All in Columns
Since my column last week, I have spoken to parents, teachers, and administrative staff from no less than five school systems regarding their concerns for the coming reopening of schools in August. Please keep in mind that opening day – August 17 – is less than a month away. These parents, teachers, and administrators were plain spoken to the point of being blunt.
Cucumbers are appearing abundantly at local Farmer’s Market and nothing says summer like the crunch of fresh cucumber. Most of us Southerners enjoy a plain cucumber in about any kind of salad, or in a bowl of vinegar and pepper, or made into a tiny sandwich, but here are some other ways to add the unique flavor to other tasty treats as well. Enjoy!
On March 14 at about 4 pm, my professional and personal life altered in ways that I would have never thought. On Friday, March 13, I told my students what I tell them every Friday, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do and enjoy your weekend, I’ll see you on Monday!.”
While one casualty from the Coronavirus is one too many, it is important that we receive accurate information about the true nature of the plague. In a recent conversation with Congressman David Rouzer, he expressed concern about the questionable reporting in some areas about the Positivity Rate for the Coronavirus.
The original decision to shut down was the right one and I fully supported Gov. Cooper. Now, it has gone too far.
When Gov. Roy Cooper announced at his press conference Tuesday that North Carolina will reopen schools with both in-person and remote education, the in-person option is perhaps the most difficult to achieve. Possible plans the governor earlier outlined were:
Did you know that despite the possibility that we may not enjoy any Summerfest concerts this year the Pride team is moving ahead with Christmas plans? It takes months to plan a parade as well as the lights at Pearson Park.
There are signs that seem to indicate that a significant number of our K-12 schools will open this Fall. National Education Secretary Betty DeVos stated this week that she expects schools to be "fully operational" for the upcoming 2020 term.
When I visited my mother recently, she gave me a photograph of a good-sized group of her family members. I picked out my granddaddy with ease, even though he was probably somewhere in this mid-30’s at this time.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, 2020, includes provisions that temporarily relax several key retirement account rules. One of these provisions is a waiver of required minimum distributions (RMDs) in 2020. Here’s what you need to know.
Eastern North Carolina is well known for its bountiful seafood. For many years and in many families, local fishermen harvest a wide variety of top-quality seafood products, including shrimp, blue crabs, flounder, grouper, clams and oysters, among others. Seafood is a prime component of a healthy diet and is easily used in a variety of recipes. Take advantage of our local bounty!!
Have you ever had something gnaw at you long enough that you finally had to address it?
Last month the City of Kinston requested that Neuse News run a Public Notice informing the community of the proposed Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget. Having served for eight years as mayor, I know the budget process and numbers well. Glaring to me was the proposed $26,100 increase in the mayor and council’s salary line item. Surely that was a mistake. Surely in a time like this that would not be on the table.
Did you know there are particular buildings downtown that remain empty year after year? Why is this? Pride of Kinston and its economic vitality committee have identified that issue as a primary concern and project. The first phase of this project is to address lower South Queen Street between Lincoln and King Streets because it is a key gateway into our downtown that has been an especially depressed and ignored area for years apparently and it needs some love, particularly since we have invested $2.5MM in redesigning and improving Queen Street.
If you are among the minority of North Carolinians who haven’t supported the expansion of parental choice in education over the past two decades — in the form of charter schools, open enrollment among district schools, and aid to private-school students who have special needs or modest household incomes — the challenge of COVID-19 presents you with an excellent opportunity to reconsider your position.
I really appreciated the response I received from last week's Column about the wondrousness of my life with My Emma. I want to follow up on that by looking at the various stages of life, and which of those stages may be most important to us.
I have eight grandkids in the 6 to 13 age range. I offered them a challenge some time ago. If they learned Psalm 1 by memory and could recite it for me, then each one who completed the challenge would earn a five dollar bill. I am a believer in the importance of scripture memorization. David wrote in Psalm 119:11: “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”
It is definitely summer, and the hot temps are here to prove it. Enjoy your evenings outside with the warm breezes and super sunsets, keep your dinner meals simple, and get out and grill!! Here are some recipes to enjoy this Holiday.
Did you know that two adjoining burned out buildings on Gordon St were recently purchased by a California developer who converted them into four nice market-rate apartments, all of which leased immediately? People from out of town are buying our properties, sometimes two at a time. They feel our vibe and sense of community. They like where we are going. They have been paying attention to what we are doing and want to be a part of it. Downtown Kinston is setting an example of progressive recovery from severe decline and many people are paying attention to it.
I want to share with you some additional accounts of my 58 wonderful years of marriage to My Emma, which I hope will encourage you to more fully appreciate that very special person in your life. My favorite songs are "heart" songs, and I often use the wisdom from those songs to help me my message of love across.
