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Features

  • Are dog DNA tests worth it?

    It was in 2007 when I first glimpsed the future of veterinary medicine. I was invited to peek at a new canine DNA test developed by Mars Veterinary appropriately named the Wisdom Panel. At the time, the test was limited to detecting basic breed origins and a few predictive metrics such as size.

    Fast-forward to present day and the science behind DNA is progressing rapidly beyond most pet parents’ imaginations. The question is: Should you have your dog’s DNA tested? What can these tests tell you and how accurate are they? Great questions with gray answers.

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    Paws-Ability Band Fest plays June 4...

    Food, music, a beer garden and raffles for fabulous prizes highlight Paws-Ability’s first Band Fest from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in Sunset Beach Town Park, 206 Sunset Blvd. N. in Sunset Beach.

    A $5 donation is requested, which includes a raffle ticket for one of more than a dozen prizes donated by local businesses, said Janie Withers, founder and president of Paws-Ability, which raises money to aid animal causes in Brunswick County.

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    Half Hell Folk Music Festival set...

    It’s time to go to Half Hell again. The Half Hell Folk Music Festival, that is, which everyone can do from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at Greenlands Farm at 668 Midway Road in Bolivia.

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    Manna Ministries goes extra mile to...

    Each month since September 2008, Manna Ministries has worked to provide families a box of food in Jesus' name.

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    UPDATE: CANCELLED: The Tams with...

    The Calabash Concert Committee has cancelled the Tams concert scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, due to the weather forecast.

    According to a notice issued by the town of Calabash on Monday afternoon, there is a high-percentage chance of thunderstorms Tuesday, escalating in the late afternoon. The Tams were to travel from Tennessee for this performance in the lineup of Calabash Summer Concerts in Calabash Community Park. It is hoped that this concert can be rescheduled to an alternate date, but that has not been determined at this time. 

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    What is this mystery plant?

     

    By John Nelson

    It’s one of those plants that give off a really memorable aroma: a sweet, clinging aroma that hangs in the still air of a shaded magical woodland, letting us know spring is almost over, with summer ready to roll in.

  • How to tell what your dog is feeling

    “Look at him, he’s so happy!”

    Most pet parents will tell you they can tell what their pet is feeling simply by looking at them. For years mainstream scientists have dismissed reading a dog’s emotional facial expressions as wishful thinking. Recent research suggests we may be able to correctly guess our pet’s feelings after all.

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    What is this mystery plant?

                                          

    By John Nelson

     

  • Is there too much chaos in your...

     

    By Linda Arnold

     

    If you feel like your life is on autopilot, spinning out of control, you’re not alone.

    Juggling all those demands on your platter, coupled with information overload in our warp-speed society, can make you feel like you’re a pinball machine on “tilt.”

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    Silk Groove brings smooth soul May...

    “Smooth soul” sums up North Carolina-based Silk Groove, a vocal/instrumental band electrifying the stage of the second Sunset Beach Summer Concert of the season from 7 to 9 p.m. next Wednesday, May 31, in the gazebo in Village Park on Queen Anne Street.

    Group namesake and drummer Chris “Silk” Terry has performed with legendary groups The Drifters, The Coasters, The Four Tops, The O’Jays, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Smokey Robinson and The Temptations.

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    Sea turtle program at museum May 20

    Join the Museum of Coastal Carolina on May 20 at 11 a.m. as Jim and Deb Boyce will present their program, Turtle Talk — OIBSTPO Getting Ready for Summer Turtles!

    They will discuss the life cycle of sea turtles, focusing especially on the loggerhead sea turtles that nest on Ocean Isle Beach every summer. The presentation will include a 14-minute video and a question-and-answer session at the end. Learn what you can do to help protect these magnificent animals.

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    Ingram Planetarium to celebrate 15...

    Help celebrate Ingram Planetarium’s 15th birthday on May 20 with a free program at 7 p.m. looking back at the history of the planetarium and the advancements in astronomy that have occurred since it first opened its doors in 2002.

  • Life lessons extend beyond Mother’s...

     

     

    By Linda Arnold

     

    This past Sunday marked my eighth Mother’s Day without my mother, and it’s always a time of reflection.

    Sometimes it seems longer than eight years, and sometimes it doesn’t seem that long.

  • Opioid epidemic puts police dogs in...

    Viper was an outstanding police dog. Trained to track and take down the most dangerous criminals, Viper was prepared to handle danger and risk.

    What he and his handler couldn’t anticipate was a packet of drugs dumped by a fleeing suspect that would ultimately lead to Viper’s death. During the chaos of the July 2011 chase near my North Carolina practice, Viper most likely bit into the scent-covered bag of high-potency drugs, ingesting a lethal dosage.

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    Novant Flip Flop Ball May 19

    Wear your flip-flops and have a ball while helping community health at the same time.

    That’s what Novant Health Foundation Brunswick Medical Center’s sixth annual Flip Flop Ball is all about.

    Festivities launch at 7 p.m. Friday, May 19, with cocktails at 101 Stone Chimney Place at 101 Stone Chimney Road in Supply. Dinner is served at 7:45 p.m.

    Tickets for the Flip Flop Ball are $100 and include island cuisine and dancing. Cocktails will also be available for purchase.

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    Brunswick County Summer Concerts...

    It’s that time of year again — free Brunswick County Summer Concerts and Movies time, that is.

    The season already kicked off with a concert and movie in April and early May in Leland.

    More is in store in coming weeks and months in seven other Brunswick County towns.

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    36th Little River Blue Crab...

    The weekend after Mother’s Day means only one thing in Little River, S.C.: It’s time once again for the Blue Crab Festival.

    This year’s annual two-day festival unfolds from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21, on the Little River Waterfront.

    What began in 1981 as a small waterfront gathering, the World Famous Blue Crab Festival has grown into a premier event that draws visitors from all over the country and even overseas.

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    Back Porch Rockers headline BLT...

    Brunswick Little Theatre invites you to jumpstart your summer with a concert by The Back Porch Rockers, a rock and roll band that performs music from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27.

    The concert will be held on theater grounds at 8068 River Road in Southport for a fair-like evening with food and drink for purchase provided by Vanida Sisters of Boiling Spring Lakes.

    Tickets are available at the theater the day of the event, $20 for adults and $10 for students with ID. The rain date is Sunday, May 28, at the same time.

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    What is this mystery plant?

     By John Nelson

    “Here’s flowers for you;

     

      Hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram…”

                            A Winter’s Tale, act 4, scene 4

     

    Shakespeare was obviously fond of flowers. One of his favorite plant families was the mint family. I think it’s my favorite family, too.

  • The healthiest states for pets?

     I’ve lived my life believing “It’s not where you are, it’s who you are.” While I still abide by that simple credo, the folks at Care.com have gone and ranked “The States with the Healthiest Pets.” I’ll be far from the first to express skepticism, but their study does raise some interesting questions and offers advice for improving your pet’s health, wherever you live.