. Eric Bryan said
residents should remove valuables from their
vehicles, park in a lighted area, if
possible and be sure to lock it. Bryan
said, make it more difficult for those
committing the crimes.
According to Bryan, the
Sheriff's department is working diligently
to arrest the guilty persons.
The problem began in
the White Lake area but has spread to other
parts of the county.
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Bladen County
Man Shot in His Yard
Sheriff's deputies and
Bladen County EMS responded to a call about
10 PM Thursday evening and found 31 year old
Johnnie Tevel Jessup in the front yard of
his residence at 164 Old Hickory Lane,
Elizabethtown. Despite efforts by EMS
he was dead at the scene.
Lt. Eric Bryan said the
investigation was underway by the Sheriff's
department and the SBI. He also ask
that anyone with any information to contact
deputies at 862-6960.
Bladen County Coroner
Hubert Kinlaw says an autopsy will be
performed.
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BCC enrollment
breaks record…again
Jack McDuffie
Bladen
Community College has set
yet another enrollment record.
According to Barry
Priest, dean of enrollment services, total
enrollment for the semester is 1,774, 17
percent above spring 2009 enrollment, and 30
percent above enrollment two years ago.
This is the second consecutive year
that spring enrollment has exceeded the
preceding fall number.
Traditionally fall enrollment has exceeded
spring enrollment throughout most of the
North Carolina Community College System.
The increasing
enrollment has filled classrooms in
virtually all of the programs at the
College. Nearly all of
the classes offered in the spring semester
were full when registration ended.

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Golden Leaf
Foundation Meeting Set for Tuesday
The next meeting of the
Golden Leaf Foundation is scheduled for
Tuesday, February 9 at 6 PM at Bladen
Community College Auditorium, located at
7418 Highway 41 West in Dublin.
The purpose of the forum
is to continue the Golden Leaf Foundation's
Community Assistance Initiative process,
finalize priority issues and begin
discussing desired results and impacts.

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HOG FARM OPERATOR INDICTED
ON VIOLATIONS RELATING TO HOG WASTE
RALEIGH
- United States
Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that
yesterday a Federal Grand Jury returned a
four-count Criminal Indictment charging
FREEDMAN FARMS, INC.,
and
WILLIAM BARRY FREEDMAN,
45, of Clarkton, North Carolina, with
violations relating to the illegal discharge
of hog waste into Browder’s Branch, which
runs into White Marsh, a tributary to the
Waccamaw River. The Indictment charges one
count of violating the Clean Water Act, in
violation of Title 33, United States Code,
Sections 1311 and 1319; two counts of false
statements, in violation of Title 18, United
States Code, Section 1001; and one count of
obstructing justice, in violation of Title
18, United States Code, Section 1503.
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EMS to
Sponsor Relay for Life Fundraiser
Bladen County EMS
Relay for Life team is sponsoring a
fundraiser scheduled for February 27. A
chicken and rice plate will be provided for
a $5 donation. The event is scheduled
for the Elizabethtown Fire Department, 401
Swanzy Street, Elizabethtown. Large
orders can be delivered.
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Public
Workshop Held For The Town of White Lake
Pedestrian Plan
The
Town of White Lake received funding from the
North Carolina Department of Transportation
(NCDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning
Grant Initiative to develop a Pedestrian
Transportation Plan. A public workshop was
held Thursday night for the purpose of
allowing public input on the Draft of the
White Lake Pedestrian Plan. The Plan
features sidewalks, pedestrian-friendly
crossings, and a multi-use trail.
Greenways
INC., project consultants, presented the
project overview at the Town Hall to a full
room of residents, business owners and
stakeholders.

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2 Vehicle
Accident at Elizabethtown Intersection
A
log truck and a pick up truck were involved
in a crash at the intersection of US 701 and
NC 87 bypass Thursday evening. There
were no serious injuries.
The empty log truck
stopped, on its side, just west of the
intersection. It reportedly had about 75
gallons of fuel on board. 
Elizabethtown fireman
worked to stop the flow of the fuel before
it could reach a stream that could have
allowed it to eventually reach the river.
The accident occurred
about 7:30 PM.
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Murder Suspects
Arrested in Georgia
Two Bladen County
residents have been arrested in Douglas
County, Georgia and face numerous charges.
Kevin Christopher Rogers, 29, of Mitchell
Ford Road, Clarkton and Laterra Shovonda
Ross, 17, of 803 Brisson Avenue,
Elizabethtown are charged in the shooting
death of 37 year old Sean Maurice Lesane of
Elizabethtown.
Lt. Eric Bryan, of the
Bladen County Sheriff's Department, says
Rogers and Ross face numerous charges
including conspiracy to commit armed
robbery, armed robbery, first degree
burglary and first degree murder.

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BCC gets two
new English instructors
Jack McDuffie
The English department
at Bladen Community Colleges has two new
faces this semester. The
new faculty members are Dr. Joyce Bahhouth
and Sara Neeley. Both
have extensive instructional experience.
Dr. Bahhouth is a
native of Lebanon who taught in universities
in that country for many years before
immigrating to the United States.
She taught for 19 years at Notre Dame University
in
Lebanon
and then at the
University
of Maryland
as both a content advisor for an Arabic
online class and as a writing center faculty
advisor.
She has a Bachelor of
Arts in English Literature, a Master of Arts
in Education, and a PhD in English as a
Second Language.

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Chamber Meeting
Set for Tuesday
Elizabethtown-White
Lake Chamber of Commerce meets Tuesday,
February 9th, 12 noon at the Front Porch
Restaurant. The guest speaker will be
Connie Fisk, Duplin County Cooperative
Extension Muscadine/Grape Agent.
All members are
encouraged to attend and bring prospective
members. If you are in interested in
joining the Chamber, and no one has invited
you, come to the meeting and see Dawn
Maynard.
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Upcoming Events
Feb 8.......There
will be a Eagle Scout Gathering on Feb. 8, 2010 on the
Court House lawn at noon. We would like to invite all
Eagle Scouts and community member to join us
in celebrating 100th anniversary of Scouting. Contact
Mark Gillespie for information at 910-876-7394.
Feb. 11...On
February 11, Relay for Life of Bladen County will
have "A Night For A
Cure" for survivors.
The event will take place at the Banner Warehouse in
Clarkton
from 6 PM until 8 PM.
Survivors who plan to attend should RSVP to Shala
Cox by
February 4. Her
number is 876-1240.
Feb 19.... RELAY FOR LIFE FISH FRY.
Delicious fried fish with all the trimmings!
11 am to 2 pm at Zion Hill Activity Center, Hwy 410
North, Bladenboro, NC. Plates are $6 - eat in
or take out. Delivery available for orders of 5 or
more. Just call 910-874-4454. Join us in
the fight against cancer by supporting Relay for
Life of Bladen County and the American Cancer
Society. Tickets can be purchased from any
member of the Zion Hill Relay for Life team or by
calling 863-3208; 648-4864 or 645-6938.
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Jacquelyne "Gigi" Creed-Enloe has announced
her candidacy for Bladen County Clerk Of
Superior Court.
Creed-Enloe
graduated from Harrells Christian Academy in
1992 and Meredith College in 1997. She has
been a teacher with the North Carolina
Public Schools for 12 years.
Creed-Enloe is dedicated to serving the
people of Bladen County just as her father
did for over 30 years. She is the daughter
of the late Dr. Don Creed and Donna Creed
who still resides in Bladen County.
Creed-Enloe and
her husband Mark along with their
three children reside in White Oak.
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Brisson Seeks
Another Term in NC House
Rep. William Brisson
has announced he will seek re-election
to the NC House of Representatives. He
is in his second term as the Representative
of the 22nd House District.
The District includes
all of Bladen County and a portion of
Cumberland.
Prior to serving in the
NC House, Brisson served as a Bladen County
Commissioner.
He and his wife Brenda
reside in Dublin.
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SIGN UP FOR ORGANIC INITIATIVE
UNTIL MARCH 12
Bladen County,
NC
–The Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has
set the sign-up date for the Organic
Initiative to end on March 12, 2010.
The 2008 Farm Bill provides specific
opportunities for organic producers and
those transitioning to organic farming.
North Carolina
farmers who are transitioning to organic or
who are currently certified organic can now
apply to receive assistance under the
Organic Initiative through the Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Under the Organic Initiative, approved
applicants can receive up to $20,000 per
year or $80,000 over six years.
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Black History Celebration
The Bladen County
Black History Appreciation Committee will
sponsor the 6th Annual Black History
Celebration at the Spaulding Monroe Cultural
Center in Bladenboro on February 10, 2010.
The program will begin at 10:00am and
feature various speakers and good
entertainment. A meal will be
provided. For more information, please
call Ann Wright at (910) 648-2138, Nelson
Brownlee at (910) 862-4591 or Thomas
Starling at (910) 862-3179. Everyone
is invited to attend.
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10 year old Kayla
Nunnery continues to battle stage 3 Lymphoma.
Smellie Bloomers
is spearheading a drive to assist in support for
Kayla as she continues to receive treatment.
They are featuring Kisses for Kayla, beautiful long
sleeve shirts for just $20 each, and $13 from
the sale of each shirt goes to Kayla. Stop by
Smellie Bloomers and join Kayla's circle of friends.
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Relay For
Life Fundraiser
Bladen County Relay for Life and Allen
Brothers Hunting Preserve are teaming up for
a fun time for hunters and a fund raiser for
Relay for Life. Enjoy a half day guided
quail hunt, 30 bird package, for two, for
just $400. Allen Brothers will deduct
expenses and share the proceeds with Relay
for Life. A great way to contribute to a
worthy cause and have a good time. For
details, call Gene Brisson at (910) 872-1625
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Filing Fees for
Various Political Offices
Larry Hammond,
Bladen County Director of Elections, reports
inquiries regarding filing fees for various
offices related to the 2010 Primary
elections have been coming to the local
office. The filing period
begins Monday, February 8 and ends Friday,
February 26.

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BladenOnline Hits
Friday - 2/5/10
147,713
robert
g hester
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