All in Columns
On Friday, June 23, The 1901 Building Group will host the final edition of the 2023 Chitlin’ Circuit re-enactment. The event will run 5-8pm and is produced and hosted by D. Choci Gray at her historic 1901 Building, 129 N. Queen St., downtown Kinston.
I went to Ohio to visit my mother – the first time I have been able to make this trip in about a year. While talking, my mom asked me if I thought any of my kids would be interested in her recipes.
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. If you are a true cucumber lover, does it really matter? Cucumbers may not be a nutritional powerhouse but it does have many only notable attributes!
As I stroll down Queen St., looking back on the five-year journey of Neuse News, I'm struck by the crucial role we've come to play in our community. When we embarked on this venture, we were simply a group of friends, concerned by the glaring absence of local news reporting and community relevance. We noticed a lack of accountability for public officials and a lack of accessible information for our neighbors. In starting Neuse News, we didn't claim to be seasoned journalists or skilled videographers. Through our publication, social media presence, website, newsletter, and breaking news text alerts, we've aimed to counteract the decline of corporately-owned print news and provide a trusted news source for our community.
First, a confession: Sandra and I are pack rats. We have mounds of stuff “saved” because we never know when we might need it. Most of my packs are books and old papers – newspapers, student papers, and drafts of things I have written. For her – well, I don’t think she has ever come across anything of hers that she feels does not have value.
I love soup and love to make soup, but I must admit it took a while for me to “warm” up to chilled soups and gazpacho! Cool, refreshing soups can be quite flavorful and hardy especially this time of year and all of the summer bounty available for your recipe. Gazpacho gives us a great way to make a spicy fresh tomato treat and what’s more refreshing than chilled cucumber? Give these recipes a try and see if you can cool down and “warm” up to a Chilled Soup!
A week or so ago, I sat in the gym of G.R. Whitfield for the Band and Orchestra Spring Concert. Whitfield has an extensive music program that engages students from fourth grade through eighth grade. My granddaughter Allison is one of the violinists in this year’s Fifth Grade Orchestra.
According to Dr. Michael Parker, Extension Horticulture Specialist, with NC State University and NC Cooperative Extension, North Carolina harvests over 1,200 acres of peaches each year, resulting in nearly $7 million dollars in annual sales. Who knew?
The tears I cry and hold back are both of sadness and joy. Sadness because you were a giant in my life. You allowed a political neophyte access to your platform and wisdom, and you encouraged me. I am also very happy for you. From the moment of Emma’s passing, you knew where she was and you’d meet her there one day. Honestly, we all should be a little jealous of the love you had for each other. Now you’re there with her, my friend.
Maybe you have heard that May is Mental Health Awareness Month and as we end this month, I want to raise your awareness and challenge you to action. As a therapist, I consider it my responsibility to help us all focus more on our physical and mental well-being.
The Friends of the CSS Neuse Museum will be hosting a maritime history symposium titled “North Carolina Naval History in the Age of Sail and Steam” on June 23 and June 24 at the CSS Neuse Museum, located at 100 N. Queen St. The subjects covered will include Naval History from pre-American Revolution, during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through naval advancements during the Civil War.
This week fresh broccoli appeared at our local Farmers Market, and you cannot beat fresh local broccoli!! Broccoli has a reputation for being disliked by many people, often considered bland and unappetizing mostly due to frequent overcooking.
The disappointment felt by our community this past week as a result of the Down East Wood Ducks (DEWD’s) team being sold and eventually moving to South Carolina, is less a result of business and market forces out of our contol and more a sense of losing hope our community can sustain minor league baseball indefinitely.
The Arts are growing in Kinston and all you need to do is look around to see it…on walls, streets, fences... big and small. You can hear it in the music echoing through town on any given weekend evening and the aroma of delicious foods wafting in the breeze at outdoor eateries.
On June 15, the smART Gallery will host an “Artist Talk” at 6 p.m. The featured artist is Alice Shapiro, who will discuss her digital art form and worldwide exhibitions. The smART Gallery is located at 210 N. Queen Street in Kinston.
