Columbus
Bladen Journal
East Bladen perfect in conference play
ROCKY POINT — The East Bladen Lady Eagles defeated the Heide Trask Lady Titans for a 56-30 victory Wednesday in a Waccamaw Conference clash. East Bladen junior guard Iveonna “NeNe” Ward went for 19 points and snatched 9 steals in a comfortable victory away from home. Heide Trask suffered a series of turnovers at the beginning of the game due to their opponents relentlessness in the full court press; they had 10 turnovers in the first quarter during the Lady Eagles 18-2 run in the opening minutes of the game.
Ted Parker, mobile-home mogul and Lumberton ‘legend’ dead at 71
LUMBERTON – Ted Parker, a well-known name in North Carolina and the former owner of Ted Parker Home Sales of Lumberton, has died. Parker, a former mobile-home mogul, made millions selling manufactured homes, and his television advertisements were familiar to those who watched local TV and lived in southeastern North Carolina during the 1980s and 1990s.
Community Calendar
Welcome to the Bladen Journal’s Community Calendar. If you have a calendar item, please send it to interim editor David Kennard by email at news@bladenjournal.com. BOOK CLUB: The Bladen County Public Library has released its list of books for the Pastries and Print Book Club. January: Tom Lake -Ann Patchett; February: “None of this is True” by Lisa Jewell; March: “The American Heiress” by Daisy Goodwin; April: “And If I Perish” by Evelyn M. Monahan; May: “The Lost and Found Bookshop” by Susan Wiggs; June: “The Choice” by Edith Eva Eger. For more information contact Kim Wilson at 910-863-4586 or email kwilson@bladenco.org. Meetings are at 3 p.m. every third Monday at the library’s Main Branch, 111 N Cypress St. Elizabethtown.
New evidence confirms that taxes matter
Ever since Republicans won control of the North Carolina General Assembly in 2010 and began reforming the state’s tax code, progressive critics have argued that taxes play little to no role in shaping economic outcomes. Indeed, they argue that the economic benefits of state expenditures outweigh any potential benefits...
Confession of a public-health expert
The public-health officials are getting around to admitting the fallibility of public-health officials. The former head of the National Institutes of Health during the pandemic and current science advisor to President Joe Biden, Francis Collins, has noted that he and his colleagues demonstrated an “unfortunate” narrow-mindedness. This is a welcome, if belated, confession.
Friday Night Round-Up: Lady Eagles continue to soar
BURGAW — The East Bladen Lady Eagles defeated the Pender Lady Patriots for a 58-51 victory on Friday night in a Waccamaw Conference match-up. East Bladen junior backcourt duo of Laila Smith and Iveonna “NeNe” Ward combined for 44 points in the victory away from home; Smith led all scorers with 23 points and Ward finished the night with 21 points as the second leading scorer for the Lady Eagles. Smith also finished with 10 rebounds to complete a double-double and she had seven steals on the defensive side of the ball.
NC Angler Group Supports Wildlife Agency’s Hybrid Bass Program
Anglers who frequent Jordan Lake, Lake Gaston and Lake Norman may be surprised next time they “reel in the big one.” N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is stocking a new hybrid bass species in those waters, called an F1 Hybrid Bass. It is a cross between Largemouth Bass and Florida Bass. The hope is that the hybrid bass will have hybrid vigor, which means they will grow faster and larger than other bass.
Sheriffs’ Association honors Sen. Britt for supporting safety
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) has recognized Sen. Danny Britt as a 2023 Defender of Public Safety for the important work done during the 2023 legislative session to protect public safety in North Carolina. “During a session that saw a heavy concentration of law enforcement...
Convicted felon arrested after shooting at deputies
LUMBERTON — On Jan. 5 at approximately 7:44 p.m., Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 995 Singletary Church Road, Lumberton in reference to a dispute and weapons violation. Prior to arriving on the scene, shots were reportedly fired at the location. Upon arriving at the scene,...
What Trillium merger means for Medicaid in Bladen
Mental health services for people enrolled in Medicaid in much of southeastern North Carolina will soon be consolidated following a merger approved by the state. Trillium Health Resources will manage mental health care, substance misuse treatment and disability services for many low-income residents in 46 counties — including Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland — when it merges with Eastpointe and Sandhills Center on Feb. 1. The agreement adds 18 counties under Trillium’s care, including Robeson and Scotland, to serve 3.1 million residents.
Annual meeting to focus on growth
ELIZABETHTOWN — The Elizabethtown-White Lake Chamber of Commerce will focus on the current projects and future plans that mean growth for Elizabethtown, White Lake and all of Bladen County at its Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Lu Mil Vineyard. The event is...
Lady Braves defense smothers Converse in win
PEMBROKE — The University of North Carolina at Pembroke women’s basketball team is typically a strong defensive unit against anyone it plays. But the Braves seem to be particularly strong at preventing Converse from scoring. UNCP was dominant on the defensive end of the floor for the second...
West Bladen stays hot
BLADENBORO — The West Bladen Knights defeated the West Columbus Vikings for a 60-33 victory in a non-conference match-up on Tuesday. West Columbus dominated on the boards in the first quarter and were going toe-to-toe with the Knights on their home floor in the first eight minutes. West Bladen sophomore guard Jackson Pait hit a three and junior center Chase Williams spun his defender in the post to go ahead 12-7 as the first quarter wound down.
Lady Knights go 1-1 on the week
BLADENBORO — The West Bladen Lady Knights defeated the West Columbus Lady Vikings for a 62-15 victory in a non-conference match-up. The Lady Knights dominated their opponents from minute one and senior guard Kiera Lewis led the rout with 23 points. West Columbus had over 20 turnovers and plenty of missed shots in between for a lackluster night on the offensive end of the floor.
Presidential primary candidates finalized
RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina’s election board finalized on Tuesday the candidates for the state’s March 5 presidential primaries, leaving President Joe Biden as the lone Democrat for the job on ballots and former President Donald Trump among the Republican competitors. The five-member State Board of Elections...
Task force to focus on social media algorithms, gun storage education to help keep NC kids safer in 2024
Task force to focus on social media algorithms, gun storage education to help keep NC kids safer in 2024. The state’s Child Fatality Task Force is working on the topics and programs it will push legislators to tackle this year. Two issues are familiar, even though the group saw some success with advancing them last year.
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