TARBORO —
Martin Marietta Materials has applied for a discharge permit to dump groundwater and stormwater directly into Blounts Creek. One person close to the situation tells me we are talking about 12 million gallons of discharge a day. I don’t profess to be an expert on the matter, but that doesn’t sound really healthy, or harmless, for the environment, and specifically Blounts Creek. (Filed documents say the average discharge would be about 9 million gallons a day, but could increase to 11 million on some days.)
Blounts Creek is about 10 miles southeast of Washington, just east of NC 33. It runs about five-miles long, northward to the Pamlico River at Blounts Bay. Dozens of smaller tributaries, running through pine forests and farmland, empty into it. A pristine estuary and fishery, it’s a beautiful gem unspoiled by commercial development. If you have been to BSA Camp Bonner, you crossed Blounts Creek, at its mouth at Blounts Bay, which is an impressive sight!
Concerned citizens, who live and fish in and around Blounts Creek, are up-in-arms about the proposal, as you can imagine. I have been hearing about this from Bob Daw for quite some time. Bob and I have been trying to coordinate a visit so he can give me a firsthand look at the situation.
A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Beaufort County Community College, Building 8-Auditorium. The address is 5337 Highway 264 East, Washington. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for speaker registration and sign-in.
If you are familiar with the Blounts Creek area and concerned about this situation, now might be the time to act. Maybe you have never seen or heard of Blounts Creek, but are concerned about this potential disaster. If so, this might be a good time to draw that line in the sand. Being good stewards of our Earth require the attention and diligence of everyone.
For more information how you can get involved and help, contact Bob Boulden at 252-402-5564, or you may e-mail him at bbncltd@yahoo.com
On a personal but related note, my son-in-law, Robert Hartsell, is an environmental attorney in South Florida. I call him the protector of the Everglades. He does some very good work down there protecting and preserving the environment for my “Grands” and yours. I am very proud of him and his accomplishments.
Rick’s Soapbox – Coming straight from the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought, the leadership of TASS (Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman) shall remain in the very capable hands of David Mears in 2013. Under David’s tutelage the past two years, TASS has thrived. It seems every tournament and event only gets bigger and better, year after year, and that success starts at the top. Atta-boy, David!
Tight Lines welcomes your stories, fish snaps, tall tales, and even your outrageous lies at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.
See you on the water, my friend!
Sports
Martin Marietta Materials plans to dump into Blounts Creek
- Sports
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14-Under softball tryout
The Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department and Edgecombe County Girls Softball League will be having tryouts for 14-under girls fast-pitch softball Wednesday, May 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Farmington Park in Rocky Mount. The is located at 319 Wellington Dr. There will also be a tryout Thursday, May 30 at Indian Lake Sports Complex on field 1 in Tarboro from 6 - 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 fee for Tarboro residents and a $35 fee for non-residents. For more information call the sports complex at 641-4202, Kathy Webb 252-813-4697 or Jamie Lindsey 252-883-0883 or sftbllgrlunc@hotmail.com.
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Thorne tabbed Regional Player of the Year
Tarboro Lady Vikings forward Shayla Thorne is still learning about the game of soccer. She has turned into one of the best female soccer players in school history. Every time she takes the field she gets better and better, because of her hard work and the help of her teammates. Her hard work paid off for her during her junior year as she led the Vikings with a winning record, co-confoerence championship and into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
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Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
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Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
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Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
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BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
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Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
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14-Under softball tryout
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