Republican Men's Club Meeting

The Republican Men's Club Meeting will be held Saturday, May 13 at
The New Bern County Club, breakfast 8:00 am, meeting 8:30 am. Our
guest speaker will be Jean Preston, running for N.C. State Senate.
To make a reservation for this meeting call Tom Mark at 635-6448 or
email tmarksr@cox.net.

Havelock East Precinct Meeting Announcement

There will be a meeting of the Havelock East Republican Precinct on
Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at 7pm - 8pm in Havleock City Hall.

Invited speakers are candidates for Sheriff Art Manning and Ernest Thomas

Attention VETERANS!

VETERANS!

CHANGES ARE ABOUT TO BE MADE TO YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS!

"The FY07 Defense budget would triple health fees for military retirees under age 65" *

A community meeting will be held at
Havelock City Hall
April 11, 7:00 PM
to discuss this very important issue regarding military retirees and military dependents

Guest Speaker:
Jason Lowry, US Congressman Walter Jones’ Staff Assistant, Veterans Affairs

Also in attendance:

Jean Preston, NC House Representative, 13th District

Col Hank Gotard, USMC, Retired, representing the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs

TRICARE representative, Naval Hospital, Cherry Point

This is a bipartisan community meeting, open to the public, and is sponsored by the West Havelock Republican Precinct.

* Military Officers Association of America, www.moaa.org

Complaint filed alleging campaigning under false pretense

April 07,2006
SUE BOOK SUN JOURNAL STAFF

Ernest Thomas, a Republican primary candidate for Craven County sheriff, said his opponent "is just trying to sling mud" with a complaint filed alleging he campaigned under false pretense.
Art Manning complained to the Craven County Sheriff’s Department March 29 that Thomas appeared at a political event wearing a deputy sheriff badge and soliciting contributions, when he is not certified as a deputy sheriff.
"That is a total lie," Thomas, a River Bend police officer, said Thursday.
The allegations surfaced at a Craven County Board of Elections meeting Wednesday.
Thomas said he had passed out flyers earlier in the day and was eating a fish dinner at Vera’s Diner in Vanceboro when Manning came in and asked to take his photograph for his newspaper.
"It was not a political event," Thomas said. "I was not soliciting. When he came in, I stood up and greeted him. I always try to be nice and civil to him."
Thomas said he was a sworn reserve deputy in Pamlico County prior to becoming a River Bend officer in November 2005. He said law enforcement officers can be registered as a police officer and a deputy at the same time, but he was unaware Pamlico County had dropped him as a reserve officer in November.
"It was an oversight on my part," said Thomas, a former Bayboro police chief. “I was totally unaware Pamlico had called the (N.C.) Sheriff Training and Standards and dropped me as a reserve officer in November. Normally they send you a letter and ask for your badge."
District Attorney Scott Thomas said he had talked with Ernest Thomas and was reviewing the report.
"I do not see anything at this time that rises to the level of a criminal offense," Scott Thomas said. "I intend to forward the report to the Sheriff"s Training and Standards Commission for them to take any action they deem appropriate."
Craven County Elections Director Tiffiney Miller said the complaint was forwarded to the N.C. State Board of Elections campaigning reporting office, which advised her to let them know if there are further developments.