Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / March 3, 1994, edition 1 / Page 5
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PHOTO BY BILL FAVEK BIRDS OFTEN hunch their heads and necks down against their hacks as protection from the cold. How The 'Cold Birds' Survive BY BILL FAVER Birds have an amazing ability to withstand the kinds of weather we would not want to experience. This time of year can be a very trying time, as food supplies are low and the weather unpredictable. Birds who migrate have to de cide when the cold has about end ed in their breeding grounds, sometimes thousands of miles away. Those who stay with us all year have to judge when the iast cold snap has come and it is time to start their nesting activities. FAVER Birds usually arc less active in very hot or very cold weather. So much of their energy supply is used in moving around and in getting food, they want to conserve a!! they can. When is cold they can be observed sitting on a protected branch, some times in the warm sunshine. In rainy or icy conditions (hey arc often snuggled back in the thick branches of an evergreen tree or shrub. Those we do see seem to fluff out their feathers, just as we would don a down jacket. They "zip" their feathers to close the Velcro-like fasteners and keep out the cold. Herons and other large birds hunch their heads and necks down against their backs to have less exposed surface. On the beach, we see guils and terns and sand pipers up against the frontal dunes, protected from the north winds and soaking up the sunshine. Many birds die from exposure in severe weather, but many others survive because of these natural mechanisms and practices which are built into their being. We can see this very well this time of year when we often have cold mornings and warmer after noons. Watch for the "cold birds" in your yards and along our roadsides and waieiways, and kr.c.v that they, like we, will welcome the coming springtime. MORE LETTERS Former Health Employee Says She's Concerned, Not Disgruntled lo the editor: Just to set the record straight: on Feb. 13 1 approached the Board of Health, not as a "disgruntled" ex employee, but rather as a concerned taxpaying citizen of this community. My attempt was to better the con ditions at the health department both for the public served and for my friends and co-workers who contin ue to remain employed there. Aside from the TB incident? which also, in my opinion, was a matter primarily of expediting ser vices?my complaints, suggestions and grievances had all been ad dressed ir. letter form in Sfnii-mher 1993 to the director, who had re quested an evaluation from all nurs ing staff employees. I also wish to clarify the inaccura cy of the press report that I had not reported the incident; I, in fact, had requested two other staff RNs read and evaluate the man's forearm. Both did so, and one has document ed it as positive and is following up on the first (negative) documenta tion made by a third RN. There was no accusation stated, only facts. 1 further wish to state that, to my knowledge, there was no conflict or personal problem between myself and my immediate supervisor. She gave me a good and fair evaluation. My concern over the non-promo tion was rather a question of the method in which the health depart ment conducts their hiring proce dures. I had no problem with their selections, but merely in how they reached their decision. In view of the fact that I possess adequate cre dentials, had been employed there just short of a year and had received commendation on my performance, both from the family nurse practi tioner in primary care and the lead nurse in adult health and with no known complaints from the public, it remains an enigma to me. One might wonder if the over looking of these positive attributes and the lack of promotion might possibly be the result of my Sep tember letter critiquing the health department operations. It was never my intent for this to become a public issue. I felt it an in house problem that could be recti fied and that is why I requested an executive session and refused to speak to any reporters. Apparently some board members felt it should be public knowledge. I know not their intent. The department and its services are sorely needed and I only pray lllrfl, III tttv iilitii iiiiui).?i.ii and services will improve, both for the general public being served and for them employees who deliver them. Christine L. Stewart, LPN Southport A New Approach To the editor: I am writing this to voice an opin ion addressing the need to develop an alternative system of education outside the current school setting tor at-risk students. The scope of this idea is non-traditional in nature. The brick-and-mortar approach of alternative schooling has failed mis erably in the past. Traditional alter native schools have not in the past met the needs of at-risk students or been effective. An alternative school should focus on interaction, inter ventions and prevention?involving the family and entire community to wards turning the at-risk child back into a productive citizen as quickly as possible at whatever point major problems occur. This concept directly involves the Community-In-Schoo!s approach discussed at the February Educa tional Summit at Brunswick Com munity College. The Community In-Schools concept encourages the networking of all community and re source services, businesses, volun teer agencies, and churches in taking responsibility for at-risk children in Brunswick County. This non-traditional school setting would offer a condensed academic schedule along with mentoring from county agencies and churches (e.g. juvenile courts, social services, men - tal health, parks and recreation, etc.). A system of alternative educa tion for the at-risk child .-diouSu in clude mandatory parental involve ment with the student and the staff. A positive interaction between parent-student-staff is necessary for this setting to be successful. Conse quently, the parents would be man dated to attend "skill shops" at night with their child in order to address and eliminate the problem areas and provide future guidance. It is important to underscore the importance of this networking?a proactive rather than a reactive mea sure?to overcome problems associ ated with at-risk students, the fami lies, the schools and the communi ties. By implementing this system of alternative schooling, we can focus on providing a safe and orderly, ef fcctivc learning environment which will then raise test cores and eventu ally create a high-quality curriculum. It is a realization that schools by themselves can go only so far to heighten the skills of students. Suc cess requires strong, collective sup port from churches, communities, employers and, most particularly, families. Cynthia Tart Leland Sparing Opinions To the editor: In a letter written to the editor of this paper dated Feb. 17, the writer made reference to Tonya Harding and her being allowed to represent the United States at Lillehammer, Norway, or anywhere. I realize this was only her opinion, and I agree we all seem to have one. I would like to make some obser vations to consider: If a member of one's family breaks a law, does this make another member guilty? If 1 frequent a bar, does this make me an alcoholic? If one attends church on a regular basis, does this make me a saint? The point is that you and I should not be restricted of our due liberties and activities of our freedoms by opinions and should not be labeled with guilt by such. Before 1 start throwing stones and my opinions at Ms Harding, 1 would hope to believe 1 would not be held accountable for any action until due process was taken and clear evi dence given to indicate I had some involvement in any questionable act. It would be most disastrous to dam age or even ruin one's life or career based on opinions. If Ms Harding wasn't allowed to represent the United States at Lillehammer, it would be a grave in justice to good old American Demo cracy. I'm glad Ms Harding is repre senting the United States and 1 wish her. Miss Kerrigan and the others the best of everything. My prayer for me is, "Lord, help me be sparing with my opinions, and if I must do it, help me do it with love." C M. Parker I^aurinburg INTERESTED IN FLYING? Coastal Carolina Aero Club of Ocean Isle needs new members who are pilots, ex-pilots, students or prospective student pilots. Next meeting Mar. 15, 7:30 pm. For meeting information call 579-2911, days or 754-5807 from 6 to 10 pm. Man, Beaver At One Address? Arc we going about heaver con trol the smart way in Brunswick County? An item from South Carolina prompts the question. Southeastern North Carolina counties have been waging war on beavers for nearly two years now, with little to show for their efforts at trapping the persistent dam-builders. Columbus County is contemplating again offering bounties for beaver pelts, in addition to the trapping pro gram financed jointly by area coun ties, the state and feds. There might be a better way?ei ther as a supplement to trapping ef forts or, in some situations, an alter native. Researchers at Clemson Uni versity have developed a water level flow device. One of the contraptions were installed recently by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at a pri vate educational center in Horry County, S.C., a county which has its own beaver-trapping program in conjunction with a federal agency. As you've guessed by now, beavers are a mixed blessing. In .some parts of the United States they have been imported to generate new life in barren areas. Beaver ponds provide ideal habitat for wood ducks as well as other waterfowl and mi gratory birds, mammals, reptiles and fish, and can provide abundant recreational opportunities for every one from wildlife photographers to sportsmen. Like other wetland areas such as the Green Swamp before it was ex tensively drained, beaver ponds help improve water quality, temporarily storing floodwaters and recharging Susan Usher groundwater aquifers. They filter silt, agricultural chemicals and pol lutants. With most of North Carolina's (and Brunswick Couny's) wetlands lost or converted to other uses, that role is increasingly impor tant. But in southeastern North Carolina, as in Horry County, most people don't view these semi-aquat ic engineers as saviors and restorers of the environment. They are "varmints," the had guys of the ani mal kingdom, targeted for popula tion control measures that range from shooting and trapping to the futile dynamiting of heaver lodges. These sleek swimmers with the big, flat tails live up to their reputa tion as "busy." They single-minded ly build dams wherever they hear running water, wreaking havoc on agricultural interests from corn and soybean farmers in Ash and Winnabow to Federal Paperboard's pine plantations. Strict vegetarians, beavers dine on field corn and soy beans as well as shrubs and trees. Driving along U.S. 17, N.C. 130 and numerous other highways, you can see evidence of the beavers' in dustriousncss and destructiveness: partially submerged timber and crops, with tecpee-toppcd tree stubs along the hanks, and flooded back yards and roadways. In North Carolina there has been some use of "three log" or "three pipe" drains to maintain drainage in culverts and impoundments targeted by beaver, and some use of metal fencing with drains inserted. But from the people I talked with last week, the methods in use around here don't appear to work exactly like the Clemson U. device. One person I wanted to talk with didn't call back before this column was due?Perry Sumner of New Bern. He's the furbearing project leader for the N.C. Wildlife Commission and very knowledgeable about beaver control measures being used in this state. Beavers are stimulated to build and maintain dams when they detect current water flow. Engineers have actually played tape recordings of running water and triggered a high response in beaver activity. The Clemson U. creation is in tended to reduce the likelihood that beavers will detect water flow, and therefore also reduce the beavers' urge to build dams. Apparently the leveler can sup press the problem of flooding of agricultural and timber lands while maintaining some of the benefits as sociated with beaver pond habitats. To me, that sounds like a smart al ternative, a compromise that might just allow man and beaver to coexist at the same address. Perhaps some local landowners will check it out and let me know whether the leveler really works. Unly une L-ure ror i ne rever It pounced on mc like a cat on a dropped shrimp. I woke with symptoms as final and dreadful as the first spasm that lets you know you've thrown your back out. I was helpless. There was nothing I could do about it. I had car fever again. There was only one way to make it go away. Trade the Farfignewton. We'd had a satisfying three years together. I bought her used in Hen dersonville last time I had the fever, and she had given me so much. Her power windows, her sunroof, the way she hugged the road compared to the top-heavy tour-wheel-drive I'd traded her for. The papers in the glove box had included the name and phone num ber of the previous owner. I called to find out why anyone would trade a car wiili only 22,001) miles on it. Miss X was out of town, but I talked to her daddy who said he was the one who bought it. She was a high school student, he was in the car "bidness." She'd only kept it for a year because she thought it was "too conservative," so he'd traded it for something redder and more dan gerous. Naw, there's waddn't noth ing wrong with it. And ihcic Wduun't. Farfignewton, a fully loaded 1989 Volkswagen Jetta, took me to work and back and on a dozen trips across North Caro lina, from close-to-Murphy to close Lynn Carlson to-Manteo, never requiring any more attention than an oil change from Eric every now and again. But this morning, all that wasn't enough. I tried to concentrate on the fun we'u had taking the turns too fast through Hickory Nut Gap. But my thoughts kept coming back to the fact that curves and hills are about as common as snow plows in these parts, and I was itching for an UD?raclc r-o "Don't make a big deal of it. Just do it on your lunch hour," was the car-buying advice of my friend Sandy, three of whose last nine jobs were as sales representative of some of western North Carolina's most reputable automobile dealerships. That is, of course, advice no man could ever take. Eric bought his cur rent ride nine years ago, after spend ing a full six months reading every issue of "Road and Track," "Car & Driver," and "Motortrends" and in vestigating the auto loan terms of every lending institution in the re gion. (Okay, so I've bought five cars in the meantime and his is all paid up with 130,000 miles on it and is still running like a top....A gal's gotta do Wlidi d i;u 1 5 gottd do.) I took the advice. One Friday 1 left for lunch in the Farfignewton and came back driving my first Am erican-made car in ten years?with my first V-8 engine since the '64 Chevy Impala I'd driven as a teen ager. 1 test-drove three cars and bought the third one. It was all the shopping I could stand. The power! The roominess! The comfort! The new-car smell! The in terest rate! Automatic transmission. An ac celerator that will jerk your head back if you hit it too hard too quick ly. The ability to get around school buses in short passing zones. The ability to carry two adults and a teenager away for a weekend and get all the luggage in the trunk. Enough leg room for tall people. And, most importantly, protection against car fever. For another couple of years, anyway. |3& SHELTON HERB FARM t ? Herb Plants (m?nyar?r?Ldy now) ?Over 350 Varieties Goodman Rd. off Hwy. 17 3 Miles N. ol Winnabow iSat 8-s 253-5964 o, 'nekind of happiness money can buy. If money's the only thing standing between you and your dream house, we can help make your dream come true! Call or stop by and talk to us about a home mortgage. Don't forget to ask about the other types of loans and services that we offer. RITY SaviUs & Loan iwmL nivimi LENDER ASSOCIATION Shal!otte Calabash 754-4371 579-3595 Southport Long Beach Leland 457-5246 278-3942 371-6546 ?
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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March 3, 1994, edition 1
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