Author: Stepheny Forgue Houghtlin

Stepheny Forgue Houghtlin grew up in Evanston, IL. and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. She is an author of two novels: The Greening of a Heart and Facing East. She lives, writes and gardens in NC. Visit her: Stephenyhoughtlin.com

Voter Turnout: One Month From Today – Ward 3’s October 7 Election

A Low Turnout We Cannot Repeat I remember the last city election all too well. What should have been a moment of civic pride felt like a letdown. Too few people showed up. Ballots went uncast, voices went unheard, and the decisions that shape Rocky Mount neighborhoods were left to the hands of a small … Continue reading Voter Turnout: One Month From Today – Ward 3’s October 7 Election →

Power Washing: Seeing Clearly Again

There’s something almost magical about power washing. You set the spray against a smudged driveway, a weathered deck, or the mildew streaks on siding, and in a matter of minutes the surface looks brand new. Power washing isn’t just about appearances. It’s about preservation. Dirt, mold, and mildew eat away at wood and concrete over … Continue reading Power Washing: Seeing Clearly Again →

Rocky Mount, NC: You Fix Neighborhoods By Making Them Safe:

Stand on one of the streets in Wards 1–4. There is no crime happening before your eyes, no sirens or flashing lights. But its presence is everywhere, in the silence, in the shuttered homes, in the caution that has settled into the air. Crime is not visible in the moment, but it lingers in what … Continue reading Rocky Mount, NC: You Fix Neighborhoods By Making Them Safe: →

Rocky Mount, NC: Labor Day 2025

I have known and sung the words to the song, September since always. Older now, I understand the meaning of....these precious days I spend with you. Oh, it's a long, long while from May to DecemberBut the days grow short when you reach SeptemberWhen the autumn weather turns the leaves to flameOne hasn't got time … Continue reading Rocky Mount, NC: Labor Day 2025 →

The Prosecutors Summation: OIC and the Question of Public Trust

The Prosecutors Summation to the Jury. It is not easy to hold two truths at once. That OIC has brought real good to this community: yes. That the tutoring programs, the workforce training, the wraparound services have helped people climb out of hardship: yes again. But it is also true that when council members sit … Continue reading The Prosecutors Summation: OIC and the Question of Public Trust →