Monday, News for April 28, 2025

Allergy Alert: ELEVATED LEVELS of TREE + GRASS pollen in the HIGH range. WEED pollen in MODERATE range. https://www.forsyth.cc/EAP/pollen.aspx

Sunset is around 8:05pm this evening…

American Red Cross: Local blood drives for Monday, April 28, 2025

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Greensboro = 1:30pm – 6pm

Muir’s Chapel UMC in Greensboro = 1:30pm – 5:30pm

Trinity UMC on West Dalton Street (KING) = 2pm – 7pm

Carolina Memorial Baptist Church in Thomasville = 3pm – 7:30pm

Schedule your blood donation appointment TODAY at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/

Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS

Do you have a Real ID?

A REAL ID, which has a gold star in the upper right-hand corner, is completely optional.

Beginning May 7, 2025, federal agencies will begin enforcing the REAL ID Act, which requires a REAL ID (a US passport or another federally approved identification) to board all commercial flights and enter secure federal buildings.

Do I need a Real ID? According to Marty Homan, NC DMV Communications Manager,

“You do not need a real ID to drive. To vote. To get federal benefits or to get health care or to pick up a prescription or any of those things that you can already do with just a regular license or ID card.” https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/2-wants-to-know/real-id-who-really-needs-it-and-when-spoiler-alert-most-people-dont-need-it-by-may-7th-unless-theyre-traveling-that-day-and-they-dont-have-a-passport/83-9ad54122-b894-4a16-9da7-a74f4f380583

The NC- DMV has extended hours at 42 offices across North Carolina

Several DMV locations across the Piedmont Triad are open early (7am)

Weekdays: Thomasville, Mocksville, Mount Airy, Elkin, Yadkinville + Wilkesboro.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2025-03-31-ncdmv-office-hours-expand-april-7.aspx

More Americans are financing groceries?

A recent Lending Tree survey found 25% of ‘buy now, pay later’ users are funding grocery purchases with loans, up from 14% in 2024.

The figures are the latest evidence that some consumers are having trouble affording essentials such as groceries under the pressure of high prices and interest rates. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/26/americans-groceries-buy-now-pay-later-loans.html

The National Weather Service says it will once again offer its forecasts and advisories in various languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. Such translations were paused earlier this month when the weather service’s contract with the AI company that provided them lapsed. The ‘lapse’ put nearly 68 million non-English speakers at risk because they could miss life-saving warnings about extreme weather! CNN

Local baseball: The Dash vs Grasshoppers in Greensboro starting Tuesday.

First pitch Tuesday = 6pm. Wednesday at 11am. www.wsdash.com

April is national poetry month.

Today is the deadline for Salisbury’s ‘Sidewalk Poetry’ contest.

Calling all poets in Rowan County! Have you entered?

Poets may submit their original short poems for consideration. Post mark your entries through Monday (April 28). No cost to enter. If chosen to participate you could get a $125 dollar stipend! Sponsored by the Salisbury Public Arts Commission.

https://salisburync.gov/Government/Planning-and-Neighborhoods/Urban-Design/Sidewalk-Poetry

Are up to date on your MMR (or measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination?

The Forsyth County Health Department is hosting walk-in immunization clinics for kindergarten through 12th-grade students (through May 29) at its main location on Highland Avenue in Winston-Salem. For appointments call 336-703-3100.

At the Box Office. “The King of Kings” #6 after 3 weekends in theaters.

Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings’ is an animated Biblical film inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic novel ‘The Life of Our Lord’.

Check out movie and music reviews from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In…

https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/

National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 1. https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/

Theme: Pour out to the God of hope and be filled!

Key Verse from Romans 15:13 (NASB), “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Local prayer events at www.WBFJ.fm

It’s strawberry season across the Piedmont Triad!

Do you have a favorite LOCAL strawberry farm???

*Check out the growing list of LOCAL strawberry farms on our Facebook page.

Strawberries can slow down the aging process.

Three new studies suggest strawberries may be associated with slowing down aging of the brain, help the cardiovascular system, and your digestive system.

https://www.thepacker.com/news/produce-crops/can-strawberries-slow-down-aging-process

Strawberries can help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

They are high in vitamins C, B6, K…as well as fiber, folic acid, potassium and amino acids.

Strawberries are members of the rose family.

Strawberries are the only fruit that wear their seeds on the outside?!

The average berry has about 200 seeds!

Americans eat an average of three pounds of fresh strawberries each per year.

North Carolina ranks 3^th national as a Strawberry producer, behind California

and Florida! California produces over 75% of the strawberries in the U.S.

https://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/05/20/14-things-you-didnt-know-about-strawberries/

Resources

Visit NC Farms App (search strawberry farms by location) https://visitncfarmstoday.com/