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The room was full, but the meeting was brief Monday as Newton Grove commissioners completed their monthly meeting in under 30 minutes, approving two resolutions to advance wastewater treatment plant repairs, hearing a resident’s concerns about his water bill and receiving an update on a previously damaged water line.

It was a rainy day Saturday, but that didn’t stop raincoat-clad and umbrella-clutching Clintonians and visitors alike from watching live entertainment, shopping with local vendors and enjoying Eastern North Carolina barbecue at the 39th annual Square Fair in downtown Clinton.

At Lakewood High School, announcements are brought to the student body by the students themselves through the school’s broadcast class. This semester, the class is hoping to get the attention of a certain YouTuber — MrBeast, who is referenced often in the school’s daily news.

The Sampson County 4-H Dairy Club met Tuesday, Oct. 6, with kids, ages 5-18, being taught to be “beyond ready,” each week through a hands-on livestock experience.

Members of Alpha Delta Kappa celebrated Founder’s Day Saturday with a brunch at Rowan Baptist Church, where they were encouraged to reflect on the importance of their membership, the legacy they leave behind and the opportunities they have to serve others.

With his wife Ashley holding the Bible and his mentor, friend and N.C. Appellate Court Judge Jay Carpenter administering the oath, Robert Gilmore accepted the duties and responsibilities that officially make him Judicial District 5’s newest Superior Court judge during an Investiture ceremony Monday night.

See editorial on 4A

A vacant house on Honeycutt Road was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning, prompting a response from five Sampson County fire department. Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze.

Poverty does not always announce itself.

Sampson County Commissioner Eric Pope is urging voters to do their homework before deciding the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment dealing with local property taxes, cautioning that the relatively simple question appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot carries implications that could last for decades.

Come 2027, Clinton City Schools will have a new framework as the district adopts the Community Schools model — a model that names public schools as hubs for not only education but also the mental, emotional and physical well-being of students and their families.