September 2011 archives

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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Point lost: No Child Left Behind was politics. Reality is much tougher.

There is a reason why the No Child Left Behind legislation has not been very effective. In fact, it is just another manifestation of some of the concerns that seem to be building about how Americans function with their...

Friday, September 23, 2011

Paring down: State is making right move; just why did it take so long?

Getting rid of excess property, culling unnecessary programs and expenses and cutting back on its work force -- all these are moves that state officials are using to get control of a budget that is nothing less than unpredictable....

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Common sense: It's great that hikers have been freed, but what a risk to take

OK, so we are glad that the remaining two of the three American hikers are now on their way home to America after two years of confinement on espionage charges in Iran. It is nice that the ordeal is...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The right thing: The numbers don't lie. Communities in Schools worth investment.

When the going gets tough, you are supposed to focus on the basics. After all, you have to learn to walk before you can run. And if you are in a leadership position in Wayne County, Mount Olive or...

Monday, September 19, 2011

Another loss: We lose too many young men to violence. What's the solution?

A young man whose life was lost before it even really began. That is the tragic result of a shooting at a city housing project Saturday evening. And now, police are looking for clues as to why and under...

Saturday, September 17, 2011

What it takes: Deciding to make a life for yourself takes maturity and responsibility

This message is for every single student in the Wayne County Public Schools. It applies to blacks, whites, Hispanics and students who are from any other race or ethnic group. It does not matter if you are rich, poor...

Friday, September 16, 2011

A real hero: Marine's story is one everyone needs to hear ... and remember

True heroes don't speak about their heroism. It is mostly because it is not those they saved whom they remember, but the ones they could not get to in time to bring back to their families. And that's why...

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Jobs, light: President's jobs proposal big on rhetoric. Weak on reality.

There are some who think President Barack Obama has gotten a bad deal, that his efforts to fix the economy have been stymied by the fickleness of the market and inherited policies that set the course for trouble. They...

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Belated thanks: Traveling Vietnam Memorial replica our chance to right a wrong

They came home to a different world, the veterans who served in the Vietnam War. Instead of the accolades and thanks from a grateful nation, they were met with protests and derision -- and in some cases outright disrespect....

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

No taxes, period. Just one simple lesson: New jobs that are supported by taxes not sustainable.

It really is basic economics. If you use tax money to create and fund positions in the government, you are not creating worthwhile, cost-efficient, stable jobs that this nation needs to grow and prosper. You are simply building bigger...

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Our duty: All we have to do is remember the losses, the battles and the heroes

We do not have the hard job when it comes to marking the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. We are not families who will once again be reminded of a loved one's last moments, last words, last horrors. We...

Friday, September 9, 2011

Goodbye, sweet girl: Layla Williford left a legacy that many adults do not have chance to create

She did not have much time here on Earth, but in her three short years, little Layla Williford has impacted the lives of thousands of adults in and around Wayne County. And her parents, Jenifer and Weldon, have taught...

Thursday, September 8, 2011

GOP battle: Don't forget, front-runners -- it really is about substance, not flash

More than a few people have said over the past few weeks that the 2012 presidential election is the Republicans' contest to lose. And rest assured, if there was ever a party capable of snatching another defeat out of the...

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Planning ahead: Schools need work, but preplanning is a really good idea

Let's face it: No one wants to spend any money right now, let alone millions of dollars to build schools. So, in light of that concern, it is not surprising that the county commissioners and the school board would...

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

What's next? Irene has gone. Now it's time to look at budgets, spending, the next step

There is a lot to look at in the wake of Hurricane Irene, not the least of which is what this latest disaster declaration is going to cost this county and the state, not to mention the country. Cleanup...

Friday, September 2, 2011

Support at home: Wayne County residents, businesses have had a tough week

It might not seem that way, but Wayne County got off lucky. There were no storm-related deaths other than a traffic fatality and there are not hundreds of people facing destroyed homes and ruined lives. But there are more...

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Jobs report: Country needs more than pretty words right now

President Barack Obama will have a little more time before he speaks to the nation about his plan for creating more jobs in the country. It was a gesture at the request of Rep. John Boehner, who asked the...