1489 – Christopher Columbus proposes his plan to search for a western route to India in an audience with Spanish monarch, Isabella. Full support is…
Posts published in April 2020
COVID-19 TESTING REPORT FOR APRIL 30, 2020 –TOTAL INCREASES TO 74 The Sampson County Health Department reports 11 new positive cases of the novel coronavirus…
The Bladen County Health Department reports two additional positive cases of COVID-19 for Bladen County residents. Both individuals are isolating at home, in stable condition,…
Bladen County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Robert Taylor addressed some questions today about grades, graduation, and teacher’s pay. The North Carolina State Board of Education has…
Hallsboro, NC – On March 9, 2020, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was contacted concerning a 14-month-old Columbus County child that was a patient at…
Contributed Columbus County is reporting the tenth COVID-19 associated death. The individual passed away on April 30 while hospitalized. The individual was one of the…
Bladen County property owner, Shane Todd notified BladenOnline.com about Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputy, Corey Thomas, going above the call of duty. Thomas’ fast actions saved…
FAYETTEVILLE – April 30, 2020 – Cape Fear Valley Health is asking patients to bring their own face coverings or masks when receiving care to reduce…
(WASHINGTON) — Michael Fleming never got to say goodbye to his father. He didn’t know his dad was fading away on a ventilator, diagnosed with…
Contributed Dr. Lisa Bryan, President of the Elizabethtown Kiwanis Club released a statement about scholarship opportunities and Relay For Life fundraising efforts. The club is…
On Wednesday night, April 29, the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a shooting on Timber Haven Drive outside of Elizabethtown at approximately…
Raleigh, North Carolina – On Tuesday, fringe group ReOpen NC held its third protest, where protesters violated social distancing guidelines and Governor Cooper’s executive order…
On Tuesday, the grassroots organization, ReOpen NC, held its third protest, in Raleigh, NC. Four of the protesters were arrested under the charge of violating…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) will be holding his 30th telephone town hall with North Carolinians to discuss the response to coronavirus and efforts to protect the physical and economic…

Sampson Sees Largest Single-Day Increase In Positive Cases; 14 new COVID-19 Cases Brings Total To 63
The Sampson County Health Department reports 14 new positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total positive cases in Sampson County to 63.…
Lumberton’s Pirates were declared the Class 4A 2020 Men’s Basketball State Co-Champions Thursday by the NCHSAA Board of Directors following their Spring Meeting. The meeting…
RALEIGH — A Robeson County man was sentenced Wednesday to 115 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney…
Contributed RALEIGH — North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and N.C. Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding met Wednesday to discuss the importance of agriculture and…
Last day of April … been a trying time for many, maybe a light at the end of the tunnel, but return to normal anytime…
By Melissa Martin I am grateful for the option of working from home and getting paid, unlike others who lost jobs or filed for unemployment.…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) sent a letter to U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza urging her to make several…
RALEIGH —Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 97 of North Carolina’s counties in March, decreased in two, and remained unchanged in one. Hyde County…
Contributed Wilmington police are hoping to get one step closer to finding a missing couple from Wilmington. 27-year-old Stephanie Mayorga, pictured on the left of…
Contributed With schools closed and kids at home, many parents are facing added stress. Here are ways parents can destress: Mindfulness For Parents Deep Breathing…
While Bladen County Schools enjoyed spring break, construction work began on April 13 on the roof at East Bladen High School. In February, the board…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) will be holding his 29th telephone town hall with North Carolinians to discuss the response to coronavirus and efforts to protect the physical and economic…
(Washington, D.C., April 28, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to…
Contributed RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced Edwin (Eddie) Woodhouse as the new State Executive Director for the USDA Farm Service Agency…
Who would ever dreamed on Valentine’s Day that the local unemployment rate would go from near 4 percent to near 20 percent by the end…
1813 – 1st US Rubber patent granted to Jacob F Hummel. 1894 – The 500-strong Commonwealth of Christ (Coxey’s Army) arrives in Washington, D.C., to…
Bladen County Health Department reports 2 additional positive cases of COVID-19 for Bladen County residents this afternoon. according to Dr. Teresa Duncan (Terri) Director Bladen…
Masks, gloves, plastic face shields, and gowns, known as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), were delivered today by the National Guard, according to Vickie K. Smith,…
April 28, 2020 Columbus County, NC Columbus County has nine new cases of COVID-19 to report today. Our current total number of COVID-19 cases stands…
Watch what happened at 0:01 in @NC_Governor’s broadcast: Gov. Cooper Coronavirus Update 4/28/20 Click here to watch the live broadcast.
By: Bethany Stephens The Board of Education met via a Zoom call for their April session due to COVID-19 concerns. After sorting out call logistics,…
Cape Fear Valley Health held a live town hall on Tuesday morning on Facebook, Twitter, and WIDU Radio. Cape Fear Valley Health has eight hospitals,…
As of April 26, 36.8% of households in Bladen County have responded to the 2020 census report. Of that figure, 14.7% have responded by way…
By Olivia Barnes North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is extending the state’s “Stay at Home” order through May 8. This year is a good year…
By Damon Circosta and David Black NC State Board of Elections. If our world is an ant mound, this novel coronavirus was a boot that…
F.W. Newton Jr., owner of F.W. Newton and Sons Mortuary in Elizabethtown is assisting in embalming or cremating the remains of COVID-19 victims across the…
Great American Cleanup – Keep America Beautiful’s signature program – and the nation’s largest community improvement effort – takes place annually from March 1 through…
Interesting WRAL-TV news article … Thankless job: F.W. Newton & Sons Mortuary. Bryan Mims broke the story last night. … F.W. Newton Jr. owner of…
1855 – First veterinary college in US incorporated in Boston. 1881 – Billy the Kid escapes from the Lincoln County jail in Mesilla, New Mexico. 1914…
Bladen County Health Department confirmed eight (8) additional positive cases of COVID-19 for Bladen County residents on Monday afternoon. The coronavirus cases have climbed from…
WASHINGTON, April 21, 2020 – Producers signed a record 1.77 million contracts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss…
Wilmington, NC – As Lower Cape Fear LifeCare continues to provide vital care for those with serious or life-limiting illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the…
Harrells Christian Academy proudly congratulates junior Rhylee Pope of Clinton on her prestigious acceptance into the Governor’s School of North Carolina for the summer of…
After attending the STEP (Summer Textile Exploration Program) at North Carolina State University during the summer of 2019, Harrells Christian Academy senior Jeana Grace Bowker…
FAYETTEVILLE – April 27, 2020 – Cape Fear Valley CEO Mike Nagowski will hold a live Facebook community town hall to answer questions about the COVID-19…
Todd Lyden with Bladen Community College’s Small Business Center offers information about COVID-19 assistance, managing non-profits, and more in this week’s newsletter. For Non-Profits and…
Pursuant to G.S. § 150B-21.2, notice is hereby given that the State Board of Elections intends to adopt the permanent rule cited as 08 NCAC…
Bladen County Health Department confirmed some employees who work at Smithfield Foods at the Tar Heel, NC facility tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). Those employees…
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued a special alert for Supplemental Security Income and Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiaries to act by May…
Independent contractors and self-employed workers out of work because of the COVID-19 outbreak can now apply for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance at des.nc.gov, according to U.S. Congressman…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) will be holding his 27th telephone town hall with North Carolinians to discuss the response to coronavirus and efforts to protect the physical and economic…
Protect yourself and others around you by knowing the facts and taking appropriate precautions. Follow the advice provided by your local public health agency. As…
A sports first for Bladen County and more executive orders from the North Carolina governor highlighted the week of April 19-25. The COVID-19 pandemic remained…
‘Smiley face’ – when you hear that, most likely you would think of an emoticon, not planets aligning to form one. The moon, Jupiter and…
The Bladen County Health Department reported Sunday that a 10th resident had been diagnosed positive for COVID-19. The person is isolated at home and doing…
Difficult to believe we are in the final few days of April 2020. How are you doing with New Year’s Resolutions? I am a dreamer,…
1838 – Fire destroys half of Charleston, SC. 1861 – West Virginia secedes from Virginia after Virginia secedes from Union (US Civil War) 1877 –…
April 24, 2020 9:58 PM EDT SMITHFIELD, Va., April 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Smithfield Foods, Inc. today issued the following statement, attributable to the…
West Bladen High School senior Katelyn Willoughby published a tribute video for West Bladen Class of 2020. She recounts the ups and downs the class…
WBLA 1440 AM Radio station on Peanut Plant Road in Elizabethtown along with faith leaders offer tips to stay healthy and happy during the COVID-19…
Congratulations to Larrrell Murchison. … He will continue his football career with the Tennessee Titans. … I must have been one of several hundred, locally,…
1607 – Jamestown expedition makes first landing in America at a place named Cape Henry, in what would become Virginia, but they quickly depart for…
Here is the latest on stimulus payments, more on North Carolina’s school closure order and other updates from U.S. House District 7 Representative David Rouzer…
The Bladen County Health Department reported Saturday that a ninth resident had been diagnosed positive for COVID-19. The person is hospitalized in a nearby county,…
ELIZABETHTOWN – Just before 3:30 p.m. Saturday the call came on Larrell Murchison’s cell phone. The Tennessee Titans were informing Larrell that he was about…
A pop quiz was thrown our way Friday from @BladenCountySheriff. What is the NC State motto? Answer: “Esse Quam Videri” Translation: “To be rather than…
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced a plan to reopen NC in three phases. The first phase is to begin on May 8th, but it…
Jack Hooks Jr. of Whiteville was appointed District Court Judge for Bladen, Brunswick and Columbus counties. Joy McKeithan was named Bladen County Junior Miss. Fowler…
1898 – Spanish-American War: The United States declares state of war on Spain effective from 21st April. 1901 – New York becomes 1st state requiring…
The final four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft resumes at 12 noon today and is expected to last about 7 hours. Bladen County’s own…
By Cheryl Thurston As you may have already read earlier today, the number of cases of COVID-19 is growing in Bladen County. Currently, there are…
On Friday afternoon Bladen County Health Department announced another Bladen County resident has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The latest update brings the total case…
By Cheryl Thurston Due to the current pandemic, Elizabethtown Veterinary Hospital has made some changes to their previously published schedule for the Rabies Clinics this…
Bladen County Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed numerous cases of COVID-19 in Bladen County. As part of the Town of White Lake’s…
In keeping with Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement today that the public schools of North Carolina will be closed to in-person learning for the remainder of…
There was a motor vehicle wreck involving at least one car and a semi-tractor-trailer truck on Hwy 701 before 2:00 p.m today. The crash occurred…
Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that public schools in North Carolina will remain closed for normal operations for the remainder of this school year. Schools were…
The Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is encouraging all Bladen County residents to nominate and vote for local places in Carolina Country Magazine’s Carolina’s Finest contest.…
Governor Cooper signed an Executive Order to further expand Unemployment Insurance benefits to help employees furloughed due to the epidemic. This includes workers offered furlough…
Contributed North Carolina is one of the first four states to receive federal approval from the United States Department of Agriculture for the new Pandemic…
Contributed The coronavirus has spread throughout the United States like wildfire. Workers are being furloughed, resulting in almost 17 million unemployment claims between March 15th…
Contributed A consequence of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is that children are spending more time with screens than ever before. Schools request online class meetings,…
Contributed The 2020 United States Census is being collected and partners participating can help Bladen County. The data collected from the US Census helps determine…
Up late last night watching the NFL draft … first round complete. … North Carolina ACC teams failed to show up … 3 or 4…
1800 – US Library of Congress established with $5,000 allocation. 1865 – Fire alarm & police telegraph system put into operation in San Francisco. 1897…
By Charlotte Smith Bladen County Sheriff’s Office was called to a residence on Porterville School Road in the Clarkton area for a domestic violence assault…
Although in other areas of the state officials say the curve has flattened, that is not the case for Bladen County. Bladen County Health Department reports…
From: Sheriff James A. McVicker On Wednesday afternoon, the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 223 Bladen Lakes School Road, Elizabethtown, at…
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper today issued Executive Order No. 135 extending North Carolina’s Stay At Home order through May 8. The orders extending the closure…
Watch what happened at 0:10 in @NC_Governor’s broadcast: Gov. Cooper Coronavirus Task Force Update – 4/23/20 View the information from today’s press conference in our…
April 23, 2020 Columbus County, NC Columbus County is reporting five new cases of COVID-19. Our current total number of COVID-19 cases is 81. Investigation…