Shaw House Fair, Oct. 8

3rd Annual Shaw House Fair

Saturday, October 8, 2011 • 9:00 to 4:00
Vintage Collectibles & Antiques Vendors, Food & Music & Tours!
Donate Collectibles

Silent Auction & Moore Treasures Table

Please help make the Shaw House Fair a success. "Treasures" such as pottery, jewelry, silver, art work, vintage collectibles, figurines, linens, and other items of value are needed for the Silent Auction and Moore Treasures Sales.
Drop off at the Shaw House Mon-Fri 1-4 pm or call 692-2051 for pick-up. A donation receipt will be provided for your tax records.
You can also support the MCHA by being a sponsor.
Send your tax-deductible donation of $50 or more to:
MCHA, PO Box 324, So. Pines, NC 28388

Food Banks and Hurricanes

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is preparing for a possible landfall by Hurricane Irene later this week.
The Food Bank distributes food and non-food essentials to more than 500,000 people at risk of hunger daily in its 34-county service area.
The Food Bank also acts as a first responder during times of a natural disaster reacting immediately to serve victims of tornadoes, hurricanes and floods throughout central and eastern North Carolina. The organization began on Monday to prepare for a possible impact of Hurricane Irene.
The Food Bank has taken inventory of the following types of items in each of its six warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, Sandhills (Southern Pines) and Wilmington: Disaster relief kits, retail size canned goods from salvage/food drives, cereal/granola/energy bars, fruit snacks, water, Ensure/Boost-type drinks, Pedialyte, paper goods, hygiene products, cleaning products and household goods.
“We are preparing to provide assistance and basic supplies such as food, water, hygiene and paper products to those who might be affected by Hurricane Irene,” said Peter Werbicki, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC. “We have already been in communication with North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NCVOAD) and other disaster response teams.”
In the event Hurricane Irene does not affect the Food Bank’s service area, the organization will be prepared to assist other food banks in the state.
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina has a long history of responding to natural disasters. With the devastation of the 2005 hurricane season, the Food Bank sent nine truckloads of relief food and essentials to help the victims of the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast. The Food Bank distributed more than 233,000 pounds of food to that area.
In April 2011, the organization distributed nearly 500,000 pounds of disaster relief product to partner agencies affected by the tornadoes in the hardest hit counties in its 34-county service area.
For updates on Food Bank preparation and to be a part of disaster relief in the 34 counties served by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, go to http://www.foodbankcenc.org/.

Leasing Your Mineral Rights? Carthage, Aug. 23

August 23rd, 2011, 6-8pm
Old Town Hall Building, 203 W. Barrett St., Carthage NC

Thinking About Leasing Your Mineral Rights?

With the arrival of natural gas leases in central North Carolina, landowners should understand the complexities of natural gas exploration, acquaint themselves with how to critically assess mineral rights contracts and learn about the potential impacts of drilling on agricultural fields, water resources, timber, and personal property. On August 23nd at 6pm the Rural Advancement Foundation International will host Penn. St. Cooperative Extension Educator Tom Murphy and N.C. St. Cooperative Extension Specialist Dr. Ted Feitshans for a public community information session on hydraulic fracturing and mineral rights leasing. Topics of discussion will include understanding the gas drilling process, negotiating a fair mineral rights lease, potential impacts on land resources, and limiting landowner financial liabilities in contracts.

Mr. Tom Murphy is a Penn. St. Cooperative Extension Educator with extensive knowledge of gas exploration and experience working with landowners in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania. Mr. Murphy will lead a presentation on gas exploration process, potential impacts on land and water resources, and the experiences of landowners leasing mineral rights in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Ted Feitshans, attorney and an Extension Specialist in the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department at NC State University, will also give a presentation on how NC landowners can evaluate leases offered to them by drilling companies and determine the status of ownership of the mineral rights on their land. Dr. Feitshans is one of the few mineral rights experts in North Carolina, with extensive experience in environmental and agricultural law.

Representatives from RAFI-USA, a farmer advocacy non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, will be present to help landowners with additional resources on natural gas extraction and information on legal supports available to landowners interested in signing a mineral rights lease. Following the presentations there will be a question and answer session for program participants.

This event is free and open to the public and will run from 6pm-8pm on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 in the Old Town Hall Building in Carthage, NC. For additional information you may contact RAFI staff member Jordan Treakle: 919-444-1321; jordan@rafiusa.org

More information on mineral rights leasing can be found on RAFI's website: http://www.rafiusa.org/gaslease.html

Sad Bad News from Downtown Southern Pines

Specialty Cafe on northeast Broad Street is having to close its doors today.  A bad faith agreement between the Cafe and the adjoining Pharmacy is resulting in withdrawal of the promised capital investment that enabled the cafe to exist as a much-needed and well-respected eatery and shop for only four months.

What is needed immediately is for local folks to stop by the cafe TODAY and stock up on its healthful variety of products that must GO.

This blog will continue to watch the events unfold.

Local Response NC Legislature, P'hurst Aug. 9

From: Kevin Smith




Date: August 4, 2011 9:11:41 PM EDT







Subject: A gathering to organize opposition to the proposed marriage amendment to the state constitution








On September 12th the General Assembly will reconvene to consider amendments to the state constitution; aka the GOP's annual pander to the religious right, a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions. The difference is that this time they have the numbers to make it more than symbolic.

If the hypocrisy of a legislature that wants government's hands off everything except for women's reproductive rights and the most personal decision two adults can make offends you, come help us consider ways in which we can remind Congressman Boles and Senator Blake, both co-sponsors, that the state has more pressing priorities than a shrinking fraction of the populace's need for self righteousness.

If you would like to help, please join us in the hearth room at the Congregational Church of Pinehurst, 7:00 on Tuesday, August 9th. The church is at 895 Linden Road in Pinehurst across the road from Elliott's. I hope to see you there.
Thanks,  Kevin Smith