Columns

The Little Red Hen is a fable we all read as children in school. The little red hen asks her lazy farm animal friends to help with various tasks because she wants to bake some bread. They refuse, so she does all the work herself. When the bread is done and smelling wonderful, all her…

From time to time, I like to remind readers who is in charge when it comes to our government. It is you, the taxpayer or citizen. That’s right, if you pay taxes, you are the boss. Some government officials, both elected and appointed, would like for you to believe otherwise. “Public” government buildings, facilities, parks,…

That time has finally arrived. After 25 years of raising children, Amy and I are now officially empty nesters. It’s time to party! Only problem is, we may be a little too old to party (I can hear Father Time laughing in the background and saying, “Don’t break a hip”). Seriously, prior to having our…

Most of us have heard about taking or not taking the easy road all of our lives. It is human nature to want to go the path of least resistance. When you actually sit and think about it, the easy road runs downhill. Nothing good comes from rolling downhill. Like the old saying goes, it…

As we near the grand 70th celebration of the Summerall Family Gathering, this column reflects on a particularly profound aspect of their incredible journey: the family’s steadfast values in navigating and enduring through some of the most turbulent periods in American history. From the immediate aftermath of the Civil War and the oppressive Jim Crow…

I have always prided myself on the fact I’ve been able to answer medical forms quickly and straight forward. No diseases, no surgeries, no allergies, etc. That will not be the case any longer. I found out the hard way that I am actually allergic to a certain medication last Tuesday. After we had completed printing…

Liar Liar is a comedic film starring Jim Carrey. He plays the role of a successful attorney. He has a young son named Max, who he is always making empty promises that he never follows through on. Max’s birthday comes around, and he makes a wish that his Daddy would no longer be able to…

As the 70th annual Summerall Family Gathering draws near, our series continues to explore the multi-faceted legacy of Jack and Mariah Summerall, bringing into focus their descendants’ remarkable commitment to education and their pioneering spirit. In a post-slavery America, where access to education for African Americans was systematically denied or severely limited, the pursuit of…

“Sheeple” is a term used to describe people with a herd mentality and those who blindly follow along with the crowd. Since the beginning of time, people have had herd mentality. The masses will blindly follow along to their own demise regardless of how much noise you make trying to warn them of what is…

As Baxley prepares to mark a momentous 70 years, the story of the Summerall family – Jack and Mariah, and their descendants – is not merely one of personal milestones, but of deep and abiding community involvement. Their journey through seven decades has been inextricably linked with the growth, challenges, and triumphs of Baxley itself.…