Op-Ed
I’ll pass on the candles
After sitting upright in my seat during a communion service, my mother began to repeatedly strike me over the head. A puzzled look swept over my face as I thought, “I didn’t do anything this […]
Opinion
Op-Ed
Gamechanging grant will serve to boost county
A gamechanging grant will transform Sampson County’s rural connectivity and could serve as yet another catalyst to stimulate this economy with the infrastructure, resources and people needed to spark growth and serve to make this […]
Op-Ed
What’s wrong with our schools?
What’s wrong with our schools? Why did the U.S. rank so far down the list compared to other developed countries when it comes to educational performance? And what can we do to improve? In 2014, […]
Op-Ed
Remembering the Tar Heels who won WWI
The bloodiest day in North Carolina history was July 2, 1863, when Tar Heel infantrymen joined Pickett’s Charge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The second bloodiest was Sept. 29, 1918, when Tar Heel National Guardsmen won World […]
Op-Ed
Language sometimes betrays us
Language is necessary for a civilized society. Language needs to be reliable. We cannot do business, cannot function without reliable communications, expressed by both words and numbers. Yet, it can be a struggle to accurately […]
Op-Ed
Honoring those who served, and continue to serve
We honor our veterans today — for the freedoms they’ve ensured; for the protection they have provided through our history, and continue to provide; for the call they so bravely answer; and for their willingness […]
Op-Ed
‘Mr. President, you can’t do that’
“Mr. President, you can’t do that.” If only President Donald Trump would listen. Since taking office back in January 2017, President Trump has been involved in one crisis after another, creating chaos and confusion. At […]
Op-Ed
So you won’t forget
You don’t want people to forget. In Old Testament Biblical times, leaders would place a stack of stones at a place where an important event took place. Their hope was that when people would pass […]
Op-Ed
A heritage that matters
Opinion polls show that our estimation of our national government is rock bottom. This is a government that we pay for and depend on. It is a government that often favors some while disadvantaging others. […]
Op-Ed
A hopeful new chapter in Sampson
A new chapter in economic development has begun. Economic development, an oft-discussed subject by county leaders in recent years during meetings, town halls, budget deliberations and everywhere else, has been placed firmly on the front-burner. […]
Op-Ed
Aunt Annie always tipped the scales
Somebody once told me that black bears live out their entire lives within the same 14 miles. When I heard that, right away I got to thinking about Aunt Annie Southerland. Not that she reminded […]
Op-Ed
Paying tribute to vets more than just a day
Veterans Day is still a week and a half off, but the coming days will see a fair share of Armed Forces tributes in Sampson County that will change the local horizon for years to […]