Needing a welder to lose weight was not on my 2025 bingo card, I admit—but alas, here we are.
All in Columns
Mike Parker: Join troops as they ‘Muster the Militia’ this Saturday
Reenactors and living historians are joining forces for an encampment at the Caswell Memorial Site to interpret life in Dobbs County, the current day Lenoir County, in 1775, as part of the celebration of this nation’s 250th anniversary. “Mustering the Militia will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 15.
What’s Your Thanksgiving Tradition, Dressing or Stuffing?
Really, what’s the difference, and are they interchangeable? These are long standing questions, and from my experience the terms are pretty much used interchangeably. At my house we have dressing, but it is made pretty much like the official description for stuffing. It’s my Mom’s recipe and of course it does not include exact measurements, so replicating it has eluded me so far. Seems like I can get the taste right but not the consistency, I will definitely keep trying.
Evelyn Coleman Dove: Celebrating Life
October 18th is a special day for my family. It is the date that my father William Lee Dove was born in 1920. Had he lived, he would be celebrating his 105th birthday with cake and ice cream. Oh, there would be a full feast of a meal. But all that would matter to him is the dessert. So, we all eat ice cream in his memory every year.
Faith Forward with Jason McKnight: Winning more battles over Porn
In our age of endless watching, hand-held screens, dropping cultural standards, and opportunities everywhere, we need to have frank and clear conversations about porn. The internet is so good at drawing people in. Men and women participate in porn almost equally. It’s so regularly consumed that the marriage bed is often affected for years into marriages. It’s just expected.
Hickory Grove Church (2)
Historically significant, Hickory Grove is the first local church built in Bucklesberry. A forty-six page book (see https://t.ly/KUxSv), written by church members, affirmed Hickory Grove's original building was initially constructed in 1860 and bricked a century later in 1964:
Mike Parker: Marine Corps celebrates 250th Anniversary
Next Monday, November 10, the U.S. Marine Corps will celebrate its 250th anniversary. The first version of the Marines began on November 10, 1775, when Congress adopted a resolution creating the Continental Marines. The Second Continental Congress sent a resolution of Gen. George Washington that read – in part –
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Turnips are Turning Up…at Your Local Farmers Market
I have never been the biggest fan of turnips, but I have discovered over the past few years that if prepared in the right way, they will take on a variety of unique flavors depending on your recipe. Turnips are often mistaken for a member of the root family, in reality the turnip belongs to the cruciferous family whose cousins are Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli. Even so, most often consumed is the bulbous root of the turnip.
Kinston officer saves choking infant
On October 28, 2025, around 9:07 p.m., KPD’s D-Squad responded to a terrifying call, a 4-month-old infant choking.
Mike Parker: Beth goes home to be with the Lord
Friday morning, I opened an email informing me that Beth Newton passed away Monday. Just a few days before her passing, Beth had sent me a letter that explained – in medical terms – the deteriorating condition of her heart. I sent a photo of her note to my daughter Sara, who is a cardiac nurse, because I am not fluent in medical terminology. In that note, Beth said that she might not live long. I never expected the end to come so soon.
BJ Murphy: The Real Crisis in Kinston Isn’t Politics, It’s Participation
As my family prepares to move just outside of La Grange, I realize this election season marks the last time we’ll vote in a City of Kinston mayoral race. That simple fact carries some weight. For me, it’s more than a change of address. It’s a moment to pause and reflect on what’s happening to the city I still love. So, here’s some real talk.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Rooting for Rutabaga!
Rutabaga is another one of those “love ‘em or hate ‘em” vegetables, I am not on the love ‘em side but I know many who are. I have tried them every way I know how and roasting was the best but you must eat them hot! So, what do you do with a rutabaga?
Jane Phillips: 250 Years Ago, in Dobbs County During the American Revolution
In Kinston (Kington) 250 years ago in October 1775, Dobbs County (now Lenoir County) was a time for Patriot political organizing and militia preparations for the American Revolution. While both Patriots and Loyalists initially declared loyalty to the King, they differed on the terms for remaining British. Patriots believed in their natural rights and the British Constitution, arguing for fair treatment and reconciliation, but prepared for armed resistance if those terms were unmet. Loyalists, in contrast, were often intensely loyal to the Crown and feared the anarchy that might result from a break with British rule.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: “What’s Old is New Again” Retro Recipes are Back!
In the 2025 Trends Report retro lives on! Home Chefs and trained Chefs alike are continuing to modernize retro ingredients and dishes. Retro dishes provide familiarity and give us comfort. One Chef quoted, “Elevated nostalgia will always be on trend. The definition of nostalgia is a sentimental longing for the past”, making the unrelatable, relatable.
Evelyn Dove Coleman: When Good Things Happen
I have a colleague who does not watch the news. He says it makes him feel down to listen to them talk about all the bad things happening around the world. And he does not appreciate how some media flit from one story to another without sticking to important things in depth.
Evelyn Dove Coleman: Stages of Grief
There are a number of websites on the internet which outline the various stages of grief people normally go through when someone passes away. They vary from denial to acceptance. The Cleveland Clinic says "Grief is never easy.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: The Great Pumpkin Cooking Debate about Pumpkin, Fresh versus Canned
When the season turns to cooking all things pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, the continuous debate begins, fresh versus canned. Some local bakers swear by the convenience and consistency of canned, others prefer the natural sweetness and texture of fresh pumpkin. Both options have a set of advantages and disadvantages, but are they essentially the same?
Evelyn Dove Coleman: Tyler Perry's "Temptation"
Tyler Perry's movie called "Temptation" is not new. It was made available in 2009 I believe. But I just got a chance to sit down and watch it. It is three hours long. But it takes a whole lot of action for that one movie to maturely weave its way. UNC was way behind in the football game, so I turned to BET to watch the movie.
Faith Forward with Jason McKnight: The difference between forgiveness, reconciliation and relationships
In the last two Faith Forward columns, we have talked about forgiveness and how to walk in it. Like gravity is a universal truth in the realm of physics, forgiveness is a universal necessity in the realm of interpersonal community. There is no human flourishing without the practice of forgiveness.
Hickory Grove Church
The landscape of Bucklesberry has changed dramatically since the beginning of its colonization in 1720-1730. Notably, there are considerably fewer wooden clapboard and lap siding structures, although they were commonplace in the South for several centuries. The countryside today is speckled with farm buildings finished mostly with laminate veneer, vinyl, or metal siding.