Rocky Mount, NC: The Narrowing Lens of Leadership

What has unfolded in Rocky Mount over these past weeks has been a civic burden for everyone. The auditโ€™s language, a lack of leadership, a lack of oversight, has stirred more than concern.  It has stirred a kind of impatience. You can feel it in the conversations, and certainly across social media, where the question has … Continue reading Rocky Mount, NC: The Narrowing Lens of Leadership

Mondayโ€™s City Council Meeting – 3-23-26

Before commenting on the Council meeting I need to tell you a bit about my mother-in-law for this to make sense. She was a Jackson, Mississippi girl, an Ole Miss graduate, belonging to the Chi Omega sorority. As she grew older, her southern accent became more pronounced. Put these things together and you know a … Continue reading Mondayโ€™s City Council Meeting – 3-23-26

“Back in the Day” – A Standard We Must Be Willing To Meet Again

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago - From my early lessons in beauty and stewardship to my bench on Main Street today. FIRST THESE THOUGHTS: I was watching Kentucky basketball the other evening when a simple phrase, Back In The Day, slipped past the announcer and settled beside me. It lingered longer than the final buzzer, because … Continue reading “Back in the Day” – A Standard We Must Be Willing To Meet Again

A Sunday Message From Stepheny: Resetting the Cornerstone in Rocky Mount

In traditional masonry construction, the cornerstone is the first stone set when construction begins. It is placed at the corner where two walls will rise. Everything that follows depends on that stone. The cornerstone fixes the position of the building on the site. It establishes the angle of the walls. Masons measure outward from it, … Continue reading A Sunday Message From Stepheny: Resetting the Cornerstone in Rocky Mount