— Jan. 3, 1952 — Ulysses S. Page, 60, a former Bladen County legislator, was found shot to death outside a business he owned in Hollow Township. He had been shot eight times. His funeral, held at the First Methodist Church in St. Pauls, was attended by about 2,000 family and friends.

— Jan. 2, 1975 — Former East Bladen High students Walter Johnson and Charlotte Norman are named semifinalists for the Merit Scholar Program scholarships. Both Johnson and Norman are freshmen at American University in Washington, D.C.

— Jan. 3, 1985 — More than 700 Bladen County names were presented to Gov. James Hunt on petitions asking for the release or reduced sentence for former state representative Ron Taylor. Taylor was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his part in the burning of a business competitor’s warehouse.

— Jan. 4, 2000 — Bladen County commissioners approve a proposal by the Bladen County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee that calls for the expansion of soccer facilities at Bladen County Park.

— Jan. 4, 2005 — Longtime Bladen County banker and economic development advocate Leon Martin was named the new Southeastern Economic Development Commission executive director.