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News from God’s country…
This week’s column talks about Corey Gooden, a Spanish American War statue and the Chowan County Regional Fair. Other columns say Christians are persecuted and under siege in violent times, and newspapers are in trouble.
First, Edenton Town Manager Corey Gooden is poised to receive a substantial raise – $136K to $160K —see our related story.
I’ll say it again – for what Corey does, that’s a bargain. He’s good at his job, and to be honest, his skills and experience are in high demand. Moreover, Corey saves the Town of Edenton money in various ways, so that too should be a consideration. Other towns and cities would gladly hire him, pay him more, but he wants to stay in Edenton.
“An excellent town manager who works very hard and is smart as a whip,” former state Senator Bob Steinburg posted to Facebook.
Realtor Cindy Twiddy Pope posted, “He is worth every dime. A very devoted man to Edenton and Chowan County. The head of an excellent team keeping Edenton thriving and beautiful.”
Moreover, the former Town Manager, Anne-Marie Knighton, served Edenton for 33 years. You want someone like that – someone like Corey – who will stay around a long time because he can continue to build a strong foundation of good government for Edenton. If there is frequent turnover among town managers, then you get chaos in local government instead of progress and growth.
The more experience and institutional memory a town manager has, the better that person can serve the community.
Other news – as I was walking home the other night from an enjoyable few hours on the water – great wind – I talked to an oldtimer who grew up Edenton as he was doing his rounds. He’s a good guy, knowledgeable about our town.
He said that the Confederate statue is not a Confederate soldier, but is in fact a Spanish-American War soldier.
Come to think about it – the statue’s uniform doesn’t really resemble a Confederate uniform, but instead appears more modern, reminiscent of the Spanish-American War, particularly the rifle.
Well, no matter whether the statue is of a Spanish-American War vet or a Confederate symbol … it is odd looking at that empty spot of ground day to day where the statue stood.
Move the Monument organizer Rod Phillips said those insulting billboards will be erased, so that’s good news. And there won’t be any more protests and counterprotests on Saturdays anymore, so that’s good news.
I hope people can change the subject and discuss something else, perhaps how living in the South and in the small town of Edenton is a blessing from God. And I pray that people can forgive each other’s trespasses.
Moving on, the oldtimer also said — in the early days of the Great Depression, one of Edenton’s mayors had pecan and fruit trees planted along town streets – if trees are to be planted, the mayor reasoned, then they should be practical and offer nuts or fruit. Many of these trees are still around, and let’s hope no one is cutting them down.
In other news, the Miss Chowan County Regional Fair Pageant is set to return later this month, bringing excitement and tradition to the annual fair. The pageant will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, September 27, and will feature up to 12 contestants from across Northeastern North Carolina.
Open to high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the competition offers both recognition and rewards. The crowned winner will receive $200 in cash, a crown, and the honor of representing the Chowan County Regional Fair throughout the 2025–2026 season.
Runners-up will also be recognized. The first runner-up will be awarded $150 and a trophy, while the second runner-up will receive $100. All remaining participants will take home $25 in cash, ensuring every contestant is acknowledged for their participation.
Applications are available online at www.ChowanFair.com, and interested students are encouraged to apply before the participant cap is reached.
The event has become a highlight of the fair each year, drawing families and community members to cheer on contestants as they take the stage. For more information, those interested can contact Beebe White at 252-333-5179.
The pageant remains a celebration of local talent, community spirit, and youthful achievement.
Speaking of the Fair that runs between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27 – here is the schedule:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Exhibit Entry
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
- 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Exhibit Entry
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
CAR LOAD Night – Gates & Ride passes for up to 6 people for $75 per car
- 4:00 pm Gates and Exhibits Open
- 4:00 pm – closing Mechanical Bull Ride (additional charge)
- 4:00 pm – closing Antique Farm Displays
- 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Train Display Daily
- 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Jr. Fair Board Activities: Creative Cow
- 4:00 pm – Until Triple C Farm Party
- Two shows nightly Tiger Encounter
- Two shows nightly Ember Fire Arts
- Strolling Act Magicman TJ Hill
- 6:30 pm – Until The Wee Jam on the Main Stage presented by Holland Fence Company
- 10:00 pm Exhibit Buildings Close
- 11:00 pm Midway Closes
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
Students 8th and under admitted free with paying adult
- 4:00 pm Gates and Exhibits Open
- 4:00 pm – closing Mechanical Bull Ride (additional charge)
- 4:00 pm – closing Antique Farm Displays
- 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Train Display Daily
- 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Jr. Fair Board Activities: Learn with Me
- 4:00 pm – Until Triple C Farm Party
- Two shows nightly Tiger Encounter
- Two shows nightly Ember Fire Arts
- Strolling Act Magicman TJ Hill
- 6:00 pm – Until Son of a Preacher on the Main Stage presented by Holland Fence Company
- 10:00 pm Exhibit Buildings Close
- 11:00 pm Midway Closes
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
FREE ENTRY FOR PERSONS 60 AND OLDER (rides not included)
- 4:00 pm Gates and Exhibits Open
- 4:00 pm – closing Mechanical Bull Ride (additional charge)
- 4:00 pm – closing Antique Farm Displays
- 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Train Display Daily
- 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Jr. Fair Board Activities: Bessie Lost her tail
- 4:00 pm – Until Triple C Farm Party
- Two shows nightly Tiger Encounter
- Two shows nightly Ember Fire Arts
Strolling Act Magicman TJ Hill - 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Senior Fun Night in the Show Barn
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Southern Gospel Program in the Show Barn - 6:30 pm – Until Jason Johnson on the Main Stage presented by Holland Fence Company
- 10:00 pm Exhibit Buildings Close
- 11:00 pm Midway Closes
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
One Price – Gate $8 / Armband $25
- 4:00 pm Gates and Exhibits Open
- 4:00 pm – closing Mechanical Bull Ride (additional charge)
- 4:00 pm – closing Antique Farm Displays
- 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm Train Display Daily
- 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Jr. Fair Board Activities: Ring the Horn Ring Toss
- 4:00 pm – Until Triple C Farm Party
- Two shows nightly Tiger Encounter
- Two shows nightly Contortion & Danger Show
- Strolling Act Magicman TJ Hill
- 5:30 pm & 7:30pm AJDC Dance School – Showcase in Show Barn
6:30 pm – Until Vintage Cross on the Main Stage presented by Holland Fence Company - 10:00 pm Exhibit Buildings Close
- 11:00 pm Midway Closes
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Active Duty Military Discount All Day
- 11:00 am Gates and Exhibits Open
- 11:00 am – closing Mechanical Bull Ride (additional charge)
- 11:00 am – closing Antique Farm Displays
- 11:00 am – Until Triple C Farm Party
- 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Train Display Daily
- 12:00 pm Diaper Derby on the Main Stage
- 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm Jr. Fair Board Activities: Cow Catastrophe
- 12:30 pm Hog Calling Contest on the Main Stage
- 2:00 pm “Little Miss” Pageant in Show Barn
- Three Shows Tiger Encounter
- Three Shows Contortion & Danger Show
- Strolling Act Magicman TJ Hill
- 6:00 pm – Until The Overtime Band on the Main Stage presented by Holland Fence Company
6:00 pm “Miss Chowan County Regional Fair Queen” in the Show Barn - 10:00 pm Exhibit Buildings Close
- 12:00 midnight Midway Closes
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
- 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Exhibit Removal and Booth Clearing
ALL EXHIBITS AND EXHIBIT ITEMS MUST BE REMOVED BETWEEN 11AM and 3PM
THE CHOWAN COUNTY REGIONAL FAIR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ITEMS LEFT AFTER 3PM
Evil has always targeted the innocent, but God triumphs in the end
By Michael Milton
The horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025, has left our hearts broken and our nation reeling. During a morning Mass celebrating the first week of school, two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed, and 17 others were injured — 14 of them children and three adults. The shooter, who died by suicide at the scene, targeted this sacred space with chilling intent. Many of us in North Carolina are praying for those grieving unimaginable losses in that Christian community, and this tragedy has likely reopened old wounds, deepened personal losses, and caused a profound sadness. Allow me, as a pastor, to speak to this sorrow through the comfort of God’s Word.
Boldly proclaiming God’s truth has often meant persecution of Christians and Jews. And it is not hyperbole but rather a somber fact to say that Christians are the most persecuted group of people on Earth today. This is not a surprising statement for readers of scripture. The Book of Revelation vividly depicts this spiritual conflict:
“And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne” (Rev. 12:4–5, ESV).
Having failed to destroy Christ, the dragon turns his fury against believers:
“Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 12:17).
Because of the nature of evil — targeting the most vulnerable first — women and children, the elderly, and the disabled are often the first victims of such hatred. Such spiritual darkness knows no moral norms or ethical limitations.
This horrible reality of spiritual warfare repeats itself throughout history. It did so again yesterday: two little children lost their lives, 14 others were injured, and three older adults were wounded by sudden, murderous gunfire that swept through the sanctuary of a Christian church as children worshiped. It is hard to imagine a more savage picture of pure evil. The murdering of children who were on their knees in prayer in a service of worship by someone intent on killing Christians, boasting of his hatred in his demented video by imposing a picture of Jesus on a human-shaped target, is undoubtedly a horribly vivid picture of the evil described in Revelation 12.
What you feel now is what I feel — a terrible sadness, immediate and overwhelming. We must name this reality as spiritual warfare, but we are also called to grieve with the parents of the children who lost their lives, the families of the wounded, the Christian community at Annunciation Catholic Church, and the broader fellowship of faith. As this tragedy is beamed into our homes, each of us shares in the sorrow.
How, then, does Scripture guide us? When Jesus’ teachings proved difficult, and many turned away, Peter voiced the cry of every believer’s heart: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). In times of confusion and loss, we turn not to ourselves or the shifting opinions of the world but to Jesus Christ, who alone offers truth that leads to life, comfort that endures in sorrow, and hope that death cannot steal.
The prophet Jeremiah, known for his bold denunciations of sin, was reshaped by sorrow when Nebuchadnezzar’s army destroyed Solomon’s Temple in 586 BC and carried God’s people into exile. In that moment, Jeremiah became a pastor-poet, giving voice to his nation’s anguish: “Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me” (Lam. 3:19–20).
Yet Jeremiah did not end in despair. Amid the ashes, he lifted his voice in hope:
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lam. 3:21–24).
The Hebrew word ḥesed — steadfast love — speaks of God’s mercy, grace, and covenant faithfulness. Jeremiah clung to God’s promises, gleaming beneath the ruins of the temple. We, too, cling to that promise in Christ, who bore our sins, was raised, and now reigns. The dragon may rage, but he cannot triumph.
As we mourn, let us join our voices with the hymnwriter Thomas O. Chisholm (1923):
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
O Lord, in the sadness and sorrow of this devastating loss, we mourn with brokenhearted parents and pray for the healing of wounded children and adults at Annunciation Catholic Church. Grant us strength to join Jeremiah in proclaiming, “Great is Thy faithfulness.” In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we pray.
Editor’s NOTE: Column originally appeared in Carolina Journal.
Dr. Michael A. Milton is a Presbyterian minister (PCA), author, artist, educator, pastor, and singer-songwriter in North Carolina.
The reasoning and peril behind the Atlanta Journal-Constitution going digital only
The AJC is betting its future on digital alone. That gamble could save millions — or cost the paper its base.
By Rick Edmonds
As The New York Times reported Thursday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will discontinue its print edition at the end of the year, the largest metro to do so. Will others follow?
I wouldn’t look for a stampede. Cutbacks to just a few days a week or Sunday-only have become common in the industry, but quitting print altogether is not. That’s because Sunday papers typically remain profitable, popular with advertisers and a segment of readers. Despite steep declines that show no signs of moderating in 2025, print still contributes a meaningful share of revenue (half or more at many outlets) since it commands much higher rates among both subscribers and advertisers.
As president and publisher Andrew Morse explained to the Times, the AJC is facing the painful choice of whether to disrupt itself. While the industry’s consensus strategy has been to make the print-digital transition gradual, his organization has decided instead to take a quick and giant step forward. It’s a high-wire exercise without a net, but certainly dawdling hasn’t worked much.
The AJC is also well-positioned to take the risk. Its parent, Cox Enterprises, is a rich, family-controlled conglomerate with roots in cable, committed to a five-year reinvestment plan estimated, NPR reported, to cost $150 million. So there’s a financial cushion if the changes prompt short-term losses for a few years.
On the cost of continuing print as circulation withers, Morse is on rock-solid ground. Newsprint and associated printing plants are big, logical targets for bringing expenses down. Outsourcing, in some cases to a printing facility several hundred miles away, has been a frequent means to that end, too. As bad or worse an expense, though, is the less obvious one of getting print papers delivered. A part-time job in the middle of the night attracts few takers anymore. Routes that used to be compact are now spread out.
The only way to get out of all those costs is to stop printing altogether.
On the digital revenue side, the case is shakier. As Morse told the Times, like nearly all newspaper digital outlets and many that are digital only, AJC’s traffic from search has taken a huge hit over the last year. Facebook is phasing down news on its newsfeed, Google’s algorithms aren’t what they used to be, and even in the early days of artificial intelligence, it has clearly displaced searches that would lead to news outlets.
As the Times reported, with only 75,000 paid digital-only subscribers now, the AJC has no path to Morse’s earlier goal of 500,000 by the end of 2026. (I emailed Morse several questions and will add his comments if I hear back.)
A subset of the challenge is getting the remaining print subscribers to shift to digital subscriptions. Those organizations that have cut back to only a few days of print a week — Poynter’s Tampa Bay Times and The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette among them — heavily promote e-replica editions, a digital format with a print layout. The alternative satisfies some but by no means all traditionalists.
Thus, execution of the AJC’s strategy, difficult in any case, is looking that much more difficult. But that does not blow away the premise that digital is the future, so let’s get on with it.
An email conversation earlier this week with another newspaper organization’s CEO reminded me of one more reason to proceed with caution. “The goal of the print product is to serve as a branding vehicle,” she wrote, even “as the primary means of information delivery these days are social and web.”
I’m a convert to digital — a superior news option for timeliness, visuals and a wider range of presentations. But I get that print may connote solid and trustworthy, where digital has an ethereal feel.
So, yes, the future belongs to the bold (except sometimes when it doesn’t). The AJC plan will demand a lot of its staff — and of its customers, too — if it is to succeed.
Rick Edmonds is media business analyst for the Poynter Institute where he has done research and writing for the last fifteen years.
Editor’s NOTE: Column originally appeared at Poynter.org
And I will say again, if a newspaper like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is cutting back as it navigates change in an uncertain future, then what do you think is going to happen to our region’s print media outlet in the near to mid future?
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