All in Columns
During the COVID years, I experienced palpable disappointment. My grandson Jaxen graduated from Clayton High School – but Sandra and I could not attend. Granddaughter Courtney received her Associate of Nursing Degree from Pitt Community College – but we could not attend. Granddaughter Haley received her Associate of Arts degree from Pitt before transferring to East Carolina – but we could not attend.
We are a blessed bunch here in Eastern North Carolina, the Crystal Coast is just down the road and that means we are only a short distance away from fresh local seafood! Being close by also means our local markets are able to carry only the freshest seafood as well. It’s always time for sweet, salty Carteret County Shrimp. Give these recipes a try!
Let's talk today about setting a good example for others. Over the years I have had the opportunity to hear multitudes of presentations, and many of them highlighted that truth.
From 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, the Kinston Music Park will offer fun and Funk as the African American Heritage Commission of Kinston and Lenoir County hosts its fifth edition of the Funk Festival. The park is located at Spring Hill and South Queen Street in Kinston. The Community Council for the Arts, Visit Kinston, and the North Carolina Arts Council also support this event.
Fruit or a vegetable? Technically the cucumber is a fruit because it contains the seeds to reproduce, but typically cucumbers are grouped and grown with veggies due to their use. But if you are a cucumber lover does it really matter? Cucumbers may not boast having the highest nutritional value of some other fruits and vegetables but it still has many of it’s own merits! Check it out!
Although there hasn’t been any public discussion regarding it, once again, there is an increase in pay for the mayor and members of the council being proposed in this year’s budget. This isn’t to say that the increase isn’t justified, my concern is that once again potentially controversial items are being presented in the budget that haven’t been formally discussed. Whether it’s the more than $100 million annual operating budget for the city, or a $6.3 million allocation from the federal government, each line item deserves thorough inspection and candid conversations about how they align with our priorities — especially one that has proven time and time again to ruffle feathers.
I’ve expressed my desire with the mayor and members of the council for us to have dedicated meeting time to talk about our city budget and finances, but aside from Councilwoman Felicia Solomon, the other members of our board haven’t shared that desire.
It has amused me over the years to see signs prominently posted on building entrances reading, "This is a Gun Free Zone," or "No weapons of any kind allowed on these premises." You may recall the "No Gun Zone" sign prominently posted a few years ago at the entrance to a school in Lakeland, Florida, which made it a clear target for a young man with a demented mind hearing Satan telling him to kill people.
With only a few days left to cast ballots in the 2022 primaries, most North Carolinians are worried and frustrated. Many are furious. Some 62% of voters responding to a recent High Point University poll said the country had “gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track.”
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about several exciting activities taking place in Kinston and Lenoir County. Shortly after that column appeared, I learned of a call for auditions that could help residents end up on “The Road to New York.”
Treat your Mom’s to a delicious morning treat for the whole family! Most of this menu can be done ahead and many of the main ingredients can be found locally grown!
As you know, this coming Sunday is Mothers' Day and I am sure it will bring back memories of the wives and mothers who have given so much to make our lives meaningful and enjoyable.
I recently read an article in the Kinston Free Press entitled “NC homeschool families have little oversight. Many want to keep it that way” by Brian Gordon of the USA Today network. One of the experts cited in the story, Duke Law Professor Jane Wettach, wrote in a 2020 report on the state’s homeschooling law:
Have you seen the pointed looking cabbage at local produce stand and farmers markets, If not, check out the interesting vegetable at the Farmer’s Market. Pointed, hearted or sweetheart cabbage as it is sometimes known is a type of green cabbage with green leaves and a pointed head.
The horrific race car accident that recently occurred in which the driver's car crashed into a wall, exploded, and engulfed the car in flames, and from which there seemed no chance for survival, showed that Miracles still do happen as the driver emerged from this laming inferno largely unharmed.
