The Pirates won Bladen Recreation’s 10-12 Tackle Football League Championship with a 4-2 record. The Pirates are coached by Stancil Drew.

The Ducks finished second in Bladen Recreation’s 10-12 Tackle Football League with a 3-3 record. The Ducks are coached by Dom Whittington.

1603 – English explorer, writer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh goes on trial for treason.

1800 – Congress holds its 1st session in Washington, D.C. in an incomplete Capitol Building.

1853 – Street signs authorized at San Francisco intersections.

1863 – Abraham Lincoln begins 1st draft of his Gettysburg Address.

1904 – George Cohan’s musical “Little Johnny Jones” premieres in NYC.

1913 – The first ship sails through the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

1928 – Notre Dame finally loses a football game at home after 23 years.

1936 – Edgar Berger & Charlie McCarthy become overnight success on radio.

1940 – Green Bay Packers become 1st NFL team to travel by plane.

1959 – Giants slugger Willie McCovey wins NL Rookie of the Year.

1962 – US President JFK dedicates Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC.

1967 – Surveyor 6 becomes 1st man-made object to lift off Moon.

1970 – Douglas Engelbart receives the patent for the first computer mouse.

1973 – US President Richard Nixon tells AP…”people have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook”

1985 – 35th NASCAR Sprint Cup: Darrell Waltrip wins.

1989 – Bret Saberhagen signs record $2,966,667 per year KC Royal contract.

1991 – Detroit Lion Mike Utley is paralyzed in a game vs LA Rams.

1993 – US House of Representatives approve Nafta.

2003 – Brittney Spears, at 21 years old, becomes the youngest singer to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2004 – Kmart Corp. announces it is buying Sears, Roebuck and Co. for $11 billion USD and naming the newly merged company Sears Holdings Corporation.

2015 – Actor Charlie Sheen confirms that he is HIV-positive.

If news reports are accurate, NC is one of two states (Alabama being the other) in the running for a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant planned as part of an alliance between Toyota and Mazda.  Up to 4,000 jobs at a facility that could produce 300,000 vehicles annually.  One site is near Moncure on old US 1 and US 1 near the Wake, Chatham, Harnett and Lee county lines and other mega-sites are in Randolph, Edgecombe and western Chatham county, according to a NC Commerce spokesperson.

East Bladen’s (11-1) 2A football team entertains Greene Central (8-4) in state playoff action at 7:30 p.m. today.  At this level of competition, there are no mediocre teams remaining.  Coach Robby Priest’s team has lost one game this season, to South Columbus, by a single point.

Brook McGill is Three Rivers Conference Soccer Player of the Year.  He led the Eagles in just about every category.  The senior has been a 4 year All-Star in the Three Rivers conference playing for Coach Jay Raynor.

Visit our Sports Section for all you need to know about local sports…

Pittsburgh Steelers 40 – Titans 17 in Thursday night action.

Pork & Beats Festival today and tomorrow at the Cape Fear Farmers Market in E-town.  BBQ cook-offs, old cars, music featuring Blackwater Rhythm & Blues and much more.  Call 862-4368 or 862-2066 for details.

Thursday’s and Friday’s are more special than any others for ladies.  Hair Day, none more important.

Recently toured some areas in my hometown (Bladenboro) I had not been in in many years.  So many memories, some I could tell about.  In the 50s we had to create our entertainment, and we did.  My goal is to make more memories.

The most beautiful things are not associated with money; they are memories and moments.  If you don’t celebrate those, they can pass you by.  Alek Wek

Memories are the best things in life, I think.  Romy Schneider

To be human is to have a collection of memories that tells you who you are and how you got there.  Rosecrans Baldwin

Sen. Thom Tillis

Washington, D.C. – Today, with the support of Congressman David Rouzer, the House of Representatives passed arguably the biggest tax cut and reform of the tax code in history.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) is a bold, pro-growth tax bill aimed at improving the standard of living for all Americans, strengthening our economy, and bringing jobs back.

“This legislation respects hardworking taxpayers and the challenges they face by making the tax code clearer, simpler, and fairer.  This bill will bring about a healthier economy creating more jobs, increasing wages, and leaving more money in your paycheck.  Under the provisions of this legislation, for the average family of four, the first $55,000 earned would be tax free,” said Congressman David Rouzer.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

*Lowers the current individual tax rates from 10% to zero, 15% to 12%, and then retains the 25%, 35% and 39.6% brackets, and adjusts the range of income subject to these brackets enabling Americans to keep more of the money they earn.

*Eliminates special-interest deductions.

*Doubles the standard deduction so that everyone – regardless of income level – will benefit.  For example, the first $12,000 an individual earns would be tax free – up from $6,000 under current law.  Joint filers will receive a standard deduction of $24,000 versus $12,000 under current law.  And, most notably, the first $55,000 earned for the average family of four would be tax free.

*Expands the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,600 to help parents with the increased costs of raising children and, in addition, establishes a new Family Credit of $300 for filers and non-child dependents.

*Under current law, many small businesses are required to pay taxes on net business income at the highest marginal tax rate of 39.6%.  This bill provides relief to small businesses by reducing the rate to no more than 25% — the lowest on small business income since World War II.

*Implements a new, lower 9% tax rate on the first $75,000 of net business income for active small business owners earning less than $150,000 through their businesses.

*Allows businesses to immediately write off the full cost of new equipment in each year through 2022 to improve operations and unleash job and paycheck growth.

*Repeals the Death Tax after six years and immediately doubles the exemption.

*Eliminates the personal and business Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

*Eliminates the unintended incentives in the current tax code that have resulted in jobs moving overseas.

*Encourages jobs to be brought back from other countries, greater productivity and higher wages by lowering the corporate tax rate from 35%, which is the highest in the industrialized world, to 20%.

RALEIGH – Emergency managers from across North Carolina have been working in Puerto Rico since October 1 to support ongoing relief and recovery efforts underway on the U.S. island territory hit by Hurricane Maria on Sept. 20.  Another team departs Friday for Puerto Rico while one returns home Sunday.

For the past seven weeks, North Carolina teams have worked alongside their counterparts from Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency (PREMA) in several capacities.  Currently, three teams are supporting different emergency operations centers on the island.  A 10-person team is serving in the island’s main emergency operations center (EOC) in San Juan, and two six-person teams are staffing emergency operations centers in Zones 7 and 8, mountainous areas in the center of the island that were some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

“North Carolina is considered a national leader for disaster response and recovery,” said Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks.  “Emergency managers at the local and state level continually train and exercise together so they can respond together and that experience has paid off both here at home and when called upon to help others.”

The first team arrived on the island Oct. 1.  The four-person-team, comprised of two NC Emergency Management employees and two from the NC Department of Agriculture, was requested to help with critical animal issues.  Their two-week mission was to assess the situation with livestock, poultry and companion animal needs on the island and make recommendations to the Puerto Rican government on animal care. This team was instrumental in helping to solve a feed crisis within the territory’s dairy farm industry.

A 10-person team followed Oct. 10 and was divided to support three emergency operations centers as they coordinated storm relief efforts.  Two other teams to support the island’s main EOC have followed with a third team scheduled to deploy on Friday. This last team will assist PREMA through the Thanksgiving holiday and return home December 3.

“Since our first group deployed to the island, Puerto Rico has continued to specifically request North Carolina teams to help staff their operations,” said Mike Sprayberry, state emergency management director. “I’m proud of the work our teams have done, and grateful for the support we have received from state and local agencies here in North Carolina to build the best possible teams for these complex assignments that are being performed in austere conditions.”

Agencies who have contributed members to the teams working in Puerto Rico include: NC Emergency Management, State Highway Patrol, NC National Guard, NC Office of Emergency Medical Services, NC Department of Agriculture, Greensboro, Charlotte and Raleigh fire departments, Buncombe Rescue Squad and county emergency management offices in Chatham, Haywood, Hyde, Lee, McDowell and Wilson counties.

Two area coordinators from North Carolina Emergency Management, Dennis Hancock and David Leonard, have remained in Puerto Rico and are now in their fourth week of duty working alongside Puerto Rico emergency managers. They have volunteered to remain two more weeks.  A few other team members have remained for two rotations on the island.

In addition, logistics staffers at the State Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh continue to plan and schedule the deployment and return of all these team members through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.  They are handling the necessary paperwork to fulfill incoming requests from Puerto Rico and to ensure that North Carolina gets reimbursed for its costs on these missions, while also arranging all necessary transportation and lodging.  That same logistics team also coordinated the air and sea transportation requirements for the recent deployment and return of a NC National Guard Engineering Task Force of approximately 170 soldiers and all their equipment.

Kathryn

Nine to Five

Staple Singers A

Sharron and James

Barney

Richard Simmons

Alex Gonzalez

Nash

Contributed

Bladen Community College recently celebrated its golden anniversary with an evening of music, dancing, and skits.

CHARLOTTE – Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) travels to Latin America this weekend to lead a major international forum on the growing link between radical Islamic terrorists and Latin American drug cartels.  300 Members of Parliament and security officials from fifteen South American nations will attend the forum hosted by Congressman Pittenger.

“Hezbollah is partnering with Latin American drug lords to raise money for terrorist activity,” said Congressman Pittenger.  “This includes participation in drug trafficking, gun running, and trade-based money laundering.  The combination of radical Islamic terrorists and violent drug lords is a serious threat to national security.”

Congressman Pittenger will be joined by representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay.  Experts on Intelligence, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism financing will participate in this important dialogue.

Congressman Pittenger is Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, and Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare.

This will be the ninth Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum led and hosted by Congressman Pittenger.  At each forum, Members of Parliament and other officials from around the world gather to discuss joint opportunities to combat terrorism and terrorism financing, address cyber security concerns, and learn from experts.

By Erin Smith

The election results for all of the town of Dublin races remain uncertified after a protest was filed by Town Commissioner Candidate Richard Sibbet. The preliminary hearing was conducted on Friday morning prior to the Vote Canvass meeting.

The preliminary hearing allowed the Bladen County Board of Elections members to hear evidence regarding the protest and to determine whether or not a protest hearing should be conducted.

According to the protest form submitted to the Board of Elections, Sibbet alleges no absentee ballots should have been mailed out or accepted because the town of Dublin had opted out of One Stop and mail absentee voting in 2015. The protest also requests the Board of Elections to disallow 16 absentee ballots because the voters do not reside in the town limits of Dublin.

Board of Elections President Bobby Ludlum said, “We (the Board of Elections) sent out a letter in May or June to the towns asking if they were going to opt in or out of early voting.”

Dublin Town Commissioner David Kirby was present at the meeting also and said the Dublin town board knew nothing about the letter from the Board of Elections. He further stated the town board also did not know about the letter allegedly submitted by the town clerk which said the town would opt in on One Stop voting this year.

“It was done in July, unbeknownst to us (Dublin Town Board members),” said Kirby.

The letter in question was allegedly sent to the Bladen County Board of Elections office in July and signed by the town clerk. Kirby said when he learned in October that the letter was sent, he began to make inquiries what had to be done to correct situation because the board had not met on the matter.

Sibbet said, “The point is the town did not opt in.”

“We have no way of knowing whether the town board met,” said Ludlum. He emphasized all the Board of Elections staff were doing was acting in good faith on the letter which was submitted in July.

Al Daniels asked why it took the Dublin board so long to contact the Board of Elections staff regarding the issue. Kirby emphasized the fact they were not made aware of the clerk’s letter until October.

“I’m bringing it to your attention the letter was manipulated by the only incumbent and the clerk,” said Sibbet.

Ludlum asked, “Are you saying the incumbent candidate?” Sibbet replied affirmatively.

“She (the town clerk) said she was told to send a letter opting in by the incumbent,” said Kirby.

“There was a deliberate action taken to manipulate the election of Dublin,” said Sibbet.

It was learned the Dublin post office does not have rural route service but instead offers post office boxes to those reside within the town limits. The Bladen County Board of Elections Director Cynthia Shaw said that absentee ballots were sent to the addresses submitted to the staff. She noted that the absentee  ballots were returned completed to the office.

Sibbet said he used an app called People Finder to check the addresses of the absentee ballots against the addresses he could locate for the voters. He determined 16 absentee ballots to be questionable and to not be residents of the town of Dublin. He submitted a list of names to the Board of Elections with his protest form.

Sibbet questioned the ballots of Lisa Britt, Sandra F. Dowless, and Brittany Joan Meshaw. Sibbet said all three absentee ballots were from the same address: 6875 Albert Street, Dublin. Sibbet said this location is three doors away from his own residence.

“No one lives in the house. It’s a rental,” said Sibbet.

He said that Meshaw works for incumbent Dublin Town Commissioner Jeff Smith and she resides in Virginia not Dublin. Sibbet said Meshaw does own the residence at 6875 Albert Street, Dublin.

Shaw said everything (related to absentee ballots) goes out in the postal service and is returned through the postal service. She said if the ballot is hand delivered, there is note placed on the ballot of who brought in, when they brought it in, etc.

After hearing from Kirby and Sibbet, the Board of Elections voted to conduct a protest hearing on the absentee ballots but they denied the protest on the letter regarding the town opting in/out of early voting. The board also opted to not certify any of the results of all of the races in Dublin pending the outcome of the protest hearing.

The board now has ten days to hold the protest hearing. A date for the hearing has not yet been announced.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has issued an update of road openings / closings.

OPENINGS:

Mote Road

Mote Road is open and will remain open until 11/27/17 (see below)

UPCOMING OPENINGS:

NC 87 / US 701 Interchange

If the weather holds good through the weekend, we anticipate that more of the NC 87 / US 701 interchange will open mid next week.

CLOSINGS:

Coley Road

Coley Road is closed in order to replace the bridge over Hammonds Creek.  The bridge replacement project will take until late November / early December.  A signed detour will be in effect to use Airport Road/ White Plains Church Road/ Vause Road/ Rosindale Road.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. is closed at a location 0.15 miles south of Quail Street in order to replace a large crossline pipe and repair a huge washout caused by Matthew.  The road could be closed at this location through the end of November.  There will not be a signed detour in place as most traffic is local.  Use either Quail St. or Richardson St. to Peanut Road for access around the work area.

UPCOMING CLOSINGS:

Mote Road

Beginning Monday, November 27, we plan to close Mote Road at a location 2.41 miles north of NC 41 in order to begin replacement of the second of 5 crosslines on the road.

ELWELL FERRY:

The Elwell Ferry is operating.

By Bethany Stephens

The Board of Education met this Thursday, November 16th, for their monthly session. Dr. Robert Taylor, Superintendent, was recognized for recently receiving a national award (only presented to himself and seven other superintendents) for his work to promote technology based learning among other merits. Taylor thanked the board and the community for their help as he explained that any advancements in this area are possible due to their support.

The USDA honored West Bladen High School’s School Nutrition Staff with a Best Practices Award for Customer Service. The following employees were recognized for being a part of their nutrition staff: Jerome Burney, Lovella Jacobs, Tiffany Sweat, Misty Thompson, Kristina Wooten, Kim Jones, and Amy Stanley.

Summer Evans, Brittany Landreth, and Christian Ward (all students at West Bladen High School) were recognized for receiving their ServSafe Certifications in conjunction with their Foods 2 class that was taught by Gail Marsh.

The county’s Career and Technical Education Department was recognized for being the number one district in the state for the second year in a row. This recognition is due to the number of students earning various industry recognized certifications and credentials.

Attendance Awards were presented next. Plain View Primary won in the Elementary School Division; East Arcadia won in the Middle School Division, and East Bladen High School won in the High School Division.

Charlotte Smith, a community member and owner of the Bladen Online, addressed the board concerning the fight against opioid abuse in the county. The national epidemic is affecting Bladen County locally as well as nationally, and Smith is helping to lead The Bladen County Opioid Abuse Elimination Task Force which hopes to educate people about the problems surrounding the epidemic to give them support to help them deal with it more effectively. The Task Force’s next meeting will take place January 9th at 2:00 p.m. and is open to everyone interested in finding out more info, getting support, and/or helping support the cause.

A financial summary for information purposes only was presented by Sharon Penny, Finance Director. Penny explained that, due to the charter school’s effect on state allotments, the schools will be losing one and a half more teaching positions, a 12 month CTE employee, plus $100,000 than they had initially hoped.

Lou Nelon, Maintenance Director, gave updates on multiple roofing projects. The roofing projects at both Bladenboro Middle and Bladenboro Primary have begun as well as repairs to an awning at Elizabethtown Primary and pavement repair at the horseshoe turnaround area of Bladenboro Middle School.

East Bladen High School was recognized for receiving a $110,000 grant from the NC Tobacco Trust Fund to build a barn beside of their existing greenhouse. The architect will be chosen soon after more discussion, and they plan to start building around March.

School Improvement Plans as recommended by Tanya Head, Assistant Superintendent, were approved,  and school advisory councils were approved for one more year only as their job will be done in conjunction with the School Improvement plans in the future. Following the above, the board proceeded to go into closed session to discuss personnel, student transfers, and legal matters.

Upon reconvening, the board approved Personnel Action Items as recommended by Antonia Beatty, Personnel Director. They also heard notes of interests from various board members and Dr. Taylor. New construction for a possible K-8 school is still being considered, but it is still dependent on the County Commissioners’ decision and, as Taylor explained, grant and state based funding since several of those funding sources are only available for new school structures – not renovations of existing buildings.

Alan West, Board Member, spoke positively about new PA systems at the high schools’ ball games and hoped that their basketball gymnasiums would be done in the future.

Chris Clark, Board Member, asked that a resource officer be sent to Elizabethtown Primary in the mornings due to clustered and unorganized parking in the dropout areas. Following all the above, the proceeded to adjourn the evening.

By Sandra R. Cain

Sandra Cain

Purchase the right turkey

Consider buying a fresh turkey from your grocery store.  There is no need to defrost it and no added fat or sodium as  in the self-basting, frozen birds.  For a small dinner with 6 or fewer people, you may want to consider purchasing a breast.  A bone-in turkey breast gives you a small turkey roast that can be carved in the traditional style without the excess fat and leftovers from dark meat.

Purchase a half-pound of turkey for every guest.  Increase that to one pound if you want leftovers.  Turkeys heavier than 12 pounds yield more meat, so go with one-third pound per person.  If you are purchasing frozen turkey, it should be rock-hard.  A fresh turkey should be firm.

Store and defrost safely

Frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator.  Allow 1 day for every 5 pounds.  A frozen turkey can be defrosted in very cold water.  Change the water every 30 minutes.  The turkey should be roasted right away.

Roast it right

The minimum oven temperature should be 325 degrees.  Be sure to wash all utensils, your hands and any surfaces that come in contact with the raw turkey or juice.    Place the turkey in a shallow roasting pan with the rack on the bottom.  Leave the skin on the turkey while roasting and remove prior to carving.

Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria and if it is the desired doneness.  Place it in the thickest part of the thigh or the breast if you are roasting just the breast.  A whole turkey is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees. The legs will jiggle in their sockets and the juices will run clear.  If you are roasting the breast by itself, the internal temperature should be 170 degrees.

Recommended cooking times (at 325 degrees)

Weight of Turkey                           Hours for Roasting

8 – 12 lb                                             2 to 2 ½  hrs

12 – 14 lb                                           3 ½  to 4 hrs

14 – 18 lb                                           4 to 4 1/4 hrs

18 – 20 lb                                           4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hrs

20 – 24 lb                                           4 3/4 – 5 1/4 hrs

Keep in mind that cooking times may vary.  A roasted turkey should sit about 10 minutes before carving.  Turkey should never sit out a room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Leftovers

For best results, carve meat off the carcass and store it in shallow containers.  Once cooked, turkey can be stored safely in the refrigerator about 4 days, if temperature is properly maintained below 40 degrees.  Reheating the whole bird is not recommended.  If you must cook the turkey ahead of times and reheat it for later use, it is best to roast it all the way, carve it and store it refrigerated in shallow containers.  Reheat it quickly to 165 degrees.  You may want to use broth or gravy to keep it moist.

Questions:

The USDA meat and poultry hotline is staffed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.  All other times, you can get an automated message system that lets you choose topics to hear. The number is 800-535-4555.

Source: Food & Health Communications, Inc.

White Turkey Chili

2 cups cubed turkey breast, cooked

2 cans (15 ounces) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (10 ¾ ounces) reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1 1/3 cups skim milk

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 tablespoon fat-free sour cream

In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 – 30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream. Yield: 6 servings.

Sampson County Bladen County Training

Sampson County Training 2

Sampson Bladen County Training

Sampson County Training

Bladen County Training

Sampson County Traiing with Bladen

The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office Training Unit delivered Specialized Law Enforcement Driver Training to 72 members of the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office this week.

“The primary and secondary southern taxiways were utilized at the Elizabethtown Airport for this event while the academic content was delivered at the Bladen County Emergency Services Training Center, said Sgt. Gary Turlington.

This type of training with allied agencies fosters enhanced working relationships and improved communication across county lines providing better service to the citizens of our region, not just locally, explained Sgt. Turlington.

“This was one of the first tasks assigned to the Training Unit by Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker so the public services provided by our agency would be more efficient and effective. Additionally, having regional participants of this type and scope of training in Bladen County supports local businesses and restaurants,” said Sgt. Turlington.

Raleigh, N.C. — The state’s seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, remaining unchanged from September’s revised rate.  The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.1 percent.

North Carolina’s October 2017 unemployment rate decreased 1.0 percentage point from a year ago.  The number of people employed increased 11,504 over the month to 4,742,359 and increased 91,964 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 3,668 over the month to 203,890 and decreased 47,385 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 11,400 to 4,439,300 in October.  The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Professional & Business Services at 5,600, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 4,900; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 3,000; Education & Health Services, 900; and Mining & Logging, 100.  Major industries experiencing decreases were Other Services, 1,400; Financial Activities, 700; Government, 700; Manufacturing, 200; and Construction, 100.  Information industry employment remained unchanged over the month.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Thursday, November 30, 2017 when the county unemployment rates for October 2017 will be released.

RALEIGH – Whether you are looking to cut your own Christmas tree, or take a sleigh ride with Santa, North Carolina farms offer an abundance of options for family fun this holiday season.

“Agritourism farms help connect our rural and urban communities across the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “They offer great family entertainment while educating about our state’s No. 1 industry, agriculture.”

Following is a list of several agritourism farms offering special holiday programs organized by regions and dates:

Western North Carolina

*Justus Orchard in Hendersonville offers 21 varieties of apples on its fourth-generation apple farm. In addition to fresh apples, visitors can find delicious baked goods, apple cider donuts and fried apple pies.
*Apple Hill Farm in Banner Elk, a working angora goat and alpaca farm, will open its doors to visitors Fridays through Sundays, Nov. 17-Dec.10. Guests can take walking tours of the farm, enjoy apple cider and Christmas cookies, and shop for tabletop trees, wreaths and garland.
*Fir Heaven Sake Christmas Tree Farm in Topton will host an event called “Just Fir Fun” on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The celebration includes a visit from Santa, sleigh rides, storytelling, games and more.
*Oak Moon Farm and Creamery in Bakersville will celebrate the holidays with its fifth-annual Yule For Y’all sales event Saturdays in December from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shoppers will find festive goat cheese party balls, holiday treats and farm-made products.
*Addison Farm Vineyards in Leicester will hold an event featuring local crafters on Dec. 9 from noon to 5 p.m. The fundraiser will benefit Southern *Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Farmland Projects. Addison Farm Vineyards is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

Central North Carolina

*Mystic Farm and Distillery in Durham is the Triangle’s only farm distillery. Tours are offered Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. through Dec. 30. Private tours are available by appointment.
*Mitchell’s Nursery and Greenhouse in King will offer a greenhouse tour on Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. Specialists will show and explain the innovations that help the nursery grow better plants while conserving water and energy. Poinsettias also will be available for purchase.
*Prodigal Farm  in Durham will host two Goat Kid Festivals featuring tours, goat cheese tastings, music and craft demonstrations. The first will be held on Nov. 19; the second on Dec. 17. Both events are from 1 to 5 p.m.
*Southern Distilling Company in Statesville will open Nov. 24 for special Black Friday tours and tastings from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guests can learn about the distillery’s grain-to-glass production on its 20-acre farm.
*Almond Farms in Albemarle offers choose-and-cut Christmas trees, a gift shop with farm-made products and hickory-smoked barbecue. The farm will open Nov. 24. Hours are Thursdays and Fridays, 3 p.m. until sunset; Saturdays, 9 a.m. until sunset; and Sundays, 2 p.m. until sunset.
*Smith’s Family Fun Farm in Hillsborough will open its Christmas tree farm from Nov. 24-Dec.24. On Friday and Saturday nights, the farm will hold story time with Santa. More information and hours are available on the farm’s Facebook page.
*Plum Granny Farm in King is partnering with Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery to offer a holiday shopping spectacular on Saturday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event provides visitors not only the opportunity to visit a local farm, but to shop on-farm and meet a wide variety of farm-based vendors.
*Grietje’s Garden Vineyard of Rocky Ridge Farm in Olin will hold two special holiday events on Dec. 2. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the vineyard will have its 5th annual Holiday Craft Event featuring dozens of local crafters. That evening, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the farm will host a Christian, Gospel and Christmas music concert.
*Adams Vineyards in Willow Spring will host a holiday shopping event on Sunday, Dec. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m. featuring wine tastings, local artisans and crafters, music and food. In addition, the winery offers wine tastings Tuesdays-Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m.
*Hickory Creek Farm in Greensboro offers Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias, hayrides and more holiday fun. On Dec. 9, the farm will host a Christmas Craft Fair with Santa form 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*Happy Hills Farm in Monroe will open its doors on Dec. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event will feature tours of the fiber-animal farm, opportunities to feed animals, tour the fleece studio and purchase yarn, socks, shawls, scarves and more. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children.
*Toad Song Farm in Clayton is bringing the community together with a Stone Soup event on Dec. 22 from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Visitors are asked to bring an ingredient for the soup, which will be shared with those in need in the community.

Eastern North Carolina

*Lu Mil Vineyard in Elizabethtown will have a Christmas Light Show, featuring a drive-through light exhibit, country buffet, visits with Santa and holiday gifts. The display is open from 6 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 25-26; Nov. 30-Dec. 3; Dec. 7-10; and Dec. 14-23.
*Livingston Creek Farmers Harvest and Eatery in Bolton will have a vendor fair and hayride with Santa on Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The restored farmhouse sits on more than 100 acres and includes a farmers market, seafood market, craft shop, nursery and more.
*Nooherooka Natural in Snow Hill will hold its annual Holiday Sale on Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can tour the farm and purchase pasture-raised beef and pork products for the holidays.
*SoCo Farm and Food in Wilson offers a farm-to-table private dining experience in a renovated tobacco barn. Holiday parties are available Tuesdays-Saturdays in December at 6 or 8 p.m.
*Simply Natural Creamery in Ayden will host Christmas at the Creamery Dec. 9-10. The weekend features photos with Santa, fresh cookies, as well as milk and ice cream from the dairy.

Agritourism farms are found in nearly every county of the state. Consumers looking for a farm experience can go to www.visitncfarms.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss for a full directory.

By Erin Smith

The Bladen County Board of Elections conducted its vote canvass on Friday morning. The election results for the town of Dublin remain uncertified due to a protest filed by Town Commissioner Candidate Richard Sibbet.

Bladen County Board of Elections Director Cynthia Shaw told the board there were no provisional ballots cast during the municipal election.

Shaw also told the board that write-in candidates who receive  five or less votes are reported as miscellaneous. In Tar Heel there were four write-in votes—one vote for Greg Futrell and three votes for Mike Underwood. Shaw said Tar Heel had one seat for which no candidates filed seeking election. Underwood was declared the winner with three write-in votes. Shaw said he has accepted the position.

Shaw said there were two write-in ballots in Tar Heel which were disallowed because the ballot was not properly marked.

The certified election results are as follows:

In the Bladenboro Mayor’s race, incumbent Rufus Duckworth 176 votes, Larry Simmons 126 votes, and Kenneth Kelly 32 votes.

In the Bladenboro Town Commissioners race, Rodney Hester 276 votes, incumbent Jeff Atkinson 271 votes, Greg Sykes 176 votes, incumbent Billy Ray Benson 147 votes, and write-in Donnie White 1. The top three vote getters will be seated on the board.

In the town of Clarkton Town Commissioner race, incumbent Jerome Myers 73 votes, Stephen W. Hester 63 votes, Linda Gaskin 59 votes, incumbent Tim Tart 26 votes, Jimmy Hudson 17 votes, and write-in Melody Cribb 1 vote. The top two vote getters will be seated on the board.

In the town of East Arcadia Town Commissioner race, Lillian Graham 38 votes, Pamela Graham 35 votes and write-in Craig H. Braye 1 vote. The top two vote getters will be seated.

In the race for Elizabethtown Town Council, incumbent Paula H. Greene 409 votes, incumbent Rufus D. Lloyd 374 votes, incumbent Herman Lewis 332 votes, Robert “Bobby” Kinlaw 308 votes, write-in Maurice Williams 1 vote, write-in Vickie Williams 1 vote, and write-in Bernard Robinson 1 vote. The top three vote getters will be seated.

In the race for Mayor in Tar Heel, incumbent Roy Dew received 7 votes.

In  the race for Tar Heel Town Commissioner, incumbent Sam Allen 7 votes, incumbent Angie Hall 7 votes, write-in Mike Underwood 3 votes, write-in Greg Futrell 1 vote. Allen and Hall will be joined on the board by Underwood.

In the election for White Lake Town Commissioner, incumbent Tim Blount 59 votes, incumbent Paul Evans 62 votes, incumbent Mike Suggs 56 votes, write-in Glenn Robertson 2 votes, write-in Jamie Corbett 2 votes, write-in Bill Stafford 1 vote, write-in Roger Teachey 1 vote, write-in Phillip Warwick 1 vote and write-in Tim Frush 1 vote. The top three vote getters will be seated.

In response to the protest:

Let me first say, that I welcome any protest on the election results, any candidate should feel free to exercise that option if so desired. I look forward to the outcome and feel confident that nothing will change. Having said that, the comments by my challenger Richard Sibbett, are disappointing at best, and reeks of an abuse of process.

A process which could be avoided if Sibbett, simply would do some due diligence first hand rather than rely on the integrity of a self admitted “people search app” to determine if a resident of Dublin lives within the 3 square miles of its town limits. For instance, being a life long resident of Dublin myself, I can tell you that Robert Dowless Sr. whom Sibbett says is not a resident of Dublin and resides in Cape Coral, Florida has lived in Dublin for the last 10 years of his life. Another example, listed by Sibbett as living in Bladenboro, Christopher McLaughlin has lived on 8th Street in Dublin for the last 5 years or better. Other names on Sibbett’s list such as Miranda Margarita owns the home she lives in in Dublin and Brittany Meshaw who Sibbett claims her house is vacant, (but is furnished, with power and Dublin water utilities) works out of town but maintains her residence in Dublin. I could continue debunking his “ illegal voter list ” that he carelessly provided but this just goes to show what an abuse of tax payer dollars looks like .

Sibbett’s defamation statements “ that I manipulated the Dublin elections” is unwarranted and I am currently discussing my options with multiple attorneys. I am still sorting out what role Commissioner Kirby has in this election but its not the voters and he clearly needs to resign.  Any commissioner who wishes to disenfranchise voters and not allow ANY and ALL citizens of a town to vote on any race or referendum does not have the peoples interest at heart. Kirby has spearheaded the effort to NOT allow early voters to have an opportunity to vote in this town, which to me is un-American, self-serving to his effort to defeat the Beer and Wine referendum, and is just wrong. A referendum on Beer and Wine which affects our tax base, needs to be voted on by ALL voters if possible. His efforts truncated early voting after seven days, even after a record 38 ballots had already been submitted by voters, he claimed the town did not want voters to vote early. This is not true, the truth be known that had the board known that a 2015 election vote to opt out carried over to a 2017 election we would have voted 2-1 to allow early voting with Kirby being the descending vote and that is a fact. If early voting had continued its normal course my estimate is that 75% of the town would have voted , instead we had a record 59% ( 115 out of 192). As citizens of this great country isn’t that what we want ? You decide ….

Jeff Smith

By Jefferson Weaver

Another week has flown dragging past, my friends, leaving a trail of smiles and tears, hopes and fears, and maybe even a little excitement about the week to come.

I implore you, as always to remember the oft-forgotten holiday we celebrate next week. Thanksgiving means just that – a time to be thankful for all the blessings that surround us, a time to enjoy fellowship and family and friends, not just a time to get into a shoving match over a half-priced loss leader in your favorite retailer. I’ll not criticize those who enjoy shopping the day after Thanksgiving, but I will indeed look askance at those who run away from the turkey table to stand in line to spend.

It’s a big weekend here in the country – the NCTA Trapping Certification class is tomorrow morning, followed by the youth coon hunt in the afternoon. I reckon I’ll likely see some of you at one or both of those events. I sure hope so – there ain’t nothing as smile-provoking as a little kid being pulled along by a patient, professional hound.
Whether or not your pursuits are outside or inside, I do want to ask you to do a few thing, as always –
Hug your mama. Thank your daddy. Listen to your grandparents. Talk to your siblings. Hug your kids so close they squirm and complain.

Roll in the grass with your dog, Make faces at a cat. Confuse an owl. Talk to a squirrel. Crow with a rooster. Confide in a donkey. Joke with a goat. Gossip with a goose. Hug a horse. Panic with a guinea fowl. Scratch a friendly pig. Philosophize with a cow. Challenge a coyote.

Read to a little kid. Do something new and fun together. Play a game, skip a rock, whistle, fly a kite. Ask their opinions on stuff, and listen. We can learn a lot from little kids.

Make sure you watch the skies tonight, as the Perseids once again flash past in their autumn migration. The sunset is gone by the time I post these words, but you can still celebrate tomorrow’s sunrise, and count the stars between meteors. Listen to the wind in the woods, and the song of a river. Smell some dirt. Count the veins in an oak leaf. Crush a handful of pine straw. Then remember that the one who made all this and so much more loves you enough to have died for you, and rose again, no matter what you have done. He who knew no sin became the payment of sin, out of love for people who hadn’t even been born yet. If that ain’t humbling, we need to talk.

Do something nice for someone. I am not going to give you a chore list, since that might complicate the sincerity of your good deed. Just look around, find someone in need, and fill that gap for them. You’ll both benefit, I promise.

Read your Bible every day, and pray without ceasing. Go to church Sunday, and listen to the message. Pray for the man in the pulpit and his family. Pray for our country and our world. Pray for our leaders to have wisdom and common sense. Pray for peace. Pray for those who are lost in sin, and those who have lost all hope. Pray for those who can restore that hope. When you run out of people to pray for – just talk to God for a while. He appreciates it.

Love ferociously, without question. Never let your person feel like you don’t care. Surprise them with something you know that person will appreciate and doesn’t expect. Hold hands and mean it.

I have a few more tasks before I can call this day done, and a long weekend ahead of us, but the time is nearly here to rattle the dogbox, wake up the possums, and let us howl, howl, howl. Y’all be good, and be good at it.

Sen. Thom Tillis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, legislation introduced by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) unanimously passed the Senate and will head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act would increase access to apprenticeship-training programs for veterans by streamlining the certification process for non-federal apprenticeship programs based in more than one state.

“I applaud Congress for passing the VALOR Act on a bipartisan basis to reduce burdensome requirements on businesses so apprenticeship programs will be more accessible to veterans,” said Senator Tillis.

Background

Under current law non-federal apprenticeship training programs located in multiple states have to register with each state approval agency individually, subjecting them to mountains of paperwork and multiple burdensome review processes. In response, employers have decided to limit their programs to a smaller number of states and, as a result, hire fewer veterans. The VALOR Act would amend current law to allow for a single, more streamlined approval process.

Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), and Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

One local business is nominated for two major awards. Star Communications announced on their Facebook page they have been nominated for two Grammys.

The video has a great story line.

Watch “Star Communications – Granny FINAL” on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/199855518?ref=em-share&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss