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Columns

  • Election year dilemmas sometimes have no easy answer

    November’s general election can’t come — and go — soon enough to suit me.

    As someone who loathes politics, I seem to be an anomaly in the journalism world. My distaste for elections has only soured in my more than two decades in this business. I believe they’ve become less and less about choosing the best leader and more about choosing the lesser of two evils through the years. That’s not always the case, but it generally seems that way.

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  • Do the right thing to go 'round the roundabout

    When it comes to navigating the new Sunset Beach roundabout, some drivers are gettin’ it and some aren’t.

    Construction is nearing completion of the new mainland entry to the island bridge where stop signs are no longer needed.

    Instead, motorists must heed yield signs at its four entries and go with the flow in a right-hand direction — as opposed to going left, also known as “wrong.”

    Those are standard rules of the roundabout.

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  • District 17 House update

    By Rep. Frank Iler

    Guest Columnist

    Last week in the North Carolina House of Representatives was Budget Week. The Senate had finished with the budget, Senate Bill 744, the previous week. It was our job in the House to review it, make our changes, and send it back to them for their agreement and approval. This budget actually consists of adjustments to the biennial budget we passed last year. We are adjusting the 2013-2015 budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year. We have newly revised revenue projections and spending priorities. So, it was a busy week.

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  • District 8 Senate update

    By Sen. Bill Rabon

    Guest Columnist

     

    The 2014 short session has proved to be nothing short of eventful, and we are continuing to work hard in order to accomplish our goals during this time. 

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  • You never stop being daddy’s little girl

    Just as I wasn’t able to spend Mother’s Day this year with my mom, I won’t be able to spend Father’s Day with my dad, either. It’ll be because he and Mom will be back in Cleveland for Dad’s 50th high school reunion, where I know he’ll be the life of the party.

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  • District 17 House update

    By Rep. Frank Iler

    Guest Columnist

     

    The fourth week of the short session started with a flurry of bills being considered in committees. Then some of them moved quickly to the House floor for debate and votes. On June 3, our House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation reviewed the governor’s budget adjustments for the 2014-15 fiscal year, as well as the Senate’s budget adjustments.

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  • District 8 Senate update

    By Sen. Bill Rabon

    Guest Columnist

    With all the excitement from last week’s budget unveiling, we were thankful to have a calmer environment here on Jones Street.

    Items on the agenda

    We dealt extensively with the public/private partnership with the Department of Commerce to ensure economic development throughout the state and our region. An important part of this bill was the new film grant program that aligns with our industrial grant programs.

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  • Being at the right place at the right time

    My Memorial Day was almost marked for disaster. After paying my respects to those who are serving and have served in our armed forces (we cannot thank them enough), I decided to trek down to Sunset Beach to take photos for the paper and try to relax for a few hours.

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  • District 8 Senate update

    By Sen. Bill Rabon

    Guest Columnist

     

    We have had yet another eventful week at the General Assembly, updates to the 2014 budget proposal, teacher pay raises, energy exploration and regulatory reform.

     

    2014 Senate budget proposal

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  • Support and appreciate the good in our community

    Before I get too deep into my column this week, I want to ask: Has anyone else noticed how lovely downtown Shallotte looks right now, especially on Main Street along the river?

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