December 2014 archives

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Be careful: Don't let anyone get behind the wheel of a car tonight

When New Year's Eve rolls around, there are lots of warnings about not drinking and driving. And they are important. After all, behaving responsibly when you are out enjoying yourself could be a matter of life or death. But...

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Time to give: As you wrap up 2014, remember your local charities

As 2014 ends, many local residents search for places to get a last-minute deduction. And this year, there will be plenty of people looking to give away clothes, household items -- anything they no longer need. And if you...

Monday, December 29, 2014

New year? President's veto threat not a harbinger of progress

No one should be really surprised that President Barack Obama is already warning Republican leaders that there just might be a few vetoes in their future. After all, no one really thought that November's landslide election would result in hand-holding...

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Time to talk: Starting dialogue here might prevent a future tragedy

What is happening in New York City and in Missouri might seem very far away for those of us who live in Wayne County, N.C. After all, something like that could never happen here, right? We hope that if...

Friday, December 26, 2014

Good works: Riders' effort a model for making a difference

The motorcyclists who gathered up a bunch of toys and headed out to the Green Acres housing project on Christmas Eve did more than just hand out gifts to needy children. They set an example -- for their children and...

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Faith and love: As we mark the day tomorrow, we should remember the reason

There is something about Christmas that warms the heart and melts troubles and strife into love and understanding. And although tomorrow will be mostly about the excitement of opening presents, spending time with family and a big Christmas dinner,...

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Rhetoric risk: Those who stoked fires set stage for criminal response

No matter how it is spun -- and you will notice that not too many people are spinning. And no matter how much justification and mea culpa you hear -- and there is not that much of that either...

Monday, December 22, 2014

It mattered: Donations to fund also helped children of deployed airmen

We got a bit of news the other day that we wanted to share with all of you who have supported the Empty Stocking Fund. Some of the toys that you are helping to purchase this year contributed to...

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Optimism: All the good news and investment in county sign of good times ahead

It has not been easy to think positively about the economy this year. With all the doom and gloom from Washington, and the analysts who might as well throw up their hands and announce, "Heck, we don't know what...

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

So familiar: Shaking things up might be what Washington and the country need

There is going to be a big decision to make in 2016 -- and a lot of thinking to do before then. It is looking very much like if you are a Republican or a Democrat, you are going...

Monday, December 15, 2014

Christmas joy: Your generosity to ESF helps children -- and adults -- find spirit of the season.

We wish you could have been there. There is nothing that brings Christmas into perspective more than seeing the reaction of a needy child when he or she receives a holiday gift. And the funny thing about that moment...

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Worried? Yes. Looking away never left anyone immune to violence.

It seems like every time there is a shooting in the city, Goldsboro's top lawman has the same message for the public. "We are aware of it, and we're working on it." Police Chief Jeff Stewart offers the answer...

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Healthy steps: WIC approach should be a model for food stamp program

It is not earth-shattering news, but for the first time, those who get assistance from the WIC program, which is designed for families with young children, will be able to buy potatoes with their vouchers. And that is a big...

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

In context: Interrogation report merits introspection, not politics

What is the reason a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence would release for international distribution a report on interrogation techniques involving terror suspects after 9/11? There are many who are asking that question after the release of an executive...

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Stocking fund: Time is growing short to help with holiday party

This weekend, hundreds of children will have the chance to receive a special toy, a stocking and a visit with Santa Claus as part of the 2014 Empty Stocking Fund Party. If you have never been, you cannot imagine...

Monday, December 8, 2014

Preconceptions: Final judgment and protests should only come with facts

It is ironic that hundreds of protesters clogged the Durham Freeway Friday night and that a similar crowd blocked student access to a campus building at the University of North Carolina earlier in the week. Not because they did not...

Friday, December 5, 2014

Overregulated: Too many rules put bureaucracies ahead of public well-being

There is something to be said for regulations. They prevent abuse and protect the citizenry from those whose motives are more about profit than what's best for the country. But there is a darker, less-than-desirable side of the regulation business,...

Thursday, December 4, 2014

All in for schools: Excellence requires commitment from families, educators, leaders

It's official. There is a new member on the school board. And now that Jennifer Strickland has taken her post, it is time to think about the next steps for the county schools. The change of leadership in the district...

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Worth a try: Might we reimagine the way we conduct politics and civic discourse?

Not too long ago we got a letter from a reader. There was no name on the note, just a reminder. "Democrats are not bad people," it said. We already knew that, but it got us thinking. The reason...

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Santa needs you: Help ESF ensure that all children have a merry and bright Christmas

Most of us have memory of a Christmas morning that seemed perfect. Perhaps, that year, the tree was glistening like it never had before. Or maybe, Santa left a trace that proved he was real -- the gift you...

Monday, December 1, 2014

Heroes' legacy: Pinewood FD closes, but volunteers' example will always inspire

The community lost a part of its history today. The Pinewood Volunteer Fire Department, which was first opened in 1959, has served the people in the northeast corner of Goldsboro for decades. And today, it closed its doors, officially,...