Earthquake in Sparta, NC
According to earthquake.usgs.gov, there was a 5.1 Earthquake in Sparta, NC, on Sunday, August 9.
Volcanodiscovery.com is asking, “Did you feel the earthquake? Submit an I-felt-it report!”
Latest “I-felt-it” reports about this quake:
Hickory, NC, Mountainview area: I was sleeping and woke up to my bed shaking. (MMI IV (Light shaking)) READ MORE
Opinion: Thoughts While Shaving for August 9
Woke myself up early this AM … Dreamed I had youngsters in-public school. If you were for a ‘virtual back to school’, I was opposed. If you were opposed, I was for it … Ever play such a role or seen others doing that?’ Troublemakers!!!!! Shoot, makes no difference to me … At my age, my role is to help pay for back to school … by paying my taxes … My baby boys are 51 and 58 … and my grandchildren have graduated from college… READ MORE
Veteran Services in Bladen County
Veteran Services Director, Larry Hammond sat down with BladenOnline to remind Veterans and their families about services available in Bladen County. Veterans may receive assistance by visiting the Veteran Services office located at 300 Mercer Mill Road in Elizabethtown. READ MORE
Bladen County Schools Announce Teachers of the Year
As teachers prepare to begin the 2020-2021 school year, Bladen County Schools announces the school-level Teachers of the Year and the county-level Teacher of the Year. READ MORE
Extremes for Bladen County on August 9
Highest Temperature 104 degrees 2007
Lowest Temperature 53 degrees 2004
Greatest One-Day
Precipitation 2.25 inches 1952
Yesterday’s High Temperature was 90 degrees.
This Day in History for August 9
1936 – Jesse Owens is part of the American 4 x 100m relay team that wins gold in world record (39.8) at the Berlin Olympics; his 4th gold medal of the Games.
1944 – Smokey Bear debuts as spokesman for fire prevention.
1974 – Richard Nixon resigns as President of the United States and Vice President Gerald Ford swears the oath of office to take his place as the 38th US President. READ MORE
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
Candidates file at Bladen County Board of Elections
By Charlotte Smith
According to Chris Williams, Director of the Bladen County Board of Elections, there was one filing today for the unexpired term of Mr. Russell Priest. He stated in an email; the Republican Party nominated Mr. Cameron Lee McGill (R) who lives in District 3 as required to be put on the ballot. Williams explained, the filing fee is not required, but McGill is subject to campaign financing. READ MORE
Announcements
Dublin Has Long Agenda, Thorny Issues
By Blake Proctor
With the County canceling its August 3rd meeting due to Tropical Storm Isaias, the Dublin Commission retained its earliest-in-the-county status with its meeting August 6th with all Commissioners in attendance. After gaveling the meeting to order at 6pm, Mayor Darryl Dowless provided the invocation, and the Board got down to a thirteen-item agenda.
Following approval of July’s meeting minutes, and there being no guests nor citizen input, the first items were the continuing concerns of opening Town Hall and the Community Center to the public. READ MORE
Opinion: Two Bladen County Children Die from Neglect
Many are talking about COVID-19 this year, and rightfully, it should be a topic of discussion. Many have been sick, and some have died due to the illness. It is important to safeguard our community members as much as possible, but keep in mind that since the COVID-19 Pandemic hit North Carolina, no one under the age of 24 died from the virus in the state. No one under 50 years of age has died from the virus in Bladen County. READ MORE
Roundtable Committee, Many Hearts One Beat Making a Difference
Law enforcement, minority leaders, and other civic-minded individuals held a committee meeting this week to solve issues facing the mother county.
Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker said he was excited about the opportunity to work with the community to make a positive change. READ MORE
NCDOT’s Weekly Cash Watch Report
RALEIGH – To be open and transparent and to comply with Session Law 2019-251 of the N.C. General Assembly, the N.C. Department of Transportation will issue a news release each Friday publishing the weekly “NCDOT Cash Watch Numbers” report, which is a snapshot of NCDOT expenditures.
For holidays when NCDOT offices are closed, the release and report will be published on the closest business day. READ MORE
Bladen Community College Hosting Special Registration Days
On Wednesday, August 12 and Thursday, August 13 th during the hours of 9am until 7pm, those interested in registering for Fall 2020 classes at Bladen Community College will have the opportunity to complete their application, financial aid forms, and register for classes all in one visit on campus.
“It’s one-stop shopping at its best,” said Barry Priest, vice-president of Student Services at Bladen Community College. READ MORE
Bladen Community College Offers training IT Credential
Bladen Community College is offering a new 100% online credential that allows students to learn at home and potentially find work from home or upskill to find employment.
The IT Support Technician credential is designed in response to the United States Department of Labor 2018 report that projects a 10% growth for ‘Computer Support Specialist’ roles from 2018 – 2028. This growth rate is faster than average for all occupations. READ MORE
Bladen County Health and Human Services Agency released the latest COVID-19 update
Bladen County Health and Human Services Agency released the latest COVID-19 update this afternoon. The report shows 608 positive COVID-19 cases with seven hospitalized cases and six deaths. READ MORE
A Look Back at Remote Learning with Bladen Native, Robert Kinlaw, and EducationNC
By BladenOnline
Bladen County native Robert Kinlaw, Director of Multimedia with EducationNC, published an article and video interviews in April of this year about leading a school during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Leading a school during COVID-19 means lifting a community,” by Kinlaw has three video episodes as well. READ MORE
Hickory Man Is Sentenced To Nine Years For Trafficking Narcotics On The Dark Web
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Travis Justin Stout, 36, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics on the Dark Web. The sentencing was held on Thursday, August 6, 2020. READ MORE
Former School Teacher Is Sentenced To Six Years For Receiving Child Pornography
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Thursday, August 6, 2020, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced a former teacher for receiving child pornography, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Christopher David Muggler, 27, of Indian Trail, N.C. was sentenced to six years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison term. READ MORE
LCFL Offers Dream Work and Creative Writing During the Time of COVID-19
Wilmington, NC – Lower Cape Fear LifeCare will offer Dream Work and Creative Writing During the Time of COVID-19, a no-cost virtual grief care workshop for people dealing with the death of a loved one.
The workshop is an interactive expressive arts workshop, where recent dreams may be revealed and incorporated into creative writing. Participants are invited to use writing materials that they have on hand. Participants will explore dream interpretation and what emerges in writing; dream content is used to stimulate participants’ creative imagination. READ MORE
NC Rural Educators Get Support for Remote Learning
Leadership Conference shares best practices and tools to tackle teaching remotely due to COVID-19
RALEIGH: More than 1,300 educators from rural North Carolina participated in a virtual conference focused on remote learning to help them be better prepared to teach throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Cooper opened the REAL(Remote Education and Leadership) Conference, and gave the welcoming remarks via video message. READ MORE
Chromebook laptops for students
Contributed
With students in Bladen County Schools starting the 2020-2021 school year in Phase C remote learning, the district will be distributing Chromebook laptops to its students. Any student who does not have a device at home to complete schoolwork will have an opportunity to check-out a device from school. The upperclassmen in the high schools kept their BCS Chromebook over the summer and will not need to check-out a device; they will continue to use their current device for this school year. READ MORE
Bladen County Headlines…35 Years Ago
A spill that officials believe was caused by a leaking tanker left hundreds of gallons of fuel spread along highways 87 and 41 in Bladen County.
Residents of the newly formed Dublin Fire Protection District elected Walter Bryan, Gary Pait, Gene Lockamy, M.A. Brisson, Henderson Roberts, Byron Melvin and Irene Brisson to the Fire District Board of Directors. READ MORE
Happy Friday!
To help brighten this Friday we captured some photos of plants. The plants in the photos were grown by Bladen County Schools CTE students.
The flora are planted in pots decorating the Bladen County Schools District office on Poplar Street in Elizabethtown. READ MORE
NC Elections Board Responds to Voters About Election-Related Mailers, Text Messages and Phone Calls
North Carolina elections officials are responding to many voters’ questions and concerns about mass mailings, text messages, phone calls and home visits by political and advocacy groups.
These efforts typically are legal, but they can be confusing or frustrating for voters and erode confidence in elections, especially when they are unsolicited. READ MORE
Bladenboro Commissioners To Discuss Generator Service For Police Department
The Bladenboro Board of Commissioners are expected to consider a stand-by generator service agreement for the Police Department during its scheduled monthly meeting Monday at Bladenboro Town Hall.
The meeting is scheduled to be called to order at 6 p.m., which is the new time for the board’s regularly scheduled meetings. READ MORE
NCHSAA Statement on Gov. Cooper’s Phase 2 Extension
North Carolina High School Athletic Association Commissioner Que Tucker sent an email to NCHSAA member schools Thursday morning concerning the NCHSAA’s plans after Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement Wednesday that Phase Two of his ‘reopening plan’ will be extended until at least September 11.
“Unfortunately, this announcement means that the start of sports for the 2020-2021 school year will be delayed beyond September 1 for NCHSAA member schools,” said Tucker. READ MORE
USDA Offers Annual Installment Deferral Option for Farm Storage Facility Loan Borrowers
To assist Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) borrowers experiencing financial hardship from the pandemic and other challenges in production agriculture, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering a one-time annual installment payment deferral option. No fees or prepayment penalties apply for borrowers who choose this FSFL loan flexibility option.
For more information, contact the Bladen County FSA office at 910-862-3179, Ext. 2 The office is located at 450 Smith Circle in Elizabethtown. READ MORE
Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Offers No-Cost Virtual Grief Program
Lower Cape Fear LifeCare will offer a multi-week, no-cost virtual grief care program for those coping with the death of a loved one on Wednesdays, Sept. 9 through Sept. 23.
The group will be held 3:30–5 p.m. in a secure virtual environment. Pre-registration is required; to register, email Melinda.McKeon@LifeCare.org with your name, address, phone number, and the name and date of the program you wish to attend. You may also call 910-796-7991 and leave a message with the same information. READ MORE
Free community college courses available to NC high school students through Career & College Promise
RALEIGH – Free online classes are available to high school students this fall at North Carolina’s community colleges through the innovative Career & College Promise dual enrollment program.
Last year, about 59,000 high school students across the state took these courses, which save time and money toward a college degree. READ MORE
Gov. Cooper Extends Safer At Home Phase 2 Order Through Sept. 11
Contributed
RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that North Carolina will remain paused in Safer At Home Phase 2 for another five weeks as students and staff return to schools, colleges and universities and the state doubles down on efforts to decrease COVID-19 numbers.
“Other states that lifted restrictions quickly have had to go backward as their hospital capacity ran dangerously low and their cases jumped higher,” Cooper said during a news conference at Emergency Management Headquarters. READ MORE
COVID-19 Reports for Bladen County, NC
July had record COVID-19 reports for both Bladen County and North Carolina. Since the month’s end, the curve has flattened a bit, according to NC Governor Roy Cooper, in his emergency management briefing Wednesday. Since the beginning of July, Bladen County has only had two days without at least one new COVID-19 case reported. READ MORE
2020 NC Grape Festival Canceled
Lu Mil Vineyard announced the 2020 NC Grape Festival is canceled. The local vineyard stated in their newsletter, “When we started discussion about the 2020 NC Grape Festival, we had no idea what would be happening in our world at this time. READ MORE
Report Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) Losses
NAP provides financial assistance to you for crops that aren’t eligible for crop insurance to protect against lower yields or crops unable to be planted due to natural disasters including freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, flood, excessive heat and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing), among others. READ MORE
Columbus County Crossroads Getting Safety Improvements
Cerro Gordo junction to become all-way stop
CERRO GORDO – The intersection of U.S. 76 at N.C. 242 in Cerro Gordo will be converted into an all-way stop next week to improve safety.
The change is scheduled to be implemented beginning at 8 a.m. on Aug. 10, so drivers may encounter delays and brief lane closures. Motorists should be alert for workers while traveling through the area. The intersection conversion requires dry weather. READ MORE
Two NC Teachers Receive Presidential Excellence Award in Math/Science
Two North Carolina teachers have been presented with the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) – the highest honor bestowed by the federal government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science teaching.
The individuals announced are awardees for 2019. READ MORE
Open Letter to Educators, Parents, and Caretakers from NC Superintendent of Public Instruction
These are challenging and frustrating times for everyone. There are a lot of different opinions on how to return to learning this month. About the only thing we can all agree on is that no one is going to be happy with how this school year is starting.
We get it. Distance learning doesn’t replace being in a classroom and is a struggle for parents, students, and teachers. READ MORE
Bladen County Soil Testing Available
Many growers test soils regularly to provide the best quality nutrients for their crops. Citizens now have the opportunity to receive a report on their property’s soil with no out of pocket expense. N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services boxes for soil testing are available from April until November for soil testing. READ MORE
NC 4-H State Presentation For Winners
North Carolina 4-H will be hosing a Facebook Live premier video of the NC 4-H State Presentation winners on Thursday, August 6 at 7 p.m. on the NC 4-H Facebook page.READ MORE
Opinion: Parent’s Plea to Protest Bladen County Board of Education Decision
The Bladen County Board of Education has blatantly refused all of the parents of Mother Bladen our right to send our children to school. They have disregarded our request for open conversation, requests for choices in whether or not to send our children to school, and they voted against our children’s right to quality education.
Bladen County Schools and the Bladen County Board of Education members have been asked to reconsider their decision on only offering remote learning to start the school year. READ MORE
Beach-goers: Do Your Part to Protect Sea Turtles & Hatchlings!
The Wildlife Commission reminds beach-goers to keep beaches clean and shield lights at night for nesting sea turtles. From May until September, sea turtles come ashore and lay their eggs on more than 300 miles of beach habitat in North Carolina, much of which is also used by people. Beachfront property owners and those renting beachfront property are encouraged to turn off their outdoor lights and close the blinds/draperies after dark. Or, they can redirect lights so they are not visible on the beach. People on the beach after dark should refrain from using flashlights or cellphones. READ MORE TIPS TO PROTECT SEA TURTLES.
State officials advise against swimming in Brunswick County waters impacted by Hurricane Isaias
MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials are advising the public to avoid swimming in both ocean and sound-side waters in Brunswick County affected by Hurricane Isaias.
“Severe weather events like hurricanes bring excessive amounts of rain, storm surge and cause extreme flooding. These conditions increase levels of harmful bacteria in our coastal waters that can cause illness,” said Erin Bryan-Millush, manager of the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program. READ MORE
Pig farms see little to no impacts from Hurricane Isaias
By Robert Brown
August 4, 2020 – Hurricane Isaias made landfall in North Carolina on Monday night and traveled directly through the state’s major pork producing counties. Despite heavy rains, initial reports indicate that no pig farms experienced any significant issues. READ MORE
New Mental Health Supports for All North Carolinians, Including Health Care Workers and Their Families
Mental health and substance abuse issues have increased since the start of COVID-19 Pandemic.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has two new mental health resources to support North Carolinians throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
The Hope4NC Helpline (1-855-587-3463) connects North Carolinians to additional mental health and resilience supports that help them cope and build resilience during times of crisis. As part of the state’s recent hurricane recovery efforts it served over 4,400 people in the most impacted counties, and now it is being made available to everyone in North Carolina’s 100 counties during the COVID-19 crisis. READ MORE
Great American Outdoors Act Dedicates Funds to Help Clear $459 Million Maintenance Backlog in North Carolina
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Donald Trump signed into law bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) that will preserve the nation’s public parks and other lands by fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addressing the nearly $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog on federal lands, including North Carolina’s national parks which have a more than $459 million deferred maintenance backlog. READ MORE
Let’s Eat Out, But Where?
By Cheryl Thurston
Hello again Bladen County, it’s been a few months since my last post here, and it’s good to be back. Have you been out to eat lately? Eating out is a welcome relief from having to cook at home each day.
Please check out the health grades report to view the local establishments which were inspected by the Bladen County Health Department during July. READ MORE
Bladen County, You Count!
Rural counties need citizens to submit their 2020 Census for funding and representation purposes. The 2020 Census is currently being conducted and may end soon. According to Jan Hester Maynor, Special Projects Planner with Lumber River Council of Governments, “We are still lagging in our numbers.” READ MORE
Services for Coach Russell Priest at East Bladen High Baseball Field
Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
A Patriarch, Daniel Leon “Russell” Priest Jr., Has Passed On
Coach Russell Priest Remembered For His Service, Loyalty and Friendship
Notice To Bladen County Taxpayers
The Bladen County Tax Office is in the process of data collection for the 2022 Revaluation.
Contracted tax appraisers will be visiting each property in the county to review the real property listing.
These appraisers have marked vehicles and Bladen County ID badges. READ MORE
Candidates for Bladen County November Election
Bladen County Board of Elections Director, Christopher Williams released an updated list with Candidates who have filed for the November election. READ MORE
Special Sections:
Share:
Be First to Comment