Dear Friend,

Over the district work period, I traveled across the 7th District to visit with job creators, local officials, and more.  Below you will find a brief overview of some of these visits, important resources and reminders, and more.

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Meeting with the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

I stopped by the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to visit with local leaders and job creators to discuss economic development opportunities, along with our shared goal of helping families and small businesses continue to succeed in our community.  Thank you for hosting me!

Visiting the Bladen County Farmers Market

In Bladen County, I enjoyed a great lunch at the Cape Fear Farmer's Market in Elizabethtown.  I had the opportunity to visit with local officials, including Bladen County Sheriff McVicker and Bladen County Clerk of Court Cristin Hursey.

If you live in Bladen County or you have the opportunity to visit Elizabethtown, be sure to stop by and check out their Farmer's Market!  Their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Touring the New Hanover County Emergency Services Facility

Thanks to New Hanover County Emergency Management for giving me a tour of the new Emergency Operations Center in Wilmington.  It was great to meet with 911 operators, first responders, and law enforcement personnel who work around the clock to protect and serve our communities.

Art Competition Reminder: The deadline for the 2023 Congressional Art Competition is Friday, April 28th!  High school students who live or attend school in North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District are encouraged to submit a piece of art for this year’s competition.  The theme for this year's competition is "This is N.C.".  All students must adhere to the Art Competition guidelines and submit a student release form.  The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. for one year where visitors from around the country can view the artwork.

Updates from the IRS: The Internal Revenue Service recently announced nearly 1.5 million people across the nation have unclaimed refunds for tax year 2019 but face a July 17 deadline to submit their tax return.  The average median refund is $893 for this year, and the IRS has done a special state-by-state calculation to show how many people are potentially eligible for these refunds.    Click here for more information.

For this week's good news story, I'm highlighting the Severn Peanut Company.  They recently announced the creation of 44 jobs and a $17 million investment to upgrade their facility in Elizabethtown to produce peanut butter.  According to WECT, "Severn Peanut, which has been headquartered in North Carolina for more than 75 years, shells and processes peanuts for growers and retailers. Severn will upgrade its equipment and renovate the Elizabethtown facility to produce bulk peanut butter."  As one of the top 5 peanut producing states in the country, this industry is critical to North Carolina’s economy.  Their expansion is great news for Elizabethtown and the region, benefiting hardworking local peanut farmers, employees, and the business in Southeastern North Carolina.

“Independence seems to be the word; I know of not one dissenting voice.” — Colonel Robert Howe to members of the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress