Best of The Carolinas Today

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1120-7 2 0 - 7 Shallotte Shallotte C Crossing r o s s i n g Parkway Parkway Shallotte, S hallotte, N North orth C Carolina a r o l i n a 228470 8470 ((Next N e x t ttoo Belk) Belk) 9910-755-5546 10-755-5546

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Model Profile Brandan Smirnoff

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Firecracker Wings Chef Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

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What Time?

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Take a Peek at your Pet’s Eyes

Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Gratin Chef Bobby Flay, host of Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction

Brad Redding, PGA Master Professional in Instruction

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Dr. Ernie Ward

Winter Vegetable Minestrone Chef Curtis Stone, host of Top Chef Masters

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Turkey Cassoulet with Butter Beans Nadia G, host of Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen

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Past Performances for: Previous Appearances: Rudy Guiliani Royal Imperial Palace – Vienna Steve Forbes Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas Prince Khalid Bin Saud Waldorf Astoria – New York US Senator Mall of America – Minneapolis Norm Coleman

Clients include: Target, Shop NBC, Mall of America, American Red Cross Performances Availability for select Weddings, Corporate Events, Fundraisers

www.PhilThompson.com

The Incredible Entertainment Experience The New 2010 One The Show debuted on February 4, 2010. Alabama Theatre, voted #1 Live Theatre By Myrtle Beach Locals and Visitors, has been featured over the years on all major networks, has even been a popular question on the game show Jeopardy. Producer, Gaylord Entertainment, makes significant changes to the production each year, and the Alabama Theatre professionals deliver an incredible entertainment experience to audiences night after night. It’s everything from Country, Rock, Gospel, Pop, Broadway and plenty of great family comedy.

The audience will recognize new and past chart topping songs of America’s favorite music and be wowed by new Broadway production numbers. The talented entertainers, costumes and special effects will make you feel like you are in New York or Las Vegas.

As always, the charm of emcee and featured vocalist Greg Rowles will make audiences feel at home each night. The show features two huge production numbers that open both the first and second half of the show as well as many other new songs and costumes throughout the show. Also, returning is one of the funniest guys in the country. Grant Turner’s Ricky Mokel has become a crowd favorite and the audiences hang on every word.

As one of our recent theatre patrons said, “three generations of my family laughed until we cried”. So, if you want an evening filled with song, dance and laughter the Alabama Theatre is the place where you will want to be with your family and friends.

Alabama Theatre presents its 2010 Guest Artists Concert Series, which brings artists like the Oak Ridge Boys, Larry The Cable Guy, Josh Turner, George Jones, Temptations & Four Tops and many more. Please visit www. alabama-theatre.com for updated information.

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his awesome 3 bedroom, 3 & 1/2 bath home on large lot in small quiet subdivision in Carolina Shores. Huge built in entertainment center on one wall in the living room. Granite counter tops and glass back splash in the kitchen. Stainless steel appliances. Sliding drawers in lower kitchen cabinets. Beautiful wood floors in the living areas. Gorgeous ceramic tile in the bathrooms and the laundry room. Detailed molding in all rooms. Irrigation system. Alarm system. Approximately 2 miles from Calabash, the Seafood Capital. Back yard fenced in with white vinyl fencing. 2 car garage with stained floor. Well manicured and landscaped yard. 40 x 16 foot bonus room with full bath and office. White Plantation Blinds and 8 foot Charleston Doors in all rooms and closets. Ten foot ceilings. New carpet and freshly painted. This home is in immaculate condition and move in ready. When this seller says Move In Ready they mean it. This home is a MUST SEE. MLS# 676839

Beach Realty 910-754-2301 (Office) 910-612-9503 (Cell) 910-754-2303 (Fax)

Tanya Rice Faircloth Broker in Charge SPS, SRES, CSSS TanyaFaircloth.com

I decided to become involved with real estate in 2004, and got my NC Real Estate Broker License in the same year. I also took classes in Appraising at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC and received my NC Appraisal Trainee License in 2004.

My goal is to provide my buyers and sellers with all the information they need to make an informed decision. I have a high regard for honesty, integrity and loyalty and use these attributes when bringing buyers and sellers together.

I began working with Beach Realty of Holden Beach, Inc. in January 1, 2005, at their Shallotte Office. I am still at the same office. In 2005 and 2006, my sales were right at $2 million.

I can help you with all your real estate needs, whether buying or selling, and would consider it an honor to work for you.

By J.D. Jones

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Every Explorer knows this place. That elusive, hard to imagine proverbial “end of the road.� Not a mythical place, but a place of substance and beauty and quiet reflection. A place so real that the senses are overloaded and begin to wonder if maybe it doesn't really exist. Every explorer searches for it. And a few happy ones actually discover it.

At the extreme western end of Sunset Beach is the end of the road. The place where all exploration culminates in a fantastic assault on the senses emboldened by an extreme solitude unlike any other place on earth. A place so different from its surroundings that it screams out its existence by its very silence: Bird Island.

Not actually an island any more since the hurricanes have filled in all the channels where water once flowed, Bird Island is a 1481 acre undeveloped barrier island just west of Sunset Beach and reaching to the South Carolina line.

Shrouded in local folklore, this North Carolina Coastal Reserve is a pristine ecosystem of unimaginable beauty set aside from the destructive forces of human development and habitation. There are few, even among the locals, who actually know the true story of Bird Island.

The beauty of Bird Island is that it is untouched and will stay that way. Privately owned before 2002, it was purchased by the state of North Carolina and declared a natural coastal reserve. Administrated by the North Carolina division of Coastal Management, Bird Island has been saved from any kind of development thereby ensuring that all who visit will find her waiting just as she has been for decades.

In 1981 an anonymous woman from Hope Mills, NC known as Kindred Spirit, had a dream that prompted her to place a mailbox on a spit of land accessible only by swimming or boating. Inside she placed a journal for visitors to the

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mailbox to record their thoughts or read about others. The original location was Tubb's Inlet between Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach.

Three years later, a storm washed away the little spit of land that contained the mailbox and another location was sought. A friend of the woman's, Frank Nesmith, suggested Bird Island and so was born the current day location of the Kindred Spirit mailbox about a mile from Sunset Beach. The mailbox has been the subject of several news reports helping to create a free-spirited personality for this line stretch of marshlands and beach.

There are only two man-made structures on Bird Island. One is the mailbox with Kindred Spirit painted on its side and the other is a granite rock jetty that reaches out into the sea from the western most edge of the North Carolina part of the island. After the jetty there is another quarter mile of land before the Little River Inlet. That part actually belongs to South Carolina.

There are several rare species of flora and fauna on the island, most notably the Loggerhead Turtles and the Seabeach Amaranth. With thousands of birds and animals and varieties of plant life, Bird Island is a perfect birding and naturalist destination. She silently beckons all who love nature to come and explore her untouched beauty and natural, wild personality.

The other side of Bird Island's personality is a place of national intrigue. Typing in Bird Island on a computer, one cannot help but notice the references to nudist destinations that accompany any Bird Island search. It's story that rivals the best fiction and tells a most amazing history.

When Bird Island was a privately held island, it was utilized by passing boaters and straying beach enthusiasts as a secluded bastion of clothing optional sunbathing. Because it was privately held and not a part of any municipality of Brunswick County, there was no law enforcement agency that covered Bird Island. Without any official designation, it became listed by nudist enthusiasts as a public destination to apply their alternate lifestyle. Wikipedia.com still lists it as a Nudist destination. Matter of fact, Wikipedia.com lists Sunset Beach as a Nudist Beach.

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It gets better. Along comes the state and buys the property with state funds and private funds donated by those desiring to keep Bird Island pristine and uninhabited. This private funding element creates a stir among those wanting to keep Bird Island a nudist destination. They reason that because it is still private, they are still welcome to practice their open air freedoms. Truth is, Bird Island is a state-owned and operated Natural Coastal Reserve and as such is under North Carolina public law. North Carolinas law forbids all forms of public nudity.

Since Bird Island is a public island, it falls under that law, thereby making any expression of public nudity against the law. But who will enforce it?

Because Bird Island does not belong to any Brunswick County Community, there was still a question of who will patrol it and enforce the law there. For a time the law went largely unenforced. After an awkward public incident in 2009, the Brunswick County Commissioners asked the Sheriff's Office to place signs apprising people of the North Carolina law and gently reminding them in a subtle way that Bird Island is not a nudist beach. The signs also site other laws about other things. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Still, the Internet websites declare that one can find freedom of expression on Bird Island. It’s probable that the idea of free spirits engendered by the Kindred Spirit mailbox creates a mischievous, permissive atmosphere further excited by the subtle and nonovert signs suggesting that maybe the authorities are looking the other way. Despite that strange chance or maybe because of it, couples walk the beaches and canoeists explore her tidal waters. Scientific studies are accomplished and the wildlife, including wild goats and deer, surprise and delight passersby who dare venture to the end of the road.

A fantastically beautiful and unexpectedly intriguing end of the road.

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day can be enjoyed at The Market Common which is a 114-acre lifestyle center, with impressive town houses. Here visitors can linger at a book store, browse or do exceptional shopping at surrounding small stores packed with name brands. There is also a Grand 14 Cinema, a state-of-the-art cinema-house complex.

Opened in 2008, The Market Common is part of the Myrtle Beach International Airport that once shared part of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Closed in1993, the Base was established in 1941. Many streets are named after MBAFB Wing and Base Commanders. Small memorial information signs of historical facts about the base are scattered throughout The Market Common.

A nice place to stop on the way to The Market Common is the Warbird Park. There is a compelling Wall of Service Memorial dedicated to men, women and civilians who served from 1941-1993 at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. In the lovely park stands a memorial for combat wounded veterans and the three impressive airplanes on display.

The LTV A-7 Corsair II was in combat for the USAF in the late 1960’s in the Southeast Asian conflict. The North American F-100D Super Sabre was active for 10 years in the Berlin Crises, Cuban Crises and the Dominican Republic. A third plane, the Fairchild A-1D Thunderbolt II, flew during Desert Storm and launched AGM-5 Maverick missiles. A tranquil place of honor and remembrance of the brave, the park is a place for photography and reflection. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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or a change of pace, one can jump the ocean waves, play volleyball or be content to construct sand castles on the

beach. Eager divers can search for ship wrecks and scuba dive while serious folks may enjoy shelling and finding beach glass.

Cherry Grove Pier in North Myrtle Beach may be of interest to history buffs due to the fact that the quiet community resembles what

all of the beach communities once looked like, even Myrtle Beach. There are few tall buildings with many small cottages along the ocean. Hurricane Hugo destroyed this pier in 1989 and it was rebuilt. It has an observation deck.

Vacationers shouldn’t miss going to Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk which has a mile long boardwalk. It features marshes along one side and a variety of restaurants and shops on the other. The Marsh Walk is a favorite place for shutterbugs where beautiful sunsets can be captured. It is in the heart of the seafood capital of South Carolina. Low Country cuisine and fresh seafood is bountiful.

Had enough water? The SkyWheel is an exhilarating experience. As you go up and around in the enclosed compartments of the big wheel you are able to see an impressive Myrtle Beach while enjoying a truly breathtaking view. Fireworks explode over the ocean lighting up the night.

There’s nothing like the thrill of The Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventures’ Adrenaline zip rides. The ride is equivalent to flying like a bird. Visitors descending from the adventure have been heard to say, “Thrilling” and “awesome” and “I will go again.” The Freefall Express is an exceptional experience for the adventurous, but not for the fainthearted. Helicopter rides are available in the area as well.

The Coastal Grand Mall and Broadway at the Beach have become a favorite places for visitors who like to shop and dine. Miniature golf plus an arcade of games is nearby for rainy days.

What are you waiting for? Myrtle Beach is ready to give you the time of your life.

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Just a note in closing...

Celebrity and Sports Figure sighting are common here on the Grand Strand, as many of them frequent the local golf courses for charity events or vacations. Here are a few images of Roger Clemens during a recent visit.

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An interview with the legendary

Charlie Daniels – A brief history

The son of a timberman and a Southerner by birth, his music - rock, country, bluegrass, blues, gospel – is quintessentially Southern. In fact, even his bent for all things Western is Southern, because his attire, his lifestyle and his interests are historically emblematic of Southern working class solidarity with the “lone cowboy” individualism of the American West.

Beginning in rural obscurity, Charlie Daniels was born in 1936 in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he “was raised there as much as anywhere. We moved around between South Carolina, Georgia and Wilmington,” due to his fathers work.

He was raised on a musical diet that included Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands, and the rhythm & blues and country music emanating respectively from Nashville’s 50,000watt megabroadcasters WLAC and WSM. After graduating high school in 1955, Charlie Daniels formed a rock 'n' roll band and hit the road, joining the rock 'n' roll revolution that Elvis Presley had ignited. The band soon met Bob Johnston, and recorded “Jaguar”, which was picked up for national distribution by Epic. Daniels and Johnston wrote “It Hurts Me”, which became the flip side of a 1964 Presley hit. Charlie later moved to middle Tennessee to find work as a session guitarist in Nashville at Johnston's urging.

Among his more notable sessions were the Bob Dylan albums of 1969-70 Nashville Skyline, New Morning, and

Charlie & Hazel were married in 1964

Self Portrait. Daniels produced the Youngbloods albums of 1969-70 Elephant Mountain and Ride the Wind, toured Europe with Leonard Cohen and performed on records with artists as different as Al Kooper and Marty Robbins.

In the summer of 1979, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” became a Platinum single, topped both country and pop charts, won a Grammy Award, became an international phenomenon, earned three Country Music Association trophies, became a cornerstone of the Urban Cowboy movie soundtrack and propelled Daniel’s Million Mile Reflections album to Triple Platinum sales levels.

When you hear a classic Charlie Daniels Band performance like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” you hear music that knows no clear genre. Is it a folk tale? A southern boogie?

A country fiddle tune? An electric rock anthem? The answer is, “yes” to all of that and more. And the same goes for “In America,” “Uneasy Rider,” “The South’s Gonna Do It,” “Long Haired Country Boy,” “Still in Saigon,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp,” and the rest of a catalog that spans 50 years of record making and represents more than 20 million in sales.

Charlie Daniels - 1958

In April 1998, top stars and two former Presidents paid tribute to www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Charlie Daniels & Bob Dylan

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WINTER 2010

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Charlie Daniels & John Travolta

Daniels when he was named the recipient of the Pioneer Award at the Academy of Country Music’s annual nationally televised ceremonies.

January 19th, 2008, Charlie’s life long dream became a reality. He was inducted as a full-fledged member into the Grand Ole Opry. “It is an honor that I can’t begin to articulate, there is no way I can express what it means to me”, says Daniels. “And to make it special, I was joined on stage by Russell Palmer, the man who taught me my first guitar chords all those years ago.” “I pursued my dream in music and by the goodness of God have been able to have a wonderful career, which has spanned more than fifty years”.

“I have been blessed with Gold, Platinum and Multiplatinum albums, I have appeared many times on network television, even in moving pictures. I have won multiple awards from The Country Music Association, The Academy of Country Music, The Gospel Music Association and even a Grammy. I have even played on the Grand Ole Opry many times. But I was always on the outside looking in. I was always a guest, never a member.”

“Ain’t God good”!!!!!!!!!!

On September 10, 2010, Charlie Daniels spoke with Patrick Fairbrother of The Carolinas Today. Some excerpts follow: Patrick Fairbrother: How are you doing since your incident on the mountain? (Charlie suffered a mild stroke while snowmobiling in Colorado.)

Charlie Daniels: I'm doing well. I'm doing good. Doctor says everything looks good.

Patrick: You're an extremely patriotic person, have you ever been in the military?

Charlie: Never have been in the military.

Patrick: I see you do a lot of work with the USO...

Charlie: We've done stuff with the USO, but we go all over the place with Stars for Stripes. It's a smaller outfit that does the same thing the USO does. I've been to iraq 3 times with them.

Patrick: Your First Hit? Charlie: “Uneasy Rider” -Daniels broke through as a record maker, himself, with 1973’s Honey In the Rock and its hit hippie song “Uneasy Rider.” His rebel anthems “Long Haired Country Boy” and “The South’s Gonna Do It” propelled his 1975 collection Fire On the Mountain to Double Platinum status Patrick: Have you actually played all of the places in the song “My Beautiful America”? (The first track on his latest CD, “Land That Love”.)

Charlie: I've played every state in the union.

Patrick: I'll bet that's been a phenomenal trip...?

Charlie: Well, it has been, and the funny thing about it, is that when we do an autograph line, I'll ask where their from (The Fans). They come from every where... and I've played at or near every one of them.

Patrick: Is Twin Pines Ranch your personal residence? (Charlie's boyhood dream come true.)

Charlie: That’s where I live , where I go when I'm off, Where I like to spend time, I've surrounded myself with things that I love to do. I love western art, bronzes and that sort of thing. Our log house is in that motif. I've got my horses there. Its a place to shoot my guns or hit a few golf balls or fish. I can go in and stay for 3 or 4 days and not go back out the gate and it don't bother me at all.

Patrick: What’s the most memorable place you have played? Was it the Opry?

Charlie: That’s one of them. But I'd be hard pressed to pick just one. Regardless of where we play, any stage, the fans get the same show. Indoors or outdoor, we play the same show.

Patrick: Is there any place that you would still like to play or visit?

Charlie: Any place that I haven't been, basically.

We talked awhile about politics and the situation along the US-Mexico border. Charlie is very passionate about those subjects, especially the latter. You can read more of his views on the afore mentioned subjects by going to www.CharlieDanielsBand.com and click on the 'Soap Box' link.

I thanked him for allowing me to interview him, “You're welcome. God Bless”, he replied.

Charlie Daniels in GEICO commercial www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Charlie Daniels

Stars For Stripes is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality celebrity entertainment to internationally deployed U.S. military forces. Bringing together professionals from aviation, entertainment and the military, Stars For Stripes is improving the overseas tour experience for performers, sponsors, donors, and most importantly, for the dedicated men and women protecting our national interests. We support their commitment. We honor their service. We understand their sacrifice.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET. How does Stars For Stripes work?

Stars for Stripes, working in conjunction with Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE), US Army Europe (USAREUR), Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I) and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) strive to take quality, celebrity entertainment into the remote sites where the troops need the moral boost the most. Entertainers who participate in the tours experience military life first-hand as they live and eat where the troops live and eat, are transported in military vehicles, and perform for the most appreciative audiences they will ever entertain.

Following every performance, entertainers sign autographs for everyone, no matter how long the line or how many hours it takes for everyone to get an autograph and have their photo made with the celebrity.

Aaron Tippin

Joe Bowser, GAC's Nan Kelley and Scott Lilley

Stars for Stripes, 109 Rivers Edge Court, Nashville, TN 37214 Phone: 615-872-2122 www.starsforstripes.com 34

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THE CAROLINAS TODAY

SUMMER 2013

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by Christy Judah, M. Ed. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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The old, mostly rotten tree still stands in the same location in Supply that it always has… somewhat removed from the last known location of the historic courthouse located just about a half mile away, and across from the bridge at the Lockwood Folly River on Highway 211. That old tree was the site of the last hanging in Brunswick County… a little known fact and lesser known location but one still remembered by some of the older folks who live in that vicinity. That was just a few years after a plantation society with more rice than cotton and more hunters than high society Englishmen invaded the area. But the general land of eastern North Carolina was a prized possession if it was far enough away from the salty waters of the ocean and near enough to the rivers which provided the primary means of transport and water source for crops and man. These were the same rivers that were a method of travel long used by the Native American Indians who once lived here.

down to a board in their infancy. Their eyes are black, or of a dark hazel; the white is marbled with red streaks. Their color is of a tawny, which would not be so dark did they not daub themselves with bear’s oil, and a color burnt cork. They are never bald on their heads. Their eyes are commonly full and manly, and their gate sedate and majestic. Their teeth are yellow with smoking, which both men and women are much addicted to. They have no hairs on their faces (except some few) and those but little. They are continually plucking it away from their faces by the roots. They let their nails grow very long, which they reckon, is the use nails are designed for.”

John White was quite the artist and drew the Indian in Body Paint watercolor artwork in 1585. He was the grandfather of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the New World. Virginia would have celebrated her 425th birthday in 2012.

Native American Indians Native American Indians once roamed the same land that the government complex and land sits on in what is now Brunswick County. In fact they journeyed to the Brunswick County coasts annually from central North Carolina to gather seafood and cleanse the spirits with Yaupon tea and other native rituals held on the beach; some of which made them dreadfully sick. The Indians were said to have drunk tea from the Yaupon plant, with its bright berries and evergreen leaves for the medicinal qualities. These plants are still evident today along the waterways of the creeks and rivers, growing near the salty oceans. (Note: The Yaupon plant contains a high caffeine count which may have accounted for the overdose of caffeine.) Some of the southern Indians were said to come in “droves” to gather leaves for their “black drink” made from the Yaupon leaves. This tea caused them to vomit profusely, which they continued for several days in order to cleanse themselves.

They then gathered an ample harvest of the leaves and returned to their inland home.

The Indians were physically described by John Lawson, an early explorer, as: “The Indians of North Carolina are a well shaped, clean-made people, of different statures, as the Europeans are, yet chiefly inclined to be tall. They are a straight people, and never bend forward or stoop in the shoulders, unless much overpowered by old age. Their limbs are exceeding well shaped. As for their legs and feet, they are generally the handsomest in the world. Their bodies are a little flat, which is occasioned by being laced hard

These are the same Indians described by William Hilton, another early explorer, as “very poor and silly creatures [and many] of [them] are very aged; but they are not numerous: for in all our

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various travels for 3 weeks and more, we saw not 100 in all, they were very courteous to us, and afraid of us, but they are very [thievish].” He doesn’t go on to describe some of the incidents whereby wealthy settlers, attempting to establish their rice plantations, tried to kidnap the Indian children to obtain cheap labor for the farms.

The Indians near Brunswick County were generally known as the Cape Fear Indians or Chicora. It is unclear what the eastern NC Indians called themselves, but they were probably connected to the Waccamaw and Choctaw Indians. James Sprunt called them the Sapona Indians. Others felt the Sapona Indians were located farther north, not as far south as the Cape Fear River areas of Brunswick and New Hanover counties.

Waccamaw Indians The Waccamaw Indians were located in Brunswick County.

The ancient Waccamaw tribe was a river dweller who lived along the Waccamaw River covering an area that reached from North Carolina’s Lake Waccamaw to Winyah Bay near Georgetown, South Carolina. They may have been one of the first native groups visited by Europeans as early as 1521. In that year the Spaniards, Francisco Gordillo and Pedro de Quexos, took several ship loads of Indian people and carried them off into slavery. One who became known as Francisco de Chicora identified over twenty tribes living in the Cape Fear and Waccamaw areas.

The Waccamaw tribe kept domesticated animals including deer.

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They made cheese from the does’ milk. They also raised chickens, ducks, geese and other domestic fowl. They were gardeners who kept individual and community plots containing corn, pumpkins, kidney beans, lima beans, squash, melons, gourds, and tobacco.

Europeans introduced disease and nearly eliminated the Waccamaw tribes. The early Europeans also forced the Waccamaw Indians into slave labor. However in 1752 the King of England ordered all owners to free their Indian slaves. This caused the owners to label them “black” in order to maintain the free labor. After the Emancipation Proclamation, thousands of Indians walked away from the cotton fields along with the black slaves.

Reports in 1711 recorded many white deaths by the hands of Indians and the colonists requested assistance from Virginia. They are denied manpower but were sent 1,000 pounds in financial assistance. About this time more than 130 colonists died in the Tuscarora Wars, mostly further inland from Brunswick County.

Eventually South Carolina colonists assisted the northern North Carolina settlements in their battles with the Tuscarora. After 10 days of fighting, a truce was announced. However, the Indians continued to fight and defend their hunting grounds and resources for some years to come.

Most of them eventually gave up and migrated north by 1715.

In 1754, Governor Arthur Dobbs received a report of 50 Indian families living along the present-day Lumber River (then called Drowning Creek). By 1715 statistics documented only about 206 Cape Fear Indians in five towns along the river. Within a few

years the Cape Fear Indians fled the area, never to return. In 1755 there were about 356 Indians living in the eastern portion of North Carolina. Most were the remaining Tuscarora Indians. The terror

by Indians was soon to be replaced by the terror of pirates on the sea.

The legacy those early settlers left a range of reputations from extremely well-known politicians who grandly affected the development of the state of North Carolina, hosts to George Washington as he traveled the region, womanizers who held grand parties, to humble fishermen barely scraping by on their farms and cultivation.

Brunswick County Established Begun in 1764 and comprised of parts of Bladen and New Hanover Counties, Brunswick Town claims fame as the first town in Brunswick County. Located just a few miles from Southport, in Winnabow, it was a major pre-Revolutionary port along the Cape Fear River. It was attacked in 1776 and never re-built. Later, during the Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed on top of the village site and served as part of the Cape Fear River defense.

Colonial foundations remain there today for visitors to experience the historical past.

Brunswick County was officially established when Governor Arthur Dobbs appeared before the General Assembly of the province and gave approval “to an Act for erecting part of St. Phillip’s Parish in New Hanover County and the lower part of

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Bladen County into a separate county to be known as Brunswick County.” It was named in honor of King George I, who was the Duke of Brunswick and Lunenberg. It is located in the southeastern portion of North Carolina and bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Fear River, the state of South Carolina, and, Columbus, Pender and New Hanover Counties.

The town of Brunswick was the original county seat, established in 1745. The county seat was moved to John Bell’s plantation in 1779 (near Lockwood Folly Bridge on Highway 211). In 1808, the courthouse was moved from Lockwood Folly to Smithville.

(Smithville was named for Benjamin Smith and established in 1792. Smith later became the Governor of North Carolina from 1810-1811.) In 1887 Smithville’s name was changed to Southport and it became the county seat until 1977. In 1977 the county seat was moved to Bolivia where it remains today, a central location for the citizens.

Indian Burial Grounds By the year 1808, only about 30 Indians were known to be in the Cape fear region but they left evidence of their existence in Indian arrow heads, spear heads and pottery shards. Rumor and legend has it that there are remnants of an old Indian burial ground and/ or Indian Village near the Gore Creek area in Brunswick County.

Local residents there recall elderly parents as they talked of the locals looting some of the relics from those sites many years ago. It is estimated that those remains were discovered about one hundred years ago, during hunting trips, and have since deteriorated to an www.thecarolinastoday.com

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undetectable state. Living descendents of those hunters are uncertain of the exact location and speculate that any remaining evidence of the grounds may have been obliterated during logging operations throughout the years. One individual recalls her grandfather describing the remains of teepee poles, indicating a village site. This may have been the home of the nearby Waccamaw Indians. Suspected locations are noted between Gore Lake and the Waccamaw River. She recalls seeing those Indian relics as a small child. Another cousin remembers when “the bays were just grass and there were waters called ‘Indian Grave Lakes’ which are no longer present.

Georgia Pacific owns most of the bay area where that was... and it has long ago been ditched, burned, chopped and set in trees.”

An Indian burial ground is reportedly located west of the Gause Landing Road area, off Highway 179 in the Ocean Isle Beach area. As a young woman, Mrs. Mary Piggot, then in her 80s, recalled visiting the site with her husband. Sixty-two years ago, about 1946, this site was only known through its wooden stakes, barely recognizable and through cultural lore known to have been an Indian burial ground. Although Mrs. Piggot states she is unsure whether she “dreamed this or not,” one can only imagine a young Image courtesy of the Cultural Resources Management Program, Fort Bragg girl and her husband out for a leisurely walk, visiting local landscapes like this burial ground. Her memory is very clear about her survival during also reported that in many cases, charcoal has been found at the Hurricane Hazel and numerous other storms as they passed though mounds. Some bones appeared to have been burned. In many cases hurricane alley, southeastern North Carolina. One suspects the the skeletons were found very near and often touching each other, some even on top of each other. (Descriptions of Duplin County memory of walks to a mound is real also.

Two additional Indian burial locations are identified as being in the Indian Mounds.) God rest their souls.

Silver Hill area, off Holden Beach Road, where reportedly Chicora Indians had a burial mound, long since destroyed by vandals. In Indian Relics recent times, as late as twenty years ago, vandals destroyed what Historic Indian Pottery has been found at the present location was left of this sacred ground. The Old Hewett Farm, off Highway 130, midway between Shallotte and Holden Beach, holds the of the Sunset Harbor Fishing Club when the building was built remains of pottery shards, attributed to Indians of the area. As late and foundations dug. Pieces are also known to exist and date from as the late 1900s, shards were recovered lying atop the ground. A 400 B. C. to 1000 A. D. “This is an example of fabric-impressed Hanover Series, mid to late Woodland Period pottery. Hanover burial ground? Perhaps. And it is likely an Indian occupation. series pottery is fairly easy to identify because of the temper, Another Indian burial ground is reported to be located just off which is made of crushed, fired clay. If you look closely you will Highway 211 just past the Lockwood Folly River Bridge. Although see the fragments in the paste. Hanover series pottery is typically unidentified and not yet located but a probable location, is on the fabric impressed over the entire outer surface and a lot of times on river, for former Indian villages and burial grounds were often set the interior, just around the rim. This piece probably came from close to this mode of transportation. More research is needed in near the rim. Less eroded pieces appear to have a sort of slip on the interior surface--like the makers took mud slurry and washed order to locate this site. it around in the vessel prior to firing. Hanover Series is a fairly While multiple burial locations are noted, most seem to appear to common type of prehistoric ceramic in coastal North Carolina, be the same type of structures, little more than three feet high and its spatial distribution extending from the Neuse River into South circular from 20 to 40 feet in diameter. It appears that the bodies Carolina. At this time it is questionable as to whether the type were placed on the ground and covered lightly with surrounding (representing a cultural group) existed as late as European contact.” sand and dirt, with no additional items placed with the body. It is (Nathan Henry, Assistant State Archaeologist and Conservator, 42

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Archaeology Branch NC Office of State Archaeology). This means over 400 years before Christopher Columbus even set foot on our great American land, an Indian fashioned and used these remnants.

Amazing.

Not far from this Supply/Holden Beach area, Woody Fulford talks of a time when his father, Isaiah Fulford (born in 1906 and died in 2001 at the age of 94 years), told him tales of finding Indian arrowheads and Indian pottery sherds on their family land. On what was to become Tuscarora Lane and Cherokee Road, near the current causeway of Holden Beach, Isaiah as a young child, was laid near a palm tree while his father, Dave Fulford (who married Mary Hewett and was father to Woody Fulford) plowed the fields to prepare them for planting. Arrowheads and pottery pieces were uncovered and “thought� to be from a former Indian settlement at that very location. Woody and his father, Isaiah, decided to call the area Tuscarora. Although Woody readily admits that they weren’t sure of the specific tribe of the former Indian residents, this is the designation given to that historic location. Dave and Mary Hewett Fulford subsequently had thirteen children, not uncommon for an era when plenty of farm hands were needed in order to survive.

Indian relics have been found throughout Brunswick County. A polished stone, fully grooved, Indian ax was reportedly found at Long Beach and is on display at the NC Museum of History. Ash residents report various areas where arrowhead points have been located during farming operations. These and many similar tales attest to the historic legacy of the Indians in southeastern North

Carolina, and especially Brunswick County.

The Roe Noakers Close to where President Cleveland stopped in a train trip through the northern part of Brunswick County, just a few miles away, is the Green Swamp. Here, amid a unique settlement, usually pronounced “Battle Rial�, or “batterial� was Battle Royal. About 1890 this was a great and deep forested area, with a little clearing where the Over Creek People lived. Young boys and girls acted old and looked old.

This settlement was believed to have been in existence long before Brunswick County or North Carolina even existed.

There was said to be a heavy Elizabethan influence in their speech and their background was not a matter of the written record. A Battle Rial native himself described his people’s history, “that generation after generation of his family had passed down the word that they were Roe Noakers, from an island in the sea.â€? This section of Brunswick County has become known as Malmo, a few miles east of Maco. Were these the descendents of the “lost colony,â€? from Roanoke Island? One may never know‌ Privateers - Pirateers of the Early 1700s The War of the Spanish Succession (which began in 1702) was a struggle of the English against the French and the Spaniards, and affected America as well as Europe. The custom of the time was for countries to hire civilian ships and their crews as auxiliary ships for the navy. The commissions gave these “privateersâ€? the rights to act on behalf of the navy whom they represented. This

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often led to their “right to steal,” provided it was from the enemy. This business attracted many who were pirates before the war and were now somewhat shielded by the law. After the end of the war in 1713, they returned to their old practices of robbing regardless of national flag. Soon the American seas were swarming with thieving pirates.

Pirates are known to have traveled the Carolina coast and many reports of their escapes remain to attest to their activities. Among those known to have been in the southeastern North Carolina area is Captain William Kidd.

Winnabow Pirates - Captain William Kidd The pirate, Captain William Kidd, born about 1665, is said to have buried a chest of treasure in the area of Winnabow. Other chests of his treasure were buried in Long Island, New York; areas that welcomed pirates about 1699. He also buried treasure on Gardiner's Island about this time. A boulder with a bronze tablet marks that spot. In 1654, plantation owners tried to band together for protection against robbers and pirates like Captain Kidd. They were often not successful. Eventually the seas were made safer, although a few pirates still roam the seas today across the globe.

Kidd was eventually captured, put through the motions of a trial, and hanged in London in 1701. His alleged crime was hitting an unruly sailor over the head with a bucket, causing the sailor's death. He never cut a throat or made a victim walk a plank. His name has come down through the years as a symbol of piracy.

Ironically, Captain Kidd had originally been employed to rid the seas of pirates.

Kidd experienced a terrible death: the hangman’s rope broke twice, the third time it held. Once he was dead: his body was dipped in tar and hung by chains along the Thames River. Kidd’s body served as a warning to all would-be pirates for years to come. From Kidd's farewell speech he leaves his words:

My name was Captain Kidd, when I sail'd, when I sail'd, and so wickedly I did, God's laws I did forbid, When I sail'd, when I sail'd.

I roam'd from sound to sound, and many a ship I found, And then I sunk or burn'd, When I sail'd.

I murder'd William Moore, and laid him in his gore, Not many leagues from shore, When I sail'd.

Farewell to young and old, all jolly seamen bold.

You're welcome to my gold, for I must die, I must die.

Farewell to Lunnon town. The pretty girls all round, No pardon can be found, and I must die, I must die, Farewell, for I must die.

Then to eternity, in hideous misery, I must lie, I must lie.

Piracy was at its height in 1696, when Captain William Kidd set out from London on the Adventure Galley.

Thirty years later the profession was beginning to wane but before that time the likes of Samuel Bellamy and others graced our coast.

Samuel Bellamy According to Krzysztof Wilczynski, Captain Samuel Bellamy whose last name is quite common on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, and in particular, Brunswick County, sailed the North Carolina coastline. He was later called “Black Bellamy” and was known as one of the most active freebooters. (freebooters: n. A person who pillages and plunders, especially a pirate. Dutch vrijbuiter, from vrijbuit, plunder: vrij, free 44

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Captain William Hewett Captain Hewett was a member of Stede Bonnet’s crew that sailed the Cape Fear/New Hanover/Brunswick seas. As a member of this crew, he later joined Blackbeard to terrorize other ships. He was eventually tried and hanged in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1718 along with his fellow crewmembers and Stede himself. It is interesting to note that he may have owned a plantation on the Charleston’s Cooper River as some matching surnames appear in that area on local census records. The same surname also appears on the 1670 Census of Jamaica where a John Hewitt owned 800 acres. Were some of the descendents of the Hewett/Hewitt pirate family relocated to the Jamaica area with treasures untold and eventual heirs of many hundreds of acres of land? Legend does not provide us with the whole story. Only speculation does.

Edward Teach – Blackbeard Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard, perhaps the most famous pirate of all-time, is most at home in the Ocracoke Island area.

However, locals around the Holden Beach area will whisper reminders of his visits to the Holden area from time to time.

Throughout the past hundred years, he was “almost” spotted near the Lockwood Folly River mouth, searching for his missing head.

According to legend, a British sailor killed Blackbeard and cut off his head during a battle on another ship. He died at the naval Battle of Ocracoke (1718) from multiple gunshots and stab wounds, after which he was beheaded, his head put upon a bowsprit, and his skull ultimately turned into a drinking mug. From throughout the Carolina coast, the keen eye may be able to see the headless body of Blackbeard in the dark of the moon from the beaches of southeastern North Carolina.

Blackbeard sailed in and out of the Cape Fear inlet often hiding around Topsail Island. Teach was captured and returned to Bath in 1718. At about the same time the land adjoining the Cape Fear River began to see development in the Wilmington area. New Hanover County history is said to begin with the end of the reign of terror by the pirates.

Jerry Hill described Blackbeard’s last efforts to remain alive in the following expose: “In 1718 Alexander Spotswood, the Governor of Virginia, was under enormous pressure to remove pirates from his domain, so he offered rewards for their capture. At

the top of the wanted list was Blackbeard with £100 on his head.

Spotswood was worried that pirates were increasingly harboring in the Pamlico Sound naturally protected by the barrier islands of the Outer Banks, and accessed by the Ocracoke Inlet. There was even talk of buccaneers fortifying Ocracoke Island itself to make a more imposing base.”

“Spotswood enlisted the help of two experienced buccaneer hunters: - Captains Maynard and Hyde. They were both keen to pursue Blackbeard but their ships were unsuitable for the shallow inlets around the Pamlico Sound. Spotswood funded two sloops for the navy men, boats that could safely move through the shallow water. Robert Maynard captained the first sloop, the Jane, and took command of the expedition of 60 men; Captain Hyde assisted in the Ranger. The two sloops had no guns fitted so the pirate hunters had to rely on small arms, a distinct disadvantage against Blackbeard’s’ Adventure carrying 10 guns.”

“Once Blackbeard’s whereabouts was known, the party set sail and arrived at the Ocracoke Inlet on the evening of the 21st of October, 1718. A local pilot guided the sloops through the sandbars and shoals protecting the anchorage and the Adventure was sighted late in the evening.

It was decided that a morning attack would take advantage of www.thecarolinastoday.com

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the after effects of the night’s revelry on board the pirate vessel.

Blackbeard, unaware of the impending fight, only had a crew of 19 on board and spent the evening drinking heavily with some of his men.” “In the morning Maynard and Hyde cautiously moved into the Sound following a small boat taking depth soundings. An observant lookout quickly raised the alarm, and a volley of shot peppered the expedition’s boats as the Adventure slipped anchor.

Maynard and Hyde were soon in hot pursuit but in the rush both their sloops ran aground. The three vessels were close enough for a shouted exchange to take place, and Blackbeard mocked Maynard and his men making it clear that he would be taking no prisoners.”

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“As the tide rose the two sloops were freed; the wind was so slack that they had to resort to oars. The Adventure fired a murderous close range broadside of shot mixed with nails decimating the party and the Ranger was put out of the fight losing five crew and Captain Hyde.” “Maynard attacked; a volley of shot crippled the Adventure by bringing down sails and masts. Maynard had craftily hidden most of his men below decks, so as the two boats ran together Blackbeard boarded with ten of his pirates thinking his earlier fire wiped out the crews. A life and death struggle ensued as the hidden crew streamed up through the hatches hacking at Blackbeard’s men and knocking them down in their wake. Maynard and Blackbeard were soon involved in a desperate struggle. Maynard, wounded

by Blackbeard’s cutlass, fired his pistol at the Pirate at point blank range. Although wounded, Blackbeard continued to fight and was attacked by several of the sailors who slashed at his face and hands. A Highlander from the Jane joined the fight and set about Blackbeard with his broadsword. The first blow cut Blackbeard’s neck, and he cried out “Well done lad” the second mighty blow took off the Pirate’s head.”

“The crew of the Adventure continued to fight for their lives but the Ranger finally rallied and got back into the battle. Despite the desperate fight of the pirates the battle was soon over and a number of prisoners taken, the Adventure was secured with its decks running in blood.”

“The battle could have had a different ending. Blackbeard had ordered one of his crew to blow up the powder magazine if the boat was taken, and fortunately for the survivors one of his less determined shipmates stopped him. The battle was over. It was rumored that Blackbeard’s headless body ran amok and jumped into the water swimming around the ship. Whatever the truth of these tales, Maynard sailed home with Blackbeard’s head on a pole.”

The death of Blackbeard and the trial of the remaining crew were seen as the beginning of the end of the years of buccaneering glory, and a big coup in the war against piracy.” (Jerry Hill, Blackbeard’s Last Stand, Cordingly, David “Life among the Pirates” 1995.

Exquemelin. A.O. “The Buccaneers of America,” 1923. Ocracoke Island Web Site www.ocracokeisland.com.)

Throughout the 21st century, modern explorers have continued to search for sunken pirate ships, particularly Blackbeard’s Queen Anne Revenge. In October of 2007, archaeologists recovered a 2,500-pound cannon from the ship. The Queen Anne’s Revenge 46

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was believed to have sunk in the Beaufort Inlet about 1719 when it ran aground. The treasures attest to the presence of pirates off the shores of the Carolina’s and continued efforts at recovery of items from this flagship of Blackbeard are expected to result in Pewter platters, ornamental brass items, shards of ceramics and glass, a small rail cannon, and considerable amounts of lead shot and gold dust. Archaeologists continue to recover thousands of items.

“Many more still lie on the seabed or remain encased in concretion at the QAR laboratory. Overall the QAR artifact assemblage reflects many aspects of early eighteenth-century maritime culture. Ship parts and equipment, arms, scientific, navigational and medical instruments, personal effects, and food preparation and storage items are all part of the inventory. By studying the artifacts, archaeologists are beginning to gain valuable insight into the period's naval technology, colonial provisioning, the slave trade, shipboard life, and the material culture of piracy.” http://www.qaronline.org/artifacts/artifacts.htm Jacob & Ann Johnson Another set of Brunswick County pirates known to have been in the area about ten years later was Jacob Johnson and his wife, Ann, circa 1724. They were caught and charged with having “feloniously stolen divers goods and wares and merchandise belonging to Peter Pedro of Cape Fear, who was recently murdered.” (The History of Brunswick County, NC by Lawrence Lee.) Interestingly, there were no land grants to a Peter Pedro at that time. There was a stream on the west side of the river known as Perdreau’s Creek. It later became Orton Creek.

Fort Caswell Pirate - Mary Anne Blythe Mary Anne Blythe, a female buccaneer, supposedly buried her pirate treasure in the area of old Fort Caswell, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. It has yet to be discovered. Another cache is reportedly on Plum Point in Beaufort County, a chest full of jewels. A chest of pirate treasure was removed from the ground at Plum Point in 1928. It was attributed to her. Is there more? She is but one of the known women pirates as tough and vicious as their male counterparts.

Pirates continued to plague the coast in the early 1700s, just prior to the development of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear.

Anne Bonny Anne Bonny, born in Ireland, dressed as a boy, pretending to be a son to her father’s friends. Her father was a successful lawyer and merchant and bought a plantation in the new land. Upon her mother’s death, Anne took over the duties as her father’s housekeeper. Anne grew into a hardy girl with a fierce and courageous temper. She was said to have murdered a serving girl with a knife during one of her fits of rage. She was also said to have thrashed a young man with a knife that made unwanted advances toward her. He was badly injured. She eventually married James Bonny whom her father described as “not worth a groat.”

Later she left him to be with Jack Rackham and the two took to the sea, Anne disguised in men’s clothing. She had one child by him, in Cuba, and then rejoined him at sea.

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Jack Rackham John Rackham, "Calico Jack", acquired his ship, the Treasure, through neglect by the former commander. Mary Read and Anne Bonny, the best-known female pirates, sailed with him on this ship.

The two “ladies” eventually took control of his ship. The ship was captured in November of 1720 and nearly its entire crew, including Rackham, was sentenced to hang.

Mary Read Mary Read was a fierce pirate and would attempt any hazardous task. She cursed and swore with the best of the men and tolerated murder. She dressed as the male pirates, in men’s jackets, trousers and a handkerchief tied around her head.

She was captured by Captain Burnet, tried and imprisoned but released when she claimed she was expecting a baby. Shortly thereafter she disappeared, never to be seen again. Anne Bonny claimed the same and was also released to disappear into the world.

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Before she died Mary made a last statement. She was heard proclaiming, “As to hanging, it is no great hardship. For were it not for that, every cowardly fellow would turn pirate and so unfit the sea, that men of courage must starve."

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With all the talk of pirates in and around Brunswick County, one has to ponder how treasure got into a particular Southport home chimney. “On July 31, 1907, as reported in a local newspaper, Mr. Thomas Swain of Wilmington will accompany his mother to the old family home near Southport to investigate the interesting rumor that workers removing the chimney from an old house on the estate found a large sum of money just under the hearth. There have been rumors for years that the house contained hidden treasure.

But nothing had been discovered until now when dismantling the house, which is in the line of the new railroad in the county. One rumor suggested there was upward of a hundred thousand dollars in gold.” A long forgotten pirate treasure? This mystery may never be solved.

Holden Beach has been a Mecca for finding historic English coins.

In 1980, 80 coins were recovered within a 50-yard area on the coast of Holden Beach. Were these remnants of a treasure formerly aboard the shipwrecks off the shores of Brunswick County? Pirate treasure? Or relics washed ashore from faraway lands? During the Civil War, five blockade runners sank in the area of Lockwood Folly Inlet with an unknown quantity of treasure on board. That treasure has never been recovered.

The plantations and farms continued to flourish and throughout the 1800s as family after family either prospered or floundered during the Civil War. Much has been written about that era and readily available for readers to explore.

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By the late 1800s, after the abolition of slavery, little communities and municipal areas began to become established in Brunswick County. Among them are many of the municipalities of today. By 2008 the population of Brunswick County had exploded to just over 100,000 with the following incorporated communities: Bald Head Island: The Village of Bald Head Island was established in 1985. Over 14 miles of beaches welcome visitors where automobiles are not allowed and the only access is by ferry.

Bald Head Island is home to the Bald Head Lighthouse and first appeared on local maps in the 1500s. Visitors are encouraged to climb the 108 steps of Old Baldy and visit the island museum.

Belville: Incorporated in 1977. It borders the Brunswick River and is about five miles from the Cape Fear River in the northern end of the county. Belville currently has a population of about 1936 residents.

Boiling Spring Lakes: The name comes from the boiling spring that flows from the ground in this area. A 275-acre lake is just one of more than 50 natural and manmade lakes in this region. The largest lake is 2-1/2 miles long with 10 miles of shoreline.

The developers of Boiling Spring Lakes, about 1961, discovered this gushing spring and decided to highlight it in their developments.

The spring was always bouncing a log and called Bouncing Log Spring many years ago. State geologists report that the spring discharges about 43 million gallons of water a day.

Bolivia: The town began in the 1890s and was incorporated in 1911. It is said to have gotten its name from the country in South America. National Airlines Flight 2511 blew up over Bolivia and the surrounding beaches on January 6, 1960. The DC-6B was destroyed by a dynamite explosion, speculating a suicide bomber.

The widening of U.S. 17 to four lanes bypassed the town, and Bolivia went into a decline. In 1977, the county seat of Brunswick County was moved from Southport to Bolivia and a government complex was built which remains today.

Calabash: Established in 1883, Calabash has about 1795 residents and is known as the seafood capitol of the world. Calabash claims its beginning about 1691 with the first land grants. By 1791 there were families raising indigo and other crops. Several large plantation owners were located in this area. There was also a major timber industry here. Calabash is known for its special flavorings in the restaurant seafood district with views of the Calabash River and prolific golf courses available.

Carolina Shores: Carolina Shores was established/chartered in 1998. It has a population of about 3200 residents and is located just north of Myrtle Beach. It includes several developments such as Carolina Shores, The Farm at Brunswick, Calabash Lakes, Beacon Townes, The Village at Calabash and Lighthouse Cove.

Caswell Beach: It was established in 1975 and is located on Oak Island, it is home to the NC Baptist Assembly Conference Center. The Oak Island lighthouse is located here and local tours are available from the Friends of the Oak Island lighthouse, a nonprofit organization. The only significant business in Caswell Beach is the Oak Island Golf Club.

The population ranges around 400 and the land mass is about 4.2 square miles. The town has twice received sand placements on our strand as part of the Wilmington Harbor Channel Maintenance, in 2001 and 2009, providing a wide, sandy beach for residents and visitors alike. Mayor Harry Simmons said, "Caswell Beach is proud to be known as a leader in coastal management nationally and a model of balanced stewardship of our coastal residential environment." Caswell Beach is also known as "The Best Little Beach Town in America."

Holden Beach: Holden Beach is primarily residential with just a few businesses including the Holden Beach Pier. It is known as the ‘family’ beach and hosts several festivals per year Leland: Incorporated in 1989, Leland had its start when the first post office, named after Leland Adams was opened in 1898. Many plantations are known to have begun in the Leland area primarily around the Brunswick and the Cape Fear Rivers and the Belvidere Plantation was located about where the center of Leland is today.

With the river availability, there was a major method of transport for travelers and goods. It is continuing to grow sporting several major high-end housing developments attracting many retirees. It is located just inside Brunswick County near Wilmington.

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Navassa: Navassa was incorporated in 1977 and was home to several major plantations during the early settlement of Brunswick County. Navassa’s history has been well documented by Eulis Willis, a long time mayor. It was named after one of the fertilizer factories that was instrumental in providing employment throughout the region for over 100 years. The “high bluffs� coming to the edge of the Cape Fear River was the sight of a bridge across the Cape Fear in 1867. Guano deposits found off the coast of Jamaica led to a huge fertilizer industry being formed in Navassa for many years.

The workers then used the railroad to ship the fertilizer to interior North Carolina for sale. A small village sprung up as a result of the factory and the now defunct factories once employed over 4000 people. A small town now remains on the site annexing the nearby communities of Phoenix and Old Mill. The population is about 1800 at this time.

Northwest: The city was incorporated in 1993 and is located about five minutes off of highway 74 in the Navassa area. The city encompasses a little over 7 miles of farmland and residential areas.

The current population is 837.

Oak Island: This island boasts it beginning in 1826 when Fort Caswell was built. It also is host to the Oak Island Lighthouse which protected sailors from the rough waters of the Cape Fear River. The inland waterway was completed in 1936 which made it a true island as the construction deepened portions of the Elizabeth River. As late as 1939 it was known to be an excellent fox hunting terrain. By 1939 the island was officially opened to the public with a pavilion, a canteen and 20 bath houses. There were dances and music at the pavilion each Saturday night. The first ocean front lots

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were offered for sale at $350. each. The island is 12.6 miles long and averages about a mile across, the largest island in Brunswick County.

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Sandy Creek: Sandy Creek has a land mass of only .6 mile with a population of 210 in 2010. Of note is the higher than average historical tornado activity at 17% above the overall US average. In 1950 there was an F3 tornado 26 miles from the town center which injured 3 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages. Another F3 hit in November of 2006 leaving 8 people dead and 20 injured. Damages were estimated at $1 million dollars.

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Ocean Isle Beach: Incorporated in 1959, OIB is on the southern coastline of Brunswick County. It has a current population of over 500 with a seasonal explosion upwards to 25,000. It is seven miles long and considered a family beach environment.

Shallotte: Shallotte was incorporated in 1899 but prior settlement dates back to about 1750. At that time agriculture, fishing and the waterfront were full of rafts, flatboats and other small water craft.

Some believe the name was derived from references to the river as the Charlotte River‌later called Shallotte. According to Alan Lewis, the current Shallotte Alderman “Brunswick County is what we locals like to call God’s Country.â€? Alan’s father was the first county manager of Brunswick County and his grandfather ran the first grocery store in Shallotte.

Smithville: Southport was incorporated in 1792 as the town of

Smithville. This quaint coastal community is host to the annual July 4th celebration recognized as the largest July 4th celebration in the state. It is home to Fort Johnston, a civil war encampment and the Southport Museum and visitors center.

St. James: (Inc. July 1999) The population in 1999 was 695.

The 2000 Census Count was 804. By 2007 the town Census was 2,690. As of January 1, 2012 there were 2144 housing units with another 98 permits issued by July of that year. Over 40% of the total 6,000+ acres of the town have been dedicated to conservation or preservation.

Sunset Beach: SB was established in 1955, from what was remaining of Bald Beach, the southernmost island in North Carolina.

It is the smallest of the Brunswick islands. It was renamed Sunset Beach after Mannon C. Gore purchased it. He bought 500 acres of mainland property along the waterway. Gore went on to build the only beach access bridge, a swinging bridge replaced in 2011 with a high rise structure. The town of Sunset Beach was incorporated in 1963. Over 3,400 residents live on the island and surrounding town lands permanently.

Varnamtown: Varnamtown is located along the banks of the Lockwood Folly River. It is home to a shrimping industry and one of the few remaining docks available for shrimp boats in North Carolina. The actual town of Varnamtown is only one square mile.

“Selling Real Estate At The Beach, One Yard At A Time”

Carolina Shores

Marlene Cleary Real Estate Broker Licensed in both NC / SC 10187 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467 Office (910) 579-3685, Toll Free (800) 756-9635 Fax (910) 579-7497, Cell (910) 209-1172 Email mcleary@century21carolina.com

With each quaint community, there lies a deep-seated alliance Each Office is Independently Owned And Operated

to its own community members, burial places sharing hallowed ground, and a pride that only family and nearby residents might understand. Everyone knows everyone, and if you want to become a 'local' you will have to be here at least forty years…and then they're still some who won‘t consider you local unless you bees born and bred Brunswick. But just take a little time to stop and talk to the shop owners and local residents to discover a warm and enchanting welcome to the county.

Shrimping, Clamming, Oystering & Fishing For some the shrimp boat that daddy built brings in the family income, providing food, although sometimes meager, until the social security income kicks in at somewhere between 62 and 67 years of age. The shrimpers work hard and it is such a delight to see those beautiful boats on the water. Many of the wives whose husbands operate other shrimp boats gather at the fish house to head the shrimp when a boat load arrives (or de-head to nonlocals). With index fingers and thumbs, the heads are quickly snipped off providing a clean, headless shrimp to sell which brings higher prices than shrimp with heads on. Prices vary depending upon the size and the count and currently venture from $3.00 to $9.00 per pound. Plentiful harvest brings down the costs and the wise buy up for the mid-winter feast.

Shrimping is a tough career…sometimes leading to early blindness thought to be the result of years facing the reflection of the sun on the ocean waters. The weeks away from home, sometimes taking the shrimp boat to the Florida Keys, puts a strain www.thecarolinastoday.com

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on even the most stable of marriages, but the local women stand by their men, returning unshaven and fishy-smelling. Their mantra remains, "Keep looking forward, and don‘t look back" One can occasionally spot them in the community with those ball caps and jeans. Wrinkles prematurely line their faces and they have skin almost as thick as leather, a result of the exposure to weather and wind every day. Visit the docks at Varnamtown, Calabash, or Holden Beach and watch them unload for yourself. Then buy a pound of two of the freshest seafood on the planet. Purchase it right off the boat.

Shrimping seems to be a dying art, a tradition steeped in generations of selling seafood. Mr. Jesse A. Bryant remembers doing a little commercial fishing for Pogies (Shad) with the Wallace Brothers out of Morehead City for 3 or 4 years. Now, there just aren‘t enough shrimp left on the Brunswick County coasts to support the shrimp boat with the cost of fuel these days. Diesel is $3.00 a gallon with $500 dollars going into the gas tank. Eight pounds of shrimp just doesn‘t produce the math to make this career pay the bills. In addition, there are very few places to dry dock these boats, Varnamtown being the only one in our area now. The next closest is Morehead City.

The old-timers have their boats paid for but many cannot do the job anymore; can‘t afford to make repairs; and the cost to the Keys or Georgetown is just too expensive to keep the boat going.

Shrimping is becoming a dying tradition. The younger generation is forced to pursue other careers because there “ain‘t no money

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in shrimping, anymore.” The cost of imported shrimp precludes wholesalers from supporting local catch, in some places, but not in others. When the current captains retire, many fear the end to the coastal tradition of shrimping.

So also goes the clammers and oystermen. Not so many years ago every family had a cooker in the back yard and oyster roasts were a common thing. Now clammers get $.10 per clam and $25 a bushel for oysters, wholesale, limited to gathering five bushels a day. It is not like it was ten years ago; those oysters are getting scarce. The sand has wrapped itself over the oyster beds and killed them right off, noted one long time resident. The river rats still go out with the tide but come home with less money. They work harder than ever, making less headway each trip.

These are not usually the same men who will enter the King Classic Fishing Tournaments, showboating in their expensive fishing vessels. These shrimpers are the fishermen, walking in the footsteps of generations before them and keeping the fishing tradition alive. Sometimes they have a good catch, sometimes not so much, but they always tout, buy Brunswick Catch. It can be difficult to compete with the extremely low prices of the imported Asian seafood but there is no comparison to the freshness and taste of the Brunswick Catch, a recent coordinated effort to encourage all locals and visitors alike to ask for it by name, Brunswick Catch, in support of the local fishermen. Without this coastal initiative those treasured careers will disappear.

Fishing is a part of life in Brunswick County, whether from the

shore, the pier, down the creeks, the Lockwood‘s Folly River, the shoals, or the sea. Fishing is a part of the soul. Brunswick County fishing is the same now as it was when the area welcomed Native American Indians who came here to replenish their food to get through the winters. Fishing is the wholesome family activity where the grandfathers share the technique of baiting a hook with the grandchild. Fishing is the recreation to soothe the nerves or mend the broken heart as the sun beats down and the wave‘s crash around. Fishing, it‘s the heart of the reason the first settlers chose this beautiful coastline and what brought many of these residents to lay their foundations here. Listen carefully, in any café in town and you will hear one of the good ole boys ask another, “What‘s the tide doing today? Are you going in the river today?” or “It‘s hoi toide right now." "Hurry, for the toide waits for no man."

"You goin‘ clammin‘ today?" "Is it oyster season yet? How many bushels did you get? Is the chowder ready yet?" "I can smell the hushpuppies now… " Farming Farming is and has always been a mainstay of careers in the Brunswick County and southeastern North Carolina areas. From sod farms to hog farms, folks work hard to supply our basic needs from landscaping to the dinner table. The grandparents of Mr. Jesse A. Bryant, Walton Gore and his wife, Amanda Leonard Gore, were just those kinds of folks who lived down in Blackwater Bay, now known as Stanbury Road. Jesse would have to go down and run the farm once Mr. and Mrs. Gore became aged. Jesse‘s mom sent him down to the farm to help out. He recalled, “I had to ridge the ground up for planning, making rows by hand with a hoe. I was about 8 – 10 years old, more or less, and usually several of us, we would go ahead and dig holes, then drop a grain of seed of corn or cotton into the hole, and cover them up. The younger ones who couldn‘t hoe yet would drop the seeds. We weeded and picked corn and cotton and sold the cotton. I believe we carried it to Wilmington and Burgaw. The corn was for the mules and horses and cows (if you were fortunate enough to own a cow) and family.

We didn‘t have a cow at that time. But years later we did get a cow.

Let me tell you a story…there was a fence between the Walton Gore farm and the farm at Sam Fulfords, in the Cedar Grove area. And over a period of years, granddaddy (Walton) would attend prayer meetings. Well, Sam Fulford invited him to go to the big church for a prayer meeting one Sunday and granddaddy went. During the service, Sam gave his testimony and said that he loved everybody, even the old colored man, in his place. Grandpa was so upset he left the place and went home…to be with Amanda which he felt was his place.”

(Bryant, Jesse A. Memory as told to Christy Judah on December 13, 2010 at his home in Shallotte.)

Mr. Jesse A. Bryant went on to describe the old hog slaughtering techniques, back in the day. “Heat up the water in an iron pot on a fire outside. Take a barrel and bury it in the ground slighter, with the bottom deeper than the top.

Put turpentine in the hot water. Kill the hog. Put the hog in the barrel filled with turpentine water. Put him in hind feet first. Take him out and scrape the hair off of him and then put him back in the www.thecarolinastoday.com

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barrel, head first. Take him out and scrape off the rest of the hair.

The turpentine helped you get a grip on the hogs head hair as it would make the water sticky and when you grabbed the hair it would come right off. Then butcher the hog and hang him up and remove the insides. The lady folks would wash out the entrails real good. We had a sausage grinder back then. The hams and ribs and shoulders went into one area and the rest of the meat went into the sausage grinder and made into sausage. You flavored it up with red pepper, black pepper, sage and a little bit of the bark off of a sassafras root. This surely made a tasty meal later on.”

Mrs. Ouida Hewett, daughter of Oran Gaston Hewett and Vera Holden Hewett, remembered her parents telling her that “the pork can be raised in pens with feed or scraps from the table; and, then after peanuts are mature, you turn them out (the pigs) to pasture and (let them) get fat for "hog killing" time in November or early December.” Most all farmers planted acres of peanuts and corn for the livestock and families.

Oran & Vera Hewett said that most families “Raised their own pork, beef, chickens and went fishing especially during really cold weather or when the spots are biting and the mullets are running.

The spots and mullets could be salted down in barrels for the winter months. (In order to preserve the fish) use a wooden barrel, layer of salt and layer of fish. Cover with salt and seal tightly with a lid. To cook the fish, take them out the night before and soak overnight.

They are still delicious with homemade grits.”

Oran and Vera Hewett memories as told to their daughter, Ouida Hewett. “(Meat can also be preserved) with plenty of salt. After six AUTOMATIC & STANDARD

DOMESTIC & FOREIGN

weeks of salt, take the hams, shoulders and sides of bacon out and smoke with hickory wood in a smoke house built just for smoking meat. The women of the house canned pork sausage, chops and back bone in 1/2 gallon jars using the same method passed down from the old world countries to America. Hard boil for 3 hours on stove... Seal, cool and store.”

Oran and Vera Hewett memories as told to their daughter, Ouida Hewett.

Bertha Bell‘s father, Harry Bryant, was a black farmer who owned several hundred acres of land in the Maple Creek area, near Holden Beach. He farmed peanuts, corn, tobacco and when it wasn‘t time to work the farm, 'truck farmed.' Truck farming was taking packed beans and vegetables to market in bushel hampers to Wilmington to sell by the bushel. Mr. Bryant used to plant cotton as late as the 1950s. Bertha and her cousin, Sandra Robinson, used to try to take about six ounces of cotton from the bushel hamper to sneak to the store to buy a soda with it. They would ask Bertha‘s dad if that was enough to pay for the soda…

160-5 Shallotte Crossing Parkway Shallotte, NC 28470 Next to Home Depot www.doranstransmission.com 54

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Mr. Harry Bryant used to employ quite a few neighbors to work on his farm. Arlena Galloway, picked cotton on his farm for him.

She filled a burlap bag and pulled it along the line. Ms. Galloway was known to be fun to work with and never boring, according to Bertha.

Harry C. Bryant, the brother of Bertha and son of Harry Bryant (without a middle name) was also a shrimper who worked on the

boat Morning Light. He was the only black owner and captain of a shrimp boat known at the time. He worked mainly in the Morehead to Key West shrimping grounds.

Construction Mr. Thomas Gray recently recalled how he personally learned to build houses. He had no formal training in carpentry, plumbing, electrical work or any other related construction trades. He simply decided that he could do it and set about to build his first house.

Four men and he set about building a four bedroom house. They began on Monday and by Friday the roof was on the house. When he reached a point in the building process that was puzzling or unclear as to how to proceed, he simply loaded up in his truck and went visiting another carpenter who happened to be building a house nearby. He stood and watched and chatted and asked questions and in short order returned to his own construction project to complete the house. There was something in his DNA… he naturally had the building ability. His building adventures began in 1958 when he was laid off of work at the B & W in Wilmington, a boiler making company where he helped construct 23 story high boilers for power plants.

Mr. & Mrs. Herman Faircloth, who ran the Holden Beach Pier and properties for many years, a military retiree and his bride who settled in Brunswick County about 45 years ago, recalls the changes they have seen over the years. Highway 17 has expanded to facilitate traffic through the county from Myrtle Beach to Wilmington, certain wildlife have diminished in numbers, churches have sprung up on every corner, schools have

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been built to accommodate growing school age populations, dirt roads have become thriving housing developments, major shopping centers have popped up throughout the county, Leland has become a thriving metropolis, Golden Corral, Belks and Wal-mart have made their debut, and the general county population has exploded.

Now a thriving retirement community, Brunswick County is home to over 107,000 residents and is one of the fastest growing counties in the country. The population has more than doubled since 1990. The county seat, Bolivia, sports little more than the county complex, but centrally provides necessary county services and offices, all the while juggling taxes and property values. What has not changed is the serenity of the waves, the gorgeous dawns, the crisp falls, the pollen in the spring, and the great taste of local seafood in Calabash-style eating. The fishing is still good, the surfing before a storm still inviting, and the solitude of peace still in the hearts of old and new comers alike. Welcome to historic Brunswick County.

114 N. Howe St Southport, NC

910-457-0921 Tuesday - Saturday 10 - 5 Sunday 12 - 5 www.thecarolinastoday.com

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ĘťTis The Season...

Are You Ready?

Written by TINA LOUISE CULP • Photography by MIKE CULP

Tis the season for dry dull skin, dark under eye circles and puffiness, and a few more wrinkles. With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it is so easy to neglect your skin. But why would you neglect the largest and most important organ of your body that protects you against disease and infection? You and your skin deserve to be healthy and beautiful and it is so easy to work it into your busy holiday schedule.

Start on the inside with eating a healthy well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting a little exercise. Stay away from junk food. It is just as easy to grab some cheese, fruits, veggies, or nuts. Make them your new fast food! Drinking plenty of water is amazing for your skin and will help battle dehydration from those holiday cocktails. Twenty to thirty minutes a day of good old-fashioned exercise including cardio and weights will keep those holiday pounds at bay. Just a few simple changes can make a world of difference and also reduce holiday stress.

This wondrous time of year also brings cool dry weather, hectic schedules, and less sleep. This busy holiday season can show up on your face in a not so flattering way with dull parched skin, dark circles and under eye-bags. But don't be too concerned, you can remedy this in less than 10 minutes a day! First of all, cleanse and hydrate your face twice daily. Do this in the morning and especially before going to bed at night. The Mary Kay Time Wise Miracle Set includes 3 in 1 cleanser, Age Fighting Moisturizer, Day Solution, and Night Solution. It's a wonderful skin care set with many age defying benefits. Use a scrub twice a week to remove dead cells that can clog your pores and give your skin a luminous healthy glow With Mary Kay 's Time Wise Microdermabrasion set. Dark circles and under eye puffiness, who needs that? Volu- Firm Eye Cream takes care of it all and more. Don't forget your body. Mary Kay carries several different types of lotion like Target Action Toning Lotion and Visibly Fit Body Lotion. It's just that simple to look your glowing holiday best!

So be sure to make time to take care of your skin. You'll feel beautiful, look beautiful, and the compliments will start rolling in. That's one of the best gifts you can give yourself this year!

20% off all orders when mentioning The Carolinas Today!

You will receive an email from Tina confirming your order along with the 20% Discount before your account is charged and order is shipped.

Questions: Call (813) 503-7092 www.marykay.com/tculp1 56

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Do you know about that shag phenomenon in South Carolina? Newcomers learn quickly that the shag is the official dance of Myrtle Beach. It is a social, swing dance using only six steps that are done to cool music on hot nights.

For over forty years, the slow downed dance tempo of the original jitterbug has been incorporating graceful, sexier, slower movements. It is not a highenergy dance like the jitterbug, but stresses smoothness with no bounce. And it is a delight to all ages, shapes and sizes in the Carolinas.

Shag dancers do a triple step in place using only one rock step. It is simply, “one and two, three and four, five – six.” That’s all there is to it. All of the footwork is done in only one spot on the floor with one subdued arm, no pushing or pulling. The shag couple dances from the waist down, real smooth, close to the partner. Emphasis is on the footwork.

Some claim that the Carolina shag originated in Atlanta Beach during the Thirties and Forties, the Big Band Era. It was one of the first examples of African-American Culture bleeding over into the mainstream. White college kids visited racially segregated dances, picked up the moves and brought them to the beach and to Myrtle Beach dance pavilions. They pushed local radio stations to play old rhythm and blues as soundtracks for their parties.

Today, the music is known as “beach music.”

Many radio stations in the Carolinas still have “beach music” play lists. In fact, each year The Association of Beach and Shag Club Deejays compile the Top 50 Songs of the year. In 2011 the top five that consistently brought dancers to the floor were: “The Bop” by Ms. Judy, “Let’s Walk” by Austin de Lone, “Sweetness of Your Love” by L.U.S.T., “Who’s Rockin’ You” by Donnie Ray and “Why Don’t We Dance” by Josh Turner.

Today, the shag is a recognized dance in national and international dance competitions held across the United States. Started in 1984, the National Shag Dance Championships have been held in Myrtle Beach. This year’s finals were held in March bringing a loyal band of shag followers from all over to compete. It grows larger every year. With their own language, the shag followers describe themselves as “free–spirited” and “generous” people “with sand in my shoes”.

The NSDC is the winner of two “Feather Awards” for best swing band event in the United States. Past champions of NSDC performed on various television shows, such as Good Morning America and CBS This Morning.

Fat Harold’s Beach Club on Main Street in N. Myrtle Beach is the place to go to catch the shag. Since 1992, it is the only dance allowed at the club.

Other popular clubs that have the shag scene are Duck’s, Pirates Cove, The Spanish Galleon, and The O.D. Café. Shagging continues to be the deal for beach entertainment.

As Dr. Phil Sawyer, co-author of “Save The Last Dance For Me”, a love story of the Shag, says, “A cold beer on a warm night with a hot date, and no plans for tomorrow, says it all.”

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William and Monique Armstrong A thousand miles away in her Chelsea apartment, Monique Armstrong noticed something different in her husband’s voice.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked. “Yes,” he said, “Lady Savannah.”

The city that captured William’s heart in the spring

of 2000 while working as the Art Director for the film “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” intrigued Monique so she left a seventeen year job with the United Nations, a chic New York City apartment and New Jersey vacation home, boarding a train on Labor Day weekend...

Savannah SMITTEN by Tammy Rako www.thecarolinastoday.com

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to Savannah.

Walking beneath the curvaceous canopy of Savannah’s live oak’s, perusing its parterre gardens and stately architecture, Monique viewed several historic properties.

She soon chose an exquisite two-story 1800’s row house featuring English heart pine floors and a treetop balcony overlooking Chatham Square. She was equally smitten purchasing a statuesque brick manor blocks away on Taylor St. Following the ten-month renovation, the Armstrong’s named the stately beauty the Armstrong Residence.

Ten years later, as a respected Savannah innkeeper, Monique welcomes travelers from all parts of the world to lodge in one of her five distinguished inns.

The Chatham Suite, where the Armstrong’s resided while renovating the Armstrong 62

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Residence, is now a two-story inn featuring William’s original artwork, four operational fireplaces, parlor floor with spacious living room and breakfast balcony. Upstairs, a luxurious feather bed, full-size bathroom, walk-in closet and treetop terrace awe travelers. A private street entrance leads to the Garden Suite featuring a sitting area with fireplace and private courtyard. In close proximity to the other Armstrong Inns, the Tattnall House is distinguished by its Victoria décor and Persian rugs while the Jenkins House overlooks a private courtyard garden.

Since opening in 2001, the Armstrong’s have been committed to providing history and art lovers a true southern living experience.

Monique smiles when she recalls a recent guest’s inexplicable affection for the city.

“Lady Savannah.”

Reserve your own Private Historic Experience www.ArmstrongInns.com

THE CAROLINAS TODAY

Charleston

An Unparalleled Treasure By Debra Madaris Efird Top and Bottom: John Muuss Photographic Artist

THE CHANCE TO VIEW majestic mansions located south of Broad Street may be reason enough to visit Charleston, SC, but remaining in the exclusive historic section would cause you to miss much of what this gem of a city has to offer. Too ambitious to rest on its Old South laurels, Charleston has been intentional about inviting the new and the cosmopolitan. While holding onto its traditional charm, it has become a progressive city – a dazzling New South star. Charleston offers an unbeatable quality of life for both its tourists and its residents: business thrives, art sizzles, recreation booms.

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THE CAROLINAS TODAY

An Unparalleled Treasure

Driving about the city, you cannot miss the impressive sight of sunlight dancing across the span of the Cooper River Bridge, officially known as the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. Completed in 1995, the 2.5 mile bridge connects the city of Charleston with the town of Mount Pleasant. Though known for its fine engineering, the bridge is more widely revered as the site of the Cooper River Bridge Run, a coveted destination of running enthusiasts. Held in spring, the bridge fills with the rhythmic plodding of thousands of footsteps as earnest runners from all over the world compete. Those who have completed this trophy race have an appreciation for its length that others will never quite understand!

The gleaming South Carolina Aquarium, opened in 2000, offers entertaining diversion for hot summer afternoons. Built out over the water, its Riverside Terrace provides a spot for sighting dolphins romping in the historic Charleston harbor.

Inside the building, you feel instant cooling from the spectacle of the Caspian blue water in the Great Ocean Tank, the home of hundreds of sea animals. Visitors can view colorful reef habitats, touch a hermit crab or sting ray with their own fingers, and fall in love with very appealing patients in the

Two of the residents of the South Carolina Aquarium.

Sea Turtle Hospital. Education is going on, but it is disguised well. The “ooohs” and “ahhhhs” of children – and yes, even teenagers – bring a smile to even the most jaded.

South Carolina Aquarium

Top, Inset and Bottom: Gene Ho Photography

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FFIRECRACKER IRECRACKER W WINGS INGS (Serves 4 )

I gotta tell ya, I used to think that wings had to be fried. (Probably because most grilled wings are burned and chewy and lack flavor.)

So I set out to make some that will rock ’n’ roll without getting fried.

5 pounds chicken wings 6 cups water 1⁄4 cup kosher salt 1⁄3 cup chili- garlic sauce 1 cup honey 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1⁄2 cup Sweet Soy Sauce (see page 85 or find in Asian markets) 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar 1⁄4 cup minced ginger 1 teaspoon ground sea salt 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted* 1 tablespoon minced green onions *To toast the sesame seeds, just put them over low heat in a dry skillet and watch them carefully!

1. Cut the wings apart at the joints and discard the tips. In a large glass bowl, combine the water, kosher salt, ¼ cup of the chili- garlic sauce, and ¼ cup of the honey. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the wings and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. To make the basting and dipping sauce, in a small bowl, combine the remaining chili- garlic sauce, the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sriracha, the remaining honey, vinegar, and ginger and mix well. Set aside half of the sauce for serving in order to avoid contamination.

3. Preheat a grill to medium- high. Drain the wings and season them with sea salt and pepper. Grill the wings until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, turning as needed. When the wings reach the right color, continue cooking over indirect heat until they’re at the desired doneness, then baste them with the sauce, turning as needed until the wings are glossy and well coated. Garnish the wings with the sesame seeds and green onion and serve with the reserved dipping sauce.

Recipe Courtesy: GUY FIERI FOOD (William Morrow, May 2011)

www.thecarolinastoday.com

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THE CAROLINAS TODAY

An Unparalleled Treasure

After leaving the aquarium, you’ll be ready to cross back over the big bridge, park the car, and put on your walking shoes. There is no other way to appreciate the many narrow streets – some actually cobblestone – than to take a walking tour. It doesn’t take long to notice Charleston’s preoccupation with the arts. Thirty-five years ago the Spoleto Festival USA was developed in Charleston to complement the same arts festival held in Spoleto, Italy. In late spring this highly regarded event offers a seventeenday showcase of fine theatre, music, dance, and visual arts. But culture is a year-round event in Charleston: how could such a picturesque city not be an artist’s Mecca? Museums abound, with one of the more noted being the Gibbes Museum of Art, which has operated for over 100 years. If there is no time for a museum visit, take a look at the window displays in galleries and shops. Even a brief peek at paintings of Southern-style porches, rainbowhued houses, and magnolia-shaded plantations will convey the special splendor of the Lowcountry.

Charleston has long been a city of commerce, and there’s no better place to experience the buying and selling of wares than at the Old City Market along Meeting Street. Vendors display a range of goods from fine imported purses made of Italian cork to

moderately priced handmade jewelry to cheap plastic souvenirs. At the entrance to the market and along shady sidewalks throughout the area, you can appreciate a true Charleston tradition: the making of sweetgrass baskets. Serious weavers work as they sell, and the cost of their baskets reflects the considerable time and skill required to create these masterpiece items.

Ambling south of Broad Street, you will encounter many of the antebellum homes for which Charleston is known. Most have been cared for with tender pride throughout the years and are still magnificent works of art. Wrought iron gates guard some, but you can peer through to see graceful porch columns surrounded by massive trees draped

Top, Bottom and Opposite: John Muuss Photographic Artist

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THE CAROLINAS TODAY

An Unparalleled Treasure

Horrific fires, intense hurricanes, and even a serious earthquake took their toll on many of the original structures.

with Spanish moss. A few houses have been turned into bed-and-breakfast inns, where you can live out the Southern aristocrat dream, at least for a night or two.

Sprinkled among the stately houses are a number of noble churches, many of which were established in the 1680’s. Horrific fires, intense hurricanes, and even a serious earthquake took their toll on many of the original structures. But the hardy people of Charleston rebuilt, allowing these churches to minister to the joyous and sorrowful needs of congregants for multiple generations. The sharp black-tipped spires of the French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, the solid massive steeple of St. Philip’s with its chim-

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Top: Gene Ho Photography: Bottom: John Muuss Photographic Artist

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ing bells, the unusual architecture of the Circular Congregational Church (revealed in its name) – all send welcoming messages to worshippers of today, just as they have for the past 300-plus years.

Eventually a walk south of Broad ends up at the harbor. The white-capped water is never placid where the Cooper and Ashley Rivers converge, joining the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean. You can step up to the sea walk for a spectacular view, but on weekends you’ll have to dodge crowds of joggers and tourists jostling for space on the popular corridor.

Gene Ho Photography

It’s hard to choose between eying the diamond-studded seascape and the multimilliondollar mansions alongside. In the distance Fort Sumter is visible. Tour boats scuttle across the water, taking people right to the spot where the Civil War had its beginning. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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THE CAROLINAS TODAY

An Unparalleled Treasure

Seabrook Island at sunset.

Gazebo at The Battery.

At the end of the sea wall, it’s time to step down, cross the narrow street, and roam the paths of White Point Gardens. Better known as the Battery, the park beckons with its promise of shade from the large hardwoods. Cannons pointing seaward entice small children to climb aboard. All eyes are drawn to the large gazebo, where you might find a couple in passionate embrace or a circle of children singing and dancing to an imaginary audience. You may want to take a rest on an empty park bench, pausing just long enough to plan the next venture.

Should you tour Boone Hall Plantation, Cypress Gardens, or Drayton Hall? Or escape to the wind-washed beaches of Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, or Isle of Palms? They are all just short excursions away. You could never do justice to sampling the opportunities of Charleston in a single day, or maybe not even in a lifetime. On this visit take your time, drink in the new along with the old, and maybe one day you’ll return to stay. There’s an enchanting Colonial manor for sale on Tradd Street, a little pricey, but imagine the life awaiting you here…

About the writer...

Debra Madaris Efird is a freelance writer and school counselor from Harrisburg, NC. Her book, "Groups in Practice: A School Counselor's Collection," will be published by Routledge in June 2012. She is a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network. Her website is https://sites.google.com/site/debramadarisefird./home. She may be reached at debramadarisefird@gmail.com

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Top, Center and Bottom: Gene Ho Photography

Cooper River Bridge at dusk.

Alfonso Ribeiro

Ric Flair

Darius Rucker

Nathan Morris & Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men www.thecarolinastoday.com

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One thing I picked up from Darius during our interview was his being emotional. He has no problem letting you know how he feels or what he thinks. A few choice questions follow: Patrick Fairbrother: What do you like most about living in Charleston?

Darius Rucker: The People. The people are just nice. I've lived there my whole life. (Darius is a native of Charleston).

Patrick: Why Country?

Darius: I'm one of those guys who were lucky enough growing up to be able to listen to anything. (Darius credits his Mom with allowing him to listen to the music of his own choosing) Back then rock and roll was it. We (Hootie and the Blowfish) wanted to be R.E.M. Patrick: Has it been a struggle to re-brand yourself as a solo artist?

Darius: There have been a lot of struggles, but it's just been fun.

Patrick: Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with?

Darius: Jimmy Johnson, Reba, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood Patrick: How has the musical landscape changed in the time since you became a professional musician?

Darius: Rock and Roll is Dead (Laughing) 85% of all top songs were Rock and Roll in 1995. Not one new rock album has went Platinum (selling 1 Million copies) since 2006. Back in the 70's & 80's, even earlier, Rock was 'rebel music'. Now it's 'Hip Hop'.

Patrick: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

Darius: Play. Take as many gigs as you can.

Patrick: What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Darius: Go for it. Everything is difficult, but it's going to get better.

Patrick: What would you tell you new fans?

Darius: Come on, lets go for a ride.

Patrick: Do you have a favorite restaurants in Charleston?

Darius: Peninsula Grill and FIG. Patrick: How do the fans treat you now as opposed to when you were with Hootie and the Blowfish?

Darius: That's one of the main reasons why I live in Charleston. Its pretty much the same. Poeple see me and it's "Hey Darius" they come up with pictures for autographs.

Darius continues, "I can live anywhere in the world I want to live, but I live in Charleston, because I think it's the greatest city in the world."

Back in the day, Darius would hang out at The Windjammer (I've been told there are a few good stories from here.) but when he heads out with the kids these days... they like to go downtown to the Battery.

Darius also plays at Monday After the Masters in Myrtle Beach. Here are a few images from MAM 2011.

Bottom Photos by: Gene Ho Photography

www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Brad Redding

What Time?

I get a lot of questions about how to “read” a green. By that I mean when you have a putt which way will the terrain between the ball and the hole make the ball move. It would either break right or left and in some cases it can do both.

PGA Master Professional in Instruction Director of Golf Instruction The Resort Club at Grande Dunes Golf Instruction Editor

The first step is to imagine you have a large barrel full of water and you get behind the ball in line with the hole. Now pour that water towards the hole. Where will the water go? This is really how all greens are built – to get water off the green as fast as possible. When it rains you don’t water standing on the green it needs to drain off the green. Those humps, dips and hills are not there to drive you crazy. They are there to get water off of the green.

After you have determined which way the water is moving you can now get more specific on how much you will need to aim to the right of left of the hole. Now you want to use the hole and turn it into a clock face. Take four tees a place them around a hole.

Like the photo shows, one at 12:00, one at 3:00, one at 6:00 and one at 9:00 o’clock. Walk about 15 feet behind your ball and kneel down. Look at the hole and decide what “time” would the ball go into the hole. If the putt was straight it would go into the hole at 6:00 o’clock. I don’t know many putts that would go into 12:00 o’clock but you will get the idea. So lets’ say I think the putt is going to break to the left.

I decide it will go into the hole at 4:00 o’clock. I will walk from the hole back to my ball. I will then find the high point or apex of the break. This is where I think the ball will start turning towards the hole. This will be my aiming point. I will make two rehearsle strokes that will role the ball the proper distance.

This an important part of the putt because distance control is the most important elements in putting.

All putts would be straight if you hit the ball hard enough. Now I have a point to aim at. This is all you can do it putting. Remember the amount you play the ball right or left is just a guess. Now some golfer’s guess better than others but it is only a guess. Once you have made your “guess” commit to that and don’t charge your mind once you get over the ball. It make look different once you get over the ball, but the best way to see any break would be from behind the ball, in line with the hole. Make you stroke at your aiming point and roll the ball the correct distance. You might be pleasantly surprised how much your putting will improve.

www.thecarolinastoday.com

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ince its construction in 1855-1858, the City Hall/ Thalian Hall building has had the unusual distinction of serving as both the area's political and cultural center.

Listed on the National Register for Historic Places, Thalian Hall is the only surviving theatre designed by John Montague Trimble, one of America's foremost 19th-century theatre architects. It was built at a time when Wilmington was the largest city in the state. The new building housed the town government, the library, as well as an "Opera House", seating 1,000 people, which was 10% of the population of the Town.

Wilmington had been a center of theatrical activity since the end of the 18th century. With the building of Thalian Hall, Wilmington became a major stop for national touring artists. During the Civil War, Thalian Hall was in almost constant use as a place of amusement.

The theatre was under the control of the 4th Thalian Association for the first two years of its operation until financial difficulties forced their dissolution.

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Maurice Barrymore

Joseph Jefferson

Buffalo Bill Cody

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rom 1860 until 1936, Thalian Hall was leased by private entrepreneurs, who booked in road shows and star attractions. The most famous lessee of the theatre was John T. Buffalo Bill with Sitting Bull Ford, formerly of Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. He leased Thalian Hall from 1867-1871 and changed the name to “The Opera House.�

Some of the artists who appeared in the Hall in the 19th and early 20th centuries were Lillian Russell, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Phillip Sousa, Joseph Jefferson, Maurice Barrymore, and Sir Henry Lauder. Between engagements the theatre hosted many local events such as amateur concerts, recitals, meetings, graduations, exhibitions, and even roller-skating.

c. 1890 Lillian Russell in Lady Teazle (1904) www.thecarolinastoday.com

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ince that time Thalian Hall has become one of the most heavily utilized facilities of its kind. Thalian Hall's three venues annually host 422 events attended by nearly 80,000 people, a figure that has doubled in less than twenty years. In addition to the wide range of community programming, the THCPA provides touring performances through its Main Street Attractions series which include national and international touring artists.

THCPA also features artistic films through the Cinematique Film Series.

John Phillip Sousa was the most famous head of the Marine Corps Band

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Best Bes Be B eest ooff T THE HE CA HE CAR C CAROLINAS AR A ROL LINAS LI NA N AS AS TODAY TO TODAY AY A Y 2014 2014 20 14

310 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 Local: 910-632-2241 Box Office: 910-632-2285 Toll Free: 1-800-523-2820 www.thalianhall.org

(910) 798-4370 814 Market St, Wilmington, NC

www.capefearmuseum.com

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Take a Peek at your Pet’s Eyes

by Dr. Ernie Ward

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ye injuries are one of the most serious conditions seen by veterinarians. Because pets often mask the clinical signs associated with an injured eye and don’t complain as we do, many pet owners fail to recognize a problem, ignore it or, worse, try to treat it on their own. To help you get a clearer view of your pet’s eyes, let’s look at some of the most common eye problems in pets, how to tell if your pet is affected and what you should do.

Rule Number One: Do No Harm Spanky was a small-breed older dog that had been diagnosed with eye problems in the past. It was usually something minor: allergies, infection, nothing serious. So when Spanky began pawing at his eye one evening, his owner searched the medicine cabinet for the last eye medication Spanky had been prescribed.

Two days later, Spanky visited our office in trouble. The vision in his eye was in real danger of being lost. Fortunately, after surgery with a veterinary ophthalmologist, Spanky retained his eyesight. What happened?

Rule number one of any suspected eye injury: never put anything into your pet’s eye without consulting with your veterinarian first. Spanky almost lost his eye because his pet parent administered a medication used to treat inflammation and allergies into an eye with an ulcer.

The medication worsened an already severe condition. No matter how many times your dog has experienced an eye problem or the number of pets you’ve owned in your lifetime, don’t let your dog become a Spanky. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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structure form just behind the pupil. The great news is that your pet doesn’t have to go blind from cataracts. The same surgery that is performed on people is performed on pets by veterinary ophthalmologists. If you don’t choose to have a cataract removed, your veterinarian should monitor for the development of glaucoma (an increase in the pressure inside the eye). Many pets with mature or hypermature cataracts (advanced stages associated with blindness or near-blindness) will develop glaucoma. The test for glaucoma is typically performed by a tonometer. This is a pen-shaped instrument that measures the pressure in the eye. The test simply requires your pet’s cornea to be numbed with a topical solution and takes only a few minutes.

Diagnosing Eye Injuries

Corneal Injuries The cornea is the clear tissue in the front of the eye through which we see. Because it doesn’t have any blood vessels (it’s clear) and it is exposed to the environment most of the time, injuries are common. Many pets will have a scratch on the cornea called a corneal laceration that may become a deeper injury known as a corneal ulcer. These injuries are often caused by a wayward claw, blade of grass or fight with another animal. They may also be caused by contact with liquids such as shampoos or flea sprays or gases such as smoke.

You can tell if your pet has a corneal injury because it will usually squint, close the eye, avoid bright light, rub at the eye with its paws or you may see a red, bloodshot, swollen or wet eye. The discharge may be clear or yellow-green in color. If you see your pet closing or squinting its eye, have it seen by your veterinarian immediately. Superficial injuries can quickly become infected and a minor injury progress to a major one in a matter of hours. Don’t delay; your pet has only two eyes.

Dry Eye “Dry eye” is another name for keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS).

Dry eye is caused by decreased production of tears causing the cornea to become dry and ulcerate. It is described as quite irritating and painful in humans with the condition. The cause is thought to be an inherited immune disorder in certain families of dogs. In simple terms, the dog’s immune cells attack and damage the cells that produce tears. Once the damage is severe, dry eye occurs. To combat dry eye, an immunosuppressive drug, cyclosporine (also used to fight cancer), is most commonly used.

Tacrolimus is also used in some cases. Breeds most commonly affected include: cocker spaniel, Boston terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, bulldog, English springer spaniel, Lhasa apso, Miniature schnauzer, Pekingese, Pug, Shih tzu, West Highland white terrier, and Yorkshire terrier.

Cataracts Cataracts are one of the most common age-related conditions diagnosed in veterinary medicine. Cataracts are also one of the most common causes of blindness in dogs and cats. You can spot cataracts by the familiar blue to gray hue in your pet’s eyes.

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If your veterinarian suspects an eye injury, the first test performed is almost always a corneal stain. This test consists of applying a dye, typically fluorescein dye, in the eye to detect any tiny breaks in the cornea’s outer layers. Your veterinarian will often examine the eye using magnification and a special blue wavelength of light. If the cornea is damaged, as in Spanky’s case, your veterinarian will avoid eye medications that contain topical steroids. Without knowing if the cornea is damaged or not, your veterinarian cannot safely prescribe eye medications.

If dry eye is suspected in your pet, a tear production test will be conducted. This test involves the use of a special tear-absorbing film that is gently placed in the corner of each eye. The strips are held in the eye for one minute and the amount of moisture wicked on the test strips is measured. If your pet isn’t producing enough tear film, it will be started on cyclosporine or tacrolimus and re-checked in thirty days. Once adequate tear production is achieved, the pet is monitored every three to six months. Treatment is almost always for life in patients with dry eye.

Are Dogs Colorblind?

One of the most common dog eye myths is that “they see in black-and-white.” Not true! According to the latest research, dogs are most likely red-green color blind. This means they see blues and yellows really well but greens and red may be misinterpreted as another hue. Cats are believed to see in color. They seem to prefer color combinations with

Seaside Animal Care Calabash, North Carolina 910-579-5550 www.SeasideVet.com

more contrast. You may interpret this as a dog would enjoy a bright blue bed while a cat favors pink and green polkadots!

Your pet’s eyes are a precious gift; take good care of them. While cases such as Spanky’s are rare, when they occur it’s a sad, avoidable tragedy. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian. Together you can ensure your pet sees the world as it was intended – with you front and center and in full focus!

Dr. Ward opened Seaside Animal Care in 1993. He is a nationally and internationally acclaimed author, sought-after speaker and television guest on many programs including Animal Planet, CNN and the Rachael Ray Show. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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An Interview with

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Dr. Ernie Ward

r. Ernie Ward is known as many things: award-winning veterinarian, husband and father, media personality and now author. His new book, “Chow Hounds – Why Our Dogs are Getting Fatter – A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives” by HCI Books, publishers of the best-selling “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series, “The Beverley Hills Diet,” “The Ultimate Pet Lovers Guide” and more.

We sat down with Dr. Ward to discuss his new book, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and the problems of overweight pets.

dog that size probably only needs about 200 to 220 calories each day. That single biscuit equals 21 percent of the total calories that dog should eat in a day! If an average human were to eat an equivalent amount of calories, they would need to eat two Krispy Kreme Chocolate Iced Glazed Doughnuts. Imagine if you did that two or three times a day; you’d be obese in no time!

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN PET OBESITY? My own journey is an amalgam of my love of veterinary medicine and human health. Early on I recognized the power of nutrition in creating and preserving human health, most notably my own. As I learned more human nutrition, I began applying these tenets to my pet patients. I also became active in endurance athletics, specifically Ironman triathlon, and became a certified personal trainer and USA Triathlon accredited coach to learn more. My primary goal as a veterinarian is disease prevention.

Proper nutrition and lean body mass are essential ingredients for optimal health. I’ve always believed that health isn’t merely the absence of illness; it’s about achieving the best you can be. When I began taking this approach with my veterinary patients, using food as medicine, I began seeing dogs walk without pain, diabetics discontinuing their insulin and cancer patients living longer than expected. Food truly is the best medicine.

HOW MANY OVERWEIGHT DOGS AND CATS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY? Since 2007, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention has conducted a nationwide survey of veterinary clinics to determine the current number of overweight pets. In 2009, this study estimated 45 percent of all US dogs and 57 percent of all cats were too heavy. That equals approximately 35 million dogs and 53 million cats that need to lose weight.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CAUSES OF PET OBESITY? If I could identify the biggest contributor to the current pet obesity epidemic it would definitely be treats. Today’s treats are pumped full of fat and sugar, making them highly desirable but extremely unhealthy. In fact, this added sugar and fat causes changes to a dog’s brain chemistry leading me to call treats “Kibble Crack.” It is not uncommon for me to see indoor dogs that consume over half of their required calories each day in the form of goodies. Combine high-calorie treats with an essentially inactive lifestyle and obesity develops.

Dog owners don’t often understand how many calories are in those tiny treats; I call them “calorie grenades” for that reason.

For example, if you feed a 10-pound dog one Milk-Bone Gravy Bones for Small and Medium Size Dogs dog biscuit, it contains 45 calories. That doesn’t sound too bad until you realize that a 88

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HOW DOES OBESITY AFFECT A PET’S HEALTH? IT’S LIFE SPAN? The first line in my book is: “We’re killing our dogs by making them fat.” I’d go as far as to say we’re raising the first generation of pets that won’t live as long as their parents. The major health risks associated with obesity in dogs and cats include ar-

thritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory problems and many forms of cancer. In addition, weight-related disorders not only cause needless suffering, they also cost pet owners tens of millions of dollars each year.

WHAT SHOULD A DOG OWNER FEED THEIR DOG TO HELP IT LOSE WEIGHT? Choosing a weight-loss diet isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. There are many considerations including the dog’s current health status, amount of weight that needs to be lost, taste and textural preferences and the owner’s interests and abilities. In general, I recommend feeding a Hybrid Diet: alternating a commercial diet food with home-prepared nutritious, low-cal meals.

In “Chow Hounds” I provide specific guidelines, recipes and examples of how to feed your dog a healthy weight-loss diet in addition to my top commercial food choices.

was a book on obesity they could give their clients, and there wasn’t. The team at HCI was familiar with my work on The Rachael Ray Show and Animal Planet and were very interested in the idea of a pet weight loss book. After talking with a couple of other interested publishers, I chose HCI because of their passion and long history of successful diet books.

WHAT’S NEXT ON YOUR AGENDA? In addition to my practice, I’m excited to get started on my next book. There’s so much information I want to share with pet owners to help them better care for their four-legged loved ones.

Whether it’s in my clinic, at a conference or on television, my goal is to help pets and people live longer, healthier and more meaningful lives.

ARE DOG OWNERS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FOOD THEY FEED THEIR DOGS? You bet, and with good reason. After the 2007 pet food recall, pet owners started rethinking their dog food choices. Homeprepared or store-bought? Big or small manufacturer? Canned or dry? While it’s good that dog owners are asking more questions, the trouble is that the government oversight has changed very little. In my book I discuss how dog food is made, inspected and regulated. The results may be shocking (and saddening) to pet owners.

HOW CAN PET OWNERS HELP KEEP THEIR PETS FIT? The simplest way to keep your dog fit is to walk daily for a total of 30 minutes. Walking not only benefits your dog but you’ll gain health improvements as well. Strive for a 15 to 18 minute per mile pace to get your dog into its fat-burning zone. In the book I outline specific distances and speeds for various breeds and fun and fat-burning games and activities.

Cats don’t jog; they’re optimized for sprinting. To get your cat moving, tap into its predatory instincts by playing “find the food.” Try dividing the food into small bowls placed throughout your house. Have your cat watch as you “hide” the bowls. Your cat will “hunt” the food throughout the day. This is one of the best ways to get corpulent cats on their feet and burning calories.

DO YOU THINK PET OWNERS KNOW THEIR DOGS ARE OVERWEIGHT? People’s perception about excess weight must shift from simply viewing love handles as unattractive to recognizing that their flabby waist is a noose choking their health. A cat’s sagging stomach is a deadly ball-and-chain and a dog’s thick mid-section is a hormone bomb factory waiting to explode.

In this age of cost-cutting and health reform, we must take responsibility for our health and that of our pets. The simplest thing anyone can to do to avoid illness is eat a healthy diet and exercise daily. As a veterinarian interested in obesity, my job is to educate people about their pets. If they learn a little about their own health in the process, everyone wins.

HOW DID THE BOOK COME ABOUT? I’ve been writing veterinary journal article and lecturing on pet obesity for the past ten years. Many vets asked me if there

You can find Dr. Ward’s book at all major book-sellers and on Amazon.com. For information on pet obesity, visit www.PetObesityPrevntion.com and about Dr. Ward at www.DrErnieWard. com or follow him on Twitter (@DrErnieWard) or Facebook (Dr. Ernie Ward). www.thecarolinastoday.com

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imitations fished 18-36 inches underneath rattle floats can be just as effective. As incoming tides flood over local oyster bars and rocks, the drum do as well, making them a perfect shallow water adversary for sight fishing with light spinning or fly tackle. Often, the drum give away their presence in the shallow water as they feed, their tails breaking the surface of the water as they search for crustaceans and minnows hiding in the oysters below. In these instances anglers fly fishing with 7-9 weight fly rods can have a blast, as these drum will inhale a properly presented gold spoonfly, shrimp imitation or white clouser minnow. Anglers should use stealth when sight fishing Drum in these circumstances and quietly maneuver their boat or wade into position to make an accurate casts with soft plastic shrimp or crab imitations or gold spoons and spinnerbaits. Anglers can also get plenty of Drum action in the spring by fishing with topwaters. Seeing a drum explode on a topwater plug is as exciting as it gets, and anglers should throw mainly topwaters with loud rattles to perk the Drums’ interest.

Some good advice for anglers when choosing lures for Drum is to try and fish with dark lures like black, brown, red, gold and orange in stained creek and river waters, and light colors like white, green, chartreuse and silver in the often clear waters near inlets and in the waterways.

If the spring run of Speckled Trout in local waters is anything like the fall run of 2009, local anglers have plenty to be happy about. The inshore waters were loaded with trout this past fall and early winter and it was not uncommon to catch 20-40 fish per outing. Lots of smaller “Spike” Trout were being caught which should turn into some great spring catches as these fish will have grown through the winter. Local anglers should focus their efforts on ar-

to inland estuary waters after spending the winter in the surf zone off area beaches and will take up residence in the many creeks and bays adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Cape Fear River. Their feeding habits and habitat preference offer some unique opportunities for anglers to catch them in a wide variety of scenarios.

Local Redfish show an affinity for any kind of structure with jetties, oyster beds and vertical structures such as docks and bulkheads being top areas for anglers to focus their efforts. As the fish make their way back inshore from the surf zone, both live and dead baits fished on the bottom around inlet jetties will score lots of Drum. Similarly, bouncing scented soft plastics on the bottom in the same zones can be just as productive and account for other species as well. Fishing around oyster beds and docks adjacent to creek mouths can be especially productive, as this presents two types of structures at once. Drum will stay around the docks and oyster beds waiting for the tide waters falling from the creeks to wash out shrimp, crabs and baitfish.

Live Mud Minnows, Mullet Minnows, Menhaden or shrimp either fished under a rattle float or right on the bottom on a 1/4 ounce jighead or Carolina rig is a top choice for Drum fishing around local docks and oyster beds. If no live bait is available, soft plastic shrimp and minnow

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with tidal currents that are disrupted by marsh points and oyster beds found in local rivers like the Cape Fear and in its many smaller tributaries. Points jutting out from otherwise featureless shorelines will hold trout as well since these are areas that usually attract bait and give the fish some relief from the current.

Speckled Trout are ambush predators and love to sit just outside of swift current and then quickly swim in and grab any baitfish or shrimp that flows by them in the faster moving water.

Anglers should try to locate these areas by noticing any obvious disruptions on the surface for a very subtle change in current speed can be the ticket to locating feeding trout.

Through experience, die hard trout anglers have learned that the best days to get on good Speckled Trout bites are during low atmospheric pressure, often right before an approaching storm front passes through the area. In the creeks off of large water bodies like the Cape Fear River, the holes that form in the bends and turns will hold trout, finding out what part of the tide they do is where some scouting will have to be done by anglers. Anglers using rattling floats with either live shrimp or shrimp imitations dangling below them will score well with trout, especially when the float/lure is allowed to drift down marsh edges in a good current. Trout are also suckers for live Mullet Minnows, Mud Minnows or small Croakers fished on carolina rigs near the bottom. 4 and 5 inch Croakers are 94

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as good as it gets for enticing a trophy 4-8 pound Speckled Trout.

In every trout fishermen’s arsenal is the proven Mirrolure twitchbait, and for good reason. Newer models featuring internal rattles and highly reflective sides will take the most leery of trout.

The key to fishing with a Mirrolure is to fish them slow, often only twitching them once every 10 seconds or so. Also, the key to keeping a Mirrolure in the trout’s strike zone is remembering that a Mirrolure sinks at a rate of about 1 foot per second. A good word of advice is when you think you are fishing it slow, slow down some more. There is an overwhelming number of color combinations, but using but using the tried and true is always a good place to start. Using water clarity as a factor when choosing color can make it easier to decide. In stained, falling tide river waters, anglers should stick with using Mirrolures that are highly visible, preferably with the internal rattles.

The 808 with black back, orange belly and gold sides is a local standby stained waters as well as the Catch 2000 model

in Electric Chicken. In clear waters, more natural colors like green back with silver or gold sides, black back with silver sides, or all white will almost always work if the trout are in the area. Larger Speckled Trout also show a liking for noisy topwater plugs in the spring, with the rattling Mirrolure Top Dog and the quieter Lucky Craft Sammy in darker colors both being top choices. Anglers should continue their topwater retrieve if a trout tries their topwater and misses, keep it moving or even speed it a up a bit to draw another strike from a following fish.

Just offshore, in the 1-5 mile range, water temperatures rising into the low to mid sixties cue the arrival of a locally favored light tackle adversary, the Atlantic Bonito. Cousins to the more widely recognized Bluefin, Yellowfin and Blackfin Tunas, these smaller versions are the perfect light tackle gamefish, as they ravenously feed on hordes of Glass Minnows and Silversides balled up over inshore bottom structure. Fly and conventional anglers alike look forward to the arrival of these speedsters, as the average 5-8 pound fish can burn 150 yards of line off a reel on their first run.

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Nearshore hard bottom areas and artificial reefs attract these fish as they migrate north which gives the small boat anglers a chance to have some big fun. As the Bonito push schools of baitfish to the surface, they then crash through the school with reckless abandon, often turning the surface into a frothy mess.

Topwater plugs, Gotcha plugs and Maria or Stingsilver jigs ripped through the melee usually results in instant hookups. Anglers casting flies that “match the hatch“, like white and silver Clouser Minnows or Glass Minnow imitations will score well if they can get their fly into the surface action. If the Bonito are not present on the surface, fishermen should watch their fish finder to find the large balls of baitfish that maybe holding tight to the

bottom.

The Bonito are usually close by and the same jigs allowed to sink to the bottom and ripped up through the bait will often result in hookups. The Bonito most actively feed on the surface in the early morning hours so anglers should time their trips accordingly. Also, the sometimes brisk springtime winds usually don’t start blowing until mid morning so anglers in small boats should plan accordingly to get out there early, catch a few and work their way back inshore to finish out the day fishing for Red Drum and Speckled Trout in more protected waters.

For those wanting to venture further offshore, southeastern coastal waters provide quite a smorgasbord of angling opportunity. The numerous artificial reefs, limestone ledges and coral reef areas off the coast are home to many species of gamefish in the spring.

Anywhere from 5 to 40 miles offshore anglers fishing around wrecks, live bottom areas will encounter King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel and Dolphin.

Fast trolling spoons or rigged Cigar Minnows and Ballyhoo is a great way to find productive areas.

Once the target species is located, switching over to slow trolling live baits like Menhaden and Bluefish will often draw strikes from the larger kings and Dolphin in the area.

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The numerous available bottom dwellers can keep anglers busy with action as well. The same live bottom areas anglers may fish for King Mackerel often hold Black Sea Bass, Beeliners, Triggerfish, Am www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Captain Derek Knott berjack, Grouper and Red Snapper as well. Fishing dead Cigar Minnows, cut Squid or live Pinfish will take all of the aforementioned species. Many anglers prefer to use butterfly jigs for these species and have an awful lot of luck.

Unfortunately, anglers are not allowed to possess any of the Grouper or Red Snapper they may catch due to closings by the Department of Marine Fisheries on the species due to supposed over fishing. Even so, they can be caught and released, and all the other species mentioned are awesome tablefare.

Die hard local offshore anglers know that April and May can be outstanding months for fishermen headed out on the 50+ mile run to the waters of the Gulf Stream. Spring gulf stream trips in southeastern NC can result in chances at Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Blackfin Tuna, Wahoo, and loads of Dolphin. The past couple of years has seen this area become a world class Blue Marlin hot spot with some boats getting as many as 5 or 6 blue marlin bites a day when specifically targeting them.

do decide to show up this spring, anglers should troll small to medium Ballyhoo skirted or naked on stealthy 80 to 130 pound fluorocarbon leaders with as little terminal tackle as possible in the water. Popular skirt color combinations for the local Tuna include blue and white, blue and black, blue and purple and green and blue. Spreader bars and cedar plugs are also good bets for catching a few Yellowfin.

For the best Dolphin results, anglers should focus on the 30 fathom ledge and any irregular bottom features associated with it. Also, fishermen should keep their eyes open for well formed grass lines and floating debris as both with concentrate large schools of these tasty acrobats.

Top captains are focusing in 100 fathoms or more and concentrating their efforts around temperature changes for the best shots at action. Most will fish a spread of medium to large lures at around eight knots to cover lots of area and to discourage constant attacks from marauding Dolphin which would rather eat smaller offerings.

Yellowfin Tuna is a top quarry on North Carolina anglers list in the spring, but due to natural cyclical changes, they have been somewhat of a no show for last few years. If they 96

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Dolphin are not picky eaters and usually attack trolled Ballyhoo, Squid, Cigar Minnows and about any live bait one can put in the water. Once a Dolphin is hooked, anglers should have light spinning tackle rigged for casting small chunks of squid or dolphin belly to other Dolphin that usually follow the hooked fish to the boat. If none are immediately seen, it is a good idea to leave the hooked fish in the water for a minute or two to see if any decide to show up.

Wahoo will also be hunting along the 30 fathom ledge and beyond this spring. The numerous ledges and live bottom areas along the 30 fathom ledge off hold baitfish in the spring and the Wahoo are usually where the bait is. High speed trolling heavy jethead style lures accounts for lots of fish as more productive water is covered and the lures are presented in front of more fish overall.

They will readily attack skirted trolled Ballyhoo as well, especially if anglers can get a rigged trolling bait down 40 to 80 feet by using a down rigger or planer rod setup. Wahoo show a preference for blue and black, red and black, purple and black and blue and white skirt color combinations.

the month of April. In the last two years, Blue Marlin fishing off of North Carolina has been nothing short of world class with fishermen sometimes getting as many as six Blue Marlin bites a day.

The rising popularity of lure fishing for Blue Marlin with heavy 80 and 130 pound tackle has shown what an awesome Blue Marlin fishery North Carolina has to offer with several fish in the 1,000 pound class being caught in recent years. In the usually “sporty” conditions of the gulf stream in May/April, anglers should choose lures that run properly in typically rough seas, mainly those with flat or concave faces.

Medium and large sized plungers with small faces and a bit of lead inside them also track true in rougher water. A spread of all black or purple and black standard Moldcraft Widerange’s is a great way for non professionals to go out there and have a good shot of catching a Blue Marlin.

Dropping to the bottom with butterfly jigs on heavy spinning rods rigged with 80 pound braided line and a short wire trace leader will also take plenty of Wahoo that are feeding on the bait holding on likely bottom structure.

May marks the beginning of the billfish tournaments in North Carolina every year, but anglers venturing to the gulf stream should be ready to battle with Blue Marlin for them throughout www.thecarolinastoday.com

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brandansmirnoffmodel@gmail.com

Brandan Smirnoff

Height: 6’ 0” Weight: 190 lbs.

Waist: 32” Inseam: 33” Eyes: Green Hair: Blonde 98

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Photos by RLS Images excluding top right page 25

by Gene Ho Photography

Recipe courtesy Andrew Zimmern James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and teacher 100

Best of THE CAROLINAS TODAY 2014

The Carolinas Today Presents...

Andrew Z immern

Turkey A La King Serves 6 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed 1/3 cup sliced black olives 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cups leftover turkey, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 1/4 cups turkey or chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 cup milk Salt and freshly ground white pepper Steamed white rice, for serving Instructions In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the olives, parsley, tarragon, thyme and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully incorporated and slightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the turkey to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the stock, stirring well and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour in the milk and return to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season the stew with salt and white pepper and serve with rice.

MAKE AHEAD The stew can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

“This is one of the great comfort foods of all time, and if it doesn’t become a post-Thanksgiving favorite in your house, I will be shocked. Creamy and sublime, Old World and rustic in the best farmhouse sense possible, this dish, served with a pot of long-grain Carolina rice, can’t be beat.

Oftentimes, I serve this with a side of roasted endive gratin, because it pairs really well: Poach whole endive in just enough water to cover, seasoned with butter, salt and honey. Then drain and drip-dry, arrange in a baking dish, cover with fresh butter and toasted bread crumbs and bake until crispy.” – Andrew Zimmern www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Reprinted from the book Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson.

Copyright © 2011 by Boy Meets Grill, Inc. Photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink.

Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. 102

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The Carolinas Today Presents...

Bobby Flay

Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Gratin

Warm and bubbly with a golden brown crust, this easy-to-prepare side dish is one of my favorite cold-weather indulgences. I am a big fan of cauliflower’s soft, slightly nutty flavor and don’t think it gets the attention it deserves.

It has a remarkable ability to absorb the flavors of whatever it is being cooked with, such as the rich creamy sauce of smooth Monterey Jack, salty Parmesan, and tangy goat cheeses in this gratin.

Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish 3 cups whole milk, or more if needed 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (1 1⁄2 cups) 6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into small pieces 1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets, each floret cut into 2 or 3 pieces Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 10-inch baking dish.

2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

3. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute; do not let the mixture brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Monterey Jack, half of the goat cheese, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, thin with a little extra milk.

4. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl, add the cauliflower, and stir well to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining goat cheese and Parmesan. Slip a rimmed baking sheet underneath and bake until the cauliflower is tender and the top is bubbly and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Copyright Š 2013 by Curtis Stone

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Photographs by Quentin Bacon

The Carolinas Today Presents...

Curtis Stone

Winter Vegetable Minestrone Serves 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Ingredients 12oz. Coles Finest Angus beef sausages, casings removed, meat broken into large chunks 1 tbsp Coles Brand olive oil 1 small brown onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp Coles Brand fennel seeds, lightly crushed 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces 2 cups Coles Brand chicken stock 3 cups water 1 cup (60g) Coles Brand shell pasta 1 cup Coles Brand canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves Âź cup (20g) shaved Mil Lel parmesan cheese Method Heat a large heavy based saucepan over high heat. Once hot, add sausage and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the pan. Strain off any fat.

Add the oil and onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion softens slightly. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and rosemary, cook for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the carrots and parsnips, and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Return the sausage to the pan.

Stir in the stock and water with a wooden spoon, and bring to the boil. Swirl back of a ladle over surface of soup, pushing any fat or foam to the edges.

Add the pasta and cook, stirring often, for about 9 minutes until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.

Remove the rosemary stem.

Gently stir in the beans and simmer for 2 minutes, until heated through.

Turn off heat and fold in the spinach.

Divide soup evenly among four serving bowls and serve with parmesan cheese. www.thecarolinastoday.com

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Turkey Cassoulet with Butter Beans Coutesy of Nadia G Host of Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen on Cooking Channel 106

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Best of THE CAROLINAS TODAY 2014