Sisters in Conover get a family for Christmas

They got two big-hearted people to call Mom and Dad; a new last name, Davis; and a comfortable Conover house in which to live. Maybe the best part of their early Christmas present was the fact that they got each other. For a good while, they didn't know the joys of sisterhood because they lived in separate foster homes.

Laura and Dennis Davis of Conover became Layla's and Destinie's official adoptive parents on Sept. 21. The process began long before September, however.

According to Laura, "Layla came to us first in May of 2010; then Destinie came in November of 2010." The Davises served as foster parents of the two girls until the adoption was complete, a process that took nearly a year.

"I grew up wanting to be a foster or adoptive parent," said 31-year-old Laura, who has a degree in human and community service and works as a customer service rep for Klingspor Abrasives in Hickory. As a child in her native upstate New York, Laura knew several foster and adoptive families and saw the difference a loving and stable family can make in a child's life.

Adding to Laura's keen understanding of the need for foster and adoptive families was the year she spent working in a Catawba County group home. In 2008, Laura worked in a residence for female teens who were in the foster care system but had no foster families with whom to live. Laura said she saw kids "ready to turn 18 who literally had no one."

A Forsyth County native, Dennis had a childhood friend who was adopted, but Dennis had never considered becoming an adoptive parent until he and Laura married. Fiona and Zoe are Laura's biological daughters from her first marriage; Maddex is Laura's and Dennis's biological son. Dennis is a production worker at RockTenn, a packaging and paperboard company in Conover.

The Davises began their journey toward adoption by first considering becoming foster parents. To help them understand fostering better - and to become licensed foster parents - they took a comprehensive course in parenting offered by Family Builders of Catawba Valley, the foster and adoption agency of Catawba County Social Services. Additionally, they underwent criminal background checks and a home inspection.

"Once Dennis started the classes and saw the need in the community, he was especially supportive [of becoming a foster or adoptive parent]," said Laura.

The first foster children placed with the Davises were a 15-year-old girl and her 18-month-old baby. "It was a positive experience," said Laura. Sometime after the young mother and her child left the foster care system, the mother could not care for her child; the little girl returned to the Davises when she was 4 and stayed until June of last year, when she was placed with her biological father.

Around that time, the Davises were asked to consider two sisters. They readily agreed. The rest is the wonderful history of two little girls returning to each other and getting a family all in one big package. The Davises said their biological children immediately accepted Layla and Destinie as their siblings.

So how do two working parents manage five children? "With a lot of planning and support from family and friends," Laura shared. "We must be organized at home and make great use of time management."

Participating in activities is managed by limiting each child to one or two pursuits, Laura explained. "We want them to experience new things, but we must be able to manage it. There's also school work and chores."

Laura said the children help keep the family on schedule by laying out their clothes each evening, so they can dress quickly the following morning.

"Even Maddex can get out his shoes the night before and put them next to his stepstool," Laura said.

"We've done what we can," Dennis continued, "but we know there are so many children who need quality foster parents or adoptive parents."

State foster home licensing regulations limit a family to no more than five children, so the Davises can no longer accept foster children. What they can do, however, is challenge others to consider the possibility. "A child can't grab hold of anything until they know they aren't going anywhere," concluded Dennis.

Flow Control Systems at the Paris Air Show

Marotta Controls, a leader in motion and flow controls, will present a wide range of mission-critical airborne systems, space flight components and capabilities at the 49th International Paris Air Show hosted June 20-26 in Le Bourget, France.

    “The systems on display at the Paris Air Show have proven performance in extreme environments”

Marotta Controls will showcase its M-PACT family of reusable, cost-effective pneumatic solutions designed to boost the efficiency of critical military aircraft and weapon systems while reducing maintenance and logistics costs. Also on display will be the M-CONTROL suite of electronic control systems, which have been chosen by international customers for their superior performance ability in extreme military environments.

Marotta Controls’ airborne systems, components and electronic controls have been qualified for a variety of platforms including the F/A-18 Hornet, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, P-8A Poseidon, Small Diameter Bomb and chosen for the new Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM).

This year Marotta Controls is also highlighting its world-class space-flight qualified components for pressure regulation and flow control. These components have been supporting manned and unmanned spaceflight for more than 65 years, and support a wide range of programs including Falcon 1, Falcon 9, H2A, H2B, Delta II, Delta IV, ST-5, GOCE, Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

“The systems on display at the Paris Air Show have proven performance in extreme environments,” said Michael J. Leahan, vice president and chief sales officer of Marotta Controls. “Our high-pressure pneumatic systems are qualified for combat environments, and our space-flight qualified components have been supporting manned and unmanned space flight for more than 65 years. We invite you to visit our stand at the Paris Air Show, Hall 3, Stand AB158, and hope you can take some time to talk to us about your needs and requirements for proven, reliable, state-of-the-art motion and flow control technologies.”

NGO ’ready to oppose future mining in Karoo’

The Treasure the Karoo Action Group on Tuesday said it would be illogical for government to selectively impose a moratorium on mining in the region.
It has been reported that the temporary ban announced last week only applies to future mining licences and excludes existing ones.

Several communities across the Karoo are opposed to Shell South Africa’s plans to mine for shale gas using hydraulic fracturing, also know as “fracking”.

The group’s Jonathan Deal said he has not ruled out future legal action to prevent mining in the area.

“Ourselves and the other NGOs - some of the other stakeholders involved - are very committed to using any legal remedy available to us to enforce our rights on behalf of all South Africans,” he said.