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Topsail Island Real Estate & Vacation Rentals- Turtle Hopsital News – Topsail Beach, NC

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Topsail Island Real Estate & Vacation Rentals- Turtle Hopsital News – Topsail Beach, NC

Source –Topsail Voice

What’s Left(y)?
One Loggerhead, sans one front flipper who’s relocated to new tank every few months to keep up with his ever expanding carapace. That’s “Lefty” almost two years later.
Long story short, he literally blew in and stranded on a beach during a ferocious late summer storm. He was post-hatchling size, but still just over a few ounces. If he were a letter we could have slapped a first class stamp on him and shipped him back to the Sargasso Sea where he belonged at that stage of his life.
If we tried to release him from the beach he would have been fish food before he made it past the first sandbar. He stole our hearts and we decided to give him a chance.
Like most newly arrived hatchlings, “home” was a large blue basin. Every day we experienced the agony of defeat as we watched him reject every kind of food we waved in front of his face. Until the day one of our volunteers stumbled on a delicacy he just couldn’t refuse – coquina clams fresh out of the sand.
Of course he demanded them every day for weeks and that kept our clam digger really, really busy.  As he grew we all recognized that we had created the sea turtle equivalent of a “foodie.”  He would eat everything we dropped in, and then look at us like we were starving him.

As Lefty got bigger we gradually upgraded his tank size, encouraging more activity, exercise and watching to see if he could swim in more than one direction with only one flipper. In the wild, turtles his age would spend most of their time hanging out on the sargassum rafts, foraging almost at the surface and doing virtually no diving. They’re pretty camouflaged and relatively safe in that environment.
So when Lefty wasn’t eating he was spending most of the day floating around on the surface and sleeping with his flipper tucked over his back.
That was then.
Now he’s a big boy, about 15 pounds.  And he’s figured out that the only way to get his food is to dive, so he’s spending more time eating, sleeping and basically just chillin’ at the bottom of his tank. We still don’t know how well he can really navigate with only one front flipper because we’re so crowded we haven’t been able to get him into a tank large enough for him to even try. He looks like he can do it, but when your tank is square tank and on the small side you really can’t go anywhere.
He’s doing the best he can with what he has. He takes each day as it comes and adapts to whatever it brings, always with a smile on his little Loggerhead beak.
In fact, Lefty reminds us of us. We perform amazing feats daily in a little square box. We take whatever resources we can beg, borrow and re-purpose and (in the words of Tim Gunn) “make it work.” And that’s not just not us blowing our own horn. Time and again we’ve been told by people that whenever they ask our colleagues about our turtle hospital the one common response is:  they do more, with less, than anybody.
We’re looking forward to the same thing Lefty is: a bigger place where we can show the world what we’re really capable of! Help us get there in 2010 by stepping up to our “Family Giving Challenge” or by adopting one of our patients. Check out the details on our website: www.seaturtlehospital.org.  A big “flipper” hug from Lefty!

Topsail Island Real Estate, Topsail Island Vacation Rentals, Turtle Hospital, Topsail Beach

image004Chris Rackley 910.538.2145/910.328.5211- Lewis Realty Associates, Inc.- Topsail Island Real Estate, Topsail Island MLS and Topsail Island Vacation Rentals – We Know Topsail Island . . .We have Been Here Over Forty Five Years! Our brokers use over 100 years of experience with a commitment to honesty and integrity through professional service. Our local knowledge will prove to be valuable to buyers looking for a coastal property and our internet and marketing strategies will be an asset to any sellers’ goals. Our assortment of Topsail Island Vacation & Topsail Island Long Term Rentals rental property will fulfill your needs whether staying on the coast for a week or a lifetime.

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Neighborhoods of Holly Ridge, Holly Ridge, NC Real Estate for Sale-Holly Ridge Town Council

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3:17 pm 3:17 pm

Neighborhoods of Holly Ridge, Holly Ridge, NC, Real Estate For Sale

HOLLY RIDGE — Holly Ridge Town Council is looking a gift house in the mouth.

The town decided not to accept the the donation of the Summerhouse Sales Center proposed by Southeast Waterfront Marketing, Inc.

Town council members unanimously rejected the offer at its regular meeting this week.

“The biggest reasons for not accepting the donation are the costs to the citizens of the town, not knowing what we were going to do with the building,” Town Manager Tony Fann said.

Southeast Waterfront Marketing offered to donate the building, a double modular unit with porches currently located at the corner of Sound Road and N.C. 17 but to be moved to property the town owns on Sound Road. Construction of the sales office, including the purchase of the trailer in 2007, cost more than $322,000, according to Southeast Waterfront Marketing’s proposal. The donation would have included the sales office, its custom porches and handicap ramp, landscape and related materials, landscape lighting, dishwasher, refrigerator and gravel if needed. The proposal stipulated that the town lease the building to Summerhouse for three years with two one-year options at a cost of $1 per year.

The town would be responsible for all the costs involved in the relocation of the center and had received a $27,300 bid from Carolina House Movers in Beulaville for the move. Additional town costs would include removal and replanting of the landscape, water and sewer taps, utility hook ups, maintenance and insurance.

The building must be moved from its current property by March 31.

Chris Scharf, the sales manager for Summerhouse, said it will now be up to Southeast Waterfront Marketing to find another use for the building.

The company plans to continue to have an office in Holly Ridge, either at another location in the town or on site at the Summerhouse at Everett Bay development.

Scharf said the decision has not been made whether to use the Summerhouse Sales Center at one of those sites.

Article from Jacksonville Daily News by Suzanne Ulbrich – January 25, 2010

Neighborhoods of Holly Ridge, Holly Ridge, Topsail Island Real Estate

image004Chris Rackley 910.538.2145/910.328.5211- Lewis Realty Associates, Inc.- Topsail Island Real Estate, Topsail Island MLS and Topsail Island Vacation Rentals – We Know Topsail Island . . .We have Been Here Over Forty Five Years! Our brokers use over 100 years of experience with a commitment to honesty and integrity through professional service. Our local knowledge will prove to be valuable to buyers looking for a coastal property and our internet and marketing strategies will be an asset to any sellers’ goals. Our assortment of Topsail Island Vacation & Topsail Island Long Term Rentals rental property will fulfill your needs whether staying on the coast for a week or a lifetime.

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Town of Holly Ridge – Holly Ridge Town Council -Carolyn Stanley-Topsail Island Real Estate

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Town of Holly Ridge – Holly Ridge Town Council – Carolyn Stanley – Topsail Island Real Estate

Lewis Realty Associates, Inc. is pleased to inform the public that on November 3, 2009, Carolyn Stanley, Broker Associate, was elected to represent the citizens of Holly Ridge as a Council Person. Carolyn will be inducted in December at the Holly Ridge Community Building and begin her service to the community.

Carolyn’s bio, as found on the Topsail Island Real Estate website of Lewis Realty Associates, Inc. reads as follows:

“Hello, I am Carolyn Stanley and I have been a Real Estate Broker since 2004.  The areas I usually work are Holly Ridge Real Estate for sale, Surf City Real Estate for sale, N. Topsail Beach Real Estate for Sale, Topsail Beach Real Estate for sale.  I specialize in 2nd. home, investment, vacation properties, first time home buyers, affordable housing and rural land sales.  I truly enjoy helping people find just the right place to make into a home.  My love of meeting new people has helped me greatly in my career as a Real Estate Broker.

Before becoming a Real Estate Broker I worked for 2 years at Lewis Realty Associates, Inc. as their rental property manager.  I worked with property owners and kept books for all the rentals, short term and long term.  While working as the property manager I decided to go to school to earn my Brokers license.I also have been a Certified Nurse’s Aid for 8 years and and before that I was the manager for a grocery/furniture store in Holly Ridge.

I served on the Holly Ridge Parks and Recreation Department as chairperson and oversaw the planning of the Holly Ridge “Holly Festival and Christmas Parade” which was a huge success.

While serving on the Planning Board for the Town of Holly Ridge for the past 5 1/2 years I have helped prepare a 20 year, long term growth plan to help Holly Ridge grow in a positive and common sense manner.  While encouraging new businesses and new home construction we want to keep our small town charm.   While serving on the Planning home I have seen tremendous growth with the development of “The Neighborhoods of Holly Ridge”, “Sage’s Ridge”, “Summerhouse on Everett’s Bay” to name a few already in progress and several more that are in the planning.

I am now running for a position on the Holly Ridge Town Council.  Although working with the Planning board has been exciting and very informative I feel I can serve the people of Holly Ridge better as an acting Council member.  I look forward to the challenge because I care about the people that live here.

I have lived in Holly Ridge since 1992 and in the ETJ area 10 years before moving in the city limits.  My husband and I have been married for 40 years, and he is my best friend.  We have raised two wonderful sons that are the light of my life.  I have 2 Granddaughter and 2 Grandsons.  Having Grandchildren will certainly help keep you young, there’s nothing like them.  When I have time I love to read, play scrabble, watch old movies and visit with my family and friends while swinging on my back porch. “

Topsail Island Real Estate, Topsail Island Vacation Rentals, Carolyn Stanley, Holly Ridge, Town of Holly Ridge

image004Chris Rackley 910.538.2145/910.328.5211- Lewis Realty Associates, Inc.- Topsail Island Real Estate, Topsail Island MLS and Topsail Island Vacation Rentals – We Know Topsail Island . . .We have Been Here Over Forty Five Years! Our brokers use over 100 years of experience with a commitment to honesty and integrity through professional service. Our local knowledge will prove to be valuable to buyers looking for a coastal property and our internet and marketing strategies will be an asset to any sellers’ goals. Our assortment of Topsail Island Vacation & Topsail Island Long Term Rentals rental property will fulfill your needs whether staying on the coast for a week or a lifetime.

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McIntyre announces money for beaches & waterways

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5:15 pm 5:15 pm

TOPSAIL VOICE

By Amanda Hutcheson
Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 9:46 AM EDT

WASHINGTON, DC – Over $18,666,000 has been secured in federal funds for southeastern North Carolina waterways, including some in the Topsail area, US Congressman Mike McIntyre announced Feb. 25.

The funds include projects for the beaches, inlets and waterways throughout the Cape Fear area, including $369,000 for Surf City and North Topsail Beaches and $188,000 for New Topsail Inlet.

An additional $1,352,000 was approved for the Intracoastal Waterway, though Dean Mitchell, Chief of Staff for McIntyre (D – NC 7th district) said the US Army Corps of Engineers will determine exactly what projects that money is used for.

“These funds are about jobs and keeping the coastal economy moving forward,” McIntyre said. “Federal funds are critical to the coast’s vitality and these funds will allow the Corps of Engineers to make critical progress in all of these areas. It is good to see our taxpayer dollars coming back home to provide jobs and enhance our citizens’ quality of life.”

The $369,000 for Surf City and North Topsail Beach will go to the next steps in the towns’ beach nourishment project, said Surf City Town Manage Mike Moore.

“This goes to the feasibility study and design for the beach nourishment project,” Moore said.

“We’re all trying to work together on the whole island,” he added. “If we can at least keep Surf City and North Topsail Beach moving through completion of the feasibility phase, get the design going, it all moves us closer to the federal project.”

Other projects on the list include $12,067,000 for the Wilmington Harbor maintenance dredging, $2,075,000 for Wilmington Harbor construction and $666,000 for Cape Fear River Locks and Dams.

The projects have been approved by the House and must now clear the Senate, Mitchell said.

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North Topsail Beach moves forward with beach plan

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5:14 pm 5:14 pm

The Topsail Voice recently reported – Given the options of either proceeding as planned on the proposed beach nourishment project or doing more studies, the North Topsail Beach Board of Aldermen voted to move forward as planned.

The move was controversial and resulted in a split vote of the board.

On Thursday, March 5, at the monthly town meeting, the board voted 3-2 to approve the measure, with aldermen Richard Farley and Robert Swantek voting against.

The vote caused some contention between the aldermen.

A motion had first been made to do the additional studies; however, the vote failed 2-3 with only aldermen Richard Peters and Daniel Tuman voting for it.

“We should go ahead, do the additional tests, spend the $30,000 and get the data,” said Tuman, adding that the town would then know how to best proceed.

Farley disagreed, saying that it wasn’t so much about getting the information as it was the town being pushed into doing more.

“I don’t believe the people support beach nourishment,” said Farley.

Alderman Larry Hardison said it appeared to him as if the project had become never-ending and there was always something more coming up that needed addressing.

The board faced having to make the choice after Coastal Planning and Engineering representatives informed them in February that clay matter has been found at about 15 feet in samples taken from the proposed channel realignment area.

Because Farley was unable to attend the meeting with CP&E, the aldermen put off making a decision until the full board could weigh in on the subject.

The difference in the plans comes down to time and money.

Moving forward will enable the town to do the project at approximately the same schedule it had been on, with construction starting in Phase I possibly as early as this coming November.

The town will need to spend about $17,000 in modifications to the Environmental Impact Study to include clay disposal and changes in the amount of sand put on the beach due to the clay.

There would also be additional costs for disposal of the clay.

Had the town opted to do more studies, it would cost an additional $30,000 and could have possibly delayed the project by a year. Depending bon the results of the studies, a more desirable channel location might have been located so that the clay and any magnetic anomalies could be avoided.

Peters said he was disappointed that the board did not vote for doing more studies because failing to do so could possibly cost the town an additional $3.5 million in the end.

He did end up voting to move forward but that was not his first choice.

“I’ll vote for it to keep the project going,” said Peters. “It is absolutely ludicrous to not spend $30,000 to see if we might save $3.5 million. By not spending $30,000 we will automatically have a $3.5 million dollar expenditure when we go into construction mode.”

The clay in the channel is problematic. Going with the original plan the town will have to dispose of the clay on a spoil island.

In addition, the first phase of the proposed beach nourishment project would have to be shortened and the second phase would have to be extended.

The modifications would have to be made because it is expected that there would be approximately 100,000 less cubic yards of sand taken from the dredged channel to be placed on the beach.

Instead of being 12,000 feet in length, Phase I would be reduced to 9,000 feet while Phase II would be extended by 3,000 feet.

The plan for Phase II does not include using sand from the inlet; instead, its sand comes from an offshore borrow site.

The town still has not obtained permits for the project. It is expected that after the EIS is revised, permits should be approved by this fall.

In addition, the town still needs to identify funding for the project. – Courtesy Of The Topsail Voice

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