All in Columns
Casseroles, in America, represent the efficient, inexpensive, one-dish meal, made to stretch ingredients and feed a lot of folks! They are almost always easy to fix and serve and are known as great comfort foods. When casseroles first became popular many were not the healthiest option but today there are some great recipes to choose from that are super great for your family’s healthy meal plan!!
Folks, we all want to be positive in our outlook on life, and indeed there is a lot to be positive about, locally, Statewide, and nationally. But some things have occurred on the national and international scene during the past 9 months that in many ways are puzzling and hard to understand.
In the England of the early 20th century, there were no two writers more dissimilar than G.K. Chesterton and George Bernard Shaw. Chesterton was a conservative who wrote literary essays, a long-running newspaper column, and the popular Father Brown series of detective stories. Shaw was a socialist whose famous plays include Man and Superman, Saint Joan, and Pygmalion, from which the popular musical My Fair Lady was later adapted.
Telemarketing crooks have developed a new way to attempt to scam people on Medicare. I was unaware of this scam until I answered a call that my caller ID identified as “N Carolina Call.” The woman on the line said she was from Medicare and was calling to see if I had received my new secure Medicare card. According to the caller, the new card was green – and was microchip-enabled to prevent scams. Of course, she said she needed to verify some of my information.
Fresh pears are abundant this time of year and you certainly do not want this nutritional treat to go to waste. Why pears, because nutritionally they are a great choice!
Just recently, on September 17, a 3-judge panel of the Wake County Superior Court ruled 2-1 that North Carolina's Voter ID Law violates the State Constitution and cannot be put in force. These two judges wrote that the attorneys defending the law failed to prove that it was not discriminatory.
Mount Airy is a real place. Mayberry is fictional. But in the minds of its many millions of fans, Mayberry is a real place, too — not a physical location but a moral one. A place where mistakes earn people second chances, not everlasting scorn. A place where parents teach their children the virtues of honesty, responsibility, and compassion — and sometimes get schooled themselves in those same virtues by those same children.
More good news is coming from the North Carolina Global TransPark. flyExclusive, the fifth-largest private jet charter service in the United States, is constructing a new 24,000 square-foot facility at the GTP. flyExclusive operates a point-to-point private jet service.
Even though it still feels more like summer, fall is definitely on the way, and fall means fresh NC apples! We grow a wide variety of delicious apples here in NC and even though we don’t grow too many of these in Eastern NC, you can generally find them at most farmers markets!!
A special part of Kinston’s history is going to be recognized on Saturday, Sept. 25. At 4 p.m. that day, the African American Heritage Commission of Kinston/Lenoir County will unveil a marker commemorating the listings Kinston had in The Negro Motorist Green Book. This book, compiled by Victor H. Green, provided a list of places that African American travelers could go to eat, spend the night, shop, and have their cars serviced and repaired.
The income of the median American household fell by nearly 3% last year as the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent regulations shuttered many businesses for months, closed others for good, and forced still other employers to cut back on hours and wages for the people they still employed.
Three very special young ladies are traveling in Italy this week and I want to highlight some of their experiences. These ladies are my Daughter Jessica, my Grand Daughter Rachel, and a special friend, Carla Gray. They are all extremely busy in their everyday business and personal lives. Jessica holds a very important position with Natural Stone Services headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., and she also is a leader in her church and community. Rachel is also a very busy young executive, and Carla stays on the move as well. So if you are planning to travel, don't let your busy schedule keep you from doing so.
I am not a big fan of America’s Got Talent, but Sandra, my wife, wanted me to watch the finale of this year’s competition. I acquiesced and took my seat to watch. I subscribe to the motto: “Happy wife – happy life.” Some of the acts I enjoyed. Others, I tolerated.
At the September 13th Lenoir County Public Schools board meeting, Chairman Bruce Hill admonished the public on when it’s appropriate to contact a school board member. He cited a chain of command, the need to go straight to the source, and emphasized the school board’s primary goal is to be policymakers. However, Mr. Hill seemingly chastises parents, guardians, and stakeholders for attempting in any type of way to hold school board members accountable. In an eye-opening statement, Mr. Hill says about the school board, “[we] aren’t as versed in education” and “we as board members we don’t know what goes on at the schools.”
The N. C. Division of Marine Fisheries has adjusted the recreational and commercial seasons for 2021 to ensure a sustainable fishery. The recreational flounder season will open September 1 and close September 14 in internal and ocean waters of North Carolina. So, like I said catch and cook them while you can!!
Do the ends justify the means? This familiar question produces strong feelings precisely because its answer is necessarily complicated. Just about all of us admit to a scenario, such as the proverbial ticking time-bomb, in which we would countenance unsavory means if required to save lives. In general, however, most religious and ethical traditions teach that we are not permitted to use injurious or unethical means to accomplish even noble ends.
Glenwood Allen Fields, 77, was received into the open arms of his Savior on Monday, September 13, 2021. A service to celebrate and remember Glenn’s life will be held by the graveside at Fairview Cemetery on Friday, September 17, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.
Age is undoubtedly a subject that we hear a lot about, which is understandable since we all experience it. Today, I want to explore this topic with an emphasis on how we might age gracefully. Wisdom, resilience, and a well-rounded and mature perspective on life are often credited as the hard-earned rewards of aging. Looking and feeling good as we age requires a fine-tuned combination of aging gracefully and defying the very laws of time.
