The Last Week Down East

It's my last week down here in New Bern at the Governor's Eastern Office.  It hasn't been boring, either.  On Wednesday, the Governor called a last-minute press conference to be held at the Port of Morehead City.  Director Tate Johnson and I went down there for the 5 o'clock meeting.  She announced that PCS Phosphate had voluntarily withdrawn its plans to build a new sulfur smelting facility at the port.  In the last week, many environmentalists in Carteret County had gotten stirred up claiming that no public notice was given of the plans.  And while the Governor assured them that notice had been given, the protesters were happy to hear the news.  I was hoping for some excitement from the protesters, but got none.

On Thursday, my director and I went down to Havelock for the first of the Governor's Military Summits.  This amounted to the big project that I got to help on this summer.  The event was an opportunity for leaders from government, business, military, and education to get together and learn how to better address the concerns of North Carolina's military communities.  Besides the Governor, several Marine officers were present from MCAS Cherry Point as well as NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.  Speaking of Secretary Marshall, I recognized her face as she approached registration.  I had met her at a Smith-Grimsley football game in the fall.  But when she reached my desk, I blanked on who she was.  When I asked for her last name and she said "Marshall", the embarrassment was pretty bad.  Meanwhile, Tate Johnson found it downright hilarious and will likely never let me live that down.  Anyhow, a pretty cool day was capped off with me getting a picture with the Governor.

So that's it for this chapter.  I've been blessed with an amazing opportunity.  I can't thank Tate Johnson enough for selecting me and my uncle Alan for opening up his home to me for these 10 weeks.  After a round of golf at MCAS Cherry Point tomorrow, it's back to the Piedmont Paradise which is Greensboro.  Can't wait to get home.  Next up: London.