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Today's Opinions

  • If you want to be in the know, you have to go

    There are people who just won't pay attention. For whatever reason, things that affect their lives are ignored until it's too late.

    I can't count the number of times citizens have shown up at county commission meetings wanting to subdivide property, change zoning or change the face of their property, whether it's a half acre or 3,000 acres.

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  • Enough with the turnips already

    Once again, local education leaders are sitting on pins and needles, awaiting word from higher up as to whether school districts will have to endure yet another painful budgetary amputation. Legislators are meeting in emergency session this week, trying to figure out what to do – or hoping someone else has some recommendations.

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  • We're doing pretty good here, Dad

    It was cold; much colder than I expected. The wind was whistling down the Steadman Ridge. I turned the collar up on my lightweight jacket and slid my hands deep into the pockets. This place had a hold on me. I shivered in the late afternoon chill. But I did not move back toward the truck. This was not my first December visit. I had actually seen it colder.

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  • If you can't be accountable, don't get a pet

    I remember a cold winter day when as a teenager my mother sent me to the store to get a few packages. On the way, I passed a house that I had passed hundreds of times, but on this particular day, one of the woman's dogs bit me on the leg. I saw the dog from a distance and the animal seemed to be sunning himself in the yard. It didn't bother me because I was on the sidewalk. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the dog attacked me and bit my right leg.

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  • They're not heavy, they're my brothers...and sisters

    In this week’s column, I’d like to pay tribute to some people who are very important to me – my friends.

    Some of them I haven’t seen in years, but they have never left my thoughts and prayers. Some of them I’ve only heard from on occasion; others, I hear from several times a day through a wonderful little thing called Facebook. There are also those that I see several times a year, and talk to on the phone at least once a week.

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  • Hank was man's best friend...and mine

    You know how you have this image, when you get a dog, of him standing by your side, wagging his tail and jumping at your every command? Hank wasn’t that dog.

    Jesse rescued him from the animal shelter. “It will be a great Christmas present for Mom.”

    “Son,” we had perused over 30 dogs in 20 different holding pens, “Let’s get one of these pretty puppies over here; that one you’re holding is about half ugly.”

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  • I remember where we were, and I see how far we've come

    This week is one, most agree, for the history books. The first African-American was sworn in as president of the United States Tuesday. As momentous as this week is, my thoughts go back decades to how things once were and how far we have come as a nation.

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  • It's time for the lighter side of things

    Now that we’ve elected and inaugurated a new president, gotten through the holiday rush and we’ve started a brand new year, it’s time, in my opinion, for a little silliness. I think we need to take a break. We’ve faced hard decisions, made tough choices and returned the ugly sweater from Aunt Agnes...it’s definitely time for some fun.

    So I’m breaking out the Southern humor card. I hope you enjoy reading these Southern expressions we’ve probably all used and heard our whole lives...

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