BY MILES LAYTON

A round-up of all things from God’s country…

Bob Kirby called the other day as I was pulling into the driveway.  

Here’s his story – Bob needed some special medicine for his dog that’s many years old. He needed to send the proper veterinary prescription to the pharmacist – long story short – the US Mail fell short, very short. Though Bob paid a premium for the right priority mail envelope, even had tracking, his package with the medicine that his painstricken dog desperately needed was held up in Richmond, Va. 

Yeah, you read that right. In Eastern NC, our mail is sent to Richmond for processing rather than Raleigh or Rocky Mount, which was never ideal to begin with. Bob said that this system has been in place for about a year.  

Richmond!? That’s absurd.  I’d support the change if it made things more efficient or served as a cost savings, but that’s never the case.

I don’t blame our local postal carriers – they do their job without complaint, often with a smile. I can say Edenton’s are excellent, certainly the same can be said for postal workers whether they serve Swan Quarter or Plymouth, Columbia or Hertford, Windsor or Washington.

That said, the postal system is broken, and there’s no denying that it has been broken for years. When local post offices were phased out in favor of regional hubs, the quality of mail service began to decline.

Having lived in rural areas, I know how vital the local post office is, often considered a community center.

In tiny Tangier, Virginia, folks greet each other at the post office, a place where meeting notices and announcements for community happenings and bake sales are posted on the front window as you walk in the door. Most folks even know the Postmaster on a first-name basis. 

Moreover, local postal carriers know better the people and places they serve. They know that when the low spot on NC 94 is covered with water a few miles outside Columbia, that means they’ll have to take another way to deliver the mail in Tyrrell County. Rather than leaving a package in the rain, they know where to put the mail if, for example, I’m out walking the dog.

And they know the importance of processing that pallet of local newspapers rather than letting it sit in the back for the night shift to handle as happens at regional mail hubs that don’t care if the Bug Tussle Gazette arrives on time in Petticoat Junction in Green Acres County. Really, have you ever noticed that the Saturday edition arrives on Monday…

Most everything the government touches, no matter whether it’s good-intentioned or not, usually turns out worse for wear. 

I love this timeless quote from former President Reagan.  

​​”The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’”

Mail – Bob, I hope by the time I write this note that your dog has gotten its medicine.  

Speaking of mail, that slow delivery explains why local newspapers, always yesterday’s news, are even slower when arriving in mailboxes – doesn’t matter where, town or country. 

I used to deliver “missed” newspapers to our community — the local news that got lost or held up in the mail – so I know that slow-to-no delivery affected the customer’s goodwill. That’s another reason newspaper circulation figures have dropped, leading to the spread of news deserts – places where there is no viable media outlet – or ghost papers, those understaffed papers that would close instantly if it weren’t for legal advertisements, also known as tax subsidies.  

In other news, Chowan County Schools begin classes on Monday. Go Aces!  

Per JAHHS Principal Sonya Rinehart: Good afternoon ACES Family! The 2025-2026 school is here! Our staff has been working hard to ensure you have an incredible year. Thank you to all who attended Open House and were able to navigate your class schedule as well as receive your chromebook. We will open our doors on Monday starting at 7:45 am with class promptly starting at 8 am. Please ensure you plan ahead to arrive on time. Students should report to the campus of their first period class. Grab and Go breakfast will be served on both campus sites. We are thrilled to note that all students eat breakfast and lunch or free this school year. This is a reminder that all students and parents must fill out the proper paperwork and pay the annual $25 fee to receive their chromebook in a timely manner at the start of the school year. Student parking will be by the football field concession stand area only. No students are allowed to park around the JAH Main Campus or the front lot. There will be a sidewalk for students to use once parked to travel to the JAH Main campus site if driving. Please be sure to check out social media for our visual aid. Again we are looking forward to an awesome school year and we will see everyone Monday morning by 8am. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.

Though I love teaching at Mattamuskeet School, I’m going to miss being a substitute teacher at JAHSS – good kids. 

Monday, watch for school buses. Other school systems are set to return to business, too. 

Aces play their home opener against North Johnston on Friday. 100 years of Aces football – more on that later.  

And check this out — Per Aces’ AD Wes Mattera, Hailey Roberson is set for a record-breaking volleyball season. Roberson is probably over 100 on blocks now and she is 19 kills away from 500 career kills, which is huge

Home games: Gates plays Pasquotank and Perquimans plays Northampton.  

Away: Bertie v Martin County… Maxpreps says Thursday? And Washington Co. plays John Paul Catholic… Maxpreps says Thursday.  

As we receive scores, we’ll post them. Coaches, no matter what the sport, please connect with me at mileslayton1969@gmail.com