January 2012 archives

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Newest Eagles: Young men should be proud

Despite what some people think, you don't get the title of "Eagle Scout" because you have been around the longest. To receive it, you have to have earned it -- completing the requirements and a community project. So, the...

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The right move: BRAC rumor no need to panic, but complacency not good either

Anyone who thinks that losing Seymour Johnson Air Force Base would be a good thing for Goldsboro or Wayne County is living in an alternate reality -- especially in this day and age of an uncertain economy and an even...

Friday, January 27, 2012

Well-deserved: Chamber's Cornerstone Award pick has a distinguished resume

How do you know if you have picked the right person for the 2012 Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's Cornerstone Award? First off, it is hard as heck to get the honoree there. You have to make up a...

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The real issue: Don't think double-taxation cannot touch your income

Hate the rich if you want. It is easy. And applaud when someone suggests they "pay their fair share." Nothing is guaranteed to get more of a cheering section than that statement. But if you are going to call...

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Debate fatigue: Soon, there won't be any need to ask any more questions

How many debates does it take to pick a Republican nominee? Apparently, before someone is chosen to carry the GOP mantle, that number could be significantly in the double digits. Not such a horrible thing -- unless of course, your...

Sunday, January 22, 2012

The test: When it comes to building a future, settling isn't good enough

The problem with where our nation is headed lies in how some communities and leaders respond to adversity. Today, some people wait and watch while neighborhoods run down and children wander without direction. They blame schools for low test scores...

Friday, January 20, 2012

Primary pickers: North Carolina could have significant say in nominee

It would be kind of nice, wouldn't it, to be able to be one of the states that helps decide who will be the Republican nominee for president of the United States. And while it is probably not likely that...

Thursday, January 19, 2012

One more out: Perry's announcement another bit of a game-changer

It is beginning to feel like an episode of "Survivor" -- complete with deal-making, back-biting and an almost weekly vote off the island. And while it might be tedious to watch it happen, and the debates a little bit...

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Debate Club: It is just like a scene from 'Mean Girls'

Americans want to know the differences between candidates. They need to know them. That is the only way to make an intelligent decision about whom would be the best choice when voting time comes around. But let's face it,...

Monday, January 16, 2012

Good old days: Boy, has entertainment changed

Watching the Golden Globes, you can't help but harken back to a time when sex, bad language and graphic violence were not the mainstays of a blockbuster TV series or movie. In those days, dialogue and writing were the...

Saturday, January 14, 2012

For Jake: School, community show the power of joining hands

Not everyone who attended Saturday's prayer session for Eastern Wayne High School senior Jake May knew him personally. They saw the call on Facebook for the gathering, and they felt compelled to share their faith and hearts with a...

Friday, January 13, 2012

Local, too: There are going to be others to look at this election season

Just a little reminder -- just in case you have already had your fill of election year politics. If you can't stand one more minute of the Republican nomination battle and are dreading the start of the general campaign,...

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Star student: Fourth-grader shows potential is out there

DeQuan Jefferson is already destined for greatness. Just in the fourth grade, he has already managed to earn the highest score on the end-of-grade math test in Wayne County. And he has the promise of a $20,000 scholarship, should he...

Monday, January 9, 2012

Input needed: These days, governments could use a little advice

It's not such a bad idea, really, for governments to ask their constituents what they could do better and where they are wasting or misdirecting their money. And if, in the process, residents actually share their views on the...

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Visit reality: An authentic tour should include nod to poverty's true causes

The state NAACP will be traveling to five North Carolina cities on its "Poverty Tour" later this month to discuss the challenges families face and the factors that are contributing to keeping them from beating the cycle of poverty. There...

Friday, January 6, 2012

Need? Or want? Hiring of public information officer raises questions about priorities

There are necessities and then there are luxuries. Necessities are what you spend money on when the budget is tight and there are all kinds of things on your list that you need to accomplish. Luxuries are what you spend...

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A little foresight: Uncertainty in Washington means base towns have to be careful

Politicians do not like to say "no" especially in an election year. Republicans do not like to agree to anything that limits personal property rights -- well, most of the time anyway. So, it is not surprising that Commissioner Jack...

Monday, January 2, 2012

Iowa watch: It might be fun to watch the battle, but Iowa is not bellwether

A big deal is going to be made about the Iowa caucuses. And while it is the first -- manipulated to be so, of course -- the Iowa vote is nothing more than a fun little look into the...