4-star general Barry McCaffrey was a special guest at the WTC on September 1. (Staff photo by Rachel Jenkins)

Four-star General Barry McCaffrey, the youngest and most decorated four-star general in the army, called WTC “a national model” and noted that over 100 recovery centers participated in the balloon release on September 1. At least 20 million people have chronic subtance abuse problems, and General McCaffrey called it one of the “most serious medical, legal, and social problems that we face.” He said the current military is “the best force in uniform we ever had,” but their drug abuse rates have doubled in the last ten years or so. McCaffrey stressed the importance of building “a national model where the muscle is there” to deal with the numbers of people who need help. “If you believe that there’s twenty million of us in trouble, then we need some scale,” he said, not just twenty-bed facilities here and there.  At the WTC, said McCaffrey, “the success rate has been just unbelievable.” He thanked all WTC employees “for what you do and who you are and what you stand for” and for their “tremendous contribution to wellness and American communities.”
North Carolina Veterans Affairs Director Charles Smith said, “War is a terrible thing. Terrible. And there’s no one who is a better peacekeeper than the soldiers who have been there.” He reminded those present that it is “tough to walk off the streets of Baghdad and back onto the streets of Wilmington,” and hard for veterans’ families as they adapt to “the changed individual that war has done something to.” Smith said more Vietnam veterans have committed suicide than were killed in the Vietnam War, and “we can’t let that happen to these troops that are coming back now.” Highlighting the importance of medical and mental health care, he said, “We really commend the efforts of this clinic.” The rest of the community must serve veterans as well. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, he said, “it takes a village to assist veterans and their families and make sure they are taken care of just like they took care of us in the war zone.”
Dr. Barry Karlin, CEO of CRC Health Group, said that around 30% of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of substance abuse or post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health issues. He said September is a month “to honor everyone in recovery, and to focus on people who are experiencing a high degree of stress,” including military veterans. “What you have to do is provide high quality treatment,” he said, and called WTC “a world-class facility.” He also said it was important to “deal holistically with all of the issues that are affecting the person,” and praised WTC’s three-year continuing care program for those who have completed the structured program at the facility. Over 2,500 military personnel or their dependents have been treated at WTC. Dr. Karlin explained that recent laws require health insurance to pay for treatment for subtance abuse analogous to that which they provide for other conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. “We will see a huge dent in the so-called treatment gap,” he said.

Hundreds of balloons were released by patients, staff, and guests to celebrate the beginning of the 21st annual National Recovery Month. (Staff photo by Rachel Jenkins)

Congressman Mike McIntyre said, “We know our veterans have cared for us, and we want them to receive every single beneft that they have earned.” He said private and public entities, state and federal and local governments, all must work together to provide the necessary services. He said the three C’s of service are cooperation, compassion, and commitment.
Judd Barryhill told his own story as a recovering alcoholic with forty years of sobriety. He has worked with marines in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg as an alcoholism counselor, and now he helps with the after-care program at WTC.
After the speeches, the guests, staff, and patients at WTC released colorful balloons to celebrate the beginning of the 21st annual Recovery Month. The celebration was dedicated to Charlie Sharp, the executive director of WTC who passed away this February.
Next, the guests were invited to the dedication of the new Charles S. Sharp Clinical Building. Sharp’s wife, Susan, cut the ribbon, and a commemorative plaque was unveiled.

The dedication of the new Charles S. Sharp Clinical Building at the WTC was part of the day’s festivities. At center, Susan Sharp cuts the ribbon while Congressman Mike McIntyre assists. (Staff photo by Rachel Jenkins)

At the luncheon following the dedication, Jerry Rhodes, president of CRC Health Group’s Recovery Division, spoke about Charlie Sharp, whom he had worked with for almost twenty years and who made WTC “one of the best, if not the best, treatment centers in this country.” Rhodes remembered Sharp’s dedication to helping people, saying, “He kept me grounded and focused on…what was important and what this business was about.”
Susan Sharp said her husband was “strongly committed to helping as many servicemen and -women as possible to seek treatment.” She said that even after his passing, “Charlie will still be a part of those new lives” that people begin when they give up their addictions.

Cartwright grew up on the Outer Banks but has been in Burgaw for about five years. She attended Pender High School, where she took art classes under Martha Bateman, whom she calls “one of my heroes.” Cartwright said Bateman “really is kind of what set it off for me.” Many of the techniques from traditional art classes are useful in tattoo art. “There’s a lot of artistic views when you’re doing tattoo,” she said. “A lot of it crosses over,” such as shading and color.

Amy Cartwright gives Joseph Baker a skull tattoo at Amy's Body Mod. (Staff photo by Rachel Jenkins)

Cartwright got her first homemade tattoo when she was fourteen and her first professional one at eighteen. She always knew she wanted to be a tattoo artist. “I was always kind of the oddball kid, eccentric,” she said. Cartwright’s tattoo and piercing shop, Amy’s Body Mod, is the “first and only in Burgaw.” On December 8, 2009, Amy’s Body Mod was voted in as part of the business district, and “a couple days later, we signed the lease and renovated and got ready to open,” said Cartwright. The grand opening at 124 West Fremont Street was held in February of this year.

Cartwright’s favorite part of having her own tattoo shop is the freedom to do her own art in her own style. She also likes getting to know the people who come in. “There’s a lot of personal interaction with customers,” she said. Amy’s gets “a lot of repeat clientele,” and they all know her. Cartwright likes knowing that her customers don’t see a different person each time they visit.

To give someone a tattoo, Cartwright prints out the design at the desired size, then she traces it carefully on tracing paper. She uses the tracing paper to re-draw the design on a transfer paper with special ink that will stay on the customer’s skin. With the help of transfer gel, she presses the design onto the skin so she has a guide to follow. Then she prepares her ink and needles. Everything at Amy’s Body Mod is disposable; rather than disinfecting it with an autoclave, Cartwright throws it away and uses a new one for the next customer. “People feel much better about that,” said Cartwright; while some customers might not trust that reusable equipment is properly sanitized, they can see Cartwright unwrapping a sterile item and rest assured that no one else has touched it.

Amy’s husband, Daniel Cartwright, inspects and maintains fire extinguishers. He also cleans hoods and other equipment for restaurants. His business is called Absolute Fire Protection. When two married people run two different businesses, the work is hard, but for the Cartwrights, it is also rewarding.

To get a tattoo, a customer must be eighteen. Parents cannot sign consent forms for tattoos for minors. Amy’s Body Mod also offers piercings, which are available to minors with parents’ consent.

Amy’s Body Mod is open from 11 to 6 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 to 8 on Thursdays, and 12 to 10 on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed on Sunday and Monday.

For more information, call Amy’s Body Mod at (910)259-4006 or Cartwright herself at (910)471-1934.

Holly Ridge celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the Stone Bay branch of the Marine Federal Credit Union on August 31. (Contributed photo)

The groundbreaking ceremony for the brand-new building took place on November 23, 2009. They have been operating in the new location since Monday, August 23. It is on base property, so people in camouflage can come in even though it is not behind the gates. The company hopes to build an even better relationship with military customers since it is so close to the base, but everyone else is welcome, too. “You absolutely do not have to have base access or be military affiliated to come into this branch or to do business here,” said branch manager Lindsay Vani. Of the MFCU customers, she said “at least half of them are actually just local residents that don’t have an affiliation,” including many small business owners.

Marine Federal Credit Union has twenty-one branches in North Carolina and Virginia, and “We’ve purchased property and we’re moving forward in Beaufort, South Carolina,” said Vani. It is part of a shared branching network, “so you don’t actually have to be a member of Marine Federal Credit Union to do banking here.” Marines who have transferred from other parts of the country and used, for example, the Pacific Marine Credit Union on the west coast, can come in and use the same accounts. People who are vacationing in the Topsail Beach area can also do business easily with Marine Federal. At http://www.cuservicecenter.com, people can search by location or by credit union to see if their union is part of the branching network.

The Stone Bay branch is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays. New features at the new location include two drive-up lanes and a drive-up ATM.

I pulled at the locked doors only to find that on Thursdays, the library doesn’t open until 10am.

So what does one do on a beautiful morning in Onslow County with no major emergencies nipping at the ankles?

I decided to sit and grab some shade and just be.

For a single mother, these moments don’t occur too often so I just watched cars pass,  military transports, flags wave in the breeze…and then company came.

My initial thought was “Oh great, now I have to share my moment of zen.”

The Yankee in me didn’t want company but the limitless possibility of the day, made me move over and smile.

After one person came then so did another.  I started to feel claustrophobic.

The need for conversation arose and the two gentlemen spoke as if they were old friends. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Like a scene in Forrest Gump, the bench saw new faces come and go but there was one gentleman who remained consistent throughout the many scene changes.

What started off with one question to me turned into a completely eye opening experience.

The one gentleman overheard my conversation with the museum manager and successfully deduced that I was a reporter for a newspaper.

“What are you reporting on today?” he asked.

“Well there were two females who committed a robbery and I am just waiting to find out more information,” I said.

The unknown gentleman told me his personal story when he was a youth where 2 men put a sawed off shot-gun to his nose and demanded cash.

“Wow,” I thought. “And you are alive to tell the tale?”

From this conversation we talked about his other near death experiences that left him paralyzed. Looking at the man now, you would never have thought he was even stung by a bee.

“I should have been dead,” he said. “But it just wasn’t my time.”

He spoke of the importance of being kind to one another as we never know what are their individual stories.

“We never know what a person has been through,” he said. “Just as you are sitting here today talking to me right now, you can be gone in an instant. We are all only a heartbeat away from death.”

While seemingly morbid, I found his wisdom rather inspirational. “Live each day to the fullest because life is so precious,” he advised.

While the doors of the library became unlocked, his story stayed with me.  A man who was not supposed to live, who was completely paralyzed from the head down, was walking, inspiring me, and changing me.

“Nothing can make me upset,” he said. “Its just not worth it.”

As I now remember my initial resistance to his company, I am glad that I went against my own grain and allowed myself to be open to the many gems that appear when we least expect them.

Cape Fear Newspapers was able to contribute $50 worth of donations toward gas cards however it was not an easy feat.

Many residents throughout the various counties felt that it was BP’s responsibility and decided not to give. In some cases, some used it as an opportunity to take.  As previously reported, donations of soaps and cleaners were taken directly from the donation box.

Briggy Irwin, co-founder of the organization, understands the frustrations that do arise during difficult times but felt that someone had to help if BP wasn’t going to do it.

NEPA Oil Relief Effort delivers the nation-wide donations

“I feel relieved that we all have our dining room tables back, but excited that we could finally complete our original mission,” said Irwin.

“We delivered the items to the National Wildlife Federation after months of hard work, so they can be distributed to agencies who still have months of hard work ahead of them.”

Seeing it for herself, Irwin feels strongly about the lack of sincerity on the part of BP’s oil clean up.

“Even though the oil has been stopped, there are still many volunteers restoring the Gulf,” she said.

“The public has been deceived, conveniently by BP, that most of the work is done. However, most of the work is just beginning as the Brown Pelican has been placed back on the endangered species list due to the spill.

“We now face restoring wildlife so there aren’t more added to the list. Thanks for the outpour of support nationwide!”

The nation-wide effort was started by 2 school aged students who decided to be proactive while the country and the habitat was in need.

To find out other ways to support this mission, residents can contact the organization online or by email, NEPAEffort@gmail.com.

The students allegedly took an undisclosed amount of prescription drugs called Topamax and became unruly.

An assault on an officer took place which forced the officer to restrain the student.

After the hospitalization and observation occurred, 4 Richlands High School students were placed under arrest and charges have been filed.

According to Sheriff Ed Brown, while in police custody one of the boys created more trouble for himself causing the sheriff to have to monitor the situation even more closely.

“This has not been a start and stop situation.  It has been continual activity with these students,” said the Sheriff.

The Richlands Police were called in to back up the incident on Tuesday, when the initial incident began.

“It is not permitted for students to bring prescription drugs on the school’s premises without the school being notified,” said Chief Bennett.

According to protocol, it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that their child/ren are not bringing the medicines to school unlawfully.

While Topamax is used to treat migraine headaches, more and more students are using prescriptions like Topamax to get high.

While Topamax’s side effects will not cause a person to be unruly or cause a change in behavior, the students behavior after taking the pill became greatly altered.

“It also really depends on the dosage,” said the Chief. “If that prescription wasn’t meant for the student to use, and depending on how many were taken can cause for the behavior that we saw.”

Chief Bennett has plenty of experience dealing with today’s youth addiction to prescription pills.

“They have what they call skittle parties.  They all bring prescriptions, dump them into a bowl and just take handfuls,” said Bennett. “Some of them are not even worried about dying.”

While many teens are participating in these kinds of activities, when asked why they would do something so dangerous, a common response has been, “We are going to die anyway,” says Bennett.

Richlands High School Principal Darin Cloninger was unable to make comment about the situation, but he certainly seems to be rolling with punches and remaining optimistic for the upcoming school year.

View of a darkroom from photobucket.com

I stopped by James Sprunt Community College the other day. I worked there for … a bit, and I wanted to say Hi to old chums. Then I went home and got online and met up with some folks I knew in high school. One was actually a junior high school friend.

Trust me, these things will eventually come together.

I was telling Howard, the junior high guy, what I’d been doing since then. It took a while.

Midway through, it occurred to me I’d spent a lot of my career in the darkroom, getting moldy.

People complain about having to come out of the closet. I just wanted out of the darkroom. No. 1: it’s dark. Except for that little redish light.

The other thing was that, when I started in the darkroom in Florida, the chemicals were such that they made your fingers brown. I’ve known a lot of brown people – naturally brown – in my life. Their fingers are not that color.

Yes, they had those little clipper things with the rubber tips. Takes too long. I spent half my time chasing prints around in the developing pan. And I don’t know if you know this, but in the newspaper business, speed is good. So I went in hands first. Thus, brown fingers.

And it takes a few decades for that to wear off.

When I got to the Wilmington Star-News, though, they wouldn’t even let me in the darkroom. I think they had a poker game going, or maybe it was the brown fingers that tipped them off.

I later joined the staff of JSCC doing public relations for them. So I was back in the darkroom. I worked with a professional photographer, Nelson Best (he does weddings, by the way) but somehow I got darkroom duty.

I can kind of understand it. Nelson could disappear in the darkroom for so long I was sometimes worried he may have had a stroke.

I was the speed demon. Photomat had nothing on me. One hour photos? Please. How about three dozen in 15 minutes? And the chemicals had changed. No brown fingers.

We had to print several copies of each shot to send out to newspapers. Perhaps we sent some to the one you’re reading now.

And then the day came. The college bought us digital cameras. I was finally out of the darkroom.

Nelson, who I believe still has everything he’s ever owned, found a new use for the darkroom. He stacked it with stuff. Eventually, you couldn’t get in there sideways.

Which didn’t bother me a bit.

(L-R) Kirby Grady and Tori Brown, director of Exceptional Children for Duplin County Schools, sang a song to open the evening's events.

Dr. Obasohan began by thanking everyone for being there. “There’s nothing that brings more joy than having people come together for one purpose,” he said. In this case, the purpose was to help children, education, and the Duplin County community. Dr. Obasohan said he hopes to form “an understanding or agreement of where we’re going,” not just in the school system but in the whole community. “I need your help,” he said. “You are leaders in different aspects of our community.”

Dr. Obasohan said the education of Duplin County’s children and youth is “up to everyone in this room,” even those without direct connections to public schools. “For every child to grow, we have to put our heads together and hold hands.” He highlighted the fact that schools, government, businesses, and other sectors of the community cannot grow at each other’s expense but most succeed together. “It’s not about how far up the ladder we climb,” he said, “it’s about how many people get to the ladder with us.”

“Every child is born to be successful,” said Dr. O., and the schools must work to support each child in developing his interests and abilities. Job readiness and college readiness are the same thing, Dr. O. said, and he wants to “create a culture in our community that college should be the minimum.”

After Dr. O’s opening remarks, those present were welcome to share ideas and other responses. Beulaville mayor and former teacher Kenneth Smith said, “We’ve got to get the parents on board that bus also,” because too many parents depend on “the school system doing it all.” He acknowledged that not all students will be physicists or rocket scientists, but they can all be happy and successful, and “we have to take them as far as they can go.” Mayor Smith’s wife said that when she was a teacher, she had many administrative tasks “that didn’t relate to the children.” She urged the schools to “guard the teachers’ time” and “do away with as much of the busy stuff as we can.”

Duplin County Commissioner Frances Parks said schools need an “atmosphere where at the end of the day they can hardly wait to come back the next day to continue their learning….For us to educate them,” she said, “they must want to get back there.”

Cary Turner, Chairman of the Duplin County Board of Commissioners, said he had visited schools and been impressed with the Smartboards. He advocated a focus on technology and more Smartboards in more classrooms.

Heather Beard, director of Economic Development for Duplin County, said that education is “critical in marketing our county and showcasing our county and what we have to offer.” She hopes the county can exceed state or national standards for test scores and graduation rates. She said this level of success will mean “incorporating as many different styles of learning in the classroom as possible.” From an economic development standpoint, Beard said, “We need to look at the type of leadership that we’re producing in our schools” to make sure Duplin County is prepared for the future.

After remarks from these and other community representatives, Dr. Obasohan concluded the evening by saying, “I have been very pleased, honestly pleased,” with the ideas and vision everyone shared. “If we don’t raise the standards,” he said, “then we don’t get anywhere.” He urged everyone to come to him with school-related problems, saying, “If you know something’s not going right, let’s talk about it…. That is the best way to get out of trouble—be transparent, be honest.”

Dr. Obasohan did his dissertation at Appalachian State University on dropout prevention. His 29 years in education include work as a teacher’s assistant, a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, and most recently a superintendent in Selma, Alabama.

Through his dissertation, Dr. O. learned that “there are some perception problems, and people don’t understand the reason students drop out.” Many school systems focus on the wrong interventions. “Attendance is not the problem,” he said, but is often only a manifestation of other problems such as illness, home problems, or issues with teachers. Dr. Obasohan believes schools must “teach the whole child,” learning about each one’s strengths and helping them reach individual goals. “Most students don’t find relevance in school,” but if teachers can identify and enhance students’ passions, everyone will benefit. “There’s always an alternate route to excellence,” said Dr. O., meaning that students can succeed through athletics, social skills, leadership, creativity, or any number of intelligences aside from academics.

“If I got mine,” said Dr. O., “I must stand strong for every child to get his. If I don’t do that, I am robbing the children.” Since we all live in community, he said, “My child’s education means nothing if my neighbor doesn’t have an education.”

For citizens who do not have a child in public schools but want to help, Dr. O. says they can “pick a school and get involved….Sit down with the principal and see what their needs are.” People might be surprised that “some of the stuff does not require money.” Dr. Obasohan himself, growing up in Nigeria, “went to a school that had no library” but still excelled and learned. “The community can get involved by just their presence,” he said, stressing “those little, little things” that let children know that adults care. Anyone in the community can also “help promote the importance of education, because word of mouth is very powerful.” If a certain level of success “becomes a community expectation,” said Dr. O., “it is what the children will become.”

The Forum was part of the N.C. Eastern Military Growth Task Force’s (MGTF) kick-off for Project Eastern Gain, to discuss a diesel fuel alternative for N.C. set to be available by 2017.

Steven Troxler, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner, discusses the agricultural and economic benefits biofuels could have for Eastern N.C. (Staff photo by Lori Kennedy-Stewart)

Project Eastern Gain is an initiative by the MGTF, the Biofuels Center of N.C. and other partners to build a large-scale biofuels industry in eastern N.C.

The nontoxic, biodegradable, renewable alternative motor fuel is suitable for any regular diesel (compression) engine, will lower gas mileage, can be used as a home heating source and can be produced with locally grown resources including sunflower and canola crops.

There is a three-pronged approach to the benefits of biodiesel according to Shane Reese, Communications Manager for the Biofuels Center of N.C. located in Oxford, N.C.

“It will boost the economy with job creation and positively impact the fuel industry and the environment,” said Reese. “When you combine these three it promotes prosperity for North Carolina.”

The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is a private non-profit corporation funded by the N.C. General Assembly.

So, why North Carolina?

N.C.’s agricultural resources, including hay acreage and sprayfields allows production of a wide range of biofuels feedstocks. The Biofuels Center has a special interest in crops that can be grown on low-value lands.

The forestry resources available in N.C. are also an advantage with 17.6 million acres of underutilized timberland in the state.

Production and sustainability are other N.C. beneficial features. N.C. has funded the Biofuels Center to facilitate the production of 600 million gallons of biofuels per year to replace 10% of its imported fuel consumption by 2017. While economic viability is key, long-term environmental sustainability is critical to developing a successful biofuels sector.

“The biofuels mandate has to be sustainable,” said Reese. “These current crops will augment not replace.”

This seemed to be one of the major concerns of most farmers, foresters and landowners where a panel composed of directors of forestry, professors and biofuels scientists were on hand to field questions.

Some were wanting to know if they could produce biofuel on their own property and some were not seeing the future benefits of biofuels.

“There are a million questions,” said one Jones County farmer.

Steven Troxler, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner was a keynote speaker at the Forum and agreed.

“We’re playing catch-up in N.C. with the biofuels industry,” said Troxler. “Let’s plan to have an agricultural economy that will be the backbone of N.C. and keep farmers on the farm.”

Initially, Project Eastern Gain will work with industry and agriculture to satisfy regional military needs for renewable fuels, then other public and private transportation needs across the region.

Duplin County is home to the Williamsdale Farm Agricultural Extension and Research Facility located on NC HWY 41. The facility is managed by N.C. State University’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service. College faculty, students, scientists and farmers are using the property to plant demonstration crops, in an effort to study the growth of various biofuels feedstocks.

Energy grasses, canola, sweet potatoes and trees were planted at the facility in 2010.

“From Murphy to Manteo, North Carolina is a great laboratory with viable potential,” said Reese.

For more information on biofuels go to www.biofuelscenter.org.

Three kittens were found abandoned in the parking lot of a Wallace business. (Contributed photo)

The puppies were found by I-40 and N.C. 24 and the kittens were found in a parking lot of a Wallace business.

Helen Glass, President of Pet Friends of Duplin County received a phone call alerting her to the abandoned animals. Although Pet Friends does not have resources at this time for handling abandoned pets, Glass wants to let the public know that abandoning any animal is a form of animal abuse, punishable by a felony charge on your record and possible jail time.

Because of surveillance cameras located in the business parking lot where the kittens were abandoned, police are currently investigating the case.

“Pet protection has increased and so has the ability to capture crimes on camera,” said Glass.

On Wednesday, June 16, North Carolina legislators voted 47-0 to raise penalties for animal abuse, including: abandonment, starvation, torturing or killing an animal.

Also considered a form of animal abuse is leaving any pet locked in a vehicle without ventilation.

“Susie’s Law” was passed due to a Greensboro, N.C. man, LaShawn Whitehead, who received probation after burning and beating his 8-week-old puppy. The female pit-bull mix survived, was adopted and named Susie.

During several legislative committee’s meetings, to consider passing the bill, Susie was brought into the meetings, floppy ears burned off and her scars still visible.

The abandoned kittens are currently for adoption.

For details on adopting these kittens or any pets contact Roseann: 910-271-3101. Donations can me sent to: PFDC, P.O. Box 152, Wallace, N.C. 28466. Donations are tax deductible.