Conservative budgeting, spending benefits state

   By now, you should know Georgia is more fiscally responsible than the federal government. If not, the folks in Washington, D.C., are working overtime to demonstrate it.

Mother Nature sure did howl Saturday night

   The clouds were building in a blue-black sky Saturday afternoon as I mowed the final section of my lawn. While making my last round, dime-sized drops of rain began to fall as I turned my trusty mowing machine towards shelter.

Have to vote

   The other night, Mary Kathryn Tatum asked what day she had to vote by.    She was quickly told “should,” then given the dates.    But, maybe if more people thought like her, that it’s our duty to vote, turnout wouldn’t be so low here and throughout the state for this Special Primary Election.

When a plan goes awry

   I was going for quantity over quality. The midweek drive to the Tallulah River would take 50 minutes, but I was betting it would yield lots of trout, dozens of trout. The Tallulah is heavily stocked each week, but it is also heavily harvested every weekend.

A starring role

   One of the things I collect are daylilies. The interesting thing about this collection is I get to rebuild it – slowly – every time I move.    If you don’t know, each flower on a daylily only opens for a day, hence the name.

Speaking for the trees

   It’s always hard to see trees torn down to create a blank slate for development.    At last week’s work session for Clarkesville’s City Council, Councilwoman Angelia Kiker brought up neighbors’ concerns about the overwhelming removal of trees for a project on Llewellyn Street.

Families need to be surrounded by options

   Proponents of educational freedom in Georgia often hold up Florida as a paragon of empowering families to choose the education that best fits their children’s needs.

Family gathers to raise WWII airman’s sunken marker

   It’s late morning on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025. The air is cool for late May, low hanging rain clouds forbidding the sun’s appearance.    Most of the Hudgins boys and a couple of nephews are gathered in the cemetery of Belmont Baptist Church south of Gainesville.

Standing with the survivors

   When circumstances demand that a community confront the reality of abuse, silence isn’t an option. We know that speaking up isn’t easy. But we also know that there are people and organizations that can help. And there is hope.

Letters to the Editor

Are we living in a democracy? To the editor:    Bet you remember when Musk hired youths to go into companies to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. Well, it is now known what Trump wanted was information on all Americans.