Recently, Tink and I were visiting with friends in Virginia when I asked if I could go upstairs to their library and borrow a couple of books.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from Birmingham (AL)Jail”, April 16, 1963.

We’ve reached the halfway mark for 2020. Is it just me or does it feel like we’ve lived a whole year already? We’ve already had our share of natural disasters, social unrest and violence  — not to mention the unprecedented pandemic that has swept the nation and our world.

I have long been an admirer of the words and works of the late Paul Harvey and his radio commentaries known as the “The Rest of the Story.” I had the privilege of meeting him in New York at the Peabody Awards ceremonies, sponsored by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at…

The Satilla River is worth reading about. Most citizens are aware it marks Pierce County’s boundaries with Ware and Brantley County. Most are likely unaware the river fixes a maze of legal rights and restrictions beyond consideration, here. Irrespective, fishermen, hunters, boaters, kayakers…

For much of my adult life, I have tried to return to my alma mater, the University of Georgia, a portion of what the institution has given me. I say “a portion” because I can never totally repay the debt I owe UGA for the honor of being a Georgia Bulldog. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try. A…

The annual Graduation edition for the Pierce County Class of 2020 is here. Due to ongoing precautions as a result of COVID-19 the seniors from Pierce County High School will not receive their high school diplomas in the typical manner until July. However, this Friday, May 22, was the origina…

Among the debates about the pandemic, and our response to it, is how soon we can return to “normal,” or whether we’re bound for a “new normal.” The answer is clear: There’s no going back to “normal,” because we were in the midst of destroying it when the new coronavirus arrived.

A flag-waving salute to the United States Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels who roared across Georgia’s skies in tandem last week, paying tribute to our state’s heroic first responders. The event was an example of everything that is good about this great country. Hopefully,…

Emmett Forrest, for all of his life, would be known as one of the most beloved, most thoughtful men in Mt. Airy, NC. He happily shared whatever he had with others.

Andy Griffith was born in Mt. Airy, NC, a town near the Virginia line. For much of his life, he denied that Mayberry was based on the place where he grew up. However, near the end of his years, he relented in his denial.

It’s springtime y’all!  Time for cleaning and organizing and setting your house in order.

A moment of truth is upon us. Georgia is taking its first, tentative steps toward reopening after a month of shuttering businesses and sheltering in place.

This heart-filling adventure of discovery and joy began in the simplest way: I was looking for a television show to play in the background as I worked.

There is a really cute chick living at my house. 

Right on cue, proponents of Medicaid expansion are touting the program as a way for Georgia to fight the pandemic. When all you have in the way of solutions is more government spending, then every crisis, challenge or blip on the radar looks like a reason for more government spending.

To: Bill Gaither

Among the many down-home philosophies of Mama’s was her proclamation that “Somethin’ good always comes out of somethin’ bad. Always. You just watch and see.”

The dangerous mix of social distancing and social media

It doesn’t feel like Easter.

We’ve heard a lot over the years about “equity” when it comes to education. The current pandemic, and resulting school closures, are giving a lot of educational leaders the opportunity to show just how serious they are about the issue.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Growing up, I understood there was a particularly strong bond between Mama and her older sister, Ozelle. It would, however, take me years to figure out what was the foundation of that bond.

I have a special affinity for underdogs. Maybe that’s because I have been one myself. So my interest was piqued when I heard that a political novice from Baxley (pop. 4,400) by the name of Dr. Kandiss Taylor is running for the United States Senate seat vacated by Johnny Isakson.

The Rev. Cleavant Derricks was an old man when I met him. Or so I thought. His frail health made him seem much older than his sixty-something years.

A theme emerged last week amidst national coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Newscasters began to frame hourly reports around their observation that the world and this nation will never be the same once we’re safely on the other side of the outbreak.

In the 17 years that this column has existed, I have never written a special one to address a current situation that was either tumultuous or triumphant.

Coach John Stephens was a gentle giant. 

In some ways, the spread of the coronavirus has been like watching a slow-motion car wreck: You can see the impact and the damage coming a long way off, but it seems like a long time coming. Then again, the accelerating speed of the fallout is breathtaking: sporting events, schools and even …

It has long been my policy not to weigh in on what everyone else in the media happens to be pontificating about at the time. Hence, you saw little here about the Trump impeachment trial. To add to that cacophony seemed a waste of my time — and yours.

Just last week, all of us were trying to get adjusted to the large amount of rain received over the previous days and weeks which caused flooding, road closures and even school closures in our area. With weather projections not forecasting rain and warmer temperatures on the horizon, hopes w…

With a chance to choose a presidential candidate to oppose Donald Trump this November, Democrats have had the opportunity to pick among a diverse list of 29 candidates. There were six female candidates, including a (cough! cough!) Native American. There were five black candidates, a Taiwanes…

There is an adage in the publishing business that you can’t judge a book by its cover but you can sell a book by its cover.

Blank stares at blank pages – the opening lines to “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles.  After a long and busy weekend compounded by the loss of an hour of sleep due to the time change, penning a column this week has been a challenge. So, I’ll just tell a story.

What a difference a decision makes. Wasn’t it just the other day that Georgia Republican Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, was the hero of the hour for his unwavering defense of President Donald Trump during his Kangaroo Court impea…

Some of this account is well known, though not all. The purpose is to proffer the unfamiliar, to fill a gap or two, and to enhance appreciation of the Pierce County Story. For to be sure, it has come far and upward since the darkening landmark year of 1918.

One of the great treats that comes from my job as a writer are all the wonderful, handwritten letters I receive. Few are typed and though I receive many emails, these scripted letters are always the most joyous.

Over the last few weeks, my girls, Mattie and Makenzie, have been playing basketball at Patterson Baptist Church. Neither had played organized basketball before, but have played t-ball and softball for a couple of years. 

NOTE: Another Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but some things will remain well after the chocolates are eaten and the roses lose their bloom. I first told this story in 2018. Its message is unchanged: Love is eternal.

Here we go again. 

It’s easy to feel insulated from national headlines in our small, wholesome community. We shake our heads at national news of shootings and violent attacks across America, and while we grieve for those involved, we breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness nothing like that will ever happen h…

I have never been much on watching the political processes in our nation’s capitol. In the past it was mostly mundane and unexciting. There has always been and will always be those in Washington who do not agree on certain issues, but usually those individuals or groups will give arguments, …

America just celebrated National Pie Day. Or, so I’m told. Who knew there was such a thing? There was no National Pie Day Sale or National Pie Festival or National Pie Parade down Main Street. 

Not too long ago, I was in high school writing research papers in various classes for all sorts of topics. Some were to research events and people who helped shape the United States, while others were to give ideas on what I thought the future might hold. 

Perception is everything  — we’ve all heard that before. 

There are several words of wisdom that have been passed down to me by those I respect, including my parents, grandparents, other family, teachers and friends. I try to utilize this wisdom to be productive in life and generous to others. 

The story of the 2020 legislative session will be the budget. Gov. Brian Kemp ordered some agencies to cut their budgets while others expect increases, the normal rejiggering of priorities under a new governor.

It was a quick, foolhardy decision born of a country girl who wanted to see more of the world than pasture fences, cows and hayfields. I came to regret it during all the nights I cried, homesick for all of that as well as the bullfrogs, crickets and dirt roads.

January 8, 2020:  How are your new year’s resolutions holding up? 

One day not so long ago, when you said the year 2020 it was a far distant concept, way out in the future.