May 31, 1958 It was Primary Day in North Carolina. Back then it was held on Saturday, which seems odd today. After all, who wants to vote on Saturday when most people are usually trying to rest up from the work week, catching up on chores at home, vacationing or tending to family events like, … Continue reading Primary Day, wedding day
Month: May 2017
The green vase
For the past few years I have posted this over Memorial Day Weekend. It's the strongest memory I have from my newspaper life at the Jacksonville Daily News in North Carolina, the home of Camp Lejeune, the largest Marine Corps installation on the East Coast. I'll always remember. The vase is still with me. ---- … Continue reading The green vase
Top secret: The day Oprah came to Elon
Friday as I sat inside Alumni Gym at Elon University for its annual baccalaureate ceremony, I had some sympathy for my newspaper friends back at their offices in Burlington, Greensboro and Raleigh. Inside the gym a pretty big story no one saw coming emerged just before the actual ceremony began. Without fanfare, music, entourage or … Continue reading Top secret: The day Oprah came to Elon
Accepting Elon president’s final challenge to support education
Historically, Elon University President Leo M. Lambert closes commencement on a Saturday in May with a challenge to the freshly minted crop of graduates. It's called a charge for the class of that particular year. Saturday in front of the Alamance Building on campus he issued his final one for Elon grads. See the video … Continue reading Accepting Elon president’s final challenge to support education
Disappearing newspapers and history — casualties of time
My history is disappearing. This certainly isn’t new, but there’s not much comfort in that familiarity. It happens to us all. That is the essence of time. Time is the original son of a bitch. Old schools give way to new ones. Buildings that were once landmarks are toppled to make way for new structures. … Continue reading Disappearing newspapers and history — casualties of time
A pre-emptive strike in the school budget debate
Corrected on May 18 to change the proposed funding percentage for ABSS. They came in a variety of shapes, sizes, genders and ethnicities. Some were parents, most were teachers or in education, a few were students and a few were business leaders who want to support a better community in Alamance County. At least one, … Continue reading A pre-emptive strike in the school budget debate
A Mother’s Day throwback column: The path not taken
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This one was published in 2015 in the Times-News. My mom didn’t set out to be the “Welfare Lady.” It just worked out that way. No, what my mom wanted to be when she grew up was a writer and a journalist. Not sure exactly what order she would place those two. Certainly … Continue reading A Mother’s Day throwback column: The path not taken
The debate to advance the ABSS strategic plan, even a little bit, will be a hot one
A couple of weeks ago I got a phone call from Alamance County Commissioner Amy Galey. She wanted to talk about something written on this site a couple of weeks ago, “In need of education about following a strategic plan.” The call was a first since I moved from newspapers to higher education but not … Continue reading The debate to advance the ABSS strategic plan, even a little bit, will be a hot one
Destination Alamance County: We have more visitors than expected but there’s room to grow
"In your opinion what are the three greatest things to do in Alamance County for visitors in the following areas” . . . (The survey question then goes on to list things like family activities, food, history and shopping.) I was briefly stumped on the very last one, adventure. Adventure? Adventure?? Adventure??? So, the first … Continue reading Destination Alamance County: We have more visitors than expected but there’s room to grow
Wicked sad news: Why I like to support the little guys
My grandfather owned a hardware store in a little town somewhere between Winston-Salem and the Virginia state line. For years his store carried just about anything people in Walnut Cove, North Carolina might want. Yes, “Mr. Boley,” as he was known to townsfolk, sold basic hardware stuff -– nails, hammers, nuts, bolts, washtubs and paint. … Continue reading Wicked sad news: Why I like to support the little guys
Madison's Avenue 