Bengals on top after Homecoming win - Matchbin

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4A - Fuquay-Varina Independent, Wednesday, October 12, 2011 O pinion No one should have to be wrestled to the polls hope you exercised your right I to vote in the elections this week. I marked my ballot early that morning and spent the rest of the day proudly displaying my “I Voted” sticker and encouraging my friends to go to their local voting precinct Much of the frustration with modern day politics can be attributed to the fact that a lot of Americans don’t take time to participate in their democracy by voting. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about our political system over the years, but, when I asked them if they voted in the last election, they look at me like I’ve insulted them. “Vote,” they’ll usually snap. “Why do I want to waste my time with that? One vote is not going to make a difference anyway.” Fuquay-Varina Independent (USPS 260-620) fuquay-varinaindependent.com 209 East Vance Street , P.O. Box 669 Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 Phone: (919) 552-5675 Fax: (919) 552-7564 Wendy Welker................................General Manager wwelker@heartlandpublications.com Janet Kangas......................................................Editor jkangas@heartlandpublications.com Linda Wood.................Advertising Representative lwood@heartlandpublications.com Founded July 5, 1935 by Todd Caldwell Ted Vallas Publisher Emeritus Recently, I learned on a television show that, at 11 percent, our current congress approval rating is lower than King George III when he was running the colonies from England. Yet, we seem to send the same representatives to congress year after year. With the gridlock in Washington and the frightening decline of our economy, it baffles me why so many eligible voters decide to stay home on voting day. Our political system is not going to change until we demand change. As long as politicians continue to coddle up to special interests and lobbyists with no consequences for their actions, it’s going to be business as usual in Washington. It’s deeply troubling that in a great country like ours, which has fought so hard for its freedom and democracy, It’s a good week to think about retirement savings You may not see it posted on your calendar, but Oct. 16 – 22 is National Save for Retirement Week. This annual event, endorsed by Congress, is designed to raise awareness about the importance of saving for retirement — so you may want to take some time this week to review your own strategy for achieving the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned. If you’re not convinced of the need for an event such as National Save for Retirement Week, just consider these statistics, taken from the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey: The percentage of workers not at all confident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement grew from 22 percent in 2010 to 27 percent — the highest level measured in the 21 years of the Retirement Confidence Survey. 56 percent of respondents say that the total value of their household’s savings and investments, excluding the value of their primary home and any defined benefit plans (i.e., traditional pension plans) is less than $25,000. Less than half of the respondents say they and/or their spouse have tried to calculate how much money they will need for a comfortable retirement. These numbers are obviously troubling — and they indicate that most of us probably need to put more thought and effort into our retirement savings. What can you do? Here are a few suggestions: Determine how much you’ll need in retirement. Try to define the lifestyle you want during retirement. Will you travel the world or stay close to home? Will you work part time or spend your hours volunteering or pursuing hobbies? Once you know what your retirement might look like, try to estimate how much it might cost. Identify your sources of Financial Focus John T. Braxton retirement income. Take into account your IRA, 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan, Social Security and other savings and investments. How much income will they provide? How much can you withdraw from these vehicles each year without depleting them? Calculate any retirement shortfall. Try to determine if your savings and investments will be enough to provide you with an income stream that’s adequate to meet your retirement needs. If it isn’t, develop an estimate of the size of the shortfall. Take steps to close savings “gap.” If it doesn’t look like you’ll have enough to meet your retirement needs, you may consider adjusting your savings and investment strategy. This may mean contributing more to your IRA, 401(k) and other retirement accounts. Or, perhaps your investment mix may need to be reviewed to find a better balance growth potential with risk. Or you may need to take both of these steps. Monitor your progress. Once you’ve put your investment strategy into place, you’ll need to monitor your progress to make sure you’re on track toward achieving your retirement savings goals. Along the way, you may have to make adjustments, if there are changes in your objectives or your specific situation. Taking these types of action can be challenging, so you may want to work with a professional financial advisor who has the experiences and resources necessary to help you identify and work toward achieving your retirement goals. In any case, though, National Save for Retirement Week is a great time to consider your course of action. John T. Braxton is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments. His office is located in Fuquay-Varina at 108 E. Vance St. If you have any questions about this financial focus article please feel free to call 552-0102. Published every Wednesday by Heartland Publications, LLC. Periodicals postage paid at Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Fuquay-Varina Indepen-dent, P.O. Box 669, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526. Mail Subscription Rates: $24 for one year for areas including Wake County, all Fuquay-Varina postal routes, Willow Spring and Angier. Two years, $46; three years $67. All other mail subscriptions: one year $34; two years, $66; three years, $97. so many citizens all but refuse to get involved in the political process. We depend on our younger generation to be willing to sacrifice their lives fighting for us, yet thousands across the country are not willing to sacrifice an hour once or twice a year at the voting booth J.T. Smith to help them keep our country strong. On a Thursday evening in late August, the president addressed the congress and the nation about our debt crisis. President Obama delivered his speech in an earlier time frame than normal because the NFL was kicking off its season. The president was rightly concerned that more Americans would choose football over the economic welfare of their own country. It’s impossible for the president and his staff to think of everything and they were probably not aware that one of the networks was going to air professional wrestling on the same night. Although I’m not a wrestling fan, the so called sport is extremely popular with thousands of people across the country. The satellite service to which I subscribe provides an updated list of the top five shows being viewed at a particular hour. I checked the list periodically during the president’s speech to congress and I was disappointed to see that more viewers were watching wrestling than tuning into the leader of the free world. Whether people agree with the president, or not, they need to be informed about the serious issues this nation is facing. Watching wrestling is no excuse for ignorance about important current events that are taking place in our country. The day after the president’s speech, I was disappointed to learn that a couple of my friends were clueless about what he said because they had watched wrestling instead. It’s enough to make me want to put these uninformed citizens in a headlock and hold them there until they agree to o participate in our democracy. They can start by voting and paying closer attention to what our political leaders have to say. No one should have to be wrestled to the polls. Sparks’s new book is good news for the East The launch of a North Carolina author’s book this week will give economic development in eastern North Carolina a nice boost. New Bern’s Nicholas Sparks’s “The Best of Me” made its way on to the bestseller lists before its official Oct. 11 release date. It is bound to be another blockbuster for Sparks, who has sold over 100 million copies of his earlier books. Warner Brothers has the movie rights to the new book, and rumors have production beginning next year with Sparks as co-producer. What does the new book have to do with economic development in the Coastal Plain? First of all, the book’s royalty checks will go to New Bern, where Sparks lives. For every million copies sold, there could be three to four million dollars into Sparks’s mailbox. Plus the movie income, which could be considerable. Secondly, like most of Sparks’s books, his stories are set in Eastern North Carolina, most often in and around New Bern. Sparks does not paint an idyllic picture of the region. But the region he describes is small town America, close to the water, and full of mostly good people who would welcome new businesses. Thirdly, and most important, Sparks’s success has given him the resources to live anywhere in the world. Having that choice, he lives in New Bern. The message for people looking for good places to site their businesses: There must be something pretty good about this region. Thomas Stith and Nick Didow at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise are working on strate- gies for economic development in the East. They tell me that there are lots and lots of good things already going on there. Talking more about those good things is an important sales one on one D.G. martin point in attracting other good investments. Nicholas Sparks’s continuing personal investments in the East can be a big part of that positive message. Now about the book. “The Best of Me” is set in Pamlico Country’s Oriental, not far from New Bern. Tiny Oriental is best known as the state’s sailing capital, but otherwise it is an undiscovered jewel, and, according to Sparks, a complicated and diverse town. Sparks’s central characters, Dawson and Amanda, had been high school sweethearts, inseparable and deeply in love. But they came from different backgrounds, Dawson from a lowlife, petty crime family, and Amanda from Oriental’s aristocracy. After high school, Amanda was off to Duke, marriage to a Durham dentist, and two children. Meanwhile Dawson was off to prison and then to a solitary life working on an oil rig, still so much in love with Amanda that he never had a serous relationship with another woman. Both came back to Oriental to put to rest a beloved mentor. They follow his detailed instructions, which are designed to bring them back together to deal with their unresolved love for each other while they are putting the old man’s affairs in order. They are drawn back to each other immediately. Strong feelings push to the surface. The question is whether and how the old romance can be rekindled without breaking up Amanda’s marriage and family. Sparks’s clever plot and story-telling gifts will make readers rush to the end, where, with the help of a mysterious ghost and a student at Davidson College, they will find how Sparks resolves the challenge. Sparks does not claim to write literary fiction. Neither did Charles Dickens or Mark Twain make such an assertion. Nor does Sparks claim to be another Dickens or Twain, but his similar ability to craft stories that hold readers to the page and develop characters that call for an emotional and sympathetic response make it quite defensible to put the three names in the same sentence. D.G. Martin hosts UNC-TV’s “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs Fridays at 9:30 p.m and Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information or to view prior programs visit the webpage at www. unctv.org/ncbookwatch/ This week’s (Friday, Oct. 14, and Sunday, Oct. 16) guest is Morehead Scholar and Rhodes Scholar Robyn Hadley, author of “Within View, Within Reach: Navigating the College- Bound Journey.” Robyn Hadley used her experience in counseling students in the Alamance-Burlington school system to write a book for students planning for college. The book is “Within View, Within Reach: Navigating the College- Bound Journey.” Hadley’s good advice might be even more important for parents of prospective college students. (Oct. 14, 16) Letters to the editor are an excellent forum for the public to express its opinion on topics of local, state, national or international concern. But there are a few rules. Letters are limited to 400 words and must include a name and phone number. The editor reserves the right to edit all copy. Deadline for letters is Thursday at 12 p.m. Material can be faxed at 552-7564, e-mailed to: jkangas@heartlandpublications.com or mailed to Fuquay-Varina Independent, PO Box 669, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526.
admit that I am em- I barrassed to be even writing this column. I have this feeling that people will have this awful vision of me dumpster diving to get free stuff. However, it happened to me this week so I had to share with you. When driving my daughter to school the other day, we passed by a home that was throwing away a Step 2 outdoor playhouse. Being the mother of an active little guy, the playhouse caught my attention and I found myself stopping. Upon further inspection, I found absolutely nothing wrong with the outdoor playhouse and discovered the owners were truly throwing it away because they no longer wanted it anymore. So being the frugal person that I am, I threw it into my car and took it home. After taking a serious can of Lysol to the entire playhouse, my son had a new fort which he absolutely adores. For those of you who know how much those outdoor playhouses cost, know that I saved between $200 and $400. However, I am ashamed to admit this is not the first item I have gotten off a neighbor’s curb that was meant for trash. My son has a $200 slide and I also have a television entertainment center that I got totally for free. Each time I questioned the owner because I found nothing wrong with the items and they simply were throwing it away. In each case the items looked brand new and required absolutely no work to be done on them. So am I not saying that I would encourage you to go dumpster diving to see what is in your neighbor’s www.kroger.com ADDITIONAL $ 00 OFF 1 ONE DIGITAL COUPON AVAILABLE BIG SAVINGS STOREWIDE Items & prices good in Fuquay-Varina through Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 Fuquay-Varina Independent, Wednesday, October 12, 2011 – 5A Who wants coal in her Christmas stocking? Shirley does, not me on’t be surprised if Dyou happen to see Shirley Simmons, retired school teacher and local historian, up to some mischief in the coming months. What she’s probably doing is attempting to catch the eye of Santa Claus who is famous for putting coal in the stockings of bad girls and boys. You see, Shirley needs some coal, a few chunks of that hard, black, smelly stuff many older folks remember well, burning in stoves or fireplace grates or laundry heaters in the years before fuel oil, natural gas and electricity put coal dealers out of business. She can’t find anyone with some left over coal he or she Letters from a College Student: Walking in your purpose Dear Teen: My senior year in high school was one filled with anticipation, excitement, anxiety and fear. Graduation came and went so very quickly on that June morning in 2010. For months leading up to my senior year I believed that I knew what it was that I Letters from was supposed to A CoLLege do with the rest student of my life, like most of you I had some idea of what my life would be like after I graduated and begun the next chapter in my life. I knew in my heart that I definitely wanted CeCe to go to college Willis and pursue my degree, but college is not for everyone and should not be looked down upon when someone makes that choice. Walking in Your Purpose for me is to follow your dreams, and not that of someone else based upon projected income, status or title. Many of us are defined by how we dress, who our friends are, and our lifestyle.Sadly far too many people are not walking in their purpose because they are walking in someone else’s and therefore are not really happy. As I prepared for high school graduation I had so many questions and my mom and I spent a lot of time discussing my goals and dreams. My parents are firm believers in education, and the importance of having some sort of a trade. I have learned in the last year that as you prepare to embark upon this journey called “life”, is to know in your heart that each of us is here for a reason. We each have something to offer the world and have been given the opportunity to do so through our gifts and talents. Second, wake up each day and love what you have been called to do. As you prepare to make choices that can change and have an impact in your life; Spend time in reflection and truly search your heart, seek guidance from those that you trust and always be in a receptive mode to accept the wisdom of those that have been where you are at this very moment. Third, and probably one of the most important lessons instilled in me is to never allow anyone to define you. You know your own strengths and weakness, “WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT.” You are a unique individual and if you have the will then you have the power within you to do great things. Find your passion, embrace it and share it with the rest of the world. The truth is you may change your mind a few times before you discover what it is that you are supposed to do, and that is okay. It will all be worth it in the end when you are truly Walking in Your Purpose with confidence knowing that “You” are the best “You” that “You” can possibly be. Walking in your purpose it’s not just a thought, but a forever dream. Yours Truly, CeCe Willis Pepsi Soft Drinks Select Varieties, 6 pk, 16 oz Bottles Pringles Select Varieties, 5.71-6.73 oz 2$ 5 for With Card ADDITIONAL $ 00 OFF 1 FOUR DIGITAL COUPON AVAILABLE 3$ 4 for With Card Copyright 2011. Kroger Mid-Atlantic. We reserve the right to limit quantities. None sold to dealers. trash. I do not recommend that at all. All the items I found were actually on the curb and never placed in the actual can. All my items looked like they had just come from the store’s shelves. I would encourage readers to keep their eyes Visit our website at www.kroger.com for additional savings. Kroger Cheese Select Varieties, 6-8 oz 2$ 4 for With Card open and be alert. One man’s trash could very easily be another man’s treasures. REMEMBER I want to remind readers to remember to try and use your coupons with store sales. This week, I was able White Seedless Grapes Tyson Split Chicken Breast Fresh, USDA Grade A 99 Every Tuesday is SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAY Every Senior born in 1954 or before will receive a DISCOUNT on your total grocery bill 5 % (Alcohol, Tobacco & Pharmacy Prescriptions Excluded) Wednesday 10/12 Fuquay-Varina Independent 1137 to purchase several boxes of cereal for 69 cents. I did this by simply matching an in store sale and adding a coupon on top of it. Do you have a tip on how to save money, email your money saving ideas to localnews2005@yahoo.com Get a flu shot TODAY so you can keep doing what you do! NEW! Needle free fl u shots. Covered by Medicare Part B. Ask your pharmacist about our complete line of in store vaccinations. Tide Laundry Detergent Select Varieties, Liquid, 24-32 Loads $ 599With Card Nature Valley or Fiber One Cereal Bars Select Varieties, 5-12 ct General Mills Cereal Select Varieties, 11.2-18 oz Progresso Soup Select Varieties, 18.5-19 oz 2$ 5 for With Card ADDITIONAL $ 00 OFF 2 EIGHT DIGITAL COUPON AVAILABLE Look for the special yellow tags for participating products! Fried, Chipotle, Baked or BBQ Baked Chicken, 8 pc Includes: 2 Breasts, 2 Thighs, 2 Wings, 2 Drumsticks $ 129 With Card lb ¢ With Card lb Visit Kroger.com beginning Wednesday, October 12 through Tuesday, October 25 to download a special offer every day! Plus... Save even more with digital coupons that can be loaded directly to your card! 8$ 10 10$ 10 Grands or Grands for for With Junior Biscuits With Card Select Varieties, 4-10 ct Card “Don’t be afraid to open up to people.” In December of 1997 my doctor performed a breast exam during this offi ce visit for the fl u. He found the lump in my left breast and sent me for a biopsy. I had surgery two weeks later to remove the lump. I had six treatments of chemo and 28 doses of radiation. The most important factor that helped me through my treatment and recovery was the support of Kroger customers and co-workers at the store where I was assigned. They say going through cancer treatment is like you are on a pathway, but I felt like I was on a highway because I had so much support from the zone staff, co-workers and customers. Look for inspirational stories by visiting www.sharingcourage.com Deborah Farmer, Survivor & Kroger Associate GR 00 1255 9 34 A 1 24/3 OZ $ RETAIL PRICE 0005000050000 UNIT PRICE PER OUNCE PARTICIPATING ITEM ¢ SAVE SAVE BIG BIG Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen, Select Varieties, 11-12 oz Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls Select Varieties, 5 ct Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, 3$ 5 for With Card Dear Editor, in regards to Mr. Olan E. Fuquay’s letter. I had recently passed through your community, and read the letter to the editor from Mr. Fuquay. It is so refreshing to hear the truth spoken, in an articulate manner. I would like to thank the newspaper for printing the article, and more importantly Mr. Fuquay. Bounty Paper Towels Select Varieties, 6 Big or 8 Regular Rolls Charmin Bathroom Tissue Select Varieties, 12 Double Rolls or 16 Basic Double Rolls Everyday Unlimited Manufacturers DOUBLE COUPONS Best Regards, Tom Maxon Pittsburgh, Pa. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure frugAL fAmiLy stephAnie eAton Harvie would like to contribute to Fuquay-Varina’s Centennial Museums, specifically the first post office building. Shirley has a coal scuttle for the post office, but no coal. Back in the town’s early days most residents of the Fuquay Springs and Varina areas burned coal to keep their homes warm. Many burned wood in their cook stoves, but coal was the choice for general heating. Frances Clark Snipes remembers well. Her father, Carville Clark, was the local coal dealer, the only one as far as his daughter knows. She re- independentLy speAking shirLey Hayes members that the coal yard was on a small street off Highway 42 west. Coal was ordered by businesses and residents by the ton and delivered by truck. Clark also owned an Esso station on Main Street. I, too, remember the coal-burning days well. My family lived in one side of a local residence-turned – duplex. In my day we had a dark red enamelcoated stove with a swinging door on the front. It burned coal and had to be fed from time to time during the day—and maybe the night. My parents went out behind the house to the coal pile to refill a scuttle. That stove kept our four-room apartment warm the best I remember. We moved when I was eight into a just-built five-room house that was heated by a centrally located oil stove. I never remember thinking about coal again. Don’t know when it vanished from residential areas. It appears no one around saved any as souvenirs. Maybe Santa Claus did. There are probably a few naughty children about and, of course, there is Shirley Simmons. P. S. If anyone out there knows where Shirley can find a few chunks of coal before Christmas, let her know. She would like to get goodies in her stocking. Her number is 552-5562. Letter to the Editor Kroger Value Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs Fresh, USDA Inspected, Value Pack 99 ¢ With Card lb $ 499With Card 50 ¢ In the DELI ADDITIONAL $ 00 OFF 1 ONE DIGITAL COUPON AVAILABLE $ 699With Card up to & Including a face value of See Store for details
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Bengals on top after Homecoming win - Matchbin

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