If Monday served as a measuring stick for Lenoir Community College’s basketball team, one thing was made perfectly clear.

The Lancers have plenty of growing to do.

Terance Christian scored 23 points and No. 1 Louisburg had its way with LCC in a 113-73 Region X laugher.

Kevin Williams added 20 points for the bigger, stronger and faster Hurricanes, whose high-flying transition game helped build a second-half lead that grew as big as 47 points.

“This team is No. 1, and they’re No. 1 for a reason,” Lancers coach Bobby Dawson said.

“We didn’t have an answer for them. We played pretty well there for a minute or two, but their size and length just wore us down, man.”

Isaac Brown had 19 points for LCC, including a layup that tied the game at 15-15 less than 5 minutes in. But the Hurricanes (16-0, 5-0 Region X) quickly went on a 15-2 run to break it open.

Josh Hill scored 16 points for the Lancers (4-4, 1-2), who trailed 61-35 at the half.

The Lancers stayed within arm’s reach during the teams’ previous meeting, a 114-87 Louisburg win on Dec. 1. But on Monday, the Hurricanes would have none of it.

They scored 12 straight points beginning at the 8:52 mark in the second half, including a pair of fast-break dunks by the 6-foot-2-inch Christian that stretched the lead to 95-58 and put momentum squarely on the visitors side.

When the Lancers did manage to score, it seemed Louisburg was already at the other end of the floor sending up a shot.

Committing 17 turnovers didn’t help LCC’s cause, and neither did an inability to rebound and keep up on defense.

“Other than that, I think we competed with them,” said Lancers guard Blake Washington, who scored nine points. “We have the talent. We have a lack of size, but we can beat them with our speed (and) boxing out — you know, basic fundamentals.”

Dawson was pleased with his team’s effort and hopes the players take notice of the gap between them and the nation’s top-ranked NJCAA Division II team.

“I thought the kids played hard,” he said. “This was a good game for us. I think this is one that we can draw from for a long time this year. We should never get the big head about anything whenever we win another one.”

Brown, a sophomore shooting guard out of Bethel Christian Academy, would prefer to go ahead and put the loss behind him.

“All this really means is we’ve got to work harder,” he said. “We’ve got a fresh start tomorrow. We’ve got to have amnesia about this game and get back in the gym.”

David Hall can be reached at (252) 559-1086 or at david.hall@kinston.com.

LA GRANGE — Jauquaz Jones has been forced to grow up faster than most teenagers his age. At only 16, Jones has endured his mother’s untimely death and now watches as his older brother goes through dialysis treatments due to diabetes.

Through it all the North Lenoir junior hasn’t been the only one to mature.

His Hawks teammates have grown up with him.

Jones lost his mother, Nissa, last February when she passed away from complications due to breast cancer and kidney failure, he said. Not only was North Lenoir’s basketball team enduring one of its worst seasons to date — the Hawks lost their first 18 games in 2011-12 — but Jones was enduring some of the darkest moments a teenager can go through.

It’s been nearly a year since that fateful day. While there isn’t a moment goes by that Jones doesn’t think about his mother or his brother, 20-year-old Da’rico, a former standout for the Hawks, the hardships have only made the 16-year-old guard stronger on and off the hardwood.

“I’m just out here trying to do everything for them,” Jones said. “You just got to keep your head up and keep going through it, and pray for better days to come.

“It makes you a lot stronger when you go through stuff like this, especially at a young age,” he added, “and when someone else goes through it you just tell them it’s going to get better.”

With only nine regular season games left on its schedule, North Lenoir (8-7, 3-0 Eastern Carolina 3A) has, in a way, benefited from the tragedy.

The death of his mother inspired Jones to stay the course, and that attitude has since rubbed off on his teammates.

Although only a junior, Jones is now seen as the clubhouse leader in a locker room that has become a family itself.

“Ever since his mother passed away he’s fought through on straight determination and straight dedication. He learned to get through it. He wanted to grind for her, as he would say, ‘Make her proud as if she was still here,’” senior Devantae Sutton said.

“I’ve seen him grow, not just as a better player but as a leader. He’s like a father-figure to the whole team.

“We’ve came together as one — as a family.”

The Hawks, who travel to Eastern Wayne on Wednesday before again taking the road to Clayton Cleveland on Friday, are a completely different team this season than it was last.

Although it lost its first 18 games, North Lenoir held leads late with chances to win but somehow wilted under the pressure.

But not this season.

The Hawks now have the confidence to play to win rather than playing to lose, and they earned that confidence by standing by a teammate who was dealing with something way bigger than basketball.

“We were determined not to have a season like last year,” Jones said. “When things get going tough, you just have to keep your head on and stay focused. No matter what the score looks like, no matter if they’re coming back, you still got to stay focused and get that ‘W.’”

Fifteen games into this season, North Lenoir has one more “W” than “Ls,” and it’s because the entire team learned how to stay focused.

It also learned how to lean on one another during a difficult time.

“During that time, the whole team was there for him. … I think that kind of drew us together. It was a new experience for us,” second-year coach Anthony Loftin said.

“We understood. We felt his hurt.”

It’s been almost a year since Jones lost his mother, who was only able to see him play high school basketball once, he said, right before she passed. Now, Jones believes, she’s able to watch him play every night.

He said he says a prayer for her and listens to “Dear Mama,” written by Tupac Shakur, which was his mother’s favorite song, before every game.

Jones admits he uses basketball as a way to “get away,” but it’s also been the instrument through which he’s showed his maturation.

When Nissa Jones passed away last February, her son, Jauquaz, felt like stopping everything. After a conversation with his older brother, Da’rico, the North Lenoir guard continued to press forward.

His teammates took notice, and they’ve carried forward with him.

“When you want to do something to make your mom proud, even if she wasn’t here to watch it, you just have to keep going hard and getting better and do everything for her,” Jones said.

“There’s been plenty of times you want to give up, but you just got to keep going.”

Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports. 

The following decisions were reached in Lenoir County district court in May, 2012. The presiding judge was the Hon. Les Turner. Matters may be resolved as the result of a guilty plea or dismissal negotiated with the district attorney without a trial. Matters may also be resolved as the result of a trial during which the judge dismisses the case for insufficient evidence or renders a verdict of innocence or guilt. In any case in which a guilty plea or verdict is entered, sentencing is determined by the judge:

Seems like as soon as we get into a healthy eating routine following the holidays, on come the ballgames. That means lots of snacking while watching ballgames with friends.

This year, surprise your friends with these appetizers, often made with surprise ingredients and designed to provide plenty of flavor but less fat, calories and sodium.

Baked Cauliflower Cheese Sticks

1/4 of a large head of cauliflower ‘riced’ (see directions below)

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 large egg (white), lightly beaten

1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning, divided

Marinara Sauce for dipping (your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  You also could line with parchment paper, then spray.

To “rice” the cauliflower, use a grater as if you were grating cheese. You should wind up with about 1 1/2 cups, lightly packed. Place the riced cauliflower into a microwavable bowl and microwave until softened, about 5 minutes, depending on your microwave (no need to add any water).

While that is cooking, heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat and add garlic until softened.  When cauliflower is softened, add the garlic mixture, lightly beaten egg white, Italian seasonings and 3/4 of the mozzarella. Leave 1/4 of the cheese for topping. Stir and mix well, then spread onto prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. It may take longer to achieve a crispier cheese stick. Bake until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven, flip the loaf over so the bottom side is now on top, and bake for another 10 minutes or so.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and more of the Italian herb seasoning. Place back in the oven until the cheese is melted and golden. Cut into pieces and serve hot or warm. They will harden slightly if you let them sit for a while.

Serve with heated marinara sauce.

Asparagus Guacamole and Chips

1 medium Anaheim chile (or for extra heat, 1 Serrano chile)

1 teaspoon olive oil

5 or 6 fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 medium avocados, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or more to taste)

Dash garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Baked tortilla chips, or your own pita chips

Preheat broiler. Wearing rubber gloves to protect your skin, rub chile with oil; broil 5 minutes, turning with tongs so all sides get charred. Transfer to a plastic bag, seal and set aside to steam 10 minutes. Remove stem, skin and seeds from chile and dice. Set aside. (Remove gloves only when you are finished handling the chile.)

Fill medium sauté pan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Prepare a medium-sized bowl of ice water. Place asparagus spears into boiling water 3 to 4 minutes or until just tender. Remove and plunge spears into ice water to halt cooking and preserve color. When cool, remove and dry thoroughly; chop into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to blender or food processor; add yogurt and avocado and process until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Nutrition per serving (1/2 cup guacamole and 9 chips): 260 calories; 18g fat (3g saturated); 25g carbs; 5g fiber; 6.5g protein

Healthy Refried Bean Nachos

4 ounces baked corn tortilla chips (about 60 chips)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack blend

1 can (16 ounces) vegetarian refried beans (fat free)

8 ounces prepared salsa

1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 red tomato, diced

1/3 cup chopped black olives

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Place half the chips on a plate. Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Layer on remaining chips, then cheese. Top evenly with beans, salsa, pepper, tomato, olives and cilantro. Microwave on high until cheese melts, about 4 minutes. Serve with 1 tablespoon sour cream on the side.

Nutritional Information: 454 calories per serving; 20.9g fat (10.8g saturated); 71.1g carbs; 8.3g fiber; 20.2g protein

Baked Pita Chips

2 6-inch pita bread rounds

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Split pita bread rounds in half horizontally; cut each half into six wedges (24 wedges total). Brush pita wedges with olive oil. In a custard cup, combine garlic powder, salt, chili powder and, if desired, cayenne pepper. Sprinkle mixture over pita wedges. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown and toasted.

Serves six. Nutrition per serving: 82 calories, 3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 205mg sodium, 11g carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 2g protein

For Sweet Baked Pita Chips

Prepare as above, except omit garlic powder, salt, chili powder and cayenne pepper; sprinkle oil-brushed pita wedges with 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Nutrition per serving: 88 calories, 3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 108mg sodium, 13g carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 2g sugar, 2g protein

Tammy Kelly is director, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center, 1791 N.C. 11/55, Kinston, NC 28504. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or Tammy_Kelly@ncsu.edu.

The southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a magnificent southern native tree. It grows naturally from Virginia south to central Florida, and west to Texas and Oklahoma. This striking evergreen grows to a height of 90 feet with 10-inch glossy dark green leaves and, in summer, 12-inch white fragrant flowers.

More than 100 cultivars have been bred and marketed, including many smaller plants and selections with various leaf colors underneath. The selections vary in size and shape but most have the familiar fragrant white flowers.

The plant collector Mark Catesby brought magnolia grandiflora to Britain in 1726. Philip Miller included a glowing description in his 1731 publication, “The Gardeners’ Dictionary.” It is one of the many species first described by Linnaeus in 1759. The genus name honors Pierre Magnol, a French botanist who lived from 1638 to 1715. The species name comes from the Latin words grandis or big, combined with flor-, or flower, to describe the big white flowers.

This valuable ornamental tree has many additional uses. Lumber from the tree is used in the construction of furniture, boxes, pallets, sashes and doors. The seeds provide food for squirrels, opossums, quail and turkey. A considerable amount of magnolia foliage is used in decorative seasonal displays, especially during the winter holidays.

The large mature size of the southern magnolia can be an issue in urban gardens. There are numerous cultivars available that stay smaller and provide the shiny deep green foliage with attractive cinnamon brown pubescence on the undersides, as well as the perfumed flowers.

Little Gem southern magnolia forms a dense, dark green columnar or pyramidal shape. It originally was developed in 1952 by Steed’s Nursery in Candor. Little Gem flowers heavily over an extended period in warmer climate. It grows at a slow rate to a height of 20 to 25 feet, with an average spread of 15 feet, and flowers when only 2 or 3 years old. The leathery leaves range from 5 to 8 inches in length, with bronze pubescence underneath.

Little Gem has fragrant flowers that can grow from 6 to 8 inches across, which is only half the size of the magnolia grandiflora. The heavy flowering season begins in spring and extends into summer. Little Gem can be planted from full sun to full shade. It is often more suitable for small landscape gardens.

Consider this tip when growing Magnolia grandiflora: It is difficult to grow anything underneath the tree, so plant it where the lowest branches can grow to the ground. The thick leaves that drop in the fall and spring, as well as the seedpods, can be allowed to collect under the tree with only occasional removal needed.

Peg Godwin is horticulture agent, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center. Reach her at Peg_Godwin@ncsu.edu or 252-527-2191.

HAVELOCK — Lance Cpl. Stephen Stewart had a plan. But like any Marine, when the plan fell through, he made a quick decision and went in another direction.

Because of that, his photograph was recognized as one of the 12 best of 2012.

Stewart, who works with the Cherry Point Public Affairs Office, received recognition in the Marine Corps’ 2012 Top Shot competition. The contest, run through Facebook, recognized Marine Public Affairs photographers and their work.

Stewart’s photograph captured a joyous reunion between Cathia Duran and husband Cpl. Coltan Duran, who was returning home to Cherry Point from a deployment to Afghanistan.

“It feels pretty good,” Stewart said of the recognition. “It’s kind of neat being recognized as one of the 12 best photos of the year.”

Stewart took the photograph of the reunion on Oct. 2, as Duran returned home with about 100 other Marines with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2. Families waited inside a hangar as light showers fell, and Stewart said he was focused initially on a wife and her two children.

As the returning Marines were dismissed and broke formation, Stewart said his attention immediately shifted to Cathia Duran.

“She sprinted ahead of everyone,” Stewart said. “I ditched the idea of following the other family, and she just jumped into her husband’s arms. It was just a split moment decision. It wasn’t what I had planned, but it turned out really well.”

The contest takes place throughout the year, with monthly winners selected through Facebook “likes.” Stewart’s photograph won for October, and as the year wrapped up, went up against other monthly winners for the grand prize of Corps Top Shot of 2012.

The grand prize winner was a picture from Afghanistan showing an improvised explosive device detection dog curled up sleeping among some sleeping Marines.

Stewart said he didn’t think his photograph would win the contest but did appreciate the recognition.

“Personally, there were some really outstanding photos,” he said of the competition.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across Lenoir County will make a statement during the national month to honor them.

Beginning Feb. 1, middle and high school students will have a chance to put their work on display and engage with prospective careers and employers during National CTE Month.

Lenoir County Schools will focus on community partnerships this year, which will include involving organizations such as Lenoir 2020 and collaborating with various Lenoir Community College programs.

“We just know how important it is for students to explore different career options so they can make good decisions about their subject are when they come to college” said Sue Novicki, LCC student recruiter.

The school will provide job shadowing for some seventhgraders and a career fair for the three area counties as part of CTE Month.

“Instructors are preparing and getting materials ready (to) give to students,” Novicki said. “A lot of career exploration will be going on for students.”

In exchange, the county’s middle and high schools will have display boards set up at Vernon Park Mall for the community to view, spotlighting CTE students who’ve shown outstanding performances in their career pathway.

Jessica Shimer, LCS Career Development Coordinator, said CTE programs work to get engage students and February is a month-long opportunity to show off.

In 2011, 89.6 percent of North Carolina students graduated high school when enrolled in a four-credit CTE pathway program, which is designed for students planning careers in subject areas like agriculture, business, technology and health.

In Lenoir County, 90.4 percent of high school students graduated under those circumstances.

“CTE works,” Shimer said. “CTE Month, as much as anything, helps (students) grow to learn the importance of networking and connecting with the community. It’s a celebration of what we’re doing well.”

 During the first week, a proclamation from the county commissioners will be announced and accepted. The N.C. Business Committee for Education will partner with the Department of Public Instruction and Gear Up NC, a local organization, for Students at Work, placing middle school children at different companies for a day.

“I think they benefit,” Shimer said of student involvement. “Through CTE, they are developing a network with business and industry with community partners.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.

BREAKOUT BOX:

Career and Technical Education Month schedule (subject to change):

Feb. 1 — CTE department displays will be set up at Vernon Park Mall, including CTE Student Spotlights

First two weeks in February:

•  Proclamation announcement from county commissioners
• CTE information will begin appearing on Lenoir County Schools’ website
• National Job Shadowing day recognized by schools
• Advisory Committee Meeting hosted at Kinston High Media Center
• WorkKeys, a job skills assessment system, will be offered to CTE students for college readiness

Feb. 25 - March 1 — Students at Work Week

Feb. 28 — Lenoir Community College hosts career day at Jones Senior High School

March 1 — Rochelle Middle School Career Fair

For more information, contact Lenoir County Schools Career and Development Coordinator at 252-527-9184 ext. 1399 or jshimer@lenoir.k12.nc.us

Source: Lenoir County Schools, Lenoir Community College

As we were sitting around a table at the Peach House Restaurant Tuesday for the traditional good-bye luncheon The Free Press holds for departing employees, a colleague asked me what I liked most about Kinston.

“The people,” I quickly answered.

I wholeheartedly believe Kinston’s people are its biggest asset. As a Baltimore native, I had traveled through the South a great deal and had some familiarity with North Carolina through visits to Asheville and Greensboro, but I knew next to nothing about Kinston or Eastern North Carolina when I came for my job interview in early May of 2007.

It became clear very quickly that “Southern hospitality” is not just a phrase — it is an ethos which is practiced as strongly as any religious faith in this Bible Belt community.

Free Press staffers native to Eastern N.C. such as Patrick Holmes, Nancy Saunders, Janet Sutton Carter and Donna Wallace immediately made me feel at home — the hospitality had even rubbed off on then-City Editor Charlie Kraebel, a native of Upstate New York.

What solidified the desire to come to Kinston was a visit that evening to a 30th-anniversary showing of Chief Photographer Charles Buchanan’s work at the Community Council for the Arts.

Charles was incredibly friendly and gracious to me at the show, and it was always great to go out on stories with him and reminisce about the bygone days of The Free Press.

He was one of the most talented photographers I have worked with in my nine-year career in the news business, and our little family was rocked to the bone when he passed away last March.

I have taken a number of my own photographs for stories over the years — with mixed results — but it meant a lot early on in my time at The Free Press when I took a picture which later ran on the front page, and Charles told me he was proud of me.

He is one of many people I have been blessed to work with and know over the years, and have since passed away, including my dear friends from the Temple Israel congregation, Esther Goldwasser, Irving Gross and Harriet Chused, Kinston’s former first lady, MaryMac Ritch, downtown businessman and Vietnam War veteran Ted Sampley, state legislator William L. Wainwright and more.

I have also had the unfortunate duty of going to homicide scenes, or visiting the grieving families of several homicide victims, who were in their late teens or early 20s in most cases, including Rodriguez “Drek” Edmondson, 29, Rasheed Jones, 17, and Thomas Hinton, 31.

I cannot imagine what these families are still going through, and I hope God will grant you peace.

My heart also goes out to the families of two law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the Kinston area — Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Det. Rickie Allen Pearson Jr. and Nash County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Warren “Sneak” Lewis.

Lewis was part of a U.S. Marshal’s fugitive task force sent to apprehend Hinton’s suspected killers.

I have also watched colleagues go through the early cycles of life. I’ve seen coworkers Janet Sutton Carter and Ryan Herman get married and have their first children — I have been around long enough to see Janet’s little girl start walking!

So much can happen in five-and-a-half years. I have been in Kinston through three North Carolina governors, two U.S. presidents, two Kinston mayors, three Kinston city managers, seen one of N.C.’s U.S. Senate seats change hands, seen the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners and Kinston City Council change its composition several times, 11 election cycles — primary and general — as well as a tornado, earthquake and hurricane.

It has been an amazing experience working in Kinston, and I will carry all of you with me as I head to my hometown to work with The Baltimore Sun Media Group.

There are a lot of good things happening in Kinston, and I wish its residents all the luck in the world.

I am eternally grateful to the officials, business and civic leaders and residents of Kinston, Lenoir County, Pink Hill, La Grange and Greene and Jones counties who I have worked with over the years. You have been a pleasure to work with, and I have always strived to be fair and accurate.

To my editor and friend, Bryan Hanks, thank you for guidance, friendship and patience; to my “work mom,” Assistant Managing Editor Nancy Saunders, thank you for your warmth and kindness; to my editor and publisher Patrick Homes, thank you for taking me in and making me a part of The Free Press family.

To my photo colleagues, Janet Sutton Carter, Zach Frailey and Casey Mozingo, you guys are awesome friends and coworkers, and incredibly talented photogs — remember everything Charles taught you.

Finally, to my fellow reporters, Margaret Fisher, Wes Wolfe and Jessika Morgan, I know you guys are all still new to The Free Press, but you are all incredibly smart and talented and you will do great.

Just remember: strive for fairness and accuracy, don’t bring any preconceived notions to a story, and know that every person has a story to tell.

Good luck and Godspeed!

David Anderson worked at The Free Press since May 29, 2007and covered a variety of beats in his tenure. You can reach him at oriole_25@hotmail.com.

HOOKERTON — Four prisoners arrested for assaulting a government official. Two arrested for malicious conduct, and another for simple assault.

All inmates arrested on the same day, all from the same facility.

It would lead a person to imagine a fight broke out Friday at the Maury Correctional Institute, where all seven men are prisoners.

Unless, of course, it didn’t happen that way.

“We haven’t had a major disturbance where all of these inmates have been acting in concert with each other,” MCI Superintendent Dennis Daniels said. “What you’re going to find in these cases, they were all individual. Especially the ones charged with malicious conduct or assault on a government official — these are individual cases where the inmates have actually assaulted staff, and in most cases by throwing feces or urine or spitting on them.”

Indeed, not all incidents happened on the same day, or same month. The inmates were going before a judge for the first time for their alleged crimes.

“These weren’t all related cases. Basically, the court scheduled first appearances for every assault case they’ve had back to September,” N.C. Department of Public Safety spokesman Keith Acree said. “We just had to carry them all to court on the same day. It’s not like there was one incident they were all involved in. It was little stuff that played out over the past three or four months.”

Terry Adonis Baldwin, 36, Wilbert Baldwin, 29, Kevin Christopher Rogers, 32, and Michael Jonathan Thompson, 28, were all indicted for assaulting a government official. Daryl Boyd Atkins, 31, and William Walker Brunner, 24, both received one count of malicious conduct, and Carl Derell Peterson, 34, claimed one count of simple assault. None of the men were given a bond.

Acree explained that when a person is already incarcerated, the procedure for processing that inmate on additional crimes is different than someone who is walking free.

“The day of the arrest is not necessarily the day it happened. Particularly when the inmate’s already in prison,” Acree said. “There’s not a rush to come out and see them and arrest them because they know they’re not out walking the streets.”

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.

Emily Dunham is 7 years old. She’s suffered from Type I juvenile diabetes since she was 4. Friday, her community comes together to raise money for a specialist dog that will help in managing her disease.

Diabetic alert dogs are among a growing number of service dogs that are being used to assist in care of diabetics who need 24-hour care, and can sometimes detect a dangerous drop in blood sugar that monitoring technology is slower to pick up on.

According to an ABC News story in June, “A diabetic’s metabolism changes before a seizure induced by low blood sugar. This change smells subtly like ketosis, which is like nail polish remover. Dogs have extraordinary sensory abilities, and are able to smell more accurately than humans. The diabetic alert dogs are trained to act when the odor occurs, barking in alarm or licking its owner.”

Emily needs constant care from her parents, Kim and Sam, who live in the Southwood community of Lenoir County. She has an insulin pump to help regulate her blood sugar, but still needs to be tested on a regular basis throughout the day.

In October, a group of residents organized and decided to work to raise the $25,000 they estimate is needed to purchase a diabetic alert dog for the Dunhams.

Southwood Memorial Christian Church is sponsoring the effort.

“The benefit committee is just a committee of community people — from different churches throughout the community,” benefit organizer Wendy Robinson said. “We like for a church to be a representative, so our church — the one her parents are a member of — decided to take it on, and then we went from there.”

The benefit committee wants to be your choice for lunch Friday. Volunteers are making barbecue pork and chicken meals that are available to pre-order for $7, and will be delivered to pick-up locations around the area.

For orders of 10 or more, volunteers will deliver to your location.

“The response is good, it’s really good,” Robinson said. “We’ve had lots of people call, lots of people that are calling to ask about information about where to give donations, where to send the sign-up forms and where the locations are going to be.”

Most volunteers will set up at the pick-up sites between 11-11:30 a.m. For more information, including how to place an order, contact Robinson no later than today at 252-559-0852.

Multiple attempts to reach Kim and Sam Dunham for this report were unsuccessful.

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.

Breakout Box

Pick-up locations for meals to support the Emily Dunham benefit:

• Southwood Memorial Christian Church
• Deep Run Volunteer Fire Department
• Fairfield Recreation Department
• Fuel Warehouse (Skinner’s Bypass)
• Kinston-Lenoir CountyVisitorsCenter
• Piggly Wiggly (JacksonHeights)
• Piggly Wiggly (the Plaza)
• Piggly Wiggly (old store parking lot, La Grange)
• Pink Hill Volunteer Fire Department
• Wheat SwampChristian Church  Woodmen Community Center

There’s no denying Kinston’s boys basketball program is the best and most talented in the readership area of The Free Press. But the Vikings are also no longer the only ones enjoying success at a high level.

With all area public schools off until Friday due to exams, all but three teams, regardless of gender, currently sit in second place or better in their respective conferences with five weeks worth of regular season games remaining.

Of those nine teams, four either share the league lead or own it all to itself. That’s pretty impressive, given the area’s recent struggles on the hardwood by teams not named Kinston.

The teams having success that is perhaps the most surprising are the boys and girls teams at South Lenoir.

The boys join Kinston as the only area boys programs who sit alone in first place, and the Blue Devils (9-4, 5-0 East Central 2A) are doing it thanks to a freshman spark plug named Jonte Midgette and a team bent on not giving up late leads.

This year’s South Lenoir boys team is practically the same one that won the conference junior varsity title two seasons ago. Now they’re upperclassmen, and are making some early noise in a conference that is as deep within itself as any around.

The South Lenoir girls (10-3, 4-1) are also making some noise, having already knocked off perennial power Jacksonville Northside and are tied with the Monarchs and East Duplin for second place. While there is plenty of season left — nine regular season games — there’s no reason to believe the Blue Devils won’t end a streak this season of four years without a playoff appearance.

A couple of teams who are making huge turnarounds after disappointing seasons last year are North Lenoir’s boys and Greene Central’s girls.

The Hawks (8-7, 3-0 Eastern Carolina 3A) travel to Eastern Wayne tonight holding a share of the league lead with Erwin Triton (4-0 EC3A) in the loss column. Their rise to the top comes after the team lost its first 18 games last season before finishing the year 3-22.

The Rams (7-9, 3-1 Eastern Plains 2A) were winless in 2011-12, but in 2013 they sit alone in second place with a showdown at first-place Kinston on the horizon for Friday.

Ayden-Grifton’s boys (tied for second), Jones Senior’s boys (tied for second) and Ayden-Grifton’s girls (second) are the other area teams in the hunt for league titles.

It’s going to be an exciting season down the stretch for area hoops.

Ryan Herman’s column appears in The Free Press on Wednesdays. Reach him at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports. 

BEULAVILLE — Tim Jenkins is back at East Duplin High School, where he started his teaching and coaching career in 1996.

And the 40-year-old Jenkins was content with just being at the school following his move to Beulaville last week after a one-year stint at South Lenoir. He was happy returning to East Duplin as a teacher and an assistant football coach after being at the school for five years before later working at other schools.

“I’m just glad to be here,” Jenkins said. “I started out here in ’96 and my first job here was doing in-school suspension. I’m just glad to be here in whatever capacity. I was here for five years and I met a lot of people in the community. I just enjoyed it here.”

It didn’t take long, however, for Jenkins to take over a head coaching job for the Panthers.

He was named East Duplin’s head baseball coach Thursday, just two days after his first official day as an East Duplin teacher. Jenkins replaces Scott Lewis, who resigned last Tuesday to accept a teaching job at Sampson Middle School.

“I’m excited about it,” said Jenkins, who will also teach physical education. “When (a teaching position at East Duplin) opened up, I had no idea we would be talking about coaching baseball. I found out about the baseball situation after coach Lewis had resigned.

“There’s excitement, but also a little bit of nervous energy because we are a little behind. We are getting ready to start in two or three weeks and I don’t know any of the kids. So there’s a lot of things going on in a short amount of time.”

East Duplin athletic director Robert Ross is glad to have Jenkins on board.

“He’s a good fit for not just as a baseball coach, but a good fit for the community,” Ross said. “Baseball-wise, he did a great job with the program at South Lenoir. He’s a good fit all the way around for the athletic department, from football to baseball, to teaching to being someone positive in the community.”

Jenkins, married and a father of three children, previously worked at East Duplin for five years, serving an assistant football coach, head JV baseball coach and head varsity baseball coach during different time spans.

He went on to teach and coach at James Kenan High for two years before being at Wallace-Rose Hill High for nine years and South Lenoir for one year.

He was South Lenoir’s head football and baseball coach. The Blue Devils’ baseball team last year went 18-7 overall and shared the East Central 2-A Conference title with Topsail at 11-3 before losing to Whiteville in the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs.

Last football season, South Lenoir was 1-10 overall and 0-7 in the ECC.

Now, Jenkins hopes to develop a relationship with his new baseball players as they prepare for the season. The Panthers, who went 10-13 overall and 6-8 in the ECC before losing to North Pitt in the first round of the playoffs, open official practice Feb. 13 and the season March 1 at Wallace-Rose Hill.

“I’ve had two meetings with the kids,” Jenkins said. “We can’t do anything the last five days of the semester because of exams, but we will come back after we start second semester. We will have some workouts with eight at a time so I can get to know them as best I can over a short amount of time. We will go from there.”

DEEP RUN — South Lenoir hopes to officially announce its newest head baseball coach soon.

School officials told The Free Press on Tuesday that a name has been submitted to the Lenoir County Public Schools central office for approval, and that the school hopes to learn of its decision by the end of the school week.

The school would not disclose the name of its potential candidate, deciding to wait on approval from the school board instead.

The Free Press received a tip late Monday evening that David Combs, a former pitcher at Mount Olive College and Lenoir Community College currently on staff at South Lenoir, will take over a program that seeks its second varsity head coach in as many seasons.

The school would not confirm or deny Combs has been given the job.

The coaching spot was left vacant earlier this month when Tim Jenkins, who led the program for one season following longtime coach Troy Eason’s retirement, suddenly resigned to take a teaching and coaching job at East Duplin.

The Blue Devils won 14 of their first 15 games and went 18-7 under Jenkins, while finishing the regular season tied with Topsail atop the East Central 2A Conference.

They lost to eventual state 2A champion Whiteville in the second round of the state playoffs.

Athletic Director Lisa Smith told The Free Press during an interview concerning Jenkins’ departure that Combs had been conducting offseason workouts in the wake of not having a head coach.

If Combs does get the job — or anyone else already on staff at South Lenoir — that still leaves a need for a head football coach, which Jenkins also formerly held.

Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.

DEEP RUN — Heather West doesn’t play mistake-free basketball, but she does play the game with passion and enthusiasm.

That eagerness to succeed has rubbed off on her South Lenoir teammates, and the Blue Devils are winning because of it.

West, a senior guard who transferred to South Lenoir in August after spending three years at Parrott Academy, is averaging a team-best 14.9 points, 4.3 steals and 3.7 assists per game. But it’s not her individual abilities that has the Blue Devils currently in a three-way tie with East Duplin and Jacksonville Northside for second place in the East Central 2A Conference.

It’s the way she plays the game.

“It’s really encouraged the girls, having more players who really know what they’re doing,” fellow senior Caroline Jones said of her new teammate.

“It encourages them to push even harder, too.”

West, who led Parrott Academy in scoring a season ago at 11.5 points per game, was apprehensive at first about her move to South Lenoir, but it didn’t take long for her to fit in.

West’s younger sister, Hailey, a freshman, was there, and she found the basketball team waiting with open arms.

“I felt like by transferring to South Lenoir I would enjoy basketball a lot more,” West said. “I was nervous that I wouldn’t fit in; that they wouldn’t accept me since I was coming in my senior year.

“They’re like family. All my friends are on the team and I really love all the girls.”

Once West felt comfortable in her new home, it was time to get to work.

South Lenoir is off to its best start in years, with 10 wins in its first 13 games and a 4-1 conference mark. And West isn’t solely responsible — it’s been a team effort.

West doesn’t fly around the court with a cape or have special powers. What she does have, though, is a strong work ethic that’s led to her own personal success, and her teammates have picked up on it.

They, too, want to succeed individually and as a unit, and have stepped up their games as well, both on game nights and during practice.

“Whenever I go to a practice or a game I always give it 110 percent. I feel like my energy and my drive has made other people (better) because there’s someone else working so hard,” West said.

“I think that’s made everyone else want to work a little extra hard.”

The Blue Devils’ new level of commitment doesn’t have them settling for second place. They have winning a league title on their minds.

South Lenoir will host Croatan on Friday with the goal of not only keeping pace with the Panthers and Monarchs (who play each other Tuesday), but with league-leading Clinton as well.

The Blue Devils have already pulled off a big upset by defeating Northside, which has given them the confidence that they can compete for a conference championship.

West feels all the pieces are in place for it to happen.

She just happens to complete the puzzle.

“I feel like the last two games our defense has gotten a lot better, and we play as a team on defense and on offense. Our coaches have said it before — and I agree — that we have every piece of the puzzle,” West said.

“If we all have our heads in the game in every game the rest of the season, then anything is possible.”

Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports. 

The following decisions were reached in Lenoir County superior court in June, 2012. The presiding judge was the Hon. Paul Jones. Matters may be resolved as the result of a guilty plea or dismissal negotiated with the district attorney without a trial. Matters may also be resolved as the result of a trial during which the judge dismisses the case for insufficient evidence or renders a verdict of innocence or guilt. In any case in which a guilty plea or verdict is entered, sentencing is determined by the judge: