Ah, Thanksgiving — the holiday built around gratitude, family and, of course, food. I could add football to the list, but most games on Thanksgiving are so dull they just hasten the inevitable post-meal nap.
It’s definitely an American holiday that’s based on abundance. Every November, families gather around dining...
Recently I have been re-reading some my favorite books. I just finished Ann B. Ross’s novel, “Miss Julia to the Rescue” and Ann George’s “Murder Carries a Torch.”
Ann B. Ross wrote a series about Miss Julia. In “Miss Julia to the Rescue,” she and her handy home helper Etta Mae Wiggins...
A couple of days after our recent visit to Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, we visited the home and library/museum of another famous North Carolinian – Dr. Billy Graham. I had never realized the comparisons and contrast between those two men. They both grew up in...
It was total chaos at the Dollar General store in Margaret, Alabama. People rushed out the doors carrying poster board, silver balloons and rolls of crepe paper. The party supply aisle looked as if a mob of looters had swept through it. Outside, throngs of white-haired grandparents frantically taped...
The words “Batteries not included” are found on many of the things we purchase these days. If we had to buy enough batteries at one time for everything we own, we might have to remortgage the farm! It seems that most everything we use or play these days either...
At first glance, it wasn’t much of a gift, just a cheap pocket knife made of flimsy metal and plastic. It probably came from a flea market or an arcade game at a pizza parlor. Yet of all the gifts I received at my 40th birthday party many years...
“Pickleball and Peril” is the fifth novel in a cozy murder series, The Senior Snoop Society Mysteries. Three retired women in their 70s find out they still have the vitality and wits to solve murders that the police cannot. Imagine Jessica Fletcher meets the Golden Girls!
The Senior Snoop Society is...
Last week, I was reminded of the old wood-workers’ idiom that says, “Measure twice, cut once.” I remembered the advice immediately after I demonstrated why it was said. Sometimes, you can measure once and cut twice, but only if you’ve cut your piece too long. You can always cut...
At the risk of sounding like an old man, I have realized there is a great difference in how the youth of today entertain themselves and how the youth of my generation did so.
One big difference is that we mostly played outdoors. It was safer to do so back...
Fear alerts us. Courage responds. But hope, well, hope is what carries us forward when the dust settles and the long road lies ahead.
Hope is often misunderstood. Some see it as wishful thinking, a fragile feeling with no substance. But true hope is far stronger.
It is not passive; it...
We’ve all seen the commercials that gave birth to the catchphrase, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Since the 1980s, it has been on television, shirts, hats, songs and just about everywhere imaginable. If people were like Weebles, when we fall getting back up would not be...
Yes, I am a country boy, but one of my favorite places to visit in this world is a city. No, I do not love all cities, but I do love Savannah, Georgia. Jean and I spent the latter half of last week there. I took her there for...
When companies scout new locations, the standard checklist includes availability of a quality and skilled workforce, infrastructure, and operating costs. Yet public safety, too often underestimated, plays an important role. Public safety officials protect people and assets, which strengthens the long-term stability of businesses both large and small.
Law enforcement...
I need to vent, so please don’t judge me — just listen. I’ve got a problem with time. And yes, I know some of you are already muttering, “Duh! Everyone your age has a problem with time — there’s not enough of it left!”
Very funny. But my issue isn’t...
You may have that friend, or a strange cousin named Booger Ray, who has more miscellaneous junk than a neighborhood hardware store, all piled high inside his favorite mode of transportation. If their vehicle looks like that, can you imagine how their house must look? We may be afraid...
Every September, we say the right words about Suicide Prevention Month. Then October comes, and too often the conversation goes quiet. We can’t afford the silence.
Suicide remains a persistent, preventable tragedy — one that disproportionately claims the lives of men — and prevention has to be a year-round habit,...
The plane trip began in Tuscaloosa, and stopped in Jackson, before it finally reached Dallas. Later in life, taking this hopscotch flight was as aggravating as a floater in my eye. But not when I was 21 years old. Not when I was headed to my first big job...
Over the past month, changes at the Cullman Post Office have begun to show. Packages and letters are moving again, thanks in large part to the tireless work of local carriers.
These men and women are working 12-hour days to keep the system afloat.
They deserve our gratitude. When you see...
“Laughter is the best medicine” is a cliché everyone knows. And it is based on the truth. Studies have shown that laughter relieves stress, releases endorphins and helps your overall well-being. But in the case of cancer, I don’t think it’s true. If my doctor wants to treat me...
I wrote a song a couple of years ago that said, “I’m going to have a good day, anyway – no matter what comes my way.” I have tried to live by that declaration, but I have to tell you, last Monday tested the limits! What began with a...
When Cullman was celebrating its 150th birthday, we were asked to participate in the celebration. In thinking about the best way to honor our heritage, I thought, “Why not conduct a worship service according to the structure and language of our forefathers?” Then my brain went wild with questions....
Back when I was growing up, if Mama said, “Let’s go out to eat,” we did not head for the car. We weren’t going anywhere. She literally meant out…as in outside…as in not in the house.
I could count on my digits the number of times my family went out...
The United States Postal Service (USPS) was built on one promise: to deliver the nation’s mail, fairly and without exception. But this week in Cullman, that promise was broken.
Subscribers who didn’t receive their Tribune on time have one thing to blame — management. District Manager June Martindale reportedly told...
Jean and I are frequent visitors at antiques shops and malls. We often find treasures there that end up either in our house or in my own antiques booth. I love to find items I can rebuild, refinish or repurpose and then pass them on to someone else.
Recently, we...
“Atmosphere” is a historical fiction novel set in the late 1970s and early 1980s during the development of NASA’s space shuttle program. I am struggling with the realization that I am old enough for my youth to be considered historical. The novel begins in 1984 during an emergency in space and continues...
Well, it’s official and it feels weird. So weird, that I dug up my old fraternity jacket to see if it fits. Not even close, by the way. I’m sure you are asking why I would do such a thing. Because after almost a half century, I’m headed back...
Continued from www.cullmantribune.com/2025/07/20/column-from-dinosaurs-to-devils
Have you ever seen one of our presidents? On June 6, 1991, on the 47th anniversary of D-Day, I saw and heard President George H.W. Bush in Atlanta, at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.
In 2007, I saw George W. Bush when he spoke at...
Everybody has a birthday and everybody has one every year. Well, except for those individuals who were born on Feb. 29. Recently, I think I’ve had two or three each year! Some birthdays are more exciting than others. Sixteenth birthdays have not always been special; however, they have been...
In today’s highly charged political landscape, the terms “political action committee” (PAC) and “special interest group” (SIG) are often used interchangeably; however, they are not the same thing.
As we head deeper into the election season, especially at the local and state level here in Alabama, understanding the distinctions between...
No candidate secured more than 50% of the vote in the State House District 12 Special Primary Election on July 15. That means Republicans Cindy Myrex and Clint Hollingsworth will face off in the State House District 12 Special Primary Runoff Election on Aug. 12.
Before that, however, both Republican...
Excuse me, but did you ask me if I had ever been on Broadway? Well, yes, as a matter of fact I have. I have walked on Broadway, and I saw “Phantom of the Opera” there. I have never performed “on” Broadway, but last week I did perform “at”...
It all started with the best of intentions. My sister had a small, ornate, antique table with a broken leg, and since she knew I fooled around with old furniture, asked if I could fix it. “Oh sure, I can,” I said. “Why don’t you let me take it home?”...
Work. More work. Rinse and repeat.
Job No. 1. Job No. 2. Sometimes job No. 3. Loop.
Clean the yard. Clean the house. Spend time with the kids. Cook dinner. Do it again.
Hobbies? Fitness? Church? Mental health? Who’s got time?
Single father? Single mother? Family of five? New parents? We’re all in...
Continued from www.cullmantribune.com/2025/07/14/column-we-made-it-to-north-dakota
We visited two dinosaur museums on our trip. My favorite was Montana’s Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, which presents the dinosaur from a biblical perspective. There we saw a giant Tyrannosaurus rex in mid roar! Well, OK, but we did see a full-size cast of one, as...
Chanel Cleeton is the author of several novels centered around the Hispanic culture. My favorites are “Next Year in Havana” and “The Last Train to Key West.” “The House on Biscayne Bay” is an enjoyable read. Her other novels center around the Perez family either in Cuba, Miami or Barcelona. This novel...
Hey Joe!
This is your dog, Roscoe. It’s hard to believe it’s been over six years since you picked us up from the side of the highway. That’s a real long time for us, so I thought it might be a good time to tell you exactly what happened.
My sister,...
Continued from www.cullmantribune.com/2025/07/06/column-south-dakota-is-amazing
Almost 221 years ago, in 1804, Lewis and Clark headed west under the commission of President Thomas Jefferson, to see what we had bought in the Louisiana Purchase. In the fall of that year, the explorers had made their way westward to what would eventually become North...
Continued from www.cullmantribune.com/2025/06/29/column-we-made-it-to-rapid-city-but-not-rapidly
After a few hours of sleep in Rapid City, we began our journey at the drug store…Wall Drug Store. Wall Drug is more akin to a shopping mall for tourist than a drugstore, but it began as a drugstore back in 1931. There is a drugstore still...
This is a new series for Michael Connelly. His previous series were about Los Angeles Police Detective Harry Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer, his half-brother Mickey Haller. Connelly has a relatively new series about Renee Ballard. The Harry Bosch series has 24 novels and the Lincoln Lawyer series has...
Alabama has taken a shocking step backward. In late June 2025, Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law that effectively bans the sale and distribution of hemp-derived products like Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC across the state.
After years of slow but steady progress — and millions in tax revenue...
Jean and I had planned a mega road trip for the summer of 2020. The few remaining states on our bucket list of setting foot in all 50 states included North Dakota. When you live in Alabama, you don’t go to North Dakota…unless…you are going to North Dakota. It...
Since I had knee surgery earlier this year, I’ve been looking for a low impact method of exercise. Actually, my wife has been looking for me. My choice was no exercise – that’s low impact, right? Of course, she completely ignored my comments and promptly enrolled me in her...
By this point in my life, I have been on quite a few journeys. I do love to travel and experience new things. I’m aways excited to take off on a new journey and always a little saddened when it’s over, but at the same time, I’m always glad...
It happened 50 years ago, on Saturday, June 14, 1975. I remember that day so well that it almost seems like it was last week, or at most the week before that! I remember that it rained that day, but it stopped prior to the wedding. As the song...
“Death Valley Duel” is the ninth novel in Scott Graham’s National Park Mystery Series. As an environmentalist and author, Graham has created a series of mystery novels that take place in the National Parks in the west. His descriptives of the west are spellbinding. He makes it easy to visualize the terrain.
The main character...
It was a big day. Especially if you were one of the 150 or so 5-year-olds in color-coded T-shirts marching down the aisle of an overflowing Baptist church. Because today was their kindergarten graduation day.
As a supportive grandparent, I was there – along with the hundreds of other relatives...
Jennifer Garner must have asked me a thousand times, “What’s in your wallet?” The answer is always the same, “Nothing, absolutely nothing!” I keep hoping maybe she has put some money in there without me knowing, but no, it’s still nothing. A more pertinent question might be, “What’s under...
“Open Season” is the 40th book in the Dr. Alex Delaware book series by Jonathan Kellerman. The main characters are Delaware, who is a child psychologist, and Detective Milo Sturgis, a homicide lieutenant with the LAPD.
When the series began, Delaware is working with seriously troubled children and teens at a children’s hospital....
As Memorial Day approaches, Americans nationwide prepare to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Ceremonies will be held, flags will be flown at half-staff and families will gather to pay tribute. But amid the solemnity and gratitude lies a quieter,...
“Overkill” is the 18th novel in J A Jance’s Ali Reynold’s series. Ali Reynolds has certainly undergone a transition from the first novel, “Edge of Evil,” published in 2005. At that time Ali is a television news anchor in California who has been fired from her job. Struggling with the loss of her job,...
America’s economic future hinges on energy — its reliability, affordability and availability. Nowhere is that future being written more decisively than in Alabama.
While much of the country debates how to adapt to growing energy demands, Alabama is acting. With foresight and purpose, our state is building a foundation of...
The need for accountability and broader perspectives
In recent times, Cullman County residents have witnessed a concerning trend among some elected officials: a shift in positions and policies that seem to align more with personal or political gain than with the commitments made to voters.
This phenomenon, often referred to as...
Keeping to his word, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has initiated the re-renaming of military bases. Renaming, not to their original names, but their rightful Confederate names. Will this restoration of Southern heritage return to the great state of Alabama? Very likely. Especially now that Alabama Secretary of State (and future Lt....
Happy NCAA Division III Week from Alabama’s only NCAA Division III institution – Huntingdon College in Montgomery. This week, Huntingdon joins the over 400 other NCAA Division III institutions across the country in shining the spotlight on the uniqueness of this classification of intercollegiate athletics. Huntingdon proudly sponsors 21...
Sports fans, especially college basketball fans, can tell you that March Madness is the nickname of the NCAA Championship Tournament. Basketball, however, is not the only madness that happens in March, and strangely enough, it isn’t always contained in March. This year’s tournament, along with two-remaining SEC teams, will...
Jean and I just spent three days on a magnificent mountain that has, or is near, beautiful bluffs, gorgeous gorges, carved canyons, cavernous caves, wonderful waterfalls, wide waters, babbling brooks, crooked creeks and at least one rambling river that runs on top of a mountain. All of this is...
Well, I hear that mailman coming, he’s rolling around the bend, and I ain’t seen a letter, since 2010. That’s because the mail doesn’t deliver personalized letters and cards like it once did. I miss that. That’s not the mail carrier’s fault, but the mail sender’s fault.
I’m not necessarily...
“Here One Moment” opens on a flight from the Tasmanian capital of Hobart to Sydney. It would have been a short trip, except there is a two-hour delay for departure. The passengers are getting restless and anxious. Everyone is frazzled about being late, or missing an important event. Or, like the young mother...
Today (March 19, 2025) is the 15th legislative day of the 2025 regular session, which marks the halfway point allowed by the Alabama Constitution, and while much work still awaits us, the Senate has already approved several significant measures designed to make an already great state even better.It is...
My first drinks of choice were either a Sun-Rise Orange, Nehi Grape or NuGrape. When I was a little older, my favorite became Coca-Cola. The one I loved most came in a green-colored, 6.5-ounce, thick glass bottle. Maybe it is just my imagination, or my sentimental nostalgia, but I...
What is as sweet as sugar, purple, gold and green all over and has a baby inside? A king cake! A king cake is a cake fit for a king. In my family, it is a cake fit for Kings and Woods. My family, which includes Jean and me,...
I own a red Chevrolet pick-up truck. When I bought it a few years ago, I decided that it would be a good idea to buy a bright color. That’s because on more than one occasion I couldn’t find my old truck, a silver Toyota, at the local Piggly...
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen recently signed a joint letter to President Donald Trump with 19 other conservative secretaries of state urging the repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).
Below is the content of a media release issued by Allen’s office:
This repeal would cut government fees and red...
How do you have a reunion with a group of people when you have never met most of them? You can do that when the group is made up of people with whom you have something special in common.
Many reunions are with people who attended school together and maybe...
Editor’s note: Written prior to Valentine’s Day
You probably won’t get the day off from work, or school, on Valentine’s Day. You will be hard pressed to find a Valentine’s Day parade. Actually, Valentine’s Day is not even a legal holiday. All the stores and restaurants will be open like...
I am most thankful to have had the opportunity to get a college and seminary education. There was a time in my younger life when I had a hard time seeing how any of that could ever be a possibility. My parents encouraged me to do well in school,...
It is hard to believe that 20 years ago the first Empty Bowls of Cullman County dinner was held on Nov. 17, 2003. From the very beginning, it was very apparent that God gathered the people together to make it happen: the potters, the culinary experts, musicians, businesses, churches,...
I heard a rumbling noise coming from the second floor of my house. Since we almost never go up there, I thought that one of our dogs might’ve cornered a squirrel that got in through the attic. I made my way up the stairs, walked in the bedroom and...
