Columns

Judge Paul Braden and Dr. John Broome, who were both honored posthumously with Luminary Awards by Leadership Tri-County Thursday evening, were two great men I feel privileged to have known personally. Judge Braden loved being a judge. (I never could make myself call him by his first name.) Even when he didn’t have much time left, Judge Braden was still hearing cases on the bench. I can remember one trial towards the end where he had another local judge on standby to take over in the afternoon, if he wasn’t feeling up to it after lunch. (It was kind of like a relief pitcher in a baseball game.) I remember one...

So, after you have been married for more than 20 years, the question arises what do you get your spouse for Christmas or their birthday? This is especially true when your spouse thinks you have too much junk as it is…LOL. The answer that my wonderful wife, Cecelia, and I came up with a few years ago is that we often get each other experiences. For instance, she has gotten me photo workshops in a lot of cool places, such as The Outer Banks, Death Valley, Charleston, South Carolina, and Savanah, Georgia, to name a few. Back in January when my birthday rolled around, Cecelia got me tickets to see former...

Every year when election season rolls around Whitley County begins its time-honored tradition of pie suppers, or, as I affectionately refer to it, the legal fleecing of the candidates…LOL. For those unfamiliar with the tradition, during each major election season various charities, such as fire departments, football boosters, churches, etc. host what are called pie suppers. While I have never actually attended a pie supper, I have had these events described to me multiple times by several people. The various entities will invite the candidates to attend the pie suppers. The candidates are typically given the opportunity to introduce themselves and say what office they are seeking. Then there is the auction portion...

I tend to complain here and there in everyday conversation, but I don’t think I have ever complained in my opinion articles. Today is the day that changes. I am going to complain about… drum roll, please… artificial intelligence (A.I.) generated flyers. Get ready, folks, because I’m at my limit with this topic. I feel a strong rage when I am scrolling through social media and spot a flyer made by A.I. It feels like creativity takes a backseat. It’s obvious when the flyers are created by ChatGPT because they all look the same: the font, font size, colors, and seasonal stickers. It’s all milked from the same cow. Honestly, I’d rather...

At some point in my life, I want to visit every state in America. It is kind of an unofficial bucket list item for me and my wonderful wife, Cecelia. Last week, we got a little closer to that goal by visiting our southern-most state and our second most western state, Hawaii. The 50th state in the union did not disappoint. Hawaii’s Waikiki is pretty much everything it is billed to be. It was warm and somewhat humid, but not too warm nor not too humid like Florida’s Keywest or Louisianna’s New Orleans. (Seriously, only go visit those two places in the winter unless you really want to sweat…LOL.) The vibe in Waikiki...

My friend Bob Osborne, who is in his 80s, would like to see a law passed so that people don’t have to pay taxes after they hit the age of 80 years old. No property taxes. No vehicle taxes. No income taxes. Nothing. His argument is that those people have already paid enough taxes during their lifetime. Such a law would make a lot of sense and benefit a lot of seniors, almost all of whom are already on a fixed income. It would keep seniors from losing their homes because they can’t afford property tax increases, which is happening more often. I have to say it is an interesting argument. As someone,...

Happy March Fourth! For those unaware, March Fourth is a day for marching band members—past and present—to reflect on and appreciate their time in marching band. March Fourth also coincides with Music in Our Schools Month, a time dedicated to recognizing music educators and the work they do to keep music alive in our schools. I participated in marching band throughout middle school, high school and college. I have officially lost count of the number of shows I was in, but I believe it was nine. My experience was both positive and educational. I learned from my peers, expressed myself creatively and musically, endured challenging moments, and gained leadership opportunities with the support...

What are you passionate about? For many people, the answer can be a number of things. For me, though, the answer is clear: music. Music has shaped my character since childhood. Some of my fondest memories are playing piano and singing gospel songs with my momma. She taught me how to harmonize and play chords, planting the seeds for my lifelong connection to music. I’ve always considered myself a “band geek.” Over the years, I’ve learned to play piano, flute, and ukulele. I didn’t fall in love with music right away. There were times I wanted to quit, but my momma wouldn’t let me. She saw something in me that I couldn’t...

There is a special kind of pain that comes with sitting front row at a funeral. Before Saturday, the last time I sat on the front row was for my Mamaw’s funeral in 2008. At nine years old, the significance didn’t quit hit. I understood what death was and that life moving forward was going to look different. At nine years old though, you are still a child. At that age, death seems final, but in the same way that the end of a book seems final. You can go back and reread the book. You might catch little details that you missed here and there, but ultimately, the book is...

It was a different feeling to walk into the News Journal office last Monday following the departure of News Journal Publisher Trevor Sherman. I am now literally the last man standing at the News Journal as the entirety of our remaining staff is female; not that this is a bad thing. We have Publisher Jennifer K. Perkins, Advertising Manager Melissa Hudson, Office Manager Linda Carpenter, Bookkeeper and Classifieds Manager Jennifer Benfield and Reporter Leeann Fragosa. Ironically, when I first started at the News Journal more than 30 years ago, most of the staff was male. I have told my female co-workers that they are more than welcome to use the men’s restroom,...