Opinions

I have heard a number of comments made about this newspaper and yours truly the past several weeks that are unwarranted or straight out inaccurate.

I have personally been accused of not doing enough with regard to reporting or for not offering an opinion of my own about the recent shooting that tragically took place in our county involving Marine James Dixon, the Appling County Sheriff’s Department and the Georgia State Patrol SWAT Team. From my vantage point, this has been one of the most divisive issues I’ve ever witnessed in our community. [Full Story »] 

Rarely do I ever go see a movie after I’ve read the book it was based on, especially if I liked the book. I know the movie will leave half of the plot out, or change the plot so much I will hardly recognize it. The first time I saw Gone with the Wind, I was angry. I wanted every single tidbit of the book, every detail. Where were Scarlett’s other two children? And what about her first husband, Charles? Before I ever saw it, I’d read the book about ten times. I could practically recite it. How dare they change it so much? A couple of years ago a friend and I, both Jodi Picoult fans, went to see My Sister’s Keeper. If I had not read the book, I would have been impressed, but I was too busy remembering what actually happened in the book to enjoy what was happening in the movie. It was hardly the same story at all. [Full Story »] 

My Mother is the most determined and strong willed person I have ever known; not the smartest, but the most determined and strong willed. I mean that if she tells you to put a round peg into a square hole and you can’t make it fit, she’ll knock you out of the way, grab a hammer and say to the peg, “Bless Patty, peg you’re going in there and I mean now!! Hold that peg still, Boy, and stop whining about your hand or I’ll use this hammer on your hard head! You watch this and learn!!” [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

The article by Mrs. Mary Ann Ellis on April 18, entitled “Trial by Media”, was a great article that should be an eye opener for our community. It should teach us all a lesson about the consequences of jumping to conclusions and forming opinions without knowing all of the facts about a case. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

On April 9, I traveled from Reidsville to Baxley to attend the Executive Board Meeting of Concerted Services. As I crossed Lanes Bridge I was aware that I had struck something on the road with my car and as I traveled a few miles farther into Appling County it became obvious that I had experienced a blown tire. [Full Story »] 

Last year Appling County 4-H Agent Becky Collins contacted me about writing a short story about my years of experience in Georgia 4-H. The title of the story was “I Am Georgia 4-H”. I really enjoyed writing about my experiences in the organization. [Full Story »] 

Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was unarmed when he was fatally shot on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defense. Unless you’ve lived in a cave with no television since that day, you are very much aware of this case. No matter the angle we choose to examine it from, it’s a multi-faceted tragedy. One young man is dead. Another has been convicted of murder before all the facts are in, not by a jury of his peers, but by the national media, and hordes of people have jumped on the bandwagon to lynch Zimmerman. No one seems interested in the facts. Right now, the whole situation is a farce fanned and aggravated by reporters striving for sensationalism. [Full Story »] 

It is hard to believe it, but me and the little woman are rolling up on our twenty-eighth wedding anniversary soon. Have mercy, what a ride it has been to tame this Texas mustang I lassoed all those years ago, but given the opportunity, I would do it again. I was flat broke when we married so I know my wife did not marry me for money, but our marriage has been rocky a few times. These rocky times probably stem from her having second thoughts when the new wore off and she got tired of eating squirrels, venison, rabbits, rattlesnakes, fish, soft shell turtles, locusts and wild honey, and whatever else the land had to offer (I ain’t sure about this. I am just thinking out loud here.). Her head is just as hard as mine and she has her faults but thankfully she also has virtues that outweigh them. I have at least one fault myself, although I am sure my detractors would take issue with this number. Just exactly why she did marry a broke country boy like me is a mystery that I shall leave to the ages, but whatever it was, I am glad of it. [Full Story »] 

Memphis, Tennessee, is the city that riverboats, B.B. King and Blues Music and Elvis Presley and Rock and Roll Music built.
In addition to ocean cruises, river cruises are a large part of my and B. J.’s travel adventures. However, until the past week, we had never cruised the Mississippi on a genuine Mississippi River paddle wheeler. Memphis would be the place. [Full Story »] 

Did you hear the one about the personal injury lawyer that was injured in an accident? He was hurt when the ambulance he was chasing stopped suddenly. This joke is funny, especially when you consider that there are attorneys out there who do in engage in the practice of trolling around hospitals looking for clients that have been injured and I’ll discuss these characters on a later date. However, there are many reputable attorneys who represent clients who have been injured in accidents involving cars, machinery, trips to the grocery store and mishaps at work. Personal injury law is vitally important for several reasons. First, it designs remedies for those who have been injured due to the negligence or intentional acts of another, and a second important function is that personal injury law helps to assign risks and spurs the development of safety measures in all facets of our lives. For example, personal injury lawsuits have led to safer designs of cars, trucks and machinery, exacting standards on the testing of prescription medication, and more stringent regulation of tobacco products. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

Why are candidates in the upcoming elections placing signs on private property without asking permission? Please ask before you place any signs on my property.

Dwight Griffis

By Charles E. Richardson

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m noticing more extreme saggers -- you know the fashion of wearing one’s pants down below the butt line where everyone can see their underwear -- because the weather is warmer.

Saggers say it’s just fashion. They say it’s their way of rebelling against societal norms (who are you to tell me what to wear? I’ll show you by parading around in my underwear). That makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? [Full Story »]