Man's best friend

David Mickler broke his neck on Christmas Eve in 1989 and has since been unable to use his hands or legs. Here, he is shown petting his service dog Joy at his home in Wilmington on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007, during an interview with the Star-News.

Au Pair

Au pair Christin Klaffer, 24, holds Anna Benfield, 1, one of three children she cares for during their visit to Hugh MacRae Park on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007. Klaffer, as an au pair, cannot take classes at Cape Fear Community College because they don't sponser foreign students. They will, however, allow undocumented immigrants to take classes.

Champions

These are scenes from Hoggard's championship victory...

Hoggard

Cabbie

This is a frame from a night-in-the-life story on a local cab driver. There are more to come..

Vigil

Jentry Pabers (left) comforts Rock Johnson during a candlelight vigil held on the riverwalk on Water Street by CFCC on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of Petyon Strickland at the hands of former sheriff's deputy Chris Long. Pabers and Johnson were friends of Strickland.