opinions
Balancing the Budget — By John Reed
Balancing the Budget Most of us have a monthly routine, paying bills on or near the first of each month. And there’s always the hope that there’s more money coming in than going out, which is discovered when we balance our checkbook at the end of the month. While I know many people who do…
Read MoreMr. Wilbur Lee ‘Peewee’ Dykes Jr., 50
Mr. Wilbur Lee “Peewee” Dykes Jr., 50, of Hazlehurst passed away Feb. 1 at his residence. Mr. Dykes was born Oct. 22, 1972, in Jeff Davis County and was employed with Impact Housing. He is preceded in death by his wife, Eva Lorene Dykes and mother, Judy Ann McManus Dykes. Survivors include his daughter, Caitlyn…
Read MoreChaos Reigns Supreme — By Tommy Purser
I’ve written in this space no less than five times in recent years about the chaos reigning supreme with the Hazlehurst City Council. Last Thursday night’s meeting of the Council was among the most chaotic attempts at governing I’ve seen in more than 50 years of watching governing bodies operate. I didn’t know whether to…
Read MoreBig Bash In Atlanta — By John Reed
Big Bash in Atlanta Last week I was invited to the governor’s inaugural party in Atlanta. The actual swearing in ceremony took place earlier in front of a much smaller audience. This event was in the State Farm arena, where the Hawks play, and featured Luke Bryant as a headliner, along with a couple of…
Read MoreRemembering Buddy — By Tommy Purser
By TOMMY PURSER I’ve had Buddy Bennett on my mind a lot lately. The former Jeff Davis High head football coach landed in Hazlehurst in 1978, taking the reins of a program that had just completed what, at that time, was the most successful year of football in the history of the school. I liked…
Read MorePity Party — By Tommy Purser
Bear with me as I engage in a pity party in this space. I am happy to put 2022 in my rear view mirror. It was not the best 12 months of my 75 years, both personally and as the owner of this small town newspaper. I lost a lot of friends in 2022. People…
Read MoreLosing LOST Would Be Devastating For The City — By Tommy Purser
When I sat down to write this column, I hesitated to bring up the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations for the third straight week. But the impending elimination of the LOST is a serious matter. And there are only two days left to reach an agreement before the Dec. 30 deadline arrives. The 60-40…
Read MoreThe LOST Mess — By Tommy Purser
The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) provides to city governments across the state a publication entitled “Renegotiating Local Option Sales Tax (LOST).” It is full of useful information about the negotiation process and how to properly approach the matter. One of the points made in the document is that the negotiating parties should, at the outset…
Read MoreBe The One — By John Reed
Be The One In warmer months, my flowerbeds grace me with blooms every color of the rainbow. Among the showiest are the irises. Their vibrant yellows and purples always delight. All except one. For some reason, one iris blooms in late fall, around Thanksgiving time, long after most of the color has left the landscape.…
Read MoreIs A Disaster For Taxpayers Coming? — By Tommy Purser
It was a simple question, really: “Do the people realize what’s happening here?” I did a quick mental review of past articles we had published in the paper concerning the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST)negotiations going on between the City of Hazlehurst and the Jeff Davis County Commission. My memory was a bit fuzzy on…
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