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Matthew Stevens: Stoke’s aster's non-finicky nature is a gift to gardeners
Gardeners deal with a lot of challenges, from weather to pests to soil issues, in order to get their plants to thrive. It seems like many of our favorite plants are finicky to at least a moderate degree, so its always nice to find plants that are relatively easy to grow. Given that, imagine I told you there was a perennial plant, with a fairly extended bloom time throughout late summer and early spring, that was tolerant of drought but also able to stand periods...
Legal aid hits the road with LANCMobile unit
CANTON — Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) unveiled its LANCMobile unit at a launch event held on May 1 at the Haywood County Public Library, Canton Branch. The event marked a step forward in the organization’s mission to provide vital legal services to underserved communities, particularly in disaster-stricken and rural areas. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured special remarks from LANC staff and Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. LANCMobile addresses a critical...
Looking Back ... The Last 100 Years
Do you recognize the people or know what’s happening in today’s Looking Back? Call 252-747-3883, Ext. 1, and leave a message to let us know who they are and include your name, town and phone number, or email us at standardnews@ncweeklies.com. No one reached us to identify anyone in the May 4 Looking Back. Give us a call at 252-747-3883, Ext. 1, and leave a message if you have any information, or email us at standardnews@ncweeklies.com.
LCC golfers can swing for new car
Massey Toyota is once again the Hole-In-One sponsor of the Lenoir Community College Foundation Golf Classic set for Thursday at the Kinston Country Club, offering each golfer a chance to drive home a brand-new car. This event has raised more than $600,000 toward student scholarships at LCC since its inception, and Massey Toyota has been a consistent supporter for the past several years. Over 130 golfers played in the tournament last year, and the Foundation is expecting an even better attendance this year. ...
Fiancée charged in 2023 Snow Hill killing
An Ayden woman has been arrested and charged in the death of her fiancée who was killed more than a year ago at a Snow Hill apartment, law enforcement said. The Snow Hill Police Department said that Tameka Shalanda Best, 39, of 316 Roberta Drive, Ayden, was arrested by the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office on April 30 and charged with the April 23, 2023, shooting death of James Shultheis III. ...
Charles Barkley is one of the best - again
I wrote last week about a newer YouTube channel I was watching and wanted to tell you about. When you love sports like I do, sometimes you watch people play and sometimes, you simply listen to people talk about what they think when they watch other people play. For years, the majority of the sports media consumed was created and distributed by journalists. That made sense because until the last few decades, the majority of sports media was written, printed and then read. ...
County: Proposed tax rate cushions revaluation's blow
Pitt County staff recommended an almost 12 cent reduction in property tax rates Monday to the county’s Board of Commissioners during a presentation of a proposed $396.9 million budget, which officials discussed throughout the week. Even with that reduction, staff said owners of an average home likely will have to pay a bit more. Janis Gallagher, Pitt County manager, said dropping the rate from 68.41 cents per $100 valuation to...
Greenville murder suspect arrested in Georgia
A man wanted for an April homicide in west Greenville was apprehended in Georgia early Wednesday, police report. Jah’Quore Connor, 19, of Farmville was taken into custody in Marietta after he barricaded himself in a residence, the Greenville Police Department said. He was being sought for his involvement in the April 15 shooting death of Jahsijah Montejah Jahson, 34, in the 1000 block of West Third Street near White Street. ...
Prep Spotlight: Farmville Central's Trey Williford
Farmville Central’s Trey Williford has been getting it done at the plate and on the mound for the Jaguars baseball program. On the mound, the 6-foot-3 junior is 5-1 in 12 appearances, having struck out 112 batters and walked 25 in 57.2 innings as Farmville Central earned a berth in the NCHSAA Class 2A baseball playoffs. In the Jaguars’ first-round game on Tuesday, a 5-3 victory over South Columbus, Williford got the win, tossing six shutout innings, yielding just two hits, walking three and striking...
Pitt County Schools names Lassiter as interim superintendent
Pitt County Schools has named Deputy Superintendent Steve Lassiter as interim superintendent starting in August. Lassiter, who served for six years as assistant superintendent for educational programs and services, will begin his new role following the July 31 retirement of Superintendent Ethan Lenker. The Board of Education, in announcing the appointment following a closed session meeting on Monday, said it will decide in November whether or not Lassiter is to...
High school roundup: Nine locals advance in first round of state playoffs
FARMVILLE — Trey Williford’s six strong innings on the mound and a big second inning by Farmville Central’s bats helped the Jaguars’ baseball team overcome a rough stretch getting the game home. Williford allowed just two hits and kept battling in the Jaguars’ 5-3 victory over South Columbus on Tuesday in a first-round NCHSAA Class 2A matchup. The 6-foot-3 junior left-hander struck out 11, walked three and kept the Stallions...
High school roundup: Baseball, softball state playoffs begin
The state playoffs are here. Literally. Six high school baseball teams and two softball teams embark on the NCHSAA postseason on home soil Tuesday night. Three other softball teams open on the road. Follow reflector.com/sports for coverage from all the opening-round games. Brackets were released on Monday, and local teams grabbed a pair of No....
Organizers bubbly over Shad Festival
GRIFTON — Organizers said that the 52nd Annual Shad Festival was a huge success and their main event day kicked off with the Shad Festival Parade on April 20 with about 50 units in the procession. The march began promptly at 10:30 a.m. where Grand Marshal Mermaid Splash made a huge splash, and McKenzie Suggs debuted as Miss Griffin 2024. This year’s Shad Festival theme was Bubbles Up in honor...
High school roundup: Rams cap unbeaten run through EPC
With one game left to play in the regular season, the Greene Central baseball team was still untouchable entering the week. The Rams scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on April 26 in Snow Hill to break a 3-3 tie with Farmville Central and claim their 20th victory in 20 games this season, 5-3. The win also capped a perfect run through the Eastern Plains Conference for the Rams. ...
Happenings: Events, activities and community announcements
Email announcements at least two weeks in advance to community@reflector.com for publication in The Standard and The Daily Reflector. Cornhole fundraiser The American Legion Ayden Victory Post 289 will host a cornhole tournament fundraiser at 9 a.m. on May 11 for the post and for postage for “Support Our Troops” (NC Packs4Patriots) in Ayden. Registering for the tournament can be done online at amlegionncpost289.org/cornhole. The entry fee is $20. Food...
Matthew Stevens: Proper site selection, light pruning help fig trees thrive
Figs are unique among fruits grown in North Carolina. Unlike most fruit, in which the edible portion is matured ovary tissue derived directly from flowers, fig fruit are inverted flowers surrounded entirely by stem tissue. Mature figs contain only the remnants of flowers and unfertilized ovaries. Beyond this biological curiosity, there are some other things to know that making growing figs different than other fruit producing plants. Figs are large shrubs or small to medium-sized trees, growing 10-20 feet high and wide. Fruit from fig...
Mitchell Oakley: Don't leave that second primary vote in your pocket
Early voting has started. “For what offices?” you may legitimately ask. There are two state offices being contested in a Republican second primary because a winner wasn’t decided in the first primary on March 5. The first is the office of lieutenant governor and the second is the office of auditor. Under election law, a candidate must receive at least 30 percent of the vote to win in the primary....
Celia Stone: Happy couples understand each other's language of love
Do you remember an auditory illusion that became popular several years ago? Upon hearing a recording of one repeated word, 53% of 500,000 respondents to a Twitter poll heard “laurel” while 47% heard “yanny.” The discrepancy had to do with hearing higher or lower frequencies. Just as a group can sit in a room together and listen to a recording but hear a different word, those same people might interpret the actions of a loved one differently. One spouse might believe that being a hard...
J.M. Biggs: Understand why the church is failing
I recently made the statement that every Sunday the saints go to church and fellowship with each other. But the Lord is asking, when are we going to church to fellowship with him? Almost every church in this country is programmed by the shepherd. A lot of them don’t even fast and pray. Don’t get me wrong — a lot of pastors are doing all they know how. The problem is that they don’t know enough. ...
May 4 Birthdays and Anniversaries
BIRTHDAYS May 4: London Godley May 5: Robin Wainwright, Tammy Lambert May 6: Brad Woodard May 7: Tony Ellis May 8: Ramone Bams ANNIVERSARIES May 6: Irene and Doc Hardison Please send updates and new entries to standardnews@ncweeklies.com Bobby Burns can be reached at baburns@reflector.com and 329-9572.
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