All you have to do to find out if people are having problems in their lives is to read "Dear Abby." There you will find out about the trials and tribulations of life, and how people deal with them.
All in Columns
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Happy, healthy Easter brunch!
Celebrate Easter Sunday with a special brunch featuring classic and seasonal dishes. Pick the perfect recipes to share with your family and friends. Enjoy!
Mike Parker: Sharing historic memory across generations
During this school year when Pitt County students have faced “Virtual Mondays,” Abby and Hannah, two of my granddaughters, have stayed with Sandra and me from Sunday afternoon until I return them to their mother Rachel, who teaches at South Central, on Monday afternoon.
John Hood: Liquor business should be private
North Carolina governments shouldn’t be in the liquor business. Two recent stories illustrate this story well.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Healthy St. Patrick's Day
It is super easy to keep St. Patrick’s Day healthy and green and still tasty and fun!! There are so many healthy “green” options as well as some of the traditional “Irish” favorites!! Give these recipes a try!
John Hood: Stimulus bill is reckless
The $1.9 trillion “COVID relief” bill just enacted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden gives out $1,400 checks to most Americans. It boosts the child-tax credit, keeps weekly unemployment-insurance checks $300 higher than normal, and throws lots of other (borrowed) money around.
Mike Parker: Cooper, legislature strike deal on school opening
The Republican-led legislature passed Senate Bill 37 mandating that all schools from grades K-12 must provide an option for in-person instruction. Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, claiming the legislation threatened the health and safety of students just when the pandemic seemed to be waning.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Carrots!
We all know that eating carrots is great for your eye sight, but they have a lot more to offer. The bright orange (most of the time) vegetable boosts your immune system, promotes vibrant skin, reduces cholesterol, boosts oral health, protects your heart, improves digestion, increases cardiovascular health, and detoxifies the body. You may be forgetting about the carrots in your diet, if so, it is time to reconsider, from breakfast to dessert, I am sure you will find something that suits your taste buds!!
Reece Gardner: One day at a time
In last week's Column I wrote about the passing of my brother, Rick Gardner, and how the loss of a loved one can be painful to those who remain. But we are in this life "One day at a time," and it is incumbent upon us to cherish each day and be thankful for the opportunity we are given to share our lives with others, particularly members of our families.
Mike Parker: Beware fake email ‘bills’ and other contacts
Last week, I wrote about scammers using the telephone to intimidate and extort money and information from the unsuspecting. These thieves pretend to be federal government officials who are suspending social security numbers for suspicious activities and often demanding huge payments be made to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Reece Gardner: No regrets
My brother, Rick Gardner, passed away last week, and he will be greatly missed. He treasured his family and friends, and he was always ready to help any of us who might need his assistance. He lived for the moment, and I am sure he left this earth with very few regrets.
John Hood: Reduce health cost, not just price
Through its own regulations, North Carolina restricts the availability of medical services and, as a result, inflates the cost of those services. Rather than looking for ways to redistribute that inflated cost to taxpayers, state policymakers should try deflating it.
Mike Parker: Scammers threaten ‘suspension’ of Social Security number
I received three calls last Wednesday from scammers trying to get my personal information. One identified himself by his name and his federal badge number. I could tell by his accent that he “won’t from around here,” as we say down South.
BJ Murphy: The Never-Ending State of Emergency
Roughly one year ago, Governor Cooper declared a state of emergency regarding COVID-19, and while an emergency is typically seen as a momentary crisis, this has been harnessed into the “new normal”, expanding bureaucratic control over citizens’ lives for an alarming period of time. Regardless of the continued state of emergency, our local officials are holding themselves to a different standard. The Kinston City Council and Lenoir County School Board continue to meet outside of their chambers and only through Facebook or Zoom. Are they afraid for their safety while asking their staff to be dismissive of their own? Are they worried about facing parents and the community in a real public forum again?
John Hood: Higher costs won’t help economy
If you think the cost of living is too low, I bear good tidings. The Biden administration and its allies in Congress, regulatory agencies, and state governments across the country are working nonstop to raise the cost of food, shelter, energy, and education. Help is on the way!
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Social Media favorite recipes
The pandemic has made screen time super popular and nothing more than the sharing of recipes! Tik Tok, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and a plethora of Food Bloggers.
Reece Gardner: What would you do if you were the devil?
So what would you do if you were the Devil? Your answer might go something like this: If I were the Devil, I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness. I'd already own a sizable portion of it, but I wouldn't be satisfied until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, the United States of America. I'd begin with a campaign of whispers. To you, as I had whispered to Eve, I'd say, "Do as you please."
John Hood: Picking winners Is for losers
Taxing the income, sales, or property of a business is a means of paying for government services associated with that business activity. It pays for police, courts, and other means of protecting property and adjudicating disputes. It pays to train current workers and educate future ones. It helps pay for local streets and other infrastructure.
Mike Parker: Attitudes still caught, not taught
I wrote a column nearly 30 years ago discussing problems of race relations here in Kinston and Lenoir County. I came across the column recently and marveled at how what I wrote in 1993 still applies today.
Sen. Jim Perry Op-Ed: PPP - I support small businesses
NC State Senator Jim Perry (R - Lenoir, Wayne) issues an op-ed on how the State of North Carolina should handle tax liability associated with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “The State of NC shouldn’t think about these extraordinary events through the lens of normal operations. We shouldn’t saddle business people with a surprise state tax liability just because they helped distribute federal stimulus dollars to the people of North Carolina. I worked with Senator Chuck Edwards and Senator Dave Craven to file Senate Bill 104 requiring that NC not burden small business owners who participated in the Paycheck Protection Program.”