My apologies to the OOPS folks; I’ve been remiss in posting about the outing nearly two weeks passed. Some wonderful work came from the outing.

My photographs are here. (PSST! Hey, Bernie. You’ll really like this one.)

Cindy Archbell was there and her photographs are great. Messrs. Tony Bryan and Lawrence Crane also attended with film (huh, wha?) cameras in tow.

Also belatedly, I want to congratulate all the OOPS artists on getting a month-long exhibition at the Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts during June 2008.

The January outing is set for the 20th at 1pm at the Heart’s Desire Equine Rescue.

More than a month since the inquiry was complete and nearly two weeks since I sent a letter to the editor and blogged the news, the Jacksonville Daily News has reported on Onslow County Commissioner (and failed 2006 candidate for Clerk of Superior Court) Delma Collins‘ campaign finance FUBAR.

The article doesn’t cover any new ground except for having great quotes from Commissioner Collins.

An example from the article:

“I made a mistake,” Collins said. “But you have to be a bookkeeper to understand election finance laws.”

Mr. Collins, indeed, you do not need to be a bookkeeper to understand the election finance laws. You simply have to read the regulations, attend training by the local or state Boards of Election, and ask questions if you’re that confused. It’s clear that by reaching the threshold limit of $3,000 in June (months prior to Election Day) you either acted intentionally to avoid reporting your campaign finance or you are incapable of managing your campaign funds. Neither is acceptable.

When questioned about motives regarding the inquiry, Collins had an interesting answer:

“This is nothing more than old enemies taking potshots at me,” Collins said.

As a response to the statement, I made this comment on the online article:

It’s nice to see the Jacksonville Daily News doing some investigative reporting. Too bad it’s been almost a month and a half since the report was released and it’s been reported on the ENC Forums and other websites.

As for Mr. Collins’ comment, since the SBOE found several instances of violations of campaign finance regulations, it’s not “Enemies taking potshots.”

The article did have one new and intriguing iota of news:

Collins said if he runs for office again, he will file differently.

“I have learned a valuable lesson,” Collins said. “If I do decide to run for a higher office in the future, I will not file under the $3,000 threshold.”

Mr. Collins, you promised your family, your friends, and, most importantly, your constituency that, should you lose the race for Clerk of Superior Court, you would leave politics at the end of your term as County Commissioner.

Perhaps you’ve forgotten, so I will quote the letter your campaign sent to teachers in Onslow County Schools:

I have promised my family that I will leave the political arena if I am unsuccessful in this endeavor.

Keep that promise, Mr. Collins. For the good of your family, for the good of your friends, and for the good of your constituency, keep your promise. Leave politics.

The Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts is hosting their annual Holiday Reception on Saturday (December 8th) from 10am to 2pm. Come by the Council’s Baysden Gallery located at 826 New Bridge Street in Jacksonville and see the decorations and the gifts available for purchase.

The Onslow Outdoor Painters Society is having their third paint-out this Sunday (December 9th). The scene is an old farm off of Old 30, near the intersection with Piney Green Road in Jacksonville.

I’ve invited some photographers, and, if you’re a photographer or painter, feel free to come on out. You can find directions, and more information, here.

Vandalism at the Russell Marine and Family Services Center! Ruffians struck at the II MEF Family Readiness Office by covering the door in yellow wrapping paper. They completed their dastardly deed by taping plastic garland and a large red bow over the paper.

If you know anyone that may have information, please pass it on.

North Carolina’s Junior Senator, Richard Burr (R) lost his bid for the Republican Senate Conference Chairmanship to Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee.

The move marks a decidedly moderate shift in Republican Senatorial politics, as Alexander has pledged to make Senate Republicans more attractive to independent and unaffiliated voters (most of whom are more moderate than either Democrats or Republicans).

It’s also a continuing trend of North Carolinian Republicans losing authority within the Republican Party. Earlier this year Senator Elizabeth Dole was fired from the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee after failing to maintain a majority of Republicans in the Senate as well as leading the Campaign Committee deep into debt. Our Congressman, Walter B. Jones, Jr. has lost authority because of his stance against the occupation of Iraq, other Republican representatives have lost authority because the Republicans are in the Minority (and there’s no end in sight to their position).

It’s time to elect Democrats from North Carolina. For President, for the Senate, and for the House.

Tonight the Onslow County Board of Commissioners elected Lionell Midgett as their Chairman for 2008. Commissioner Paul Buchanan will remain the Vice Chairman.

Correction: According to the Jacksonville Daily News, Commissioner (and challenger to Republican Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr.) Joe McLaughlin was elected as the Vice Chairman.

In other Board of Commissioner news, the Jacksonville Daily News still has not reported anything on the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ inquiry on Commissioner Delma Collins’ inability to manage his campaign finance records from his failed bid for Clerk of Superior Court. They also haven’t published the letter to the editor I sent.

It’s been almost a month since the report was released and the “paper of record” for Onslow County has failed to print anything. It’s a darned shame that the Jacksonville Daily News is withholding this pretty darned important information from the voters of Onslow County.

What do you think?

Has anyone noticed something different about the iTunes podcast store? When perusing the podcast section by category, I end up in a very unsexy list-like interface. Completely not cool. There’s no extra information on the podcasts, just the basic information (title, artist, genre, etc.).

It’s making it quite complicated to shop for new and exciting podcasts, that’s for certain.

Somebody at the local nutjob message board has been sending offensive private messages to the female users.

Remember the controversy surrounding Onslow County Commissioner Delma Collins’ 2006 failed campaign for Clerk of Superior Court?

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has released its findings regarding Commissioner Collins. In a letter dated November 5th, the Board noted that Collins accepted business contributions (in-kind contributions from Donald Keith Branch of Allstate Insurance and Michael Lazzara (Yes, the City Councilman)), paid cash for advertisement purchases, and submitted campaign finance reports late. All of which are violations of campaign finance regulations.

The letter also suggets that Collins submitted information that could not be corroborated:

You stated that the Onslow County Board of Elections instructed you to file a final report after the elections in the event that you exceeded the threshold. You also stated that Ed Brown, candidate for sheriff, received the same instructions. Neither Mr. Brown nor the Onslow County Board of Elections corroborated your statements.

The letter also directs Collins to re-open his campaign committee, pay a fee of $1,288.72, file an amended report to include all receipts and expenses, and providing a sworn statement describing the source of funds used to purchase advertising from the Jacksonville Daily News.

They’re well-earned, but not excessive, punishments.

I wonder, though, if the letter was signed November 5th, when the Jacksonville Daily News is going to get around to reporting the news?

Courtesy your local neighborhood Wikipedia:

• Twenty-one is a Fibonacci number, a Harshad number, a Motzkin number, a triangular number and an octagonal number, as well as a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 3 and 7.
• 21 is the fifth discrete bi-prime and the second in the (3.q) family. With 22 it forms the second discrete bi-prime pair. 21 has an aliquot sum of 11 though it is the second composite number found in the 11-aliquot tree with. 18 is the first such member as well having as 21 as its aliquot sum 21 is the first number to be the aliquot sum of three numbers 18,51,91
• 21 appears in the Padovan sequence, preceded by the terms 9, 12, 16 (it is the sum of the first two of these).
• The sum of divisors for the integers 1 through 5 is 21.
• 21 is a repdigit in base 4 (111).
• 21 is the smallest number of differently sized squares needed to square the square.

My letter was printed in today’s Jacksonville Daily News. Unfortunately, their website hasn’t been updated, so I can’t provide linkage.

Unfortunately, it’s too late. The Jones County Board of Commissioners has voted to table a resolution to oppose the site located near the Jones-Onslow Border.

While the Onslow Board of Commissioners hold court with eyes and ears covered, the battle is raging against an OLF. Their absence, and lack of leadership, will allow the U.S. Navy to steamroll Jones County. With a population of less than 11,000 people and a median income just barely above the poverty line, who will stand up for those people?

Certainly not Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. Certainly not Senators Elizabeth Dole or Richard Burr. And most certainly not the Onslow County Board of Commissioners.

Even a 6-year old boy has done more than the Onslow County Board of Commissioners to fight the U.S. Navy’s plan. Joseph Dickerson wrote a letter to the Elizabeth City Daily Advance.

My name is Joseph Cole Dickerson, and I am 6 years old. I like all the animals and stuff here. I don’t want the Navy outlying landing field. The animals will not like an OLF. Some of my teachers would have to move. I would not like that. I hope people will help keep it from coming.

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners could take a lesson from young Mr. Dickerson. Unfortunately, and pathetically, they won’t.

There is some grumbling on the local nutjob message board about healthcare in Jacksonville. The writer specifically had bad things to say about Med Care facility on Hwy 17/Marine Blvd.

Says joaniecol:

What I want to know is how when a patient, who is already not feeling well, ask how long they anticipate a wait to be and be told about 45-1 hour wait - - - ask to pay for their copay up front - - only then to be stuck waiting for 2 hrs and 40 minutes before even being brought into a room. Then, another 40 minutes before a “doctor” comes in to see you - spends no more then 8 minutes with you - and then it takes another 20 minutes for “documentation” for discharge to be given.

Four hours is a really long time to be waiting for treatment…I’d guess that even the Onslow Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room would be able to provide services in that period.

Unfortunately, Jacksonville does not have very many (if any) good general practitioner doctors. The problem is that very few private practice doctors can accept Tricare (the payer for military dependents) and stay in business. This creates a vacuum for the franchise medical offices, such as Med Care to swoop in and prey on the citizens.

It’s a sad state of affairs, but as long as there are free-market fundamentalists (such as the John Locke Foundation and the Club for Growth) out there, it’s the way it’ll be.

It’s a shame and a sham that will continue until the U.S. moves to a single-payer health-care system.

Did you realize I’ve pass 2,500 posts on this blog? Me either. Holy crap. It’s no wonder I’m running out of material…

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

The OOPS folks will be meeting on December 9th at the Aman Farm (off of Old 30, near the Piney Green intersection). The meet is scheduled to start at 1pm.

Here’s a map to aid in navigation.

View Larger Map

I’ll be there, and invite other photographers to come. It sounds like a great place for photography.

Today’s Jacksonville Daily News has the story.

It’s a smart idea, especially since the Marine Corps is over-taxed by the occupation of Iraq.

There’s only one thing that bothers me about this:

From the article:

Jacksonville Police Chief Mike Yaniero said he has had several conversations with the provost marshal about what the new base police force will mean to his department.

“Of course I expect to see an effect on the police force,” Yaniero said. “But I have been talking to (base officials) to make sure that Jacksonville’s level of police service is not diminished.”

Base officials have said they will work to ensure local law enforcement agencies are not put in jeopardy.

Does that mean the hiring authority aboard Camp Lejeune is going to actively avoid hiring qualified and experienced law enforcement officers from the Jacksonville Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies? If it does, wouldn’t that be a violation of government hiring practices? Regardless, though, it sounds fishy and inappropriate. The most highly qualified applicants should be selected, regardless of where they are currently employed. To do otherwise isn’t fair to the applicant and it isn’t fair to base security.

The below post has been edited slightly and sent to Jacksonville’s Daily News, Swansboro’s Tideland News, Morehead City’s Carteret News-Times, Greenville’s Daily Reflector, Elizabeth City’s Daily Advance, Kinston’s Free Press, Havelock’s News, Nags Head’s OuterBanks Sentinel, New Bern’s Sun Journal, Washington’s Daily News, Topsail’s Free Voice, Goldsboro’s News-Argus, and Wilmington’s Star-News.

Remember when I emailed the Onslow County Board of Commissioners regarding my concerns about the proposed OLF sites nearest to Onslow County?

It’s been a month-and-a-half and still no response.

Yesterday, NC’s Governor, Mike Easley, said this:

“They see an OLF as almost all burden and no benefit. That is why I am urging our congressional delegation to ask the Navy to take these views into account and develop alternative proposals.”

The “they” in Easley’s comments are the communities in Eastern North Carolina where the Navy had originally planned to build their outlying landing field.

The Governor wants the Navy should find other locations for the OLF. This position puts him at odds with our Senators, Elizabeth Dole (R) and Richard Burr (R) who feel the sites identified are adequate and that the Navy can choose from that list.

Why is any of this important? How does the Onslow County Board of Commissioners’ lack of effort matter?

There has been great resistance against the Navy to build an OLF in northeastern North Carolina, but there has been little of that resistance regarding the southeastern sites. The Navy will get their unnecessary outlying landing field. It will be built and it will destroy acres of games lands, research forests, and wetlands. It will cause a small temporary economic boost, but will cause long-term economic decline as the field will be used for a decade, then abandoned. The use will be temporary, but the loss will be permanent.

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners are standing idly by and missing out on the opportunity to be leaders in Eastern NC. Because of that lack of leadership by Onslow’s Commissioners, the Navy will get what they want and the wishes of the citizens will be ignored.

So, the election day refuse is cleared away and Jacksonville has a new government.

Former-police chief and current Councilman Sammy Phillips will be chairing the Council as Mayor. Michael Lazzara and Fannie Coleman (representatives for Wards 3 and 4 respectively) both won their unopposed contests. Turner Blount and Jerry Bittner (Wards 1 and 2) both lost their bids. Jerome Willingham defeated Blount and Reva Sullivan bested Bittner. Horace Mann, the only At-Large incumbent running (Sammy Phillips had bigger fish to fry) lost. Alva Williams and Randy Thomas won the two available seats.

I hope that I’m wrong, I hope that these will be forward-thinking representatives and that the new Council will be able to find the very narrow path between saving tax-payers money and providing needed services and preparing Jacksonville for the future.

I hope that I’m wrong…But, for some reason, I doubt that I am…