During this time, my mother and I learned a lot about our relationship. Not only was I abusing drugs, but I was also stealing and lying to her. Shortly before Cumberland Heights, she figured out that I withdrew $2,000 from her account. Law enforcement suggested filing charges against me, which she seriously considered. No charges were brought upon me but a 60-day stint in jail, courtesy of my mother, proved her point. These were topics talked about out loud during family week amongst all of the other participants. Learning about everyone else’s struggles with addiction helped shape my thinking for the rest of my stay at Cumberland Heights.

An ordinance was proposed in New Hanover County last month that aimed to deter homeless people from camping out on county property, including the Wilmington Public Library downtown. Sleeping would have been prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and items left for more than two hours would be discarded. The ordinance initially included a $50 fine for violations, but this was soon removed. Violators of the ordinance could have been removed by law enforcement and prosecuted for trespassing, although government officials did state that this would be used as a “last resort.”

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