opinions
Why I Despise ‘Social’ Media — By Tommy Purser
Social media. The word “social” has several definitions. One of those is what, I think, is meant when one talks about social media: “relating to or designed for activities in which people meet each other for pleasure.” A few weeks ago, someone posted on “social” media that Hazlehurst Mayor Bayne Stone had angered the owner…
Read MoreHate
Hate has been in the news lately. It has infected the nation’s society, driven in no small part by social media. That’s where haters promote their lies, mistruths and venom. And there are way too many people who rely on social media to get their news. And worse, they believe the “news” they see and…
Read MoreWait Until You’re Older — By John Reed
Wait Until You’re Older I can’t count the number of times my parents gave me that answer when I wanted to do something. I have said it myself to the next generation or two, whenever they wanted to shoot a gun or drive an ATV or do something else they’re not ready for. As a…
Read MoreEd Wilson Still Supporting Kids — By Tommy Purser
Looking back through the old Ledgers each week fills me with nostalgia. I came here in 1973, 50 years ago, so I’ve seen a lot of high school sports in this county. Looking this week at a copy of a 1955 Ledger, I saw a small article on the fact that Mark N. Durden was…
Read MoreComing Back Around — By John Reed
Coming Back Around Many claim the “Golden Era of Television” was decades ago, and certainly many innovations created then still serve programming well. Others would claim that categorization should be now, with dozens of streaming options, cable channels, and even the old broadcast networks providing ever more opportunities for good writing and acting. Recently I’ve…
Read MoreWho Knows?
I noticed some work happening on Jarman Street last week and assumed the work was connected to the traffic changes announced by the city almost 8 months ago that was supposed to begin immediately. So I called the Department of Transportation to get some information about the project. You may recall it involved installing a…
Read MoreLook In The Sky — By John Reed
Look In The Sky Over the last week or so, we have been treated to a celestial spectacle in the early evening western sky. The planets, Jupiter and Venus have been drawing ever closer, even joined once by the moon in a spectacular triangular formation. It’s times like these that I imagine there was once…
Read MoreSmall Town Life — By Tommy Purser
As a small town newspaper editor, I have always subscribed to the belief that small town life revolves around its children. My three “children” are now on the north side of 40, but in a lot of ways my life still revolves around them. Most of my grandchildren are on the north side of 20,…
Read MoreSpring Has Sprung — By John Reed
Spring Has Sprung As our winters shorten, the harbingers of spring arrive ever earlier. Flashy early bloomers have announced the season with a splash, and our azaleas and dogwoods will follow soon. Pollen-draped windshields turn our cars green, and red swamp maple buds decorate the approaches to the river. Eternal optimists, home gardeners relish this…
Read MoreWho Cares? — By Tommy Purser
Let’s just suppose for a moment that there is a city in which an elected mayor also serves as an appointed city manager. And that the city charter of that city prohibits any elected official of that city from serving in any appointed office of the city. And let’s just suppose further that the mayor…
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