October 2014 archives

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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Stand firm: Nurse's stand is nothing but arrogant stupidity, not honor

Bring it on, Kaci Hickox. Sue your little heart out. This might be hard for you to get, but this is not about you. If the governor of Maine -- and every other governor in this country -- does anything...

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Change course: For North Carolina, Thom Tillis is the right voice in trying times

Make no mistake. The battle over the North Carolina seat in the U.S. Senate currently held by Sen. Kay Hagan is not really just about North Carolina. That's why there are almost non-stop ads calling Republican challenger Thom Tillis everything...

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Safe, not sorry: There are drawbacks, sure, but quarantine is a good idea

It is only going to take one mistake -- one missed sign, one dishonest traveler, one person who decides he or she knows better. It takes only one bureaucrat who did not do his or her homework or one mutation...

Monday, October 27, 2014

Helping hands: Chili cookoff just a start in helping feed the hungry

There are Wayne County families who every day do not know if they will be able to eat lunch or dinner. This past weekend, many county residents put their chili hats on to help the Community Soup Kitchen make...

Friday, October 24, 2014

Just be prepared: There is no need for panic, but there is need for preparation

Although some people might be unreasonably scared, the reality is, most Americans are not really worried about an Ebola pandemic that wipes out the populations of major U.S. cities. But that doesn't mean the response of the U.S. government, and...

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Today it starts: Have your say, beginning today; or forever hold your peace

It is finally here -- the first day of early voting in North Carolina. And, hopefully, it will be the first day of a large number of people heading to the polls to make their choices for their next round...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The final leg: Beware, political parties know how important N.C. is this year

It is coming down to the wire -- and once again voters are being bombarded with everything from television ads to robocalls. And there is a reason: Both parties are very, very interested in how North Carolinians will vote two...

Monday, October 20, 2014

Mark the date: If you are already registered, you can have your say Nov. 4

 One of the most interesting facts about the argument over registration and voting is that even though they are registered, many Americans do not even bother to vote. The reasons are legion -- they are too busy, they forget it...

Sunday, October 19, 2014

The right stuff

It's a big job — district attorney for the 8th Prosecutorial District. And it is not the prestige, the notoriety or the media attention that makes it so. The district attorney is the keeper of the law — the...

Friday, October 17, 2014

Beat cancer: The best way to save a life is to get that checkup

This is the month when we talk about breast cancer. And throughout Wayne County, you will see pink ribbons, benefits to help find a cure as well as expressions of support for those battling the disease. And while the stories...

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Stop flights: It is inconceivable that no airline bans are in place

There are times when there simply is not time for a debate. There is not time to think about political correctness or to wonder what political implications a decision might have. You just have to act, and to act quickly....

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Safe, not sorry: There's no reason not to take Ebola precautions now

Hearing the news out of Dallas this morning would have made just about anyone's heart beat a little faster. Americans expect that their health care system should be able to handle anything -- even an outbreak of a deadly disease...

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Have your say: No better time than now to share your opinions

Too often people sit back and say nothing when there is an election in the offing. Either they are too busy or they think that no one is interested in their opinions. But this month, and really in all...

Monday, October 13, 2014

Job to do: Weekend event not end of push to meet United Way goal

If you could not attend this weekend's Taste of Wayne County, you missed some good eating and a lot of fun. But even if you did not get a cupcake, a mini steak dinner or one of the other...

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Who decides: Still think who gets to appoint judges doesn't matter?

You have probably skipped over the boxes on your ballot many times -- or simply checked a random name because you really did not know for whom you should vote. Not many of us think about the effect the...

Friday, October 10, 2014

Information: Money and research not all that we need to win cancer battle

The money that is raised every year to benefit cancer patients and to fund research is important. It is how we will one day put an end to this dread disease. But what is equally important -- and often...

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Right decision: There simply wasn't enough time to change voting procedures

It is hard to imagine that someone who was appointed to a Court of Appeals judge position would not immediately understand the folly of messing with voting laws less than a month before an election. And it is even scarier...

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Please vote: Bickering over voter laws aside, it is very important to vote

Even though the battle is continuing over the voter laws in North Carolina and courts are still trying to decide if the rules actually harm minority voter participation, the bottom line is still the same. Voting is important. And...

Monday, October 6, 2014

Fitting tribute: New memorial in Washington acknowledges all heroes

The number of American veterans who live with the daily reminders of the cost of war is escalating -- especially over the last few years of the battles in the Middle East. They bear scars of all kinds --...

Friday, October 3, 2014

Been to the fair? There's still time for one more run.

Wayne County does not just have a county fair. It has an award-winning regional fair. And if your schedule has not allowed you to do so before now, it is worth taking a trip out to the fairgrounds before...

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Priorities: NFL's biggest problem is not the name of a football team

There was more fallout today from the continuing argument over the use of the term "Redskins" as it relates to the Washington, D.C., football team by the same name. The idea, of course, because unless you have been under a...