opinions
Memories sometimes come in droves — By Tommy Purser
What a week it’s been for me. Sometimes memories worth saving just come in droves. Friday night’s graduation was chilly and windy. But there were no gnats. No heat. No fluttering hand fans. People were a bit chill-bumped but there are worse things. All-in-all the weather cooperated. And it went sooooo smoothly. Thanks in no…
Read MoreDo As I Say … — By John Reed
Do As I Say… … Not as I do. Most of us as kids got that instruction from adults. Parents, teachers, and others unwittingly taught kids irony and sarcasm long before we were really emotionally equipped to deal with such. As adults, we should know better: we should recognize that sort of behavior in others,…
Read MoreOpinion on Solar Panels — By Tommy Purser
I hesitate to write this opinion here because some folks won’t like it. First, let me say that the folks who live on McCall Road and environs are justified in their displeasure with what’s happened in their community. They blame the solar farms that have invaded them. I use the word “invaded” because I think…
Read MoreUnlevel Playing Field — By Tommy Purser
The Final Four in the Class AA State Baseball Tournament has been set. And, not surprisingly, three of the four teams in the group are private schools — Mount Paran Christian School, Fellowship Christian School and North Cobb Christian School. Appling County is the only public school in the Final Four. There is a distinctively…
Read MoreThe Price Of Freedom — By John Reed
The Price Of Freedom Such a hackneyed clichè conjures up 1940’s wartime propaganda. In these modern enlightened times, fewer and fewer seem to understand this phrase remains as important, if not more so, today. Last weekend I attended a sporting event in a neighboring county to support a grandchild. This particular county has gone all…
Read MoreBridges To Nowhere — By John Reed
Bridges To Nowhere Back in 2005, there was an effort to build a bridge in Alaska to replace a ferry to a town of less than 50. The cost was on the order of $350 million, and was derided nationally as an example of wasteful government spending. Even Alaskans opposed this “bridge to nowhere“ and…
Read MoreCouncil turns deaf ear to law enforcement needs — By Tommy Purser
Attempts to hire law enforcement officers across the nation have become disturbingly competitive. As a result, police force positions have become increasingly difficult to fill. The City of Hazlehurst Police Department is no exception. And Police Chief Ken Williams’ inability to get the City Council to get on board with the belief that the safety…
Read MoreNot All Citizens Are Disruptive — By Tommy Purser
Both the County Commissioners and the Board of Education members are loathe to hear from the public they serve. That’s frustrating to me. I’ve been around awhile and I’ve seen both bodies repeat mistakes that have happened well before the people currently in office took office. Many times, I’d like to share what I know…
Read MoreThe Scourge Of Social Media
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 MoreWhy 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…
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