Friday, January 31, 2014
Polls 101: Don't be fooled ... a poll is a poll, and they are not infallible
You know it is getting close to election season when the polls start to rear their ugly heads. You will see them about everything -- from presidential approval ratings to who has the best chance of taking over the...Published: Jan 31, 2014 9:20 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Pass the buck: Debacle in Atlanta showcases new breed of politician
The mayor of Atlanta says he did not know that there was a major winter storm coming that would paralyze his city. And besides, he says, the highways and access roads aren't the city's responsibility. There is nothing he...Published: Jan 30, 2014 1:25 PM Full Editorial
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Power crunch: President's message to Congress suggests trouble ahead
If you listened to President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech, you got the impression that there will be a lot of work done in the next few months as he finishes out his second, and final, term....Published: Jan 29, 2014 9:55 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Just do it: President's speech will be pretty, but that's not enough
You know how when a love is brand new and a relationship is just getting off the ground how your date resembles a fairy princess or a white knight mounted on a steed? And then, after a few dates, he...Published: Jan 28, 2014 10:02 AM Full Editorial
Monday, January 27, 2014
Finding wisdom: Governor's visits to state's smaller towns not such a bad idea
It is a funny thing about governors. Even if they are from a small town, they get up to Raleigh with all its pomp and circumstance and they forget about the towns that also make this state run. They...Published: Jan 27, 2014 10:37 AM Full Editorial
Saturday, January 25, 2014
His calling: Carey Winders considered it an honor to be your sheriff
It takes a special kind of courage to strap on a gun and to risk your life to protect others -- and Sheriff Carey Winders did that for decades -- first as a police officer and later for 20...Published: Jan 25, 2014 11:06 PM Full Editorial
Friday, January 24, 2014
First-ever: Beverly Carroll does inaugural Ollie Toomey award justice
You know someone deserves an honor when they are so sure someone else is going to get it that their shoes are off. And that is exactly why it took Beverly Carroll so long to make it to the front...Published: Jan 24, 2014 11:34 AM Full Editorial
The right man: Keith Gunnet's gift is his ability to lead, and to give, unselfishly
You wouldn't have seen it if you were not looking directly at him as the list of his accomplishments revealed that Keith Gunnet was the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's 2014 Cornerstone Award honoree. He would look down occasionally and...Published: Jan 24, 2014 11:26 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Base watch: Community's priority should be keeping SJAFB safe
It is a good thing that the county and the city have joined forces to assist in an effort to revitalize a group that did a stellar job of keeping Seymour Johnson Air Force Base safe for decades. The...Published: Jan 23, 2014 10:52 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
It's time: Commissioner is right; it is time to put someone in charge
Forget for a moment that this mess likely has been made worse by the internal issues and missteps of the current board of Wayne County commissioners. Forget also that there is a serious need for caution when it comes...Published: Jan 22, 2014 11:03 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Terror in waiting: Sochi Olympic Games are sign that terrorism still a threat
It is more of an internal battle, but the terrorists who are threatening the calm at the Sochi Games are a warning sign for anyone who thinks that Muslim extremists are a thing of the past. This radical Islamic...Published: Jan 21, 2014 10:34 AM Full Editorial
Monday, January 20, 2014
The history: It's critical that children know of battles, triumphs
As the years go by, the number of people who actually heard the famous speech on the National Mall is dwindling. And even fewer actually have met or demonstrated with the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And the same...Published: Jan 20, 2014 10:58 AM Full Editorial
Friday, January 17, 2014
The truth: Those who love UNC should want to hear truth about athletes
Let's not pretend it doesn't happen. There are plenty of athletes at any big name -- or small name -- school who are not academically performing as they should. It has been that way for decades -- everywhere. Experts...Published: Jan 17, 2014 10:13 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Out with ... Recent reports, findings make it seem like time for change
Perhaps they have simply been around Washington too long. Maybe we are just tired of seeing their faces and hearing the spin. But today's report on the Benghazi attacks is just one more piece of evidence that perhaps it...Published: Jan 16, 2014 11:00 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Political babble: Enough talking. Much, much more doing.
There is a line in a Seinfeld episode that applies absolutely to the current state of politics in the United States. "Nobody needs to talk." And perhaps that is the reason so many people just aren't listening to politicians...Published: Jan 15, 2014 11:13 AM Full Editorial
Monday, January 13, 2014
Serious lesson: If graduates can't read, their diplomas mean nothing
Wayne County Public Schools wants parents to pay attention. Officials, teachers and administrators have warned parents that the new state rules on reading comprehension are stiff, tough and important. And they have asked parents to help get students get...Published: Jan 13, 2014 10:48 AM Full Editorial
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Responsibility: Commissioners are making big shift; better be prepared.
There is nothing wrong with making a big change -- as long as it is reasoned, thoughtful and intelligent and done with careful examination of the potential consequences. It would be easy to insert a sneer here, when it...Published: Jan 11, 2014 11:16 PM Full Editorial
Friday, January 10, 2014
A salute: Col. Jeannie Leavitt and her team have made community proud
There are more than a few months left to sing the praises of 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Jeannie Leavitt. She will not officially take her new post until later this year. But until that time, it is worth...Published: Jan 10, 2014 11:09 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, January 9, 2014
True grit: Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords defines courage
Set aside the argument right now about the best way to keep guns out of the hands of nuts and how to stem the increasing gun violence in our communities. It is a discussion that still needs to be continued,...Published: Jan 9, 2014 10:45 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Weather watch: Worries this week should remind us of importance of farmers
There were more than a few people in Wayne County -- and across the country -- who were watching the temperatures with a wary eye. For farmers, the dropping mercury was a danger sign -- and many were worried...Published: Jan 8, 2014 10:49 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Iraq danger: U.S. needs clearer and more realistic foreign policy
The news this past week about the fighting -- and the subsequent resurgence of al-Qaida in Fallujah -- should have made every American pause. The first moment of thought should be for the service members who lost their lives...Published: Jan 7, 2014 11:08 AM Full Editorial
Monday, January 6, 2014
Radio fix: Finger-pointing is missing the mark on radio troubles
The buck often stops with the boss when there is a massive problem like the concerns that continue to swirl around the county's radio system. But as the county commission prepares to sign yet another contract to fix what...Published: Jan 6, 2014 10:56 AM Full Editorial
Saturday, January 4, 2014
A warning: Nuns' plight suggests more than trouble with Obamacare
There is a problem when you put people in charge of running a government who only have experience at running a government. They don't understand productivity. They are unaware of little things called "budgets." And, most importantly, they do not...Published: Jan 4, 2014 11:03 PM Full Editorial
Friday, January 3, 2014
Results: All governments should be judged on what they do, not say
In the real world, if a chief executive officer or any of the top brass of a company make promises they do not keep, or if a company underperforms, the board of directors makes a change. As 2014 begins...Published: Jan 3, 2014 10:46 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, January 2, 2014
ACA watch: As Obamacare begins, speak up about concerns, success
Many Americans, and more than a few of them in North Carolina, will have a ringside view of how the new Obamacare system is working -- or not working. And while there will be many who will want to...Published: Jan 2, 2014 10:48 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Welcome 2014: Resolutions for this year should include new perspective
A new year brings more than just a change of date. It is a chance to sit back, to review what has transpired in the past and then to make plans for the coming 12 months. And as 2014...Published: Jan 1, 2014 10:41 AM Full Editorial