March 12 - The Sampson Weekly
Transcription
March 12 - The Sampson Weekly
XFINITY SERIES CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Race: Boyd Gaming 300 Where: Las Vegas Motor Motor Speedway When: Saturday, 4 p.m. (ET) TV: Fox Sports 1 2014 Winner: Brad Keselowski Race: Kroger 250 Where: Martinsville Speedway When: March 28, 2:30 p.m. (ET) TV: Fox Sports 1 2014 Winner: Matt Crafton We Should Know... Page 5 Sports Local News Page 11-14 Page 2 SAMPSON COUNTY’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER The Sampson Weekly Jonathan Moore/Getty Images for NASCAR ie Johnson’s menal’ VOLUME 6, ISSUE 10 NOTEBOOK Knockout qualifying at AMS embarrasses Gordon There were a few hiccups in knockout qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In Cup qualifying on Friday, 13 teams didn’t get their cars through inspection in time for their drivers to take to the track. Among those who were left to start Sunday’s race from the rear were Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart. Gordon was quite unhappy with the turn of events. “There’s no way with this many good cars and this many talented people that they can’t figure out how to get these cars through inspection,” he said. “Yeah, we’re pushing limits, but there’s something wrong here. I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed for our series that this has happened. It’s absolutely ridiculous.” Richard Buck, NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series director, said part of the problem was the new rules package that came into play for the first time, and the fact that teams were trying to get their cars as close to tolerances as possible without going over the line. In qualifying for the Truck Series race, only one driver — Ben Kennedy — got on track in time to make a run in the third and final round, as drivers tried, as they often do under the current format, to wait until the last moment to qualify. Brad Keselowski initially was awarded the pole, but a review showed that he did not reach the starting line before the clock ran out. Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com INSIDE wo multi-car crashes in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 00 knocked out some of the top contenders. ethat ks ill ns s. er- ntil shrs. on, d - ny NASCAR Insider Harold Hinson for Chevy Racing ff Jimmie Johnson considers his fourth trip to Victory LanePage at AMS a11 sign of who is going to be competitive this season. from Earnhardt Jr. before motoring away unchallenged. David Ragan, driving the No. 18 Toyota for the injured Kyle Busch, kept the car in the top 10 for the first quarter of the race, but fell a lap down at the halfway mark and finished 18th. Another fill-in driver, Brett Moffitt, drove Brian Vickers’ No. 55 Toyota to an eighthplace finish. n unpleasant note Local News Page 6 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR Entertainment Page 9 ly strugtracks at. as a lot h me (Davis) ot being sily as the o with orts, y say s I was at that my be the drick Atlanta Motor Speedway honored Jeff g me Gordon by flashing his car number 24 embers on the scoring pylon during the Folds at AMS when of Honor QuikTrip 500. Cup start in a Hendrick car, in the same race that y’s final one as a driver. money clip that Richard handed out that day with on,” Gordon said. e, Gordon has won five times at AMS, the first ng of 1995 and the most recent coming in 2011. un ended on an unpleasant note, as he crashed into ack not covered by SAFER barriers. He was uninjust a week after Kyle Busch was injured when he cted wall at Daytona International Speedway. time all tracks covered all exposed walls with AMS did make some improvements after Daytona, of barriers, but not on the wall Gordon hit. rated with the fact there are no SAFER barriers on said. “I don’t think we can say any more after ident at Daytona. Everybody knows we have to do should have been done a long time ago. All we can ey do it as fast as they possibly can.” WEATHER Fri Partly Cloudy 0% Hi: 39 º Lo: 25 º away ai 200 Sat Doubling Down on Innovation Revolutionized Farming No. 44 Chevrolet stolen; recovered The No. 44 Chevrolet owned by Team XTREME and set to be driven by Travis Kvapil at Atlanta Motor Speedway was taken from a motel parking lot near the track last Friday morning, forcing the team to withdraw from the Sprint Cup race at AMS, since it did not have a backup car prepared. The team had sent its transporter ahead earlier in the week, hoping to avoid troubles on the road because of a winter storm in the Southeast. Crew chief Peter Sospenzo and the road crew stayed behind at the team’s shop near Charlotte to finish preparing the car. They loaded the car in a smaller, unmarked trailer pulled by a dually pickup, and traveled to AMS, stopping for the night at a motel just north of the speedway. When they were ready to leave for the track, their rig was gone. Authorities located the car in a remote area north of Atlanta on Saturday morning, and the car was taken back to North Carolina. “Old Faithful Home where it belongs,” Team XTREME posted on its Twitter account. “I’ve been doing this since 1979,” Sospenzo told The Associated Press. “I’ve probably been to 1,200 hotels and 1,200 race tracks. Never once has this happened. It’s crazy. But there’s a first for everything, I guess.” The team plans to compete this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tripp Williamson stands in the door of a CropBox destined for a farm in 1. Joey Logano, 88 2. Jimmie Johnson, 87 a local innovation revolutionized tobacco farming. Burl J. WilliamThirty-five years ago son, II, founder of 3. Kevin Harvick, 86 Williamson Greenhouses, developed what would become the industry standard for a cash crop planted throughout the southeastern United States. Williamson 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 84 Greenhouses’ introduction of cutting edge hydroponics, precision cutting and a specially 5. Martin Truex Jr., 75 designed greenhouse into the tobacco industry increased crop yields, and changed tobacco 6. Caseyforever. Mears, 68 farming NUMERICALLY SPEAKING Harvick gives the crowd a victory MonKevinPartly burnout after his win in the Hisense 250. Kevin Harvick motored away from polesitter Joey Logano on a late-race restart and claimed his third straight Xfinity Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway and his 45th in the Series. Harvick led 101 of 163 laps, including the final 27, to take the win over Logano, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott. Harvick’s two most recent AMS victories came at the wheel of cars owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, and Saturday’s win was the first for Dave Elenz as a crew chief. Being able to deliver that victory for Elenz and the other members of the No. 88 crew was rewarding for Harvick. “That’s the motivating factor for me,” Harvick said. Tues Rain said. “To 90% Hi: 57 º Lo: 45 º third, ahead inner Tyler inished on Wed PM Showers 40% Jonathan Moore/Getty Images for NASCAR Matt Sullivan/Getty Images for NASCAR Sunny 0% Hi: 63 º Lo: 44 º WILLIAMSON, see P. 3 Shooting on Sugar Hill Road in Garland 5 38 Hi: 65 º Lo: 44 º straight minating vichis deterhe also said AMS, where two-year Pit-road penalties assessed to Sprint Cup teams during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Current Sprint Cup points position for Martin Truex Jr. — the highest in the 10-year history of his Furniture Row Racing team. 13 According to Roland Hall, Secretary of the Western Sampson Commerce Group, “The purpose of the event is to inform municipal, business and community leaders that the Roseboro Area Economic Development Commission, Inc. organization is being renamed the Western Sampson Commerce Group, Inc. We believe that renaming, reorganizing and making Autryville, Salemburg, and those business and industrial operations in other areas of Western Sampson County equal partners, will create better opportunities to focus, show support and help promote more economic development and industrial growth in the county, especially in Western Sampson County. There is also much concern about the positive and negative impacts the new four-lane NC Highway 24 will have on this section of the county.” Mr. Hall explained the purpose of the original entity, “The Roseboro Area Economic Development Commission (RAED) was established in 1988. It was established primarily to address education/training issues and declining economic activity (plant closings/ loss of jobs) in Roseboro. RAED helped facilitate establishing a Sampson Community College Annex in Roseboro. The organization was heavily involved in promoting and advocating for getting approval of the four-lane NC-24 from Fayetteville (I-95) to Warsaw (I-40). The organization has not been very active in promoting economic development and industrial growth, since these projects were completed. However, many of the original RAED membership are now retired or deceased.” Top-10 finishes for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 28 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 17 Sprint Cup races run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by Jeff Gordon — the most of any driver. Hi: 63 º Lo: 48 º WEEKLY VERSE We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20 The event, which is the first of its kind for the newly re-formed group, will have the honor of having US Congressman 7th District David Rouzer as the keynote speaker along with other dignitaries such as NC District 10 State Senator Brent Jackson, NC District 22 State Representative William Brisson, Sampson County Commissioners and local board of commissioners from Roseboro, Salemburg and Autryville. 7. Kasey Kahne, 65 Fast forward 3 decades 8. A.J. Allmendinger, 62 later and Burl and Connie Williamson’s son Tripp is doubling down on9.that innovative spirit in yet another attempt to revolutionize farming. Tripp Williamson’s Aric Almirola, 62 belief in CropBox farming could ultimately and radically change the way we feed a hungry 10. Clint Bowyer, 58 world. Sun Mostly eckered d of second- Strawberries year-round. Sunny 0%Harvick motors away Kevin Some estimates suggest our world will see a populato victory on late-race restart Cloudy 20% Congressman Rouzer Keynote Speaker at Western Sampson Commerce Banquet The First Annual Western Sampson Commerce Banquet is scheduled to be held at 6pm on Monday, March 9th, 2015. The event is going to be held at the Roseboro Baptist Church fellowship hall located at 3720 South Salemburg Hwy NC 242 in Roseboro. SPRINTGreer, CUP STANdINGS SC. This CropBox is designed to grow a mix of Lettuce and Hi: 56 º Lo: 35 º mping World Crafton is d straight ampionship. FREE Lt. Marcus Smith with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department stated that a call came into 911 around 12:30pm on Thursday reporting a shooting on Sugar Hill Rd. in Garland, off of Cain Road. Sheriff Department officials were immediately dispatched to the scene. The investigation is currently ongoing. It has been reported (but not confirmed by the Sheriff’s Department) that a suspect is in custody and it is believed to be an isolated incident. More information will be released as it becomes available. There are still a few seats available, according to event coordinators. Anyone wanting to attend please contact Roland Hall at 525-4183 or email him at [email protected] to reserve a seat. Cost for the catered meal is $10.00, which can be paid at the door. The event will be held in the Roseboro Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, South Salemburg Highway NC-242, 6:00 PM, Monday, March 9th, 2015. WEEKLY INDEX Local..............................................1-6 Health...............................................7 Faith..................................................8 Entertainment..................................9 Food...............................................10 Sports........................................11-14 Obits...............................................16 Crime..............................................17 Classifieds.......................................18 Business..........................................19 Performance...................................20 thesampsonweekly.com 910-590-2102 = 15590 Hobbton Hwy 910-594-2805 Newton Grove OPEN DAILY JNCT Hwy 701 & I-40 Exit 343 on at Carolina Furniture 2 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com LOCAL NEWS Murder Warrant Issued for Lisbon Street Homicide On February 27th, 2015, a murder warrant was issued for Antonio Cyree Lamont Lockamy Jr, Black Male, 20 years of age, of 157 Tranquil Lane, Clinton N.C. Lockamy is charged with the shooting death of Gerri Newkirk on January 20, 2015. Ms. Newkirk was killed in her residence at 219B Lisbon Street by Lockamy. On Tuesday January 20th, 2015 at approximately 11:42 pm, uniform patrol officers responded to a “shots fired” call at 219B East Morrissey Boulevard. The initial officers discovered a front bedroom window broken out and then entered the residence. They found an unresponsive female in the bed who was apparently the victim of a gunshot wound. EMS was called to the scene where she was pronounced deceased. Investigators from the Neighborhood Improvement Team assumed the investigation. Agents from the State Bureau of Investigation were requested to assist in the inquiries. A warrant for the arrest of Lockamy was issued after an investigation was conducted by the Clinton Police and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Investigators are currently searching for Lockamy who is considered armed and dangerous. If anyone has information on Lockamy’s whereabouts they should contact the Clinton Police at 910592-3105. Information also can be given by texting TIP411 (847411), keyword tipcpd followed by the tip. Sessoms Jewelry Recognizes Clinton Employee of the Year SCAM ALERT! The Clinton Police Department has received notice of a phone scam where a caller is identifying themselves as calling from the Clinton Police Department saying the citizen owes money, and if they do not send a money order for a large sum of money, an officer will come to arrest them. The city does NOT make such calls. If you have any questions or further information, please contact City Hall at 592-1961 Downtown Dash Check Presentation Pictured: Mayor Lew Starling, Brittany Locklear, Gary Wayne Hall, and Chief Jay Tilley Gary Wayne Hall, Sessoms Jewelry, presented the “2014 City of Clinton Employee of the Year”, Brittany Locklear a ring in recognition of her award at Tuesday night’s Clinton City Council Meeting. Hall stated, “I would like to present this in memory of Mr. Pee Wee Spell who recently passed away. Mr. Spell was a great servant to all who knew him.” Hall also thanked Mrs. Locklear for her dedication and service to our City. Provided by the Sampson County Animal Shelter. Call (910)592-8493 This is Cindy Lou A year old pit mix Alison Bradshaw and the Downtown Dash Committee presented the City of Clinton $5,000 from the proceeds of the 2014 Downtown Dash event which is held in conjunction with the annual Street Fair and BBQ Cook-off in October. This year’s proceeds are slated to be used for landscaping of the Mill Around Art display on College St in downtown Clinton. 306 N. Main Street, Kenansville, NC 910-296-1220 Complete Seafood & Steak Buffet Top Notch Catering! 20 Piece Pack Fried Chicken (Dark) $12.99 Ask About Our Crowd Pleaser Feeds 30-35 People! 20 Piece Pack Fried Chicken (Mixed) $15.99 Steak, Oysters, Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Frog Legs and More! Even Crab Legs available!! Take the short drive to Duplin County's finest down home country buffet featuring a special Sunday buffet every Sunday from 11:00am to 5pm Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com LOCAL NEWS tion increase of as many as 3 billion more people by the year 2050. With increasing demand for food supply, increased demand for living spaces, and even greater demands on our world’s clean water supply; increased crop yields produced in smaller spaces using less water simply makes a world of sense. 3 WILLIAMSON, cont. from 1 “It’s a completely turnkey agricultural system without the worries of weather, pests, heating prices or water,” says Tripp Williamson. “By growing the equivalent of an acre of field grown crops (or 2,200 square feet of greenhouse space) within a 320 sq. ft. footprint, the CropBox is among the world’s most highest yielding agricultural systems.” Tripp adds, “The CropBox has the ability to grow 1 acre of crops in a single shipping container while using 90% less water. It’s not seasonal and the farmer has 100% control over every part of the growing process, giving a new meaning to precision farming.” “Individual growing environments reduce the risk of contamination and control the spread of pests. You can monitor and adjust every element of the growing system from a tablet or smartphone, including lighting, CO2, Nutrients, PH, Air Temperature, Flood, Fires, Humidity, Fans, Water Temperature, Water Flow, Water Levels and Root Zone Temperature. And it includes a Webcam, so you may view your crops from anywhere in the world.” The CropBox is owned by Williamson Greenhouses, and was designed by Ben Greene, of the Farmery. Greene has a master’s degree in product design based on his idea for the CropBox as his thesis. Greene wondered, how can I build a business model that’s accessible for new farmers and entrepreneurs to break in to? The CropBox allows you to grow the equivalent of an acre of conventional field agriculture or 2,200 sq. ft. of the highest producing hydroponic greenhouses in 320 sq. ft. You can also stack the CropBox up to 5 high to produce 5x those yields. In a shrinking world demanding more and more food, being able to produce 5 acres of crops in the space of 320 sq. ft. while using 90% less water is a radical change. It’s an innovation in farming that could have a huge impact on world food supplies, while ensuring the availability of clean water by conservation. And the market potential for CropBox farming is huge as well. The idea makes sense in a wide array of applications. From specialty growers to urban farmers, gourmet restaurants in congested cities, and crop production in drought-prone regions of the world. Tripp says, “The CropBox can be utilized in any growing environment or place that has space for a shipping container. With low cost, monthly subscription service, the CropBox is appealing to the aspiring farmer and businessmen and women limited by space and environmental constraints.” He adds, “The Crop Box has created some noise in the world of specialty growers since its inception in early 2014. From meetings with gourmet greens growers in NYC to conversations with the son of Saudi Arabian Prince Alaweed Bin Talal and his counterparts.” Delivery of the first CropBox was to Coon Rock Farm in Hillsborough just last month, and the second delivery is scheduled for Circle FSC Farms in Greer, SC later this month. In fact, Williamson Greenhouses is currently outfitting that model as a test of sorts according to Tripp. “The farm owner, Whitney Farr, wanted us to set this one up to grow lettuce and strawberries. The mixed use, if successful, would allow him to grow strawberries year around and he wanted to test the idea.” Tripp Williamson says CropBox farming surpasses other growing methods. “34 percent of the food grown by conventional farming is eventually wasted; thrown out sometime between being loaded on the truck to the time it’s pulled from grocery store shelves. Waste not, want not, is the premise behind the CropBox. You don’t have the logistical issues, or the fuel consumption that goes into shipping and distribution. And, almost 100 percent of the food you grow can be consumed.” 90% less water consumption, 80% less fertilizer use than conventional cultivation, 34% less loss than conventional growing, simpler logistics and automated farming of 1 acre in the space of just 320 sq. ft. It’s clear to see that the innovative spirit first fostered by Burl Williamson to revolutionize tobacco farming lives on in his son Tripp. Williamson Greenhouses is positioned to double down on innovative farming, and CropBox farming could realistically, radically change the way a hungry world feeds a growing population. Downed Trees/Limbs and Potholes Causing Concerns for Local DOT The county is still cleaning up after the recent ice storm that brought as much as a ¼ inch of ice on trees and limbs, causing many trees and limbs to fall. Many of these limbs and trees fell on the roadways forcing local DOT and fire departments to do a quick cleanup to allow safe flow of traffic on primary and secondary roads. Even though the debris has been removed on the roadways, there is still danger on the sides of the roads. Many of you have noticed the large amount of limbs and trees that are dangerously close to the road. If you run off the road at night, you might just find yourself right in the midst of a downed tree. All $1 Cleaning Products Buy 2 get 1 Free!! Clinton Drug Company Fast, Friendly Service 307 Beaman Street, Clinton • 592-8444 According to Keith Eason with the Sampson County DOT, “The debris was a result of the first snow/ice event and we had begun the cleanup process but the second snow/ice event hindered our efforts. We have resumed clearing debris from the right of way and plan to continue until complete.” Eason continued, “Most of the debris is limbs but some are trees. I estimate approximately 200-300 locations. The part of the county that is west of US 421 was hit the hardest but there is debris scattered across the entire county.” Eason also warns of potholes in the roads that have occurred as a result of the icy event. He stated, “Any time there is moisture present during freezing temperatures there is potential for the moisture to reach below the surface of the pavement and then freeze which can break the asphalt and in turn create a pot hole. “Potholes are definitely safety concerns and we are attempting to fill those as we become aware of them,” urged Eason. “The debris that is within the right of way has been removed from the roadway but is still of high priority regarding safety.” Eason asks that if anyone sees a pothole or an area of safety concern to please make a report to the NC DOT in Clinton by calling (910)592-1434. 2015 RV SHOW March 6, 7, & 8 8 AM - 5 PM, Sun 1 - 5 PM Travel Trailers Truck Campers Park Models Don’t Buy Until You C • On Lot Factory Reps • Drawings • Show Prices • Refreshments heck Our Prices! WILLIE’S CAMPING CENTER Hwy. 421 North • Clinton, NC • 910-564-6900 www.williescampingcenter.com 4 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com LOCAL NEWS County Employees to Share in Cost to Implement Pay Study The Sampson County Commissioners have held a barrage of meetings lately on one topic of discussion, the employee pay study and the proposal presented by the Sampson County Manager’s office to implement the study. The pay study conducted by Springsted Inc. was originally presented to commissioners back in January. The total cost of the pay study was $46,578.00. After the presentation, county employees were also presented the findings and given the opportunity to ask questions. At the direction of the Board of Commissioners, the County Manager, Ed Causey and his staff quickly went to work to draft a staff proposal on exactly how the county could effectively implement the pay study recommendations. The proposal was presented to the board at a budget work session on February 26, 2015 and later that evening at an employee meeting at the Sampson Agri Expo Center. According to County Manager Ed Causey, “The need to address County employee salaries and benefits has been a major component of budget deliberations for a number of years, and remains the most prevalent and pressing concern expressed to staff by our employees throughout our government system. After considerable analysis and review of the findings of the Pay Plan, Classification and Benefits study completed by Springsted, staff has provided goals and an implementation strategy. It is extremely important, however, that everyone understand the key concept that undergirds the basic tenets of the implementation plan: We will be moving to a marketbased concept of compensation. This means future employees will be responsible for providing many of their own resources for post-retirement benefit. Moreover, existing employees will now share in the costs of offered benefits.” The proposal, according to the County Manager, also states that there are seven implementation goals: 1. Enhance, improve, and maintain a current workforce in a manner that yields an employee base that is highly productive and efficient, with a continued focus on customer service. 2. Prepare a plan that significantly improves our ability to retain employees and enhances the ability to recruit new employees 3. Prepare a plan that recognizes the contribution of seasoned, experienced employees that have significant institutional knowledge. 4. Prepare a plan that carefully demonstrates the commitment to the long term financial stability of the County that tries to minimize unintended financial liabilities. 5. The County Manager’s office believes that any approved implementation plan should be an adaptation of Springsted’s Option 3 as it deals with compression. Unless we deal with compression, we see two immediate problems. There will be an exodus of highly trained employees. Second, we will continue to have problems with salary disparity, and the implemented plan will likely have to be revisited for adjustments in a short period of time. It is noted that some employees with many years of service in the same grade will receive a significant salary increase. Conversely, these same employees may have given up the most in lost wages in recent years. 6. Prepare a plan that serves as an additional long term planning tool for repositioning the size and potential services of government. 7. With multiple changes, no employee will be paid less than what is being currently received. The County Manager does acknowledge that the plan will cost over $3.7 million dollars over the next 3 years but that the county employees will be contributing to that cost. County Manager Causey stated in the presentation, “Once the Board approves the budget on July 1, 2015, this will establish the permanent employment ceiling which will be called our “employee base lockdown”. Under no circumstance will this employment ceiling be raised without approval of the Board. In fact, the specific plan for pay study implementation calls for reductions in employment, permanent expense reductions, or potential program reductions to meet future plan implementation cost. As you will see, the permanent reductions will begin immediately after July 2015 and will be included in the 2016 budget. It will be the County Manager’s responsibility to manage the process and see that reductions for succeeding years are accomplished before budget approval. Again, the County Manager will be held accountable and responsible for this process, and it is further assumed that the Board is under no moral obligation to implement succeeding years of the plan unless conditions of the implementation plan are met. The Board, of course, reserves the right to adjust the source of revenues to meet the plan’s implementation requirements.” In the proposed plan, employees will share in the cost of their benefits, such costs to be implemented as follows: Post-Employment Health Insurance Benefits -Employees who have been employed less than 5 years as of July 1, 2015 will no longer be eligible for post-employment health benefits. New employees will no longer be eligible for post-employment health benefits. -Employees with less than 15 years of service as of July 1, 2015 will be required to work for Sampson County for 20 consecutive years as a permanent employee and be at least age 58 years to be eligible for post-employment health benefits. -Employees with 15 years or more of service will continue under the current plan as revised. Dental Insurance Benefits Employees will continue to pay the entire cost for family dental coverage. In addition, all employees will pay $30 toward their dental insurance in implementation year 3 and $60 per year in implementation year 4 and thereafter. These amounts are in addition to any dependent insurance coverage. County Manager Ed Causey (standing left) speaks to county commissioners about the pay study. Pictured is (left to right sitting) Commissioners Sue Lee, Chairman Billy Lockamy, (standing left to right) Commissioners Albert Kirby, Clark Wooten, and Harry Parker Health Insurance Benefits -All employees and others receiving health insurance through Sampson County will begin paying a portion of their health insurance costs similar to what was reported in the pay study’s comparison data. An individual employee could pay as much as $100 a month, depending upon graduated salary thresholds which ranges from monthly health care premiums of $14.00$100.00. -The parent child coverage will increase by $65 to $150. Family coverage will increase by $190 a month to $435. It is very important to note that these increases will only be raised incrementally over 4 years by the % of increase of income that employees are receiving during each year of the implementation period. -The pay study pointed out that 82% of the county employees were paid below the minimum salary of their new pay grade. Likewise, 18% are being paid at least the market rate for their new grade. Consequently, it is possible that the revised cost of health benefits could have a negative impact on several county employees. The plan implementation will not allow any employee to receive less income than they are currently receiving due to the changes in health benefits. This exception will only be honored as long as the employee continues in their current health plan and will not be considered for others desiring to make a change. -Those retirees currently receiving health insurance benefits through Sampson County will begin immediately in Year 1 of implementation paying a portion of their health insurance costs using the salary thresholds in the table above, calculated on their salary at date of retirement, except for former commissioners who will pay $100 per month. will also be paying $495,415 of the implementation costs for the pay plan over the 4 years in increased costs for benefits. 401K Contributions According to the plan, “current circumstances suggest that it is time to review the 401K contributions. At this time, the County provides all employees with a 401 contribution that equates to 2.53% of their income. Law enforcement employees, per state law, receive 5%. With the implementation of the pay plan, employees are encouraged to take a more significant role in preparing for their retirement. This is particularly important for employees in the early years of their professional employment. Therefore, we are recommending that the guaranteed deposit for non-law enforcement personnel be reduced from 2.53% to 1.5%. At the same time, the plan is recommending that the county match deposits by non-law enforcement employees up to 3.5%. Thus, a non-law enforcement employee will have the opportunity to end up with an additional 5% contribution by the county by contributing 3.5% of their own resources.” Tuesday Night Special Meeting On Tuesday night, county employees were afforded the opportunity to ask questions concerning the pay plan proposal and only a handful of employees garnered their concerns. Of the concerns voiced, the main ones seemed to deal with employees less than 5 years losing post-employment benefits, employees under 15 years of service having to retire at 58 years of age before being able to receive post- employment benefits and the retired employees now having to pay a portion of their post-employment health insurance. The kicker to the plan is the provision that the county find $1,193,391 in additional savings over the next four years. This is the equivalent reduction of 27 full time employees or other permanent budget reductions. Likewise, this figure could be offset by other dedicated revenue sources. County Manager Ed Causey stated that he would be sitting down with all department heads starting in July to find where these permanent cuts could be made. Sampson County Manager Ed Causey concluded his presentation by saying, “It has been my pleasure and honor to have served as the Sampson County Manager for the past five years, as of May 1, 2015. Having an equitable pay system has been one of my top three goals since 2011. No plan or undertaking of this magnitude is easy. Moreover, there will be challenges and robust discussions along the way. One thing is clear: the current challenge with salaries and compensation is not going away. If not fully addressed, our current system will not improve. Staff has worked diligently to prepare a plan that fairly considers the needs of our employees and the county as a whole. This plan does not include smoke and mirrors. It does include reasoned projections. If the Board chooses to move forward, I understand that it will be my responsibility to implement the specifics of the plan while maintaining the trust of the Board, the employees of Sampson County, and its many fine citizens. I understand that I will accountable and responsible to each of you as well as our many fine employees.” The Sampson County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a Work Session on the proposed pay plan to be held on March 18th in which more discussion will inevitably occur. Commissioners will have an opportunity to tweak the plan or have an up or down vote. Commissioner Clark Wooten stated that plan seemed to be Income and Expense Projection The county is proposing to implement Option 3 over a four very sound. Commissioner Albert Kirby did voice concerns year period. The costs are offset by employee sharing of that once passed, the plan would be a permanent increase to health costs, reductions in the employer share due to specific the budget, an increase that would never go away. stop loss insurance, increases in revenues and required SAMPSON COUNTY SCHOOLS 2015 KINDERGARTEN CLINICS permanent reductions in expenditures. With regard to “Employer share reduction,” $765,565 is the total amount of savings (Years 1-4) garnered from increasing the Hargrove Elementary March 6, 2015 specific stop loss insurance Plain View Elementary March 13, 2015 from $50k to $100k. Other Clement Elementary March 19, 2015 revenue sources include the projected increase in Midway Elementary March 27, 2015 jail revenue for housing an Salemburg Elementary April 2, 2015 additional 10 prisoners per Hobbton Elementary April 17, 2015 day over the implementation Roseboro Elementary April 24, 2015 period is $182,500. This does Union Elementary April 29-30, 2015 not include all of the potential projected increases; the Please contact the school in your district for more information and directions. projected revenue from the increase in the tax collection rate totals $259,135, and Copies of the child’s birth certificate and immunization record are required for the clinic. this represents about half If your child has not had their Kindergarten Health Assessment done prior to the clinic of the expected tax office date, please schedule an appointment with your child’s physician or your local Health Department as soon as possible. These physicals are required by State Law to be collection rate increases of completed within 30 days of the beginning of school and no earlier than one year prior to school enrollment. 1.25%. Much of this can be attributed to the change in At the present time, North Carolina State Law requires a Comprehensive Vision Screening by a health care provider prior to beginning Kindergarten. If your child motor vehicle collections; the fails the vision screening the health care provider will refer your child to an amount of funding included ophthalmologist or optometrist for a complete vision exam. in this year’s budget as Contingency for the pay plan **All children who reach age five on or before August 31 are eligible for entry into Kindergarten. was $300,000. Employees Week of March 6-12, 2015 We Should Know... Tuesdays from 2:30 PM until 3:30 PM, J.W. Simmons hosts a radio show on 1170 AM called “We Should Know”, and The Sampson Weekly will feature portions of the transcripts in our continuing efforts to bring you more coverage of what is happening in our community. The guest for this week’s show is the Director at North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs, Ilario Pantano. Ilario Pantano with JW Simmons of “We Should Know” Ilario Pantano enlisted in the US Marine Corps at the age of 17 and fought during the first Gulf War. After leaving the armed services Pantano began working on Wall Street in the financial district of New York where he eventually started his own business. After the attacks on 9/11 however, Ilario Pantano re-enlisted in the Marines for a second time. “I have some very distinct experience as a veteran,” says Pantano. “Once as a very young enlisted person, getting out and coming into the job market. And then a second time as an older, maybe wiser, 30 something officer of Marines. Leading Marines in the first fight for Fallujah, which was rough, kinetic ground combat… And then transitioning out again, back into a country that is increasingly separated from its nation’s wars.” Pantano goes on to add, “I’m going to speak to my own personal experience. Today, our veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, some of them have served 6 or 7 combat deployments. In fact, even more. I had two friends, both of whom were killed on the 7th combat deployment. Both of them leaving behind 3 children. One, Aaron Torian out of Wilmington, and the other, Mike Duskin out of Fayetteville. Both of them serious men of good character serving their country, dedicated patriots serving their 7th combat deployment. Leaving behind their wife and children.” “That’s the face of these wars,” says Pantano. “Fewer and fewer people are connected to these wars in our society because this all volunteer military is a smaller percentage of the population, shouldering a bigger burden repeatedly, than had been in the past.” “And that matters, and that’s what keeps me up at night…Having that military experience that we spoke about. And having a little political experience giving me the benefit and pleasure of knowing so many folks from southeastern North Carolina. And also having a business background… The political, the military and the business background have really positioned me well to be running the state’s veteran advocacy agency. Because some of the things we’ve done is to apply some business principles to how we serve and how we do outreach. And understand what the challenges are. I know personally, what the challenges are for veterans, and that another dimension that will tie my background and bridge us from past to present is, I’ve lived through the transition. I’ve lived through the disassociation and how weird it is to be in kinetic heavy ground combat, and then to come home and look in a grocery store at a dozen different kinds of coffee and think how out of place am I. Where am I, that there’s a dozen different choices of coffee beans, and a couple of days ago I was fighting for my life and the lives of my men.” “Today, I have the pleasure of being the advocate and I think sometimes, the pit bull, for our state’s 800,000 veterans,” says Pantano. “And they have a million and a half family members, so if you think about it, I get to advocate for a very important population.” “About half of our veterans, about 400,000 of them, are over the age of 60. And we have a lot of our greatest generation that is starting to go and be with the Lord. And of course we have our Vietnam generation that’s following behind them in age. And that’s kind of the big pool of our veteran population. And then our curve kind of goes down with the reductions in our military. And we know that was forecasted with the downsizing of the wars. We have now a big exodus of the young veterans. And so, as the director of a state agency that’s responsible for advocating and doing what we can to work with our county partners to take care of these veterans, the challenges – Some of our veterans are in a twilight state of their life, and some of them are just beginning their life; and they don’t all need the same set of services. But the things that they need, they need urgently and they’ve earned, and they deserve the best possible quality and care.” JW Simmons mentions that during the attack in NY on 9/11, Pantano was living in an apartment next to a fire station that lost several members while helping evacuate the burning towers just before they fell. Simmons asks Pantano to discuss the significance of that event to his re-enlistment for service. Pantano states, “All the things that happen in our lives get us precisely to where we are now according to His plan. In that case in fact, I worked in NY in media and was on my way to a meeting on the morning of September 11th, 2001 and didn’t realize when I stepped off the train why it had been delayed. Why there was so many police and fire engines, until ultimately I looked up 5th Avenue and saw the Twin Towers burning about a mile and a half away.” “It was a scene that you can’t even begin to imagine, but I knew immediately that I had friends in those buildings that were dying before my eyes. And as the building collapsed the worst was confirmed. And yes, I knew fire fighters. I lived next to a firehouse where the entire house was wiped out.” “Some of the people who gave me my first job when I came out of the Marines the first time, were there that day. Were killed. Men that I had worked with on Wall Street were killed. And the place that I had worked… Imagine if one of the Community College buildings were you had worked was destroyed in a terrorist attack. That would affect you very personally.” Pantano goes on to add, “In addition, I knew that this was bigger than just an attack my home. It was an attack on our homeland, and that we were at war.” Pantano says, “So I did what everybody probably wanted to do, and I was still able to do, and I put the uniform back on… It was the Pearl Harbor of my generation.” JW Simmons adds that almost everyone can remember that day, that event, where they were and what went on. He asks Ilario Pantano how important it is for to remember that day as a nation. Pantano replies, “Well, 9/11 changed a lot of people’s lives, and frankly for the worst. If you consider that 3,000 were murdered that day; that left behind thousands of orphans and widows. But beyond the radical intent to murder those, was actually an intent to kill 50 or 60 thousand if the buildings had not been evacuated. That’s number one.” “There was an intent to destroy either the White House or the Capital that was averted only by the heroism of our people. But in hindsight, we forget all of that,” says Pantano. “We forget how hard World War II was. We forget how hard the sacrifices were that this country arose from. So it’s very important to never lose sight of 9/11. Also because we’re experiencing some of the same issues as we did with jihadism and radicalism today. But beyond that, 13 years ago created what in essence is the war that our veterans have been involved in fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places around the world; which is now bringing home to us a new generation of veterans that we’re struggling frankly to serve well even as we consider new uses of force in continuing to battle this treat in other parts of the globe. Whether it’s Syria, Libya or Iraq again.” Pantano states, “We have new considerations of conflict and at the same time we are struggling, and in some cases failing, to sufficiently put our arms around the guys and gals we just sent to do this job.” To view the entire broadcast of We Should Know please visit their YouTube channel at www. youtube.com/user/WeShouldKnowEDU. The next “We Should Know” hosted by J.W. Simmons will air next Tuesday from 2:30 to 3:30 PM on our local radio station WCLN 1170 AM. If you would like to reach “We Should Know” you may call them at 910-592-8947 or email them with show ideas at [email protected] or you can find them on Facebook. www.thesampsonweekly.com LOCAL NEWS 5 WHY HAVEN’T PEOPLE WITH SHOULDER PAIN BEEN TOLD THESE FACTS? If you’re over the age of 30 and have rotator cuff problems, frozen shoulder, or arthritis, there is hope. One local doctor is helping patients increase shoulder strength, improve motion, and eliminate shoulder pain. Finally, you may be pain-free again – even if you’ve got the most excruciating shoulder pain you have ever felt. Does your shoulder pain build up when you move it wrong or is it a sudden sharp pain shooting from your neck into your arm? Do you have difficulty just washing your hair or even scratching your back? Have you had to give up golf because of your shoulder pain? Nothing’s worse than feeling great mentally, but physically feeling held back from life because your shoulder hurts and the pain just won’t go away! My name is Dr. Tim Kosterman, owner of Kosterman Chirorpractic Center. Over the years, since we’ve opened the doors, we’ve seen hundreds of people with shoulder pain, frozen shoulder and rotator cuff problems leave the office pain free. Do You Have Any of the Following Conditions? • Frozen shoulder – one of the worst maladies known to man (and woman!) • Adhesive capsulitis • Rotator cuff injuries • Arthritis • Bursitis • Tendonitis • Muscle weakness • Sharp, radiating pain • Numbness and tingling Acromioclavicular Joint Suprascapular a. and n. Clavicle Supraspinatus m. Acromion Scapular Spine Humerus Deltoid (reflected) Scapula Axillary n. Infraspinatus m. Posterior Circumflex Humeral a. Quadrangular Space Teres Minor m. Teres Major m. Deep Brachial a. Radial n. Triceps Bracii m. If you are suffering from any of these problems, this shoulder treatment protocol may completely eliminate all the pain. Finally, You Have An Option Other Than Drugs or Surgery New research in a treatment called low level laser therapy, or Class IV Therapeutic Laser, is having a profound effect on patients suffering with pain. Unlike the cutting type of laser seen in movies and used in medical procedures, Class IV Therapeutic Laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. The Class IV Therapeutic Laser has been tested for 40 years, had over 2000 papers published on it, and been shown to aid in damaged tissue regeneration, decrease inflammation, relieve pain and boost the immune system. This means that there is a good chance the Class IV Therapeutic Laser could be your pain solution, allowing you to live a more active lifestyle. Professional athletes like Tiger Woods and team members of the New England Patriots rely upon Class IV Therapeutic Laser to treat the sports-related injuries. These guys use the Class IV Therapeutic Laser for one reason only…. It Promotes Rapid Healing Of The Injured Tissues. Before the FDA would clear Class IV Therapeutic Laser for human use, they wanted to see proof that it worked. This led to two landmark studies. The first study showed that patients who had Class IV Therapeutic Laser had 53% better improvement than those who had a placebo. The second study showed patients who used the laser therapy had less pain and more range of motion days after treatment. If Class IV Therapeutic Laser can help these patients, it can help you too. Pain Pills Could Be Making Your Shoulder Worse If you’re taking pain pills for your shoulder, you are likely making your problem worse. Pain pills, even over-the-counter medications, just mask the problem, and don’t fix your shoulder. Pain is your body’s warning sign telling you to take it easy. If you mask the pain with pills, you are likely to do things that can prevent your shoulder from healing – maybe even damage it further. Not to mention many of the pain medications available are quite addicting and have drastic side effects. Why Surgery May Not Be Your Only Option. We certainly can't say for sure until I meet you, but surgery may not be your only option. If you go through with surgery, you’re looking at time off from work, weeks to months of rehab, and quite a bit of expense. Why not exhaust all natural, non-invasive options before considering more drastic measures? Shoulder Pain Is Not Just ‘Old Age’ No question… if you are having shoulder pain then something is wrong. It’s not normal aging to hurt all the time. Pain in your shoulder isn’t just a ‘sign of old age’, if that was true all 360 joints in your body would hurt since your whole body is the same age. Pain is your body’s warning sign telling you something is wrong. Finding the problem and fixing it has got to be a top priority! Have A Doctor Evaluate Your Shoulder Just call before March 11, 2015 and here’s what you’ll get… • An in-depth consultation about your health and well-being where I will listen…really listen…to the details of your case. • You’ll get to see everything first hand and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, like it has been for so many other patients.. • We’ll answer all your most probing question about our pain-free shoulder evaluation and what it can do for you. The appointment will not take long at all and you won’t be sitting in a waiting room all day either. To take me up on this special offer, you must call 910-592-2250 before March 11, 2015. Call and tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Special Shoulder Evaluation. Look, you have very little to risk and a lot to gain. Call today and we can get started with your consultation/evaluation as soon as there’s an opening in the schedule. Our office is called Kosterman Chirorpractic Center and you can find us at 401 Cooper Dr. in Clinton, NC. Sincerely, Dr. Tim Kosterman, D.C. P.S. Why Suffer With Years Of Misery? Why wait and let it get so bad surgery becomes your only option? That’s no way to live. Call 910-592-2250 today. I may be able to help you live a normal, pain-free life again. Here Are Some of Our Patients Results... “I am a former patient of Dr. Kosterman’s from years ago. I started having issues in my left shoulder, neck & back in December. I called to schedule an appointment and was able to come in that same day. Dr. Kosterman performed a thorough evaluation. I could not even raise my arm up over my head. Dr. Kosterman told me I had a shoulder impingement and created a specific treatment plan, including Trigenics, on my left shoulder and laser. It was unbelievable over the course of treatment how quickly I responded to care. I am now able to get movement back in my arm. It works wonders and I would recommend it to anyone.” - M. Anderson “I initially came to Dr. Kosterman for peripheral neuropathy. After a few sessions of treatment with great results, I decided to ask Dr. Kosterman what he could do for shoulder problems. He did a thorough evaluation of my shoulder and told me he could help. He recommended Trigenics on my shoulder. Prior to treatment, I couldn’t lift my arm up to put my shirt or coat on. Now, I have better range of motion, I can move my arm up and down easier, I can put on my shirt without pain, and I am sleeping better. I would definitely recommend anyone with shoulder problems to come in. It works!!” -N. Strickland CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION/ EVALUATION ($150 VALUE) AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH 11, 2015! www.SpinalDoc.org | 910-592-2250 IF YOU DECIDE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND WITHIN 3 DAYS AND RECEIVE A REFUND. FEDERAL RECIPIENTS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THIS OFFER. 6 www.thesampsonweekly.com LOCAL NEWS Week of March 6-12, 2015 Two Teams From Mintz Christian Academy to Participate at 2015 Envirothon past, teams from many of the schools in the Sampson County area participated in the event - Harrells Christian Academy also had a middle school team previously participate in the Envirothon. “Mintz is the only school participating this year,” Tenna Autry said. “I am hoping to get the interest going on because it is important for the next generation.” The students selected for the two Mintz teams had to have an average of 85 or higher in their Science class in order to be eligible for the team. Those students selected to participate at the 2015 Envirothon are: Team 1 - Justin Lucas, Jacob Shirley, Evan Plant, Daniel Matthews and Ryan Barber. Team 2 - Emma White, Faith McLamb, Caroline Matthews, Lizzy Lee and Katelyn Fann. * Event set to take place on March 15 at Raven Rock State Park When the annual Area VII Envirothon kicks off in Lillington on March 15 just one school from Sampson County will be there to participate. Two middle school teams from Mintz Christian Academy have been preparing for the annual event that will be held at Raven Rock State Park, and will be interacting with students and groups from eight additional counties throughout the state. The 2015 Envirothon is an event that is set up to bring awareness to students of the total environment and helps acquire sensitivity towards its limited natural resources, as well as assisting to bring knowledge and understanding of the earth’s ecological systems, the attitudes that will help embrace environmental sensitivity to the environment and to develop skills needed to identify, investigate and contribute to the resolution of environmental issues and problems. According to Erica Autry, Mintz Christian Academy’s middle school science teacher, getting involved with the Envirothon event was a unique educational opportunity, one that she jumped at the chance to take for her students. “I was looking for different ways to provide the students with an opportunity to increase their learning in both fun and interesting ways,” she said. “This experience will increase both their skills of working in groups and individually at the competitive level. It will also expose them to different opportunities within the science field.” Sampson County’s Soil and Water Conservation office is sponsoring the Mintz Envirothon middle school teams, noted an appreciative Autry. The sponsorship covers the costs of T-Shirts, meals, as well as, any other expenses the teams may have during the event. According to Tenna Autry, of the Soil and Water Conservation office in Clinton, in the “The students have been given study material from the online Envirothon information based on the five sections they will be assessed in: Soil, Forestry, Wildlife, Aquatics, Current Environmental Issues,” explains Autry. “There are five members to each team and each member is responsible for knowing the given information of their topic. They will be tested at the event on this material as a team …” Although there is a lot of work the students will be putting in at the event, Autry noted that they are more than excited to participate. “The students are very excited because this is the first year this opportunity has been given to them,” she said. “They are able to further their learning outside of their normal subject material based on their interest in science topics. The teams are also excited to get to enjoy an afternoon of exploring and learning at the beautiful Raven Rock State Park.” That excitement has spread throughout the Mintz Christian Academy campus. “The staff here are very excited too because it is sparking further interest into science topics,” Autry added. “It is great to hear the kids discussing the information they are learning among their teammates, additional classmates, parents, and teachers.” In addition to schools, the competition is open to home-school groups, Boy Scouts, soil judging teams and 4-H Clubs. Each team is required to have an advisor. Awards will be handed out after the competition (from 9:30 a.m. to noon), lunch and final judging. For more information on the event click on to www.envirothon.org or contact Sampson County Soil and Water Conservation at 910-592-7963 ext. 3. Kindergarten Registration at LC Kerr During Monday’s Clinton City Schools’ Board of Education meeting, Principal Jan Smith informed board members of the updated Kindergarten Registration process for the 2015/2016 year. Registration will take place, by appointment, on March 27th between 8:30 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. for children who turn 5-years-old on or before August 31, 2015. Parents are asked to call the school, at 910-592-3066, to schedule their appointment before March 10th. At the time of their appointment, parents will need to bring their child; along with a birth certificate, proof of residency, immunization records and their child’s NC Kindergarten Health Assessment (if completed). At the time of their scheduled appointment, parents will meet with the Data Manager and Nurse to complete paperwork, and children will rotate through several stations manned by Kindergarten teachers and teacher assistants. Principal Smith stated, “At these stations students will be asked to perform tasks such as identifying beginning and ending sounds, letters and numbers. Name colors and shapes. Draw shapes and letters. Write their names. And catch items.” Smith explained that at the end of the screening process, Kindergarten teachers would meet with parents to discuss the screening tasks and share what parents can do to help ensure their child is ready for Kindergarten in August. Smith added, “After meeting with a Kindergarten teacher, parents and children will be able to tour the school.” Smith explained that touring the school would help children with the transition as they would already be somewhat familiar with their surroundings. Principal Smith explained the purpose of the screening process was to, “provide information on the readiness level of the student”. And that, “the information will assist in the placement of students in classrooms. Identify students who may need ELS services. And provide parents with information on how they can help their child be ready for Kindergarten.” Smith also stated that, “It would provide parents and children with an opportunity to visit the campus, meet staff and become familiar with a Kindergarten classroom, which would assist parents and children with the transition to Kindergarten.” Parents who have children in the Clinton City School district, who will turn 5-years-old on are before August 31, 2015 are encouraged to call L.C. Kerr School to reserve their appointment time before March 10th. For Students in the Sampson County School District: Looking To Promote Your Event, Product Or Service. Advertise Here LC Kerr Principal Jan Smith updates board members on 2015/2016 Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten clinics for Sampson County Schools for each district are scheduled as follows: Hargrove Elementary – March 6th Plain View Elementary – March 13th Clement Elementary – March 19th Midway Elementary – March 27th Salemburg Elementary – April 2nd Hobbton Elementary – April 17th Roseboro Elementary – April 24th Union Elementary – April 29-30th Please contact the school in your district for more information and directions. Copies of the child’s birth certificate and immunization record are required for the clinic. Sampson County Schools encourages, “If your child has not had their Kindergarten Health Assessment done prior to the clinic date, please schedule an appointment with your child’s physician or your local Health Department as soon as possible. These physicals are required by State Law to be completed within 30 days of the beginning of school and no earlier than one year prior to school enrollment.” “At the present time, North Carolina State Law requires a Comprehensive Vision Screening by a health care provider prior to beginning Kindergarten. If your child fails the vision screening the health care provider will refer your child to an ophthalmologist or optometrist for a complete vision exam.” All children who reach age five on or before August 31 are eligible for entry into Kindergarten. Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com HEALTH WISEWOMAN 7 By: Emily Spell, RN Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in women worldwide. In the state of North Carolina, it is estimated that 23 deaths per 100,000 women will occur in 2014 due to breast cancer. Unfortunately, breast cancer deaths are 41% more likely to occur in African-American women. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control. Cancers are named after the part of the body where the abnormal cell growth begins. Breast cancers are cancer cells from the breast. When breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, they are called metastases. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women in North Carolina. Each year over 6,000 NC women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 1,000 will die from the disease. Women in North Carolina have a one-in-eight lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Different people have different warning signs for breast cancer. Some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all. A person may find out they have breast cancer after a routine mammogram. Some warning signs of breast cancer are: A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area—50% of such masses are found in the upper outer quarter of the breast, A change in the size or shape of the breast, An abnormal discharge from the nipple, A change in the color, feel, or texture of the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple (dimpled, puckered, or scaly). Keep in mind that some of these warning signs can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. If you have any signs that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away. Many question why there continues to be a breast cancer health disparity among African American women. The Susan G. Komen foundation proposes a few possible hypotheses: 1) genetic or biologic differences in tumors of the breast, (2) prevalence of risk factors, (3) barriers to health care access, (3) health behaviors, and (4) later stages of breast cancer at time of diagnosis. Although African American women have a higher mortality rate of breast cancer, Caucasian women have a higher incidence rate of a breast cancer. Breast cancer can happen to anyone regardless of age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status. This is why early detection is important in treating breast cancer. A three-part action plan is ideal for women ages 40 and older: (1) Get your annual mammogram, (2) Schedule your Clinical Breast Exam annually, and (3) Perform Self Breast Exams at least monthly. Women ages 20 to 39 should have clinical breast exams at least every three years with their provider and perform self-breast exams monthly. Women ages 40 and older should get annual clinical breast exams along with annual mammograms. When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. Also known as the womb, the uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is preg- nant. The cervix connects the upper part of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). Each year more than 350 North Carolina women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over 100 die from the condition. The majority of these deaths occur in women over age 45. Pap tests don’t just detect cancer. They aid in cancer prevention by identifying any changes at an early stage. A pap test (or pap smear) looks for cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated. The Pap test is recommended for most women between the ages of 21-65, and can be done in a doctor’s office or clinic. Some warning signs of cervical cancer are: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, Increased vaginal discharge, Pelvic pain, Pain during sexual intercourse. At Sampson County Health Department, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control & Prevention (BCCCP) program is available to women who are uninsured, under-insured, have a household income < 250% of the federal poverty level, and are between the ages of 40-64 for breast screening services or between 21—64 for cervical screening services. Through BCCCP, a woman may receive a free clinical breast exam, cervical cancer screening, a screening mammogram, and necessary follow-up as indicated per participant. If you would like more information on the BCCCP program offered at Sampson County Health Department, please contact Joy Brazier, RN at (910) 592-1131, ext. 4249 and Emily Spell, RN at (910) 592-1131, ext. 4214. Most cervical cancer can be prevented. There are 2 ways to prevent this disease. The first way is to prevent pre-cancers. This is best done by avoiding risk factors. Young women can delay starting to have sex until they are older. Women of all ages can protect against HPV by having few sexual partners and not having sex with people who have had many partners. The Pap test is a quick and simple, generally painless test that can detect abnormal cells and changes in the cervix. The Pap test is done in a doctor’s office or clinic during a pelvic exam. Most deaths from cervical cancer could be avoided if women had regular checkups with the Pap test. Women should begin having Pap tests after they reach age 21. Most women should have a Pap test at least once every 3-5 years. Women should talk to their doctor about when to begin having Pap tests, how often to have them and when to stop having them. Changes and early cancers of the cervix generally do not cause pain or other symptoms. Don’t wait to feel pain before seeing a doctor. Infections or other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. Sampson County Health Department, in conjunction with the NC BCCCP program, now offers the NC WISEWOMAN program to eligible women residing in Sampson County. This program allows women to be screened for cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Through the WISEWOMAN program, a woman is provided the following services: heart disease risk factor testing, blood pressure measurements, cholesterol and blood sugar testing, height, weight, and BMI measurements, lifestyle interventions, and referrals to health care providers. Health coaching is available to women enrolled in the WISEWOMAN program to include: education on nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle changes to improve one’s health and prevent, delay, or control chronic diseases. For more information about the NC WiseWoman program offered at Sampson County Health Department, please contact Joy Brazier, RN at (910) 592-1131, ext. 4249 and Emily Spell, RN at (910) 592-1131, ext. 4214. We find solutions not excuses! Net Magic Systems 201 S. Orange Ave., Dunn, NC 28334 (910)237-0768 [email protected] The Management of The Sampson Weekly reserves the right to approve any article, advertisement and/ or announcement which it deems appropriate for its readers. We/ The Management also reserve the right to make any change as we see necessary to any submission prior to approval. We/The Management also reserve the right to not accept announcements, articles and/or submissions we deem as inappropriate or which we do not approve. CLINTON FAMILY DENTISTRY HABLA ESPANOL • MEDICAID • HEALTH CHOICE Dr. Clark & Associates 910-596-0606 We are pleased to introduce our new Orthodontist, Dr. William Mott, DMD. We are currently taking appointments for new patients; and we accept all insurance, including Medicaid! All Phases of General and Cosmetic Dentistry Offered: Implants, Crowns, Oral Surgery, Dentures, and Whitening Available. Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM & Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 320 NE Boulevard • Jordan Plaza • Clinton, NC 28328 • 910-596-0606 You can call Eastpointe's Access to Care 24/7/365 You You can can call call Eastpointe's Eastpointe's Access Access to to Care Care 24/7/365 24/7/365 For For a FREE Initial Clinical Screening call For a a FREE FREE Initial Initial Clinical Clinical Screening Screening call call 1-800-913-6109 1-800-913-6109 Help Is Only A Phone Call Away Help Is Only A Phone Call Away Serving: Bladen, Columbus, Duplin, Edgecombe, Green, Lenior, Nash, Serving: Bladen, Sampson, Columbus, Duplin, Edgecombe, Green, Lenior, Nash, Robeson, Scotland, Wayne & Wilson Counties. Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Wayne & Wilson Counties. 8 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com FAITH Have I Got A Story To Share With You! If I were to put a title to the “current chapter” of my life … I’d title it “Trials and Tribulations”. How about you? What title would best describe your life’s current chapter? Would it be “Smooth Sailing” … “Life at its Best” … “Joyful Living” … “Hard Times” … or some other title? Melinda V. Inman is a gifted writer. She’s also my friend. The other day while reading Melinda’s blog I was strengthened and encouraged by the stories she’d written about her current trials. Her perspective in regard to Christians having trials was a big help to me and I felt it would help you too. I asked Melinda if I might share the following story and she most graciously agreed. Here is this week’s story … by Debra Joy Wallace 1:3-11). People who have Christ’s Spirit within them will react and act differently in trial than those who don’t. Or at least, we should. We need to have our faith tested, like gold is refined in fire, to see if our faith is real and producing growth. I don’t want to continue being chronically fatigued, never knowing what’s gone wrong inside my body. Maybe it’s treatable. Maybe I can feel better. We must test, so we know. Likewise, I don’t want to arrive at the end of my life---comfortable in my Christian routines, but untested---to find that my faith was merely something I repeated by rote or knew in my head, but which was never true and real in my life. Neither do you. I want the evidence that the life of Christ dwells within this broken body of mine. So do you. Why Trials? Written by: Melinda V. Inman Christ indwelling us is our only hope of glory. Is he there? This week I had an appointment to determine what autoimmune disorder is making me chronically fatigued. The doctor studied the last six months’ tests and procedures. He examined me, and we talked for an hour. Then he ordered even more tests. If our faith is real, there will be the fruit of growth. Do we live our faith? Do we lean hard on Christ in trial? Are we transformed as a result? If we lose heart when our outer body is wasting away, do we renew our inner selves in Christ? If we run from God, do we return and yield ourselves to him again? We must go through trial to determine this. Trial is God’s test to prove we are truly his. Just like I want my doctor to test my health, I should be even more desperate for God to test, refine, and prove my faith. Until yesterday I didn’t realize we were nowhere near diagnosing. I had expected an answer and a treatment plan. If you have an autoimmune disorder, go ahead and laugh. How naive! Right? I wanted to know now! I’ve been sick for over a year. This seems long to me (at this point), so when he ordered more tests, I cried. But he was unruffled. “We’ll keep testing until we find out,” he said. “We’ll figure it out.” These are the cold, hard facts. If he doesn’t continue to relentlessly and thoroughly test, we’ll never know. I will simply continue with an unknown illness and increasing physical destruction. Likewise, if my faith isn’t tested in similar manner, I won’t know if it’s real, solid, and life-changing. Both must be tested. God allows trials in our lives to prove or test the genuineness of our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7), to demonstrate that within these fragile jars of human clay the Spirit of God is at work (2 Corinthians 4:718), and to make us more compassionate people (2 Corinthians God’s eye is upon me. He knows the true condition of my heart. His Word “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints of and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:12-13). We need trials precisely because we are so closely and intimately scrutinized. We are often unaware of our own motives, intentions, and thoughts, until trial brings us face to face with ourselves. Seeing ourselves as we truly are brings repentance, growth, and change, as the Spirit sanctifies us. Suffering teaches me the supremacy of the unseen and the spiritual, reminds me that my body will die and what I am in Christ will remain, and makes me a compassionate comforter of others. Trials teach me to build for eternity, to fix my eyes on the One I desire to focus on forever. Do you see God’s purpose in testing? Melinda Viergever Inman was raised in the tornado capital of the U.S. - Wakita, Oklahoma, of “Twister” fame. There her parents met. There her roots were sunk in a storytelling family. During years of relocation, tragedy struck. Wounded and heartbroken, Melinda forsook her roots and ran from herself and from God. A journey of trial and heartache brought her home again. A prodigal now returned to her secure foundation, she writes with passion, illustrating God’s love for wounded people as He makes beauty from ashes. Refuge is her first novel. Melinda shepherds women in church and prison ministry and writes inspirational material on her bi-weekly blog at http:// melindainman.com/blog/. With her family she is involved with Mission India, rescuing orphans and providing theological and job training for impoverished students. Description of Melinda’s novel, Refuge: I really encourage you to watch Refuge’s trailer. It can be viewed at: http://melindainman. com/videos/ All Cain desires is his sister Lilith. But he’s thwarted and frustrated at every turn, mostly by his do-gooder brother Abel, who always seems to be in the way. Nudged toward evil by Satan, Cain wrecks everything and breaks Lilith’s heart. Crushed by what he’s done and banished by God, Cain flees into the wilderness, certain he’s destroyed Lilith, his parents, and the entire family. He knows he’s unworthy of forgiveness and will never be accepted by God or his family again. Will he ever find refuge? Get Refuge here: http:// www.amazon.com/Refuge-MelindaInman/dp/1938467884/ Debra Joy Wallace is an inspirational columnist and speaker. Email: [email protected] Website: DebraWallace.com - Facebook Page: “Weighty Inspiration by Debra Joy” STANDING ON THE ROCK OF FAITH The sky is steel grey, making the day feel even colder. The winter wind bites as it races by. But there is a feeling of calmness surrounding me as I stand in the cemetery where my grandparents rest. It is the cemetery beside the little white country church known as Colly Chapel. Through the years the exterior of the church has changed with additions and remodeling. But it’s still the same church that I attended as a child with my grandparents when I visited them. As I look upon their final resting place, I know they are not there. They are in a far better place. I know this because Grandma and Grandpa Merritt had FAITH. I’m not talking about a little bit of faith; I mean the kind of faith that’s unshakeable. Their white farmhouse was filled with religious pictures and plaques. More than that, their house was filled with prayers and faith. No matter what the problem was the first course of action was prayer. Prayer with the belief that God was in control and would work everything out according to His will. The Bible says if you have as much faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can move a mountain. All I can say is that it’s a good thing that there weren’t any mountains that needed to be moved at Colly Creek, because Grandma and Grandpa had enough faith to lift them and set them down in the middle of White Lake. As I stand here on the cold sandy soil of Bladen County, I realize that raising six children on a farm could not have been an easy life for them. In fact, my mother told me how hard the work was. But, she said there was always love and the determination to get by. God would provide. And He always did - some how, some way. My memories of my grandparents are loving memories that I cherish. No, they are not here in this cemetery at the church they attended and loved. But, I do feel closer to them by being here. I draw on their strength, their legacy. Psalms for the Soul Written by Linda Herring T he Bible speaks to us but the Psalms speak for us. Psalm 91:16 says, “With long life will I satisfy him.” How do we grow old gracefully? If you are over fifty, let your age be measured by your spiritual progress instead of a date on the calendar. How would you like to have these words engraved on your headstone? He or she I wonder how my faith compares to Grandma and Grandpa’s. I know they lived their lives according to what they believed. They worked hard, loved each other and their family. They always put God first. I sincerely hope that none of my family forgets or loses touch with the family roots my grandparents Written by put down. Roots that are buried Carolyn Horrell deep in faith and love. Mintz live many, many years and walked with God and God took them away. with Him. Like an old oak tree, a mature Christian’s roots have weathered life’s storms. But do not take your wisdom to the grave with you, share it with people who will listen. And those who are wise will listen, because they recognize the foolishness of paying twice for the same information. As we grow older we must discipline ourselves to continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open. Be teachable no matter how old we get. God loves you and so do I. Have a blessed week. Do not let the stresses of the day steal your Psalm. If you have a comment, a prayer request, you can contact me at herring.theword@ hotmail.com. Believe Achieve Tarheel ChalleNGe offers young men and women the opportunity to believe in themselves and therefore achieve in life. To dream is to wish. To believe is to know. To achieve is to realize that dream! Se H a Espa bla ñol Tarheel ChalleNGe PO Box 39 • 600 N. Main Street Salemburg, NC • 910-525-5520 www.ngycp.org 105 Wall Street • Downtown Clinton [email protected] 910-592-5249 Week of March 6-12, 2015 What’s Happening at SCT www.thesampsonweekly.com ENTERTAINMENT 9 EAST PARK CINEMA “Come In And Enjoy A Movie” 122 Southeast Blvd. Hwy 701 Business (910) 592-2800 www.eastparkcinema5.com We Have The Best Popcorn In Town!!! We Are Now 100% Digital CHAPPIE The Sampson Community Theatre is busily preparing for our next production, The Prisoner of Second Avenue. This Neil Simon comedy is proudly sponsored by Clinton Appliance and is directed by Tom Wilbur. Tom directed Barefoot in the Park last year and we are excited to have him back to direct this comedy. The auditions were Saturday and we had a wide variety of people come out to audition. The assistant director for this production is Tracy Kirkland. Tracy has worked on numerous shows at the theatre in the past year beginning with Grease and last helped with The Addams Family. The stage manager for this production is Jessica Watts. Jessica has been involved in the theatre for years and we are thrilled to have her back to manage our stage. She has stage managed, performed and worked in the technical aspects of the theatre for over seven years. Our SCT Patrons of the Theatre campaign is well underway. To become a patron, you donate a small amount and receive two tickets for each of our six shows per year. This helps to support our shows throughout our season and you will be listed in our programs throughout the year. It is also tax-deductible. If you would like more information about the Patrons of the Theatre please call Brenda Martin at 910-9909-4510. Starts Friday Rated: R for violence, language and brief nudity Starring: Sharlto Copley, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy. Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings – some good, some bad – and he will rely on his heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his own man. Friday: 6:30 & 9:00 Saturday & Sunday: 2:00 4:15 6:30 & 9:00 Monday-Thursday: 6:30 THE DUFF NOW PLAYING Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual material throughout, some language and teen partying Starring: Mae Whitman, Bella Thorne, Allison Janney, Robbie Amell Bianca (Mae Whitman) is a content high school senior whose world is shattered when she learns the student body knows her as ‘The DUFF’ (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier, more popular friends (Skyler Samuels & Bianca Santos). Friday: 6:45 & 8:45 Saturday & Sunday: 2:30 4:30 6:45 & 8:45 Monday-Thursday: 6:45 THE LAZARUS EFFECT The Checking Account for those who prefer to get there faster NOW PLAYING Rated: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of horror violence, terror and some sexual references Starring: Evan Peters, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Sarah Bolger, Mark Duplass A group of medical students discover a way to bring dead patients back to life. Friday: 7:00 & 9:00 Saturday & Sunday: 2:15 4:15 7:00 & 9:00 Monday-Thursday: 7:00 FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Earn up to 1.oo% APY * We call it FastForward Checking. Now you can enjoy the convenience of a checking account with the high interest rates of a money market account. www.newbridgebank.com NOW PLAYING Rated: R for strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and for language Starring: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Ehle, Max Martini, Eloise Mumford, Luke Grimes, Marcia Gay Harden The film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon. Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated into 51 languages worldwide and sold more than 100 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever. Friday: 6:30 & 9:00 Saturday & Sunday: 1:45 4:15 6:30 & 9:00 Monday-Thursday: 6:30 SPONGE OUT OF WATER NOW PLAYING Rated: PG Starring: Clancy Brown, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Carolyn Lawrence SpongeBob SquarePants, the world’s favorite sea dwelling invertebrate, comes ashore to our world for his most super-heroic adventure yet. Friday: 6:45 & 8:45 Saturday & Sunday: 2:30 4:30 6:45 & 8:45 Monday-Thursday: 6:45 Clinton Office 1008 Sunset Avenue Clinton, NC 28328 910-299-9093 * Advertised 1.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) paid on balances of $25,000-$249,999; balances of $250,000 or more earn .10% APY; balances of $15,000-$24,999 earn .05% APY; balances under $15,000 earn .02% APY. APY is accurate as of February 2, 2015. The authorized rate on this account will be guaranteed through December 31, 2015. Minimum opening deposit is $25,000. New money only. Available for personal accounts only. Account fees may affect earnings. This product offering is subject to end at any time without notice. All fees and benefits subject to change. © NewBridge Bank 2015 Show Your Appriciation with the Best! Sessoms Jewelry is your Plaque and Awards Headquarters! 105 Wall Street • Downtown Clinton 910-592-5249 [email protected] I FAMILY FEATURES f you’re looking for a little variety to spice up your life, cooking with a versatile veggie such as the sweet potato may give your menu the satisfying kick you crave, along with a healthy dose of the nutrients your body needs. Unlike many vegetables with a peak season that comes and goes, sweet potatoes can be found at your local grocery store year round with a consistent quality and freshness. Because they are available fresh, canned or frozen, sweet potatoes offer the ultimate flexibility for healthy and delicious menu options at any meal. With virtually no fat and low in sodium, sweet potatoes, or yams, fit perfectly into a low-carb lifestyle, with major nutritional bonuses to boot. In addition to being a source of vitamin B-6, iron, potassium and fiber, the sweet potato provides twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and more than one-third of the requirements for vitamin C. Sweet potatoes also rank significantly lower than white potatoes in the glycemic index, which explains why many carb-counting diets encourage substituting sweet potatoes for white potatoes. Creamy Smoked Sweet Potato Soup Winner in the “Fresh” Category Servings: 6–8 Courtesy of Samantha Foglesong, New Orleans, La. 4 extra-large sweet potatoes (about 5 pounds) 4 cups seafood stock 2 cups heavy whipping cream 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shells 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives Prepare smoker to 200°F. Smoke sweet potatoes 2 1/2–3 hours. Let cool, and peel. In large Dutch oven, combine sweet potatoes, stock and cream. Blend on high speed with an immersion blender until smooth. Heat over medium heat, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, then cinnamon and nutmeg. Strain mixture through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl; discard solids. In medium bowl, combine crab, lemon juice, red pepper, remaining salt, butter and chives. Divide soup among bowls and top with crab mixture. Sweet Potato S’mores Winner in the “Canned” Category Servings: 6 Courtesy of Michele Carl, Masonville, Colo. 1 cup pecans 1 cup almonds 3/4 cup honey, divided 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 dried pitted dates 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 cans (15 ounces each) sweet potato puree 1/2 cup apple cider 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger 2 cups miniature marshmallows Dark chocolate shavings for garnish Preheat oven to 170°F. In food processor, pulse pecans and almonds until chopped. Add 1/4 cup honey, vanilla, dates, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and butter, and process until finely chopped. Spread in thin layer on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crispy, about 3 hours. Let cool, and cut into 3-inch squares. Reduce oven to 250°F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In food processor, combine sweet potato, apple cider, remaining honey, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and remaining cinnamon; process until smooth. Stir in crystallized ginger. Transfer to prepared baking dish, and cook 1 hour. Stir well, and cook 30 minutes more. Let cool to room temperature. Increase oven to 300°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1⁄2-inch layer of sweet potato butter on each cracker. Top with marshmallows, and place on prepared baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and serve. Tips for perfect sweet potatoes These prize-winning recipes show you how easy it is to create unique dishes with versatile, nutritious sweet potatoes. Before you get started, remember these tips from the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission: n Fresh sweet potatoes can be stored for up to a month at 55°F to 65°F, but should not be refrigerated until after they are cooked. n Always use a stainless steel knife when cutting a sweet potato; using a carbon blade will cause the yam to darken. n One 15-ounce can of sweet potatoes equals one cup of fresh sweet potatoes. n Canned sweet potatoes are precooked, so add them at the end of a recipe. For more prize-winning free recipes, or to enter your recipe in the national Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission’s 2015 Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest, visit www.sweetpotato.org. Piquant Sweet Potato Quiche Winner in the “Frozen” Category Servings: 6 Courtesy of Karen McGowan, Houston, Texas 1 bag (15-ounces) frozen sweet potato fries, thawed 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups shredded Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese 2 cups chopped cooked ham 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup half-and-half 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper nual n A d r 3 Anti-Hunger Fest Presented By: March 21, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM at Roseboro PFWB Church 400 S. East St, Roseboro, NC Entry to the Anti-Hunger Fest is free. $6 Purchase of a wristband allows all day access to inflatables, games, pony rides, crafts, and face painting. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 10-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse sweet potato in food processor until shredded. Transfer sweet potato to sieve and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Press potato into bottom and up sides of prepared pie dish. Brush with melted butter and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until edges of crust are golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Reduce oven to 350°F. Add Havarti cheese, jalapeno, Swiss cheese, ham and chives to crust in one layer. In medium bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, salt, paprika, pepper and cayenne. Pour evenly over cheese mixture and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 30–40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. CHILI COOK-OFF & BAKING CONTEST! Included this year will be performances by Friday’s Veil (Christian Music Ministry featuring Christian Rock and Contemporary Music); along with performances by Clinton Tigers Cheer Team, and Quisan’s Dance Team. For the kids there will be bounce houses, pony rides, face painting, carnival games and crafts. And for adults there will be vender tables and of course, an opportunity to sample the chili. Contest entry fee is $20. Deadline to register is March 14th! To register, please contact Pastor Thom Miles at 910-495-3595 or via email at [email protected] NEXT UP... XFINITY SERIES SPRINT CUP Race: Kobalt 400 Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway When: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX 2014 Winner: Brad Keselowski (right) CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Race: Boyd Gaming 300 Where: Las Vegas Motor Motor Speedway When: Saturday, 4 p.m. (ET) TV: Fox Sports 1 2014 Winner: Brad Keselowski Race: Kroger 250 Where: Martinsville Speedway When: March 28, 2:30 p.m. (ET) TV: Fox Sports 1 2014 Winner: Matt Crafton Crew chief calls Jimmie Johnson’s victory at AMS ‘phenomenal’ Jonathan Moore/Getty Images for NASCAR polesitter Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth. It was Johnson’s fourth victory at AMS and the 71st victory of his career. His crew chief, Chad Knaus, said Johnson’s run to the front was something to behold. “To see Jimmie do what he did [Sunday] was phenomenal,” Knaus said. Two multi-car crashes in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip Johnson said he considers a win in the second race of the season an 500 knocked out some of the top contenders. indication of better things to come on down the road. “It is a sign of who is going to be competitive,” he said. “This says a lot for us. What we did here we can take to a lot of tracks ahead.” And being locked in to the Chase so early is a relief. “It takes the pressure off of us,” he said. But Johnson also cautioned that it’s still a little early to draw any real conclusions about who will be fast at upcoming races. “I’m feeling really great, but not 100 percent yet,” he said. The race ran relatively incident-free until the later stages, when two multi-car crashJimmie Johnson considers his fourth trip to es knocked out some of the top contenders. Victory Lane at AMS a sign of who is going The first, at Lap 257, collected Jeff Gordon, to be competitive this season. Jamie McMurray and Denny Hamlin. The second, at Lap 306, involved six from Earnhardt Jr. before motoring away drivers and brought out the red flag for unchallenged. a nine-minute clean-up period. It started David Ragan, driving the No. 18 Toyota when Greg Biffle and Joe Nemechek colfor the injured Kyle Busch, kept the car in lided just after a restart, and when the the top 10 for the first quarter of the race, smoke cleared, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Tony but fell a lap down at the halfway mark Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson and finished 18th. all had damage to their cars. But the Another fill-in driver, Brett Moffitt, drove final 14 laps ran without incident, with Brian Vickers’ No. 55 Toyota to an eighthJohnson fending off an early challenge place finish. Harold Hinson for Chevy Racing When Jimmie Johnson fell out of the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup after the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway, the focus shifted to a new set of drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and eventual champion Kevin Harvick. It continued on through Speedweeks at Daytona, as Matt Kenseth won the Sprint Unlimited and Joey Logano took the Daytona 500. But when the checkered flag fell on the second race of the 2015 Sprint Cup season, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Johnson was back in Victory Lane. His weekend had a quiet start, as he was one of a group of drivers who had to start the race from the back after their crews did not get their cars through NASCAR’s inspection line in time to qualify on Friday. But that turned out to be little more than a bump in the road for Johnson and his No. 48 team, which now is guaranteed a berth in the 2015 Chase under NASCAR’s “win and you’re in” format. If he were to go on to win the title this year, Johnson would tie Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt at the top of the all-time series championship list. At Atlanta, in a race that was delayed 55 minutes because of rain, and run under cold, cloudy skies, Johnson started 37th, but had driven to 13th place by the time the first caution flag flew at Lap 27. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 198 and wound up leading six times for 92 laps, including the final 21. He finished 1.8 seconds ahead of the 2014 Cup champion, Kevin Harvick, who led 116 laps — more than any other driver. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third, ahead of NOTEBOOK Knockout qualifying at AMS embarrasses Gordon that year. We really struggled on the bigger tracks the year before that. “I know there was a lot of controversy with me and Ford and Bill (Davis) moving forward, not being with Bill. I can easily say now that it was the right decision to go with Hendrick Motorsports, and I can honestly say that as grateful as I was for Bill and Ford at that time, my life and my career would not be the same if Rick Hendrick Atlanta Motor Speedway honored Jeff hadn’t been calling me after that race.” Gordon by flashing his car number 24 Gordon also remembers on the scoring pylon during the Folds well the fall race at AMS of Honor QuikTrip 500. that same season, when he made his first Cup start in a Hendrick car, in the same race that was Richard Petty’s final one as a driver. “I still have that money clip that Richard handed out that day with my starting position,” Gordon said. In the years since, Gordon has won five times at AMS, the first coming in the spring of 1995 and the most recent coming in 2011. His final AMS run ended on an unpleasant note, as he crashed into a portion of the track not covered by SAFER barriers. He was uninjured, but it came just a week after Kyle Busch was injured when he struck an unprotected wall at Daytona International Speedway. Gordon said it’s time all tracks covered all exposed walls with SAFER barriers. AMS did make some improvements after Daytona, installing 130 feet of barriers, but not on the wall Gordon hit. “I am very frustrated with the fact there are no SAFER barriers down there,” Gordon said. “I don’t think we can say any more after Kyle’s (Busch) incident at Daytona. Everybody knows we have to do something, and it should have been done a long time ago. All we can do now is hope they do it as fast as they possibly can.” Xfinity Series driver Brian Scott suddenly has become quite popular after a year-old YouTube video of his wedding went viral on the Internet. Scott’s vows to his wife, Whitney, and to her daughter, Brielle, had gotten about 350,000 views early last week, but after stories appeared on Brian Scott the Huffington Post and in other places, there were 5.1 million views and counting by midday Sunday. Scott, whose cars are often sponsored by the same Shore Lodge in McCall, Idaho, where his January 2014 wedding took place, said he was stunned by the attention generated by the six-minute video. “It’s really surprising that a year after the fact, it exploded like it did,” Scott said, adding that he hopes the video inspires other men to take marriage as seriously as he does. “I hope my example can be an example to other guys out there.” Scott also realizes that the attention the video has generated leaves him with a lot to live up to. “People that see that [video] think I’m a great guy because of it,” he said. “I hope I can live up to those expectations.” The video can be viewed at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=SJj_qy8hQ2E Defending Truck Series champion Matt Crafton scored a runaway victory in Saturday’s Hyundai 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Crafton, driving the No. 88 Toyota, started 15th, but didn’t stay there long. He took the lead for the first Defending Camping World time on Lap 45, champion Matt Crafton is and grabbed the seeking his third straight top spot for good Truck Series championship. on Lap 59 of 113. At the end, he sailed under the checkered flag a whopping 8.7 seconds ahead of secondfinishing Ty Dillon. Crafton, who is seeking his third straight series championship, said the dominating victory does make a statement about his determination to win another title. But he also said it means a lot to be victorious at AMS, where the Truck Series returned after a two-year absence. “It’s my favorite track by far,” he said. “To win here is an amazing feeling.” Polesitter Ben Kennedy finished third, ahead of Daniel Suarez, with Daytona winner Tyler Reddick fifth. Only seven drivers finished on the lead lap. No. 44 Chevrolet stolen; recovered The No. 44 Chevrolet owned by Team XTREME and set to be driven by Travis Kvapil at Atlanta Motor Speedway was taken from a motel parking lot near the track last Friday morning, forcing the team to withdraw from the Sprint Cup race at AMS, since it did not have a backup car prepared. The team had sent its transporter ahead earlier in the week, hoping to avoid troubles on the road because of a winter storm in the Southeast. Crew chief Peter Sospenzo and the road crew stayed behind at the team’s shop near Charlotte to finish preparing the car. They loaded the car in a smaller, unmarked trailer pulled by a dually pickup, and traveled to AMS, stopping for the night at a motel just north of the speedway. When they were ready to leave for the track, their rig was gone. Authorities located the car in a remote area north of Atlanta on Saturday morning, and the car was taken back to North Carolina. “Old Faithful Home where it belongs,” Team XTREME posted on its Twitter account. “I’ve been doing this since 1979,” Sospenzo told The Associated Press. “I’ve probably been to 1,200 hotels and 1,200 race tracks. Never once has this happened. It’s crazy. But there’s a first for everything, I guess.” The team plans to compete this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. SPRINT CUP STANdINGS 1. Joey Logano, 88 2. Jimmie Johnson, 87 3. Kevin Harvick, 86 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 84 5. Martin Truex Jr., 75 6. Casey Mears, 68 7. Kasey Kahne, 65 8. A.J. Allmendinger, 62 9. Aric Almirola, 62 10. Clint Bowyer, 58 NUMERICALLY SPEAKING Kevin Harvick motors away to victory on late-race restart 38 Jonathan Moore/Getty Images for NASCAR Matt Crafton scores runaway victory in CWTS Hyundai 200 Emmett Byrd Xfinity Series’ Brian Scott becomes viral sensation Matt Sullivan/Getty Images for NASCAR Jeff Gordon has done some amazing things at race tracks across America. He’s won five times in NASCAR races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s also won his share of short-track USAC races near there at Indianapolis Raceway Park, where he first came to national prominence in the televised races from that track now known as Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. He’s won 92 Sprint Cup races — third on the all-time race wins list behind Richard Petty with 200 and David Pearson with 105. He’s won three Daytona 500s, eight Cup races at Martinsville, where he’s has more victories than at any other venue on the circuit. He owns wins at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit except Kentucky Speedway, which has only been on the Cup circuit for four years. He also won once at North Wilkesboro and four times at Rockingham — two tracks that no longer host races. But few venues can match the milestones Gordon reached at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was at Atlanta in the spring of 1992 that he first caught the eye of Rick Hendrick, who eventually lured him away from Ford Motor Co. and Bill Davis Racing to his No. 24 Chevrolet team. In that race, Gordon started from the pole and — despite racing against some of the top stars of that era — led the most laps and scored his first major NASCAR victory. Fittingly, it also was in the Atlanta area that Gordon got his first-ever top-5 finish in NASCAR — a runner-up at Lanier Speedway in 1991. “It was a big one,” Gordon said of his Atlanta win in the ’92 race for the series now known as Xfinity. “Not only was it my first win in NASCAR, but there were no slouches that I was racing against that day. “If I remember correctly, it was Mark Martin, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Sr. — three guys that I had to battle with to win that race, not to mention some other Cup drivers as well as Busch Grand National drivers at the time. “That was a big moment.” Longtime Sprint Cup car owner Rick Hendrick watched that race and soon offered Gordon a driving job, which led to a tough decision for Gordon, as Davis was putting a lot of effort into Gordon’s team at that point. “Bill Davis Racing had really brought up their game as far as their race cars, and primarily the horsepower under the hood,” Gordon said. “This was the first chance that we had to really showcase that Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR Jeff Gordon’s final run at AMS ends on unpleasant note There were a few hiccups in knockout qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In Cup qualifying on Friday, 13 teams didn’t get their cars through inspection in time for their drivers to take to the track. Among those who were left to start Sunday’s race from the rear were Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart. Gordon was quite unhappy with the turn of events. “There’s no way with this many good cars and this many talented people that they can’t figure out how to get these cars through inspection,” he said. “Yeah, we’re pushing limits, but there’s something wrong here. I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed for our series that this has happened. It’s absolutely ridiculous.” Richard Buck, NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series director, said part of the problem was the new rules package that came into play for the first time, and the fact that teams were trying to get their cars as close to tolerances as possible without going over the line. In qualifying for the Truck Series race, only one driver — Ben Kennedy — got on track in time to make a run in the third and final round, as drivers tried, as they often do under the current format, to wait until the last moment to qualify. Brad Keselowski initially was awarded the pole, but a review showed that he did not reach the starting line before the clock ran out. Kevin Harvick gives the crowd a victory burnout after his win in the Hisense 250. Kevin Harvick motored away from polesitter Joey Logano on a late-race restart and claimed his third straight Xfinity Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway and his 45th in the Series. Harvick led 101 of 163 laps, including the final 27, to take the win over Logano, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott. Harvick’s two most recent AMS victories came at the wheel of cars owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, and Saturday’s win was the first for Dave Elenz as a crew chief. Being able to deliver that victory for Elenz and the other members of the No. 88 crew was rewarding for Harvick. “That’s the motivating factor for me,” Harvick said. Pit-road penalties assessed to Sprint Cup teams during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 5 Current Sprint Cup points position for Martin Truex Jr. — the highest in the 10-year history of his Furniture Row Racing team. 13 Top-10 finishes for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 28 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 17 Sprint Cup races run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by Jeff Gordon — the most of any driver. 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Sponsored By HARD WORK DEDICATION INTEGRITY PERFORMANCE & The Sampson Weekly Clinton’s Zoey Harris: On A Mission of Excellence After finishing the season at 17-8 overall losing just two conference games (12-2) during the regular season, the Clinton Dark Horse Lady Horses went right into the NCHSAA’s 2-A State Championship tourney. in the future.” Whatever she chooses, her talents, including the ones in the classroom – where she keeps up her GPA with straight ‘A’ report card – she will go far. “Coach (Chris) Owens told us that no matter what our season record was,” explains 17-year-old shooting guard Zoey Harris, “it is all 0-0 now. No matter how we played in the regular season, nothing else matters now.” “I am a pretty competitive person,” she admits. “I always want to be the best in what I do, if it is in sports or in the classroom … My mom is a teacher so I work hard to get good grades (laughs).” Harris, who average 10 points a game this season, says she was excited to appear in the playoffs because she feels the team had put in the hard work. Harris said that her favorite subject is math and science. “It just comes easy to me,” she says. “I feel like I am stronger in math. But I love both subjects.” “Last year our varsity team made it to the third round of the (state) playoffs and lost to the team who won it all,” the junior star said. “Even without one of our strongest players, I think we did well this year because we have been working hard. We all have a strong connection to each other and we all play to our best abilities when we go out on the court, so I think that is when it all comes together.” That hard work is anchored by the support she feels from her family and community. “My family has always been there for me,” she said. “That feels really good to me. My main goal has always been to make them proud of me.” And the Clinton community? It all did come together for the team. The Lady Horses beat Southwest Edgecombe 54-46 in the first round of the state playoffs, and then fell to the 23-3 state powerhouse Bertie 71-26 late last week, effectively ending their run for a state title. Despite the loss, the team held their heads high, with Harris leading the way. It is that attitude that has earned her this week’s Performance Auto/Sampson Weekly Star Athlete of the Week award, something that comes as a complete surprise to her. “I had no clue I was nominated,” she admits. “I am really, really surprised and I have to admit, I am pretty excited about it. I am honored that I am being recognized.” When asked why she thinks her coaches nominated her for the award, Harris gets introspective about her time on the Dark Horse team. “Well … I would say that ever since my freshman year playing basketball, I had problems with my confidence in shooting the ball – something that is important when you are a shooting guard – and my coaches have worked with me,” she said humbly. “In my sophomore year, I played varsity and I worked hard on it and when it came time to play, I worked to step up my game. So, I think if anything, it is because of the growth that I have had since my freshman year.” Next year, Harris will be one of the many seniors who will be looked upon to lead the Lady Horses; a task you would think would put a lot of pressure on her. “I am a little nervous,” she admits, “but you know what? I am my biggest critic. I am harder on myself than I could ever be on anyone else. If I miss a shot, I still hang my head because I am a competitor … I want to win. I know my weaknesses, I have just got to get over that and focus on playing the game.” A Clinton native, Harris, who lives with parents Billy and Jennifer and younger brother Will, says she began playing sports at a young age. “I have played it as long as I can remember,” she said. “When I was really little, I had one of those Fisher Price basketball hoops (laughs) and I played that all the time. Then I played recreation ball and I remember I was the only girl on the team.” She says the experience made her better. “You had to be tough and play tough,” she said. “It made me tough and I was determined.” Harris said that she was brought up on Carolina basketball too, thanks to her father. “I have never watched professional basketball,” she said. “To this day, me and my father watch Carolina basketball. We are big fans … it was really emotional around here after we heard about Dean Smith.” As talented as she is on the court, Harris is equally gifted in other sports as well. She began playing tennis in the fourth grade, played volleyball in middle school and soccer. “I still play tennis and soccer for Clinton High,” Harris said. “I just stopped playing volleyball. I enjoy playing them, but my love is playing basketball – it is my favorite.” “I am very involved with my community,” she said. “I know a lot of people and it is great to go somewhere and people wave at you and say ‘hello’. You can’t get that in a big city or somewhere else. You can go somewhere else, but this is home. Nowhere else is the same as your home. It is good to know that people here have your back.” Working on a team of girls that she has grown up with, Harris said that her freshman confidence struggles is something that she doesn’t want for others coming into Clinton High. “If I could give an upcoming freshman player some advice I would tell them to always remember that sports is not just physical, there is a mentality to the game that you have to be aware of. You also have to remember that you are going to have bad games. You also must hustle and never give up.” Harris points praise at others when asked her secret to her success. “It is really the support that I receive from my family, my teachers, my teammates and my coaches,” she said. “They have all been vital to everything that I have done.” “I want to go to college at Carolina,” she said. “I might try to play basketball, but I want to go there to study and be a pharmacist or go to UNC-W to become a marine biologist.” Her coaches have been instrumental in her development. “My soccer coach (Michael Valenti) is the tell-it-like-itis coach,” she explains. “This past season, I have been training to be goalie and I have this fear of missing shots and then being blamed … but he just told me to get in there and do it. I need someone like that to get on me and push me to be better. Coach Owens is the same way. I was so determined to be perfect when I came in (to Clinton High) and I had a lot of confidence issues in my game, but he helped me through that.” Harris said that she has always been interested in studying undersea life. Another person who Harris holds close to her heart is her 7th grade basketball coach. “I have always loved the beach,” she said. “It has always fascinated me. I love to go to the beach, take my mask and dive. It has always interested me, so I would love to study marine biology.” “Robin Whitman …,” she said. “I wasn’t really playing like I was determined; she took me off to the side and told me she believed in me. It boosted me up and gave me the confidence I needed and it changed me. When she passed away, I cried like a baby. She was like family and really, she changed my life.” As much as she loves playing the game, her future goals involve something else. What about being a pharmacist? “I am interested in it because it was suggested that is a great career move … I think it will be, but to be honest, I don’t know, it just depends on the opportunities that I get. I always wanted to travel the world too. My dream is to travel to Spain, London, Paris … Australia, that is what I really want to do PERFORMANCE AUTOMOTIVE Salutes this week’s With her spirited attitude, positive outlook, hard work ethic and determination, the future for Harris, while yet to be written, and is sure to be filled with successes successes that will be surely shared with all who love her. Student Athlete of the Week! 605 Warsaw Hwy • Clinton, NC • 910-592-JEEP(5337) Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com SPORTS 13 Lakewood Ladies Advance in First Round to Lose to Gates County in Third The Lakewood Lady Leopards basketball team advanced to the NCHSAA State playoffs to face Manteo in the firstround in a close one played at Lakewood High School on February 27. Lakewood was able to take down Manteo by 1 point in the closing seconds of regulation. Lakewood moved on to face a strong Louisburg team Monday night followed up by the season ending loss to a strong number 1 seeded Gates County team on Tuesday night. The Lakewood Leopards Ladies’ team lost Tuesday’s away playoff game against Gates County by a score of 60-53. the Eastern 1A bracket, Gates County. Gates County came into Tuesday night’s game with a record of 26 and 1, Lakewood stood at 20 and 3 overall. The Lady Leopards first round match of the 1A NCHSAA State playoffs against Manteo High School was played at home in Salemburg. The game had been postponed twice due to the winter weather covering much of North Carolina. The Lady Leopards got off to a cold start that saw them lagging behind the whole first half that ended 24 to 18. Lakewood would remain in striking distance throughout the matchup but could not close the gap. The difference in the game came in the 2nd period of play where Gates County outscored Lakewood by 8 points. Essentially both teams traded shots back and forth for the remainder of the game both scoring 31 points in the 2nd half giving Gates County a 7 point advantage. The final score, ending the Lady Leopard’s phenomenal season was Lakewood 53, Gates County 60. Lakewood finished the season with a third round loss and a respectable season record of 20 wins and 4 losses and only one loss in the conference. Lakewood thawed-out during halftime and achieved a one point lead with 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. As the game progressed, the score went back and forth between Lakewood and Manteo. At the end of the 3rd quarter Manteo was 1 point ahead 37 to 36. With 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter the game was tied 39-39. With the clock counting down, to less than 4 minutes left, Lakewood pulled ahead by 43 to 41, only to have Manteo tie things back up at the 2 1/2 minutes mark, 43 to 43. With only seconds left in the game, it was tied again 48-48. Justina Henry #10 was fouled and made one of her foul shots that gave Lakewood a 1 point lead and the game. Lakewood advanced to Round #2 of the NCHSAA playoffs where they took on Manteo High School in Gates County. The Louisburg game was a different story seeing the Leopards come out of the gates firing. At the end of the first period, Lakewood led by a score of 26 to 19 and never looked back. The Lady Leopards were in complete control over the entire game finishing with a score of 51 to 44 giving the Ladies the opportunity to match up against the #1 seed in Varsity Men's Basketball Season Wrap-up By: Andrew Miller The Harrells Christian Academy Varsity Men's basketball lived up to all of the preseason hype in the 2014-15 season. The Varsity Men dominated throughout the majority of the year and closed out the season with a 20-5 record. The Crusaders started out the season on a rampage by defeating their first three opponents by an average of just under 27 points. The Crusaders' momentum was quickly halted when they lost to a sharpshooting Cary Christian team who defeated the Crusaders 57-55 in a close back and forth battle. The Crusaders did not let the close loss phase them, however as they came back and cruised to victory in their next game by defeating, conference opponent, Arendell Parrott Academy 60-54. Following the team's win over Parrott Academy the Varsity Men faced one of their biggest tests of the regular season. The Crusaders faced off against Freedom Christian at home. The star studded Patriots featured many talented athletes that eventually outmatched the Crusaders in the end handing them their second loss of the season, 70-64. The Crusaders went on to win another game before yet another tough regular season test. The Crusaders took on, at the time, undefeated West Brunswick High School in the Cape Fear Academy Holiday Invitational. The Crusaders dropped a 63-61 heartbreaker to the Trojans. The Crusaders used the close loss as momentum heading into the rest of the season. After the loss to the Trojans the Crusaders went on a 15 game winning streak that thrived during conference play, the conference tournament, and into the opening rounds of the NCISAA Division II State Playoffs. During the Crusaders' streak they claimed the Coastal Rivers Conference Regular Season Title with an undefeated regular season conference record of 10-0. The Crusaders also cruised through the conference tournament that was capped off with a 77-38 victory over Fayetteville Christian in the championship game of the Coastal Rivers Conference Tournament. The Crusaders headed into the NCISAA Division II State Playoffs as a #12 seed where they faced off against the #5 seeded Freedom Christian. HCA pulled away from the Patriots in the closing stages of a grudge match to clinch the 62-51 victory. The Crusaders then traveled to Asheville to take on, rival, Davidson Day in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. The Crusaders trailed for the majority of the game but edged their way back in the closing minutes of regulation to force not one but two overtimes. The Crusaders went on to defeat the Patriots 65-60 in double overtime to advance to the Final Four of the NCISAA Division II State Playoffs. In the Final Four, the Crusaders faced off against the #1 seeded Northside Christian Academy. The Knights took control from the outset of the game by pressuring the Crusaders which led to easy layups on the offensive end. The Knights' main weapon however was their three point shooting abilities. They were on fire from behind the arc which led to an easy 83-56 win over the Crusaders. Despite their loss to Northside, the varsity men's basketball team made school history by appearing in back to back Final Fours of the NCISAA State Playoffs in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. The Crusaders created a balanced scoring attack all year that resulted in three players who averaged scoring in double figures. The Crusaders were led by Quate McKinzie who averaged just under 17 points per game. Among other high scoring Crusaders were, sharpshooter, CJ Kirchoff who averaged 12 points per game along with Marcus Scarborough who averaged 11 points per game. The Crusader offense was held together all year by sophomore point guard, Tyshii Scarborough. Scarborough ranked sixth in the state of North Carolina in assists per game with 7. Many Crusader players received honors throughout the season. Spencer Cooke, CJ Kirchoff, Quate McKinzie, Marcus Scarborough, and Tyshii Scarborough were all named to the Coastal Rivers Conference All-Conference Team. CJ Kirchoff, Quate McKinzie, Marcus Scarborough, and Tyshii Scarborough were also named to the Coastal Rivers Conference All-Tournament Team. Quate McKinzie was named the Coastal Rivers Conference Player of the year as well as being named to the NCISAA Division II All-State Team. Seventh year head coach Clayton Hall was named the Coastal Rivers Conference Coach of the Year. Looking forward to the 2015-16 season, the Varsity Men will look to vie for a State Championship as the Crusaders only lose four seniors in Spencer Cooke, Tristan Crumpler, Evan Hardison, and Justin Smith. Next year, the Crusaders will be under the leadership of their three leading scorers in the 2014-15 season- Quate McKinzie (16), CJ Kirchoff (12), and Marcus Scarborough (11). HCA will look to put all of these intangibles together to contend for a State Championship in the 2015-16 season. 14 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com SPORTS Dark Horses Fall in Second Round of Play-offs The Clinton Dark Horse basketball season came to an end Monday night as both the Men’s Varsity as well as the Varsity Lady Dark Horses were knocked off in the second round of the state 2A playoffs Monday night on the road. The 12th seeded Varsity Dark Horses had won easily in the opening round 91-49 against a higher seeded Durham School of Arts in a game played last Sunday night due to the weather conditions that prevailed all week. It was a game that the Dark Horses led from the opening tip off as they were led by sophomore and this year’s leading scorer Jerimiah Pope with 18 points. The Dark Horses had to travel and face a very quick and talented 5th seed Fairmont in Robeson County. Fairmont opened the game with a quick 11-2 run that the Dark Horses couldn’t come back from. The Horses fought back and only trailed by two points at the half. Both teams played tough in the second half but one late run by Fairmont gave them a 75-62 victory over the Dark Horses. The very young Dark Horses finished the season with an impressive 18-7 mark and were tied for second in the Four County conference. The Lady Dark Horses came in as the 13th seed and they also won their opener 54-46 over the Lady Cougars from Southwest Edgecombe. The Lady Horses were led by their leading scorer Brielle Mitchelle with 15 points and senior Kristen Glaspar with 11points. The Lady Dark Horses dominated this one as they never trailed. They led by as many as 17 points at the half before getting the victory and sending the Lady Horses on the long trip to Bertie County to play # 4 seeded Bertie County who some have picked to be a top contender for the girls 2A championship. The Lady Horses season ended there as they finished with a 17-8 overall mark and an impressive 12-2 in the Four County conference. Varsity Head Coach Randy Jordan and Coach Chris Owens have expressed their thanks for the good support that the Dark Horse fans and parents showed all season. Midway Wins in First Round of Playoffs; Loses to Northside in Second Round After many delays because of last week’s winter weather, the Midway Varsity Men’s squad played in the first round of the NCHSAA state championships and came away with a victory. The Midway Raiders faced Jordan-Matthews in a rare Saturday matchup which had the teams facing each other with a Midway home court advantage. Midway won by a score of 67 to 58 advancing to the second round where they would face a very strong Northside at Jacksonville. Northside came into the Monday match up with only 1 loss on the season with 25 victories. Midway led by 4 at the end of the 1st period and Northside began to hit the basket in the 2nd period and never looked back finishing with a 77 to 67 victory over the Midway Raiders. With this week’s tournament games behind the Raiders squad, The Sampson Weekly contacted Midway Coach Matthew Creech for comments on the games and for the season. Creech Stated, “I believe what made this season successful was the work ethic of our kids. After falling short in the 2nd round of the playoffs on Monday night, one of the opposing coaches cornered me to tell me how he had overlooked our team at the beginning; saying we looked like a “JV team” based on our size. He quickly came to understand that though we were not the biggest or strongest on the court physically, we certainly could compete with any team in the state when it came to heart. That is what is so pleasing when I think of this team, their constant drive to prove the critics wrong and be at their very best every day.” Creech continued, “Though we were disappointed to not advance further into the state playoffs, this team accomplished many milestones that have not been reached at Midway in at least a decade. Some of those being their 18 win season, an undefeated record against in-county schools (Clinton, Union, Hobbton, and Lakewood), hosting a home playoff game, and advancing to the 2nd round of the state playoffs. Creech concluded by explaining that the Midway Varsity Men’s basketball team looks to build on this year’s successes, “We look to return 11 players from this year’s team, including our two leading scorers Paris Smith and Dariuss Perez, and our starting point guard Ayden Canady among others. Our vision is to build on the successes of this season to reach even higher goals and aspirations for next year.” HCA Ladies Kick In the New Season with a Win By Conner Holland, Sports Writer “Spring brings rings” has become a popular saying around campus after the incredible success that HCA spring sports have had the past few years. Well spring athletics season is finally upon us, and the Crusaders started it off in grand fashion. The Harrells Christian Academy Varsity Women’s Soccer team began their 2015 campaign Wednesday, March 4th, at Rocky Mount Academy. The girls won convincingly by a score of 4-1. The Crusaders were led by speedy senior Margaret Clark who had two goals. Senior Natalie Hardin and Junior Anna Pigford also added one goal apiece. Sophomore goalie Emily Benton looked like she was already in midseason form, holding Rocky Mount to only one goal the entire match. of this year’s team. Depth is certainly not a problem, as this year’s roster consists of twenty players. The Varsity Women have a soccer field. While talent and skill will get you far, playing with heart and as a family will get you farther. That will be the key to success for this very special group of student athletes. The girls will be back in action on March 9th and 10th against WallaceRose Hill and Freedom Christian. Both games are at home and are set to start at 4:00. For more information on the Varsity Women’s Soccer team and other The Lady Crusaders look to make a run at a state championship title under the leadership of seniors Rylie Evans, Margaret Clark, Natalie Hardin, Amanda Sutton, and veteran coach Will Jones. Emily Benton’s excellent skill at goalie will also play a huge part in the success lot of young talent for whom the sky is the limit. Of the twenty girls on the roster, eleven are sophomores and younger. Needless to say, the Crusaders are stacked for the next few years to come. But for now, all minds are set on this season and maintaining a high level of success on the spring sports, please visit http://www. harrellsca.com. You can also find all scores and stats on our Twitter page (@ hca_athletics). Make sure to check us out on Instagram (@hca_athletics) to see exclusive videos and photos from Harrells Christian Academy sporting events. Week of March 6-12, 2015 Crossword Puzzle CLUES ACROSS 1. Slavonic language 7. Solid water 10. Supply with notes 12. Edible bivalve 13. Field game 14. Yellow edible Indian fruits 15. Lubricant that protects body surfaces 16. Canadian flyers 17. Took a seat 18. Anthracite 19. Cuckoos 21. Vietnamese currency unit 22. Subject to payment on demand 27. Opposite of BC 28. The distance around an object 33. Blood type 34. Expressing gratitude 36. Bridge-building degree 37. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid 38. Fiber from the outer husk of a coconut 39. Great black-backed gull 40. The largest island in the West Indies 41. Vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes 44. Support trestles 45. Single rail system 48. Call upon in supplication 49. Small compartment 50. Lair 51. Unpleasant nagging women Thanks For Reading The Sampson Weekly CLUES DOWN 1. College civil rights organization 2. ÒFull HouseÓ actress Loughlin 3. Egyptian sun god 4. Vessel or duct 5. Belonging to a thing 6. After B 7. Refers to end of small intestine 8. Baby cow 9. River of Memmert Germany 10. FarmerÕs calendar 11. Spiral shelled cephalopods 12. Source of chocolate 14. Diversify 17. A baglike structure in a plant or animal 18. Freshwater & limestone green algae 20. Single Lens Reflex 23. Gum arabics 24. Austrian philosopher Martin 25. Maltese pound 26. An immature newt 29. Popular Canadian statement 30. Norwegian monetary unit (abbr.) 31. A journey around a course 32. Confer a nobility title upon 35. Idle talk 36. British policeman 38. A citizen of Havana 40. Highly glazed finish 41. A portion of 42. Squad 43. Betrayers 44. Barrels per day (abbr.) 45. Married woman 46. Express delight 47. Neither SUDOKU Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test. Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle! www.thesampsonweekly.com PUZZLES & GAMES 15 16 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com OBITUARIES ELIZABETHTOWN Mr. Odell Autry 89 of 505 Autrytown Rd. Elizabethtown, NC, died Friday February 27, 2015 at Bladen Co. Hospital in Elizabethtown, NC. Mr. Autry was born December 25, 1925 in Bladen Co., NC to the late Oscar Lee Autry and Cora Wright Autry. Mr. Autry was preceded in death by two sons, Artist Thomas Autry, and Darion Mark Autry. Funeral service was held at 1:00P.M. Monday, March 02, 2015 at Pleasant Hill Holiness Church, Elizabethtown, by the Reverend Arnold Peterson. Burial followed in the Autry cemetery. Mr. Autry is survived by his wife, Virginia T. Autry of Elizabethtown, two daughters, Linda Powell, Sandra Hopkins (James) both of Elizabethtown, three sons, Michael Autry of Hurdle Mills, NC, Linwood Autry, Cameron Autry (Benita) both of Elizabethtown, two brothers, Oscar Autry Jr. (Delma), Nathan Autry (Dorothy) both of Elizabethtown, granddaughter, Geshia Cross (Kevin) of Wendell, NC, 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 6 greatgreat-grandchildren. Online condolences maybe sent through www.carterfh.com. Service by Carter Funeral Home GARLAND Mr. Alvin Earl Benton, 86 of 1507 Parkersburg Road, Garland, died Sunday, March 1, 2015 at his home. He was a retired farmer and a member of Parkersburg Baptist Church. Mr. Benton was born on March 23, 1928 in Sampson County to the late Morris Cary and Mattie Lou Grady Benton. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 36 years, Inez Norris Benton; and seven siblings, Elizabeth Nealeans, M.C. Benton, Jr., Don Benton, Kathleen Carter, Ray Benton, Doris Blackman and Robert Benton. He is survived by his children: Earl Benton of Jacksonville, Florida, Gary Benton and wife Gail of Parkersburg, Stan Benton and wife Shannan of Clinton, and Lisa Benton Turlington and husband Robert of Clinton; eight grandchildren, Hunter Benton and wife Brandy of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brandi Philipps and husband Adam of Chocowinity, John Nathan Benton of Wake Forest, Jacob Benton and wife Ali of Jacksonville, Florida, Lindsay Graham of Newton Grove, Phillip Strickland and wife Danielle of Clinton, Claire Benton of Nashville, Tennessee and Forrest Strickland and wife Laura of Louisville, Kentucky; four great grandchildren, Brinley and William Benton, Jack Philipps, and Harper Strickland; sisters, Evelyn Johnson of Roseboro and Lou Carol Morris of Winston-Salem; sisters-in-law, Ellen Benton of Fayetteville, Lorna Benton of High Point, Sue Norris of Burlington; brother-in-law, Milton Norris and wife Peggy of Garland; and a host of nieces and nephews. Visitation was from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at Butler Funeral Home, 401 W. Roseboro, Roseboro, NC. The funeral was at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Parkersburg Baptist Church, Parkersburg, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Parkersburg Baptist Church, 190 Reeves Road, Garland, NC 28441; or to Community Home Care and Hospice, 216 Beaman Street, Clinton, NC 28328. Arrangements entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 401 W. Roseboro Street, CLINTON Margaret Eloise Bass Davidson, 86, of Clinton, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Mary Gran Nursing Center in Clinton. A graveside service was held on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Grandview Memorial Park in Clinton with Rev. Charles Ray Jernigan and Rev. James Croom officiating. The family received friends immediately following the service at the cemetery and other times at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Pat and Ray Boyette, 2272 Browns Church Road, Clinton, NC 28328. Margaret was born in Clinton, North Carolina on August 19, 1928 to A.L. (Candy) and Effie Westbrook Bass. She spent her working career as a bookkeeper with a local dry cleaners and was a charter member of over 50 years with Browns Baptist Church. She was a loving mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister-in-law and friend to many and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her children, Patricia Britt-Boyette and husband Ray, James Michael (Mike) Davidson; sister-in-laws, Rebeth Bass, Elizabeth Bass; grandchildren, Don Britt, Jr. and wife Casey, Jackie Davidson; great-grandchildren, Samantha, Katie, Brewer. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Hartwood Davidson; parents, A.L. (Candy) and Effie Westbrook Bass; brothers, Bobby S. Bass, Cecil C. Bass, James (Sonny) Bass. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Browns Baptist Church, 2009 Browns Church Road, Clinton, NC 28328. The family entrusted services to Cox Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory. Cox Memorial --“Serving GOD by serving families in a time of need.” CLINTON Mr. Elliott L. Spell, Jr., (Pee Wee), of 106 Deer Track Trail, died Thursday, February 26, 2015 at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC. A funeral was held at 3 P.M., Sunday, March 1, 2015, at Grove Park Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. Gary Threatt and Reverend Matthew Barefoot officiating. Interment followed in the Clinton City Cemetery. Mr. Spell was born in Sampson County in 1939 to the late Elliott Lee Spell, Sr. and Mamie Alease Warren Spell Faircloth. Pee Wee, was a Agronomist sales representative with Crop Production Services. He was also a former employee with Smith Douglas, Swift and Company and Bright Leaf Tobacco Warehouse. He was truly a friend to the farmers and a former Sampson County School Board of Education member. He was an active member of Grove Park Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife of fifty-three years, Patricia Ann Wrench Spell; son, Eric Dale Spell and wife Sharon of Clinton; daughter, Lee Ann Spell Barefoot and husband Randy of Clinton; grandchildren; Bailey Spell, Reagan Barefoot, Logan Spell, Kendall Spell and Zana Barefoot; sisters, Joyce Campbell, Iris Cooper and husband Frank, Debbie Martin and husband Allison; several nephews and one niece. The family received friends from 1 P.M. – 3 P. M., Sunday, March 1, 2015 at Grove Park Baptist Church, two hours prior to the service. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in memory of Pee Wee Spell, to the Sampson County Relay for Life, at the American Cancer Society, Atten: Ashley Golden at 2202 Wrightsville Ave., Suite 111, Wilmington, NC 28403 or Grove Park Baptist Church General Fund, 609 Northeast Blvd, Clinton, NC 28328. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.crumpler-honeycutt.com. Arrangements are by CrumplerHoneycutt Funeral Home, 118 Fayetteville St., Clinton, NC 28328. AUTRYVILLE Mrs. Viola Hall Freeman of Autryville, passed away Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center. She was born in Sampson County, the daughter of the late George Evan Hall and Mary Elizabeth Hall. She was a retired cafeteria worker for the Cumberland County School System. A funeral service was held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, March 5 at Stedman Baptist Church with Dr. Phil Spears and Rev. Robert Phipps officiating. Burial followed at T.J. Hall Cemetery in Autryville. Mrs. Freeman is survived by her husband, Eugene Freeman of the home; daughter, Anita Freeman Jones (husband David) of Autryville; son, Bobby Glenn Freeman of Raeford; sister, Joilla Hall of Autryville; grandchildren, Karson Autry, Taylor Jones,Sterling McInvale, Daniel Byrd and Adam Byrd; great-grandchildren, Gatlin McInvale, Madison Byrd and Landon Byrd; numerous nieces and nephews. The family received friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, March 4 at Butler Funeral Home in Stedman. Services entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 6535 Clinton Rd., Stedman, N.C. CLINTON Mrs. Selby Alexander Norton, 94 of 302 Holly Circle passed peacefully at Whispering Pines Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Fayetteville Tuesday March 3, 2015. She was surrounded by her husband, son, oldest granddaughter and oldest great grandson. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 PM Sunday at Clinton Community Church with Rev. Dwight Dunning officiating. The family will receive friends Sunday from 1 til 2 PM in the church sanctuary, prior to the services. Burial will follow in Sunrise Memorial Gardens. Born in 1921 in Pasquotank County, Mrs. Norton was the daughter of the late Thomas Henry and Carrie Gilden Alexander. She was a member of the Clinton Community Church, former co-owner & secretary of Sunrise Memorial Gardens and former co-owner of Jimmy Norton’s store number 1 & 2 in Salemburg. She was aircraft inspector at Cherry Point, NC. She is survived by her husband of sixty eight years, James “Jimmy” Walter Norton. Son, Thomas Graham Norton of Red Springs. Five grandchildren, Tonya Lynn Norton, Kelly McKelvey-Allogia, Heather Lynn McAndrew, Sadarah Alexandra Norton and Thomas Graham Norton ll, Seven great grandchildren, one great- great grandchild. She was preceded in death by a son, James Alexander Norton, a sister, Iva Dardanet and one great grandson, Dylan Andrew McKelvey. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Clinton Community Church, 1901 Sunset Ave., Clinton, NC 28328. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.royalhallfuneralhome.com. Royal-Hall is honored to serve the Norton family. SALEMBURG Ruby M Owens, Age-55, 105 Azalea Trail, Salemburg, N.C. died Thursday 2/26/15 at home. Funeral services were Monday 3/2/15 at 1pm Sampson-Agri Civic Center. Interment in the Roseboro Cemetery. Public viewing Sunday 3/1/15, 2 to 6pm , Butler & Son Funeral Home, Roseboro, N.C. ROSEBORO Mrs. Mary Elizabeth “Lib” King Spell, age 81 of Piney Green, died Saturday, February 28, 2015. After a period of declining health she passed away as she would have wanted, surrounded by her devoted sons and family. Born September 24, 1933 to the late Mary Ellen Royal and Johnnie Ralph King, Lib was predeased by her husband Jerome in 2010. She is survived by her sons, Jesse and wife, Renee of Cary, Dwight and wife, Pam of Plain View, Billy Jo of Piney Green, Terry Gene and wife, Amanda of Piney Green. Her precious grandchildren, Daniel Spell and wife, Nicole of Whitsett, Sarah Spell of Plain View, Megan Allen and husband, Josh of New Hill, and added blessings great-grandchildren, Grace, Victoria and Mathew were the light of her life. Brother Carl King and wife, Lil of Elizabethtown; sister, Faye and husband David Holland of Salemburg also survive her. Her life was equally blessed by the loving devotion of numerous nieces and nephews whom she counted as “one of her own”. Graduating with the Class of 1951 from Salemburg High School, as a farmer’s wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker her life was grounded in her deep abiding faith in God and the close community of her church family, she was a member of the Senior Adult Sunday School class and Women’s Auxiliary at Holland’s Chapel. Throughout the years, she worked at Hamilton Beach and Whisper Knits in Clinton and held friends met there dear. Heartfelt appreciation to Cornerstone Rehabilitation and Nursing Home in Dunn for the compassionate care given to our Mother the past six months and the assistance given to our family this past week by Community Hospice nurses Tara and Jane. The family received visitors Monday, March 2, 2015 6-8pm at Butler Funeral Home in Roseboro and other times at the home, 1955 Horse Pasture Road, Roseboro, NC. A celebration of her life was held Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 2:00pm at Holland’s Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church with interment to follow at Sunrise Memorial Gardens, Hwy. 242, Salemburg, NC. In Lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to Holland’s Chapel Church, 2069 Huntley School Road, Roseboro, NC 28382. Services entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 401 W. Roseboro St., Roseboro, NC 28382. CLINTON Mr. Tony Michael Faircloth, 56 of 6373 Bonnetsville Rd., died at Sampson Regional Medical Center Monday March 2, 2015. Funeral services were held Thursday at 2:00 PM at White Oak Baptist Church with Rev. Steve Porter officiating. Burial followed in the Church Cemetery. Born in 1958 in Sampson County, Mr. Faircloth was the son of Bobby Jones Faircloth and the late Barbara Jones Faircloth. He was a member of White Oak Baptist Church and the Owner & Operator of T. M. F. Trucking Co. He is survived by his father & brother Bobby J. Faircloth & Stephen Faircloth both of Clinton. His Former wife, Juanita W. Faircloth of Salemburg and their children, son, Jason Faircloth of Dunn and his fianceé Carrie Bland. daughter, Joanna Faircloth Carr and husband Ben of Trent Woods, NC and a grandson Cooper Carr of Trent Woods, NC. The family received friends Wednesday night from 7 till 9 PM at RoyalHall Funeral Home and other times at his home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to White Oak Baptist Church, 310 White Oak Church Rd., Clinton, NC 28328. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.royalhallfuneralhome.com. Royal-Hall is honored to serve the Faircloth family. CLINTON Mr. Walter Lee Bass, 93 of 300 Oakland Blvd., Clinton, NC died Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center, Clinton, NC. The funeral service was held at 11am on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Clinton, NC with Rev. Willie Bowden officiating. Burial followed on Monday, March 9, 2015 in Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River, NJ. Mr. Bass is survived by his wife, Vernica Adella Bass of the home; daughters, Brenda West of Clinton, NC, Carole Bass of Spring Lake Height, NJ, Cynthia Lynn and Lonnie Bass both of Lakewood, NJ, Viola Burdette of Rahway, NJ, Judy Bass of Linden, NJ, Iris Fay Bland of Elizabeth, NJ and Jasmine TurnerBass of Lakewood, NJ; sons, Mack Bass of Vero Beach, FL, Charles Bass of Toms River, NJ, John Bass of Bricktown, NJ and Kenny Bass of Barnegat, NJ; 20 grandchildren. A public visitation was held on Thursday, March 5 from 10am-11am at the church. Online condolences may be sent to www.brockmemorialandworley.com. Service entrusted to Brock Memorial & Worley Funeral Home in Clinton, NC. GARLAND Mr. Zebedee Wilcox Jr. 63 of 6963 old Fayetteville Rd. Garland, died Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at Bladen Co. Hospital in Elizabethtown, NC. Mr. Wilcox was born October 27, 1951 in Sampson Co., the son of Zebedee Wilcox and the late Lois Kerr Wilcox. He was a veteran of U.S. Army, and a Rural Letter Carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Funeral service was held at 2:00P.M. Sunday, March 01, 2015 at Miller Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church 853 Old Fayetteville Rd., Garland, by the Pastor Pia Jessup. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military honors. Mr. Wilcox is survived by his wife, Bernice S. Wilcox, three sons, Michael Smith of Roseboro, Marcus Wilcox, Maurice Wilcox both of Garland, father, Zebedee Wilcox of Garland, three sisters, Rose Murphy of Garland, Jannie Gillespie of Lisbon, Elaine Wilcox of Roseboro, 7 grandchildren. Online condolences maybe sent through www. carterfh.com. Service by Carter Funeral Home in Garland. GARLAND Ms. Betsy Leigh Pate 43 of 6303 Old Fayetteville Rd., died Tuesday, March 03, 2015 at her residence. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 P.M. Sunday, March 08, 2015 at Windsor United Methodist Church, by the Reverend Jonathan Mills. Ms. Pate is survived by her mother, Nancy Pate of Garland. Service by Carter Funeral Home in Garland. AUTRYVILLE Mrs. Delorise Hairr Horne, 71 of 450 Howard Road, Autryville, passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center in Clinton. The funeral will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Butler Funeral Home, Roseboro, with Rev. Allen West and Rev. Paul Honeycutt officiating. Burial will follow at the Daniel Hall Cemetery, Autryville. Mrs. Horne was born on May 12, 1943 in Sampson County and worked as a Parts and Assembly Worker with Acutel. She is preceded in death by her father, Velton Howard “Buddy” Hairr; husband, George Horne; two sisters, Linda Wade and Barbara Faircloth. She is survived by her son, Durwood Horne of Clinton; mother, Gustie Daniels Hairr of Dunn; one sister, Kaye Blackley of Salemburg and a sister-in-law, Doris Strickland of Autryville. The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 1:45 P.M. Saturday afternoon at Butler Funeral Home and other times at the home of Doris Strickland, 660 Welcome School Road, Autryville. Arrangements entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 401 W. Roseboro Street, Roseboro. ROSEBORO ...People Need People... -author unknown Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 People need people and friends need friends, And we all need love for a full life depends, Not on vast riches or great acclaim, Not on success or on worldly fame, But just in knowing that someone cares, And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers --- For only the Knowledge that we're understood, Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good. "Jesus, assist me to live Your truth. Encourage me to be sensitive to the needs of others. Inspire me to offer words of compassion, sympathy, and understanding." For more information on cremation services or any funeral related services (free consultation) please contact Danny A. Creech Vice President/ General Manager Cox Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory 910-990-6202 or 910-245-3330 Cox Memorial - - "Serving GOD by serving families in a time of need" Week of March 6-12, 2015 Rhoda Irene Williams, 70, of 2880 Fleet Cooper Road, died Thursday, March 5, 2015 at Autumn Wind Assisted Living in Roseboro, NC. A graveside service will be held 10 A.M., Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Clinton City Cemetery with the Reverend Lynn Blackburn officiating. Rhoda was born in 1944 in Durham County and was the daughter of the late Arthur Rackley and Rhoda Tyndall Rackley. She was a deli-worker in foodservice. She is survived by two sons, Kenneth Blackburn of New Jersey and Tony Blackburn; a sister, Mamie Vann; a brother, Freeman Rackley; and three grandchildren. The family will receive friends at the grave site immediately after the graveside service at Clinton City Cemetery on Saturday, March 7, 2015. Memorials may be made to the Clinton Family Worship Center, 103 Raiford Street, Arrest Reports 02-27 Maria Teresa Rendo, 21; 135 Dakota Lane, Dunn; 2 Counts: Communicating Threats; Secured Bond $5,000; Court 03-17 02-27 William Craven Long Jr., 58; 495 Renfrow Rd., Clinton; Failure to Appear- Larceny; Secured Bond $1,000; Court 03-10 02-27 Benny Joe Ray, 48; 3291 South River Rd., Lillington; Parole & Probation Violations; Secured Bond $10,000; Court 03-24 02-27 Devan Lajuan Foster, 20; 2574 Carter Town Rd., Clinton; Carrying Concealed Gun; Unsecured Bond $5,000; Court 03-06 02-27 Valarie Michelle Wright, 34; 4040 NC Hwy 210 South, Fayetteville; Possession of Marijuana; Court 04-29 02-28 Ricky Hall Powell, 58; 5470 Taylors Bridge Hwy., Clinton; Assault by Pointing a Gun; Communicating Threats; Secured Bond $4,000; Court 03-17 02-28 Paul Allen Boykin II, 26; 3008 Matthis Rd., Clinton; Communicating Threats; Criminal Damage to Property; Contempt of Court, Perjury, Court Violations; NO Bond; Court 03-10 02-28 Alvin Dexter Murphy, 27; 100 Glen Falls Lane, Durham; Assault on a Female; Court 03-16 02-28 Bertha Ann Williams, 50; 708 Stetson St., Clinton; Drunk and Disruptive www.thesampsonweekly.com OBITUARIES Clinton, NC 28328. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.crumpler-honeycutt.com. Arrangements are by CrumplerHoneycutt Funeral Home, 118 Fayetteville St., Clinton, NC 28328. BROOKLYN, NY Mr. Charlie Edward Smith, 83, of Brooklyn, NY, formerly of Clinton, NC, died Monday, March 2, 2015 at Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY. Funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Union Grove Church of Christ Disciples of Christ Clinton, NC with Elder Davon Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Sandhill Cemetery, Clinton, NC. Mr. Smith is the brother of the late Raphel Smith, Sr. of Clinton, NC. He is survived by two daughters, Gloria Kirby of Raleigh, NC and Deborah McGraw of 17 Boca Raton, FL; son, Charles Kevin Smith of Concord, NC; five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Public visitation will be held Saturday, March 7, 2015 from 3 - 5 p.m. at Brock Memorial & Worley Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent to www. brockmemorialandworley.com. Service entrusted to Brock Memorial & Worley Funeral Home, Clinton, NC 03-03 Troy Kevin Cromartie, 26; 818 B Lisbon St., Clinton; Possessing/Concealing Weapons; Contempt of Court, Perjury, Court Violations; Escape from Custody or Resist Arrest; Secured Bond $20,000 Newton Grove. 03-04 Jimmy Dale Tew, 53; 1592 Panhandle Rd., Clinton; Larceny-All Other Larceny; Unsecured Bond $500; Court 03-13 03-01 Laura Campbell reported the Larceny of her Vehicle from her residence located at 140 Country Manor Lane, Dunn. 03-01 James Henry Aman, 57; 561 East Darden Rd., Faison; Failure to Appear- Possession of SCH III; Secured Bond $10,000; Court 03-16 03-04 Jennifer Marie Hill, 38; Second Degree Trespassing; Secured Bond $1,500; Court 0325 03-02 Robert Arnold Raynor, 47; 306 Ridgeway St., Clinton; Simple Non-Physical Assault; Court 03-31 03-04 Adarius Rakim Owens, 24; 66 Davis Rd., Garland; Failure to Appear- DWLR; Failure to Appear- Possession of Open Container; Secured Bond $500; Court 03-12 03-02 Dollar General reported a Larceny located at 6934 Plain View Hwy., Dunn. Items reported stolen included a pack of socks, headphones, and air fresheners. 03-01 Kenisha Tonya Bullard, 39; 51 Sir Clinton Apts., Clinton; Damage to Personal Property; Unsecured Bond $1,500; Court 03-24 03-01 Jesus Allan Contreras-Contreras, 29; 126 West Garfield St., Warsaw; Threatening Phone Calls; Harassing Phone Calls; Resisting Public Officer; Court 03-24 03-02 Stacey Ann Hill, 26; 961 Redwood Dr., Asheboro; Failure to Appear/Order for ArrestFailure to Reduce Speed; Failure to Appear/Order for Arrest-DWLR; Failure to Appear/Order for Arrest- DWI; No Bond: Court 03-04 03-04 Jomille Antre Whitted, 36; 45 Angela Lane, Clinton; Failure to Appear- DWLR; Failure to Appear- Expired Registration; Secured Bond $1,000; Court 03-24 03-02 Charlie Phillip Henry, 59; 131 Country Side Lane, Clinton; Contempt of Court, Perjury, Court Violations; Court 03-26 03-04 Peter Luis Campos Jr., 23; 140 Country Manor Lane, Dunn; Interfere Emerg Communications; Secured Bond $1,000; Court 04-07 03-02 Stephen Anderson Warren, 46; 819 Hawley Rd., Dunn; Stalking; Unsecured Bond $500; Court 03-18 Incident/Investigation Reports 02-27 James Brinson reported the Theft of his Vehicle located on Warsaw Rd., Clinton. 03-02 Jesus Alejandro Manzo, 24; 980 Autry Mill Rd., Autryville; Failure to Appear- Simple Possession of SCH II CS; Failure to Appear- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Secured Bond $1,000; Court 03-17 02-27 Eugene Baggett reported the Larceny of Medication from his residence located at 604 Maynard Rd., Godwin. Marriage Certificates -Zavaldraga Blossom Rick to Tamicka Arlinda Fryar -Michael Lee Wright to Debra Denise Boomer -Charles Leland Davis to Gretta Renee Ammons -Jeret Owen Blackman to Megan Kimberly Naylor -Phillip Mark Williams to April Carr Westbrook Deaths -Ella Mae Autry -Elda Gray Blackburn -William Paul Bishop Sr -Walter Lee Bass -Margaret Eloise Davidson -George Rowland Edwards -Vennie Fennell -Ellenor Hunter -Jorge Perez -Samuel Matthew Quinn -Leon Graham Royal -William Allen Rogers Jr Births -Emory Marie Lee born on February 18, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Ryan Sutton Lee and Sarah Belch Lee -Iker Zahir Cruz Rubi born on February 20, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Carmen Enrique Rubi Ocampo and Vivan Escarleth Cruz Almendarez -Jaylen Jacob Autry born on February 21, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Totania Alexa Spencer -Rebecca Lynn Sampson born on February 22, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Amber Lynn Sampson -Morgan Elizabeth White born on February 23, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Benjamin Cody White and Jenna Lynn Gorske -Alayna Rose Ortiz born on February 24, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Costantino Ortiz and Dakota Dannielle Busch -Tatum Lea Simmons born on February 24, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Stacy Brooke White -Maynor Yanel Gomez Romero born on February 24, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Marvin Yanel Gomez Garcia and Wendy Yesenia Romero Reyes -Alexandra Inestroza Lobo born on February 26, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Hector Lizandro Inestroza and Maria Lobo Matute -Lazaro Rodriguez born on February 27, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to lazaro Rodriguez Pastrana and Lisdayne De La Caridad Calvo -Ana Sucely Vail Pablo born on February 27, 2015 at Sampson Regional Medical Center to Claudio Vail Lucas and Maria Elvira Pablo Cardona Land Transfers -Denise Faison, James Mayo Faison/AKA, James Mayo Faison Sr to Denise Faison and James Mayo Faison Sr- 0.5 Acre Sampson -Annie-Bell Hall Trust, Annie-Bell Hall, Levi Hall, Levi Hall Trust, The Levi and AnnieBell Hall Trust, Wilma S Williams/TR to Jerry M Hall/BENE, Wilma Williams/BENE, Wilma Williams- 0.50 Acres Honeycutts Township -Anna Moore Bradshaw, Jesse Edward Bradshaw to Jonathan Charles Ward and Tracy Ann Ward- halls Township 0.71 Acres w/exceptions -Donald Van West to Charles W Newman- 1.23 Acres Lot 2 Elbert V West Lands McDaniels Township -Anita Newkirk, Barry Earl Newkirk, Kenneth Mack Newkirk, William Preston Newkirk to WMN Investments LLC- North Clinton Township 8.95 Acres -Anthony Quong Lee II, Catherine Ann Rochantown Lee to Cesanor Milus and Rose Volcy- North Clinton Lot 27 Miry Creek Subdivision -Larry Bryant to Oneyda M Cartagena and Pablo E Cruz- 2 Lots Bryant Lake Subdivision North Clinton -Laurice E Williams Sr, Rebecca Williams to Larry R Gibson- 2 Tracts Little Coharie -Mark Anthony Williamson to Brent Graham and Sade Washington- 2.78 Acres Lisbon -Sharon Williams to Juan Navarro- Lot 9 6.98 Acres Caliber Home Loans Inc/AIF, LSF8 Master Participation Trust/By AIF, US Bank Trust NA/ As Trustee/By AIF to Yessenia Bravo Fisher- Lot 14 Deems H Clifton Subdivision -Pascal Roger Currie, Mary Owens McKoy to Bobby Ray Owens- Lot 2 0.69 Acres Plainview -Elliott L Spell Jr, Patricia Wrench Spell to Belvoir Farms Inc- 51.65 Acres Tract 1 of the 02-27 Charles Wiegand reported the Larceny of his Handgun located at 1299 Corbett Rd., 02-28 Jerry Dale Sr. reported the Larceny of his Vehicle from his residence located at 1281 Union Grove Church Rd., Dunn. 03-03 Betty Merritt reported a Larceny at her residence located at 304 E Roseboro St., Roseboro. Items reported missing included a electric trimmer and a push type lawn mower. 03-03 Metal Specialist Roofing & Siding reported the Larceny of US Currency by an Employee located at 5330 Garland Hwy., Clinton. 03-03 Patricia Runion reported a Burglary at her residence located at 1858 Horse Pasture Rd., Roseboro. Items reported missing included medication. 03-04 Omar Hernandez reported the Theft of his Vehicle from his residence located at 518 S Ingold Ave., Garland. 03-04 Lee Goodman reported a Burglary at his residence located at 14301 Dunn Rd., Godwin. Items reported missing included 60 inch flat screen, tablet, security box, US Currency and jewelry. Dennis Naylor Estate w/exceptions Belvoir -James E Hewitt, Maria M Hewitt to Humberto Lora Rosales- 1.56 Acres Tract 7 Little Coharie -Cammie Wynn Carr/FKA, Cammie Wynn Pierce to Cammie Wynn Pierce and James Randolph Pierce- 3.72 Acres w/exceptions North Clinton -Aggie Pearl Morrisey, Aggie Pearl Morrisey/AIF, Carrie Jean Morrisey Estate, Jacqueline Waters Morrisey, James E Morrisey/By AIF, James Ray Morrisey, Krystal Lynn Morrisey, Krystal Lynn Morrisey/EXR to Matthews Family Farms LLC- 16.15 Acres w/exceptions Turkey Carrie Jean Morrisey Estate, Krystal Lynn Morrisey/EXR, Krystal Lynn Morrisey to Matthews Family farms LLC- 1 Acre Turkey -Cape Fear Farm Credit/ACA to Calinda House Westbrook- 19.98 Acres -William H Harris, Harris Sight and Sound Inc to Jacob Philip Munoz and Anayeli Estrada Nunez- Lot 34 10.02 Acres Section Four Property of Constance D Jones McDaniels -Harry S Britt Jr, Linda S Britt, Thomas Alan Britt to Jennifer B Honeycutt, Kenneth Ray Honeycutt- North Clinton -Aggie Pearl Morrisey, Delma Lidia Caceres Ramirez and Genaro Caceres Ramirez- 24.5 Acres Tobe Holmes Division Piney Grove -Martha Murphy Bowie to Pamela Bowie, Patrick F Bowie, Paul Bowie, Phyllis Bowie- 2 Tracts Plainview -Elizabeth M Johnson, Nash Johnson II to Ironside Investment Management LLC- 158.065 Acres McDaniels -Marcella A Cady to Randolph Gerald Stone and Jennifer Wade- 0.3432 Acres Sampson -Ralph E Piercy, Velma A Piercy to Jammie Piercy and Kimberly W Piercy- 8.75 Acres Taylors Bridge -Vonnie Dianne Alligood Tyndall to David Blake Porter- 3.88 Acres Lot 2 Dismal -David Blake Porter to Nicholas Ray Smith- 3.88 Acres Lot 2 Dismal -Anne Bryan Faircloth to Debra A Valenti and Michael A Valenti-6.236 Acres Tract 4 South Clinton -Delois Evonne Simmons to John Andrew Dalton Jr- 8.56 Lot 5 Belvoir and Honeycutt -Cameron E Sutton/Gen P, Caroline T Sutton/Gen P to William B Sutton Jr Family Limited Partnership, Benjamin Lee Wright-0.7 Acres North Clinton -Debra Banks, garland T Cooke to Debra Banks and Garland T Cooke- North Clinton -Cape Fear Industries USA Inc to Jennifer R Honeycutt- Lot 4 Block E of the DJ Rivenbark Lot Subdivision North Clinton -Avis T Edmundson, James C Edmundson, Curtis W Thornton, Douglas E Thornton, Emma Kay Thornton, Melvin E Thornton, Ruth E Thornton, Vesna Thornton to James Timothy Hairr and Marsha June Hairr- 3 Tracts Newton Grove -Charles M Oxendine, Jaime H Oxendine to Carrie P Bland and Jason M Faircloth- Lot 8 Southwinds Subdivision Phase One Plainview -The Quest Development Company of Dunn Inc to Lonnie Fletchard III McPhail and Teresa Cottle McPhail- 11.77 Acres Liberty Ridge Subdivision Dismal -David Wayne Pelizzari, Jean Gray Pelizzari to Kimberly Haywood Sutton and William Kenneth Sutton- 2 Tracts North Clinton -Glenn M Spearman, Minnie B Spearman to Cresencio Lopez Cruz- Lot 16 0.66 Pinetop Subdivision Section One Lisbon -James Robert Williams to Glen R Noonan and Sharon L Noonan- 2 Tracts Plainview -Henry Lee Highsmith, Sherry Robinson Highsmith, Barbara Robinson Peterson, James Peterson, David Robinson, Diane Robinson, George Curtis Robinson, Karin Robinson, Ollie Curtis Robinson Jr, Sharon D Robinson to Kathrin Robinson Strong- South River -Lester Ray Phillips/TR, Lester Ray Phillips/Co EXR, Robert Lynn Phillips/Co EXR, Winifred N Phillips Estate, Winifred N Phillips Testamentary Trust to Lester Ray Phillips, Robert Lynn Phillips- 31.5 Acres Lot 4 Leman J Naylor Estate Division Mingo -Alejandra Barajas, Crisoforo Barajas to Julio Cesar Barajas and Mayra Barajas- Lot 9 Phase One West Ivey Place Dismal -Lowell E Schiebe to R&K Timber Inc- 163 Acres McDaniels -Brandon Apperson Holleman, C Weston Holleman to William Earl Underwood- Lot 16 Phase III Sandy Ridge Country Club Subdivision Plainview -Kimela Fortner, Michael Wesley Fortner, Angela F Gaskin, Marcus Gaskin to Scott J Prestage and Stephanie R Prestage- 33.39 Acres Taylors Bridge w/exceptions -Mildred Thompson Glover to Gordon L Townsend Jr- 99.28 Acres Dismal -Gordon L Townsend Jr to JFC Partnership LLC- 99.28 Acres Dismal -The Quest Development Company of Dunn Inc to Christopher E Pritchard and Samantha L Pritchard- Lot 2 0.95 Acres Liberty Ridge Dismal -David Carol Hairr to Joey Mitchell Hairr- 3.75 Acres Newton Grove -BAC Home Loans Servicing LP, Bank of America, NA Successor By Merger to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of Washington DC- 1.30 Acres Tract 1 Turkey -Diane O Fisher, Lenon Herring Fisher Jr to Margaret Tucker- 3 Tracts Little Coharie -Deborah Tart Bell/MBR/MGR, EWT Enterprises LLC to Westbrook Land Company LLC- 4 Tracts w/exceptions Newton Grove -Marion Sidney Belk/PR, James David Brown Estate, Tiffany Brooke Brown to Cathy McGee Honrine- 2.35 Acres Honeycutt 18 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com The Sampson Weekly (910) 590-2102 For Sale Owner 4.12 Acres Tract with gorgeous 3 BDRM, 2 BTH Home. Very low, Reduced Price$98,000 Located at 120 Buck Dunn Rd in Four Oaks Across from Bentonville Battleground on Harper House Rd. Call (919)6148484 for Appointment Showing Rent Buster Full-Time Driver Wanted Class A CDL license required; minimum 2 years experience; pay starts at $0.50 per mile. Safety, fuel and on time bonuses; health insurance; good driving record a must; positive attitude and good customer service skills; Carolinas and Virginia, no overnight; Pre-employment and random drug testing. Apply in person, 1950 Easy Street, Dunn, NC or call 910-567-2625 for an application. EOE 3 BR, 2 Bath Call 910-892-0109 For Sale Call: 910592-2770 Cemetery Lots 6 Plots Roseboro Cemetery, 910-336 7567 Office Space For Rent Located at 201 NE Blvd Clinton 800 Square Feet Call (910) 214-0800 We Pick Up Vehicles! 1003 Beamon St. Clinton, NC 910-592-4884 Sylvia Miller Personal & Professional Accounting Let me solve your tax mysteries... Complete Tax Service Bookkeeping, Payroll & Taxes Call today for an appointment 204 Lisbon Street - Clinton, NC (910) 596-0964 Janet Tart Enrolled Agent and NTPI Fellow 1498 Hobbton Hwy • 910-592-1699 Tax Preparation, IRS Letters, Liens, Audits & Payroll Service GOT IRS PROBLEMS? WE CAN HELP! Do You or a Loved One Struggle on the Stairs? LIMITED TIME OFFER! $250 OFF* LIMITED TIME ONLY New Tire Sale!All Brands! Free - Front End & Brake Check Free - Service Engine Light Check All Specials on Mechanic Work & Alignment - Brake Specials Tax Refund Sale! Low Down Payment! Now Offering Less Than Perfect Credit!! 2001 W. Cumberland Street www.claytondunn.com Nanny Needed www.JanetTart.com For Sale Se Habla Español! For healthy 2 year old girl 7AM - 4PM 5 Days/ Week -No pets and no smoking -Must have a Car -Must have First Aid and CPR certification References necessary Please call (910) 305-9867 Call 910-892-0108 Ezzell Trucking, Inc. Trailer Trailer Technician Technician Needed Needed Harrells NC Ezzell Trucking, Inc. is currently accepting Ezzell Trucking, Inc. accepting for a applications foris acurrently full-time trailerapplications technician. full-time trailer technician. Applicants should have a welding Applicants should have a welding certificate certificate with fabrication experience. Experience in brakes, with fabrication experience. Should have a electrical, light, and and tire replacementin is required; CDL CDL license experience brakes,aeleclicense is not required, We offer aWe complete trical, lighting, andbut tirepreferred. replacement. offer packagebenefit with salary up to $20/hour depending abenefit complete package with salary up on to experience. apply pleaseon contact Tim at 910-590-8109 $20/hour To depending experience. To apply with contact questions and to complete an application.with please Tim at 910-590-8109 questions and to complete an application. EZZELL TRUCKING, INC. (910) 532-4101 INC. EZZELL TRUCKING, www.ezzelltrucking.com (910) 532-4101 EOE www.ezzelltrucking.com EOE Farm Equipment Operator Needed: Operator needed to run forklifts, farm tractors and must be able to perform light mechanical duties. Salary commensurate with qualifications. Pre-employment and random drug testing. Apply in person, 1950 Easy Street, Dunn, NC or call 910-567-2625 for an application. PURCHASE OF A NEW STAIRLIFT! EXPIRES October 31, 2014 *Some restrictions apply. • and Outdoor stairlifts available for • Indoor virtually any staircase direct from the manufacturer • Buy and SAVE! • Local service and support Perfect for anyone with arthritis, COPD or any mobility issues The only stairlift to earn the Ease-of-Use commendation from the Arthritis Foundation. 1-800-553-2305 CALL FOR A FREE, LIFE-CHANGING INFORMATION KIT AND DVD! 00744074 Membership in Briarcliff R.V. Resort, located at North Myrtle Beach S.C., next to Barefoot Landing. Computer Diagnostics • Alignments • Brakes • Ball Joints • CV Axles • Tie Rods • A/C Repair • Etc of Dunn, NC 4 BR, 2 Bath $39,900 Call 910-892-0109 3 BR 2 Bath $29,900 Call 910-892-0109 New & Used Tires General Mechanic Work Looking To Promote Your Event, Product Or Service. Advertise Here Week of March 6-12, 2015 Chamber Chat With Janna Bass www.thesampsonweekly.com BUSINESS 19 Congratulations Chamber Member of the Week Roseboro… Take Root and Bloom. I am so excited to be a part of momentum Roseboro has as they continue on their NC Step (North Carolina Small Town Economic Prosperity) journey. Throughout the past year, Roseboro has created a plan for Business Development, Marketing and Community Events and programs. Once the plan was approved by the NC Step Program, now we are in the implementation phase. At last night’s meeting, we discussed the latest projects being implemented through this program. First, we discussed the first movie night to take place on May 8th in the park. I encourage you to save the date for May 8th at the Roseboro Town Park to enjoy a movie on a huge 28 foot inflatable screen. This free community event is one you don’t want to miss. Also, we were updated on the First Friday events. The second First Friday event is set for this Friday, March 6th as a community bingo night. This free community event is a relaxed evening filled with bingo and prizes at the community building. Next, we discussed the Business Development and Recruitment portion of the program and implementation. I am excited about the new Western Sampson Commerce Group. This new group evolved from the Roseboro Area Economic Development Commission and has been renamed to Western Sampson Commerce Group. This organization will provide more opportunities for Roseboro, Salemburg and Autryville, uniting Western Sampson County. This group will also provide more opportunities for business and community leaders as well as work with partners as they pull together to advocate for more economic development and better paying jobs that will grow each municipality and the communities. I am excited to be a part of this organization as we work for the economic growth within the western part of Sampson County. Lastly, we were updated on the new signage with the new branding of Roseboro. New signs with Roseboro’s new logo and tag line will be implemented within the next few months. Signs range from welcome signs, directional signage, and a map in the park highlighting restaurants and other attractions. What a great impact these signs and banners will make. I encourage you to get involved within the Town of Roseboro or your current municipality, where together we can make a strong impact and difference. Throughout the past year, I have seen great dedication from many Roseboro Commissioners, citizens and business leaders – and what a lasting impact this will make. I look forward to continuing on this journey as we work together for total community development. For more information about the great things happening in Roseboro, I encourage you to call the Town Hall at 910-525-4121 or give us a call at the Chamber at 910-592-6177. New Chamber Member T&T Grill Congratulations to the Chamber’s Member of the Week, Ted’s Charcoal Steakhouse located at 337 Northeast Blvd, Clinton. They are a locally owned business that cooks primarily on charcoal. Ted’s Charcoal Steakhouse specializes in their steaks, hamburger steak, and homemade marinades for their chicken breasts and pork chops. They pride themselves on excellent service and hospitality for all of their guests. For more information about Ted’s Charcoal Steakhouse, please contact Ted Herring at 910-592-2600, e-mail tedscharcoalsteakhouse@gmail. com or visit www.tedscharcoalsteakhouse.com. For more information about the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce, please call 910-592-6177, e-mail info@ clintonsampsonchamber.org or visit www.clintonsampsonchamber.org. YOUR FINAL FOUR FROM SOCIAL SECURITY By Brenda Brown Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Fayetteville, NC Since 1939, March has meant one thing in the world of sports: March Madness. In this tournament, 68 college basketball teams compete through the month until only the final four teams remain. Coaches gather their teams to drive home the gravity of the moment, reminding them that they’ve worked hard and that how they respond to the pressure directly determines the outcome. When it comes to retirement, you can secure your own winning outcome by teaming up with Social Security and taking advantage of services offered online. Start by opening a my Social Security account at www. socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. What can you do with a my Social Security account? Allow us to introduce you to my Social Security’s own final four. • Use your account to view your Social Security Statement and verify your earnings history each year. Your future benefits are based on your recorded earnings. • Stay focused on your financial future by getting estimates of your retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, if you are still working. • Keep up the full-court press by managing your benefits, if you already receive them. • Get immediate proof of your current Social Security benefits or a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for tax purposes. While everyone focuses on college basketball, create your own March Madness with Social Security. You can open your online my Social Security account during one of the commercial breaks. A Proud New Member of the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce. Contact T&T Grill for your next event as they prepare and sell grilled pork ribs, chicken, Turkey BBQ, and more. (910) 592-5348 or [email protected] Don’t wait until crunch time. Your moment is now. Take advantage of your own personal my Social Security account to stay on top of your annual earnings history and future benefit estimates. Staying ahead of the game is the key to having a winning future in retirement. Social Security is a dependable team player, assisting you to your retirement championship, and my Social Security is the Most Valuable Player on the court. Check out your final four at www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount. Small Business Center at Sampson Community College Free Non-Profit Seminars Non-Profit Business Series Grant Writing 101/102 Learn how to find the right grant for your organization, how to plan for a grant, how to create a logic model and successful proposal March 7, 2015 at 8:30 am- 12:30 pm Location: Sampson Community College, North Building in the SBC Conference Room Fundamentals of Fundraising for Your Non-Profit Learn about Sources of Revenue for Non-Profits, Fundraising Fundamentals and Fundraising Ideas March 14, 2015 at 8:30 am- 12:30 pm Location: Sampson Community College, Occupational Building, Room 140 All seminars are Free! Must register at https://www.ncsbc.net/center.aspx?center=75450 Contact: Amanda Bradshaw, Director, Small Business Center P: 910-592-7176 ext. 2032, E: [email protected] 505 Northeast Blvd, Clinton, NC 28328 910-592-7827 108 North Front St, Warsaw, NC 28398 910-293-4733 20 Week of March 6-12, 2015 www.thesampsonweekly.com www.PerformanceCDJR.com ★ ★ ★ DOUBLE YOUR MILITARY REBATE UP TO $1,000* ★ ★ ★ PERFORMANCE Stk#00454 Stk#00172 New 2015 Chrysler New 2015 Chrysler $25,099 $29,625 200 OR BUY FOR New 2015 RAM 300 $285/MO OR BUY FOR Stk#00160 1500 4x4 $29,993 $334/MO $341/MO OR BUY FOR All prices include all factory rebates and incentives to dealer. Plus tax, tags, and $399 dealer administration fee. Payments based on 3.99% APR for 84 months with 20% down. On approved credit through Chrysler Capital. Not all buyers will qualify for all rebates and incentives. *Double rebates is $500 Military Bonus Rebate. Performance CJD will double it up to $1,000. Must be US Military to Qualify. Residency restrictions may apply. See dealer for details. Offer expires 3/31/15 performance automotive 605 Warsaw Road Clinton, NC 28328 PerformanceCDJR.com 910-592-JEEP (5337) Warsaw rd Clinton 910-592-5337 AVAILABLE ON ALL NEW AND MOST PRE-OWNED VEHICLES PERFORMANCE *POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ON MODEL YEAR 2010 OR NEWER, WITH 60,000 MILES OR LESS SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. ALL PRICES INCLUDE ALL FACTORY REBATES AND INCENTIVES TO DEALER. PLUS TAX, TAGS, AND $399 DEALER ADMINISTRATION FEE. LEASE PAYMENTS BASED ON 36 MONTHS/ 10K MILES PER YEAR, $0 SECURITY DEPOSIT. ON APPROVED CREDIT THROUGH CHRYSLER CAPITAL. NOT ALL BUYERS WILL QUALIFY FOR ALL REBATES AND INCENTIVES. SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. OFFER EXPIRES 3/31/15. 2014 FIAT 500 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA STK#P0328 STK#00116A YOU PAY ONLY! 235/MO. $ YOU 2011 KIA SOUL STK#00460A 12,788 YOU PAY ONLY! 275/MO. $ YOU 2014 FORD MUSTANG STK#00303A YOU STK#P0267A YOU PAY ONLY! 323/MO. $ 2012 CHEVY CAPTIVA YOU PAY ONLY! YOU PAY ONLY! 14,892 $ YOU YOU PAY ONLY! 409/MO. $ YOU 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT STK#P0322 YOU PAY ONLY! $ 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 2014 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 LT STK#P0313 16,339 $ YOU STK#P0203 YOU YOU PAY ONLY! 31,022 $ All prices and payments plus tax, tags, and $399 dealer administration fee. Payments based on 72 months at 4.99% APR with 20% down cash or trade. See dealer for details. Offer expires 3/31/15. performance automotive 605 Warsaw Road Clinton, NC 28328 PerformanceCDJR.com 910-592-JEEP (5337) YOU