The dismissal of a juror leading up to the high-profile 2001 capital murder trial of two men accused, and ultimately convicted, of killing an elderly Newton Grove woman was “improperly motivated by a gender discriminatory intent” by the state, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, a judge has ruled. The ruling came in the wake of a December hearing on the defendants’ claims of gender discrimination during jury selection for the trial, which resulted in a life sentence for one and a death sentence for another.

Clinton-Sampson Rescue Squad members recently received recognition from the North Carolina Association of Rescue & EMS during the rescue’s annual Christmas dinner. Clayton Dunn was honored for 50 years of service and Julia Hansen was honored for 25 years, each receiving service pins of distinction. The pins were presented to Dunn and Hansen by Jerry Bradshaw, director of Clinton-Sampson Rescue and area 4 director for the N.C. Association of Rescue & EMS, who has 48 years of service himself. Pictured, from left, are: Hansen, Bradshaw and Dunn. Clinton-Sampson Rescue meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Clinton station. Volunteers are welcome to attend.

(The public reports listed below are provided by the Clinton Police Department.)

The Raiders of Midway partnered with the American Red Cross this past Wednesday to host a blood drive in honor of senior Carson King, who is battling leukemia.

Modern lifestyles are characterized by constant stress, so finding ways to cope is essential for living a normal life. When we examine individuals deeply, we can see that some of them have highly effective coping mechanisms for dealing with the 21st century epidemic. Is it possible to live without stress? In this essay, several strategies will be discussed for reducing stress and rediscovering life’s joy. Getting comfortable is the first step to feeling relaxed and avoiding stress. Taking a long, hot bath, dressing in your favorite clothes, and eating your favorite food will let your body and mind know that nothing needs to be stressed for the next few hours. By reading a book or watching your favorite movie, you can briefly escape trying time and the concerns of your daily life. Stress will undoubtedly not be an issue while you are practicing something demanding all of your focus. Take up sports like running, swimming, cycling, or any other activity that allows you to move freely without worrying about winning or scoring. Team sports may also be on your list, but at some time, your stress level may rise as a result of the energy required to assist your team win.

Do you glorify and enjoy God in your life? Surely, God watches and waits for we, His children, to glorify Him as we live beautiful, bountiful, blessed beyond measure lives. Sadly, many people living in America, the land flowing with milk and honey, do not glorify - nor do they enjoy a close relationship with our heavenly Father, God, Son, and Holy Spirit!

It may really surprise some, but not everything you read on the internet is true! Most people are quite aware that much of what is posted on social media is false or worthless information at best. Yet, the masses flock to Facebook, Twitter and a few others, spending hours at a time. Much of the false information presented there can and often is dangerous and destructive in some way, but people just do not seem to care. Most of us surely want the truth from our doctors, do we not? I guess some would like to hide their head in the sand and make out like they are well when they are not, but the wise will want to know the truth, that they might seek the best available prognosis. The same can be said of many other realms of truth. Of all the realms of truth, the most important is the truth of God’s will for man. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). He also said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). This being the case, surely everyone is on board to learn the truth, that they might have eternal life. Not so, there are different attitudes toward this realm of truth also.

We are all familiar with the Word of God which tells us “God order our steps.” But how does He do that. There are 3 to 4 ways in which He does. Oftentimes we find ourselves agonizing over a decision we have to make, or agonizing over where to go, what to do, or over what to say in any given, situation. Throughout the Bible, God has shown us how He directs our steps and/or decisions. God wants us to stay in his will and He often guides us in 4 different ways.

Clinton Rotary Club 6144 of District 7730 met on Jan. 24 at Coharie Country Club for an evening meal and short business meeting. Members proceeded to Sunset School to pack meals for the Backpack Buddies program. The Rotarians packed over 300 meals for elementary students. On Feb. 7, the club will have an orientation program on Rotary, things you would like to know; who is Paul Harris, what is the foundation, CART, or Polio Plus. All are invited to attend. The club meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evenings at Coharie Country Club. The Clinton Rotary Club is 100 years old, and always looking for new members to help serve the community.