Opinion

Looking for a woman

Ronda Rich's picture

There’s a woman I’m looking for. Perhaps you know where she is. If you do, please help me find her again.

It’s been several years since our paths crossed but the moment our eyes met, I was captivated. Her eyes told me she had a story to tell me, a life of adventure and a misadventure or two. I’m drawn toward stories but then you know that. My friends and families choose gifts for me, saying, “It has a story so she’ll love it.” It is always the story that is more valuable to me than the present. Read More»

Brooks man caught in healthcare limbo

I am a resident of Fayette County and own a small business located near Brooks, Ga. My company, Prima Music, operates a website that sells educational books to music teachers throughout the world. I employ eight to 12 employees.

Until September of last year, I have maintained a group health plan for my employees (most recently with Humana).

Contrary to the promise of President Obama, our healthcare premiums have not gone down. In fact, they have been rising 10 percent to 25 percent annually for the past three years. Read More»

Sometimes truth hurts

When Bill Webster sought an explanation to his question about black voters and the Democratic Party, my response to him was neither a diatribe, as described by Stephen Allen and Alan Felts, nor was it mean-spirited, and hardly racist.

Based on their responses, it’s clear — they read from an alternate universe.

Angry? Hate? Extreme? Cult? Racist? They couldn’t be farther from the truth. Acquaintances across the racial spectrum would find those assertions as laughable and ridiculous as their ramblings. Read More»

BoE, let’s face the facts rather than closing schools

I have heard it said at board meetings and I have read it in the papers: There are two major issues facing our school system:

1. How to reduce our budget by $15 million and,

2. What to do with all of the excess capacity, especially in elementary schools. The quote I have heard is “... we cannot ask the taxpayers to subsidize these empty classrooms”.

While I do agree that these two points sum up our current situation, I cannot agree with the remark on subsidizing. Read More»

My brother

David Epps's picture

My brother had a heart attack a few weeks ago. It was totally unexpected and no warning signals were experienced.

My brother’s name is Wayne. Actually, it is Robert Wayne. For some reason both he and I have been called by our middle names all our lives.

My first name is William. I’m certain my parents had no idea the trouble they caused for us in a world where people are listed by their first name, middle initial, and last name. Read More»

Scars of life

Rick Ryckeley's picture

Lovable little fuzz balls. If you asked, that’s how my three brothers, sister, and I would’ve described us during the time we spent growing up at 110 Flamingo Street.

It’s hard to imagine though, as lovable as we all were during those seven years, that our parents were the ones who actually needed a timeout. Away from all of us, that is. Read More»

Too much distance between America and its military

Terry Garlock's picture

I don’t know what former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha was thinking when President Obama presented to him last week the Medal of Honor for his “gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life” in the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan.

But I’ll tell you what I was thinking, aside from my admiration for this 31-year-old man. I was wondering if, this time, the President would have enough respect for the man to call him by the staff sergeant title he had earned. But predictably, Obama called him “Clint.” Read More»

Mike’s last column for The Citizen

Michael Boylan's picture

[Editor’s note: Last week, we here at The Citizen said goodbye to one of our family members, Michael Boylan. He is taking over responsibility for producing the content of several local magazines stretching across north Georgia. This is Mike’s last column for The Citizen.]

To the new guy at my (very big) desk:

Over the past week and a half I have been trying to tell you everything I learned in my 14 years at The Citizen. Read More»

Closing FMS: A student’s opinion

Samantha Frazier's picture

I’m Samantha Frazier. This is my first time writing my own personal viewpoint to a large audience. I hope I can do it right.

I’m in seventh grade at Fayette Middle School in Fayetteville. FMS is on the chopping block for the Fayette County school closings.

I’m not going to like it but I’m gonna support the school closings. What people have to understand is that there are things in life that you have to overcome.

I have attended the board meetings on Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 and my view lately is that, logically, it is necessary though it may hurt some communities. Read More»

Cultural deviancy, not guns

Walter Williams's picture

There’s a story told about a Paris chief of police who was called to a department store to stop a burglary in progress. Upon his arrival, he reconnoitered the situation and ordered his men to surround the entrances of the building next door.

When questioned about his actions, he replied that he didn’t have enough men to cover the department store’s many entrances but he did have enough for the building next door.

Let’s see whether there are similarities between his strategy and today’s gun control strategy. Read More»