AYDEN — In terms of potential playoff implications, Friday afternoon’s Carolina 1A Conference tilt between Goldsboro Rosewood and Ayden-Grifton was supremely important.

The game pitted two of the league’s top teams in a battle for first place, and the Chargers made the most of an opportunity to stay in the driver’s seat in the league race with an 8-7 win.

The win avenged a 5-4 loss at Rosewood on March 19 and extended the Chargers’ current winning streak to seven games. More importantly, it put them a game ahead of the Eagles in the conference standings, in a first-place tie with North Duplin.

“This was a big win so as to avoid a sweep,” Ayden-Grifton coach Chris Ross said. “We split with them, and the worst we can do is split with North Duplin. It’s probably going to get real hairy down the stretch before it’s over.” 

While the conference’s No. 1 seed is still very much up for grabs, both teams recognized the importance of Friday’s matchup, though both squads squandered more than their fair share of scoring opportunities, leaving a combined 18 runners on base.

Despite the missed opportunities, it didn’t take long for either team to plate its first runs.

After the Chargers’ Mike Stancil struck out the side in the first, Ayden-Grifton (15-4, 5-1) pushed three runs across in the home half of the inning on an RBI double by Blake Allen that was followed by a two-run single from James Dykes (3-for-4, double, three RBIs).

Rosewood (5-12, 4-2) responded by sending nine to the plate in the second inning. The Eagles scored five runs, capped by a three-run homer from leadoff hitter Bryce McKeel (2-for-5). 

The Chargers tied the game with clutch hits from Cody Conway (2-for-2, two RBIs) and Stancil in the second, and added runs in the third, fifth and sixth, but the team also stranded at least one runner in every inning.

“Offensively, I give a lot of credit to Cody Conway,” Ross said of his second baseman, who was hitting in the nine spot after recent struggles at the plate. “He had two great RBI hits, and both were with two strikes.”

For Conway, the game carried extra meaning due to the tight race for the league’s top spot.

“I knew this was a big game,” he said. “When we had a runner on third with two strikes, I knew I had to put it in play, and I did what I had to do.”

Following a rocky second inning for Stancil, Ross lifted his starter after a leadoff walk in the third in favor of Connor Bowen, who pitched five solid innings to earn the win. He scattered nine hits, surrendered two runs (one earned) and struck out three.

“Bowen was able to get his curveball across,” Ross said. “They were sitting dead-red on Stancil, and that’s why I decided to make a change.”

The move worked, though the Eagles had several chances to tie or take the lead, including in the seventh inning. Trailing by two, Rosewood got its leadoff man on with an infield single. A throwing error put men on the corners with nobody out, and a safety squeeze by Will Lane closed the gap to 8-7 and put a man on second base with one out. But Bowen was up to the task, as he induced a fly ball to center field and a sharp liner to shortstop Clay Wilson to end it.

“They were the only team to beat us in the conference,” Conway said. “Now we have an edge on everybody. Hopefully, we can keep it that way.”

Rosewood               050     001     1—7    14        2             

Ayden-Grifton         321     011     x—8    11        2

Gurley, Howell (5) and Breedlove; Stancil, Bowen (3) and Cannon. W—Bowen. L—Gurley.

Woody and Ronda Stroud of Deep Run announce the engagement of their daughter, Lindsay Carin Stroud, to Scott Patrick Mosier, son of Jim and Pam Mosier of Sydney, Ohio. A May 25 wedding is planned at Frenchman’s Creek in Kinston.

Heather York Shaw of Raleigh and Rudolph Ivey Mintz III of Kinston were united in marriage at 5 p.m. April 20, 2013, at the First Baptist Church in Morehead City. The Rev. Jerry Linebarger officiated the ceremony.

Escorted to the altar by her father and given in marriage by her parents, the bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Linwood Shaw Jr. of Elizabethtown. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Linwood Shaw, also of Elizabethtown, and Mr. and Mrs. Dewey James York Jr. of Elkin.

The bride is a graduate of East Bladen High School and N.C. State University. She is employed with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC and works in the corporate affairs department.

The groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Rudolph Ivey Mintz Jr. of Kinston. He is the grandson of Mrs. Jeanette Pate of Atlantic Beach, the late Herbert William Pate who lived in Atlantic Beach, the late Honorable and Mrs. Rudolph Ivey Mintz of Wilmington, and the late Bobby Eugene Nobles of Ayden. 

A graduate of Kinston High School and UNC, he obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law and is self-employed as an attorney in Kinston and Raleigh.

Following a honeymoon to Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the couple will reside in Raleigh.

The bride wore a gown originally designed and made by her mother for her own wedding almost 35 years ago, with recent restyling and customization for the bride. The princess-style gown featured a V-neckline in the front and a plunging V-back.

The bodice was covered in French Alençon re-embroidered white lace that was hand appliquéd to form a scalloped edge and to create modest cap sleeves. Adorning all of the lace were hundreds of hand-set pearls, Austrian Swarovski crystals, and vintage pear- and marquis-shaped crystals along the neckline.

The bride also wore her mother’s mantilla styled, fingertip-length veil. It was made with a single layer of sheer white illusion and matching lace that formed a border along the edge, also accented with matching pearls and crystals.

Matrons of honor were Elizabeth Herring Rogers and CharlesAnna Herring Williams, both of Clinton.  Maid of honor was Maria Herring Holler of Raleigh.

Bridesmaids were Stuart Mintz Cherry of Wilmington, sister of the groom; Carla Ainsley Fleming of Greenville; Carli Suzanne Herring of Newton Grove; Erica Leinwand Mehler of Wilmington; Ann-Marie Grady Parker of Southern Shores; Carlye Canosa Pleasant and Amy Campbell Pleasant of Fayetteville, cousins of the bride; Katherine Hamilton Walker of Wilmington; and Brittany Herring Williams of Newton Grove. 

The flower girls were Charlotte Cannon Cherry of Wilmington, niece of the groom; and Campbell Anne Pleasant and Emory Shaw Pleasant, both of Fayetteville, cousins of the bride. 

The groom’s father served as his son’s best man.

Groomsmen were Tyler Ramsay Archie of New Bern; Dr. William Robert Cherry III of Wilmington, brother-in-law of the groom; Gregory Scott Fader of Greenville; Andrew James Gridley of Apex; Thomas Tillman Holley III of Wichita Falls, Texas; Thomas Richard Lee of Raleigh; Nicolas Stephen Maroules of Birmingham, Ala.; Robert Fuller Parham of Winston-Salem; Jacob Fletcher Parrott of Raleigh; David Linwood Shaw III of Raleigh, brother of the bride; and David Wells Williams of Winston-Salem.

Honorary groomsmen were Joshua Benjamin Baker of Birmingham, Ala.; Jason Bray Creel of Wilson; Lupton Thomson Haigler of Charlotte; Michael Shaw Pleasant of Fayetteville, cousin of the bride; William Randolph Robins Jr. of Richmond, Va.; Stephen Dunn Strickland of Raleigh; Ythan Wye Webster of Cleveland, Ohio; and Kyle Hardin Woodruff of Charlotte. 

The ring bearer was William Robert Cherry IV of Wilmington, nephew of the groom. 

Scripture reader was Mollie Womble Owen of Raleigh. Musicians were Susan Griffin Fisher of Elizabethtown, vocalist; Diane Hawkins of Morehead City, organist; Joe McCreary of Beaufort, trumpeter; and Rhonda Proctor Page of Oxford, pianist. 

Wedding director was Susan Hughes of Tarboro. Program attendants were Litton Clark Warren and Wade Robertson Warren, both of Raleigh.

Reception/parties

Following the ceremony, a reception was held at The Dunes Club in Atlantic Beach. Reception greeters were Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas Herring II of Newton Grove and Dr. and Mrs. Lynwood Clifton Turner III of Kinston. Guests were entertained by The Craig Woolard Band. Lead singer of the band, Craig Woolard, sang in the bride’s parents’ wedding and played at their reception in 1978.

In September, an engagement party was held at White Lake at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Pleasant, aunt and uncle of the bride.

In November, a “stock the bar” bowling party was held at The Alley in Raleigh and was hosted by the bridal party.

In December, a bridal shower was held in Elizabethtown for the bride and was hosted by Mrs. Doll Priest and Miss Elizabeth Priest.

In February, a bridal shower was held in Kinston and was hosted by Linda Clark, Rebecca Darst and Annette West.

In March, a cookout was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Arey Grady at their farm in Snow Hill. 

On April 18, a wedding weekend kickoff cookout was held for the bridal party in Atlantic Beach at the Turner house and was hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Lyn Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Exum and Mr. and Mrs. David Brody.

On April 19, a bridesmaids’ luncheon was given at the Harrell beach house, hosted by Kay Harrell, Donna Henderson and Mollie Owen. The groomsmen joined the groom for a round of golf at the Morehead City Country Club, hosted by the father of the groom.

Also on the eve of the wedding, the parents of the groom hosted a rehearsal dinner at the Coral Bay Club in Atlantic Beach, followed by a dance given by family and friends of the groom. Music was provided by Shakedown. 

On April 20, a wedding day lunch was provided for the groom and groomsmen by Janice Worthington, aunt of the groom; and brunch was provided for the bride and bridesmaids by Joy Grady, Paula Greene, Eileen Leinwand and Renee Summerlin.

Floyd

Franklin Porter Floyd and Rebeccah Kearney Floyd of Kinston and son Thomas announce the birth of a daughter and sister, Leigha Julianna Floyd, on Jan. 3, 2013, at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Goldsboro. Maternal grandparents are Dwight and Donna Moore Kearney of Seven Springs. Paternal grandparents are Gerald and Donna Wetherington Floyd of Kinston. Maternal great-grandparents are the late Clayton and Dorothy Sasser Moore, and Shelby Davis Kearney of Seven Springs, and the late Johnny “Bird” Kearney. Paternal great-grandparents are Thomas and Ruby Moss Floyd of Henderson, and Jean Morton Wetherington of Morehead City, and the late Malcolm Thomas “Tommy” Wetherington.

Vance Davis and helpers have been happily farming on his farm in Sandy Bottom for dozens of years.

Davis has farmed all his life and enjoys farming. It has been a challenging and rewarding life for him, his family and helpers. When asked if it’s hot outside, he responds, ‘It’s just right.’

He and his wife, the former Phyllis Casey of Kinston, have been married 57 years and have four children — Jean D. Burkett of Wyse Fork; and Lisa D. Alphin, Vance ‘Van’ Davis Jr. and Jack Arthur Davis, all of Sandy Bottom.

Davis Sr. started another season of farming by planting tobacco Tuesday. He celebrates his 75th birthday today.

Gov.’s volunteer awards presented

The award ceremony for recipients of the 2013 Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards for Lenoir County was held April 15 at the Board of Commissioners meeting in the Lenoir County Courthouse.

Lucy Marston, Lenoir County Tourism director, presented the awards, including letters from Governor Pat McCrory thanking the recipients for their efforts, a certificate and a lapel pin. This is the 34th consecutive year these awards have been presented in North Carolina.

Mark Hollar Jr. and Wilma Robinson Boldt are the recipients.

Hollar has supervised a team of eight at Mary’s Kitchen for 12 years. He handles inventory, orders supplies and stocks shelves to feed about 150 every Tuesday. He works continuously to identify new food sources for the kitchen and ensures that the kitchen can access all government programs for which it qualifies. He maintains the kitchen’s operations, often at personal time and expense.

The hope of all volunteers of Mary’s Kitchen is that one day the need for the kitchen will disappear. Until then, it will be there and Mark Hollar will be there to lead the way.

Boldt was presented the award for her efforts with Lenoir Memorial Hospital Volunteers. She has served this group for 32 years, logging more than 22,000 volunteer hours. She had been the chairwoman of the American Hospital Association Committee on Volunteers; director of the Southeastern Conference of Hospital Auxiliaries, an officer for nine years, including president of the NC Society of Volunteers & Auxilians; an officer for seven years of the LMH Volunteers, including president. As chairman of the American Hospital Association Committee on Volunteers, she was a representative of Lenoir Memorial and the state of North Carolina throughout the nation.

Boldt has more service hours than any volunteer in the history of the LMH Auxiliary. She was the organizer and chairwoman of the “Lights of Love” project, which raised more than $500,000 for Oncology services at LMH since its inception. She was the organizer and chairwoman of “Monkey Business,” which provides stuffed animals for pediatric patients, and was the organizer and chairwoman of “The Clown Troupe” patient and staff visitation project at LMH.

All three of these projects received awards from the NCSHV&A. Boldt has worked in many areas, including the service desk and as volunteer manager and buyer of the gift shop. She planned the new gift shop and was instrumental in hiring the first professional manager.

Boldt also received the Medallion Award for Volunteer Service 2013. This award is given to the top 20 volunteers in the state and she is the first to receive this honor for Lenoir County.

GRIFTON — Shad Festival-goers strolled down Queen Street in Grifton Saturday morning as the occasional sound of sirens blasted in the distance.

The parade was coming.

As the first parade group marched closer, people in the street parted to either side like the Red Sea.

The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing band from Cherry Point was the first group to make music as the grand marshal, Grifton School Teacher of the Year Shakela Knight, followed behind.

Behind them came countless fire trucks and other vehicles, Miss Grifton — Bryanna Hawkins, a variety of Sudan Shriners’ mini-vehicles and, of course, lots of clowns.

Hyjer Barnes, 9, of Kinston, said he likes the clowns best “because they’re funny.”

“The clowns,” Ameliy Roach, 8, of Grifton, said is her favorite in the parade.

Sarah Brick, 7, of Ayden, whispered to her mother, “I love everything but the clowns. They freak me out.”

But then she added, “except for the one that pulled his pants down.”

Her mother, Debra Brick, said she enjoys the festival because it’s something different and fun for her children to do.

The Sudan Shriners Animated Animals bus rolled by with a dancing gorilla and other animal characters waving and giving hugs to children.

Sequoia Coleman, 10, of Ayden, said she was “having a good time because I get to see a lot of characters that play in different kinds of shows, like Clifford, the Big Red Dog.”

Dariyn Coleman, 12, said he likes the “rides, the bands, the music and the beats.”

“I like the cars,” Jesse Martinez, 10, of Dover, said, “the cars with the music.”

Katelyn Sparrow, 6, of Grifton, said she likes the fire trucks and “getting the candy.”

It wasn’t just children that enjoyed the parade, though. Shirley Page and Gloria Edwards, both of Grifton, brought a smiling group of folks from Dixon House Assisted Living.

“They love the dancing,” Edwards said, referring to the facility’s residents.

Christina Garrett of Grifton said she enjoyed the African dancers and drummers.

Angie Harrison, a Grifton native living in Kinston, brought her two children to the festival because it’s a family tradition.

“The parade’s fun,” she said. “They enjoy the rides and food.”

Shad Festival events today run from noon to 6 p.m.

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

Breakout box:

Shad Festival – today, 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

Area residents braved a windy, cool morning to take part in the Lenoir County Farmers Market opening celebration. As Tammy Dawson began to sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” the sun poked out, and stayed out as several local dignitaries shared some brief words in support of the venue, followed by the blessing of the crops by Rev. Julian Pridgen.

The main attractions of the opening day, unquestionably, were the hot dogs and homemade strawberry ice cream which were enjoyed by all in attendance.

The Lenoir County Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.to 3 p.m.at the corner of Herritage and King streets in Kinston.

In this space last week, I implored folks from Lenoir County to keep their money here in our little patch o’ heaven, instead of spending it in Greenville, New Bern, Goldsboro, Jacksonville and other cities.

I asked you, dear reader, to consider making your major purchases — cars, etc. — here in Lenoir County instead of somewhere else, because the money you spend here stays here.

That not only goes for major purchases but for what you might consider “minor” purchases, including eating out, clothes and groceries.

Today, I’m going to float an idea to spur shopping in Kinston (specifically at Vernon Park Mall) and then share with you a pair of small businesses here you should check out.

MOVE SWEETFROG TO VERNON PARK MALL: This idea is so simple and genius, I’m surprised I came up with it. In the past year, there has not been a better small business success story in Lenoir County than sweetFrog, which opened in the Kinston Plaza in December.

For those unfamiliar with sweetFrog, it’s a do-it-yourself soft serve frozen yogurt shop that has been extremely successful in Kinston. You pick out your favorite yogurt, than have several dozen toppings to choose from to complete your tasty dessert.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a huge fan of sweetFrog. I’ve already filled up one frequent user card and am almost to the end of a second.

In the many times I’ve visited the establishment — or gone through the parking lot at Kinston Plaza — I’ve never seen less than three customers at a time in it; many times, there are at least seven to 10 folks lining up for their sweetFrog.

That’s why I think the powers-that-be in town should do everything they can to get the owners to move sweetFrog to Vernon Park Mall. Frankly, it would be a win-win for everyone involved (well, except for the folks who run Kinston Plaza); the mall and its remaining stores need foot traffic and sweetFrog would bring that. It would benefit the owners of sweetFrog, who would have more room for folks to enjoy their product.

Obviously, it would benefit the mall more than it would sweetFrog, though, which leads me to this: give the sweetFrog owners a break on rent. The demographics the mall craves — young people with money — would swarm the mall and again make it a destination point. Heck, this move might even encourage other restaurants to return to Vernon Park Mall, and we’d all benefit from that.

On Facebook and Twitter, I asked folks to give me some small businesses to check out and promote in this week’s column.

Michelle Moore Davis suggested DRAKE JANITORIAL SERVICE. She said the company is a family-owned commercial cleaning business that has been around for 53 years. It specializes in general cleaning and maintaining all kinds of commercial, industrial buildings, schools and churches. Find out more about it by searching Drake Janitorial Service on Facebook.

Kay Oakes Boykin asked me to check out HAMMER OUT CROSSFIT at 1201-J West Vernon Ave. She said Hammer Out is the only facility of its type in a 30-mile radius. I haven’t been there yet, but can’t wait to see it.

To reiterate what I stated last week: it’s vitally important for us to support our small businesses right here in Lenoir County. If we don’t, we have no excuse to whine about there being nowhere to shop or eat.

Bryan C. Hanks is the managing editor of The Free Press; his column appears in this space every Sunday. You can reach him at 252-559-1074 or at Bryan.Hanks@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at BCHanks.

House Roll-Call Votes

HB135 — Landfill Permit Fee: Adjusts the fee schedule for permits for sanitary landfills and transfer stations to reflect extension of the duration of these permits. Introduced by Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg.

Adopted 113-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HR198 — March of Dimes Anniversary: Honors the memory of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who established the March of Dimes and joins the North Carolina Chapter on its observance of the 75th anniversary of the March of Dimes. Introduced by Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth.

Adopted 110-0

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB203 — Homeowner Protection Act: Revises various sections of the Homeowner/Home Buyer Protection Act. Introduced by Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake.

Adopted 112-1. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB240 — Insurance Changes: Expands the choices for health insurance in North Carolina by exempting health insurance companies from outdated risk exposure requirements; helps mortgage guaranty companies adjust their capital and surplus requirements; and clarifies consumer choice in homeowner’s coverage for wind and hail. Introduced by Rep. Jerry Dockham, R-Davidson.

Adopted 110-1. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB248 — Taxpayer Debt Information Act: Requires disclosure on the ballot that authorization of indebtedness includes interest and that taxes may be levied to repay the indebtedness. Introduced by Rep. Debra Conrad, R-Forsyth.

Adopted 113-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB272 — DOT Condemnation Changes: Provides that interest on a DOT condemnation award shall be paid from the date of taking until the date the judgment is paid and authorizes a defendant in such an action to recover attorneys’ fees and costs if the judgment exceeds the deposit by 35 percent or more. Introduced by Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake.

Adopted 110-1. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB289 — State Computer Equipment/Buy Refurbished: Offers state and local governmental entities the option of purchasing refurbished computer equipment from registered computer equipment refurbishers whenever most appropriate to meet the needs of those entities. Introduced by Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln.

Adopted 112-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB321 — Local Solid Waste Planning: Repeals the requirement that local governments develop and maintain a solid waste management plan. Introduced by Rep. Chuck McGrady, R-Henderson.

Adopted 111-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB333 — Sex Offender Residency/Registration: Provides that a person who fails to register with the sheriff’s office and is arrested outside of the applicable prosecutorial district, the person shall be transferred to the custody of the sheriff of the county where the person failed to register and all further criminal and judicial proceedings shall be held in that county. Introduced by Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan.

Adopted 112-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB449 — State Contracts/Furniture: Provides that a vendor is qualified for purposes of any state furniture requirements contract if the vendor’s products are included on a United States General Services Administration (GSA) furniture schedule, the vendor is a federally qualified vendor for the GSA furniture schedule, and the vendor offers products on the same pricing and specifications as the GSA furniture schedule. Introduced by Rep. Edgar Starnes, R-Caldwell.

Adopted 114-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB482 — Mediation Amendments: Changes the law regarding mediated settlement conferences in superior court, mediation in district court domestic cases, and the regulation of mediators and establishes a dispute resolution fund for monies collected through the existing administrative fee for the certification of mediators and mediation training programs. Introduced by Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland.

Adopted 112-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB584 — Suspend Truck Inspection/Severe Weather: Allows the governor to temporarily suspend routine weight inspections of trucks prior to severe weather events. Introduced by Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin.

Adopted 110-4. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB588 — Public School Report Flexibility: Makes individualied education program forms more efficient and reduces the frequency of certain education reports. Introduced by Rep. Chris Whitmire, R-Transylvania.

Adopted 114-0. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HR667 — Honor U.S. Army Reserve: Celebrates the 105th anniversary of the United States Army Reserve and honors the memory of the members of the U.S. Army Reserve who have given their lives while serving our nation. Introduced by the House Rules Committee.

Adopted 112-0

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HB719 — Education Improvement Act of 2013: Establishes the North Carolina Educator Effectiveness and Compensation Task Force for the purpose of making recommendations on whether to create a statewide model of incentives to encourage the recruitment and retention of highly effective educators and to consider the transition to an alternative compensation system for educators. Introduced by Rep. Bryan Holloway, R-Stokes.

Adopted 113-1. Sent to the Senate for consideration

YES

John Bell, George Graham

HR940 — Honor Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity: Celebrates the founders of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and congratulates the members of the fraternity for their 99 years of outstanding service. Introduced by the House Rules Committee.

Adopted 111-0

YES

John Bell, George Graham

SB91 — Prohibit Expunction Inquiry (House Version): Clarifies the law pertaining to administrative action that may be taken by an occupational licensing board as a result of expunged charges or convictions and prohibits an employer, educational institution, or State or local government agency from requesting that an applicant provide information regarding an arrest, criminal charge, or criminal conviction of the applicant that has been expunged. Introduced by Sen. Warren Daniel, R-Burke.

Adopted 87-25. Returned to the Senate for concurrence

YES

John Bell, George Graham

SB122 — Sex Trafficking/Sex Offender Registration: Adds the offense of human trafficking to the list of criminal convictions that require registration under the sex offender and public protection registration program. Introduced by Sen. Thom Goolsby, R-New Hanover.

Adopted 110-0. Sent to the governor for approval

YES

John Bell, George Graham

SB148 — Steel Tubing Exemption: Exempts the bonding of corrugated stainless steel tubing gas piping systems from licensing requirements under the laws pertaining to electrical contractors. Introduced by Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake.

Adopted 111-0. Sent to the governor for approval

YES

John Bell, George Graham

Senate Roll-Call Votes

SB181 — Auto Insurance/Young Driver Classification: Aligns auto insurance risk and rates in North Carolina by allowing the classification of young drivers as a factor in the setting of rates. Introduced by Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson.

Adopted 43-1. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB222 — Controlled Substance Reporting: Revises the North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting System act include new report deadlines for all Schedule II through V controlled substances. Introduced by Sen. Austin Allran, R-Catawba.

Adopted 48-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB239 — Amends N.C. Business Corporation Act: Makes various revisions to the North Carolina Business Corporation Act. Introduced by Sen. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg.

Adopted 46-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB344 — Vintage Auto Inspections: Allows for the issuance of title by the Division of Motor Vehicles to the owner of out‑of‑state motor vehicles that are 35 model years old or older if the License and Theft Bureau of the DMV fails to complete an inspection and verification of the vehicle’s identification number within 15 days of receiving a request for inspection and verification. Introduced by Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus.

Adopted 44-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB358 — Guaranteed Asset Protection Waivers: Authorizes that guaranteed asset protection waivers can be issued in this state. Introduced by Sen. Wesley Meredith, R-Cumberland.

Adopted 43-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB426 — Deadline/Audit Response: Changes the deadline to 10 days from receipt of a draft report from the N.C. State Auditor for an audit response to a performance audit. Introduced by Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon.

Adopted 41-5. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB430 — Clarify Electric Load Control Process: Exempts from permitting requirements persons installing electric load control switches under the laws regulating electrical contractors. Introduced by Sen. Harry Brown, R-Onslow.

Adopted 44-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB456 — Designate Primary Stroke Centers: Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to designate qualified hospitals as primary stroke centers.
Introduced by Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne.

Adopted 44-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB635 — Transmission Line Ownership: Clarifies that only incumbent providers may construct a new electricity transmission line. Introduced by Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson.

Adopted 42-4. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB639 — Board of Agriculture Modifications: Clarifies the authority of the Board of Agriculture over plants, including the designation of plants as noxious aquatic weeds. Introduced by Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson.

Adopted 44-2. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

SB712 — ID Card for Homebound Persons: Allows the Division of Motor Vehicles to develop a process whereby persons who are homebound can apply for a special photo identification card by means other than personal appearance. Introduced by Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake.

Adopted 44-0. Sent to the House for consideration

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

HB75 — Kilah’s Law/Child Abuse Penalties: Increases the penalty for various criminal offenses of felony child abuse and requires an official record of the offense involving child abuse. Introduced by Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union.

Adopted 46-0. Sent to the governor for approval

YES

Don Davis, Louis Pate

What is it with the month of April?

Why has so much craziness jumped off during this month? Is it that everyone has been pinned up all winter and when the weather warms up ,all the craziness must bubble to the surface? Or is it that college basketball has ended and everyone realizes football season doesn’t start for another four months?

I am going to leave out the fact that two of my nutso ex-girlfriends were born during April, which automatically moves April to the top of the list of supernatural events for a month. However, here’s a look at some of the other awful events from the first month of Spring from Savannah’s WTOC.com:

April 14, 1865 — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln leads the country through the Civil War. But he was shot dead at Ford’s Theatre just five days after the Confederacy surrendered.

April 20, 1889 — Adolf Hitler was born. He would go on to be one of the worst dictators of all time. He is responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

April 4, 1968 — Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the civil rights movement was shot dead. He is credited with being one of the most influential people surrounding the civil rights movement. He is celebrated each year with a national day of observance.

April 19, 1993 — The 50 day siege known as the “Waco Massacre” on Mount Carmel Center ended after days of fighting after a religious group called the Branch Davidians killed four federal agents and holed up at the ranch property. The siege ended when the Mount Caramel Center went up in flames, killing 76 people.

April 19, 1995 — The Oklahoma City bombings killed 168 people and injured more than 680 people. The blast took place at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. It is said to have caused more than $652 million worth of damage.

April 24, 1995 — The “Unabomber,” later identified as Ted Kaczynski, engaged in nationwide bombing for years, killing three people and injuring 23 others. The last of his victims was killed April 24, 1995.

April 20, 1999 — This day, the U.S. dealt with one of the worst school shootings in history. Two seniors at Columbine High School shot and killed 12 students and one teacher on the campus in Colorado. Twenty-one other students were injured.

April 16, 2007 — A senior at Virginia Tech shot and killed 32 people and hurt 17 others in two separate attacks before he turned the gun on himself. The Virginia Tech attack is still the bloodiest school shooting in history.

April 15, 2013 — Two separate bombs went off at the end of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and wounding an estimated 170 others. One of the suspects were killed Friday morning; the other was arrested late Friday night.

Is that not a ton of tragedy for one month, when you consider Hitler, Lincoln, Waco and Oklahoma City all occurred during the same month? Is April the month the anti-Christ is supposed to be born? Maybe I should just plan on staying in my house for the entire month from now on.

I am sure, with research, a case can be made for another time of the year. However, these are some pretty terrible tragedies that have occurred in this country during the last 20 years alone. I thought spring was supposed to be a time of “new life” — not all this bad stuff.

Richard Clark is the consolidated desk chief for Halifax ENC; his column appears in this space every Sunday. You can reach him at 910-219-8452 or at Richard.Clark@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at kpaws22.

A rash of car break-ins occurred in the county in the early morning hours Saturday.

“From what I gather,” Lenoir County Sheriff Chris Hill said, “the city has been having a number of break-ins in the past few weeks.”

But Friday night and early Saturday, the Crestview area behind Bethel Christian Academy was targeted.

“Thieves are going through cars that are unlocked,” Hill said, “and stealing such things as change and GPS units — anything that’s portable and light.”

That may include firearms, a “hot commodity,” he said.

In Kinston, the Colonial Pines area off Rouse Road has been targeted for some time. The thieves are hitting sub-developments and taking items that are quick to steal, Hill said.

Residents in both the city and county need to have a “heightened sense of awareness” about the potential of thefts, he said.

“Please take the time to go out and make sure their car is locked,” Hill urges residents. “If you can’t lock the car, remove any valuables — especially GPS units, cash or firearms.”

The sheriff’s office has no suspects at this time. They are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can provide credible information which leads to the arrest of the suspect or suspects.

To provide information, citizens are asked to go to co.lenoir.nc.us/sheriff.html and click on e-tips or call 252-559-6140 or 252-559-6100.

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

Reward offered

If you have information about the rash of break-ins in Lenoir County, you can earn a $1,000 reward. Call 252-559-6140 or 252-559-6100 or visit co.lenoir.nc.us/sheriff.html for more information.

With less than three months before filing officially begins for the office, there is finally an announced candidate for mayor of Kinston — and it’s a name that’s familiar to many in the city.

Ralph A. Clark, the former city manager of Kinston, shared his plans with The Free Press last week in an exclusive interview. He said there were several reasons for announcing his candidacy.

“First of all, I think I can win,” Clark said. “Secondly, I think I bring a lot to the table that most won’t bring. … I have 30 years in local government and I think my philosophies have been consistent with what Kinston needs today.”

Mostly, Clark said he felt a sense of duty to Kinston.

“I want to give something back,” he said. “Not often in life can we take some of those expertises we have and give back somewhere. I think I have a lot to give back; I have a lot of understanding about local government and the citizens and how to serve.”

Clark, 66, served as Kinston’s city manager from September 1999 through February 2007. In that tenure, the South Boston, Va., native said he learned a lot about Kinston.

“The first thing I faced was Hurricane Floyd,” Clark said. “We spent basically five years trying to recover from Hurricane Floyd.”

He also cited his experience with WASA and his role in getting Kinston on board with that organization.

When he left Kinston in 2007, he joined PowerServices of Raleigh as the director of management services. Because of his mother-in-law’s advanced age, he bought a house in Roxboro a few years ago to be closer to her. Clark and his wife split their time between Roxboro and Kinston; he made his first foray into municipal politics when he was named to the Roxboro City Council in 2010 to fill an unexpired term.

He ran for the seat in 2011, but didn’t win.

“I was too much of an outsider in Roxboro,” Clark said.

Current Kinston Mayor B.J. Murphy announced he was not running for reelection in February, while city council members Joe Tyson (who also serves as mayor pro tem) and Robbie Swinson have insisted neither is interested in the position.

Early last month, Danny Rice, the national director for Woodmen of the World and one of the catalysts for the Woodmen Community Center being built in Kinston, told The Free Press he is not considering a run for the office although he was considered the front-runner by citizens on both sides of the aisle.

Clark said he chatted with Rice, Tyson, Swinson and many others before making his decision to run.

He said he’s excited about this being Kinston’s first nonpartisan election.

“I am a registered Democrat, but it’s one of those things where if I’m elected, I will represent all the people in Kinston, not just one party,” Clark said. “I look at it from that perspective.”

Filling empty buildings in downtown, narrowing the gap between ElectriCities and Duke Progress in residents’ utility bills and the city’s utility system reliability are some of the big issues he said is facing Kinston.

“The city has to focus on growing internally and find ways to do that,” he said. “There are some obstacles, but I think they can be overcome.”

The Kinston mayor’s race is one of the highlights of the 2013 election season. There are also two of the five city council positions up for grabs — those of Swinson and Bobby Merritt; neither has officially indicated whether or not they’re going to run for reelection. There are also municipal elections being held in Pink Hill and La Grange this year.

Bryan C. Hanks can be reached at 252-559-1074 or at Bryan.Hanks@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at BCHanks.

Ralph A. Clark, candidate for mayor of Kinston

Age: 66

Family: wife, Edith Myers Clark; two daughters, Yvette and Sherri; five grandchildren

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Averett College

Employment: Director of management services for PowerServices of Raleigh

Party: Democratic

Associations: First Presbyterian Church of Kinston

This is Part 1 of a four-part series to recap and understand what went wrong with Greene County’s financial state. Coming Monday: How did it get so bad?

SNOW HILL — Greene County is teetering on financial disaster.

Just three cities and one water and sewer district in North Carolina have had their financial records taken over by the state’s Local Government Commission since it was created in 1931, according to pewstates.org.

It could happen to Greene.

Interim County Manager Richard Hicks said he would give Greene County a 10 on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the worst financial situation.

Former county manager Don Davenport presented to the Board of Commissioners a budget in June with a 5.4 percent property tax increase.

Following citizen outcry, the board announced in June that the assistant county manager/economic developer’s position would be eliminated as of September to save $81,600. This would be the start of shaving down the $518,000 budget shortfall to avoid a tax increase. But further events began to unfold.

A Dec. 12 letter from Sharon Edmundson, director of the Fiscal Management Section of the State Treasury Office, stated, “Fund balance declined primarily because the county significantly over-estimated its revenues in the 2012 budget.”

Davenport took early retirement in December following the announcement the June 30 reserve fund balance was at 6.32 percent — below the 8 percent minimum to cover a month’s worth of expenses.

With the hiring of Hicks in January came numerous revelations of budgetary mistakes, and the finance officer, Shawna Wooten, resigned in February.

Out of 192 revenue accounts in the 2011-12 budget, 105 were overestimated to the tune of $2.67 million, but the under-budgeted expenditures offset it by $1.2 million, leaving a shortage of $1.6 million.

This year’s budget also included a slew of omissions and revenue overages. With Hicks making cuts and amendments, he said he hopes to get the current $700,000 shortage down below $300,000.

One recent omission was a $693,000 loan payment for the new intermediate school.

But a group of citizens say they knew back in June something was drastically wrong with the budget. A budget workshop — one of two held before the budget was passed — was held in what was termed by the group as “the closet,” a small office conference room.

“Following that meeting,” Arba resident Jody Tyson said, “the parody of answers that were given made a lot of people leave scratching their heads.”

There were more questions than answers.

Carolyn Newcomb of Snow Hill said the budget “numbers did not fit.”

Scuffleton resident Chuck Stokes agreed and added further insight.

“Things we were being told just weren’t adding up,” he said, “and (commissioners) tried to raise property taxes 5 cents and that was a pretty significant jump and they were trying to do it pretty quickly and they were having meetings, not necessarily in an open forum. I’m not going to say they were trying to avoid the public, but they definitely were on the fast track for a property tax increase.”

Snow Hill resident Laura Exum asked questions at numerous board meetings to a silent board and county manager, while referring to the “smoke and mirrors budget.”

Rather than answering citizens’ questions, Commissioner James Shackleford directed them to ask Davenport their questions, which brought out heated remarks from the public.

Susan Blizzard of Hookerton began to appeal to the board on behalf of the employees, who hadn’t received a raise in four years.

“If they continue on this path they’re on with the county employees,” she said about the commissioners, “they’re going to break (the employees’) backs and that is going to be a crisis.”

Commissioners said they were surprised by the budgetary revelations and didn’t know the fund balance was in critical shape until the December audit report.

“No, I did not think it would be this bad,” Commissioner Jack Edmondson said, “but then when you’ve got a jail payment of $517,000 and a new school at $693,000 — that’s a million-210 — you’ve got to set aside for those payments every year.”

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

GreeneCountyfiscal year 2012-2013 amendments

Budget line items                  Budget             Actual              Shortfall

Intermediate school loan       0                      690,000             690,000

State inmate fee                    360,000           140,000             220,000

Federal inmate fee                100,000             0                      100,000

Ambulance fees                    825,000             735,000             90,000

Justice Center loan               517,000             568,000             51,000

Quarter-cent tax                      80,000              43,500              36,500

Tax-exempt status renewal     0                        30,000              30,000

GREENVILLE — Noah Roberts saw a seam in the defense. Like any veteran would do, he made a swift move, eluded the opposition, and dashed toward the end zone. 

Thirty, 20, 10, 5 — touchdown.

Roberts, an 8-year-old from Wilmington, won’t be suiting up for East Carolina on Saturdays. But, for one day, he made the big play.

In 2010, Roberts was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disease in which patients develop multiple soft tumors, according to medical-dictionary.com. He’s had two tumors removed from his brain and one from his spinal cord.

Roberts, in third grade, scampered to the end zone for the final score in the Pirates’ annual Purple-Gold spring football game on Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Roberts was awarded the game ball and then lifted on the shoulders of the Pirates’ football team as if he had won the national championship.

ECU strength and conditioning coach Jeff Connors brought Roberts to a practice last season.

It was an instant connection.

“Noah is special to us,” ECU coach Ruffin McNeill said. “We’ve had Noah as a part of our team for the past two years. You can see how the kids reacted to Noah, so that tells you what he means to us.

“He has a great mom, a great dad and a great family. They are Pirates and they are a part of our team.”

With former Pirates and current NFL players Vontae Leach, Linval Joseph and Dwayne Harris back in Greenville, the current ECU squad gave the fans in attendance a sample of what to look forward to when August rolls around.

Quarterback Shane Carden, who passed for 3,116 yards last season, shared time under center with Cody Keith, Kurt Benkert and Ethan Long.

Carden completed 14 of his 22 passes from 137 yards and a touchdown to Lance Ray. Keith threw for 104 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Cannon.

“We have a lot of good receivers and a lot of good athletes,” Carden said. “All the quarterback has to do is spread the ball around and let them make plays.

“We’ve had a whole offseason together now, so we have to keep getting our timing down and getting better with these guys.”

Havelock native Danny Webster Jr. snagged a game-high eight passes for 93 yards. Justin Jones corralled five receptions for 47 yards and Cannon added three catches for 40 yards.

“I think the spring has gone pretty well for us,” Webster said. “We had a couple mistakes here and there and a couple penalties.

“We have a talented team and the chemistry is getting there. The offense is rolling right now.”

Playing without the top two running backs, Cory Hunter racked up 61 rushing yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.

The Pirates’ defense, led by new coordinator Rick Smith, showed signs of potential.

Chip Thompson picked off a pass from Carden. The Pirates had three sacks and blocked a field goal.

“I think they’ve come along fine,” McNeill said. “Rick is steady in installing his package and belief. The young men have adapted to Rick.

“Rick is demanding a lot from them. He will keep developing them.”

East Carolina, coming off an 8-5 season, will open fall practice on Aug. 1. The Pirates host Old Dominion in the season-opener on Aug. 31.

Notes: The announced attendance was 6,294. … Defensive end Lee Pegues ran the football on a fake punt. … Running back Vintavious Cooper, ECU’s 1,000-yard rusher from a year ago, missed the spring game while serving a suspension. … Chris Hairston, listed on the spring depth chart as a back-up running back, was out with an arm injury. Also out were wide receiver Chris Cacciola, defensive end Justin Dixon, safety Damon Magazu, defensive end Matt Milner and running back Jamal Tillman. All were held out because of injuries.

Adam Thompson can be reached at 252-635-5669 or at Adam.Thompson@newbernsj.com. Follow Adam on Twitter: @Adam_matic.

Troy Jones threw a gem, but his offense didn’t allow it to shine.

The left-hander held Southeastern Community College to just three hits, but was done in by some bad base running and an offense that couldn’t find the holes as Lenoir Community College fell 3-2 on Saturday for its second one-run loss in a row.

“I’m disappointed,” Lancers coach Stony Wine said. “Jones pitched a heck of a ballgame, and we couldn’t help him out because of our mistakes.

“We’re a better team that what we showed out there today.”

D.J. Graham doubled off Jones to start the game. After being sacrificed to third, Graham scored on Zack Brown’s sacrifice fly to right field for the early 1-0 lead.

Jones, a Virginia native, retired the next 12 he faced and 18 of the next 19 overall while waiting on his offense to do something.

It never did.

Rams left-hander Eric DuBose was equally impressive, holding LCC (27-11, 14-7 Division II Region X) to four hits across eight innings. DuBose gave the Lancers plenty of pitches to hit, but when they made contact it was right at a defender.

And when they got on base, they ran themselves out of chances.

Jones Senior product Kyle Smith drew a one-out walk for LCC in the first but was picked off. Robbie Hiser had a sure double over the head of centerfielder Alex Dockery in the second inning but inexplicably stopped running between first and second and was tagged out.

Corey Nygard tried to get things going with a one-out walk in the fourth but consecutive fielder’s choices that got the lead runner erased that threat.

Hiser, who’s RBI double in the fifth gave the Lancers their first run and tied it at 1-all, was picked off at first after a two-out walk in the seventh. Sam Remick singled to begin the home-half of the eighth but was left their after three straight fly-ball outs.

Trent Murray was hit with a two-out pitch by Cody Dix in the ninth, but the same result ensued. The Greene Central product was left there when Tyler Tant flied out to center field to end the game and give Dix his first save.

DuBose (1-2) fanned three and walked three in eight innings for his first win, according to stats at NJCAA.org.

“Their pitcher did good, but we didn’t make the necessary adjustments that we needed to. We just kind of went through the motions at the plate,” said Wine, whose team generated 11 groundball outs and eight in the air. “We just didn’t play with any enthusiasm today.”

DuBose hit Tant with a pitch to begin the Lancers’ half of the fifth, which turned into their first run on Hiser’s double to the gap in left-center. A sacrifice bunt by Remick put Hiser at third, and he scored on Stephen Butt’s sac fly to right to give LCC a 2-1 lead.

Gray Dixon singled off Jones to start the eighth for Southeastern’s third and final hit, and was moved over on a sac bunt by Derrick Bracey. A pair of fielder’s choices to try and get Dixon went for naught, and Dixon wound up scoring as well as A.J. Perkins, who came home on Corbin Bednarczyk’s sacrifice to left.

Jones retired the side in the ninth, but his offense came up short once again as the Rams (21-18, 14-8) won for the 12th straight time and for the 17th time in their last 18 games. LCC, which had its seven-game win streak snapped in a 3-2 loss at Louisburg College on Wednesday, dropped its second in a row.

Jones (5-2) struck out seven and didn’t walk any in a 108-pitch complete-game outing.

The teams will convene at Lancer Field again today for a doubleheader beginning at noon. Saturday’s originally scheduled doubleheader was turned into one nine-inning game due to the rain that fell over night.

Wine hopes the ineffectiveness of his offense will sink in overnight.

“This is embarrassing,” he said. “Southeastern is a good team, but we’re better than that.

“If my guys want to win the (Region X) tournament like they say they do, they’re going to have to put forth more of an effort.”

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

Southeastern C.C.            100         000         020—3  3              0

Lenoir C.C.                        000         020         000—2  4              1

DuBose, Dix (9) and McGee; Jones and Remick. W—DuBose. L—Jones. Sv—Dix. 

Visual Improvement Award presented

First Citizens Bank, 800 N. Queen St., was presented the Visual Improvement Award for the month of March. Participating in the presentation were Adrian King, Sammy C. Aiken and Barbara LaRoque, with the Appearance Commission; and William Whaley, La Shonda Harrison, Monique Monroe and Liz Dolin with First Citizens Bank.

The Visual Improvement Award is presented by the City of Kinston’s Appearance Commission.

Home Solutions: Fix the leaks, conserve water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program encourages Americans to check and replace leaky plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems, helping households save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year and as much as 10 percent on utility bills.

Easy-to-fix household leaks waste more than a trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, which equals the amount of water used by more than 11 million homes. When you waste water, you also lose money due to higher utility bills. That’s why fixing a leak is so important.

In just 10 minutes, businesses and homeowners can check water bills and fixtures for water waste; twist and tighten pipe and hose connections; and consider replacing broken or inefficient fixtures with WaterSense-labeled models.

If water usage for a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, it’s likely there is a leak problem. Here are some easy tips to try.

Put a few drops of food coloring in the back of the toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl before flushing, it may be time to replace the flapper.

Check outdoor hoses for damage from winter frost and tighten connections at the water source.

For in-ground sprinkler systems, a professional certified through a WaterSense-labeled program can inspect sprinkler heads and pipes for signs of leakage and help homeowners maintain an efficient system and healthy lawn.

Check additional plumbing and outdoor fixtures for leaks. They may just need a quick twist or pipe tape.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of the nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products and services. Since the program’s inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 287 billion gallons of water and $4.7 billion in water and energy bills.

Learn more about fixing leaks, find a certified irrigation professional or search for WaterSense labeled plumbing and irrigation products at epa.gov/watersense.

Source: epa.gov

Trudy W. Pickett is extension family and consumer agent at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Office, 1791 N.C. 11/55. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or trudy_pickett@ncsu.edu.

Four of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices voted to hear challenges to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a federal law, and Proposition 8, a state initiative that led to an amendment to California’s constitution. Both provisions recognize the union between one man and one woman as the only legal definition of marriage.

Four justices can determine whether a case is heard, but five justices must vote together to render a decision. Some observers thought liberal members of the court voted to hear the case. However, emerging evidence suggests the court’s conservative members wanted to undertake the same-sex marriage issue before conservative voices on the court eroded any more – and before public opinion shifts even more.

Watching the U.S. Supreme Court is always a crap shoot, except “Box Cars” on the Supreme Court level adds up to nine instead of 12. Five-four decisions by this court are as common as rolling Lucky Seven.

Despite the unpredictable nature of the Supreme Court, justices are likely to issue a ruling in late June with at least two prongs.

First, the Defense of Marriage Act is likely to be struck down in a 5-4 decision. The key passage serving as the chief focus of constitutional challenge is Sec. 3, which reads:

“In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word 'spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.”

The implications of this wording mean gay employees of the federal government in same-sex relationships, wherever they reside, are prohibited from enjoying the same rights as traditional married couples to insurance or Social Security survivor benefits, as well from filing joint tax returns. This section also affects bankruptcy proceedings, immigration issues and even estate taxes.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg commented during oral arguments that DOMA creates two types of marriage in states recognizing gay marriage. Heterosexual marriages, she said, are full marriages, whereas gay marriages under current federal law are a “sort of skim milk marriage.”

Justices Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor will likely join Ginsburg in striking down DOMA. Justice Anthony Kennedy will be the swing vote, and he will probably vote with the liberal side, but for different reasons.

Kennedy will follow this line of reasoning: marriage has traditionally fallen under the jurisdiction of the states, so each state should be left to decide the issue for itself.

Oddly, another provision of DOMA addresses state concerns. Sec. 2 “Power Reserved to the States” provides:

“No State, territory, or possession of the United States, or Indian tribe, shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other State, territory, possession, or tribe, or a right or claim arising from such relationship.”

This specific provision essentially negates the “full faith and credit” provision of Article IV, Sec. 1, which reads in part:

“Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.” Each state has traditionally granted full faith and credit to the marriages recognized by other states. Gay marriage has changed that recognition.

On Feb. 7, 2012, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, declared Prop 8 unconstitutional. My guess is the Supreme Court will decide to dismiss the challenge to the appeal. If so, that dismissal will be a victory for gay rights since the appellate ruling will stand.

The true uncertainty will be the impact the Supreme Court’s action will have on other states. Justices have already realized their decision cannot possibly be limited to just one state — California. Any decision will have national implications.

On May 8, 2012, North Carolina voters approved an amendment to this state’s constitution that placed a ban against same-sex marriage in the constitution, even though same-sex marriage was already not allowed in this state.

Sixty-one percent of North Carolina voters (1,317,178) voted for the amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Thirty-nine percent (840,802) voted against the amendment.

Old North State voters probably thought they had settled the issue at the ballot box on May 8, 2012.

Maybe not.

Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.

Electricity in Kinston costs about 22 percent more than in, say, Pink Hill.

“And that’s just a terrible thing,” said state Rep. Leo Daughtry of Smithfield, whose city, like Kinston, is part of the decades-old North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Area No. 1 — a group of 32 municipalities named ElectriCities.

The rate difference can be blamed directly on the power crises of the 1970s, including the disaster at Three-Mile Island. ElectriCities owns part of four power plants, including the Sharon Harris nuclear plant west of Raleigh. Construction on that plant, originally intended for four reactors, was halted after only one was built — at twice the expected price.

ElectriCities has been in massive debt ever since. Combined, cities which are part of the organization still owe $1.9 billion on the plant. In Kinston, debt payment accounts for 39 percent of all electric bills.

The math is easy. A solution is not.

Daughtry and three other Republicans have introduced House Bill 708 as an attempt to lower rates in ElectriCities. It received first reading on April 11 in the House and was sent for discussion to the Committee on Finance.

Essentially, the bill would force ElectriCities to use all revenue from the sale of electricity to pay down the debt on the reactor. But Kinston’s city manager says doing that would result in a property tax increase 6 cents per $100 property tax values from 66 cents to 72 cents.

Today, the town transfers $800,000 in electric revenue to the general fund to help pay for services, such as police and fire protection, City Manager Tony Sears said. If that money is sent instead to pay the debt on a power plant that’s almost paid off anyway, he said, Kinston taxpayers “won’t get the best return on their investment.”

Instead, he said, they’ll get a property tax increase, assuming they want city service levels to remain the same. Otherwise, cuts are inevitable.

Without the bill, the debt on the Sharon Harris plant will be paid by 2027. With the bill, it would be paid off a few years early, Sears and Daughtry agree.

“In 12 years, I’m going to lower the (electricity) rate” when the debt expires, Sears said, and it’ll be lower than Duke Energy’s projected rates. “What am I going to do to the property tax rates if the bill passes? Once they go up, they stay up.”

Tough, Daughtry said.

“I don’t dispute that. But the power bill was never intended to supplement the general fund,” he said. “When your (bills are 22) percent higher than your neighbor, that’s a lot. And when you’re poor, that’s a whole lot.”

Daughtry said Kinston residents are finally facing the results of bad decisions made by the legislature years ago, including funding the nuclear power plant.

“We’ve tried everything we know to try to resolve these issues and we’ve got to solve them,” he said.

Sears, however, doesn’t expect the bill to pass. It can’t, he said, without sending property taxes in at least 32 Eastern North Carolina cities sky-rocketing.

“Government costs ‘X,’ ” Sears said. “What we’re really talking about is … you have to find that X.”