Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is upon us and it is one of my personal favorite times of the year. Though we should everyday, the reality is that we do not often take the time to simply be thankful for the things that are good in our life, our community, our Nation. It is at this time of the […]
The Wolf is at The Door
Sometimes I wonder how we got in the shape that we are in, the world I mean. Where did we get so lost, step so far off the path, that we have found ourselves lost in some sort of alternate reality from where we were thirty years ago. I am forty nine years old. Not […]
Veterans’ Day Salute
This week brings the opportunity to thank a very important segment of our Nation, our Veterans. Be they 19 or 90, each of these servicemen and servicewomen deserve the gratitude of the citizens of the United States of America. I have witnessed young men and women return from deployment, changed forever by the things that […]
Another Day, Another Lawsuit
Ahhh, Change is in the air. It is amazing what an extra hour of sleep will do for a person’s thought process. It should really come as no surprise that Jefferson County is facing another lawsuit. Those that did not see this one coming were either asleep at the wheel or have simply tuned out […]
The Tricks and Treats, as I See Them
Glowing eyes and things that go bump in the night can send chills down the spine of even the bravest of souls. For those that are generally a little squirrlely anyway, the shadows of late October can be terrifying. In honor of those things that make us want to scream, I am offering my list […]
Something Exciting This Way Comes
Fall is the season of change and we are certainly starting to see the changing of the leaves in the area. It is a wonderful time of the year, for me at least, because I know what is hiding just around the corner. First Halloween will descend, with all of the ghosts and goblins and […]
Anxiety’s Willing Passenger
Do you ever wonder just what is going through people’s minds? What jollies can come from calling schools and nursing homes with a bomb threat? It is certain that whatever person or group is responsible for these threats, they are trying to hit us where we live and terrify our children and elderly- the two […]
Simply Tragic
I awoke this morning to news of a press conference on the murder of a child and the subsequent arrest of another child for her death. It is always sad when a young life is lost and even more sad when it is one of our own. Surely, no one, especially no one in Jefferson […]
Repeats
Continuity is a great thing, sometimes. And this was the week of repeats. I am fine with the re appointment of Carmichael as the Chairman of the County Commission. The fact is that it takes awhile to be comfortable in the position of Chair and he has already been through the learning curve. He has […]
The $16,000 Question
After a very brief respite, the County Commission and their associated committees are back to work. For those of us that were hoping that a month without dealing with County business or Commission counterparts would make for a kinder, gentler, more productive Commission-well, after last Monday’s three hour debate, we now know better. Truth be […]
Winning and Losing in a Blue Society
This was a disappointing week for some, with both JCHS and the Volunteers suffering loses. We would all like to say that it is not winning or losing that is important but, rather, how you play the game. And it is true that playing with integrity and spirit are important. But, let’s face it. Nobody […]
A Changing of the Season
Sometimes it pays to just take a few minutes to reflect on where you have been, the road that was traveled. It can certainly help cure the desire to backtrack but it also identifies those paths that were worth another pass. This week, the unofficial end of summer has had me reflecting on the end […]
Ze Missed the Point
There are many crazy things going on in this world. Some are simply strange and some are down right scary but every once in awhile something comes around that boggles my mind. I understand conviction and I even understand random evil. But I don’t understand the total loss of identity that is being pushed on […]
Justice Took a Nine Month Holiday
I have been reporting on the Clarice Albright Gunn case for several months and to say that I find it not only confusing but appalling is an understatement. This is a case of a private citizen of Jefferson County being charged with a criminal act (though it was only a misdemeanor) for a campaign violation. […]
Life’s Not Fair
Sometimes life isn’t fair. We all know it but there are days that it really comes home to roost. Maybe you find yourself doing more than your fair share at home or the office. Maybe someone else comes off smelling like a rose and you end up smelling like the mulch. It happens. And there […]
Days of Discontent
When we look back at these times, these days of discontent, I wonder if our grandchildren and great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren will say that this was the beginning of the end or that we conquered with grace? I grew up in Jefferson County, back in the days when everyone knew everyone and nobody locked […]
