All in Columns
I have strong opinions about education policy in North Carolina and beyond. Maybe you’ve noticed! I’ve also been researching and writing about the subject for a very long time. During my first stint as a newspaper reporter in 1986, I covered raucous debates about a potential merger of school districts in Nash County, Edgecombe County, Rocky Mount, and Tarboro. My first syndicated columns on education policy ran in state newspapers a few months later.
Every other year on the July 4th weekend, the descendants of Henry S. and Lady Belle Parker gather for a family reunion. Before this year, our last reunion took place in 2018. We set the next reunion for 2020 – and then 2021. Each time, COVID interfered. We decided to shoot for this July and finally made the reunion a reality.
Heart racing and blood-pumping excitement, fueled by determination and ambition to get a good story, were how I was introduced to the world of journalism at a young age. My teachers were derived from fictional movies and comics like Louis Lane and April O’Neil, who were the reflection of journalism.
As a registered “unaffiliated” voter, I’ve tried to be opened minded about my voting priorities. I readily admit that I tend to be on the conservative side on most political issues. The basic reason being that in my opinion it was the conservative, common sense forward thinking of our founding fathers that formed the background for making us the greatest country the world has ever known.
It’s summertime and outside grilling and chilling is the way to go! This season has been a scorcher, so you may want to cook and eat light! Enjoy an appetizer and some fresh cooked vegetables or a side salad to keep you cool! Generally choosing an appetizer can be a great diet trick, the portions and plates are smaller and you will eat less. If you are still hungry, order a side salad to help fill your tummy.
For much of the past year, housing markets were ablaze in many parts of North Carolina. Motivated buyers were flush with cash and armed with low-rate loans. Agents were desperate for inventory to sell. Sellers gasped and smiled as competing offers soared upward. Builders broke ground on as many new projects as available labor and materials allowed.
Well, we are into another July 4th Week and it might be an ideal time to let our families and friends know that we appreciate them. As I have said before, I am convinced that three of the most important words in the English language are "I appreciate you."
Over the last few years I have become increasingly patriotic, but I have struggled with how Christians should publicly display their patriotism given the divisive nature of our culture. For many years I wanted to separate my patriotism from my Christian faith as if they were two completely different belief systems. In one sense that is obviously true, but I will argue here that American patriotism is tied to Christian theology.
July 4th is the day we celebrate the birth of our nation. In 1776, Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies had a population of around 3 million people. These colonies had no army – just militias composed of citizen-soldiers. They were facing one of the world’s best-trained and most professional armies.
Celebrate the birth of our great nation this Holiday with food that celebrates the Red, White and Blue!!
Movie sequels are almost always worse than the original films. Notable exceptions, such as this summer’s Top Gun: Maverick, merely prove the rule. For every Empire Strikes Back, there’s a Highlander 2: The Quickening, Halloween Kills, and Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol.
In light of the recent Supreme Court reversal of Roe v Wade, I have a message for three individuals:
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States decided the Constitution does not confer a right to an abortion which overturned rulings for Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, thus returning the power to make decisions on abortion to the states. This is in response to Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
Let's talk about Age. I wrote about Emma Morano a few years ago and the example she set for getting the most out of the years we are given on Earth. She had a positive attitude toward life, had devoted friends, and loved her pets. She died on April 15, 2017, at age 117. Until she was 115 she didn't have any live-in caregivers.
Looking for a fun & family-friendly way to celebrate the 4th of July? Look no further than the Great American Cookout happening at Harmony Hall, located in downtown Kinston, NC.
