http://pittcountynow.com Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:12:36 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/345/32/charges-of-racism-are-hurtful-for-both-sides.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/345/32/charges-of-racism-are-hurtful-for-both-sides.html Publisher's Note: Diane Rufino delves into a subject that has long been one of her major concerns - racism. Many Liberals strongly believe that, "it is high time to have a national discussion on race." Well here it begins from the bowels of Beaufort County Now: Diane Rufino Style.

The Author's Note: The theme originated as a post on my blogsite. The article below actually represents a running thread of several posts and includes comments which criticize my points. The criticisms are clearly... Read More]]> Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:58:21 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/344/7/cash-poor-hospital-accepts-county-s-favor-to-buy-its-real-estate.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/344/7/cash-poor-hospital-accepts-county-s-favor-to-buy-its-real-estate.html The hospital and the county shook hands today on a deal that will provide the hospital with the means to pay its debt service to the county and have operating capital—at least for the upcoming fiscal year.

Beaufort County, which currently owns 80 percent of hospital land and buildings, offered to purchase the remaining 20 percent for $4.8 million. The county’s offer was communicated to the hospital board by Beaufort County Manager Paul Spruill at its July 13 meeting. At today’... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:28:25 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/343/3/woolard-to-call-on-butterfield-to-return-tainted-contributions.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/343/3/woolard-to-call-on-butterfield-to-return-tainted-contributions.html Publisher's Note: Submitted as a press release from the Ashley Woolard Campaign.

GOP First District Congressional candidate Ashley Woolard will call on Congressman G.K. Butterfield to return tainted campaign contributions from embattled Democratic congressman Charlie Rangel in a series of press conferences Tuesday.

Woolard will appear at the Pitt County Courthouse in Greenville at 10:30 AM, Woolard for Congress Headquarters in Washington, NC at 1:30 PM and the Wayne County GOP Headquarters in ... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:16:36 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/342/7/remembering-a-hometown-hero-and-renaming-the-runyon-creek-bridge.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/342/7/remembering-a-hometown-hero-and-renaming-the-runyon-creek-bridge.html High over the Saudi Arabian skies, USAF 1st Lt. Patrick Olson piloted his OA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, better known as a "Warthog" to those who flew them. Lt. Olson had been in the air since 0530, and now he knew he had a problem. Lt. Olson had been directing other pilots against Iraqi tank divisions over the skies of Kuwait, and his plane had been damaged extensively by ground fire, and he was very aware of it. Three of his four hydraulic lines had been cut, and he was operating ... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:05:11 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/341/7/hospital-mails-rfp-s-cost-containment-committee-re-emerges.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/341/7/hospital-mails-rfp-s-cost-containment-committee-re-emerges.html For the moment, Beaufort Regional Health System seems to be making some real progress down the much-debated dual-track approach to saving the Washington-based hospital.

On Wednesday of last week, Healthcare Appraisers, Inc. distributed Request For Proposal packets to the 14 organizations which expressed interest in potentially leasing the hospital, according to an e-mail received from BRHS Director of Marketing and Public Relations Pam Shadle on Friday afternoon.

Those 14 organizations are: ... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:50:54 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/340/32/the-secondary-effects-doctrine-and-religious-respect.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/340/32/the-secondary-effects-doctrine-and-religious-respect.html (how this doctrine can be applied to our current dilemma over Religion - to help get it back into our Schools and into public life, without offending the current “Separation of Church and State” jurisprudence)

In light of the serious consequences that have resulted directly from the removal of religion in our schools and in our society, I wish to propose a possible legal pathway to the re-introduction of religion.
There is a doctrine, called the “Secondary Effects” d... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:31:39 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/339/3/general-stanley-mcchrystal-retires-in-a-private-ceremony.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/339/3/general-stanley-mcchrystal-retires-in-a-private-ceremony.html In a small, and emotional ceremony, General Stanley McChrystal retired from the institution that had brought him so much fame, respect and controversy - the United States Army. In this private retirement ceremony, at 6 p.m. Friday, held at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. The retirement ceremony was closed to all but three reporters: Greg Jaffe from the Washington Post, Julian Barnes from the Wall Street Journal, and Gordon Lubold from Politico. The following report is compilation of informa... Read More]]> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:02:23 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/338/36/we-may-just-be-on-the-verge-of-excellence-in-our-school-system.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/338/36/we-may-just-be-on-the-verge-of-excellence-in-our-school-system.html Over the last few years we know of no one who has been any more critical than have we about Beaufort County Schools. Most of those complaints were directed at the former superintendent. Fortunately in our opinion, he resigned. After a short stint by Bill Rivenbark as Interim Superintendent the Board hired Dr. Don Phipps in December, 2009.

Friday (7-23-10) Dr. Phipps gave something of a "year-end report" and reviewed his plans for the coming year and even dared to dream a bit. We were ... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:10:59 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/337/36/school-board-hears-good-news-at-its-retreat.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/337/36/school-board-hears-good-news-at-its-retreat.html Follows superintendent advice to not spend all its money until a Facilities Study is complete

The Beaufort County Board of Education, meeting in a special "workshop" session Friday (7-23-10) focused its discussion on next year's (FY11) capital outlay budget (facilities, equipment etc.). The board was advised by Superintendent Don Phipps that of the $1,503,066 approved on April 22, approximately half has been committed (contracts, purchase orders etc.). $791,974.77 is unencumbered at t... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:46:44 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/336/23/creamed-corn-hold-the-cream.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/336/23/creamed-corn-hold-the-cream.html During the month of July, there’s typically enough sweet corn in Beaufort County to adorn every dinner table, every night. If you’re lucky, you either know somebody, or know somebody who knows somebody who grows it in their garden, and you’re handed off a boxful to store in your crisper. If not, you can buy three cobs from Walmart for under $1, since local crops are thriving. This summer’s perfect formula of direct sunlight and heavy rain yielded cornfields of a rich, vib... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:11:44 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/335/33/rocky-hock-presents-david-a-man-after-god-s-own-heart.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/335/33/rocky-hock-presents-david-a-man-after-god-s-own-heart.html After watching this afternoon’s blowout performance of David (A Man after God’s Own Heart), I can now report that there is nothing ad hoc about the Rocky Hock Playhouse in Washington.

Just because it’s located in the old P.S. Jones Middle School building and is, by definition, a ‘Christian theater’, don’t assume that this theater company gives an unrehearsed performance. In fact, it was quite the contrary.

When compared with Raleigh’s Theater in ... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:28:07 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/334/7/discovering-mac-swood.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/334/7/discovering-mac-swood.html Once upon a time, in the middle of a large county there was a small town, and in the middle of the small town there was a thick, swampy, yet habitable wood, less than one mile away from a grocery store and hospital. That’s right, within walking distance to isles of processed foods and a brand new surgical center, sits an enchanted forest known as Mac’swood, where dozens of regular people live without fences, without gutters and, most importantly, without being haunted by suburban reg... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:21:49 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/332/38/every-picture-tells-a-story-don-t-it-an-afternoon-in-corolla.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/332/38/every-picture-tells-a-story-don-t-it-an-afternoon-in-corolla.html On my last trip to the Outer Banks around Independence Day; more specifically Duck, North Carolina, I spent the afternoon in Corolla in Currituck County. Corolla is best know for a number of principal attractions; most notably: the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Whalehead Club, and the Wild Horses, the natural shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound. My concentration was on the lighthouse, the Whalehead Club and the sound.

Below are a number of pictures, with the obligatory c... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:42:00 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/328/8/celebrating-independence-day-down-east.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/328/8/celebrating-independence-day-down-east.html My home in eastern North Carolina is famous for a number things; not least of which is the celebration of Independence Day - July 4th. In my home county of Beaufort, there is the annual, and most traditional, Town of Belhaven’s Independence Day Parade and subsequent barbeque at the Mayor’s home in Belhaven. As a local elected official, I try to ride in the parade each year, and to enjoy Mayor Adam O’Neal’s sumptuous feast of barbeque pig and chicken, with all the custo... Read More]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:50:11 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/327/2/inception.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/327/2/inception.html After emerging from the dark theater into the glaring midday sun, following a 148 minute descent into Christopher Nolan’s dream sequence, Inception, I’m not embarrassed to say that it took splashing my face with cold water to assure myself that I was really awake. Not as efficient as being ‘kicked’ awake (as they say in the movie); but it worked.

Because I knew I had to write this review, I paid extra close attention to the movie. My hyper-conscious brain followed the ... Read More]]> Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:49:44 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/326/10/the-turnage-theater-announces-its-fourth-season.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/326/10/the-turnage-theater-announces-its-fourth-season.html For Release: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 Katherine Buchholz

The Turnage Theater, a recently renovated historic theater in the heart of Washington, North Carolina’s Historic District, is pleased to announce their lineup for their fourth season as a performing arts venue in Eastern North Carolina.

“We have a really exciting mix of shows this year,” says box office manager, Katherine Buchholz. “Right now we have 17 events including 2 comedy shows and 5 each of childrenR... Read More]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:07:22 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/325/7/whose-hospital-is-it-anyway-the-beaufort-regional-health-system.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/325/7/whose-hospital-is-it-anyway-the-beaufort-regional-health-system.html This is the second in a series entitled "Whose hospital is it anyway?" In the first installment we focused on the Beaufort County Medical Center (BCMC), known to most people as "the Hospital." In this installment we focus on the Beaufort County Health System (BRHS).

The simplest, but rather inadequate, way of looking at BRHS is that it is a legal umbrella that includes BCMC and other affiliates associated with the Hospital. But for many, even those closely connected with the... Read More]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:45:41 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/324/25/july-2010-a-before-and-after-of-the-beaufort-co-housing-market.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/324/25/july-2010-a-before-and-after-of-the-beaufort-co-housing-market.html For the July 2010 Market Report I decided to shift focus from the national real estate market to the local market. I zoomed-in on Beaufort County, divided the county by area, and took unique snapshots of market activity compiled for each area during the 22 months leading up to the Sept. 2008 market collapse, and the 22 months following it.

The data confirmed national trends. Nationally and locally, since the collapse, market volume has increased, the number of days a home sits on the market ha... Read More]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:38:31 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/320/7/whose-hospital-is-it-anyway-we-begin-a-series-examining-its-organizational-structure.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/320/7/whose-hospital-is-it-anyway-we-begin-a-series-examining-its-organizational-structure.html This is the first in a series of articles on how the health care system is organized in Beaufort County. Specifically, the Beaufort County Medical Center, or Hospital Association, Inc., the Beaufort County Regional Health System or Authority and the affiliates owned or controlled by either of those entities. We look at how these entities relate to the County of Beaufort. In this first article we focus on the "Hospital."

It has been our experience that when most people, not intimately ... Read More]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:11:52 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/319/28/why-don-t-we-just-retire-the-word-racism.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/319/28/why-don-t-we-just-retire-the-word-racism.html These past few weeks, I've heard all kinds of people, celebrities, groups, and even animals (ie, the New Black Panther Party) label the TEA Party as "racist." The TEA Party is the only truly patriotic group to have emerged in recent memory and it angers me to hear ridiculous claims leveled against them. If "racist" is used synonymously with "intelligent" and "patriotic," and "honorable" and "respectable," then I guess I won't mind. ... Read More]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:52:40 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/318/15/him-screamworks-love-in-theory-and-practice.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/318/15/him-screamworks-love-in-theory-and-practice.html The Finnish rock band known as HIM has returned with its seventh studio album, "Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice". The five musicians from Helsinki, Finland have started off the new decade with another sonic surprise of a rock album. This album is filled with heavy, goth-tinged, guitar-driven rock tunes that beckon the music-world to relish, savor and urge them to attribute this work to their precious rock and roll compilations. As an observer and listener of HIM's previous alb... Read More]]> Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:17:33 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/317/7/hospital-board-decides-to-stick-with-acting-ceo-chairman-resigns.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/317/7/hospital-board-decides-to-stick-with-acting-ceo-chairman-resigns.html Publisher's Note: Our reporting ranks have been temporarily depleted, so we absolutely appreciate the asistance of our friends at the Beaufort Observer for allowing us to publish their article here below.

The Beaufort County Health Systems board met Tuesday night (7-13-10) and decided not to employ an outside "interim CEO or management team" but to stick with the existing Acting CEO, Susan Gerard with the assistance, as needed, of the previously hired consultant. They voted to continu... Read More]]> Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:30:01 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/316/32/constitutional-watch-christian-legal-society-v-martinez-the-supreme-court-just-doesn-t-get.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/316/32/constitutional-watch-christian-legal-society-v-martinez-the-supreme-court-just-doesn-t-get.html Christian Legal Society Chapter of the University of California, Hastings College of Law v. Martinez Fall Term (October) 2009, Decided June 28, 2010

On June 28th, the Supreme Court handed down yet another disappointing and discouraging decision regarding religious expression and association in this country. It seems that the Court with the responsibility to preserve the intention and integrity of our Constitution and to see that it is faithfully executed and respected, has turned its back on th... Read More]]> Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EDT