Rare Ferns in the Ruins, Botanical Find at Imperial Tobacco Warehouse
By Vince Bellis Two species of fern make the burned Imperial Tobacco Warehouse on Atlantic Street in Greenville botanically interesting. Neither type is commonly found in North Carolina; one type predates the fire, the other can be found there now. Native to dry limestone cliffs, the decomposing lime mortar that separates bricks in old buildings [...]
Early Voting Ends Today
If you are not registered to vote or need to change your address, today’s your last day! There are five early voting sites to which any Pitt County residents can go. They’re only open until 1 p.m. Community Schools Building: 4561 County Home Road County Office Building: 1717 West Fifth Street Winterville Fire Station: 2593 Railroad [...]
Activists for Freedom
by Lisa Wilbourne Nearly 150 years ago, slavery was made illegal in the United States. It looks a little different today, but nationally, globally and even locally, it remains a problem. Far away in India, women and girls are bought and sold and kept in brothels where they’re often subject to unimaginably cruel treatment. Read [...]
Fun, Fitness, Fellowship, Family: Senior Games
CATALYSTS: how personal initiative energizes our community By Linda Leighty Shattering the myth of aging, Senior Games celebrates healthy lifestyles, competition and community. Participants 55 years and older compete locally and regionally in age groups broken into five-year intervals, allowing participants to play according to their stamina and age. Every two years a national event is held in [...]
Regional Transportation in Eastern NC, a Historical Look
By Vince Bellis Before the Civil War, Tarboro was the commercial hub of the central coastal plain. The Tarboro newspaper, The Southerner, a nearly complete microfilm set of which can be found at ECU’s Joyner Library, served the region. Articles selected from the pages of The Southerner reveal much about transportation in antebellum North Carolina. [...]
SAVE GPAT
6/6/2012 update: Commissioners reconvene at 6 p.m. tonight to resume budget discussions. No decisions were made in last night’s session. There was a great show of community support for GPAT at the public hearing. GPAT provides full coverage of local government proceedings. Sunshine, as Justice Brandeis said, is the best disinfectant-so if it costs a [...]
School Board to Weigh In on Virtual Charter School
UPDATE: The Pitt County Board of Education unanimously agreed, without discussion, to join in litigation with other North Carolina school boards against NC Learns. by Lisa Wilbourne This evening the Pitt County Board of Education will decide whether or not to join 35 other counties in legal action against North Carolina Learns, Inc. Read the proposed [...]
Council cuts budget, tries to keep services intact
By Lisa Wilbourne On Monday May 7, City Council heard a report on Bradford Creek Golf Course. The council unanimously agreed that the golf course provides an important service for the city’s residents and voted, also unanimously, to move the golf course from its classification as an Enterprise Fund, i.e., 100% self-supporting from fees collected, and [...]
And the Beat Goes On…
CATALYSTS: how personal initiative energizes our community, Installment 2 by Linda Leighty Many young musicians play in their high school bands and derive value and enjoyment from playing their instruments. Very few aspire to future occupations as professional musicians. We probably all know someone who has kept a high school band instrument with the intention [...]
Democrats’ Choice: District 5 State Senate
by Lisa Wilbourne Registered democrats in Greene and parts of Lenoir, Pitt, and Wayne counties will be voting for the NC Senate District 5 candidate who will appear on the November ballot. The district 5 seat is currently held by Republican Louis Pate who, after district lines were redrawn in 2011, is running for re-election in [...]
A Look at District Court Judge Candidates
Edit 4/27/2012: The district court judge candidates attended the April 25 forum in Fountain. The presentations were much the same as the previous forum. However one point was made clear by candidate Brian DeSoto. He said in the earlier forum that he was the only candidate to try a murder case. He said in the more [...]
City to Adopt New Image
By Lisa Wilbourne Guardian Editor City council Thursday night heard Public Information Officer Steve Hawley discuss a branding and marketing initiative undertaken by the Office of Economic Development and the Convention and Visitors Authority. Hawley told council the goal is “more than just a logo or a tagline, it’s an all-encompassing way of selling who you are and who [...]
Human Rights Event Planned
The Association of Mexicans in North Carolina (AMEXCAN) is partnering with Witness for Peace Southeast, Pitt County NAACP and eight other organizations on Monday, April 2 to sponsor the Greenville Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace. This event is part of a 6-day 100-mile event to raise awareness for immigration reform, fair trade policies, and human [...]