The COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on the nation’s mental health is not likely to abate even after the pandemic is over. Now is the time not only to help those currently in crisis, but also to plan forbetter access to mental health services in the future. The pandemic has exacerbated already high rates of mental illness and substance use. In North Carolina, thisis playing out in emergency departments where overall visits are down, but, of those visits, there has been asignificant increase in patients needing psychiatric care. “Just as the pandemic has highlighted racial inequities in our health system, so, too, has it shed lightRead More →

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For the third consecutive year, CarolinaEast Medical Center was named one of the top hospitals in the United States by Newsweek magazine in its annual “World’s Best Hospitals” rankings released in March. The 2021 list put CarolinaEast at 115th out of 6,090 hospitals in the United States. Newsweek, a news magazine with roots dating to 1933, is in its third year with World’s Best Hospitals rankings. “The 2,000 hospitals named in this list—which covers 25 countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada — stand out for their consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing care and state-of-the-art technology,” said Nancy Cooper, Global Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. Newsweek collaborated with StatistaRead More →

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Craven County Commissioner’s will meet at 11 a.m. today (March 15) during a work session in which they will seek state approval to restore partisan elections to the county School Board. The meeting will be held at New Bern Riverfront Convention Center. The draft resolution seeks state legislation to enable partisan elections at the school board level. They say that current non-partisan elections have low voter turnout and withhold party affiliation that may be useful to voters. Longtime school board member Carr Ipock posted a history of school board elections. It is reposted here with his permission: “Many, many years ago, the Craven County BoardRead More →

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In: Board of Education, Craven County, Craven County Board of Commissioners, Craven County Schools, New Bern
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New board member is sworn in during special ceremony New Bern mortician Victor Dove was sworn in to replace Beatrice Riggs Smith on the a raven County school board on Thursday. Smith was selected by the Craven County Board of Commissioners to fill the District 3 seat held by the late Johnnie Sampson, Jr., who died of COVID-19-related pneumonia on Nov. 5, 2020. Smith, who was the first black female to hold a principalship in the integrated Craven County Schools system, is the first black female Craven County Commissioner. Smith was selected at the Dec. 14, 2020 Board of Commissioners work session and was swornRead More →

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A broad group of organizations representing the community’s physicians, physician assistants, health clinics, hospitals and local health departments strongly encourages everyone currently eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine to do so as soon as possible. Organizations include the North Carolina Medical Society, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, North Carolina Healthcare Association, North Carolina Community Health Center Association, North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors, and the North Carolina Public Health Association. Getting vaccinated with one of the three authorized vaccines is crucial to stemming the severity of the illness caused by the COVID-19 virus and the spread of its more transmissible variants, the groupRead More →

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Traffic patterns around Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) will be affected on Monday, March 8, and Tuesday, March 9, as Norfolk Southern Railroad conducts maintenance on tracks in the James City area. On March 8, Airport Road will be closed to traffic from about 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. All passengers and airport rides will need to use West Grantham Road and Old Airport Road to access the airport terminal. On March 9, Williams Road will be closed to traffic from approximately 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. All rental car returns and employees will need to use Howell Road and Williams Road to access theRead More →

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I was in my early 20s when I first tasted sweetened condensed milk. I traded a field ration with an Italian soldier during a training exercise in Sardinia. I did a lot of trading back then … rations, pins, hats (which we Marines call “covers”), and one time even a whole uniform. The Royal Marine uniform I got in the bargain belonged to a Brit who was several inches shorter than me and 10 or 20 pounds lighter, so it barely fit. But the thing that I think about now some 40 years later was the Italian ration. It came with a plastic pouch ofRead More →

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Note: This review is unsolicited and unsponsored. Opinions expressed are the author’s. Years ago, freshly transplanted from New Mexico to North Carolina, I spotted my first Hot Donuts sign lighted at a Krispy Kreme shop. Co-workers told me to watch for it. I bought a dozen; one for now and the rest to bring in to work. When you buy a dozen fresh glazed donuts at Krispy Kreme, you’re not buying a dozen donuts. You’re buying a dozen bites, with the first bite sucking in all the other bites like a doughy, sugary, mind-blowing black hole. I could see why there was a buzz. ThatRead More →

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The U.S. Small Business Administration announced on Friday that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and private nonprofit organizations in North Carolina due to excessive rain from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020. Low-interest disaster loans are available in the counties of Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Pitt in North Carolina. “When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities, affected by the same disaster,” said Kem Fleming, director ofRead More →

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The New Bern Historical Society is currently accepting applications for its Harriet Marks Scholarship, and the March 26 due date is quickly approaching. This scholarship is awarded to a senior graduating from New Bern High School for the purpose of obtaining higher education at an accredited college, university, or institution of higher learning.  Renewable for three succeeding years as long as academic standards are maintained, the scholarship provides financial assistance to a deserving senior based on equal weight of scholarship and financial need. The Marks Scholarship was established by a trust estate created in 1968 under the terms of the will of Miss Harriet MarksRead More →

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