PINEHURST – West Bladen grad Sayaun Dent posted a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds Wednesday night to lead nationally ranked Sandhills Community College to a 122-90 victory over Central Carolina Community College.

Dent connected on 9 of 14 shots from the floor to record his 8th double-double and had 2 assists and 2 steals in the win for the Flyers, who are tied for second in the latest NJCAA Division III poll with Richlands, Texas.

Saturday, Dent fired in 14 points and added 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocked shots as the Flyers rolled past Oxford College of Emory University 116-70. The Elizabethtown native currently leads the Flyers in scoring (19 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg).

The Flyers improved to 4-0 in Region X and 20-2 overall and will host Mt. Zion Thursday at 7 p.m.

The post Sayaun Dent Posts Double-Double in Sandhills Win appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

Here are Three Things to Know for Sunday, January 26:

1. Crider’s Critter Talk is today at 2 p.m. at Jones Lake State Park. Join Ranger Crider to learn about native wildlife. Live critters and mounts will be on display. It’s free. Information: 910-588-4550.

2. “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope” documentary is showing Monday at 6 p.m. at Bladen Community College auditorium. (Story).

3. East Bladen will play at West Bladen on Monday in basketball. The girls’ junior varsity game will start at 4 p.m. followed by the JV boys, varsity girls and varsity boys. The varsity girls’ teams are tied for second in the Three Rivers Conference with 9-1 records. The varsity boys’ teams are tied for eighth in the league with 1-9 records.

• EVENTS CALENDAR

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The week began with celebrating the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and ended in tragedy with an Elizabethtown woman killed in a vehicle crash.

Those were some of the top stories in Bladen County for the week of January 19-25, 2020.

Elizabeth Mary Watson, 38, died Wednesday after the car she was driving ran off Johnsontown Road, hit a tree and overturned. She was the mother of two daughters and a manager at Dollar General. Community members are collecting donations to help pay for funeral expenses.

Many people lined the streets of downtown Elizabethtown on Monday for the 32nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. Retired Army veteran and educator Harold Ford of Clarkton was the grand marshal.
Photos by Kenneth Armstrong | Parade video

After the parade, Dr. Frederica Renee Steele, a seventh-grade Social Studies teacher at Elizabethtown Middle Middle and the 2019-20 Bladen County Schools’ Teacher of the Year, spoke at Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.

As certain as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, Dennis Hawes can be found at Bridges Barber Shop. He celebrated 55 years of cutting hair at the Elizabethtown shop during the week.

In other news,

Bladen County first responders revived an infant who was found not breathing in an apartment at Twisted Hickory Apartments.

William Moore withdrew from the race for an at-large seat on the Bladen County Board of Commissioners. However, his name still will appear on the ballot because it was past the deadline to change the ballots.

The US Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District released a draft study evaluating three alternatives regarding the future of three locks and dams and associated property located along the Cape Fear River. The locks are in Bladen County.

Congressman David Rouzer spoke at the Bladen County Extension Office in Elizabethtown during the county’s landowners meeting.

The N.C. Junior Beta Club and Youth Ambassadors raised more than $2,000 to help hurricane victims. Jair McElveen, an East Bladen student and state club president, organized the Reindeer 5k Run in December.

East Bladen High teacher Linda Beard was recognized as a 2020 Hunger Hero by No Kid Hungry North Carolina.

A dozen Bladen County employees were recognized for their years of service. The group included Agnes McCall with Bladen County Library for 40 years of service.

In sports, East Bladen basketball player Patience Ward signed to play with Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington.

The East Bladen and West Bladen girls’ basketball teams each won three games during the week. East Bladen beat Red Springs on Friday while West Bladen beat East Columbus. The teams, who are tied for second place in the Three Rivers Conference, are scheduled to play Monday at West Bladen.

Enjoy the week ahead.

The post Bladen Online Week in Review: Jan. 19-25 appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

1880 – Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp.

1894 – 1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11.

1915 – US Marines occupy Haiti.

1918 – “Tarzan of the Apes”, 1st Tarzan film, premieres at Broadway Theater.

1926 – US Senate agrees to join World Court.

1939 – First flight of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

1944 – Casey Stengel, manager of the Boston Braves since 1938, resigns.  Lou Perini, Guido Rugo, & Joseph Maney buy control of Boston Braves.

1948 – 1st tape recorder sold.

1951 – “Peter Pan” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 320 performances.

1954 – Archie Moore beats Joey Maxim in 15-round unanimous decision to retain his world light heavyweight boxing title at the Orange Bowl, Miami; last of famous trilogy of fights, all won by Moore.

1956 – “Heartbreak Hotel” single released by Elvis Presley, his first million-selling single.

1961 – “Sing Along with Mitch” {Miller} premieres on NBC-TV.

1964 – Margaret Chase Smith (Sen-R-Maine) tries for Republican President bid.

1967 – A fire in the Apollo 1 Command Module kills astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee during a launch rehearsal.

1969 – Chuck Noll is named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (the youngest coach in NFL history at the time)

1973 – US & North Vietnam’s William Rogers & Nguyen Duy Trinh sign cease fire, ending longest US war and military draft.

1976 – “Laverne & Shirley” TV spinoff from “Happy Days” starring Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams premieres on ABC-TV.

1984 – Michael Jackson is burned during filming for Pepsi commercial.

1990 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Steffi Graf beats American Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3,6-4 for her 3rd consecutive Australian singles crown.

2017 – Donald Trump issues executive order banning travel to the US for 7 mostly Muslim countries and suspending admission for refugees.

2019 – NFL Pro Bowl, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fl: AFC beats NFC, 26-7: MVP’s Patrick Mahomes, KC Chiefs, QB; Jamal Adams, NY Jets, Safety.

The post This Day in History for January 27 appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

Second place in the Three Rivers Conference girls basketball standings will be on the line Monday night when East Bladen travels to West Bladen for the county rivals first meeting of the season.

Both teams own 9-1 league records. Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles are 15-3 overall with losses to Union Pines and Jack Britt in the Cumberland County Holiday Classic then to TRC league-leader St. Pauls.

Senior Patience Ward fires in almost 21 points per game for East and set a school record earlier this season with 45 points in a win over Wilmington New Hanover. Sophmores Mya McDonald (11.3 points) and Alexus Mitchell (10.2 points) also score in double figures.  

Freshman center Anna Grey Heustess has averaged 8.2 points per game during the Lady Eagles current 6-game winning streak.

Coach Brian McCleney’s Lady Knights are 12-3 overall with close December losses to Midway and Clinton. West Bladen has won 5 games in a row since their lone TRC loss at St. Pauls.

Senior Lexie Corrothers tops the Lady Knight scoring list with a 10.3 average. Senior Kasee Singletary contributes 7.6 points per game followed by senior Seniah Johnson (7.6), sophmore Haley George (6.3) and senior Mikayla Meadows (5.1).

In the boys contest, Coach Aking Elting’s Eagles (2-13) battle Coach Travis Pait’s Knights (5-12). The Eagles own victories over Midway and East Columbus. Junior Javant McDowell pumps in 10 points per game for East. Juniors RaSean McKoy (5.6 points) and Lefrederick Wooten (4.6) are other Eagle leaders.

The Knights have beaten Union twice, Clinton, Lakewood and East Columbus. Missouri-Kansas City signee Tyre Boykin tops the Knight offense with a 23.4 ppg average. Other Knight scoring leaders are: junior Shy’Ron Adams (6.7), senior Nijeah McKoy (4.1) and junior Josh Lewis (4.1).

The post East Bladen & West Bladen Battle Monday Night appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

CHARLESTON, SC – White Lake native Lacey Suggs fired in 17 points for UNC Wilmington Sunday, but a late run in overtime lifted the College of Charleston to a 67-63 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Lady Seahawks.

Suggs started the fourth quarter with a lay-up then nailed a 3-point shot. The East Bladen grad stole the ball and raced for the lay-up that tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation and forced overtime.

Another Suggs lay-up 48 seconds into the overtime period gave UNC-Wilmington their final lead of the game at 62-60. Charleston scored the next 5 points to secure the win.

Suggs played all 45 minutes of the game and connected on 6-11 shots from the field and all 4 of her foul shots to finish with a team-high 17 points and grabbed 5 rebounds  It was her 13th double-figure game of the season, and the sixth time that Suggs has led the team in scoring.

The 5-10 senior guard is second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg) and leads the team in rebounding (5.2 rpg).

UNC-Wilmington will travel to Hofstra Friday night.

The post Lacey Suggs Scores 17 in UNCW Overtime Loss appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

The Clarkton Farm Fest will host a dance on March 21 featuring “The Pink Slips” at the Clarkton Entertainment Center. The dance will begin at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30) and end at midnight. Admission is $20 per person.

The Farm Fest started back last fall after an almost-10-year hiatus. Before then, Clarkton held one of the county’s longest-running festivals. Last fall, the committee held a scaled-down version of its former festival. The dance on March 21 puts the committee one step closer to putting its big annual festival back in place.

“The Farm Fest Committee knows we have to take baby steps to get us back where we used to be,” Committee Chairman Noel Dennis said. “Before our festival disbanded 10 years ago, we had held a festival in Clarkton for over 50 years, as Farmers’ Day and the Tobacco Festival and then Farm Fest. Our goal now is to make another 50-year run.”

Proceeds from the dance will be put back into activities and youth organizations in the Clarkton community.

“We’re a small town,” Dennis continued, “but Farm Fest has always appreciated our farmers and always helped our community grow. That has never stopped.”

“The Pink Slips,” the area’s premier party band, specializes in Carolina beach music, soul, country, and rock. The band is well-known throughout southeastern N.C. for putting on a great show.

To reserve a table at the dance, contact Debbie Heustess at (910) 647-0651. Call before 9:30 p.m. The reserved tables are $25 each and seat eight. Smaller stand-up tables are also available for reservations at $10 each.

A half-and-half cash pot will be sold at the dance, too.

Coolers are allowed, but glass bottles are prohibited.

The post Clarkton Farm Fest to host dance March 21 appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

A busy, wild weekend with more than our share of ‘bad’ news…

One big story yesterday was the crash of a helicopter near Los Angles that took the lives of 9, including retired NBA All Star, Kobe Bryant and his teenage daughter. … Investigation likely to take some time before much is known about the cause…

Today, in DC, bickering continues over who told who, what & when in impeachment hearings … Dems want more hearings, Republicans apparently want to ‘wrap it up’ and vote…

Haven’t watched any of the hearings, don’t plan to … but had a couple of thoughts … after a few minutes of watching Fox and CNN over the weekend, and remembering what my mom told me years ago … If someone will tell a ‘small’ lie, they will most likely ‘lie’ … one more thought … How many parents would like their sons and daughters to grow up and be like the leaders of either party? Just a thought!!!! No doubt there are some honorable folks on both sides of the aisle … but there are likely some others … In NC and DC…

Guess we must confess … none among us are perfect…

A 20 to 30% chance of rain today and tonight. … Looks good for the middle of the week. … Sunny skies with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s for most of the week … the last week of January, 2020.

Early voting begins in a few days in Bladen. … I hope anyone found to be violating election laws will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. … Seems a few ‘jerks’ are determined to give local residents a ‘bad name’. … Lock’em up and hide the keys…

Funny how a $20 bill looks so big when you take it to church, but so small when you take it to the market…

I don’t have to attend every argument I’m invited to.

Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked.

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

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Here are Three Things to Know for Monday, January 27:

1. East Bladen will play at West Bladen today in basketball. The girls’ junior varsity game will start at 4 p.m. followed by the JV boys, varsity girls and varsity boys. The varsity girls’ teams are tied for second in the Three Rivers Conference with 9-1 records. The varsity boys’ teams are tied for eighth in the league with 1-9 records. (Story)

2. “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope” documentary is showing today at 6 p.m. at Bladen Community College auditorium. (Story).

3. Grand opening for the Elizabethtown Small Business Incubator is Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at 207 East Broad Street in Elizabethtown. It’s the former Elizabethtown Post Office. (Story)

• EVENTS CALENDAR

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The Graham Agricultural Museum Planter’s Day will be on March 27 – 28, 2020. This is the 28th year of the event’s existence. Although the event has moved locations in the past the value of celebrating farm life continues.

One of the event organizers, Rebecca Faircloth said they are trying to increase their numbers this year.

The gates will open at 9 a.m. on each day with free admission for anyone wanting to attend. Friday night there will be a Chicken and Rice Dinner Plate Sale. Both Friday and Saturday there will be Country and Gospel Music, craft vendors, children’s games, antique farm equipment, primitive tools, horse equipment, a swap meet and blacksmith presentations.

The event will be held at the located at 9252 Old Fayetteville in Garland.

Vendors are invited to participate both days. It will start at 9 am and end at 5 pm. Set up begins at 8 am.  Please make the check out to Graham Agricultural Museum. For more information call Rebecca Faircloth at 910-978-0456. Vendor payments may be mailed to 1491 Carrisbrooke Rd., St. Pauls, NC, 28384.

Related Article:

Old Fashioned Planters Day enjoyed by many

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ROBERT ALLISON WHITE, SR. Robert Allison White, 92, of Raleigh, NC, formerly of Wilmington, NC, Allendale, NJ, and Bladenboro, NC, passed peacefully in his home on Sunday, January 19th, 2020. Born March 5th, 1927 in Greensboro, NC, he was the son of the late Allison Almon White and Jewell Inman White.

Following graduation from Bladenboro High School, Robert, also known as Bob, served in WWII as a Sergeant in the U. S. Army with the 872nd Engineer Aviation Battalion in Atsugi Airport, Japan. Bob went on to graduate from Wake Forest University, then married his childhood sweetheart Mary Cecile, and began post graduate study at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Bob became a Certified Public Accountant while employed by Peat Marwick Mitchell & Company CPA’s, Charlotte, NC. His early employment included American Safety Razor Company in Staunton, VA.; Philip Morris’ Manufacturing Operations in Richmond, VA; and Philip Morris’ New York Headquarters as General Accounting Manager.

He later became Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Philip Morris International. In this capacity Bob traveled worldwide and became deeply involved in the expansion of their operations in Switzerland, Holland, Australia, England, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, Finland, Nigeria, and more. While working in New York, he and Cecile resided in Allendale, Bergen County, NJ, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Bergen Baptist Church, one of the early Southern Baptist Churches in the Metropolitan NY area.

Bob was also instrumental in the formation of the Living Gospel Baptist Church. He was a member of the Philip Morris President’s Club and received their Silver Ring Award. He was also a member of the National Council of the National Planning Association and the

U. S. Chamber of Commerce. Furthering education was of key importance to Bob, throughout his life. He and his wife Cecile helped numerous students with educational expenses, and they funded the Cecile Ward White Scholarship at Meredith College. He was extremely proud that all twenty of his grandchildren graduated from, or are currently completing, college. He retired from Philip Morris in 1986, and returned to North Carolina, where he enjoyed lake living at White Lake, NC. Later, he moved to Wilmington, NC where he was a Board Member of Plantation Village retirement community, a member of the Surf Club at Wrightsville Beach, and regularly enjoyed horticulture and raising his beloved Shelties, Cody(s) and Rio.

In his later years, Bob moved to Raleigh, NC to be near family and became a member of Bay Leaf Baptist Church. He enjoyed keeping abreast of world news, following financial markets, making numerous outings to ‘big box’ stores, and spending treasured time with Cecile.

Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church Bladenboro, 500 South Main Street, Bladenboro, NC 28320, Bay Leaf Baptist Church, 12200 Bayleaf Church Rd, Raleigh, NC 27614, or The Meredith College General Fund, 3800 Hillsborough Street Raleigh, NC 27607-5298.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) co-sponsored bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) to ensure body armor and personal protective equipment (PPE) is adequate, properly-fitted, and readily available for female servicemembers.

“We need to make sure that every American servicemember is well equipped in order to stay safe as they defend our freedoms, and addressing the lack of proper body armor for female servicemembers is essential to fulfilling that obligation,” said Senator Tillis, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel. “I’m proud to co-sponsor this bipartisan legislation led by Senator Ernst to ensure the body armor and protective equipment female servicemembers need and deserve is readily available.”

“As a company commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom, I understand firsthand the importance of providing our female servicemembers with the proper equipment to ensure their readiness, survivability, and effectiveness in combat, especially as women continue to play increasingly important roles in our nation’s military,” said Senator Ernst, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. “The growing bipartisan support for this legislation demonstrates just how important and commonsense it is, and I’m hopeful this momentum will lead to getting it across the finish line.”

Representatives Joe Wilson (SC-02), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), and Steve Stivers (OH-15) have introduced a similar measure in the House of Representatives.

Background: Recent reports by the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) have shown that access to female-specific PPE and smaller sized PPE was severely limited and only issued to some women who were deploying and not to any females during initial entry training (IET) or in regular unit environments. In addition, their research has shown that poorly-fitting PPE is a leading cause of injury for all servicemembers, those who are deployed and in training. While the service branches have been working to make improvements to achieve the proper protection and fit for PPE for all servicemembers, including females and small statured males, there is still work to be done to ensure all military members are adequately equipped both during training and in combat.

The Female Body Armor Modernization Act of 2019 would:

• Encourage the Services to expedite the contracting, procuring, and fielding of new generation PPE that better fits and protects all servicemembers, to include females, and reduces preventable injuries.
• Encourage collaboration with academia and industry, utilizing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, human factors modeling, and digital predictive human modeling to develop the next generation of combat equipment and PPE.
• Require the Services to submit a report to Congress in the 2021 Fiscal Year concerning any barriers that they have encountered when fielding their newest versions of PPE to servicemembers. The report would include any cost overruns or contractor delays in fielding this new equipment to servicemembers.
• Require the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to begin administering a trackable system for data input related to injuries to accompany the issuance of new PPE. This could be done through an already-existing system such as the Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System (DOEHRS).
• Require DHA to provide a report to Congress in the 2025 Fiscal Year identifying the prevalence of preventable injuries attributed to ill-fitting or malfunctioning PPE.
• Require the DoD to include questions in the annual Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) on whether Servicemembers incurred an injury in connection with ill-fitting or malfunctioning PPE.

Related Article:

Tillis & Burr Announce $321 Million in Funding to Continue Disaster Relief Efforts

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The Bladen Community College Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 6 P.M. in the boardroom of the Essic Williams Administration Building (Building 10).

For more information contact Melissa Hester at 910-879-5502.

Related Article:

Bladen Community College Trustees Take Oath of Office

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Elizabethtown, NC – The Bladen County School Board voted January 13, 2020, to hire Dana Melvin Mills as the district’s new director of career and technical education (CTE).  Mills will fill the position currently held by Willa Dean Williams.

Williams is retiring March 1, 2020.

Mrs. Mills’ role will focus on working collaboratively with administrators, teachers, staff and other stakeholders to ensure continued educational opportunities are available for students to succeed in life such as technical skills, academic skills, and employability skills. In addition, career and technical education helps students see how what they’re learning applies to the needs of employers.

“As a Bladen County native, I am excited to be able to give back to the county that has helped shape me and so many others,” said Mills. “One of the most important goals of Bladen County Schools CTE will be to prepare our students to productively live and work in their world. I look forward to this journey with students, teachers, and the community.”

Mrs. Mills has been an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor for 15 years. She earned both her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees from North Carolina State University. In 2009 and in 2019, Mills completed credentials as a National Board Certified Teacher in Career and Technical Education.

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By: Workerscompensation.com

Raleigh, NC (WorkersCompensation.com) – Falls caused the largest number of work-related fatal incidents in the Tar Heel state in 2019, based on preliminary information released today by the N.C. Department of Labor. Falls accounted for 17 of the 53 fatal incidents that fell within the NCDOL, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Division’s jurisdictional authority. Struck-by incidents followed closely, accounting for 15 of the 53 fatal workplace deaths last year.

“It is critical that every employer ensures that new hires and existing employees are properly trained to do the jobs they are assigned to do and that they are provided with the proper safety equipment to do those jobs,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “NCDOL has the tools to assist employers with proper training and safety equipment. Our goal and everyone’s goal should be that your employees go home safely to their families and loved ones at the end of the day. No goal is more important than that.”

Not all work-related fatal incidents fall within the jurisdictional authority of the OSH Division and therefore are not included in the OSH Division’s count. Traffic accidents, for instance, account for most work-related deaths each year and fall outside the division’s jurisdiction. Traffic accidents, along with homicides and suicides, are inspected by law enforcement.

The OSH Division fatality count excludes fatalities investigated by federal OSHA, sole proprietorships and other exemptions in which the department does not have the authority to investigate, such as on farms with 10 or fewer employees that have not had temporary labor camp activity within the previous 12 months. Federal figures compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with cooperation of NCDOL, include all work-related fatalities. The federal figures can be found on the BLS website. Fatality data for 2019 will be published in the fourth quarter of 2020.

The construction industry continues to be the most hazardous industry in the state, accounting for 20 work-related deaths, four more than in 2018. The N.C. Department of Labor will continue its special emphasis program for construction to maximize its resources and pinpoint problem areas.

Part of the OSH Division’s strategy to reduce work-related fatalities includes encouraging employer and employee participation in various safety and health outreach activities. The OSH Division also works with businesses and organizations that represent some of the most hazardous industries through partnerships and alliances to heighten industry awareness and assist with education and training.

The OSH Division has participated in a federal OSHA campaign to prevent falls in construction for the past six years. This year the National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls is scheduled for the week of May 4 through 8.

“I encourage all construction companies to participate in the stand-down and focus on fall prevention efforts on construction sites to help reduce these preventable deaths,” said Kevin Beauregard, director of the NCDOL OSH Division. “What is troubling about falls is that they can almost always be avoided with proper safety training and use of basic personal protective equipment. The OSH Division will increase construction-related activity in some counties in the spring, especially those identified as having high activity or multiple fatalities.”

One notable increase involved the transportation and public utilities industry, which tied for the second highest number of work-related deaths with eight, an increase from four in 2018. Manufacturing incidents remained the same with eight in 2019. Other increases in 2019 include the retail trade industry from one to three and the services industry from four to seven.

There were no work-related fatalities in 70 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Mecklenburg County had the most work-related fatalities with seven, followed by Guilford County with four. Buncombe, Orange and Wake Counties each experienced three fatalities. Cabarrus, Carteret, Catawba, Durham, Edgecombe, Lincoln, Randolph and Surry Counties each experienced two fatal workplace incidents. Seventeen counties experienced one fatality.

Whites accounted for 31 of the 53 work-related fatalities. Hispanics accounted for 14. Blacks accounted for seven, and there was one Asian fatality. Men accounted for 50 of the 53 deaths. Women accounted for three workplace deaths.

While fatalities continue to fluctuate, North Carolina’s injury and illness rate has steadily declined since 2001 and remains at a historic low 2.4 per 100 full-time workers for 2018. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles the injury and illness rate data. The rate accounts for growth and contraction in total hours worked in industry, which is an important factor in a state like North Carolina that has experienced significant growth.

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The North Carolina Department of Revenue will officially open the 2020 individual income tax filing season and begin accepting and processing individual income tax returns on Monday, Jan. 27. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will open federal tax filing season on the same day.

Tax returns are due this year on Wednesday, April 15. Taxpayers who filed before Jan. 27 will now begin receiving acknowledgements for electronically filed (eFiled) returns.

Free online filing (eFile) options for qualified taxpayers are available through the NCDOR.gov website using NCfreefile. Eligibility requirements for NCfreefile are available here.

Due to the NCDOR’s enhanced identity theft protection measures, some refunds may take longer than normal, which is 8 weeks for electronically-filed returns and 12 weeks for paper returns. Filing returns early also reduces the risk of tax refund fraud.

Learn more about filing individual income tax returns electronically.

The post The NCDOR Will Accept Individual Income Tax Returns Effective Monday, Jan. 27 appeared first on BladenOnline.com.

Tar Heel Middle School

Honor Rolls

2019-2020 2nd Nine Weeks

Superintendent’s List – Grades of 96 and above in all Classes

7th Grade:  Angel Ramon-Reyes

8th Grade:  Violet Allen, Kiera Lewis

“A” Honor Roll – Grades of 90 and above in all classes

5th Grade:  Luke Beck, Oliver Freese, Melissa Garcia Ortiz, Carrie Jones, Carly Mejia Frank, Michael Saraoz Campos, Ethan Wil-Dey

6th Grade:  Jamaiya Ballard, Josiah Belle-Robinson, Jaylyn Clark, Kaleb Gaddy, Ayana Murchison, Ike Nwadiora, Michael Reyes Maldonado, Estrella Vazquez-Aguilar

7th Grade:   Devyn Clanton, Frankie Felix Marroquin, Yareth Garcia Perez, Malik Hill, Madison Holder, Antuan Martinez-Sanchez, Kasey Nichols, Yuridia Santana-Dominguez, Pablo Vasquez Aguilar

8th Grade: Alex Basilio, Levi German, Oswaldo Gonzalez-Lopez, Samuel Hernandez Velasquez, Milaya Lucero, Hannah Richardson, Samantha Woodell

“A/B” Honor Rolls – Grades of 80 and above in all classes

5th Grade:  Jonathan Bravo Villegas, Sidney Castro Mendez, Fernando Chavez Verales, Yoni  Dennis, Joseph Dowless, Patrick Elliot, Osvaldo Fuentes Garcia, Wilvert Funez Munoz, Nery Garrido-Perez, Noah German,  Vanessa Gonzalez-Flores, Tyler Griffin, Austin Basilio Hunt, Brandon Basilio Hunt, Ellie Graysen Kinlaw, Alejandro Lopez Sandoval, Stephanie Maldonado-Ortiz, Alajeh McMillan, Katherine Mejia Rodriguez, Carson Navarro, Alma Perez Reyes, Uziel Ramirez-Sanchez,  Cristian Ramon-Reyes, Armando Reyna-Vicencio, Jr., Awnnica Ringer, Cristian Rodriguez Gonzalez, David Sanchez Resendiz, Wendy Sandoval-Barrios, Jacob Velazquez Diaz, Jonah Schronce, Justin Anthony Van Valkenburg,Jr., Alexis Villegas Rodriguez, Jarrett West, Uriah Wright, Juleymie Zuniga-Labra

6th Grade: Kevin Aguilar Saraoz, Nataly Ayala, Hayden Batton, Ava Bordeaux, Uri Bravo Verdugo, Aliyah Carver, Angel Contreras Cardenas, Sabriel DePaul, Marybeth English, Christian Floyd, Abigail Grimsley, Dylan Hernandez, Brittany Jacobs, Markesha Leach, Makayla Lewis, Karla Mejia Rodriguez, Itzel Mendoza Ortiz, Xavier Moore, Genesis Morales Velasquez,  Jonathan Ortiz Hernandez, Layla Page, Alina Rabanales, Geovani Reyes Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Rodriguez Gonzalez, Kenia Romero-Pena, Anahi Sandoval-Rojas, Chastity Singletary, Tavion Smith, Johani Velazquez Diaz, Gerson Verdugo Roblero, Leidi Zuniga Labra

7th Grade:  Destyni Blackwell-Lewis, Alina Chavez, Natalie Chavez, Hailey Cook, Cole Dowless, Ryder Faircloth, Jazmy Funez Aranda, Carlos Gonzalez Flores, Jesenie Gutierrez-Roblero, Larissa Jackson, Aidan Jones, Mason Jones, Kyle Knepper,  Za’Marian Lewis, Lidia Lopez-Cardona, Damon’tre Love, Teriyona Mathis, Teasia McDowell, Zion McMillan, Ashley Sanchez-Resendiz, Zachary Saraoz, Nolan Sessoms, Nickolas Shipman, Alaina Sierra, Jazmin Tapia, Luz Vasquez Sandoval, Jessica Verdugo-Gomez, Faith Wil-Dey

8th Grade: Akemiona Baldwin, Annalisa Caldwell, Cedric Candelaria Rentas, Keila Cardona Ramirez, Caren Cardona Salvador, Ashley Corrales Guzman, Khalil Crumb, Sarah Dillard, Kaitlyn Edwards, Lauren Gracie Faircloth, Brianna Grimes, Faith Hearn, Eric Jimenez Lemus, Alan Miranda, Jessica Munoz-Rodriguez, Molly Pait, Halei Porter, Mariska Rhodes, Jahmar Richardson, Yahaira Santana Dominguez, Marco Antonio Vasquez

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Elizabethtown Primary School 2nd 9 Weeks Honor Roll
4 th Grade
Superintendent’s List
Aaliyah Wright
A Honor Roll
Heather Rojas-Sandoval, Noah White
A/B Honor Roll
Ariana Acevedo Portillo, Ishaq Al Gozy, Malak Al Gozy, Aubrey Andersen, Isaiah Atkins, Zoey Barger,
Alton Brooker, Akeem Brown, Kayelynn Chambers, Jayden Coples, Paris Drummond, Sy’Riyah Edwards,
Andrio Garcia Nunez, Aireyell Graham, Kayleb Hunt, Taylor King, Jah’Nyiah Mcintyre, Arianna McKiver,
Anthony Mena Martinez, Abigail Miranda-Ventura, Emy Perez Rojas, Jackson Phillips, Ryne Allan Priest,
Aaron Ramsden, Malachai Regans, Joseph Russ, Sana’a Singletary, Fox Sutton, Lamont Tucker, Freddy
Valerio, Emanuel Velazquez-Perez, Zir’rihana White, Johnny Wilson

3 rd Grade
A Honor Roll
Gianna High, Jenniyah Jones, Alayna Roberson, Cayden Stocks, Miguel Ventura, Jalil Westmoreland
A/B Honor Roll
Jacob Allen, Edward Autry, I’Aysia Brooks, Jesse Campbell, Nakria Collins, Joshua Crumb, Sterling Davis,
Anthony Dimery, Salvador Estrada-Gonzalez, Michael Fleury, John High, Arrabella Horne, Kynslie Kinlaw,
Ja’Nirria Leach, Isaiah Lloyd, Marquis Matthews, Legacy McNeil, Juan Miranda, Brooklyn Nichols, Amiya
Pearson, Kenadi Rhodie, Avery Smith, Calleigh Smith, Ernest Washington, Ka’Nyia Westmoreland,
Richard White

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By Mike Hughes, VP, Community Relations, Duke Energy

North Carolina and Duke Energy have been leaders as solar power has grown as a portion of our energy mix.

But in conversations around the state, one impression is hard to shake: Many people don’t know the whole story about solar energy in North Carolina. So allow me to share good news that everyone can appreciate.

North Carolina is second in the nation for solar energy, producing more solar power annually than every state in the nation – except for California.

In less than four years, Duke Energy has more than tripled the amount of solar we’ve connected to the grid, with more than 10,000 solar projects now connected – a majority of these projects owned by others. And, on top of growing the third-party market, Duke Energy is continuing its own development, with about $1 billion invested in 40 company- owned solar facilities in the state.

Duke Energy is also making solar more affordable for everyday customers through our $62 million rebate program, designed to encourage rooftop solar for residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations.

So far, we’ve distributed more than $17 million in solar rebates to 3,500 customers for private rooftop solar projects. In two years, the number of customers with private solar has doubled in North Carolina to more than 12,000. Those numbers will only get bigger as the program continues through 2022.

The company has also launched a program for large energy users to secure additional solar power – without extra costs being added to customer bills. It’s our way of expanding renewable energy while keeping customer rates below the national average.

Legislative changes made in 2017 are already making solar more affordable for customers, through a competitive bidding process in which all companies are free to bid. A third-party administrator – working with the N.C. Utilities Commission – sorts through the bids and selects the winners.

The independent, competitive nature of the process means customers pay much lower prices for solar energy than they did a few years ago. Last year, 600 megawatts of solar capacity (about the size of a new natural gas plant) was awarded.

More than half of North Carolina’s power generation is carbon free, or free of greenhouses gases, due to the strong contribution of nuclear and hydroelectric power-as well as the growing role of solar. That percentage will only improve in the coming years, too, as Duke Energy continues to accelerate its coal retirements and advance more renewable energy for customers’ benefit.

North Carolina’s solar success has been built on aggressive, responsible investments. We should all be proud of those facts.

Related article:

Rotarians learn about solar farms

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An Army Reserve combat engineer died Jan. 24 in Deir ez Zor Province, Syria, according to a statement from the Defense Department.

Spc. Antonio Moore, 22, of Wilmington, N.C., was involved in a vehicle rollover accident. At the time, he was conducting route clearance operations as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, while assigned to the 346th Engineer Company, 363d Engineer Battalion, 411th Engineer Brigade.

“The 363rd Engineer Battalion is deeply saddened at the loss of Spec. Antonio Moore,” said Lt. Col. Ian Doiron, 363rd Engineer Battalion commander. “Antonio was one of the best in our formation. He will be missed by all who served with him. We will now focus on supporting his family and honoring his legacy and sacrifice.”

Moore enlisted in the Army in May 2017 and was previously awarded National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. This was his first deployment.

He is survived by his mother, stepfather, three brothers and one sister.

Related articles:

US says mystery crash in Afghanistan was US Air Force plane

https://www.newser.com/article/e125cf2cfab0affbddad5125a0741bce/us-says-mystery-crash-in-afghanistan-was-us-air-force-plane.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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