03/28/2024
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Nearly 2 inches (1.92) of rain recorded Tuesday at the Curtis Brown Airport near Elizabethtown with highs in the 80s. Today (Wednesday), high near 88 and a 60% chance of rain. Over the next few days (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) 90 degree temps return with rainfall in the 40% to 60% range. Sunday, hot, 95 and sunshine.

All rain is welcomed at this point, totals vary greatly … haven’t had a general rain in several weeks.

Saw an interesting article recently, maybe you did as well. It was written by Tom Campbell of NC Spin fame on North Carolina stats. “The Census Bureau and our state demographer tell us that North Carolina is getting older, for various reasons … declining fertility rates, declining teen pregnancy rates, our state’s desirability for retirees and the aging of our baby boomers.”

In 1990, according to the article, “the median age of our state was 33.1 years: by 2000 we were at 35.3 and now the median is 38.9. Almost 16.5 percent of us are over 65. Interestingly, Brunswick County, our fastest growing, also has the oldest median age (54.7 years) and it is no surprise that Onslow, home to Camp Lejeune, has the youngest at 26.8 years.

“Our unemployment rate is 4.0 percent, above the national average of 3.6 percent; the unemployment rate of people of color is almost double that of whites. In 44 our 100 counties, mostly rural, inflation adjusted wages have fallen over the decade. Our median household income is now $52,750, some $7,500 lower than the national average. Of our 100 counties, the four richest in per-capita income are Orange, Wake, Mecklenburg and Dare (New Hanover is sixth, Brunswick is 10th and Pender is 31st). The poorest are Hyde, Robeson, Tyrrell and Scotland (Duplin is 96th)”

There are more interesting stats, will likely share at a later date, and attempt to discover more info on Bladen.

Locally, a reminder of the Summer Sounds series … Thursday, July 11. ‘Cool Heat’ will provide the music from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cape Fear Farmers Market, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. And, one more reminder, chamber membership renewals were due July 1.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered … no yelled.

Meanness don’t just happen overnight.

The best thing about speaking the truth is you don’t have to remember what you have said.

robert g hester
rgh4612@gmail.com
910-876-2322

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