All in Columns
We’re all about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with some green grub. It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and you’ve got one very vibrant color on your mind. Channel the luck of the Irish by whipping up some emerald-hued dishes to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.
On Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, I was blessed to be able to attend the Pastors Appreciation Breakfast sponsored by the Kinston Camp of Gideons International. The breakfast allows the Gideons to express appreciation for the support of local churches and to update those attending on the work of the Gideons both here at home and around the world.
National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created 50 years ago in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
This is part one of a four part series on the importance of the justice system in the recovery process of individuals, as well as in the community. The 8th Judicial District (Greene, Lenoir and Wayne Counties) is home to both an Adult and a Family Recovery Court, as well as the Recovery Together ENC Coalition. This series will explore each of these, culminating in the celebration of Recovery Court Month in May.
One of the most overlooked parts of Black History revolves around the service that many runaway slaves provided to the Union forces – especially those at New Bern. When New Bern fell to the Burnside Expedition in March of 1862, few locals today realize that from March 1862 until March 1865, New Bern served as a Union base and stronghold.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, focusing on your heart has never been more important and here’s why; *Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. But you can do a lot to protect your heart.
Smart Gallery is not just the newest addition to fine art galleries here in Kinston, it is so much more.
Why did the North Carolina House vote overwhelmingly a few days ago to toughen penalties for those engaged in violent rioting? I’ll let Rep. Abe Jones of Wake County sum it up: “I despise somebody who would go out and tear up another person’s property that they didn’t pay for and take advantage of a situation — sometimes a very good protest — and then flip it.”
Last year, Sandra and I celebrated our Golden Anniversary. The next day, we started on the path that would take us to number 51. If we both live until Saturday, we should achieve that goal.
Just because fewer farmers’ markets and roadside stands are open during the winter months, it doesn’t mean there aren’t some good winter vegetables. Unfortunately, in the winter months we tend to use less fresh produce, thinking it’s not as available or as tasty.
Black-headed households are less likely than white-headed ones to own their residences. The latest data from the Census Bureau put the homeownership rate at 75% for whites and 45% for blacks. According to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, our state’s racial disparity is roughly similar.
When most of us think of the Civil Rights Movement in North Carolina, our minds go immediately to the sit-ins at Woolworth’s in Greensboro in the 1960s. We think of Dr. King’s speech “I Have a Dream” delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Seems to me that Super Bowl parties are the “unofficial” diet breakers. Right when you get into the flow of eating healthy, here comes the Super bowl party and all of those fabulous recipes that come with it!! Traditional game day foods are crowd pleasers, but they can also be some of the worst foods for you health-wise.
At the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library, we see firsthand how stigma and misinformation surrounding mental health topics such as anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide prevents individuals from seeking assistance. The truth is that mental health issues affect millions of people everyday.
According to the latest-available set of comparable data, North Carolina ranks 33rd in the nation in “deaths of despair” — that is, in the combined rates of suicides, fatal drug overdoses, and alcohol-induced deaths. In 2020 our age-adjusted rate was 55.5 deaths of despair per 100,000 residents, slightly higher than the national average of 54.8. From 2018 to 2020, our rate rose by 26%.
I want to make plain that I am not against legitimate congressional hearings that investigate issues crucial to the citizens of our nation. Congress should explore ways to reduce prescription medication costs and reduce overall healthcare costs. Congress should investigate how various pieces of legislation will impact citizens, communities, and our nation.
