There are some really good things to boast about around Bladen County. Some y’all may know and some you may not.

So let’s point them out here …

— Property owners around the county surely know all about their property taxes. After all, it’s money that comes right out of their pockets.

But the Board of Commissioners did something late last month that is far from common.

While most of the municipal entities touted the fact that they were keeping their property tax rate the same, Bladen County’s property tax rate was lowered from 82 cent per $100 valuation down to 77.5 cents. It did, however, get raised up to 78.5 cents in an effort to help pay for six additional school resource officers.

So even with that one-cent hike, Bladen County’s commissioners dropped the property tax rate by 4 cents per $100 valuation.

Kudos to them.

— Ryne Priest should be the Christmas parade’s grand marshal.

There, we suggested it. Let’s get it done.

Priest, who is the son of East Bladen football coach Robby priest, was recently elected North Carolina’s first-ever state president AS A SIXTH-GRADER. Let that6 sink in a bit.

Ryne, who recently returned from the National Beta Club Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, wowed the convention crowd with a skit that took the national championship trophy and nearly led him get elected national president (you can read more on Page 1 today).

Ryne oozes confidence laced with moxie and wrapped in personality.

He should lead the parade.

— If any group deserves an attawaytogo, its the folks with the Elizabethtown Fire Department — as well as those who serve the rest of Bladen County in the fire departments, EMS/rescue units and law enforcement.

While some are paid, many are volunteers. Either way, they do what they do because they love what they do and want to protect their communities.

It’s not an easy thing to do.

Budgets and lack of candidates to fill rosters play havoc with being able to keep shifts covered and do the job efficiently — whether it be at fires, wrecks, search and rescues, whatever.

The communities and all of Bladen County owe each individual who toils in an effort to protect us all a debt of gratitude. If you know someone who does that, tell them you appreciate it.

— Well before the first day of school arrives, there will be a group of individuals who will be putting in a lot of time outside the classroom — working not with students, but with student-athletes.

High school athletics will be allowed to start official practices on Aug. 1, just a couple weeks away, and coaches will waste no time in preparing for a season that won’t be far behind.

These coaches earn a stipend that hardly dents the efforts they put in. They certainly deserve more. But more than the paltry money they receive, their “pay” is the influence they have on the youngsters they guide.

We applaud those who give of their time to coach sports.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy.”