Down East Wood Ducks ~ in Kinston????

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Well, the team has been named - - the new Kinston baseball team's name has been chosen and it's really disappointing to many Down East residents.  Even though there was a huge campaign to persuade the Texas Ranger's leadership to use a name other than "Down East" - those efforts were apparently all in vain. 

Coastal Review Online published a story today that clearly describes this ball team naming procedures as well as explaining exactly "where" Down East is located and how we have felt during this processRead their article here.

Holiday Open House

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The Kindred Spirit Gift Shop & Green Gables Tea Room will be hosting a Holiday Open House, Saturday, November 19, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.

Libby Liles, proprietor, encourages everyone to bring your friends to enjoy seasonal teas and goodies, register for a drawing, receive a complimentary Victorian calendar, list your wants on their Wish Book, and shop for unique gifts - vintage and new!

The Kindred Spirit Gift Shop

December Craft Show

/ The Bridge Down East/Ramsey Center/

The Bridge Down East/Ramsey Center will be holding the 3rd Annual Christmas Craft Show for crafters, artists, and direct sales merchandisers December 3-4, 2016. Indoor and outdoor spaces are available at a great price. And the event will be open that Saturday, 9am-8pm. And Sunday, 12pm-8pm. There's a lot of traffic on Harkers Island that weekend. It's a great opportunity!  Don't miss out! All proceeds from booth rentals/spaces will benefit the youth center.

For more information email, Jamie Ebron, at emashaisbeautyelements@gmail.com

Learn about the Waterways Management Committee and 1/4 Cent Sales Tax Referendum

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The Carteret County Waterways Management Committee was formed earlier this year by the County Commissioners. The Committee consists of eight Board Members, one member from each County Commissioners’ District and one County Commissioner. The County Commissioners realize that the waterways of Carteret County are crucial to the future of development and maritime life. The charge of the Waterways Management Committee is to ensure the health and maintenance of the County’s waterways and continue to promote commerce and recreational opportunities.

Citizens and other interested parties are encouraged to attend and learn more about this Committee and the planning process that is currently underway. Additionally, with the November 8th election quickly approaching this will serve as an opportunity for both elected officials and county staff to answer questions concerning the ¼ Cent Sales Tax Referendum appearing on the ballot.

Meeting will be held at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum – 1785 Harkers Island Road, Harkers Island on November 1st at 6:00 p.m. 

Read more information here. 

Down East Christmas Parade 2016

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**Attention**

This years Christmas Parade will be held at Marshallberg. Any and all interested in participating please are asked to email Fire Dept at  marshallbergvfd@gmail.com!!  Please pass it on to the churches, businesses, and individuals.  It will be December 11 and the line up starts at 12 pm.  The parade is scheduled to begin at 3:00.

Let's show Carteret County the best Down East Parade ever!!

Community Nights at Core Sound Museum to return in 2017!

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Community Nights will return with Rodney Kemp leading the conversation and community members sharing their stories … old and new. These will be held the 4th Monday Nights of each month; covered dish at 6, program at 7.

Jan: Davis Shore
Feb: Salter Path
Mar: Williston/Smyrna/Marshallberg
Apr: Portsmouth
May: Stacy/Sea Level
June Otway/Bettie
July: Gloucester/Straits
Aug: Diamond City
Sept: Atlantic/Cedar Island
Oct: Promise Land
Nov: Harkers Island

Down East Meals on Wheels

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February of 2012, Meals on Wheels came to Down East.  Our area was divided into three region:  (1)  Straits, Harkers Island, Otway, Gloucester, and Bettie, coordinated by Lillie Chadwick Miller; (2)  Marshallberg, Smyrna, Williston, and Davis, coordinated by Beth Piner; and (3) Stacy, Sea Level, Atlantic, and Cedar Island, coordinated by Luann Taylor.  The below information describes the program and requirements:

(1)  Clients should be referred for the program through the Department of Social Services,    
       local  churches and/or leaders.

(2)  The Down East Meals on Wheels program is not federally funded.  The program accepts
        donations that are used to provide meals for those individuals that are financially unable
        to pay for their meals themselves.  Each meal costs $5.

(3)  The program focuses on individuals that are senior citizens or disabled, those that are    
        financially in need, or are physically unable to prepare a meal for themselves.

If you have further questions, please contact Lillie Chadwick Miller at 252-728-4566 or lmiller@ec.rr.com

 

Down East Calendar of Events!

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Please check out the "calendar" each time you visit our website.  It can be found on the menu bar at the top of the page.

We also encourage churches, groups, volunteers, and/or anybody, to submit your events for placement on the calendar.  There are several events on the calendar already for this month as well as November!

Send your events to us at: downeastcommunitynews@gmail.com or   lmiller@ec.rr.com

Thanks!!

EARLY VOTING begins Thursday, October 20!

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One Stop Voting, also called early voting, begins in North Carolina Thursday, October 20 and continues through Saturday, November 5.  In Carteret County, there are five locations where you may vote.  The locations are: 
(1)  Board of Elections office in Beaufort
(2) Davis Fire Department in Davis
(3) Fort Benjamin in Newport
(4) Morehead City Parks/Rec Department in Morehead City
(5) Western Park Community Center

The Davis One Stop site will be open as follows:
Each weekday (Monday - Friday), October 20 - November 4, the hours are
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturdays October 22, October 29, and November 5,  8:00 am- 1:00 pm

One Stop sites (with the exception of the Davis site) will be open as follows: 
Each weekday (Monday - Friday) October 20 - November 4, the hours are 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturdays, October 22, 29, November 5, the polls are open 8:00 am - 1:00 pm

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Changes to keep in mind:
*No photo ID is required
*Same-day registration is allowed

View a sample ballot here.

View a sample ballot for Harker Island precinct ONLY here.

If you have questions, please contact or visit the Carteret County Board of Elections located in the Beaufort Square Shopping Center or call 252.728.8460.

 

Matthew Is Making a Visit Down East

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Hurricane Matthew has been visiting Down East all day!  The worst part of the storm should make itself known by midnight tonight. 

We're posting some picturesof the hurricane so far.  If you would like to share your hurricane pictures with us, please email them to downeastcommunitynews@gmail.com

Thanks and enjoy the pics!

 

Down East Is . . .

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The cause continues!  Our voices are being heard and we need to continue by encouraging you to sign the online petition if you haven't already done so.  You can find the online petition here.   Share this link with your friends and family!!

TIME TO BEGIN THE LETTER WRITING ...

For those of you who have been asking about writing letters -- PLEASE DO. This rainy windy weekend is a perfect time to write an old fashioned letter expressing our concerns and helping them LEARN that Down East is not Kinston.

Even if all you have time for is to send a picture with the message Down East IS ... not Kinston, that works. Be sure to sign it!

To write the Mayor, here's his address:
Mayor BJ Murphy
PO Box 339
Kinston, NC 28502

To write the team management:
General Manager Wade Howell
160 Mine Lake Cr Ste 200
Raleigh, NC 27615

To write the team owners:
Joe Januszewski, President
Neil Leibman, CEO
1000 Ballpark Way, Suite 400
Arlington, TX 76011-5170

No closure of the recreational or commercial southern flounder fisheries

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Judge John Jolly, Jr., listened to 2 hours of testimony from our side and the state, recessed at noon and came back at 1:30 to announce his decision.

There will be no closure of the recreational or commercial southern flounder fisheries on Oct 16th and no quota for the pound net fishery! Daily reporting will NOT be required for the pound net fishery.

Size limit remains at 15 and gear restrictions such as escape panels & 6 in minimum mesh for gillnets remain in effect.

Disposal of Unused, Outdated Medications

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Area residents will have the opportunity to safely dispose of unused or expired medications.  Disposing of your old prescription medications is a simple way to help prevent drug abuse. By disposing of your unused or expired medications, you can help reduce the prescription drugs in American homes that, unfortunately, have become the target of theft and misuse, oftentimes by people who have access to your residence. 

You can drop off your unused or outdated medications at Express Care Pharmacy located in Otway at 708 Hwy 70 (In the same building as the Down East Library, Snap Fitness, and Chadwick Tire).

Please share this information with your family, friends, and neighbors.  This is an important step in reducing crime related to drug abuse.

 

One Stop (Early) Voting 2016

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ONE STOP (EARLY) VOTING BEGINS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2016

Dates and times of early voting are listed below.  Notice there will be three Saturdays available to vote early.

October 20, 2016 - November 4, 2016 - Monday/Friday - 8:00 am/6:00 pm
Saturdays October 22, October 29, and November 5 - 8:00 am/1:00 pm

Early Voting locations are below.  During early voting, you may vote at any of these locations.

Carteret County Board of Elections
(Beaufort Square Shopping Center)
1702 Live Oak Street, Suite 200, Beaufort, NC 28516

Davis Volunteer Department
595 Highway 70 Davis
Davis NC 28524

Morehead City Parks and Receation Department
1600 Fisher Street
Morehead City, NC 28557

Fort Benjamin Park Recreation Center
100 McQueen Avenue
Newport, NC 28570

Western Park Community Center
275 Old Highway 58
Cedar Point, NC 28584

Absentee Ballot information and how to apply for an absentee ballot can be found at this link:  Absentee Ballot Info

There's a storm a'brewin Down East!

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There’s a storm a’brewin!  It started a few weeks ago and in all honesty, it’s only gaining strength – looks like Cat 5 is a huge possibility!  This storm began in Kinston where the general manager of the new minor league team is getting ready to play ball.  The team leadership is preparing to name the team “Down East ‘something.’”  Once this story hit the newspapers and airwaves, Down East residents, as well as residents in Kinston, began questioning and making waves about this name choice.  The folks of Kinston are upset!  The folks Down East are upset!  But the team management doesn’t seem to be showing signs of weakening their resolve to keep “Down East” in their name.

 

The momentum is strengthening Down East.  Everyone seems to agree, Kinston is definitely NOT Down East; Down East is not a regional area; Kinston is not represented by the heritage and culture of Down East.  The management of the new ball team needs to make a course change and look for a name for the team that represents not only Kinston but the entire region that would support the ball team.  Our voices are being heard – let’s keep this up! 

 

Check out the new facebook page, link here, and “like” the page so you will have access to updates!   So what can you do to help?  Sign a petition, which can be found in many of our local businesses.  You can also sign the online petition at:  Down East IS.   You can write Letters to the Editor, and you can tell your friends and family about the petitions. 

Coming soon, we hope to be on twitter to keep this movement going even stronger!!   We don't want to dilute our area, heritage and culture by "Down East" being used in ways that does not truly represent us!

Down East Women's Shelter Opens

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This summer an Ezra Non-Profit Ministry opened a home on Harkers Island Road with the purpose "to empower women to overcome their obstacles, heal their hurts, and become healthy, active, self-supporting individuals."   The ministry will focus on providing shelter, transportation, food and clothing, as well as, emotional, educational and spiritual help for women in need.  Their emphasis is directed toward women living in the Down East area.

The ministry includes the Center for Women's Ministries that is located on the same property at 606 Harkers Island Road.  This is a non-denominational volunteer program that will provide Christ-centered counseling, Bible study, and support groups. 

Women with ongoing addiction or abuse issues are referred to county programs and ministries with expertise in these areas.  While the Down East Community Thrift Store is the primary financial supporter, they are in continual need for assistance with their monthly expenses.  They have also reached out to the Down East churches for help. 

There are several areas where you can volunteer and get involved with this ministry.  For more information, you can stop by the Down East Community Thrift Store or contact the Down East Center for Women's Ministries at 252-619-4636.  You may also email them at mailto:decounselling@yahoo.com.