Last week, two documents were delivered to The News-Banner regarding the 2018 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) projects (see documents above). The bottom document shows that three of nine SPLOST projects listed on the report were over budget. The amounts in parenthesis reflect…
For 38 years this newspaper has published a Progress Report that presents a vast amount of information about Baxley and Appling County. First and foremost, let me thank the community for its continued support of this publication. Without your support, this special issue would not be possible.
This seems to be the new scuttlebutt around town right now. If you are looking for me to tell you to vote for or against SPLOST, do not continue reading this editorial. That is your decision to make.
As I checked my morning notices on my cell phone last week, the news of Mrs. Diane Hallman’s passing hit me hard. I have been around Appling politics most of my life. I’ve witnessed good politicians and bad. Judge Diane Hallman was one of the good ones, and one I considered a true friend.
A recent report from the UN Environment Programme outlined several troubling issues concerning the world’s ecosystems and the increasing scarcity of natural resources. Conditions stemming from climate change to increased usage are creating taxing demands upon nature. With less rainfall, high…
I was driving much too fast that Friday night. I admit it and the fact that I was in a hurry is irrelevant. My husband Larry was asleep in the passenger seat, and we were headed home to Georgia for the weekend. Cruising up I-95 somewhere in middle Florida, I glanced over to my right to see t…
By Ken Buck, U.S. Representative, Colorado’s 4th Congressional District
Executive session is probably the most misused and misunderstood portion of any official meeting, but there are strict rules regarding its use.
As we approach the start of 2023, I’d like to take a few moments to offer my appreciation for your support in 2022.
The people pictured above are some of the best in Appling County, in my book. These fine folks are volunteers at the Appling County Food Bank. Most of these people do this service for our community and receive no gain financially at all.
Look at the above agenda. What is the sole purpose of this meeting in a nutshell? I think all would agree it is a called meeting to conduct interviews of the top three candidates for the position of county manager. By all accounts, do you believe the Appling County Commission has narrowed it…
The front page this week is not the type of news this newspaper necessarily desires to publish. However, we do feel the public should always be made aware of the illegal activities happening in our community, especially illegal drug activities.
Last Monday I was headed home after a long day of work. As I was traveling down East Parker (Highway 341 East), I was in the left lane, passing a slower moving vehicle in the right, when a car approached the back of my vehicle at a high rate of speed. I sped up a little to go ahead and pass …
On June 30, Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following on the conclusion of the Supreme Court’s 2021 term which included West Virginia v. EPA, Kennedy v. Bremerton School Dist., New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen and Dobbs v. Jackson Wome…
Does this number mean anything at all to you? It should; that’s the number of abortions that were performed in the United States in 2020. The sad part…that’s only reported abortions. The real number could very well be over one million.
Last week News Editor Mary Ann Ellis submitted an open records request to the Appling County Commissioners. The request included a standing request that, if and when, the commission decides to hire a permanent county manager they provide a list of the top candidates prior to making a decisio…
It’s a special week in Appling County. Seniors from two local schools will receive high school diplomas and prepare for a new journey. Enjoy this special time in your life, and we know that Appling County will be well represented by the Class of 2022.
I have been thinking a lot about Christianity lately. My wife, Amy, and I started a plan on the Bible app (YouVersion) titled The Bible Recap with Tara-Leigh Cobble with 30+ friends at the dawn of 2022. The app allows us to read the Bible in a year’s time and each day 30+ friends have an opp…
As a dog lover myself, this picture is very difficult for me to view and comprehend. However, I believe the community should be made aware of what is happening. A reader submitted the above picture to the newspaper last week. The photo shows two dogs that were dumped on the side of Merrell M…
Baseball great Yogi Berra was not only famous for his years playing professional baseball; he was also known for his “Yogisms,” such as, the above headline. Berra could have been considered a lexophile, and no, that is not some new gender identification label. Lexophile describes those that …
The Georgia General Assembly has convened for the 2022 Session. It seems to come faster each year. Please know, though this is now my sixth year, I am still so honored at the faith and trust you placed in me by allowing me to represent you in Atlanta. It is humbling and I have and will not …
Pastor Lester Weldon and I met decades back. At the time he was working for a truss plant as a design engineer. I needed some trusses for a project I was working on, and he was the man I talked to about the type and design.
I’ve had enough! Litter continues to plague this community and complaints seem to be falling on deaf ears. The trash on our city and county roadways is ridiculous. Daily we have to pick up empty cigerette packs, lottery tickets, food bags, cups, used face masks and more out of the yard here …
This column has become a Christmas tradition. I share with you once again this year. It is dedicated to the memory of my beloved wife and to all who believe.
I traveled to Brunswick a few weeks back to report on the Georgia State House and Senate’s Redistricting Public Hearing. The house and senate held meetings around the state to allow input and hear concerns from citizens and groups about the redistricting process.
It was reported last week that U.S. Border Patrol agents have apprehended a total of 1,666,167 illegals at the southern border to date in 2021. This total breaks all records since the agency’s formation. In addition to this new record, almost 300,000 more illegals were stopped at points of e…
Is this number familiar? It should be. Have we already forgotten what we promised we’d never forget 20 years ago?
“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” - Abraham Lincoln
A few days back, I helped my 16-year-old son get caught up on mowing here at the newspaper office. This has been his summer job, and I believe a good way to teach him some responsibility. As we prepared to mow, we had to spend time picking up trash that found its way to the yard here at the …
The sky is dark today. I’m offended! That lady, excuse me, person, just looked at me the wrong way. I’m offended! The color orange offends me. I’m offended!
Editor’s note: Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) took to the Senate Floor last week delivering a sobering speech explaining to Americans what is really going on with Washington’s out-of-control spending and the impact it is having on Americans. Below is his speech in its entirety and hope you will shar…
This is a picture of the U.S. Debt Clock taken around 3:00 p.m. on Monday. Take a few moments to study this information. Each of you now owe roughly $85,467.00, as of Monday, for this country’s debt. This amount includes everyone, including the blood sucking leeches who could work but choose…
As you gather around the barbeque or celebrate with family and friends this weekend, take a few minutes to reflect on how great it is to live in America. We enjoy freedoms that other parts of the world envy.
There’s an old proverb that I believe is not being taught to today’s society. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This was sent to me a few days back. I do not know if this story is true or not, but I can’t help but wonder if this is an accurate assessment of the mindset of many in society today. The following is reportedly an individual’s experience at a large retail store (name withheld intentionally):
In the spring of 1991, I was gearing up to begin a new chapter in my life as I was preparing to graduate from ACHS. It’s hard to believe it has been 30 years since I took that journey that many will be taking this week. I can assure you that as I helped design the graduation issue inside the…
Everywhere you look, businesses are seeking help. I can’t imagine anyone having the excuse, “I can’t find a job.”
For years he and my Dad, the late Max Gardner, were good friends. They would often bounce ideas about politics off each other and you could truly see the trust and admiration between the two men when they were together. After my Dad’s death, that trust fell on me.
Our state received rather depressing recognition last week. Georgia ranked last for getting its citizens vaccinated for COVID-19. According to a U.S. News and World report last week, approximately 1.3% of Georgians had received the vaccine. Of the roughly 10 million citizens in Georgia, only…
Based on the news reported on the front page this week, local property owners should be overjoyed. The news of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) tax payment is welcomed news. Nearly three million dollars in new tax revenue should benefit our community tremendously.
As the New Year begins its journey toward 2022, the money crunch occupies the minds of millions of Americans—small business owners, parents, laid-off workers, etc. Many of the people who’ve had steady income from retirement or savings have rescued not-so-fortunate relatives and friends, but …
Most of us would agree that 2020 has been a challenging year. I also believe most of us will be happy to say good riddance to 2020.
On Sunday my pastor said something that stuck in my mind. He said, “A Christ-less Christmas is like counterfeit money. It has no value.”
Unfortunately The Baxley News-Banner was not allowed to broadcast/live stream last week’s football game between our Appling County Pirates and the Upson-Lee Knights, of Thomaston, played in Appling County at Jimmy Swain Stadium. As of press time, we are still awaiting word from GHSA if we’ll…
Mama cried for a week when she moved away from the Gill Street house. She’d been happy there. Her chickens and turkeys strutted about in their pens in the back yard, clucking and scratching for juicy worms in those pens that Daddy had built for them in his spare time. The huge pecan trees no…
Pardon me for stating the obvious, but 2020 has been a dumper of a year and I can’t wait to see it in the rearview mirror.
My receiving news of a church brother’s desire for prayer prompted a review of the Bible’s book of Job. As detailed in the King James Version, Job was described as a righteous man who lived in the land of Uz. According to Job 1:1, “…and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared…
Every single American should be interested in some of the concerns being raised by President Donald Trump and a portion of republicans about how the November 3 election was conducted across this nation and state. More and more questions are being raised daily about voting systems and the way…
The time has finally arrived. After what seems like an eternity of squabbling between the two candidates, you now get to decide on November 3 who you would like to have as your next President of the United States. There are also a number of local and state elections that are very important d…
Last week I received the following from a trusted reader:
Numerous citizens have approached me over the past few weeks asking me to write about the approaching commission chairman question that will be on the General Election ballot. There will be a special Non-binding Advisory Referendum on the November 3 ballot regarding the Appling County Commis…
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