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Opinion

  • Local restaurants play important...

    On Friday, as part of Calabash’s annual Town Hall Day celebration, the community’s many restaurants and the people and families who have made them successful will be honored.

    It’s a perfect theme for this year’s event, especially in light of recent struggles faced by the local seafood industry—which contributes to the food on area restaurants’ tables—and the struggling economy that has made doing business a bit more difficult than normal.

  • Vendor rules should be the same for...

    Recent news that Brunswick County will step up enforcement on existing roadside vendor regulations has some residents concerned it could put local entrepreneurs out of business.

    However, the county is doing exactly what it should—enforcing ordinances already on the books and making sure every vendor in the county is treated fairly.

  • Congressman responds to editorial

    A recent editorial regarding the newly established Veterans Outreach clinic in Brunswick County clearly forgot the famous words from the beloved Thanksgiving song that says “Count your blessings; name them one-by-one.”

    Indeed, let’s count our blessings and the victories for our veterans:

    1) Brunswick County veterans were turned down twice by the VA until our petition was granted in 2004. After several bureaucratic and budgetary delays, our veterans’ concerns were finally heard by the VA in our summit on April 7 in Supply.

  • Congratulations on 50 years,...

    This weekend the Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department will celebrate 50 years of service to Brunswick County.

    It is an important milestone for a giving group of volunteers who do their best to aid citizens in need and help in times of danger.

    This weekend, fire officials will celebrate with an open house at the fire department, 161 Governor’s Road in Winnabow.

  • County will need to tackle...

    In a smart fiscal move, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners has decided to hold off on a possible countywide curbside recycling initiative until next year.

    In light of the slow economy and knowing the county has already had to retighten its belt because of budget constraints, this was a wise decision for this fiscal year.However, as Brunswick County continues to grow and its options for traditional landfill locations dwindle, it only makes sense that in the near future officials will have to tackle this endeavor.

  • This veterans’ ‘clinic’ isn’t much...

    Congressman Mike McIntyre, what is it exactly you’re so excited about?

    Last week you touted the new veterans services “clinic” coming to Brunswick County. You called it a “great victory for the many veterans who live in Brunswick County.”

    We’re not sure what battle you’ve been fighting, but from our perspective, we can’t see a contracted primary care physician available only three days a week for local veterans as much of a victory.

  • State needs to take a more...

    Monday night, the North Carolina Senate passed a bill that would outlaw video gaming entertainment. 

    If the same measure were to be approved by the state House of Representatives, it would essentially force electronic sweepstakes operations, like those which have popped up throughout Brunswick County, out of business.

  • Terminal groin bill should go to...

    The decision about whether terminal groins could be a viable option for coastal erosion control is now in the hands of one person, and that’s not how it should be.

    According to Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith and Caswell Beach Mayor Harry Simmons, N.C. Speaker of the House Joe Hackney is controlling whether Senate Bill 832 will be heard on the House floor during the General Assembly’s short session. 

  • Sheriff right to step up checkpoints

    As our roads begin to feel the increased pressure of summer tourists, the opportunity for incidents increase. We only have to look back a couple of weeks to see tragedies that have happened on our roadways before the onslaught of beachgoers even began.

    Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram has said his deputies will be stepping up their emphasis on impaired, aggressive and speeding drivers during the busy summer months.

  • Voters deserve more than last-...

    What exactly is it state Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. believes he is doing?

    Surely, he can’t believe most of his constituents think he is acting in the community’s best interest with the latest bills he has introduced in the General Assembly’s “short session.”

    Remember, this is a time when he and fellow legislators are supposed to be considering only “non-controversial” bills.

  • Enough is enough, Carolina Shores

    Carolina Shores residents hoping for open, transparent government are going to be disappointed.

    Again.

    On May 3, the town board met in closed session to discuss personnel issues. When the board moved into open session, it approved having town attorney Holt Moore send a “personnel letter” to an employee. It did not indicate who the employee was or what action was taken.

  • Early College High School is...

    It has been an intense four years for some Brunswick County students.

    Since 2006, students in Brunswick County’s Early College High School program have been studying their high school curriculum while at the same time exploring life in college.

    By taking college-level courses at Brunswick Community College, students have the opportunity to finish high school while earning a college-level associate’s degree—in just four years.

  • Sheriff, district attorney and...

    During the May primary election season, two of the more-heated and more-interesting races were for Brunswick County Sheriff and the district attorney that serves our county.

    In the Republican race for sheriff, current sheriff John Ingram was challenged by North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Tim Daniels. Ingram defeated Daniels to be the Republican sheriff candidate in November.

    On the Democratic side, it was the race of the Lewises as Rendy Lewis challenged and ultimately defeated Louie Lewis for the Democratic spot on the November General Election ballot.

  • Difficult decisions are ahead...

    In light of a struggling economy, the reality is tough decisions are going to have to be made when local government officials put together budgets for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

    The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners got a taste of that recently when it had its budget workshops. Officials looked at a number of ways to generate new and increased revenue and also explored possible cuts and decreases.

  • Carolina Shores Town Administrator...

    Seriously, Carolina Shores? Is this really happening again? Have town officials really let Carolina Shores’ citizens down once again?

    Unfortunately, yes.

    We understand people make mistakes, and when they do, we believe they should be given opportunities to correct them, learn from them and hopefully not make them again.

    However, we have a hard time understanding how someone as experienced and versed as Carolina Shores Town Administrator Linda Herncane could make a mistake by deleting town e-mails from her computer.

  • This isn't the way we hoped...

    The Brunswick County Board of Education had a great opportunity to start anew with the hiring of a new superintendent last week, and yet somehow the announcement got flubbed up.

    When the community should have been celebrating and welcoming the district’s new leadership with Dr. Edward Pruden, there was dissent among the board.

    In a prepared statement, board member Scott Milligan said he was voting against the hiring of Pruden, not because of Pruden’s candidacy, but because of what he believed were some shady actions of some board members.

  • VA officials are missing a great...

    Veterans Affairs officials have really missed the boat on a grand opportunity right here in Brunswick County, and unfortunately it appears it is going to come at the expense of taxpayers.

    The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners has practically thrown the current Brunswick Community Hospital location at VA officials. County officials have offered to make VA officials a deal they couldn’t refuse for a new VA facility.

  • Terminal groin project could be...

    In a close vote last week, the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) voted 8-5 to recommend to the state General Assembly that the use of terminal groins could be feasible when used in conjunction with beach renourishment.

    That’s a step in the right direction for officials who have been pushing for terminal groins, like Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith.

    Now, the decision about whether terminal groins will become a possibility goes to the General Assembly.

  • Board of education faces tough...

    Brunswick County Schools officials have some tough decisions ahead of them.

    In light of troubled economy, the district is anticipating budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year.

    Recently, as a solution to save the district money, a proposal was presented that would remove pre-K services from the school district. It’s an effort that, if adopted, would mean some $450,000 in Title I funding could go to elementary and high schools throughout Brunswick County—each county elementary and high school could receive an additional $35,000.

  • There are too many holes in N.C....

    There are problems with North Carolina’s voter registration system. In its current form, the process has too many holes, making it far too easy for those who want to take advantage of the system.

    Voter fraud is a very real problem in this country and more needs to be done—especially right here in North Carolina—to make that more difficult to happen.