YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1978 w w w. j a m e s t o w n n e w s . c o m
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JANUARY 1-7, 2025 vol 47 no 1 | 1 section | 6 pages
2025
Setting goals can be worth the effort By norMa B. dennis FreeLanCe writer ndworddesign@gmail.com There is something about a new day, new month or even new year that seems to shout new life style. With 2025 on the horizon, it is easy to consider starting it with a fresh new purpose. Statistically, about a third of adults plan to make New Year resolutions. Unfortunately, many fail to take those made at the beginning of the year seriously. Perhaps that is why so many are broken within months or even weeks after they are started. The problem lies not in the resolutions, but in how they are made. A better way to achieve success is using the mindset of goal setting. This is much more deliberate than simply stating good intentions. It calls for a plan of action that will lead to attaining the goal. It involves thought, emotion and changes in behavior
that move a person forward. Goals do not have to be lofty, but should be meaningful. The more ambitious they are, the more likely a person will put forth an effort to fulfill them. Setting goals can help in all areas of your life, both personally and professionally. A good way to succeed is the SMART plan. Make sure goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Vague goals or unrealistic time constraints could set one up for failure. “We are going to give up added sugar for the month of January,” John and Lacy Frye agreed. “Then we will consider doing it for a second month.” “I have listened to the entire Bible read several times, but this year, I want to read it through for myself,” John continued. This couple has already used two major motivational tactics by breaking a larger goal into smaller
segments and sharing their goals with others. It is good to have an accountability partner who can encourage you to stay on track. Keeping a checklist of what you hope to obtain and how you plan to do it is another helpful tool when setting goals. Also choosing a theme or a word, such as balance, joy or trust, can help keep you grounded. Consider what your word could be and use it to guide how you think, talk to yourself, make decisions and respond to others. An alternative to striving to do something might be letting go of things you cannot control, tasks not worth your time or perfectionism. Although Jan. 1 is symbolic of a fresh start, as the month progresses one’s motivation may give way to challenges. In the United States and some other countries, the second Friday in January is known as Quitters Day. The desire to quit might be due to unrealistic expec-
Photo from istockphoto.com
Goals do not have to be lofty, but should be meaningful. setting goals can help in all areas of your life, both personally and professionally. tations, outside pressures or the human inclination to resist change. The day is not synonymous with failure, however. It is a time to reconsider one’s goals and the motivation behind them. It might be a simple matter of adjusting
them into something more manageable. Change does not just happen. It begins in our consciousness. Remember, setting and achieving goals is a journey, not a one-time event.
Can governments charge for public records By CaroL BrooKs FreeLanCe writer cab1hp@gmail.com There has been a lot of mumbling from Jamestown residents in recent years — and even at the Dec. 17 Jamestown Town Council meeting — regarding access to public records. There have also been complaints about the fees charged for these records and if there should be a fee at all. The media law section of the N.C. Press website states, “In most cases, you should not have to pay for access to records. According to the Public Records Law, public records are the property of the people and ‘it is the policy of this state that the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost unless otherwise specifically provided by law.’” However, according to
the CivicPlus website, “not only are fees an incredibly common part of the public records experience, but sometimes they reach levels of unbelievable magnitude.” One 2013 records request in Massachusetts was quoted at just over $300,000. What exactly is covered when a government assesses a fee for a public record? In North Carolina, General Statute 132-1(b) limits charges to a “minimal amount,” or the actual cost of reproducing the public record or public information. G.S. 132-6(b) defines “actual cost” as “direct, chargeable costs related to the reproduction of a public record as determined by generally accepted accounting principles and does not include costs that would have been incurred by the public agency if a request to reproduce a
Holiday Vendor Market at Stock + Grain Assembly Photos by Natalie Garcia
see pUBLiC, paGe 2
Louis Voorhees sr., artist and architect Many residents of High Point are familiar with the name Louis Francis Voorhees Sr. but just as many may not know which buildings were his designs or that he was a prolific artist. On Nov. 20, the High Point Historical Society hosted Van Voorhees Trivette who presented her grandfather’s drawings, paintings and architectural designs. Trivette told Voorhees’ history as well as pointed out many of his creations, including the 1939 H.A. Gaffney house in Sedgefield and several structures in
High Point, Winston-Salem, Lexington and Kernersville. A Michigan native, Voorhees, 1892-1974, moved to High Point in 1923 because, as Trivette said, “High Point [was] growing. Industry [was] growing. [There was] a lot of wealth.” Trivette was able to find a lot of information on her grandfather, whom she called Papa, through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and online documents. “It’s been our road map trying to trace the buildings and the homes that he designed,” she said. She also worked with Benjamin Briggs, the former Preservation Greensboro executive director who is
now president and CEO of Preservation North Carolina. “Louis Voorhees was an architect, painting teacher and one of High Point’s principal architects during the mid-20th century,” Briggs said in 2016. “He left a legacy of civic and residential structures ranging from the U.S. Post Office to the legendary one room Little Red Schoolhouse.” Voorhees worked alongside architect Eccles B. Everhart on many projects, including St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on the corner of West Farris Avenue and North Main Street in High Point. “High Pointers may not realize it but they see Louis
Photo courtesy N.C. Modernist
Louis Francis Voorhees, sr. Voorhees every day. They see a little bit of him every time they go to the post office, the YMCA, city and county buildings, the library, see VoorHees, paGe 2
H.a. Gaffney House in sedgefield was featured in Carolina architecture in 1940.
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By CaroL BrooKs FreeLanCe writer cab1hp@gmail.com