Sunday Briefly
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on August 8, 2004 2:09 AM
Road construction
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will close one lane of traffic in both the north and south bound lanes on the U.S. 117 and U.S. 13 Bypass between N.C. 581 and the Neuse River Bridge beginning Monday and running through Friday,. Aug. 27, for railroad crossing work.
Also, the intersection of Nahunta Road and Hinnant Road will be closed Monday through Saturday to construct the realignment of Nahunta Road, Hinnant Road and Salem Church Road.
Temporary access to the affected properties will be available.
The detour route will consist of Vail Road, Pikeville-Princeton Road and U.S. 117.
Crossing improved
The Department of Transportation has installed warning signals and crossing gates at the Whitley Church Road railroad crossing of the Norfolk Southern tracks near Goldsboro.
The project cost $138,000 and was paid for with 90 percent federal money and 10 percent state money. Norfolk Southern and the state will split the cost to maintain the crossings. Four freight trains travel through the crossing daily at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
Change of Command
Col. Donna Lake will take command of the 4th Medical Group from Col. Donald Swierenga in a ceremony on Tuesday.
The new group commander comes from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., where she was commander of the 99th Medical Operations Squadron. Col. Lake's military decorations include a Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
Col. Swierenga is transferring to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to serve as the Chief, Health Care Operations Division and as the Command Dental Surgeon, Air Mobility Command.
Jones to speak
U.S. Rep. Walter Jones will speak Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. at the monthly meeting of the Alliance of Retired Military at Wayne Community College.
Jones will speak on the increasingly difficult for retired military to access the medical benefits promised to them and their dependents after retirement.
"They have risked their lives to defend our freedoms and liberties, and I for one believe that we in Congress need to do everything we can to ensure they get the proper medical care they have earned and deserve. I am honored to be speaking about this issue to a dedicated group like the Alliance, and I look forward to meeting with them, " Jones said.
Alliance of Retired Military is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group established in 1998 to help defend health care rights of retired military personnel and their families.
Volunteer training
Training for prospective volunteers for the Guardian ad Litem program in Wayne, Lenoir and Greene counties will be held Tuesday, Aug. 17, and Thursday, Aug. 19.
The classes will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wayne County Public Library at 1001 E. Ash St.
Guardian ad Litem volunteers serve as advocates in courts in the 8th Judicial District for neglected and abused children.
"The child abuse and neglect rates continue to increase in the community," said Angela McDowell, the volunteer recruiter. "As a result, we are desperately in need of volunteers. Without more volunteers, many children will not have an advocate in court."
More information is available from the Guardian ad Litem offices in Goldsboro at 731-5659 and Kinston at 1-252-523-5217.
Dial-A-Teacher
Dial-A-Teacher, the free homework hotline, resumes operation on Monday.
The Wayne County Public Library, Wayne County Schools and the Friends of Wayne County Library sponsor the hotline.
Hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For homework help call 735-1990.