Beaufort County Commissioner Seeks Re-election

Most notably of which, they just want you to give them money and they want you to vote for them, and some of them will say and do the darndest things to achieve such. In fact, I have minded my manners for some time since the Candidate's Public Forum at the Beaufort County Community College, when I became incredulous over the sophistic comments by Commissioner Al Klemm, and Commissioner Candidates Jerry Evans and Bertie Arnhols. But now more information is trickling in, and I can not remain silent, especially in light of the inarguable fact that there is so much taxpayer money at stake and the final vote of this election cycle is Tuesday.

Earlier in BCN, on October 23, 2010, I published an op-ed, "It is my Prayer that One Day we Will Deserve a Better Government," which admonishes, in part, the apparent sophistry of these 3 candidates, who want to be county commissioners. At this time, and it happens about every six years, there is one defining issue that must be dealt with by the co... Read More

Campaign Schedule

November 2, 2010, Tuesday from 6:00 am: At all precinct polling places. Election Day in this General Election. Stan will be visiting precincts all day until the polls close.

October 14, 2010, Thursday from 6:45 am: Beaufort County Board of Elections, Highland Drive, Washington, NC. Early Voting Begins.

October 12, 2010, Tuesday 7:00 pm: Beaufort County Community College, Hwy 264 East, Washington, NC. Candidates Forum

September 11, 2010, Saturday from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Bennett Vineyard, Richland Township. Republican Rally

July 3, 2010, Saturday from 11:00 am - 11:55 am: The Belhaven, North Carolina 4th of July Parade: Ride.
Main Street, Belhaven, NC.

July 3, 2010, Saturday from 10:15 am - 10:55 am: The Boyette Civic Center: Dignitary Breakfast
The Boyette Community Center, 257 West Pungo Street, Belhaven, NC.

July 1, 2010, Thursday from 5:15 pm - 9:00 pm: E&R Meeting
The Commissioner's Meeting Room, 131 West Third Street, Washington, NC.

June 30,... Read More

And we are all at fault if you subscribe to the belief we get the government we deserve. I do. You will too if you want to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

The problem is our nation's government, many state governments, and local governments are going bankrupt. Some local governments, like here in Beaufort County, have managed their costs of delivering services quite well; however, the states these county's governments are subservient to are foundering. Beaufort County's fiscal stability could be dragged into the morass that North Carolina's Democrats have built for our state as North Carolina's state government is on the cusp of foundering as well.

In the General Election of 2010, North Carolina's General Assembly will, for the first time since Reconstruction, be run by Republicans. In that election, the people overwhelmingly spoke that they wish to be governed in a manner that is one of fiscal responsibility.

Is it a clear, sustained voice that the ... Read More

Publisher's Note: Delma Blinson, of the Beaufort Observer, is once again recording the news with his trusty little camera, and we appreciate it. Here below are a number of Delma's 10 minute segments chronicling that meeting of the Beaufort County Medical Community and the Beaufort County medical Center's Board of Commissioners.

We recorded the entire meeting and the video clips are presented in two batches. Those below are the first batch, with approximately 10 minute segments to facility downloading. The are more or less consecutive except for some gaps during the transitions. The second batch will be posted tomorrow.

There is a public hearing scheduled for October 27 at 6:00 pm at Beaufort Community College. Other staff and the public are invited to speak to the board at that time. Following the public hearing the process of negotiating with each, or some of the proposers is planned, according to board chairman Alice Mills-Sadler. The board will then decide whether to recommend a... Read More

The last local election in Beaufort County was a diluted microcosm of the Republican sweep in the nation this last General Election, November 2, 2010. I say diluted because there are certain limiting factors that will generally moderate the momentum of any political tsunami in Beaufort County. This political post mortem will allude to these limiting factors, as I attempt to explain what happened locally, and why it happened as it did.

Undoubtedly, the most important outcome of all of the races in Beaufort County's state and local politics was the first Republican, in the person of Bill Cook, to be elected to North Carolina State House since 1998. The astounding feat of this election is not so much that he won, which is remarkable for someone who has never run in a political campaign before, but the margin by which he won: 12,808 votes to 11,126 votes over Incumbent NC Representative Arthur Williams in the 6th District race. What Bill Cook lacked in experience in communicating his... Read More

First of a three-part series

We were treated last week to yet another example of bad reporting. This time by Emery P. Dalesio of the Associated Press who wrote a story headlined: Court: Suspended N. C. students can go unschooled. It was a story on the NC Supreme Court's rulings in two cases that came from Beaufort County. For that reason, we presume, the Washington Daily News gobbled up the flimsy reporting and ran it virtually unedited.

You can read the AP story by clicking here.

When we asked a couple of friends who read the AP story what they got out of it we confirmed our suspicions: It was all wrong.

Most people would conclude after reading the AP report that the students lost their case. Just the opposite happened.

The students had lost, lock stock and barrel at the trial court level. Their suit was dismissed by Judge William Griffin. The students appealed to the Court of Appeals where the dismissal was upheld in a 2-1 decision. The Supreme Court however "reversed and rema... Read More