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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Emergency Management director Ronald Bass said a grant being applied for locally could assist in hiring personnel to recruit rescue volunteers, and improving services that have come a long way in the last year.
Grant could serve to draw needed volunteer firefighters, rescue workers
Sampson County, like many others, is dealing with a diminishing amount of volunteer firefighters to complement its paid fire and rescue personnel. A grant sought by one fire department hopes to boost that number, even as a recent expansion of paid rescue workers has seen response times improve. Taylors Bridge Fire Department has submitted an application for the 2013 SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) Grant. If approve...
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General Assembly has been active in February
Although February might be the shortest month of the year, it’s been an exciting month at the General Assembly. I look forward to making these next several months as exciting and positive as this one. NOTABLE LEGISLATION: This week I want to break this section into two categories, legislation we’ve passed and legislation that has recently been filed. If you want to learn more about these bills you can click on the bill number or visit t...
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Working the phones for SCC Wanda Capps, director of nursing at SCC, Stacey Colbourne, SCC ambassador Ashley Henderson (SCC Ambassador), Amy Lucas, Coretta Kirk and SCC trusteee Barbara Faison work the phones and discuss pledges during Thursday night's Foundation phoneathon, raising just over $10,000. Foundation officials offered thanks to those who made pledges and said this was a great start to spring fundraising for the Foundation as it moves into the annual giving campaign. Since the phoneathon was one night rather than two this year, those not contacted are strongly urged 'to invest in providing opportunities for local education by donating via check or online at sampsoncc.edu. Ninety percent of all monies donated last year were spent on scholarships, student aid, program funding and mini-grants for faculty and staff--all of which benefit the local community. (Brandon Wiggins/SCC Foundation)
Working the phones for SCC
Wanda Capps, director of nursing at SCC, Stacey Colbourne, SCC ambassador Ashley Henderson (SCC Ambassador), Amy Lucas, Coretta Kirk and SCC trusteee Barbara Faison work the phones and discuss pledges during Thursday night’s Foundation phoneathon, raising just over $10,000. Foundation officials offered thanks to those who made pledges and said this was a great start to spring fundraising for the Foundation as it moves into the annual giving c...
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And the winners are, first row, from left: Kady Jones-Petite Miss, Ella Clark-Mini Majestic; row 2: Alaini Baker-Pre Teen Miss, Mykenzi Cashwell-Little Miss, Abigail Simmons-Junior Miss, Gracin Snow-Ambassador; and row 3: Mattie Byrd-Young Miss, Kaylan Dean Sinclair-Outstanding Teen, Meredith Lindsey, Miss Spivey's Corner and Blythe Best-Majestic. (Courtesy photo)
The legacy lives on: 41st Miss Spivey’s Corner crowned
Hollerin’ could be heard all over Sampson County as former title holders, friends, family and pageant buffs packed the Midway High School Auditorium on Saturday, February 23 to celebrate the crowning of the 41st Miss Spivey’s Corner. After an evening filled with great competition, Meredith Lindsey was named as Miss Spivey’s Corner 2013. Also crowned was Kaylan Dean Sinclair, Spivey’s Corner Outstanding Teen. Both of these young women were ela...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Clinton Public Works manager Tony Steffen, left, and solid waste operator Anthony Rich demonstrate where city residents will be able to find an important packet of information when they receive their new 96-gallon blue recycling carts.
Recycling bins rolling out Monday
Big blue carts will be distributed to 3,000 homes in Clinton starting Monday, officially ushering in the start of a new era of curbside recycling. City of Clinton crews will be going home to home to deliver the 96-gallon blue rollout containers, and the process is likely to take about three days to get all the carts tagged and dropped off to single-family and duplex homes across the city. Each cart will remain property of the delivery addre...
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Livingstone Graphics Chamber’s Member of Week The Chamber Member of the Week is LivingStone Graphics. LivingStone Graphics is a design and advertising agency, helping new and existing businesses to create marketing materials such as Logos, websites, signs, banners, and a variety of printed products. Professional design and quality service is our goal. For more information, contact Debbie Horne at 910-564-5446, design@livingstonegraphics.com or visit www.livingstonegraphics.com. For more information about the Clinton Sampson Chamber of Commerce contact the Chamber office at 910-592-6177. (Courtesy photo)
Livingstone Graphics Chamber’s Member of Week
Courtesy photo The Chamber Member of the Week is LivingStone Graphics. LivingStone Graphics is a design and advertising agency, helping new and existing businesses to create marketing materials such as Logos, websites, signs, banners, and a variety of printed products. Professional design and quality service is our goal. For more information, contact Debbie Horne at 910-564-5446, design@livingstonegraphics.com or visit www.livingstonegraphi...
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Courtesy graphic A list of all current fire district tax rates, which range from 6 cents to 10 cents, excluding service district. County officials said public hearings should be held within individual departments concerning the proposed rates before the request is formally made to the Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners address fire tax issues
Fire district tax rates are approved every year, but the process sometimes falls under the radar. Sampson County officials and local Emergency Management personnel are seeking to modify current fire department contracts that might act to modify that, with commissioners seeking a public hearing process for each department. Emergency Management director Ronald Bass said the goal is to come up with a harmonious arrangement between the county...
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Chamber award winners The 2013 Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce award winners pose for photos after Tuesday night's banquet. Seated is Bill Johnson, Lifetime Achievement award recipient; and back row, from left: Mayor Lew Starling, Chamber's Member of the Year; Dr. Michael Valenti and Dr. John McPhail representing Clinton Surgical Associates, Small Business Excellence Award; John Prestage, Business Person of the year; Ed Carr, representing Carr Real Estate, Entrepreneurial Success Award; and Marie Daniels, Garnie Edwards Ambassador of the Year. (Sherry Matthews/The Sampson Independent)
Chamber award winners
The 2013 Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce award winners pose for photos after Tuesday night’s banquet. Seated is Bill Johnson, Lifetime Achievement award recipient; and back row, from left: Mayor Lew Starling, Chamber’s Member of the Year; Dr. Michael Valenti and Dr. John McPhail representing Clinton Surgical Associates, Small Business Excellence Award; John Prestage, Business Person of the year; Ed Carr, representing Carr Real Estate, Ent...
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Crimewatch
Arrests/Citations 2/27 - Randolph Adolf Joyner, 56, 154 Capers Lane, Clinton, failure to comply. Bond $445; court date April 4. 2/27 - Michelle Lisa Sinclair, 28, 1108 Tom Hunter Road, Charlotte, failure to appear on shoplifting charge. Bond $500; court date April 18. 2/27 - Dean Melvin Cooper, 51, 1611 Yellow Skin Road, Autryville, simple worthless check. Bond $1,200; court date March 28. Incidents 2/27 - Valerie Denning, South...
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The new lounge at the Railroad St. Steakhouse resembles an old west saloon with its worn wood floors, brick walls, antique lighting, and big sliding barn door, an original feature of the building. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Roseboro restaurant expanding
Railroad St. Steakhouse in Roseboro, one of the best kept secrets in Sampson County, is expanding. Owners Richard and Laura Barefoot have added on a lounge and an outdoor patio, all in an effort to offer their patrons more options and to do their part in enriching the town of Roseboro. “We opened the restaurant in 2010 and it was doing good, but we felt like something was missing. Now two and half years later, we’re expanding,” said Barefoo...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent A headquarters that would contain the City of Clinton's fire and police departments was discussed briefly during a recent meeting, with city staff to further examine the possibility. City capital projects encompassing nearly all departments will mean millions of dollars in the next several years, and the most cost-effective solutions are being sought. Shown, from left, are: fire chief Adon Snyder, police chief Jay Tilley and recreation director Jonathan Allen.
Building combining police, fire departments being considered
With big-money projects on the city of Clinton’s horizon, there has been some discussion of how best to proceed with necessary capital expenses. Renovation and construction for the fire and police stations are needed, and one alternative — broached only in broad strokes to this point — could see those stations combined into a single entity. Talk by city managerial staff and City Council about a preliminary 2013-2018 Capital Improvement Plan...
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Starling Chamber’s Member of Year
Two men were touted for their selfless efforts to make Clinton and Sampson County a better place during a magical evening dedicated to honoring Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday night. Clinton Mayor Lew Starling was surprised with the Chamber’s highest honor, that of Member of the Year, and Bill Johnson took home the first-ever awarded Lifetime Achievement Award. Both men were praised for their integrity and their endless love for the cit...
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Courtesy graphic There are 81 counties in North Carolina, pictured in yellow and green, (PLEASE CHANGE THIS TO 'SHADED AREAS' IF THE PIC RUNS IN BLACK AND WHITE) that have smoke-free regulations for county government buildings. The white areas have no formal document in place, including Sampson County.
County’s health director urging formal smoke-free regs
Sampson County is one of just 19 counties in the state that does not have formal smoke-free regulations in place for its county buildings. Health director Wanda Robinson wants to change that. She recently brought the issue up to the Board of Commissioners, who were split on the issue during discussion. “I’m asking for the possibility of putting in place an ordinance that we are a smoke-free grounds,” said Robinson. “Secondhand smoke is ve...
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Crimewatch
Arrets/Citations 2/25 - Latifah Latasha Syeh, 16, 208 South Bell St., Warsaw, misdemeanor larceny. Bond $500; court date March 28. 2/25 - Donald Leroy Corbin, 30, 6729 Rockfish Road, Fayetteville, possession drug paraphernalia, felony breaking and entering, conspiracy to break and enter. Bond $2,000 for drug charge; $10,000 for felony charges. Court date set for March 1. 2/25 - Ronald Leslie Bordeaux Jr., 27, 312 Stetson St., Clinton,...
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Rochelle Stuart, director of the Sampson Crisis Center, works hard to prepare for their upcoming gospel sing. She is thankful that so many businesses, churches, and community members support the Crisis Center through this annual fundraiser. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Crisis Center gets up for fundraising sing
As they carry on with the day-to-day work of serving the community, the staff at the Sampson Crisis Center is also busy preparing for their seventh annual gospel sing fundraiser. Unlike last year when the event took place on a Sunday afternoon, this year’s sing will be held Friday, March 29 at 6 p.m. at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center. Rochelle Stuart, director of the Crisis Center, encourages the community to come out and join ...
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent The Sampson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved moving toward participation by the county in the N.C. Spay/Neuter Program, a 100 percent reimbursement program that would offer no-cost procedures to pets of eligible residents. Shown are commissioners Jefferson Strickland, Jarvis McLamb and chairman Billy Lockamy,
Low-cost spay, neuter program may soon be in Sampson
The county is moving toward participation in a state program that will see full reimbursements for all local animal spay and neuter procedures, ultimately offering them at an extremely minimal cost to eligible pet owners. The N.C. Spay/Neuter Program focuses on reducing the population of unwanted animals in the state by encouraging the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats. Under the program, cities and counties are eligible to apply for r...
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Students make bullying statements Hargrove Elementary's Daughtry Jackson and Susan Davis showed exemplary character during bullying week at the school recently, Hargrove educators said. Daughtry passed out bracelets that read 'I’m a Buddy, not a Bully' and Susan sang her personally written song over the intercom, 'It’s not Nice to Bully.' (Courtesy photo)
Students make ‘bullying’ statements
Courtesy photo Hargrove Elementary’s Daughtry Jackson and Susan Davis showed exemplary character during bullying week at the school recently, Hargrove educators said. Daughtry passed out bracelets that read ‘I’m a Buddy, not a Bully’ and Susan sang her personally written song over the intercom, ‘It’s not Nice to Bully.’
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Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Clinton Mayor Lew Starling, right, and City Councilman Steve Stefanovich look over documents during a recent meeting. The Council gave its informal consensus to move forward with a one-year lease for the city-owned property at 115 W. Lee St.
Council gives go-ahead for lease of Lee Street home
The city of Clinton is poised to offer a one-year lease for a vacant city-owned home on West Lee Street, built more than two years ago toward offering affordable housing in District 5. After one year, the home will be subject to the upset bid process but the tenant will have the chance to rent-to-own if there is no bid to purchase the home outright. After a great deal of research, city manager John Connet presented that process to City Coun...
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Blue lights from a Sampson County Sheriff’s vehicle bounce off the rain-drenched Royal Acres Kennels sign Tuesday morning as deputies await the arrival of Humane Society of America staff and volunteers who descended upon the site later in the day, removing over 60 dogs that were surrendered to them by the owners. The animals have been safely transported to a temporary emergency animal shelter where they will be thoroughly examined by a team of veterinarians and receive any necessary immediate medical treatment. (Sherry Matthews/Sampson Independent)
Over 60 dogs surrender at Sampson kennel
More than 60 dogs from a southern Sampson County kennel were surrendered to sheriff’s deputies and workers with the Humane Society of the United States Tuesday afternoon following a months-long probe into suspicions of cruelty at the facility. The sheriff’s office served a search warrant on the property and found a variety of small-breed dogs suffering from a multitude of untreated medical conditions. “This case is a prime example of why ...
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David Alan Mesimer
Sampson man arrested on meth charges
Yet another traffic stop has turned up evidence of methamphetamine and left a Sampson County man facing multiple charges, two of them felonies. David Alan Mesimer, 22, of 3228 Autry Hwy., Roseboro, was taken into custody Monday and charged with possession of a meth precursor, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed under a $25,000 bond but has since been released. According to Sampson Sheriff’s Cpl. Marcus S...
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