Thankful for these weekly conversations

What is Thanksgiving without a Thanksgiving column? For those of us tasked with offering our opinions on these pages, it is an obvious topic.

Putting presidential pressure on the PRESS Act

By now, President-elect Donald Trump’s cries of “fake news” have become far too commonplace in a nation that once prided itself as a bastion of free speech and transparency in government.

A reminder of remarkable accomplishment

My bucket list is not only complete, my bucket runneth over. My portrait of the Beloved Woman Who Shared My Name now hangs in the Wellstar School of Nursing at Kennesaw State University, where she received her degree at the age of 45. That’s correct.

Taking chances and learning

Every family leaves a legacy of some worth which lasts three or four generations. Sometimes, one good man raises up to see need and wisely chooses his cases. If the man is strong enough in his teaching, then it, most likely, carries on for a few generations.

Answer coming to Okefenokee controversy?

The election is over and, whether your side won or not, let’s all be grateful the nation is still standing and that all the political ads are gone – and hopefully, forgotten.Now, it is time to get back to the Okefenokee.

Veterans Day

Every Veterans Day, I take a moment to think about who we are celebrating. Who are the people we call veterans?The truth is, there are as many military service stories as there are people who have served.Many enlist because of a tradition of service in their family.

Why local newspapers remain trusted

The recent decision by The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times not to endorse a presidential candidate has put the issue of media trust in the spotlight – and underscores just how differently local newspapers are perceived from their national counterparts.

Brian’s tears

That evening, I remember distinctly.Mama, worn out from a day of sewing to make extra money for bills, had gone to bed. Daddy had gone to a funeral home to visit a church member who had left this mortal coil to meet his just reward.

Timber owner claims mining ban unconstitutional

Joe Hopkins is among the names that frequently come up in the controversy regarding possible permitting by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to allow Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals to mine titanium dioxide on Trail Ridge at Georgia’s historic Okefenokee Swamp.

All the upset

In 23 years of writing books, I have never encountered such a situation.The new book in my Stella Bankwell series releases on October 29th.It’s a light-hearted, blue skies mystery.The problem? Life’s not very light-hearted lately.Mercer University Press and I set the release date months ago.