A search for a missing teen and missing woman, a new police chief named in Elizabethtown, court cases involving child sexual abuse and shooting at a former supervisor, and the selection of a new chairman and vice-chairman for the Bladen County Board of Commissioners. Those were among stories in the news last week.
The Elizabethtown Police Department asked for the public’s help in locating 15-year-old Nykia McDowell, (pictured, left) who was reported missing by her family Sept. 22 and was last seen at her home on McLeod Street. Meanwhile, the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office was searching for 53-year-old Judith Deavers Hyder of Garland, (pictured, right) who was reported missed Wednesday, Dec. 9. Anyone with information about either person is asked to contact law enforcement.
Elizabethtown named Tony Parrish its police chief, replacing Bobby Kinlaw, who retired in August after serving 34 years with the Elizabethtown Police Department. Parrish will start April 1. Kip Hester will continue to serve as chief until Parrish begins work.
In Bladen County Superior Court, Mitchell Dean Johnson (pictured, left) was sentenced to a minimum of 166 months and a maximum of 260 months in prison on sex-related crime involving children and a former employee of Smithfield Packing in Tar Heel was sentenced up to 74 months in prison for shooting into the vehicle of his former supervisor as the supervisor left work.
The Bladen County Board of Commissioners voted Russell Priest as chairman and Arthur Bullock as vice-chairman at its regularly scheduled meeting.
In other news,
** Shanika Nicole Mitchell had her bond set at $1 million during a brief appearance in Bladen County District Court. Mitchell, 17, is one of four people charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of 24-year-old Darrell Dionte Council in November.
** The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office sought help in identifying a man who broke into a residence in the 5000 block of Mercer Mill Road near Elkton Road about 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11.
** A Bladen County Sheriff’s Office narcotics detective posed as a UPS driver in March and delivered a package containing more than five pounds of marijuana to an address on Peanut Plant Road in Elizabethtown. This week, the man who received the package pleaded guilty to felony possession of marijuana
** A church van crashed on N.C. 87 near East Arcadia School. Bladen County Emergency Management Director Bradley Kinlaw said that officials are unsure why the van crashed.
** A Bladen County family has been in contact with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. regarding obtaining appropriate services for their child enrolled in the Bladen County School System.
** The Third Corps of Cadets of the Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy in Elizabethtown (pictured, left) held a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony to mark the 74th anniversary of the event.
** Howell Clark was sworn in as a new member of the Elizabethtown Town Council. Sylvia Campbell was administered the Oath of Office as mayor along with Dicky Glenn and Ricky Leinwand as newly elected Council members.
** Law enforcement officers, firefighters, Highway Patrol, State Parks personnel and Bladen County Emergency Management personnel, spent the past two weeks involved in training in the forests of Bladen County. The purpose of the class was to teach participants the fundamental skills to be able to quickly locate a child or adult who becomes lost in the woods.
** Visitors to Harmony Hall in White Oak were able to spend a weekend learning about life during the Revolutionary period on a working plantation during the annual Christmas Open House weekend. The East Bladen High School History Club spent some time at Harmony Hall Plantation Village helping volunteers and staff decorate the home in period décor.
** East Bladen’s Lady Eagles are ranked No. 1 in the latest NCpreps.com Class 2A Girls State rankings. Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles are 7-0.
** Garrett Melvin blasted in the game-winning goal in the 18th minute of the second half to give Clarkton School of Discovery a 2-1 win over Elizabethtown and the Bladen Five Middle School Conference soccer championship.
That’s the week that was in Bladen County.
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