I’m confused about all the attention recently paid to Tim Tebow, as regards his religious faith.

While there are not many occasions in which I am asked if I’m a Christian, I do not hesitate to reply yes, if it comes up. While I have been on Atlanta television stations a few times over the last 25 or 30 years, the subject of religion was not the subject of the interview. But if it had, I would not hesitate to discuss the subject. Read More»

The time was Dec. 7, 1941 and I had just turned 9 years old five days before. My mother, younger sister and I were sitting in the living room listening to the radio. I remember it was a big behemoth piece of furniture that sat on the floor and was probably five feet high.

I remember distinctly hearing President Franklin D. Roosevelt declaring war. I can remember him saying, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

How can I remember this? No, I didn’t know what war was, but I never before nor after saw “that” expression on my mother’s face, one of alarm and dread. Read More»

I understand there were some difficulties with the Fayette County Fair this year. It seems as though the number of rides, publicity, etc., were not met, according to contractual obligations.

The first fair was held about 1962 on the old football field off Stonewall Avenue West and behind the current Board of Education bus barn. It was initiated by 22 Fayette Kiwanians. Read More»

In the mid 1950s there were six school buses in the county, all owned by farmers or small business owners in Fayetteville.

When I came to town in 1966, there were 11 school buses, 10 of them privately owned, one owned by the school board.

In the fall of 2011 there are 210 school buses on the road each day, all owned by the school board.

In talking with one of those privately-owned bus owners, Reuben Knowles, he told me that he was responsible for its maintenance and liability insurance. Read More»

It’s election time, and I am reminded of the first time I was old enough to vote.

In Ohio, you had to be 21 years of age to vote. The year was 1952 and it was a national election. I voted for the first time by voting for Dwight D. Eisenhower.

I have made every effort to vote in each election since, whether national or local. The only Fayette County elections I have not bothered with were when the mayor and council in Fayetteville would be running unopposed. Read More»

This is what I Will be doing to honor the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th:

I Will pray for those family members who were left motherless, fatherless, brother-less, sister-less from the deaths of nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001.

I Will continue to be a volunteer in my community.

I Will spend the day thinking about all the friends and acquaintances I have lost this year.

I Will pray for the safety of our men and women in military uniform.

I Will pray for those first responders who worked at Ground Zero and now have cancer. Read More»

Not too many reporters get to have lunch with former first lady, Laura Bush. My colleague, Gwen Griffin, and I were appointed to do just that.

Of course we had no idea where we were going, so after Sunday School I had a friend drive me to the Georgia International Convention site so I could have a clue on Monday.

We had to turn our cameras in way ahead of time so the Secret Service could take them apart. No one was allowed in the building before 10:30 a.m. so the Secret Service could sweep the room. Read More»

My first glass of that famous Melear’s iced tea was 44 years ago, when I moved to Fayetteville. I have lost count on how many I’ve had since then.

The number of meals I’ve enjoyed in the adjoining meeting room also number in the hundreds. I have listened to famous people speak in that room, and I’ve had the honor of speaking to quite a few myself there.

The Fayette County Kiwanis is nearly 60 years old and most of their meetings were held on that very site. Read More»

I have long believed in the premise of “paying it forward” long before the movie of the same name came out.

The feeling of doing something nice for someone, especially a total stranger, and their never knowing it was you, is richly rewarding.

I have a December birthday and one of the local restaurants had emailed me a coupon for a free hamburger. Now, their hamburgers are priced at $10, and, yes, it comes with fries. I picked out one that came with melted Swiss cheese and mushrooms. Read More»

The Islamic Community is halfway through their holy month of Ramadan. It is also the ninth month in its calendar. In the year 2010 it extends from August 11th through September 9th.

As has been done for the past nine years, the ICCA Community Center in Fayetteville has shared one of its fast days with those in the community.

For some 29 or 30 days, depending on what time of the year it falls, Muslims will wake before dawn, have breakfast, and not eat again until after dusk that evening. Currently that’s about 8:20 p.m. Read More»