opinions
Is 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…
Read MoreDon’t Blame Me — By John Reed
Don’t Blame Me I voted. Unlike 3 million other registered Georgia voters, I exercised my constitutional right to pick our leaders. I’m sure there are plenty on both sides who are disappointed with the outcome… They have only themselves to blame. And there is absolutely no room for complaints or suspicion or conspiracy theories. I…
Read MoreAging — By Tommy Purser
I’ve lived long enough to see a lot of friends and relatives get old. I’ve watched so many deteriorate with age, struggle with doing things that once were easy to do. Some resign themselves to endure the inevitable loss of quality in their lives. Others fight —- fiercely. I’ve decided to designate myself as a…
Read MoreBetter Than They Could Be — By Tommy Purser
The good wife didn’t make it to a Jeff Davis High School softball game this year. I urged her to go. “They are really, really good,” I told her. “You don’t know what your’re missing.” Well, it’s too late now. She will never know what she missed. The girls won the state championship over the…
Read MorePerson Or Policy? — By John Reed
Person Or Policy? The concept of civil discourse has sadly been missing this campaign season. The incessant barrage of negative advertising has seen both sides attack their opponent’s character and person. It seems everyone running is either a wife beater or a baby killer. Unfortunately, the voters have become the big losers. Lost in all…
Read MoreCity’s splash pad built using funds intended for downtown improvements — By Tommy Purser
I listened with interest to a video recording of last week’s meeting of the Hazlehurst City Council. A question was asked about whether the city still owned the splash pad or the county had taken over ownership. The mayor said something to the effect that the city had spent some $300,000 to build the splash…
Read MoreLoving High School Sports — By Tommy Purser
As I’ve said many times before in this space, I love high school sports. Because social media has devastated small newspapers across the state and nation, I don’t get to go to as many games as I used to and I certainly don’t have the space in the paper each week to give these youngsters…
Read MoreWater Water Everywhere — By John Reed
Water Water Everywhere …”and not a drop to drink.” These words from Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” summarize perfectly our country’s weather situation. Flooding in the east and south, drought in the west. The solution is obvious. President Eisenhower, impressed by Germany’s Autobahn system he encountered during World War II, created the interstate highway…
Read MoreGo, Braves!! — By Tommy Purser
The good wife, quite frankly, obsesses over the Atlanta Braves. I, too, like the Braves but I have nowhere near the absolute obsession the good wife has for them. The Bravos are in the thick of the race for their division crown, but to hear the good wife moan and grown and gripe and growl…
Read MoreMake Sense Common Again — By John Reed
Make Sense Common Again Country folk of a certain age have wonderful phrases about the important things in life. One of my favorites is about someone with no common sense: “they can’t pour piss out of a boot with directions on the heel.” We don’t need to know how some poor boot became urinal in…
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