Wyatt Janning pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless relief and Garrett Holland went 3-for-4 as South Lenoir’s baseball team knocked off league-leading Topsail 5-4 at home on Tuesday.

Grant Tyndall, Jake Villabona, Cody Ladich and Noah Stroud drove in runs for the Blue Devils (8-7, 5-4 East Central 2A), whose three-run third proved to be the difference.

Topsail’s only hit came from Addison Futrell, who blasted a two-run home run in the third inning. Futrell was also saddled with the loss.

A sacrifice fly and a wild pitch scored the Pirates’ two other runs. Topsail, which fell to 8-8, 6-2, is now tied for first place with Croatan.

South Lenoir travels to Jacksonville Northside on Friday.

GREENE CENTRAL 3, TARBORO 0: At Tarboro, the Rams got a stellar pitching performance from left-hander Ben Brann in the Eastern Plains 2A Conference win.

Brann went the distance, scattering two hits with a trio of walks and struck out 10 in the shutout. He also went 3-for-4.

Austin Batchelor went 2-for-4 and Chad Murphy added a solo home run in the sixth.

Greene Central (8-7, 6-2) will host Kinston at 7 p.m. on Friday.

SOUTH JOHNSTON 6, NORTH LENOIR 5: At South Johnston, the Trojans rallied with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Hawks.

North Lenoir led 5-1 after scoring four runs in the third inning.

Tyler Smith had a double and an RBI, Dylan Puchalski doubled and drove in a run, Caleb Baird singled and drove in two runs, Seth Beard doubled and drove in a run and Hunter Smith added a double.

Luke Jackson earned the loss. He gave up five runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. North Lenoir had seven errors.

The Hawks (4-12, 2-8 Eastern Carolina 3A) face Kinston at 5 p.m. today at Grainger Stadium.

SOFTBALL

GREENE CENTRAL 19, TARBORO 5, 5 INN.: At Tarboro, the Rams pulled their Eastern Plains 2A Conference record to .500 with the rout.

Kayla Dail went 3-for-4 and scored three runs, and Morgan Mokus, Kaitlyn Napier and Amani Warren had two hits each. Napier earned the win.

The Rams (5-6, 4-4) travel to North Lenoir for a non-conference game at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

PARROTT ACADEMY 9, RALEIGH ST. DAVID’S SCHOOL 7: At Parrott, the Patriots remained unbeaten in the Eastern Plains Independent Conference with the win.

Meredith Riley went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Amanda Cannon drove in two runs and Sarah Riley and Michelle Ballard drove in a run each.

Ballard gave up one hit in four innings and struck out three in the win.

Parrott (8-3, 4-0) hosts Raleigh Grace Christian in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

BOYS TENNIS

PARROTT ACADEMY 5, RALEIGH ST. DAVID’S SCHOOL 4: Singles — 1. Jacob Munster (SD) d. Miller Stallings 6-1, 6-1; 2. Jackson Perry (APA) d. Harrison Welch 6-2, 6-3; 3. Parth Patel (APA) d. Tyler Zilberter 6-3, 6-2; 4. Matt Tyler (SD) d. Ridge Mazingo 6-2, 6-3; 5. Jason Farsaie (APA) d . Carson Humphries 5-7, 7-6 (1-0), 6. Neil Sides (APA) d. Tyler Lock 4-6, 7-6 (1-0). Doubles — 1. Munster/Zilbarter (SD) d. Stallings/Mazingo 8-3; 2. Welch/Humphries (SD) d. Perry/Farsaie 9-7; 3. Patel/Sides (APA) d. Tyler/Lock 8-1.

When the going got tough, Parrott Academy right-hander Pierce Beaman simply made a better pitch than the one before.

Some hustle and stellar defensive play behind him didn’t hurt either.

Beaman worked six standout innings, maneuvered out of a couple of runner on third with nobody out jams, and earned the victory as the Patriots survived a 2-1 scare from Raleigh St. David’s Tuesday at Grainger Stadium.

“Pierce has been a solid six- or seven-inning starter for us all season,” APA coach Tyler Smith said. “Tonight he was his usual outstanding self. He threw strikes and made clutch pitches when he needed to.”

No pitches were more clutch than in the second. After the Warriors’ Chris Andrews doubled and advanced to third on an error to leadoff the frame, Beaman fanned the next two batters and then enticed Donald Cayton to pop out to right.

The Parrott defense helped bail Beaman out in the fourth and sixth.

With the bases loaded and one run already in, St. David’s Alex Park lofted a flair to shallow right. Parrott right fielder Zacchaeaus Rasberry raced in and made a diving stab to retire Park and quell the threat.

“In a tight game, those kinds of plays make all the difference,” Smith said. “The defense has to keep it clean.”

It was more of the same in the sixth.

After opposing pitcher Tom Beley led off with a stand-up triple to deep center field, Beaman uncorked a breaking pitch that bounced away from Parrott catcher John Tyer.

Beyer hesitated just briefly before breaking for home. Tyer hurried after the ball, Beaman sprinted to cover the plate, and Beyer was out by the thinnest of margins.

“Great hustle by John and Pierce on that play,” Smith said. “Both players did their job and we got the huge out.”

Hard-throwing freshman Charlie King came on in the seventh to earn the save for APA (9-3, 6-3 Eastern Plains Independent Conference).

Beaman scattered five hits and struck out six. King added a pair of strikeouts in the final inning.

Offensively, the Patriots also did quite a bit of striking out — nine times to be exact.

“Their pitcher (Beley) had a lot to do with it, but we helped him out some, too,” Smith said. “He kept us off balance and we swung at some bad pitches.”

Tyer drove in both runs for the Patriots, singling in Rasberry in the first and then driving Rasberry home again in the third with a ground out.

Rasberry had two of APA’s six hits and stole three bases.

Collis Lowe, Luke Apperson, Henry Piner, and King also managed hits for the Patriots, who travel to Henderson Kerr-Vance Academy today.

St. David’s        000         100         0—1       5              1

Parrott              101         000         x—2       6              1

T. Beley and Cayton; Beaman, King (7) and Spear. W—Beaman. L—Beley. Sv—King.

DEEP RUN — Tuesday’s East Central 2A Conference softball showdown between league leader Topsail and second place South Lenoir lived up to the hype.

It just didn’t end the way the Blue Devils had hoped.

Summer Darnell drove in two runs and pitched a complete game, and the Pirates scored the winning run on an error in the eighth inning of a 5-4 win that gave them a two-game lead over the Blue Devils in the league standings.

South Lenoir tied it at 4 in the fifth after falling behind 4-0 when Madison Herring singled, then came all the way around to score after the ball got by center fielder Kaleigh Bordeaux.

Two-plus innings later a sharply-hit ball by Darnell to Herring at shortstop couldn’t be fielded cleanly, which allowed Keri White to score from second for the 5-4 lead.

Darnell worked around an error in the home-half of the eighth to give her team its 22nd straight league win and its seventh straight over South Lenoir (12-3, 6-2).

“We win as a team and we lose as a team,” Blue Devils coach Lisa Smith said. “We were down 4-0, and we came back and fought hard. I was very proud. … We just made one less mistake than they did.

“We hadn’t lost here all year long (and) didn’t want to start tonight and they wanted to protect their house. And they did just about everything they could do.”

South Lenoir, which fell to third place following Richlands’ 6-5 win over East Duplin and had its nine-game win streak snapped, hadn’t lost since being 10-run ruled at Topsail in a 13-0 loss on March 15.

While it never appeared as though this one would end in the same fashion, it did look as if the Pirates (13-2, 8-0) were on their way to yet another win after they jumped out to a 4-0 lead early.

But it was short lived.

Madison Beyer’s two-run double and an RBI groundout from Meredith Sanderson in the fourth helped South Lenoir erase the four-run deficit and pull to within one at 4-3.

The Blue Devils then tied it in the fifth on Herring’s round-the-bases single, and all the momentum seemed to shift to the home team.

Taylor Sandlin gave up four runs on six hits in four innings, then Beyer came on in relief and retired the sides in order in the fifth and seventh innings and worked around an error in the sixth to keep it tied heading into the extra frame.

Beyer struck out two and gave up no hits in the tough-luck loss.

“Compared to the last time we played them, 13-0, I mean, I couldn’t be — the only way I could be happier is if we won,” Smith said. “It’s a shame because both teams played so well. I’m proud of our girls and how they fought to come back.

“I thought our two pitchers did really well tonight,” she added. “They’re learning how to fight.”

Darnell, a senior, gave up only four hits and didn’t give up her first until Sandlin singled in the comeback fourth.

South Lenoir got a pair of hits from Herring and Morgan Mentz in the fifth, but managed only one base runner the rest of the way — Mentz, who reached on an error and made it to third, in the eighth.

Darnell threw 148 total pitches, 93 for strikes and struck out 10 in the win in what will most likely be the last time the two teams play at South Lenoir, at least for the foreseeable future.

Next year the Pirates are moving up a classification to 3A.

“They are a very good team. They fight,” Smith said of her league rival. “They’re a great hitting team — they play all year round — and they’re a great fielding team and Summer’s a great pitcher.”

Up next for South Lenoir is a league game at Jacksonville Northside on Friday. While the Blue Devils are now two games back of Topsail and a game back of Richlands in the loss column, Smith isn’t in panic mode with six conference games left.

“In hitting we’ve got to be more consistent with everything,” she said. “When we did what we were supposed to do we got the base hits, and doing our fundamentals.

“They’re a good bunch of girls and they’re going to come back and they’re going to work hard.”

Notes: South Lenoir was 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. … Blue Devils pitchers Taylor Sandlin and Madison Beyer threw 35 pitches each. … Both teams committed three errors. … South Lenoir will make up its game with Richlands on May 2. Its game with East Duplin, regularly scheduled for May 3, has been rescheduled for May 7.

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

Topsail               100         300         01—5     6              3

S. Lenoir             000         310         00—4     4              3

Darnell and White; Sandlin, Beyer (5) and Williams. W—Darnell. L—Beyer. 

Lenoir Community College’s baseball team is on a roll, and three local products are at the center of its success.

Sophomores Trent Murray and Kyle Smith, and freshman Chastin Radford are helping carry the Lancers at the plate as they eye a Region X tournament championship and subsequent berth into next month’s junior college world series.

Smith, a 2011 graduate of Jones Senior and LCC’s starting shortstop, and Murray, a 2011 graduate of Greene Central and its starting catcher, had to endure the growing pains of a junior college baseball team their freshmen seasons.

Radford, the Lancers’ starting center fielder, went straight from the outfield and lead-off spot at North Lenoir last spring into the same spots with his new team.

All together, the trio is helping LCC (27-9) forge ahead in its current seven-game win streak and erase the memory of last season’s shortcomings.

“I think physically, as a team, we’re a lot better at this point then we were last year,” Murray said. “Last year, we didn’t ever come together until the (Region X) tournament. I think we’re kind of finding it all right here before the tournament.”

“We’re more committed.”

The Lancers finished just seven games above .500 last season at 31-24 — a disappointing ending for Murray, Smith and head coach Stony Wine, who had high expectations for his 2012 club.

This year, things are clicking at the right time and the team hasn’t been hampered by injuries like it had last season.

“I think we’ve got a good chance of going (to the world series) this year because of coming together early. Last year we came together late, and I think that kind of hurt us,” Murray said.

Murray’s place in the lineup has been solidified with his high on-base percentage, brought about by his uncanny knack for getting hit with the baseball.

Heading into today’s non-conference game at Louisburg College, Murray had been hit with 14 pitches on the year, giving him the third-best on-base percentage on the team at .440 among everyday players.

Murray, who was plunked four times in one game during legion ball last summer, said he learned to take getting hit after watching Wine get onto a player who dodged a ball before his career at LCC began.

Being a catcher helps ease the pain, too.

“I don’t do it on purpose. … Ever since then when a ball comes I just turn and take it — free base, possibly get moved over and score a run,” said Murray, who has scored 11 runs this season.

“Being a catcher, getting beat up a little bit back there, it’s kind of helped take the pain a little bit, too.”

Smith was able to work his way into the lineup at the end of last season and took the starting shortstop spot this year early.

Being an everyday player has helped the Jones County native in his confidence, which has translated into a .344 average, good enough for second best on the team among everyday players, with two home runs and seven doubles.

“I bring a little bit of everything. I bring a little bit of leadership, a little bit of hard work, a little bit of character,” Smith said with a smile. “At the top of the lineup, me and Chastin, if one of us don’t get on the other one’s always on, or, if we both get on, it’s bad news for the other team usually.”

Smith, who had Tommy John surgery his junior year in high school, has developed a strong work ethic from his father, former Jones Senior coach Glenn Smith.

The younger Smith said his father pushed him harder than anyone else in high school, and that’s translated into a more productive post-high school career.

“I’ve always been the one to be pushed the hardest in practice. If the team does something wrong I’m always the first one called out. It just makes you not want to do anything wrong, and when you get here, to the college level, you don’t want to ever make a mistake.,” Smith said.

Radford, who at this time last season was trying to help North Lenoir win a conference title, has made the transition from high school to college look easy.

He leads the team in average (.408), hits (51), runs scored (30), on-base percentage (.507), stolen bases (10), walks (21), RBIs (27), at-bats (125) and total bases (65) among everyday players.

Radford has no idea how he’s become the Lancers’ best hitter.

“I don’t really know. I’ve just kind of been doing it all my life. Baseball’s a pretty cut-and-dry sport — see the ball, hit the ball, if it’s in the air catch it, if it’s on the ground you stay in front of it,” Radford said.

“At LCC we do a lot as a team, and we all make it look pretty easy.”

Wine said he has seen all three grow and mature along the way.

“They’ve helped solidify our offense,” he said. “Each one brings something different to the table, but together it’s all worked out to help our team win some games.

“They’ve each come a long way in the last few months, both on and off the field.”

The way it’s set up, the team that wins the Region X tournament — held May 10-14 in Morehead City — will represent it in the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Okla., May 25-June 1.

Murray, Smith and Radford really want to go, if for no other reason than to see what the rest of the country is like.

“A lot of these boys ain’t never been out of their home state,” Smith said. “They want to go somewhere.”

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

The following driving while impaired arrests were reported by the N.C. Highway Patrol:

SWANSBORO — As the “Greatest Generation” grows older, with most in their mid to late 80s, fewer veterans are alive to tell their story. Even for those who still are, some memories are too hazy to remember and others are too painful to forget.

Some participated in the European campaign, others in the Pacific. Some have seen combat, while others did not. Regardless of where, when and how they served, World War II veterans have a story to be told.

Matthew Teachey is one of them.

The war fades more and more in his mind each day, but Teachey says he will never forget the sense of honor he felt while serving.

Or the dancing.

If you’ve ever gone dancing on the waterfront in downtown Swansboro, you may have seen the 88-year-old dancing with his girlfriend. Teachey learned those dance moves after he joined the Navy at the height of World War II.

According to his family, he has always had a passion for dancing since as far back as they can remember, although the origins of his dance moves are unknown. While he never talked much about the war, his children are extremely proud of his service, they said.

After graduating from basic training, he served on the USS Hancock as a radio operator aboard the flight deck. It was on that flight deck during his service that he saw two things he will never forget.

Standing in his flight suit on Aug. 6, 1945, he saw Little Boy and Fat Man — two atomic bombs, being flown overhead on their way to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. He didn’t know at the time the devastation they would cause.

After a moment of silence Teachey didn’t wish to talk about Hiroshima and Nagasaki — the Japanese cities that lost 150,000 to 246,000 civilians when the atomic bombs were dropped.

Teachey can be found most days lounging in his rolling chair with his dog by his side behind the front counter of Western Auto at 636 W Corbett Ave., in Swansboro where he still works six days a week. The business is something he started nearly 52 years ago and now shares with his sons.

He’s spent more than a half a century in the seaside town where he raised a family, married and buried the love of his life, Robin, and watched their three children start families of their own. All of this came after his time in the Navy, which he credits for making him the man he is today.

Seventy years ago, Teachey joined the Navy. Seventy years ago, he went to war. While the memories of his days in service may have faded, the sense of pride he feels for having served hasn’t dimmed.

You can reach Thomas Brennan at 910-219-8453 or thomas.brennan@jdnews.com.

Call it, “Your fee dollars at work.”

In one of his early changes in charge, Lenoir County Sheriff Chris Hill proposed and received permission to split the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Support Services Division into two units.

The reorganization necessitated creating a new supervisory position, with the request of adding a deputy sheriff’s position, which the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners approved at its Monday meeting. The cost to the county runs to $57,192 in salary and benefits.

It’s to be funded by the $30 sheriff’s fee people pay when filing civil papers — $15 of that fee goes to the sheriff’s office to improve civil process efficiency. It’s estimated the fee generates more than $60,000 annually.

Now, there will be a Process Services Division devoted solely to civil affairs. The Court Services Division will be responsible for courthouse and courtroom security.

“What I’m going to try to do here is pull the civil process away from patrol officers, who are out there trying to answer 911 calls and doing proactive-type enforcement,” Hill said to the county commissioners. “I want to give them more time to do those kinds of things.”

As it stood, five deputies per shift serve civil process papers, conduct transport duty and answer 911 calls.

One of the measures anticipated by the sheriff’s office is to provide for more patrols of schools that don’t have school resource officers.

The new division heads are moving into place.

“We’ve already made an announcement on those two,” Maj. Ryan Dawson said. “We’ve got Lt. Joey Briley, he will be the head of the new court services division. And then Lt. Robert Daugherty will be the lieutenant to head the civil process division.”

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

New album: The Terror

Artist: The Flaming Lips

Label: Lovely Sorts of Death/Warner Bros.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

As its title suggests, The Flaming Lips’ latest album “The Terror” is not a continuation of the sunny-yet-skewed avant garde rock they’ve churned out at an amazingly prolific rate since the early 1990s. This is not a collection of limp emo ballads, but a foray into the feelings that turn everyone inside out at one time or another.

While the times we’re living in aren’t all that rosy, the anxieties that fuel “The Terror” seem to be of a personal nature. Lead Lip Wayne Coyne’s marriage has reportedly busted up, and instrumental wizard Steven Drozd has just in the last few years emerged from a long stint as a junkie. No matter the cause, the fears/anxieties/worries explored on the sublime space rock of “Be Free, a Way” and “Butterfly” are as universal as sunlight and air.

Much of the musical landscape is filled with the thick, treated sounds of vintage analog keyboards and big, open room drumming. In the case of the 13-minute “You Lust,” Coyne’s vocals and lyrics have never been more emotive.

Even though Coyne delivers the words to “You Lust” in a floating, hypnotic fashion, there’s a bit of rage in the mix. Avoiding the urge to rant is one choice that set the Flaming Lips apart from their angst-y competition. That being said, to hear Coyne address an honest strain of anger is refreshingly unexpected.

On “The Terror,” the Flaming Lips still sound like themselves, albeit an uber-serious version that’s at odds with the tripped-out whimsy of their most recent major work, the “Christmas on Mars” film/soundtrack.

Whether they were trying to shuffle their personae or actually going through some stuff, “The Terror” is a significant album that deserves investigation.

Classic album: In a Silent Way

Artist: Miles Davis

Label: Columbia/Sony

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

“In a Silent Way” was one of the first works that caused noted jazz critic Stanley Crouch to lose his ever-loving mind.

Crouch (and a few other misguided purist critics) viewed albums such as “In a Silent Way,” “Bitches Brew” and “On the Corner” as sellout moves. While it’s true these albums explored rock influences and in turn introduced Davis to a whole new generation of music lovers/consumers, the music itself is blisteringly genius.

Maybe Crouch would have been happier if Davis had stopped progressing and simply played nothing but “So What” for the last 30 years of his life.

Idiotic critiques from non-musicians aside, “In a Silent Way” has stood the test of time and today is regarded by most sane people as one of the great Miles Davis albums. Surrounding himself with the best musicians of the day (Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland), Davis leads the band through many jam sessions that were later reconstructed into 39 minutes of flawless, otherworldly music.

The 18-minute opening salvo of “Shh/In a Silent Way” doesn’t so much begin as it morphs into being. Nearly half of the song is over before everyone figures out what to do with and around the melody, but like a good episode of “Columbo,” observing how the mystery is solved is half the fun. Davis, Corea, Hancock, Shorter and McLaughlin throw in solos that are often incendiary.

Much like Richard Wright did for Pink Floyd, keyboardist Zawinul knits everything together with brilliant chord work while Williams’ symphonic drumming drives the proceedings on side two like a jet down a hill.

Even though there is a spacial, dreamlike quality to “In a Silent Way/It’s About Time,” the momentum never lets up. Side two of “In a Silent Way” is in some ways the calmer but equally beautiful sister of later works, such as “Bitches Brew” and “On the Corner.”

No matter the motivation for making “In a Silent Way,” the end result was/is a stunning piece of work.

Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Pres. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase books, music and Ken Burns hair-care kits at jondawson.com.

On Monday, I had an important conversation with The Wife and Tax Deduction No. 1. We talked about dandelions — or more specifically — the gamma ray-laden strain that are currently overrunning my yard and apparently couldn’t be killed with a flamethrower.

“Now if I cut the grass while they just have the yellow flower on top, it won’t spread the seeds when it’s cut, right?” I asked.

“They only spread when they have the poofy things on top and you blow on them,” said Tax Deduction No. 1.

“You have to dig them up by the root; that’s the only way to stop them,” said The Wife.

“Can’t I just douse the area with Roundup and kill them before they get the poofy things on top?” I said.

The poofy thing discussion went on for a few minutes with no real resolution. We decided to use the excess dandelions as pillow stuffing. Our first shipment should go out to all the organic stores in early May.

After we broke huddle, I turned on the computer and saw photos of what happened at the Boston Marathon. Within minutes, video of the explosions was all over the Internet and TV. For the rest of the night, the same information was repeated over and over again.

The following day, everyone in the journalism business was hit with a deluge of emails from public relations firms trying to grab air time or ink for their clients. Before we go any further, you should all know that I have no issue with anyone making a dollar. I believe those hippies who demanded to be let in to the Isle of Wight Festival for free should never been allowed to reproduce.

Anyone who thinks all you need is love should see the face of the usually nice woman at Kinston Public Utilities when I try to pay my electric bill in hugs.

All that being said, the crass jackassory that was on display by the media and those who feed it this week makes the coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial look subtle. The following are excerpted examples of the actual emails that were sent to members of the press on Tuesday:

Email No. 1:

Two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathonon Monday have resulted in deaths and injuries to runners and spectators at the event that draws crowds of 500,000.

Gregory Jantz, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized psychologist and mental health counselor with over 25 years experience who specializes in emotional counseling, depression, stress disorders and grief recovery. He is a go-to media source for commentary on national as well as international traumatic events in the news. Dr. Jantz is the author of several mental health books including, Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse and Moving Beyond Depression.

Dr. Jantz is available immediately for interviews via phone or email if you’re interested — just let me know!

Email No. 2

Hi Jon,

In light of the tragedy which occurred in Boston yesterday, Michael Finkelstein, M.D. wanted to personally offer his guidance and counseling for any stories you might need insight on. He is camera ready and is available immediately for interview.

Camera ready? I can’t think of 10 profanities that could accurately describe the ugliness of that statement.

I didn’t make either of those emails up. Someone in an office somewhere makes their living waiting for catastrophes to happen so they can get their clients some air time and hopefully sell a few books.

Listen, I felt a bit queasy putting my own book out so close to Christmas as I don’t think the original intent of the holiday was commerce-based. After seeing these jackals at work in the wake of the Boston tragedy, I’m beginning to feel almost saintly.

Somebody somewhere needs to be slapped with a muddy shovel for allowing this sort of thing to become commonplace. Since the news is now on 24 hours a day, I guess they need something to fill the time.

Ted Turner and his mustache could probably be blamed for this non-stop news culture, but then again, maybe the people who are happy to watch the same story repeated more than “The Contest” episode of Seinfeld should be held accountable as well.

Camera ready. The doctor is camera ready. In my heart, I’ve got to believe if some twit said this to Edward R. Murrow, he’d lean over and put out his cigarette on their forehead. Then again, during a live newscast Murrow asked Liberace when he was going to find a nice girl and get married, so what do I know?

Jon Dawson’s columns appear every Tuesday and Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase books, music and shovels at jondawson.com.

GREENVILLE — The Family Fare series will present ECU Storybook Theatre’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Friday night in Wright Auditorium on the university campus.

The performance brings to life Roald Dahl’s classic tale of three farmers, Mr. Fox and his friends.

The tale concerns the adventures of three nasty farmers, two curious creatures and a family of foxes. Watch Boggis (the chicken farmer), Bunce (the duck-and-goose farmer) and Bean (the turkey-and-apple farmer) attempt to foil the efforts of Mr. Fox and his friends — the Badgers, the Moles, the Rabbits and the Weasels. When the animals unwittingly trap themselves in Bean’s Secret Cider Cellar, are they doomed?

This performance, plus presentations through Arts Smart for Pitt County elementary school students Friday morning, will help introduce children to the theatre.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for youth. For more information or advanced tickets, call the Central Ticket Office, Mendenhall Student Center, at 252-328-4788 or visit www.ecu.edu/familyfare.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

7 p.m. Friday

Wright Auditorium

ECU campus, Greenville

Tickets: $10 public, $7 students/youth

Info: Central Ticket Office, 252-328-4788, or ecu.edu/familyfare

Three new exhibitors will have works on display beginning today at the Community Council for the Arts.

Jeremy Sams of Archdale will display his paintings in the Hampton Gallery, and Tim Lazure and Mi-Sook Hur, both on faculty at ECU, will share the Permanent Collection Gallery.

Sams is a Christian artist who grew up in Farmer, with the Uwharrie Mountains and a rural country setting as his surrounding landscape. He took on the Pein Air painting method in 2011.

Sams won first place in the arts center’s 2012 juried Pein Air Exhibition for his painting, “School Teacher’s Garden.” He also painted the sports mural in the Woodmen Community Center.

Lazure is an associate professor in the Metals Design program at ECU. He earned fine arts degrees in the Northeast, and shows jewelry, silversmithing and furniture in national and international exhibits.

Hur is an associate professor at the School of Art & Design at ECU. The Korea native has exhibited her brooches, plastic cast, sterling, steel and mixed media in the U.S. and abroad. Fascinated by nature, she is especially inspired by peppers, birds, beans, sprouts and seedpods. \

In Our Galleries

Opening Reception and Exhibitions

6 to 8 p.m. today

Community Council for the Arts

400 N. Queen St.

Exhibits up through June 1

Free

252-527-2517

The Lenoir Community College Board of Trustees and Lenoir County commissioners revisited an annual funding conversation.

The two groups met earlier this week to discuss the college’s allocated budget for next year after LCC closes out an underfunded year.

The college was allotted $2,235,000 for expenses projected to run $2,297,074 — a more than $62,000 deficit.

“Once again, we have operated as efficiently as possible,” LCC President Brantley Briley told commissioners, noting the college has used money for repairs that were the county’s responsibility. “We have been smart with the money and we’re still $62,074 in the hole.”

LCC President Brantley Briley put up another fight for additional funding, which will be a $2,601,430 total.

With the rise of insurance and utilities, Briley pleaded for $100,000 in capital expenditures from the commissioners. He said they shouldn’t think of the funding as an expense but an investment instead.

“Lenoir Community College is Lenoir County’s best hope for a prosperous economic future,” said Briley, who presented a PowerPoint presentation to the group. “The product (of the investment) is a better prepared workforce, and the return is taxpayers.”

He added, “I do think the commissioners understand it. I do know that they have a dilemma because they always have more request than they have dollars to allocate.”

Reuben Davis, commissioner’s chairman, said they would like to fund what’s necessary for LCC, but they’re isn’t enough.

“I think when you’re pushing to get your own budget, you want to make sure that everybody is being treated the same and nobody’s getting more than their fair share…,” Davis said. “But with the economic situation … and limited tax revenue, we’re in the throws of budget session. At this point, we don’t know how things will shape out.”

During the presentation, Briley expressed a concern for LCC being significantly underfunded compared to the 11 other regional campuses in the 58-school North Carolina Community College system.

For example, while LCC gets $4.89 per student, the state average is more than $8.

“Somewhere between $574,966 and $1.65 million is the amount that we are underfunded,” Briley said.

Commissioners sympathized with Briley.

“In a perfect world, we’d like for you to be the best-funded community college in North Carolina,” said Commissioner J. Mac Daughety. “We just don’t have the money to do it. It’s a great concern for me.”

Davis said Briley was cordial and not too pushy in his requests. He said the commissioners will go under advisement and make a decision.

“I made my best effort to present the picture as it really it,” Briley said. “I just have to trust that (the commissioners) will spend the time, do the research and make the good decision to fully fund the request.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-550-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.

The curtain will rise Friday on Lenoir Community College’s 16th annual Broadway and Beyond, and Producer/Director Carolyn Crossland says to expect plenty of surprises.

Crossland, who chairs the college’s music faculty, also will co-host the evening with Rick Vernon, host of Down East Today. The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with pre-concert entertainment by Timothy Maddox of the LCC music faculty.

Ciara DiNapoli of Ayden will perform “Breathe” from “In the Heights” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl.” When not on stage, she is a kindergarten teacher at Vanceboro Farm Life Elementary School.

Chris Raines will sing “Poison Ivy” from “Smokey Joe’s Café” and the bass part in a men’s trio, Noteworthy, performing “Unchained Melody.” The Kinston native is a well known member of the musical and stage family of Kinston and extended community.

Jacquline Golebiowski will sing “Nothing” from “A Chorus Line.” The Lenoir County native is the creative dramatics teacher at Hope Middle School in Pitt County.

Other performers include Peggy Overton Vaughan of Greenville performing  “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins; Antuan Hawkins  of Kinston performing  “Santa Fe” from Rent and baritone in the men’s trio performing “Unchained Melody”; Meme of Jacksonville performing  “Could I Leave You?” from Follies; Amanda Stroud of Kinston performing  “In My Little Corner” from Cinderella; Clay Raines of Kinston performing “Soliloquy” from Henry and Mudge and tenor in the men’s trio performing “Unchained Melody”; Krissy Boccia of New Bern performing  “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret and  “There’s No Business Like Show Business” from Annie Get Your Gun; Kinston’s Dr. John Herlong and Nora Parker, with L’Acadmie de Danse, performing “Jitterbug Jive”; and Kinston Dance Academy with Artistic Director Jan McKenrick performing “Sing! Sing! Sing!”

For more information, contact Crossland at 527-6223, ext. 919, or crossland@lenoircc.edu.

Broadway and Beyond

7:30 p.m. Friday

Doors open 6:30 p.m.

Waller Building Auditorium

Lenoir Community College

Cost: $7 at door

Info: 252-527-6223, ext. 919, or crossland@lenoircc.edu

On the same day Kinston High School basketball teams won boys’ and girls’ state championships in March, another Kinston hoop club won the city’s first title.

Yes, there were three basketball state championships out of Kinston this year.

On the morning of March 16, the undefeated Orange Crush, Kinston’s Special Olympics basketball team out of Caswell Center, won the North Carolina 3-on-3 tournament.

Head coach Donna May said the contest came down to the wire. The Crush were down 6-0 at the beginning of the game, eventually reaching a tie at 16-all. However, it was Jamison Wilfong who made the last bucket for the Crush’s 20-18 victory.

Jamison’s dad, Dave Wilfong, who has been active in Jamison’s basketball career, said the team knew the Kinston High School teams were playing in Chapel Hill that day.

“I think the quality of the play out of both our boys and girls teams here at Kinston High really was very inspiring for these young men,” Dave Wilfong said of the Crush. “They were motivated. They didn’t want to let the city down (and) wanted to make it a clean sweep.”

The Crush improved to an undefeated 12-0 record this year, coming off 10-2 results last year. All teams competing in the state championships were broken into divisions; the Crush beat eight teams in its division.

 “It’s not so much about whether they win the game,” Wilfong said of the six-man squad. “I think it’s more about sportsmanship and playing together as a team.”

May, who’s been a basketball coach since 1977, said the difference was how well the players gelled together this year.

“They really played as a team,” said May, who was assisted by Stephen Sacro, Ashley Lamb and Crystal Bennett. “In the game, they had a pass, cut and passed back. It was beautiful, layup after layup.”

She said in practice, the team was required to pass the ball three times before taking a shot.

Additionally, the two rookies on the team mastered fundamental skills with the help of their teammates.

The Crush companionship architected a season ending with a perfect record and ultimate title out of a Smithfield recreation center.

“You don’t have good sports teams in cities where the adults don’t show a great deal of interest in sports for their young people,” Wilfong said. “It takes caring coaches and caring adults. You’ve got to have fans in the stands.

“It’s a real credit to the Kinston community.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-550-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.

When “The Wizard of Oz” opens tonight at North Lenoir High School, it will incorporate some glorifications and expansions from its first opening 50 performances ago at the high school.

Marian Kennedy, teacher and head of the drama department, has pulled out all the stops to celebrate the school’s drama program, the dedication of the students, the support of parents and the community, and her love for the stage, especially “The Wizard of Oz.”

Not only was it the first play she produced at North Lenoir, but she played Dorothy when she was in the play in high school. It is her favorite musical.

A gala in March sponsored by the school’s Booster Club raised money to fund the flying equipment and orchestra for this production. Some of the funds also are earmarked for college scholarships for the school’s Drama club seniors.

“The Wizard of Oz” is and probably always will be one of the greatest musicals for pleasing an audience. The story, by L. Frank Baum, was partly inspired by Baum’s childhood love of Grimm’s Fairy Tales and partly by his desire to provide his four young sons with something a little more exciting to read than the fiction available at the turn of the century in the United States.

The musical hosts empathetic characters who serve as archetypes for society. From the Cowardly Lion, to the Wicked Witch, to Dorothy who learns that “there is no place like home,” the characters delight audiences. The musical numbers include such classics as “Over the Rainbow,” “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead’” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.”

Kennedy has outdone herself in incorporating a large number and broad range of ages of students in the cast. The Munchkins alone exceed three dozen. There also will be as many students behind the scenes in technical and production roles as you see onstage.

The leading role of Dorothy will be played alternately by Holly Holder and Sydnee Hudson. Wes Nimmo is the Scarecrow; Thomas Horner, Tin Man; RJ Smith and D-Mosi Brown, Cowardly Lion; Morgan Harrison and Alyssa Bayless, Wicked Witch of the West; Nicole Robinson and Carrie Letchworth, Glinda the Good Witch; and Will Hardy, Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz.

Join the excitement and celebration during this weekend’s run of “The Wizard of Oz.”

‘Wizard of Oz’

7:30 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday

3 p.m. Sunday

North Lenoir High School auditorium

Tickets: $6 students, $10 advance, $12 at door

Info: Jennifer Spence, 252-527-9184

Firefighters plan reunion

Kinston Retired Firefighters are hosting the Area Firefighters Reunion Banquet April 25 in the King’s Restaurant Banquet Room on 405 E. New Bern Road. All area firefighters, past and present, are invited.

A meet and greet will begin at 6 p.m., and the banquet will start at 7 p.m. At a recent planning meeting, Mayor B.J. Murphy stopped by to let the committee know that he and the City Council support the efforts of the committee and that he is looking forward to attending the banquet.

The cost is $12 per person at the door, which includes food, tip and entertainment. The meal will include fried and barbecued chicken, barbecued pork, shrimp and all the trimmings and desserts.

For more information, contact Guy Basden at 252-939-0171; “Dot-Dash” Brigman, 252-527-8081; Robert Swiger, 919-812-2745; Levy Massey, 252-521-5640; Melley Swaney, 252-939-3691; David Ricke, 252-523-1441; or Gwen Smith, 252-522-3915.

AARP gets wellness tips

Sandra Midyette, Diabetes Wellness Program coordinator for Lenoir Memorial Hospital, recently spoke to the AARP chapter about the types of diabetes.

She also talked about the symptoms, things to be looking for and what to do after being diagnosed with diabetes. She distributed information on diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

For more information on diabetes, call Midyette at 252-522-7616. For AARP information, call Jimmy Miller, chapter coordinator, at 252-527-1606.

Library continues ‘Let’s Read’ activities

Let’s Read 2013 is continuing its focus on Edith Hamilton’s “Mythology.”

Kid Olympics for children 12 and younger will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Schechter Auditorium of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library. Youth will participate in child-friendly versions of favorite Olympic events in the ancient Greek tradition.

The Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Schechter Auditorium. Contest winners will recite their poems based on mythological characters, settings and themes.

“Mythology, Music and Art” will be at 3 p.m. April 27, also in the Schechter Auditorium. In this program, participants will learn how classical mythology has influenced great art, music and literature throughout the ages.

For more information, call 252-527-5066, ext. 134.

GRIFTON — The 43rd annual Shad Festival is honoring station No. 43’s Grifton Volunteer Fire Department and Grifton EMS. The Grifton Fire Department will hold an extrication demonstration at 3 p.m. at the Town Common — removing a person trapped in a vehicle.

The festival will kick off at 4 p.m. Friday with about double the rides there was last year.

“There are several new rides,” Cyndy Graham, publicity coordinator, said. “We’ve got 15 rides this year.”

At 7 p.m., festival-goers can play bingo at the depot or listen to Music under the Stars, featuring The Shake Doctors at the Town Common. The concert ends at 11 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday’s events will be held at the Town Common, Grifton Civic Center, Health Assist building and creekside Overlook Park near the boat landing.

Events on Saturday start as early as 8:30 a.m., when the Grifton Library’s book sale begins. Other events, including rides, flea market, craft show and art show, take place Saturday.

The Shad Festival Parade will start at 10:30 a.m., with the introduction of VIPs beginning at 10:20 a.m. The trophy presentation will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Town Common.

The parade may be delayed by about 30 minutes if it rains, Graham said.

“We don’t think it’s going to stop anything,” she said about the rain. “I think its going to be good to go.”

Live music and other entertainment will follow through the afternoon, including a new feature, the Tar River Community Band, an orchestra which will play at noon on the stage.

Flaming baton twirlers, children performing martial arts and African drummers will be held on the stage, as well.

The Shad Festival wouldn’t be complete without fried fish and fish stew, available for sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern N.C. barbecue will be sold from 2 p.m. on and hot dogs will be available all day.

Children’s activities and games will happen from noon to 5 p.m., and Purple the Clown will entertain from 3-5 p.m.

Saturday’s concert and street dance will feature The Four Knights from 7-11 p.m.

Sunday’s event runs from noon to 6 p.m. There will be children’s activities, salsa music, dancing and dance lessons and a Mexican dance performance.

The Grifton Museum will feature “The Tuscarora War: The Forgotten Tragedy,” a film by Gene Smith of Snow Hill at 2:30 p.m.

Bring a kayak or canoe and take a day trip on the Contentnea Creek from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“It seems like a family reunion,” Grifton Mayor B.R. Jackson said. “When you come to the Shad Festival, it’s like coming home.”

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.

Shad Festival Events

Friday – 4-10 p.m.

Souvenirs/Info, Shad Shack, Town Common, 4-10 p.m.

Carnival rides 5-9 p.m.

Shad-O bingo, Grifton depot, 7-9:30 p.m.

Music under the Stars – The Shake Doctors, Town Common, 7-10 p.m.

Saturday – 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

Flea Market, along railroad, all day

Craft Show, First Citizens Bank, all day

Carnival rides, near post office, all day

Fish fry/Fish stew/Bake sale, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Eastern N.C. barbecue, pork/chicken, 2 p.m. until

Music at the Minipark, Anthony Gonzales, gospel groups, 2-6 p.m.

Town Common:

Souvenirs/Information

Here’s the Shad, free samples

Grifton Library book sale, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Introduction of VIPs, 10:20 a.m.

Parade, 10:30 a.m.

Presentation of trophies, 11:30 a.m.

Live music, line dancing, entertainment, stage, all afternoon

Tar River Community Band, stage, noon

Children’s crafts/Face painting, noon-5 p.m.

Grifton Fire Dept. extrication demo, stage 3 p.m.

Purple the Clown, 3-5 p.m.

Street Dance – The Four Knights, 7-11 p.m.

Grifton Civic Center:

Historical Museum, noon-6 p.m.

Grifton Indian Village, tours 1 p.m. until

Climbing wall, museum

Health Assist building:

Art show, noon-5:30 p.m.

Overlook Park, boat landing:

Shad Toss tournament, noon-4 p.m.

Pony rides/Petting zoo, noon-5 p.m.

Car/Bike Show, after parade, museum

ECU fishery

Chicken/Hot dogs, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday – noon-6 p.m.

Flea Market, along railroad, noon-6 p.m.

Craft show, First Citizens Bank, noon-6 p.m.

Hot dogs/Drinks 1-4 pm.

Eastern NC barbecue/Fish fry, noon until

Town Common:

Community Church Service, bring a chair, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Souvenirs, Shad Shack, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Children’s crafts/Face painting, noon-4 p.m.

Art show, Health Assist building, noon-4 p.m.

Balloon sculptures, 1-5 p.m.

Salsa music/Dancing, 1-3 p.m., Dance lessons 1 p.m.

Ballet Folklorico Espiritu Latino, Mexican dancing, 3-4 p.m.

Grifton Civic Center:

“The Tuscarora War: The Forgotten Tragedy,” film, 2 p.m., Historical Museum, noon-4:30 p.m.

Grifton Indian Village, tours 1 p.m. until

Climbing Wall, museum

Overlook Park, boat landing:

Kayak/Canoe, bring your own, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Pony rides/Petting zoo

ECU fishery

Associated Press