West Bladen Expected to Name New Football Coach?
 
Unconfirmed reports have Joe Salas being  named the new West Bladen Football Coach, possibly as early as Monday, subject to the approval of the Bladen County Board of Education.
 
Salas is currently the offensive coordinator of the Red Springs team.  He coached for seven years at South Johnson.
 
Red Springs reached the second round of the NCHAA playoffs last football season.  They defeated Midway in the first round for the teams first playoff win since 2005.
 
Salas is expected to replace Pat Byrd who resigned at the end of the 2011 football season after posting a 1-9 record.

Hardee Hunt and Williams Ranked Top Real Estate Team in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., Bladen Native Is An Owner

The agents at Hardee Hunt and Williams Real Estate have earned the distinction of top real estate team in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina for 2011.  They listed and sold twelve properties on the island during the year, more than double that of competing agents.

Thoughts while shaving

Super Bowl Kick-Off is 6:30 PM.  The game pits the New England Patriots against the New York Giants.  The game to be played in Indianapolis. 
 
The Super Bowl prognosticators will be talking non-stop all day long.
 
Hope it's a good game.

Elizabethtown Upgrade Noted in Southern City
Photos courtesy of Erin Kinlaw

Elizabethtown recent upgrade of the downtown area was highlighted in the latest edition of Southern City, a publication of the North Carolina League of Municipalities.
 
Two photos of the downtown Elizabethtown area were included.  The League of Municipalities is the voice of cities and towns across the state.
 
Mayor Sylvia Campbell said she was pleased that the Town of Elizabethtown was included in the publication.
 
City officials recently completed a major renovation of the downtown area.

Norovirus rapidly spreading!!

Citizens beware, tis the season for the Norovirus.  There have been reports of folks in Bladen County that are experiencing this virus.  What is the Norovirus?  The Center for Disease Control states that the “Norovirus is a highly contagious illness caused by infection with a virus called norovirus. It is often called by other names, such as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning. Norovirus infection causes acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines); the most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Anyone can get norovirus, and they can have the illness multiple times during their lifetime. Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States”. 

Disaster Relief Training Available
 
If you have an urge to volunteer for disaster relief, a real desire to help others in time of need, you need training and North Caroliina Baptist are providing the opportunity.  The training is available to anyone, not just Baptist.
 
Rev. Bruce Cannon can provide the information.  Call 910-862-3496, Monday through Thursday and he will assist in arranging to help you register for the training.
 
The next class in this area is the first week in March in Lenoir County.  The cost is $40 per person which includes t-shirt, hat, manual, ID badge and meals.  Sleeping is in a gym or church classrooms with each trainee bringing their own sleeping gear.
 
For more information you are invited to visit two websites: http://www.baptistsonmission.org/Training-Opportunities/Disaster-Relief-Training or http://www.baptistsonmission.org/Training/Training-Opportunities/Disaster-Relief-Training/Disaster-Relief-Training-Region-2-Basic.

Diabetes Educational Meeting

Do you love your kidneys?  You are invited to a meeting about the health of your kidneys and what you can do to keep them healthy.   

Healthy Bladen Lifestyles is sponsoring a Diabetes Educational Meeting, Thursday, February 9th, 2012 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Bladen County Health Department.  

Guest speaker is Donna H. Harward, Director of Education and Outreach for UNC Kidney Center.  

For more information, call Cathy Kinlaw at 876-2403, Carol Strickland or Marianne Valentiner at 862-6900 ext. 5.

Bladen County LEPC Plans for Emergencies

The Bladen County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met Thursday, February 2 and continued making plans and updating information.

Joe Blake of Dupont is the chairman of the committee, Dwight Sheppard is vice chair. Debra Conner, at the Bladen County Health Department, is the secretary. Members of he committee consist of representatives from many county agencies, the private sector and the clergy.

Harmony Hall Activities 

Thirty cannoneers and spectators showed up last Sunday at Harmony Hall Plantation for the first in a series of Cannon Day Celebrations.  Organizers expressed surprise that we had 4 cannons shooting from a swivel gun, like the ones that guard small boats, to a 4" cannon mounted on wagon wheels. As cannons fired, smoke drifted across the back yard of the plantation house and those in attendance held their ears to keep out the loud sounds they came to hear.  Cannon Day Celebration is planned for the Fifth Sunday of each calendar quarter.  The goal for next Cannon day is to have 8 cannons present and this will be held on April 29, 2012.   

Dublin Elementary School 2nd nine weeks Honor Roll
 

Third Grade
Superintendent’s List
Katelyn Hankins
Holly Hester
Sammi Jiang
Andres Gonzalez-Monroy

NSDAR Meets
 
The Battle of Elizabethtown Chapter NSDAR met at San Jose Restaurant recently and celebrated Women's Health Month by wearing red.  Terri Duncan, R.N. with Bladen County Hospital, spoke to the group on Women's Health from the Revolutionary War until the Present."
 
Front row:  Kim White, Brenda Gooden, Deloris King, Margaret French,Gena Anderson, Kitty Cole, Hazel Yarbrough, Susie Prevette.
 
Back row.  Ethelene Barnes, Ann McDuffie, Cecile Bryan, Elizabeth Morris, Carolyn Singletary, Linda Smith, Ina Brown, Dolli Albrecht, Shirley Clark, Terry Smith, Sharon Natale, Joyce Gooden and Terri Duncan.

Farm Bureau makes a difference

An integral part of fulfilling Farm Bureau’s mission is to make leadership development available to our members.  We feel that education is an important component of leadership.  Providing opportunities for our future leaders to obtain an education is important to us.  We are proud to offer the following to our members.

Volunteers are unpaid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless

Bladen County Division on Aging needs your help!  They are looking for volunteers to deliver meals to senior citizens.  Daily routes begin at 10:30 AM and the trip normally takes about an hour and a half.  Currently, there are about twenty five (25) folks who depend on the Aging Department for a hot meal at lunch time.  Are you willing to be a volunteer? Contact Amy Ruffin at (910) 872-6331.

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program  General Sign-Up  
 

Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) Michael Scuse announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.

DCS Motors Supports School EOP's

Valerie Newton

Dr. Caroline Callison resigned as director of the Bladen County Health Department.
 
Charles Lee Campbell, Jr., formerly of Clarkton, was named top advisor to Lt. Governor Jimmy Green.
 
Walter McDuffie of Elizabethtown was named a regional Vice President for the North Carolina Pest Control Association.  

Bladen January Education Lottery Winners Announced
  
During the month of January Bladen County had only four large Education Lottery winners. They were:
 
Pauline Singletary, $1,200, purchased from Food Plus #1 in Bladenboro
Carlton Pone, $2,500, purchased from Minuteman #17 in Elizabethtown
Shirley Henry Melvin, $1,000, purchased from Kangaroo Express #3166 in Elizabethtown
Sheena Fields, $1,000, purchased from 41 Grocery in Bladenboro

Bladen County Fire Departments Receive Grant
 
Congressman Mike McIntyre announced today that the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Department had been awarded a $416,250 grant for operations and safety improvements.
 
Bladen County Fire Marshall Bradley Kinlaw provided more information late Wednesday.  The grant is really a county-wide effort to provide Vipor radios for all fire departments in the county.  Kinlaw said Lisbon graciously agreed to host the grant.  He said all the agencies have a limited number of the new radios.  The grant will provide for more fireman to be better equipped.  
 
Kinlaw said most all other agencies in the county are operating on the Vipor system.  The Fire Marshall was pleasantly surprised at today's announcement.

Traffic stop leads to drug arrest
By Rhonda Griffin
 
Two men were taken into custody in the early morning hours of Jan. 31 when a traffic stop led to a search of their vehicle near South Poplar and King streets in Elizabethtown, Police Chief Bobby Kinlaw said Wednesday.
 
Anthony Frank Wilkins (L), 21, of 1302 N.C. Hwy. 53 W., Elizabethtown, and Samuel Louis Speciale III (R), also 21, of 2910 Lambrusco Place, Fayetteville, were each charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana; felony manufacture marijuana; felony maintaining a vehicle for the keeping and selling of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia, Kinlaw said.

A. J. McKoy Signs to Play Football With Western Carolina
 
A. J. McKoy, East Bladen High School's all time rushing leader sign to play his college football with the Catamounts of Western Carolina Wednesday, the National Signing Day.
 
McKoy with family, coaches and EB Adminstration
 
McKoy was recruited by new Head Coach Mark Speir.  Speir signed another East Bladen Grad, Kevin Richardson, a few years ago, who became an all-conference performer at Appalachian State University.  Speir was an assistant coach at ASU for several years.

EBHS History Club
 

East Bladen High School  has become the 16th school in the State of North Carolina to organize a National History Club.  The Eagles’ affiliation with the National History Club makes them one of 427 chapters in 43 states.  Additionally, over 12,000 students in the country are involved in a National History Club at their local
schools.

The National History Club offers many opportunities to its charters’ members, including a “History Student of the Year” award, Student Leadership awards, and a National History Scholars Society for the top students in each chapter.

We’re Paying Them What?
 
In the next few weeks we will be comparing Bladen County employee 2012 salaries with salaries of employees of our neighboring counties. These counties are Columbus, Brunswick and Pender. The figures we use will be coming from the UNC School of Government. This week we will start with our County Commissioner chairman.
 
COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN
 
Bladen…..$9,026 plus $4,800 travel expense
Columbus…$16,234 plus $1,500 travel expense
Brunswick…$26,000
Pender….$14,473 plus $4,800 travel expense

16-year-old arrested on attempted murder charges
By Rhonda Griffin
 
A 16-year-old White Oak man is being held in the Bladen County Jail under a $1,026,000 secured bond after shooting into a residence on Jan. 7, Capt. Rodney Hester of the Bladen County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday morning.
 
Rodriquez Deion McNeil of 2054 Tar Heel Ferry Road was charged with attempted first-degree murder and injury to real property. According to reports, the owner of the home called 911 after hearing gunshots outside in the yard, but the shooter could not be located when deputies arrived. The following morning, the homeowner realized that the residence had been shot several times and deputies were dispatched once again to the home, Hester said.

December County Unemployment Rates For North Carolina Released, Bladen At 12.6 Percent
 
RALEIGH — Unemployment rates increased in 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in December. Rates decreased in four counties and remained the same in three.
 
“Our focus is helping existing and new employers grow jobs in North Carolina,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll. “Assisting our customers with finding work and helping them through programs at our DES offices and JobLink Career Centers statewide remains our priority.”

Melvin art show at E-town library
 
Donna Melvin has her work on display at the main library in Elizabethtown during the month of February.  Donna retired from the Bladen County School System after teaching 28 years.  Now she has more time to create art as well as teach art classes at BCC.  Her paintings, pottery and stained glass are in the gallery of the library.  When you stop by for tax forms, linger to enjoy her work. 

Bladen County Sheriff’s Office Thanks ED Staff

ELIZABETHTOWN – The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office recently recognized Bladen County Hospital Emergency Department employees for treating an injured deputy.
Sgt. Greg Bullard injured his back while on duty and had to be taken to the ED. While there, he was given X-rays to both his back and neck as a precaution because he had a prior neck injury.

“The service was quick,” Sgt. Bullard said. “They did a fantastic job.”

Bladen Lakes Yearbook Cover Contest

Bladen Lakes Primary School has announced the winners of the yearbook cover contest.

Students were to create a drawing illustrating the theme: “Bladen Lakes Primary School: Our Window to the World.”  The first place drawing will serve as the front cover of the school’s yearbook.  The other finalists’ drawings will be featured on the back cover of the yearbook. Yearbook adviser and fourth grade teacher Ashley Umphress said of the contest, “The students were very creative, and I was impressed with their designs.”  Bladen Lakes is recognized by UNC Chapel Hill as a World View School, and the yearbook cover contest is part of the school’s plan to increase awareness of the world around us and other cultures.

Dixie Youth Scholarship Deadline Approaching
 
The deadline for applying for a Dixie Youth Baseball college scholarship is March 1, 2012.  High School seniors who played at least one season of Dixie Youth baseball is eligible to apply for a $2000 scholarship.
 
Scholarship applications can be downloaded from the Dixie Youth website at www.dixie.org and then clicking on the Dixie Youth emblem and then clicking on the scholarship link.
 
Twelve former North Carolina Dixie Youth players won one of the 70 national DYB scholarships awarded in 2011.  North Carolina has been awarded 144 scholarships since 1976.  The 2011 winners are named under the scholarship link on the Dixie Youth website.

Suspect in 2009 McDonald's shooting pleads guilty
By Rhonda Griffin
 
The second of four suspects in the Jan. 12, 2009, shooting of 19-year-old Jahkee Travaughn Sledge in the parking lot of McDonald's in Elizabethtown plead guilty Monday morning to second-degree murder.
 

Jason Jamar Johnson, 24, is awaiting sentencing in the case after his guilty plea, District Attorney Jon David said in a telephone interview on Monday afternoon.

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