All in Letters to the Editor

Letter to the editor: Nancy Gilmore - Thank you, Lenoir County

From Nancy Gilmore, Write-in Candidate for Lenoir County Board of Education:

Thank you Lenoir County! I was overwhelmed with the response to the Write-In candidate campaign for Board of Education. Knowing that being a Write-In would be an uphill battle, I spent the 91 days (yes, that’s how long I had from filing for office until Election Day) in overdrive to get my name out. For a first time candidate, this was quite an undertaking and many would have never attempted it because of the obvious difficulty. But as I have always told my students, you never know if you don’t try!

Letter to the editor: Dawn G. Stroud in support of Chris Humphrey

It has been an honor to serve as your Lenoir County Clerk of Court for the past 18 years. I have worked with thousands of local families through the Estate process, Adoptions, Civil and Criminal cases. I have also had the privilege to work with Representative Chris Humphrey when he served as a Lenoir County Commissioner for 8 years. Chris has been a good friend to Lenoir County ever since. He has supported our court system and law enforcement. (continuing reading….)

Letter to the Editor: Dr. Janet Stivers-Blaebaum in support of Steve Saint-Amand

“I had a preconceived notion of Steve Saint-Amand as a redneck character running a redneck school. That notion couldn’t be further from the truth…For two years, I have witnessed Steve Saint-Amand go the extra mile for ANY of his students. Didn’t matter where they lived, didn’t matter who their people were . . . he was ready to be there for them.” - Dr. Janet Stivers-Blaebaum

Letter to the editor: WWII vet memorial

While visiting a section of Maplewood Cemetery in search of our second great-grandfather’s resting place, I came across a monument to a fallen World War II hero, Vernon Hardison. The inscription revealed the dates of his young life, putting his 100th birthday on the 22nd of this October. Lenoir County’s Veterans of Foreign Wars is currently researching options for replacing the medallion on Mr. Hardison’s memorial. As his 100th birthday approaches shortly before Veterans Day, let us take a moment to remember and honor all of our veterans.

Letter to the editor: Thanks for the support

We would like to offer heart-felt gratitude to our community for supporting this year’s “Wings Over the Neuse,” the major fund-raiser for the CSS Neuse Foundation. The foundation is charged with the responsibility of maintaining, repairing, and improving the historical experience of those who board the CSS Neuse II, the world’s only full-sized replica of a Confederate ironclad.

Letter to the editor: BLM - The organization is not what you think

“In the wake of several high-profile killings of black people by police, the Black Lives Matter Organization (BLM) has taken the world by storm in 2020. You can’t turn on the TV, watch sports, attend a meeting, or drive down the street without encountering BLM in every facet of society. I agree with the statement and belief that black lives matter, but I will never support the BLM organization. You may be shocked to find out what the organization is truly based upon, and I seek to inform fellow Americans, not to enflame, so hear me out.” - Seth Hobbs, Kinston

Support the Arts: Arts Council seeks help to stay open amid COVID-19

The Art Council, a 501(C)3 non-profit, knows how important the arts are to a strong and vibrant community. For over 50 years, YOUR Arts Council has been the consistent cornerstone in supporting artists of ALL genres and abilities. From Kindermusik to pottery/painting classes, theater art camps, local and internationally renowned art exhibits, jazz concerts, dance competitions, being the hub of the African American Heritage Music project and county trail, developing our impressive public art project with the largest number of artworks developed into a trail by an arts council in North Carolina, YOUR Art Council has been the cultural mecca for our region.

Letter to the Editor: Ask Lenoir County Public Schools board members for an in-person education option

Parents are scrambling to find other options for kids to be in front of teachers and with other students, not dismissing COVID-19 risks, but acknowledging the comprehensive needs of students. Our neighboring Pitt County experienced a 60/40% in-person to remote learning sign-up, which organically provides additional space for meeting social distancing requirements. The same result would likely occur in Lenoir County, if given the option.