All in Columns
Okra is beginning to show up at your local Farmers Market and roadside stands and when it is ripe and ready it is also quite abundant. Okra is either one of those vegetables that you love or you simply love to hate. Known for its scrubby texture when overcooked, okra is actually crunchy, crisp, and absolutely delicious when handled properly.
Now that July 4 has come and gone, I want to share one of my supreme irritations. As I drive from place to place, I see any number of displays of the U.S. flag. I am sure those who fly the flag do so out of respect for the flag and love for our country.
Many of you have seen me use the term "Long Session," this year. In North Carolina, our state legislature operates on a two-year period known as a "biennium," with Long Session taking place on the odd numbered years and Short Session for the even numbered years.
Every summer, my favorite day of the year comes around, the Fourth of July. It is a day filled with my favorite things to celebrate our nation’s independence. Many of us go to the beach, watch fireworks, spend time with friends and family, laugh at “put it in reverse Terry” memes, and so much more! Just as the fireworks light up the sky, your vote can illuminate the path toward ensuring our nation’s values and principles.
Everyone can celebrate Juneteenth and Independence Day. Both holidays are significant holidays in the United States and hold special places in American history. They carry their own meaning. However, in a society increasingly fixated on labels and categorizations, it is crucial to recognize that the true essence of these holidays lies not in their assigned titles, but in the power, they hold to unite and empower individuals of all backgrounds.
Tomorrow marks the 247th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Over the years, this document seems to have become a “classic” in the sense Mark Twain used that word. Twain defined a “classic” as something people praise but do not read.
The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love the fireworks, going to the beach, hotdogs, and everything else that comes with the holiday. It’s hard not to get swept up in all the celebrations and excitement of this day. There is also nothing quite like the comradery that occurs on this holiday.
I spent the second semester of this past school year teaching English online for a Christian academy. My ninth and tenth graders were a mix of students enrolled in the virtual academy and students who attended other Christian schools that lacked sufficient numbers of high school students to justify the expense of hiring a teacher for each subject area.
Fresh or frozen, blueberries are a favorite spring and summer snack; they also pack a lot of nutritional punch into one little bite. Blueberries are low in calories, but high in fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K. Blueberries are 85% water, provide 14% of your daily fiber, a boost of heart-helping antioxidants and are only 80-84 calories.
On November 23, 2021, I loaded my handgun to potentially defend my family for the first and, hopefully, the last time in my life. Due to Covid, our children had to stay home from school, but one positive outcome was the installation of exterior security cameras around our home. At 2:00 AM, our Ring camera notifications woke me up. With one eye barely opened, I noticed a figure walking across our driveway. Once I jumped up, this man stood 15 feet from one of my daughter’s bedroom windows.
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.
