Ratio Theatre Company presents Shakespeare in the Garden on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at the Isaac Taylor Garden in New Bern at 6 p.m.

This unique event is continuing the 14 year cultural tradition started by the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival, which ended in 2012. Shakespeare in the Garden is an outdoor festival including Shakespeare readings, picnic dinner, and music.

The Festival will include readings performed by some of our local Shakespeare Festival actors including Bob Husson, Michael McGinn, Penny Viglione, Krissy Boccia, Michelle Wood, Lindsay Thornton, Abby Lefler, Joey Infinito and Andrea Owens. Music is provided by the Craven Consort and artworks created by Michaele Rose Watson, Ed Macomber, Robin Griswold-Ott, Chris Wagner and other local artisans will be featured.

Tickets are $15 per person and includes the performances, picnic dinner and a blanket.  Outdoor chairs are welcome.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ratiotheatre.org or at the Ratio Box Office at 901 Pollock Street, New Bern.  This is the first of a series and will be followed by performances on July 21 and August 18.

All proceeds from this Elizabethan event will support Ratio’s efforts to provide professional theatre performances and arts education for children and adults. Ratio Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theatre company located in New Bern with their main stage shows at the Cullman Performance Hall as part of the Tryon Palace Performing Arts series. For more information go online or call 252-626-0358.

Submitted by: Darian Dennis, Publicity, Ratio Theatre Company

At a special educational meeting on Saturday, June 22, a speaker from the North Carolina Justice Center will highlight the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid

WHO: The NBNAACP, Coastal Carolina Concerned Citizens and OFA-Craven – hosts; NC Justice Center-Speaker(s)

WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, June 22,  2pm – 4 pm in the Omega Center, 800 Cedar Street, New Bern, NC

Experts and interested individuals will come together this Saturday to learn details of the Affordable Care Act, and the health insurance marketplace with its enrollment period that opens in October. They will also be brought up-to-date on the state of Medicaid for North Carolinians.

Nicole Dozier, of the North Carolina Justice Center, will be the guest speaker. Nicole is from the Eastern North Carolina area and serves as the Assistant Director, Health Access Coalition. Nicole will be accompanied by Adam Linker, Health Policy Analyst, Health Access Coalition. Adam lives in Greenville.

Child care available upon request. Click here to R.S.V.P. Or, open your browser and type in http://bit.ly/13DYHXi  to R.S.V.P. and sign up for child care.

The North Carolina Justice Center is the state’s leading research and advocacy organization dedicated to transforming North Carolina’s prosperity into opportunity for all. Our mission is to eliminate poverty in North Carolina by ensuring that every household in the state has access to the resources, services and fair treatment it needs in order to enjoy economic security. Nicole is part of our Health Access Coalition, which works to expand access to quality, affordable health care for everyone in North Carolina, including people who are low-income, elderly, or have disabilities.

For more information, contact: Marshall Williams, President, NBNAACP, 252-229-1201, or Sandi Wheeler 252-259-8393.

Submitted by: Sandi Wheeler

Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 – Gates Open: 2:00 PM

Cost: $20.00 (Kids 12 & Under “FREE” with Paid Adult

Contact: (252) 637-3111 or TSurhie@NewBernChamber.com

Organization:  New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce

The New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual “Bern Beach Blast” to be held Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Union Point Park in Downtown New Bern, NC.

In conjunction with the event’s Title Sponsor: “Weyerhaeuser” and Band  Sponsors: Potash Corporation of Aurora, NC and Pepsi – Minges Bottling Group, four bands will provide entertainment this year.

“Spare Change” will open the concert and play from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM. The Band, based in LaGrange, NC, got their start in 2002 as a 4-piece band made up of a group of friends. Traveling throughout the southeast, this band grew into what is today one of the most sought after bands in the market

“Jim Quick & Coastline” are next up on the stage from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Jim Quick has been touring the Southeast US for more than 15 years, playing nearly 300 shows per year and has released more than 11 albums. Originally introducing their music as the Coastline Band — a band of friends who played the Carolina beach bars day in and day out, the group pushed Quick to the forefront and naturally transformed into Jim Quick & Coastline.

Moving into the evening hours, legendary NC beach music group “The Embers” move onto the stage from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. There are many bands or groups today yet few that are considered a music institution. The Embers have solidified their position as a thriving musical entity leaving their mark on listeners for decades.

Last, but certainly not least and rounding out the evening’s entertainment from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM:  “The Tams.” They have been entertaining and thrilling audiences for over 50 years” Known for such hits as “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy”, “What Kind of Fool”, “I’ve Been Hurt” and Untie Me”, The Tams have had 2 Gold Records and 1 Platinum Single. The Tams will, no doubt “bring the house down” as they conclude a great day of entertainment for those in attendance at Union Point Park.

Submitted by: Teresa Suhrie, New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce

Fairfield Harbour, a residential boating and golf community located 15 minutes from historic New Bern, has announced that Lloyd Moore, a resident of the community, has been named the 2013 North Carolina Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Volunteer of the Year for his leadership and continued active role in the Fairfield Harbour CERT (FH CERT) program. The program is comprised of volunteers dedicated to providing emergency aid to neighbors in case of a community emergency or natural disaster.

Submitted by: Blair Killinger, MMI Public Relations

I love a good burger. I mean I really love a good burger. Summer comes around and there are few things that I love more than have a good cook out with burgers on the grill.

So in honor of summer, I’ve decided to share one of my favorite burger recipes with you.

You may not know, but most BBQ sauces are absolutely loaded with sugar. This doesn’t help out at all during beach season, so as a bonus, this one includes a healthy BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds ground beef (formed into 4-6 hamburger patties)

- 2 Tbs. Worchestershire Sauce

- 1 clove garlic diced

- Salt to taste (optional)

- 12 slices bacon (option: substitute turkey bacon)

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

(Optional BBQ Sauce):

- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

- 2 Tbs yellow mustard

- 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

- 2 Tbs soy sauce

- 2 Tbs stevia

- 1/2 tsp garlic power

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the hamburger, Worchestershire sauce, garlic and salt and form pattys.

Cook hamburgers on the grill as desired.

In a large nonstick pan, cook the bacon until crispy.

Remove from pan and drain off about half of the grease left in the pan.

Add the onion to the same pan you cooked the bacon in and cook until soft.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl for the BBQ sauce. Once it is a smooth, even consistency, it is ready to serve.

Serve and enjoy! As a healthy alternative to a bun, I will often rap my burger in lettuce and enjoy it that way. (See my bun-less burger photo above!) I hope you liked this one as much as I do! Check out more great fitness friendly recipes at our website.

Submitted by: Kate Horney, BeyondFit Physiques

Saturday August 24th

10:30am – 4:00pm

The Cost of Freedom Poker Run, presented by Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association and Harley-Davidson of New Bern.

Enjoy a live band, food, drinks, and raffle.

For details visit The Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association’s website or check out the Harley-Davidson of New Bern’s Facebook page.

Submitted by: Kevin Yates, Harley-Davidson of New Bern

Summer Ceramic Classes offered at West New Bern Recreation Center begins on Thursday, June 20th.

Class times are Thursday Evenings 6pm – 9pm and Friday afternoon 12 – 3pm.

Space is filled on a first come first serve basis.

Registration fee is $25 for city residents and $30 for all others. Classes are limited to 15 students each so come in to secure your space.

Please call 252-639-2912 for a complete list of days and times or for more information.

Submitted by: Nancy Donahue, New Bern Parks and Recreation

EJ Stewart and Antuan Hawkins

Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7pm

A one-act play by Antuan Hawkins and EJ Stewart

Food plays a part in every major event of our lives – from the beginning of life to the end, both in celebration and in sadness. In the African American community, great pride is taken in the preparation of soul food.

When it comes to certain dishes like potato salad, everyone seems to be an expert, swearing by their ingredients and methods of preparation. In this one-act play, it’s time for the quarterly meeting picnic at church, and it seems that everyone has decided to bring the potato salad. When one sister refuses to be outdone by anyone else, she wages war on her biggest rival in the church.

This conundrum of sorts leads to lessons taught and lessons learned when the pastor straightens it all out by trying to find out “Who Made the Potato Salad?”

For guests with hearing difficulties, special devices are also available and should be requested at least 48 hours in advance of the performance. For additional information about the 2013 African American Lecture Series call Sharon C. Bryant at 252-639-3592.

Each program for the African American Lecture Series begins at 7 p.m. in Cullman Performance Hall and is free to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the Harold H. Bate Foundation.

Submitted by: Sharon C. Bryant, Tryon Palace and the North Carolina History Center

Workshops will be held on Tuesdays from June 18 to August 6.

Men, women, and children are invited to learn dancing, drumming, and the history behind Jonkonnu. Thanks to a generous grant from the Tryon Palace Foundation, each workshop is free to the public and will be held at 1pm in the Waystation Auditorium.

Dates:

June 18: Introduction to Jonkonnu and a talk about its importance.

June 25: Master the correct dancing steps and movements for each song.

July 2: Learn drumming methods.

July 9: Begin to pull the drumming and dancing together as one.

July 16: Dancing techniques and a mask workshop where the kids will make a beautiful Jonkonnu mask.

July 23: Continue practicing the combination of drumming and dancing.

July 30: Rehearsal for the final performance.

August 6: Final Jonkonnu performance with be at the front gate of Palace at 2pm (Waystation is foul weather location).

Submitted by: Craig Ramey, Marketing and Communications Manager, Tryon Palace

PLEASE call 252-633-5512 to schedule a pickup or drop off items at 930 Pollock Street in New Bern, NC, between 9am – 4pm, Monday thru Saturday.

Please make a difference in your community by donating today!

Submitted by: April Fitchett, Coordinator, Habitat for Humanity of Craven County