What a Week

Looking back over this week's events we can only say what a week it was. The week began on a somber note, the fifth anniversary of 9-11. Two Monday morning events marked the remembrance. First, there was the dedication of the Woodmen of World Flagpole at the Lenoir County Courthouse and afterward the dedication of the 9-11 Memorial at Neuseway Park. Both were excellent services. City and county elected officials had participatory roles in the first service, but someone forgot to tell the Mayor it was a formal ceremony and not a casual Friday office gathering. We wonder what the choral students from Woodington Middle School thought when they saw the other officials in appropriate attire and the city's highest official without coat and tie. Students that age are very impressionable. Mr. Mayor, save the golf shirt for your next LCC Foundation Golf Tournament photo op.

Tuesday, 11 percent of eligible voters for the Special Election for House District 10 between Rep. Stephen LaRoque and Willie Ray Starling woke up and remembered to go to the polls. Who knows where the other 89 percent were? Mark Nov. 7 on your calendar. Everybody will have a chance to vote for somebody for something. We challenge everyone to show a little initiative. Go to the polls. It's a small price to pay for the justified right to gripe about everything government does. If you don't vote, practice silence. You didn't do anything to help your candidate win.

To say the Special Election was a marathon of mud slinging is an understatement. Rep. LaRoque saw the writing on the wall even before the final precinct results were reported. Much to the embarrassment of a number of Republicans gathered at the county Board of Elections headquarters, former Lenoir County GOP Chairman Jimmy Rouse bolted through the door and declared people were still voting at Precinct 4 well after the closing time. He ordered Starling's entourage to join him on a trip to Northwest School. Oops!..before they got there, the truth came out. Machines would not close down and technicians were already there to handle the problem. Rouse's actions motivated some people to change party affiliation early the next day.

Of course news about one election sparks comments about another. Democrat Van Braxton is pledging not to get into the gutter between now and the general election. In the Free Press he was quoted as saying it would be a team effort ' "something that has not been seen in the past." Was he referring to LaRoque's reluctance to get the city council's blessing prior to introducing a certain House Bill? Braxton doesn't have LaRoque to worry about anymore…but we suggest he doesn't sell Willie Ray short. Tell him to ask LaRoque.

Yes, we've said too much about elections. It's time to turn our attention to the lighter side. More than 75 people attended a tourism symposium in Kinston this week where it was practically assured the CSS Neuse will be moving downtown. Oh that stirs up another controversy…so let's forget it all and go to the Lenoir County Fair next week.

Oh my, there's a feud between the Kinston Jaycees and the Lenoir County Fair Association. What's next? We can bet on one thing - if the CSS Neuse and Neuse II squabbles continue, and the Jaycees and the Fair Association can't work out details "fair" to everyone there will be a Demolition Derby somewhere.