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NFL results  Giants 27 – 49ers 23 Weather today — Warmer, windy and a chance of rain….high temps in the 60s. Stock Market in a nose dive, like down…..down…down. Volunteers still doing good deeds, assisting those devastated by hurricanes….. Bet if we all went through our closets and removed all the clothing we haven’t worn in the past 5 years, we could provide warm clothing to all in the area, in need.  I am hesitant to say I will do it….I’ve made the same promise over the past ??? years. Bladen County Shriners will be cooking fish again Wednesday (tomorrow) at two locations…Food Lion parking lot in Elizabethtown, and at Fresh Foods parking lot …..

NFL score: Patriots 25 – Bills 6 As I observe the political ads today and think back over the years, the campaigns get more personal and so much of it, we have no idea who made the purchase, on TV, regional newspapers and slicks that flood our mailboxes.  No doubt, party plays a huge role in tone and content. Compare when I was a candidate (first time) in the early 70s.  It was local, (county commissioner), had 13 candidates for 3 seats, nearly all were of the same political persuasion.  No TV, no slick ads in the mail, a little local newspaper and a little local radio and a great …..

Spent most of yesterday in South Carolina looking for Mega Millions winner, no luck.  Not really, did travel through much of the state, headed to Asheville for a meeting. Can really appreciate Bladen after a few days away. Check our Events section for lineup of ‘what’s happening’ in the area.  And, John Clark has a list of high school sporting events on the Sports page. Reminder of Bladenboro’s  Annual Beast Fest Friday and Saturday.  Hope to see you there on Saturday.  Lots to see and do and a great time to spend time with friends from days gone by, and enjoy good food, including a collard sandwich. Happy to spend …..

I have a love-hate relationship with technology.  When it works, I love it.  When it doesn’t work right, I hate it. Usually the reason it doesn’t work right is something I ‘messed up”, but I still need to blame someone or something other than my own actions/decisions. Confused???? So am I. Tonight, the Mega Millions drawing and around $1.6 billion is on the line.  May cause so much confusion that you may wish you had never won, but if I win, the decision will be mine.  Fat chance….no, slim chance. Tomorrow, another $600 million or so on the line in the Power Ball drawing.  I am not a huge supporter, but may …..

Late NFL score   KC Chiefs 45 – Bengals 10 Earlier, Panthers defeated the Eagles 21 – 17. Tonight, NY Giants at Atlanta Falcons Hundreds bid farewell to Master Trooper Kevin Keith Conner yesterday at South Columbus High School.  The 38-year-old Bladenboro native was the victim of a senseless murder last week while doing his job.  He leaves behind a wife and two young children. Best I can tell, most of our area is slowly returning to normal after two hurricanes, with a few exceptions, one being the delivery of my regional newspaper.  Have subscribed to it for 40 to 50 years, delivery before the storms was sometime before 9 AM, yesterday …..

Condolences seem so inadequate for a man who lost his life protecting ours.  RIP Trooper Kevin Keith Conner.  Visitation and funeral are planned for Sunday afternoon at South Columbus High School.  Google Inman Ward Funeral Home in Tabor City, NC for details. Early voting is underway for the 2018 General Election.  The election will be held Tuesday, November 6.  Just one early voting site in Bladen County, the Bladen County Library on North Cypress Street. When rainfall totals are added up at the end of the year, may be one of Bladen’s wettest ever.  Average rainfall is in the range of 48 to 52 inches, or about an inch a week. Check BladenOnline News and Events pages …..

Early voting for the November 6, 2018 General Elections is underway as of today.  Just one early voting site his year, at the Bladen County Library on N. Cypress Street.  Will be interesting to see how much activity in Bladen County this year.  Two years ago, in the presidential election, 15,743 voted in the county….54.1 percent for Trump, 44.6 percent for Clinton and 1.3 percent for others. In 2014, (non-presidential election year) 11,712 voted in he General Election.  In the race for Sheriff (normally one of the highest profile contests), 11,579 voted. Jim McVicker (R) received 5,964 votes (51.51 percent) and 5,615 (48.49 percent) voted for incumbent Prentis Benston (D).  Every …..

Just about every conversation begins with the weather, sooooo, how about the weather?  High today near 80 with a 40 percent chance of rain, low tonight around 65 with a 50 percent chance of rain.  High Wednesday near 74 with 50 percent chance or ‘wet stuff’.  Cooler temps Wednesday night with lows around 49, high in the mid 60s on Thursday and low Thursday night around 44 degrees.  Cool streak could last a few days. As election day draws near, just about everything related to politics causes more confusion.  Our ‘political fuse’ is short.  It’s just another election season.  It comes around every two years for county, state and national elections.  Early …..

Busy weekend in the rearview mirror, hoping for a normal week. The 2018 General Election begins this week.  In the meantime, Bladen is one of 28 counties where the voter registration deadline was extended through today (Monday-October 15).  The extension was for counties most affected by Hurricane Florence and named by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. One-Stop Early Voting also begins this week, on Wednesday, October 17, and continues through Saturday, November 3, 2018.  For more info, call or visit the Bladen County Board of Elections. Bladen County Commissioners meet twice today, maybe more.  One is a Special Called Meeting and later, 6:30 PM, their regular semi-monthly meeting, at …..

NFL football – Eagles defeat Giants. High School football tonight: 7:30 PM   St. Pauls at East Bladen 7:30 PM   West Bladen at West Columbus Women’s Tennis 10 AM   Three Rivers Conference 2A Class 2A Tournament at East Bladen We survived another Hurricane….a little rain and lots of wind. (Dems blame Rep for the rain, Rep blame the Dems for wind), not really, just seems that way.  One party says hot, other says cold, neither willing to give an inch. Stock market stinks, better days ahead, I hope. Today (Friday) is the last day to register for November 6th General Election. Check out News page and Events page for some of the activities …..

Weather remains the big story.  Two hundred year storms in two years and now two hurricanes in less than a month. Weather for today…Showers and thunderstorms.  High near 83.  Breezy, with a southeast wind 11 to 20 mph.  Winds could gusts as high as 30 mph and 100 percent chance of rain with new rainfall amounts of 3/4 to 1 inch expected. Tonight, a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.  Lows around 62.  Breezy with west wind 13 to 23 mph becoming northwest after midnight.  Winds could gust as high as 34 mph, 30 percent chance …..

I make every effort to be a positive individual, but past few hours have been a test. Received info related to three different deaths in a short time frame, like less than 24 hours.  A former neighbor and co-worker; the father of a neighbor; and a 55-year-old, who died in an accident mid-afternoon yesterday (Tuesday). Recovery efforts continue following Hurricane Florence, and another storm is on the way. Grandson’s wedding Saturday, planned for outside, but inside is a possibility. While attempting to recover, would be easy to be discouraged.  Gotta hold chin high and move forward.  Many are going through much more difficult times, have lost just about everything.  No doubt, better days …..

Attendance was good at last night’s Annual Four County EMC meeting.  Their employees, especially outside workers, have had a tough couple of weeks.  Pictures of damage done by the recent hurricane were shared during the meeting.  Four County serves mostly rural Bladen, Pender, Sampson and Duplin counties and maybe small areas of adjoining counties.  Company officials announced no new rate increases for the coming year and Capital Credit checks would be mailed in December.  Baldwin Branch Men’s Chorus provided the musical entertainment. FEMA has opened a disaster recovery center in the Ag Center (Bladen County Cooperative Extension building at 450 Smith Circle Drive in Elizabethtown).  They will be open for 60 …..

It’s Columbus Day, a federal holiday.  Closures most likely include Federal offices, Post Office and Banks.  Call ahead to make sure. Volunteers are expected to be manning the collection/distribution center (old Paul Sessoms Wholesale Building) in Elizabethtown, today.  And, volunteers are still needed at the site. Late night NFL action:  Houston Titans 19, Dallas Cowboys 16. Major League baseball playoffs continue and in NASCAR action yesterday, Chase Elliott finished .265 seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin to win Dover race. A reminder of the Four County EMC Annual Meeting this evening at Elizabethtown Middle School.  Registration begins at 5 PM, with a light meal served on site.  The Baldwin Branch Choir will begin …..

‘Bout this time of the year, I begin to expect more fall-like weather, like highs in the upper 70s.  89 yesterday, 90 is forecast for today, a pumpkin will not last long.  Guess I am attempting to rush ‘mother nature’.  Love the sight of a big orange pumpkin with colorful floral arrangements. Temps in the low to upper 80s over the next week or so.  Looking ahead, first frost in this area, usually last few days of October or early November. Stock market was ‘not good’ yesterday, well not good for 401k’s and other retirement programs.  Interest rates slowly inching higher, making it more difficult to finance a home, not …..

Hurricane Florence has come and gone but the hurt continues for just about everyone.  So many strugglin’ with so many difficult situations.  And, numerous stories of ‘good Samaritans’ stepping up to assist.  One such effort is working out of the old Paul Sessoms Wholesale Building in Elizabethtown.  Items are being accepted and then shared (delivered), mostly in the Kelly area.  Volunteers are welcomed. Just one of many. Roads are still a problem, and despite efforts by the state as well as others constantly updating, conditions change on a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour basis.  Our No. 2 son drives a Food Lion truck, was having a difficult time attempting to determine if NC 130 from Whiteville to …..

Gov. Roy Cooper is scheduled to be in Bladen County today, according to usually reliable sources.  His tentative schedule includes visits to Clarkton, Bladenboro, Kelly and Rowan area.  He is expected to arrive in Elizabethtown by helicopter, if all goes as planned. High School sports activities are expected to resume today.  All have been on hold since prior to the arrival of Hurricane Florence. NCHSAA has announced the regular high school football season has been extended by one week, due to the storm.  Area schools have had 2 games postponed, for many, regular season play will still be one game short.  Check daily schedules in our Sports Section.  John Clark …..

First things first.  Tiger Woods did not win $10 million Sunday.  He did win the Tour Championship and $1.62 million.  Justin Rose was the FedEx Cup winner and picked up $10m, Tiger finished second in that category and won an additional $3m. Think I made a bad career choice about 65 years ago.  But, there were no golf courses in the area at that time, and it does take talent. Recovery efforts continue in the area.  No doubt it will take some time for all to return to near normal. Florence was anything but a lady. Checking the Bladen County Board of Education website.  Posted yesterday (Monday, September 24) – “Upon further assessment …..

Reminders from Hurricane Florence are all around as a new week begins: Kelly area still suffering, as are many areas of the county, no school, many roads in various stages of disrepair. There has been much progress, none more evident than in power being restored.  Over 99 percent of Four County and Duke Energy customers have power, but bet they would agree, one (1) is too many to be without and they are working hard to complete the job. Bladenboro Town Council meeting tonight to discuss ways to assist the local, hard-hit business community. Bladen County lost a very good public servant recently.  Visitation for Lewis Tatum will be held this p.m. at …..