Extended hours for the Boardwalk?

"The Ferris wheel and other rides have been gone for months, but a new form of family entertainment is taking shape on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk long before summer's return," says the Star-News.

"An empty lot on the south end of the beachfront business district now holds a 26-foot lighted tree, and more lights are going up all around. About a dozen local businesses are pitching in to decorate the coves leading to the ocean, some with clever themes to combine the holidays and their products.

"It's all part of Christmas by the Sea, the first-ever Christmas celebration on the Boardwalk, an area that in previous years has been all but barren during the off-season.

"The Boardwalk Makeover group, a nonprofit organization started in late 2007 to revitalize the once-booming locale, is hoping to build on the success of the rides last summer that brought to the area a number of visitors unprecedented in recent decades."

Hey, in this economy, if you can capitalize on any momentum, by all means, go for it.

“I wonder if we can fit anymore people on the island than we did this year,” said Dan Wilcox, Carolina Beach town councilman and founder of the Boardwalk Makeover group. “Our goal is to maintain momentum during the peak season and then move on to find ways to enhance our shoulder season.”

Fort Hood hero has strong CB ties

Sgt. Kimberly Munley is the "hero cop" who brought down Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan last week after he had opened fire on the base at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 and wounding more than 30 others.

Munley is the daughter of former Carolina Beach Mayor Dennis Barbour.

Munley, according to reports, has been credited with shooting Hasan four times "despite being wounded herself.

For a few minutes on Thursday, Fort Hood Texas was a war zone. Those who were caught in the crossfire say the suspect, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychologist, was calm and methodical as he shot at fellow soldiers.

Army Combat Engineer Howard Appleby was on his way to treatment for post traumatic stress disorder when he stopped to help the wounded.

He said people were, “Using shirts to ties up legs - it was busy - just like back in Iraq.”

12 soldiers and one civilian died in the assault. Major Hasan, was among the more than 30 wounded. He was a practicing Muslim. Some soldiers say he shouted “Allah Akbar”, an Arabic phrase meaning “God is Great” before opening fire.

However, it’s still not clear why he did it. Army Chief of Staff George Casey said, “This was a kick in the gut, not only for the Fort Hood community, but for the entire Army.“

Civilian Police Officer Kimberly Munley stopped the bullets, shooting Hasan four times.

But it was too late for some, like 21 year old Private First Class Michael Person, who was set to deploy to Iraq.

Jessica Koerder is a family neighbor. She said, “That family lost their gem.“

As for the heroics, of Officer Munley, her step mother told Wilmington media that she has great spirit and that she knew Munley was involved when she heard a female officer shot and wounded major Hasan.

Officer Munley is in stable condition recovering from her injuries and her family is headed out to see her.