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Robbery under investigation
Sampson sheriff’s investigators are continuing an investigation into an incident that occurred over the weekend when two residents offered another a ride and were paid back by being robbed and assaulted. Capt. Eric Pope said officers have a person of interest in the case, and detectives were currently investigating the incident. The robbery took place Saturday night when Jonah Phillip Smith, 21, of Pickleshed Lane, Clinton and a friend, J...
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Crimewatch
Arrests/Citations 3/7 - James Ray Brown, 32, 54 Ponderosa Lane, Clinton, failure to comply child support. Bond $500; court date March 12. 3/7 - Bobby Ray Copeland, 42, 899 Byrd Yancey Bass Road, Clinton, failure to appear on child support charge. Bond $500; no court date set. 3/7 Lasagna Blue, 32, 79 Hugh Lane, Salemburg, failure to appear on child support charge. Bond $250. No court date listed. 3/8-Justin Wright, 25, 61 River Ridg...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent County commissioner Jarvis McLamb said he has not appreciated negative comments made toward managerial staff from the public in regards to the animal shelter, and threatened to endorse the shelter's closing or a pet tax should it continue. Other commissioners said they believed differences were being worked out.
McLamb tosses out animal shelter ideas: Close it or charge a tax
As one county commissioner has threatened to endorse the closing of the animal shelter in light of “bad statements” toward county management by members of the public, the shelter director said he remains focused on moving forward with improvements that will include the dismantling of the gas chamber. The shelter received its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) licensing at the beginning of February to begin lethal injection and demolish t...
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Myriad bills being filed in Legislature
The first week of March has been a very productive one at the Raleigh office. We are working hard to pass beneficial legislation and make this a great two years at the General Assembly in moving North Carolina forward. Notable Legislation After receiving positive feedback from the email last week, I wanted to continue to provide the two categories in this section. If you want to learn more about these bills you can click on the bill nu...
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Photo taken in the 1960s and provided courtesy of the Historical Society.
Biggest pecan was a gift of President Madison
(Editor’s note: From the March 1, 1968 issue of The State magazine, reprinted with permission.) The giant pecan tree, located at the old Fryar place, three miles northeast of the village of Turkey on Bowden Road, is believed to be the largest pecan tree in North Carolina and possibly the most historic. The tree measures 17 feet 2 inches in circumference, measured three feet above the ground, and although hurricanes and lightening have tor...
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STD services at the Health Dept.
Sexually transmitted diseases are a significant challenge in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 19 million new STD infections occur every year in the United States, nearly half of these cases among people between the ages of 15-24. Each of these infections is a potential threat to an individual’s immediate and long-term health and well-being. In addition to increasing a person’s risk for HIV ...
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One killed on Brewer Road
A Mount Olive man died early Sunday morning in a one-vehicle crash on Brewer Road near the Duplin County line. According to N.C. Highway Patrol Sgt. Bryan Smith, 27-year-old Jamal Wright died from injuries sustained in the accident, which occurred at 10:25 a.m. Smith said an investigation into the accident shows that Wright, traveling north on Brewer Road, ran off the road to the right, over-corrected, then ran off the road to the left, o...
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Patty Tarr, center, owner of the Ashford Inn and one of the five chefs chosen to cook for United Way's "Outstanding in Our Fields" dinner event, meets with the other four local chefs as they plan the meal for the fundraiser. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Servin’ it up for United Way
Second in a series As Sampson County’s United Way prepares for its upcoming fundraiser, a dinner event named “Outstanding in Our Fields,” the five chefs chosen to prepare the special meal are hard at work too. One of those chefs is Patty Tarr, a self-described “foodie” and the woman behind the delicious fare at the Ashford Inn, which she owns and runs with her husband Mason. “Ever since I was young, I wanted to own a bed and breakfas...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Sampson County Veterans Service officer Ann Knowles talks about the important place veterans hold in this country, this county and in her heart. She was lauded by Board of Commissioners chairman Billy Lockamy and others for giving not only her heart and time, but $2,000 of her own money, to assist a veteran who was about to be displaced from his home.
Beyond duty’s call
When a local veteran was struggling to keep his home in Autryville last month, $2,000 behind on his mortgage, Ann Knowles, the woman who has been there for countless veterans through the years, reached into her own pocket. Sampson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Billy Lockamy honored Knowles, the county’s Veterans Service officer, for her actions in assisting local veteran Bruce Waldahl, who faced displacement from his home to compou...
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All cataracts are not the same
I will continue our discussion on cataracts in recognizing March as National Cataract Awareness Month. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye. This clouding can be a result of medical conditions, aging, social and environmental causes, injury and medications. As the clouding becomes more intense, the vision changes and becomes less clear. While there are no known causes of cataract development, there are a number of risk factors. ...
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A rendering of what the Koi pond at Mary Gran could look like.
A little R&R
Imagine finding yourself in need of an extended term of medical care and possibly even in a wheelchair. Imagine a place not unlike a hospital yet with more freedom and yet with nothing to do. Imagine having people all around yet wanting to do something, anything, to relax and enjoy the world around you and yet have nothing to enjoy. When Carmine and Wendy Colantuono placed her father, Haskell Stewart, in the Mary Gran Nursing home they knew...
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Union's kindergarten Students of the Month Union Elementary recently named its Students of the Month for February. Those in kindergarten selected were: Sarah Millen, Landon Ashline, Jessie Diaz, Daniella Martinez-Perez, Jabari Herring, Ryan Barnes, Paloma Guzman-Moran and Mark Krch. (Courtesy photo)
Union honors its Students of the Month
Courtesy photo Union’s kindergarten Students of the Month Union Elementary recently named its Students of the Month for February. Those in kindergarten selected were: Sarah Millen, Landon Ashline, Jessie Diaz, Daniella Martinez-Perez, Jabari Herring, Ryan Barnes, Paloma Guzman-Moran and Mark Krch. Courtesy photo Union’s first grade Students of the Month Union Elementary’s first grade Students of the Month for February are: Angel Baca, B...
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Students touted for reaching success In association with the Read Across America Initiative, Catherine Ruiz from the Sampson-Clinton Association of Educators recognized eight elementary students for their improvements in reading during the Sampson County Schools Board of Education meeting in February. The students, who each received a Dr. Seuss book, were selected by their school media specialist for outstanding and noticeable reading achievements. Front row, left to right: Shakira Lopez-Andablo of Clement Elementary, Edye Naylor of Midway Elementary, and Kelly Cannady of Union Elementary. Back row, left to right: Laney Pope of Hargrove Elementary, Zanyah Brown of Roseboro Elementary, and Oscar Bonilla of Salemburg Elementary. Not pictured are J.C. Smith and Louzah Alwahishi. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Students touted for reaching success
Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent In association with the Read Across America Initiative, Catherine Ruiz from the Sampson-Clinton Association of Educators recognized eight elementary students for their improvements in reading during the Sampson County Schools Board of Education meeting in February. The students, who each received a Dr. Seuss book, were selected by their school media specialist for outstanding and noticeable reading achiev...
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The Clinton City Board of Education. In front, board chairman E.R. Mason; in back, from left: Randy Barefoot, Carol Worley, Diane Viser, Georgina Zeng and Jason Walters. (Courtesy photo)
City school board members earn Master Board status
Members of the Clinton Board of Education recently completed their Level I Master Board status, a fact announced this week by the North Carolina School Boards Association. “The NCSBA Master Board program is a knowledge- and skills-based training program that provides school boards with the opportunity to develop as a full governance team,” said Ed Dunlap, executive director of the NCSBA. “What makes Master Board unique from the Association’...
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Ken Eichberg, math teacher at Sampson Early College High School, was recognized by the Sampson County Board of Education during the February meeting as a recipient of one of the Simple Gifts Fund Teacher Fellowship grants. His grant was entitled "Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Please!" (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Simple Gift grants awarded
Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent Ken Eichberg, math teacher at Sampson Early College High School, was recognized by the Sampson County Board of Education during the February meeting as a recipient of one of the Simple Gifts Fund Teacher Fellowship grants. His grant was entitled ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Please!’ Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent Stephanie Goethie, Hobbton High School guidance counselor, was recognized by the S...
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Commissioners honor retirees The Sampson County Board of Commissioners honored retirees as of February 2013 during its meeting earlier this week. Board chairman Billy Lockamy presented each with a plaque in recognition of their years of service. Pictured, from left, are: Frankie H. Waters, Cooperative Extension Service (1981-2013); Katherine J. Brown, Department of Social Services (1988-2013); Lockamy; and Samuel Anders, Detention Center (2004-2013). Not present, but recognized, were retirees Jane Hollingsworth, DSS (1985-2013), and Mark A. Lee, Sheriff's Office (2005-2013). The five retirees combined for more than 100 years of service to Sampson County. (Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent)
Commissioners honor retirees
Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent The Sampson County Board of Commissioners honored retirees as of February 2013 during its meeting earlier this week. Board chairman Billy Lockamy presented each with a plaque in recognition of their years of service. Pictured, from left, are: Frankie H. Waters, Cooperative Extension Service (1981-2013); Katherine J. Brown, Department of Social Services (1988-2013); Lockamy; and Samuel Anders, Detention Cent...
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Members of the Royal family, all brothers, gathered at Salemburg's town hall with mayor Bobby Strickland and wife Pauline, the town commissioners, and contractor J.R. Williams for the contract signing ceremony. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Steps to displaying Salemburg’s history taken
The town of Salemburg held a contract signing ceremony this past Friday morning, confirming their plans to build an addition onto the town hall in order to create a place to display items from Salemburg’s history. The addition will be named the Salemburg Royal Hall of History, announced mayor Bobby Strickland, as the Royal family of Salemburg is instrumental in making the building and the dream of capturing the town’s history a reality. W...
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Clinton High School's FFA receives their check for $1,000 from Farm Bureau. Pictured left to right are Lane Hall, Susan Jones, Sampson County Farm Bureau president Tate Pope, Lydia Strickland, and CHS FFA adviser Ronnie Warren. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Farm Bureau assists local FFA chapters
Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent Clinton High School’s FFA receivesits check for $1,000 from Farm Bureau. Pictured left to right are Lane Hall, Susan Jones, Sampson County Farm Bureau president Tate Pope, Lydia Strickland, and CHS FFA adviser Ronnie Warren. Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent Hobbton High School receives its check for $1,000 from Farm Bureau. Pictured left to right are HHS adviser Tim Warren, Sarah Best, Sampson Coun...
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Dressed to the nines, Sunset Avenue student Honesty Williams performed Etta James' song "At Last" during the school's Black History Month program. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Celebrating Black History
Sunset Avenue Elementary School commemorated Black History Month Thursday with a special program in the school’s auditorium. “It’s an annual program that we do,” shared Heather Honeycutt, fourth grade Language Arts teacher and co-organizer of the program. “It helps pinpoint for the students key moments in history that show how far African Americans have come. It helps them understand why they are all able to come to the same school together...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Lethia Lee, co-chairperson for the Harrells Community Center, talks about the many short and long-term goals for the facility, none of which will be possible without a new roof.
Harrells group seeks county’s help with roof for community building
A Harrells group is seeking funding for roof repairs at the Harrells Community Center, deemed by residents and the county district’s representative as vital to that area of southern Sampson. Lethia Lee, co-chairwoman for the Harrells Community Center, took the group’s request to the Sampson County Board of Commissioners this week. She said the facility on Bland School Road is in need of $10,000 for a new roof for its community center and to...
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