Winter storms can bring snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the entire United States and its territories. Thousands of people are injured or killed every year in traffic accidents related to slippery roads from winter storms. Prepare Winter Weather Warnings The National Weather Service issues Winter Weather-Related Warnings, Watches, and Advisories based on local criteria.…… Continue Reading
The saltbush is native, but the North Carolina Native Plant Society considers this provocative plant invasive. It was once only located near the coast, but now you can find it through eastern North Carolina and the Piedmont region. There are other native coastal plants that have made their way west like wax myrtle, beautyberry and yaupon holly. But the saltbush is insidious in the way it takes over growing space for plants that are native to the Piedmont. … Continue Reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — With Thanksgiving and the formal launch of the holiday shopping season, Americans will again be consumed with the annual trifecta of turkey, travel and transactions — lots of them. Most national grocery store chains are open on Thursday for last-minute needs, although many close early. Most big U.S. retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day, either giving their staffs the day off or preparing for Black Friday. Many will open early on the day after Thanksgiving, which is typically the biggest shopping day of the year but has lost some of its frantic energy as more customers look for gifts online.… Continue Reading
College basketball is ready for its Thanksgiving Week closeup. The schedule is full of early season tournaments that could create buzzworthy marquee matchups. And many of those come in warm-weather locations. The Maui Invitational in Hawaii turns 40 years old this year. It opens Monday with a field that includes two-time reigning national champion and second ranked UConn. The Battle 4 Atlantis men’s tournament in the Bahamas opens Wednesday. It has a field topped by No. 3 Gonzaga. There are also multiple women’s events in the Bahamas featuring ranked teams, including the fourth Atlantis women’s tournament.… Continue Reading
Once your compost pile is started with a layer of brown and green organic matter, repeat the layering process, watering each layer as you go, until the pile fills the bin and reaches a height of 4 to 5 feet. Don’t forget to water, but avoid making your pile soggy.… Continue Reading
Mums are treated as seasonal annual flowers, but they are actually perennials. Some experts do point out that mums are not usually raised to survive cold weather and may not bloom well the next year. But you can actually plant them and spur blooming for several years with a little care. … Continue Reading
One of my favorite fall-winter plants is the ever-adaptable pink muhly grass. It’s a workhorse, a “mule” of ornamental grasses. It’s native to North Carolina and thrives in many environments. My good friends at the cooperative extension service tell me that pink muhly grass, as it’s known around here, is pretty happy in dry savannas. Savannas are dry, hot grassland areas with a few trees and are not just found in Africa. They also grow in prairies, upland forests, marshes, or in your home’s sunny landscape. … Continue Reading
PHOENIX (AP) — School attendance tanked during the pandemic and has only started to recover. One reason? Parents are struggling to decide when it’s ok to send a child to school while sick. During the pandemic, schools had strict COVID-19 protocols. Many parents kept kids home for days after they had a cough or fever. Schools and health experts are now saying it is OK to send children to class with some symptoms of illness, including a runny nose or cough. If your child has a fever, keep them home from school until the fever is gone for 24 hours without medication.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Johnston County native and legendary North Carolina broadcaster Carl Lamm has died at the age of 97. With an unparalleled 72-year career on the air, Lamm was one of the longest-serving broadcasters in the nation. His career began shortly after World War II and spanned decades, during which he owned and operated WMPM and WTSB radio stations in Johnston County.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The University of North Carolina Board of Governors has voted to approve the nomination of Lee Roberts as the next chancellor of UNC at Chapel Hill. Roberts has served as the interim chancellor at UNC since the start of the year when former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz left to become president of Michigan State University. Roberts was also previously a UNC Board of Governors member and the state budget director for former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. His approval Friday means the university system has filled its fifth chancellor vacancy in the last year.… Continue Reading