The Buzz Around Wayne County

8 The Buzz Around Wayne County April 2019 102 N John Street Downtown Goldsboro 919 736 3300 artsinwayne.org Jazz on John : Africa Unplugged April 12th 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Easter Egg Decorating Class (ages 6 to 14) $15 per child April 6th 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. First Friday! Exhibit by WCC Art Students and Senior Games Participants April 5th 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pizza and Paint For Teens April 26th 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Arts Council of Wayne County Presents ... ARE YOU READY FOR A GREAT BOATING SEASON? By Dave Parson Goldsboro Sail and Power Squadron offers FREE boat inspections that are approved by the Coast Guard. The squadron has five certified inspectors that will come to where your boat is and perform the quick inspection and provide you with a decal to indicate that you are operating a Safe Boat, or you can participate in our Annual Inspection weekend at EZ Bait and Tackle, Hwy 117S from 8:00am until 3:00pm Friday, May 17 or Saturday, May 18. You might be asking 'Why do I need an Inspection?' Many of the boats that are used on our waterways here in North Carolina are frequently found not to have the proper equipment on board and if this is found by the Coast Guard or Wildlife Officers, you risk large fines and sometimes requiring that you take your boat out of service, which would require SeaTow or other services to tow you to the nearest Harbor/Marina where it would remain until it is properly maintained and outfitted. This definitely adds to the cost that could be avoided by having a certified inspection. Many critical situations required that you render assistance when it does not jeopardize your safety and without the proper equipment this could be difficult to do A simple report of your vessel to the Coast Guard would result in locating you and the issuing of a citation. All of this can definitely make a great day on the water turn into a nightmare. If you need an inspection email dparsonn@nc.rr.com or call 919-920-9556 and I can arrange for one of our inspectors to contact you. Let's make 2019 one of the Safest years of boating in North Carolina. THE BASEBALL PORTFOLIO By Jonathan Greeson, CFP ® Spring is here! It's time for baseball! If you have a difficult time understanding what it means when someone says a "diversified portfolio," then I suggest thinking of it as a baseball lineup. Each person in the 9-player lineup has a special role that puts the team in the best position to be successful. Of course, it would be nice if a team had 9 players that would hit a homerun every at bat, but nobody can afford a team like that. Plus, someone would eventually be injured. Baseball General Managers must put together an affordable lineup that can withstand the rigors of a long season while producing as many runs as possible. These players will have their up and downs. The cleanup hitter may be in a slump, while another batter picks up the slack with a hitting streak. Portfolios should operate in the same way. It should be affordable for the investor, meaning it's adapted for how much risk the investor can tolerate. Then each piece of the portfolio should have specific "roles" by being invested in different sectors of the market. If all of your portfolio is in the same sector, then the other "players" in your lineup can't help when a "hitter" has a bad day. A diversified portfolio should be able to weather the ups and downs of the markets and put you in a better position for long-term success. When you're ready to plan your future I would love to be on your team! Jonathan Greeson Financial Planning is located in Pikeville. For more information, visit www. jonathangreeson.com. Jonathan Greeson is an Investment Advisor Representative of Retirement Wealth Advisors Inc. (RWA), 89 Ionia Ave NW, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (800) 903-2562. Investment Advisory Services are offered through RWA. Jonathan Greeson Financial Planning and RWA are not affiliated. APRIL GARDENING TIPS LAWN Wait until late April to fertilize Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass. Wait until next month to fertilize Centipede grass and St. Augustine grass. If you have not soil tested, do so before fertilizing to see if additional nutrients or lime are needed. Soil tests are free after April 1st to December 1st. Soil test kits are available at Wayne County Cooperative Extension office. TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS House plants can be gradually brought outdoors by the middle to end of the month, and any overcrowded plants can be divided and repotted. Newly planted trees require regular watering through their first summer. Apply 2-3 gallons per inch of trunk diameter to the root ball at least once a week if it does not rain. FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND HERBS Set out young pepper and tomato plants in mid- to late April. Wait a few more weeks before setting out cold-sensitive vegetables such as eggplant, okra and basil plants. Direct sow seeds of green beans, limas, field peas, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, winter squash, and sweet corn. Keep an eye out for Colorado potato beetle larvae on potato leaves. Thin fruit on apple, peach, and pear trees to increase fruit size, prevent limb breakage and reduce insect/disease problems. Fruit should be thinned when they are about the size of a nickel. Jessica Strickland is an Agriculture Extension Agent, specializing in horticulture for North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Wayne County. Forward any questions you would like answered from this month's column to Jessica. Strickland@waynegov.com. WCPS to Purple Up on April 18th! Goldsboro, N.C. – On Thursday, April 18, Wayne County Public Schools (WCPS) will "Purple Up!" for military connected students. Teachers, staff, and community members are encouraged to wear purple as a visible gesture of support for students with a parent serving in our nation's military. "Whether it is moving regularly or having a parent deployed for several months, our military children experience unique challenges and life transitions," states Jamie Livengood, WCPS Military Liaison Counselor. "We want everyone to Purple Up! to help bring awareness of the sacrifices military-connected students make, and to show students and their families that our schools and community support them." The Purple Up! initiative is supported by the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), a global non-profit organization focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. It is worth noting that WCPS has been a member of MCEC since 2004. Each year, WCPS joins other MCEC school districts across the United States and Department of Defense Schools located around the world by recognizing April as the Month of the Military Child. In addition to Purple Up!, schools will hold various activities during the month of April to recognize and appreciate military connected students for their service and sacrifice. Locally, WCPS has approximately two thousand military connected students. (For more information, contact Ken Derksen at 919-705-6125).

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