Jim Neal's Campagn for the U.S. Senate Barker House - Edenton April 5, 08

Jim Neal, a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for US Senate, engaged local voters in a discussion of regional concerns at a "town hall" meeting at Edenton's Barker House on Saturday evening. Democratic voters from Chowan and Gates counties provided background on how an OLF, Outlying Landing Field, would affect the region. They also shared their assessments of the positions North Carolina's Republican US Senators had taken toward the ongoing threat of an OLF to Northeastern North Carolina.

Over 400 Washington and Beaufort county residents and supporters from across the state gathered for "A Blessed Celebration" and country meal on March 29. The purpose was to recognize all those who had contributed to the success of the campaign against the Navy's proposed OLF (Outlying Landing Field) on the Washington/Beaufort county line.

Jim Neal and Kay Hagan will both bring their campaigns for US Senate to Edenton this weekend.

The North Carolina League of Women Voters offers a website which provides information about all the candidates running for state-wide election and links to their websites. The link to the League website is:

NC Statewide Candidates

Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign has opened a regional office in Elizabeth City in preparation for the North Carolina Democratic Primary on May 6.

Bob Krochmal, owner/manager of the Taylor Theater, has confirmed that Friday, April 18, will be the date for a national premiere of the film, "Dog Days of Summer", and the Taylor Theater will be the location.

The rumor that Robert Steinburg has been asked to resign (or has resigned) as Chairman of the Chowan County Republican Party is without merit. It apparently was started as part of a whisper campaign in an effort to discredit the man. The names of those who originated the rumor have not yet been disclosed.

Mr. Steinburg has brought new vitality to the local Republican Party. As party chair he was successful in finding Republican candidates to run for all of the seats on the county commission in the up-coming election.

Tim Spear, who represents our area in the the North Carolina General Assembly, has prepared a background article on how a bill becomes law in our state. With the convening of the General Assembly set to occur in May (short session this year), Representative Spear has granted us permission to reprint the information he sent out to constituents who are on his e-mail list. Thank you, Representative Spear.

Since the beginning of January hundreds of students and citizens of Chowan County, NC, have read Somerset Homecoming by Dorothy Spruill Redford as part of a countywide program called The Big Read. Somerset Homecoming is a moving story about Ms. Redford's search for her family history at Somerset Plantation, an historic site near Creswell, NC, where her enslaved ancestors lived and worked in the 19th Century.  The Big Read will culminate in Sunday, May 4, at 3pm in the John A. Holmes High School auditorium with an appearance and discussion by the author. People from all over Eastern North Carolina are expected to attend the Edenton Big Read.  Call 252.482.4112 for information.

There are a number of insurance companies selling a form of Medicare insurance to seniors which is called "Medicare Advantage". Several of these companies have scheduled meetings in Edenton, usually at the Golden Corral with the promise of a free meal for those who attend (several meetings will take place here prior to March 31.) There are at least three problems with the Medicare Advantage plans (called "private fee for services", or PFFS):

* No medical services in this area honor these plans - in those places where the plans are honored, the medical provider can refuse to honor the plan on an individual case basis so that a person who is accepted once may be denied the next time.
* The deadline to sign up for PFFS is March 31; people who attend these meetings may be pressured to sign up for something that is of not benefit to them.
* If a person signs up for a PFFS, he/she is disenrolled from traditional Medicare, even though the monthly Medicare fee is still paid to Medicare. In addition, those on Medicaid and some on prescription drug programs will also find their status in these programs negatively affected.