Fatcow Icon
News
City of Clinton manager John Connet has announced his resignation effective May 24 more than a decade. He has accepted the city manager position in the City of Hendersonville in Henderson County and will start there May 28. (Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent)
Connet moving on
After more than a decade of leadership and significant strides to better this community, City of Clinton manager John Connet is departing for the managerial post in Hendersonville. The city regretfully announced Connet’s resignation in a statement Wednesday. Connet told city staff and department heads earlier this week. He will serve his last day May 24, assuming the role of city manager for the City of Hendersonville on May 28. “This is ...
full story
News briefs
Coleman Jart and Mary Jane Hudson Family Reunion — will be held Sunday, April 28, 1:30 p.m., at Turkey Baptist Church fellowship hall. Bring a covered dish and dessert. FMI, call 533-3259. Lions Club Fish Fry — Thursday, April 25 at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and again from 4 until 7 p.m. Eat in or take out. (Beverage with eat-in orders). See Lions Club members for tickets. Pancake Breakfast ...
full story
Sampson County commissioners discussed a possible modification to how recreation services are offered during a recent meeting. Further discussion is expected to take place as part of upcoming budget talks. (Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent)
County weighs rec options as budget looms
Following some interest in going back to the previous district system for county recreation, a possible reversion that could mean some $400,000 in cost savings, the topic has at least brought about discussion. No action has been taken, with the Sampson Board of Commissioners opting to keep the recreation department in its current state for now, but the matter is expected to receive some attention during further budget talks. Commissioners s...
full story
Crimewatch
Arrests 4/23 - Randy Neal Williams, 27, 231 Kay Road, Clinton, failure to appear on charges of driving while license revoked and failing to wear a seat belt. Bond $500; court date May 9. 4/23 - Gregory Antane Smith, 35, 304 Turlington St., Clinton, failure to appear on charge of driving while impaired. Bond $2,000; court date May 14. 4/23 - Samuel Scott Faircloth, 19, Autryville, misdemeanor larceny. Bond $500; court date June 10. ...
full story
Brown’s Chapel celebrating pastor’s anniversary Sunday
The members of Brown’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, H.B. Lewis Road, Clinton, will celebrate the third anniversary of their pastor, the Rev. Jeffrey White, Sunday, April 28 at 4 p.m. The special guest will be Pastor Calvin L. Brewington of Beauty Spot Missionary Baptist Church of Fayetteville. He will be accompanied by his choir and congregation. Don’t miss this big celebration Sunday! Spring revival will be held at Wilson Chapel Missi...
full story
Anthony Vann, executive director of auxiliary services, discusses the county schools' options for energy conservation with board members during yesterday's work session. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
County school chief says energy specialist needed
During Tuesday’s work session, the Sampson County Board of Education discussed the need for an energy specialist and members weighed their options as they move forward in trying to conserve schools’ energy and save schools’ money. When members met last month for their work session, the board heard from Lance Wyatt, the regional president from Cenergistic, the Energy Conservation Company. Wyatt shared with them that Cenergistic has helped sc...
full story
Pictured above are the Mr. HCA contestants during their opening number. From left, are: Ethan Hall, Chris Cannady, John Thomas (2012 Mr. HCA), Ross Barnes, Davis Jones (winner), and Robert Kinlaw (first runner-up). (Gina Strickland/HCA)
Jones named 2013 Mr. HCA
On Friday, April 12, five high school boys from Harrells Christian Academy competed in the fourth annual Mr. HCA competition. This fairly new tradition for the school brings laughs to all those in attendance, while raising money for a very important cause. The contestants included the following: Robert Kinlaw, Chris Cannady, Ethan Hall, Davis Jones, and Ross Barnes. Contestants competed in three categories – talent, legs, and evening wear. ...
full story
SCC’s_Early_Childhood_Education_program_earns_national_accreditation0_1366831307.jpg
SCC’s Early Childhood Education program earns national accreditation
Sampson Community College officials recently announced that the Early Childhood Education Program has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission, making it one of only 20 Early Childhood Education programs in the state to achieve national accreditation. The accreditation decision was based on the Commissions’ review of SCC’s program Self-Study Report and the Peer Review Team Rep...
full story
Director of Transportation Herb Sanderson gave the board an update on the schools' activity buses and presented them with options for acquiring the four new activity buses that are needed. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Age factor for some county school activity buses
The wheels on Sampson County Schools’ activity buses are busy going round and round on a regular basis. Aware of all the traveling local students do and taking into consideration that a few buses are slightly past their replacement age, director of transportation Herb Sanderson stressed to the school board the need for four new activity buses during Tuesday’s work session. “The oldest buses we have are 23 years old, and our newest ones are ...
full story
Breaking news update
A Union Elementary kindergartner was struck and killed by an 18-wheeler late Tuesday afternoon as the child was exiting a school bus stopped near her home on Delway Highway. The truck, N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Bryan Smith said, passed the stopped school bus on U.S. 421 near Herring Road around 3:30 p.m., struck the child, and then continued on its southbound path. Tips assisted troopers in locating the log truck and its driver later in...
full story
Allison Hinson
Sampson student receives award at MOC
MOUNT OLIVE — Allison Hinson of Clinton received the Outstanding Recreation/Leisure Student of the Year at Mount Olive College’s Annual Awards Ceremony. H inson is a senior recreation and leisure studies recreational thearpy major. Mount Olive College is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The college, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount ...
full story
One of 54 nuisance vehicles tagged by Clinton Police Department during the first two weeks of a 'nuisance vehicle blitz' that began April 1. (Courtesy photo)
Nuisance vehicle blitz brings over 50 violations
A blitz to remove unsafe and nuisance vehicles from city streets and yards has produced a whopping 54 violations in just two weeks, Clinton Police Department officials said. “So far, in the first two weeks, we have tagged 37 homes with multiple cars — there have been 54 (nuisance) vehicles in all,” said Police Chief Jay Tilley. “I was surprised at the number of vehicles. That’s a lot and we know there’s a lot more to do.” Beginning April ...
full story
Teen charged with pulling fire alarm
A 19-year-old Hobbton High School student has learned the hard way that pulling a fire alarm isn’t a wise thing to do. In fact, for this teen, doing so landed him in trouble with Sampson County sheriff’s officers. Garrett Allen Carr, 19, of 80 Wilson Road, Clinton, was charged with sounding a false fire alarm, a misdemeanor charge. According to Cpl. Marcus Smith, the alarm went off at the high school last Friday afternoon around 2 p.m., s...
full story
Crimewatch
Arrests/Citations 4/18 - Donald Jess Owens, 37, 133 Love of Kids Lane, Roseboro, possession of meth (1 gram). Bond $15,000; court date not listed. Arrested following investigative stop. 4/20 - Ronnie Earl Knowles Jr., 24, 923 Rackley Road, Clinton, driving while impaired, fleeing to elude. Bond $2,500; court date June 10. 4/21 - Joshua Daniels Faulk, 25, Mount Olive, child support. Bond $700; court date May 7. 4/22 - Portia Dorette ...
full story
Dozens of blue pinwheels dot the lawn of the Sampson County Courthouse in recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. (Courtesy photo)
Advocates of children gather for event
On Wednesday April 17, community agencies gathered to mark April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Sampson County Department of Social Services and the Guardian Ad Litem Program hosted an awareness event at the Sampson County Courthouse. Guest speakers included Judge Henry Stevens, Jim Brinkley with The Sampson County DSS Board of Directors, Sarah Bradshaw and Dene Johnston with the Sampson County Department of Social Services, and Mary Ne...
full story
Convocation, commencement set at Sprunt
KENANSVILLE – James Sprunt Community College’s annual Convocation in recognition of Community College Month will be held on Tuesday, April 30, at 3:30 p.m.. in the Monk Auditorium on campus. Commencement exercises will be held two weeks later, on Thursday, May 9, at 6 p.m. in the Duplin County Events Center Convocation Donors to James Sprunt Community College Foundation in 2012 will be recognized during the ceremonies. The event is open...
full story
Kendall Lanier enjoys a ride on Megan Merritt's horse, Abby, during the 4-H horse workshop held this past Saturday at the Cooperative Extension office. (Lauren Williams/Sampson Independent)
Horsin’ around
Local 4-H kids and horse enthusiasts came together for some horse play this past weekend at the Sampson County Cooperative Extension Office and Livestock Facility. Spearheaded by the Cooperative Extension’s college intern Jessica Hogan, Saturday’s “A Day of Horse Play” featured a series of diverse and informative 20 to 30 minute workshops for free to 4-Hers who love horses and wanted to learn more about them. A junior agriculture educatio...
full story
Hunter Nethercutt with a couple fellow students during a tailgating event as part of his East Carolina University marketing class' participation in the 2013 Honda Civic Marketing Challenge. (Courtesy photo)
Marketing learning
Clinton native Hunter Nethercutt and fellow East Carolina University students are gaining real-world experience with a real client and a real budget of $3,000 as part of a senior marketing project at the university. A team of ECU marketing students, led by Dr. Christy Ashley, was selected to compete in a nationwide challenge sponsored by American Honda Motor Company in conjunction with EdVenture Partners. The competition has taken place ove...
full story
Those who provide crisis assistance sought
A resource in times of crisis can come in many shapes and sizes and through any variety of channels or venues. Knowing how to tap into those resources when they are needed can help greatly boost the quality of life in a community — Department of Social Services officials, who deal regularly in providing help in those crisis situations, know that well. In order to not only make known their own services, but to raise awareness of others who p...
full story
Smithfield Foods Inc. and the City of Clinton are collaborating on promoting single-stream recycling throughout the Smithfield Foods cafeteria and all offices. Smithfield has approximately 35 collection points within its plant dedicated to sorting recyclables from the in-house garbage. The city is providing a dozen 96-gallon containers, which will be collected weekly by city staff. Smithfield officials said the company is already very engaged in recycling and is looking forward to participation with the city's program, which expands the company's efforts because it is a single-stream collection process with a wide diversity of recyclable items. Pictured, from left, are: Jeff Vreugdenhil, Clinton Public Works director; John Connet, Clinton city manager; Keith Baily, director of Environmental Affairs for Smithfield Foods Inc.; Tony Steffen, Clinton Public Works manager; Kyle Narron, general manager of Smithfield Foods Inc.'s Clinton plant; Norman Johnson, environmental manager for Clinton area Smithfield Foods Inc., and Clinton sanitation operators Anthony Rich and Ben Coleman. (Courtesy photo)
Smithfield, City of Clinton combine efforts
Courtesy photo Smithfield Packing Company and the City of Clinton are collaborating on promoting single-stream recycling throughout the Smithfield Packing Company cafeteria and all offices. Smithfield has approximately 35 collection points within its plant dedicated to sorting recyclables from the in-house garbage. The city is providing a dozen 96-gallon containers, which will be collected weekly by city staff. Smithfield officials said the...
full story
Weather
Sponsored By:

Lottery
Sponsored By:

Stocks
Sponsored By:

Gas Prices
Sponsored By:

Featured Businesses
Recipes
Sponsored By: