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Opinion

  • Brunswick Family Assistance needs...

    For 27 years Brunswick Family Assistance has helped Brunswick County families by making sure they don’t go hungry or get cold and have a place to live.

    It’s been a difficult journey—one spurred on by a dedicated staff, a devoted board of directors and countless giving community volunteers.

  • Making the right choice in an...

    By Stacey Manning

    Managing Editor

    OK, since it’s over, I can admit it. Throughout this election season, I was one of those voters who didn’t know exactly what buttons I was going to push on the voter screen.

    I’ve heard conversations about it in my office, on television and in the general public.

    “How could you not know?” people asked.

  • Early voting is indeed a privilege

    Laura Lewis 

    “We just went and voted!” Beacon cohorts Kathryn Jacewicz and Sarah Shew Wilson crowed last week upon returning to the newsroom from one-stop voting at the National Guard Armory on Main Street in Shallotte.

    There were no lines, no hassles, no broken-down machines, they gloated.

  • Fraud destroys romance and...

    By John Heidtke

    Guest Columnist

    Truth can be inconvenient

    During 1961, I was dating a young lady from my church where both families were members. The relationship developed to a point where a “friendship ring” is given by the man to signify his good intentions.

    I was scrubbing floors and washing windows for a living. A ring was priced as much as my entire month’s income. I couldn’t afford it.

  • Denture rage somehow makes headlines

    BY SARAH SHEW WILSON

    STAFF WRITER

    Ever since the sad yet somehow fascinating “woman stuck to the toilet seat” story captured my attention back in the spring, I’ve been trying to cut down on the number of columns I write commenting on “weird, wacky news.”

    I thought it would be disrespectful to try and top that one.

    Well, it’s been about eight months now, so I just have to use this opportunity to comment on another bizarre incident in the news.

  • Congrats to the Phillies

    To the editor:

    After a 46-hour delay, the Philadelphia Phillies won the 2008 World Series in a close 4-3 game.

    Yes, they have lost in the past and faced problems and adversity, but this time, they worked hard and earned the right to be called the world champions and justly so.

    I want to also congratulate the Tampa Bay Rays on a series well played. A fresh, young team, they too justly deserved the right to be in the series for all of the hard work they put into their season.

  • Favoring Obama?

    To the editor:

    As a Beacon reader and prior subscriber in Maine over a 15-year period, I care about the quality of its editorial pages.

    Last week’s columns by staff writers Renee Sloan and Caroline Curran are stark examples why the media has been charged with Obama favoritism this election season.

  • Upset over resignation

    To the editor:

    My reaction to the article on the [Shallotte] planning director’s resignation was the more I read, the angrier I got.

    How can supposedly educated people do such inappropriate things? Did the aldermen ask Mr. Sabiston to place an ad for the replacement of Mr. Rogers? If the answer is no, and I believe it is, then there needs to be an ad placed for Mr. Sabiston’s job.

  • Thanks for teacher support

    To the editor:

    Upon reading Katie McGee’ s recent “Superintendent’s Corner” (Beacon 10/25), I applaud her efforts to acknowledge the untiring efforts of the teachers in our schools.

    Her premise is to enlist a letter writing campaign to the president of the United States articulating the necessity to promote schools and educators and to recognize their outstanding work.

  • Agrees with hospital suggestion

    To the editor:

    This letter is in response to the article written by Ray Gilbert of Longwood. He had expressed a desire for our current Brunswick Community Hospital to be converted to a V.A. Center once the new hospital is built.

    I totally agree with Mr. Gilbert.

    Our veterans do not get the medical care they need and deserve. As stated by Mr. Gilbert, these men and women are our heroes. They have given so much for this country and deserve better.

  • Don’t complain, vote for...

    In light of the current economic situation, it’s no surprise many Brunswick County families are feeling a crunch. From high gas prices to increases in everything from groceries to services, it’s been a little bit harder for many to make ends meet.

    Some families in Brunswick County are worried about whether or not they’ll be able to keep their homes, while others are uncertain about job security.

  • Having a community holiday event?...

     With Halloween right around the corner, it’s hard to believe soon we’ll be thinking about turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas trees and holiday shopping for Christmas.

    Why is it the end of the year seems to pass us by so quickly?

    With temperatures projected to only reach the 60s this week, we’re hoping you’re getting yourself geared up for the upcoming holidays. And while it might seem a stretch to be thinking of your Thanksgiving Day roasted oysters and Christmas ham, we’d like to ask you to do just that.

  • What should you consider when...

    What to consider when voting for a presidential candidate?

    • Review candidates’ policy positions about their views on civil rights, taxes, abortion, spending, education, defense, healthcare, energy and the economy.

    • Evaluate the management skills of candidates such as how well have they managed their campaigns including fundraising, advertising and delegation of responsibilities.

    • Assess the temperament of candidates such as how they have dealt with challenges and adversity.

  • Tough questions OK as long as they...

    Conservative political commentator Sean Hannity announced on his show on Saturday journalism was dead.

    Arguing journalists failed to complete their standard vetting process for Sen. Barack Obama in his bid for the White House, Hannity said my profession no longer exists.

    That’s a pretty disturbing thought in itself, but as the weekend continued, things just got worse.

    On Sunday, it was reported the Obama/Biden camp has refused further interviews with a Florida TV anchor because she asked tough questions.

  • This average American can&rsquo...

    Dressed in a tailored red suit, black knee boots and expensive heels, she poses behind the podium. She can go from politician to moose hunter just by changing into her fleece sweater and camouflage pants.

    No, it’s not vice-presidential Barbie—it’s Sarah Palin.

    Recently Palin has caused quite a stir with her red leather jackets, pink suits and black knee-high boots. The items themselves are not the problem—in fact, they’re quite stylish. It’s the cost of this wardrobe that’s the problem.

  • What you see now is likely what you...

    As exciting as it has been, this election season is quickly winding to a close. In a week, from local to national offices, important decisions are going to be made that will forever affect our future.

    As voters, we each play a crucial role in determining this future. Whether you voted early or plan to head to the polls Tuesday, every vote cast in this election counts.

    With races tightening and candidates heading to the finish line, we can’t help but be left with a nasty taste in our mouths from this election season.

  • Remembering a local legend

    Nearly four years ago, I decided to write a little something different about Thanksgiving traditions, so I visited Carson Varnam’s Oyster Market in Varnamtown, where families were picking up oysters for their Thanksgiving Day oyster roasts.

    Varnam and his wife, Marlene, told me roasting oysters was a popular tradition in Brunswick County, and, as we were talking, a couple from Ash pulled up to pick up their bushel of oysters for the big day.

    “As long as I can get them from Carson, we’ll have oysters for Thanksgiving,” one of the customers told me.

  • A few good cops with their dogs...

    The sheriff of Brunswick County, John Ingram, leaned across the round conference table in his office as I was discussing with him the presence of a half-dozen drug “hot spots” in the county.

    With a grin on his face, he said, “Why don’t you take a ride along with us and find out about them firsthand?”

    On the following Friday, 7 p.m. to midnight, I took him up on it. Here is what I found out.

    Riding shotgun unarmed

  • Obama is the right choice

    To the editor:

    Lately, America’s skies have been filled with dark clouds. More than 90 percent of Americans feel we are headed in the wrong direction.

    Many things are not as we wish they were. The list is long. Each problem is complicated and expensive to solve. This election should be solely about who will provide the judgment and initiatives that stir this nation to face our challenges head-on.

  • New leadership needed in Raleigh

    To the editor:

    Sen. R.C. Soles has been in the legislature in Raleigh since1963 and the state senate since 1977. He serves on the senate transportation committee and is vice chairman of the appropriations committee for the Department of Transportation. He has oversight on the NCDOT, its budget and the plans for roads in our state.

    Last week, the Brunswick County commissioners rightfully rejected the Comprehensive Transportation Plan that would have transformed U.S. 17 into a major expressway to accommodate through traffic at the expense of local traffic.

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