Verne Hill
Monday News for January 22, 2024
Warmer temperatures, showers likely later in the week. Update: The days are getting a little longer…sunset today around 5:36pm
Reminder: Have your car battery checked at an Auto Parts place usually for free (especially if its 3 years old or older). Check those wiper blades. Also, check your tires (for proper inflation). Tires lose air in cold temperatures. www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/how-long-to-warm-up-the-engine-before-driving
IRS: One week away from the official start to tax ‘filing’ season (Jan 29). The IRS usually issues refunds within 21 days of accepting your electronic filed return. The average refund last year…around $3,000 dollars, according to IRS filing statistics. *April 15th is the filing deadline this year! www.irs.gov
American Red Cross: Local blood drives this week… Today (JAN 22) Pilot Mountain First UMC = noon – 4:30pm
Tuesday (JAN 23)
Covenant Church UMC (Skeet Club Road, HP) = 1:30 – 6pm
Centenary UMC (West Friendly Ave, Greensboro) = 1 – 5pm
*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.
Then there were four! The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Baltimore Ravens next weekend for the AFC divisional playoff. The Detroit Lions will battle the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC game. *Super Bowl 58 is set for Feb 11.
Number of the day = 72. That’s the mandatory retirement age for board members at most S&P 500 companies (or the 500 largest companies in the stock market). While a retirement policy is more of an exception than a rule in corporate America, most of these companies (69%) have such policies. Note: Retirement policies don’t exist for other professions such as lawmakers or surgeons, but they are common in public safety occupations including law enforcement, fire fighters even commercial pilots…
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/21/success/mandatory-retirement-age-boards-ceos/index.html
Lifeway Research: Most young adults who attended church as teenagers say they believe in God today, but fewer consider themselves a ‘committed’ Christian.
“Prayer is the only spiritual practice in which a majority of young adults participate.
While most maintain a Christian identity, (young adults) admit their devotion to Jesus is either ‘not all it could be’ or is even ‘in doubt’.” http://lfwy.co/WJQB50QrKb9
*Please pray that the Lord will meet this younger generation with truth and peace!
January is ‘Sanctity of Human Life month.
Continue to pray for local Pregnancy Care Centers, supporting life in our community.
Check out a list of centers and how you can volunteer on our website, wbfj.fm.
Today (January 22nd) marks the 51st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe. v Wade, which legalized abortion in America for over 40 years. *June 2022 – A Pro Life WIN. Roe v Wade was overturned by a majority Republican-appointed US Supreme Court by way of the Dobbs case – sending the abortion debate (and legislation over life) back to the states.
Election 2024: “I don’t see a clear path to victory…”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ‘suspending’ his 2024 White House bid as a GOP presidential candidate on Sunday. AND endorsing former President Trump.
Then there were two: The news comes on the eve of the New Hampshire primary leaving former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and former President Trump in the GOP race. https://www2.cbn.com/news/us/alert-desantis-drops-out-republican-primary-makes-surprise-endorsement
Election 2024 in North Carolina
Eligible (registered) voters in North Carolina can now request an absentee ballot.
Early voting for the upcoming March 5th Primary Election in North Carolina begins February 15, 2024.View your sample Primary ballot (party specific), learn more about the voter ID requirement and registration info on the News Blog. www.ncsbe.gov/
Praying for Peace in the Middle East…
Pressure is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a deal with Hamas to secure the release of more than 100 hostages believed to be alive in Gaza.
Netanyahu, however, stressing that Israel will maintain its current ground offensive.
Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore who plays golf for the University of Alabama, won the American Express tournament Sunday at the PGA West golf course in La Quinta, California. But despite besting a host of pro-golfers, Dunlap won’t be able to take home the $1.5 million dollar prize – due to his amateur status.
In an interview with PGA Tour Radio after his win, Dunlap admitted that he was unsure what he would do next. “I have to take a second to let what just happened sink in a little bit,” the student said. “That’s a decision that’s not just about me. It affects a lot of people. (obviously) I’m going to try to enjoy this.”
BTW: Dunlap is the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991, when a young Phil Mickelson won the Tucson Open. Dunlap is also the youngest amateur to win a tour event since 1910.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/21/sport/nick-dunlap-american-express-pga-win-spt/index.html?
The first two episodes of Season 4 of The Chosen premiered last week in LA.
But unlike traditional Hollywood premieres, the cast walked across a teal-colored carpet, not the usual red. The series creator and director Dallas Jenkins explaining that “Teal is the color of our show! It’s the color of light, water and sky. So we just thought, ‘Let’s be on brand.’ We’ve always done things a little bit outside the box.”
Jenkins also announced that cast member Shahar Isaac (who plays the Apostle Peter in the Chosen), was not available for the premiere – because he is in Israel as a member of the IDF (or Israeli Defense Forces).
Note: All eight episodes of The Chosen: Season 4 will be released in theaters this February. Episodes 1 through 3 will be released on Feb. 1; episodes 4 through 6 will follow starting on Feb. 15; and 7 and 8 will come out on Feb. 29.
Details and ticket info at https://www.thechosenriseup.com/
*Watch the previous three Seasons for Free on The Chosen App or the Angel Studios App, as well as other streaming platforms.
