OAK ISLAND, NC (WECT) - The town of Oak Island has been recognized once again as a Tree City USA community.

The National Arbor Day Foundation awarded the Brunswick County community with the honor for the 15th time.  The town was also recognized with a Tree City USA Growth award for showing progress in its community forestry program.

To get the community honor, an area has to meet four criteria.  The community has to have a tree board, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with at least annual expenditures of $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Copyright 2012 WECT.  All rights reserved.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC – Recent reports regarding Lean Finely Texture Beef (LFTB) and the use of ammonia hydroxide as a method of controlling harmful bacteria that may be present in ground beef have raised questions about the quality of food products served in school child nutrition programs throughout the nation.

Brunswick County Schools does not receive ground beef, beef patties, or other beef products directly from the USDA. Instead, the system chooses to divert its allocated beef allowance to food processors AdvancePierre Foods and JTM Food Group. 

Neither AdvancePierre nor JTM Food Group use ammonia treated LFTB in school products.

The decision to divert the system’s beef allowance was made for two very important reasons, safety and efficiency. Brunswick County Schools opts for its processors to use a “whole beef combo pack” to produce products served in school cafeterias. 

Working with a whole beef product reduces chances of food contamination when compared to working with an already ground product. Additionally, the system owns a freezer capable of storing products delivered directly from its processors, which equate to tremendous cost savings when compared to using distribution companies to continuously store and deliver items. 

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The NC Forest Service will conduct a prescribed burn of 575 acres Thursday in the Green Swamp along NC Highway 211 in Brunswick County.

According to officials, the burn is part of a long-term project with the US Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy.

The goal of a prescribed burn is to help restore vegetation and reduce the risk of large-scale wildfires that can spark in natural areas.

"Prescribed fires are conducted to protect the public and sustain forestlands," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "They are important for managing forests and wildlife habitat, and for reducing the risk of harmful wildfires."

Residents who see smoke in the area should not call 911 unless they see flames.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.