A former union president is sentenced for embezzlement, a new business incubator officially opens in Elizabethtown and a school gym is named for a retired basketball coach who won a lot of games in the facility.
Those were some of the top stories in Bladen County for the week of January 26-February 1, 2020.
Former United Food and Commercial Workers Local Union 1208 president Keith Alan Ludlum, 48, of Bladenboro was sentenced to a combined 10 years in prison, fined $10,000 and ordered to pay restitution January 28 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and embezzlement of labor union assests, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
An audit and investigation found that between January 2012 and March 2015 Ludlum and former union secretary/treasurer Terry Slaughter embezzled and misused more than $200,000 in union funds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
On January 29, the Elizabethtown Small Business Incubator had its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting celebration. The incubator is located in the former Elizabethtown Post Office at 207 E. Broad Street. There are four tenants in the newly renovated building.
Sam Boger won a lot of games and a state championship while serving as basketball coach at East Bladen High School in the 1970s and 1980s. On January 29, the facility where he spent much of his time was renamed Samuel C. Boger Gymnasium. The school now is Elizabethtown Middle School.
Boger’s Cougars won the 1984 3-A state championship and he was named conference coach of the year 16 times.
In other news,
Bladen County native Dana Melvin Mills (pictured, left) has been hired as Bladen County Schools’ director of Career and Technical Education. She will replace Willa Dean Williams, who is retiring March 1.
Bladen County Health Education Travis Greer resigned to take a position with Cumberland County Department of Public Health.
Elizabethtown Police Sergeants Roger Thomas David and Willie James Thompson Jr. received their Criminal Investigation Certificates for completing investigative training in order to be better prepared for the rigors and challenges of criminal investigation.
In sports,
East Bladen’s Gabe Barber (pictured, left) was selected to play in the East-West All-Star soccer game in Greensboro in July. He is the first Eagle and first Bladen County player to be selected to play in the game.
It’s been tough seasons for the East Bladen and West Bladen boys’ basketball teams. They have a combined 8-29 record. The schools played Jan. 27 and East Bladen came away with a 60-41 win.
The girls teams for each school have fared much better. East Bladen is second in the Three Rivers Conference and West Bladen is third. East Bladen won the first game between the teams this season 45-35.
Cody Butler of Elizabethtown signed to play baseball at North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount next season. He is a senior at Harrells Christian Academy.
Enjoy the week ahead.
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