Fruit kabobs are an easy dessert or snack for a simple graduation party. Image: Pinterest
There are graduation parties, and then, there are graduation parties. Both are about the same thing, but there are worlds of difference in how they are conducted. If your graduation party involves a rented ballroom,...
It seems there’s so much nastiness, rudeness and hate in the world now. It’s everywhere, and it makes me sicker than the thought of drinking warm buttermilk. If not for football and HGTV, I would consider throwing my TV away. And without Candy Crush and calls from my granddaughter, my iPhone could probably...
Image courtesy of sunshineweek.org
Dr. Chris Roberts, University of Alabama Department of Journalism and Creative Media
Alabama Press Association
I played the role of Atticus Finch for you by taking on an unpopular cause in court. I sued Harper Lee.
But unlike the attorney in Lee’s famed “To Kill a Mockingbird,” I emerged...
I was talking to a friend’s daughter at a high school football game. When I asked her if they had any special Homecoming activities on tap, she said sweetly, “We’re going to roll some yards. It’s a tradition.”
I smiled and nodded. Rolling yards was a regular part of my...
After marching the streets of Birmingham to get their program back then watching the most successful run in school history under Bill Clark, securing a move up to the American Conference, UAB fans were treated to one of the most nonsensical hirings in sports history.
In December of 2022, after...
While it sounds simple, creating places where neighbors get to know neighbors is the key to growing a thriving place to live. That’s what Dr. Ray Oldenburg, an urban sociologist, describes in his book, “The Great Good Places.” If first places are our homes, and workplaces are second places,...
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is written and directed by Michael Dougherty and stars Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Kyle Chandler and Millie Bobby Brown alongside this franchise’s returning star, Godzilla himself. The film picks up five years after the events of 2014’s “Godzilla” and introduces to a host of...
Our Congressional Representatives and Senators were called back last week and briefed before the fall session starts. They will have to decide whether to support Obama’s call for a military attack on Syria. I shudder when I think about this whole process. I remember that just before the invasion...
Cullman County desperately needs to vote to keep an appointed superintendent in the next election for Cullman County Schools.
I have heard so many people say they don’t have a voice or vote at all with what happens in the school system. We have a county school board where everyone...
ODE TO WANDERLUST
I long to walk there, maybe there and then there.
More joy-filled I’ll return, you may surely trust.
In my lifetime, I shall flaneur everywhere,
Just my feet, my daydreams and wanderlust.
“I love to go a-flaneuring” just doesn’t have quite the earworm viability of “I...
I should’ve known. I mean, I know a bad omen when I see one. Why didn’t I pay attention? On a recent trip to Disney World, the people at our hotel rented my wife Carol an electric scooter with the number three on the back. I should have immediately...
Welcome to March 14, or 3.14, commonly known in math geek circles as “Pi Day.”
“Pi” or π is the Greek letter that represents the English letter P. In geometry, the P stands for “perimeter,” the distance around a circle (also known as circumference). Mathematicians have pretty much always known...
Big 10 Equals Big Matchups. To kick Saturday off No. 6 Michigan faced No. 6 Michigan State in what would produce a classic. Although Michigan struggled to turn the redzone opportunities into touchdowns for much of the first half yet found themselves up 30-14 with 6:47 left in the third quarter. The...
New York City Firefighter Tony James cries during a funeral service for New York Fire Department Chaplain Rev. Mychal Judge, Sept. 15, 2001. Judge died when he was hit by debris while giving last rites on 9/11. (Getty)
Like November 22, 1963, or December 7, 1941, asking someone where they...
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...
There are few things that we as people seem to love less than change. The disruption to our daily patterns, motions and moments rattles us so greatly that occasionally, we break under the pressure—and why wouldn’t we? As creatures so comforted by our habits, it only makes sense that...
(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP). Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs guard Morgan William, right, is mobbed by guards Blair Schaefer (1) and Dominique Dillingham (00) after making the game-winning basket in overtime against Connecticut.
DALLAS, Texas - An upstart program from the Southeastern Conference changed the culture in the NCAA...
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...
Decorating with food is fun and although some vegetables can become very complicated, others like the ones I’m about to show you, are relatively simple.
Artichokes are an architectural marvel. They come tightly woven but with a little preparation you can safely maneuver to the inside of the vegetable that...
ODE TO SPELLBINDING
Hocus pocus, fully focus.
Cast off the spell of the phone,
And fully succumb to the joy zone.
Presto, change-o, feel the glow.
Find your mojo in the flow.
A dictionary definition for SPELLBINDING is “holding one’s attention completely, rapturously, as though by magic.” Terms athletes use...
How do we thank those who have taken the raw, sandy soil of the Cullman countryside and turned it into an Eden? One hundred-fifty years ago, the area’s visionary founder, Colonel Cullman, aptly predicted the sandy, pine-studded hills would become “The Garden Spot of America.”
Yesterday, it was my great...
The doctors call it “COVID fog,” and it doesn’t get nearly as much attention as respiratory issues and ventilators. It is a very real effect of COVID-19, though, and it can be difficult to define as it strikes different victims in different ways, including striking some not at all.
This...
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...
From my personal perspective, one of the most wonderful things about having grandchildren (besides being able to give them back) is that we get to choose the names that they call us. I’m certainly glad this is the case, but considering how parents micromanage every aspect of their kid’s...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala. (AL-04) today released the following statement regarding a push by Democrats to make it illegal to display the Confederate flag in national cemeteries.
“What we are seeing is a politically charged symbol being used to divide people along racial lines,” said Aderholt....
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...
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...
A wonderful Father was there at her birth. He watched as a brave young nation struggled to stand on her feet. Her people were faced with over whelming odds against them as they sought their freedom from one of the world's greatest powers. But her people always looked to...
This is the true story of heartache, physical, sexual and alcohol abuse, love, hate, financial burdens and finally, finding joy, happiness and hope.
We trust that you will understand why the names and some of the circumstances had to be changed to protect the privacy and safety of some of...
There are a great many diets floating around these days, each with some extreme weight-loss claims and an eating regime that involves either cutting something out or adding something totally weird to your normal meal system. However, there is one in particular that currently holds the number 1 slot,...
These drone sightings over New Jersey remind me of a time years ago when mysterious lights were spotted over Birmingham, Alabama. I know because I’m the one who did it.
I have to make a confession: UFOs have always fascinated me. Maybe that’s because I watched “The Day The Earth...
ARTS IN THE GARDEN is a new way to enjoy the natural beauty of Sportsman Lake, the 70-year old, Cullman County Parks and Recreation, multiuse, fresh air refuge. The Woodlands & Wildflower Garden of the park will be an outdoor arts center, FREE and OPEN TO ALL on Saturday,...
Christmas is my favorite season of the year. Christmas music is one of things about the season that I love so much. I love the story of the birth of our Savior, and the best Christmas music tells that wonderful story through song.
Some of the most beautiful songs that...
More than half the time I conduct interviews, the episode concludes with the interviewee saying one of two things (actually the same thing in two different ways):
“Make me look good, now!” And yes, most of them add the “now;” this is the South, you know.
“Please don’t make me look...
As the new year begins and we reflect on 2020, we are faced with the sad reality that almost 4,800 Alabamians have died from COVID-19, the highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Last spring when we learned about the illnesses and deaths due...
March 3, 2020 the citizens of Cullman County have an incredible opportunity to set the course for their future. Voting to support the proposed 1-cent sales tax has the potential to provide approximately $10 million of additional funding for Cullman County and Cullman City Schools. Said funding will be...
This morning's feel good song makes it almost impossible to be sad..."Don't Worry, Be Happy" is one of those tunes that just plain makes you smile. Happy Monday, y'all !!!
Bobby McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American jazz vocalist and conductor. He is a 10-time Grammy Award...
TEA FOR TWO
Picture you upon my knee
Just tea for two
And two for tea
Just me for you
And you for me alone.
- Music by Vincent Youmans; Lyrics by Irving Caesar
Tea as a tonic for “joyous aging” is documented 300 years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth when a Chinese army...
Vietnam veteran Jim Alderman reacts during a therapy session for combat-related stress at the Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bay Pines, Fla. Oct. 29, 2015. DoD photo by EJ Hersom
It’s almost surreal that our country is at war half a world away, and we are carrying on...
Judy Grissom shared the following letter she received:
Hello, my name is Reda Legg. I would like to tell you my story and my experience with a wonderful group called the "Bosom Buddies Foundation."
In 2015, I developed breast cancer and had surgery at CRMC.
That was my first meeting with the...
America’s Founders regarded a free press as so vital to the new nation that they took care to include that right in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Founders spoke glowingly about the press as a pillar of democracy and guarantor of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, famously wrote in...
The apparent employment of chemical weapons in Syria should remind us that, while weapons of mass destruction exist, there is a serious danger that they will be used.
That danger is highlighted by an article in the September/October 2013 issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Written by two...
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...
News becomes old very quickly these days. Headlines that could last for weeks now disappear in days in the digital world. News stays new. Occasionally though some important ones fall through the cracks and get lost. Below we take a look at four of the biggest breaking stories in...
The city and county schools always do an amazing job at taking care of Cullman’s students and with summer just around the corner, they don’t plan to slow down. This summer, both the City and County Schools are implementing a Summer Feeding Program.
Here in the City, the program begins...
The Dripping Springs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented Good Citizens Awards to Owen Griffith Lovell, of Cullman High School, Jefferson Lee Wayne Boyett, of Cold Springs High School, Taylor Lee Dover, of Fairview High School, Dawson Foust, of Holly Pond High School, Hannah Nicole Sumner,...
Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman is seen here with supporters in Cullman on June 5, 2018. (Cullman Tribune file photo)
On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey signed the Rebuild Alabama plan (House Bill 2) into law—understandably, this measure to increase Alabama’s investment in infrastructure has received a lot of attention. Alabama’s gas...
We all know someone who seems compelled to ruin any and every conversation. I call them the one-uppers. Regardless of your experience, they feel compelled to one-up every single one. They can effortlessly make every statement, story, situation and conversation about them. To the one-uppers, how about you shut-upper.
The...
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...
Anyone who has ventured into the world of animal rescue knows that the list of challenges facing them seems endless. Every day, there is another crisis, another urgent call for help and another day of feeling desperately overwhelmed. Despite the awareness of pet overpopulation and the knowledge that scores...
Good morning ! We got ‘cha rolling this morning with Mandisa’s “Good Morning” requested by reader Becky Lee. Thanks for listening and spreading the love, Becky!!!
Mandisa Lynn Hundley (born October 2, 1976), known professionally as Mandisa, is an American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist. Her career began in...
Josh Swindall with his wife and children (contributed)
I was impressed with my guest this week on “Community with Carol,” Josh Swindall, the new principal at Cullman Christian School. Cullman Christian School began as a nonprofit protestant school in 2007 and accommodates children of all ages from 3 (pre-Kindergarten) through...
One of the most memorable lines I ever heard in high school was delivered to my friend Randy when he got into a heated disagreement with our English teacher, Mrs. Duncan. After about five exasperating minutes, she put an end to it when she said, “If you want to...
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...
This week in She Reads, we have an incredibly surprising work, “Zoe Rosenthal is Not Lawful Good” by Nancy Werlin. In this novel, we meet Zoe Rosenthal a straight-A, ambitious straightlaced student who is laser-focused on her goals.
Zoe has a step-by-step layout for her life. She plans on attending...
This is the third in a series of five. There exists formal research data that reveals that incompetent leadership is a major cause of decline in the Evangelical Church. In my work as a church consultant my observation and research confirm this to be true.
I have often been robustly...
One of the best singers Britain has produced in decades, Corinne Bailey Rae is a breath of fresh air. She's gonna guide you right on in to work with a smile on your face this morning! Here's "Put Your Records On."
Bio from www.corinnebaileyrae.com:
From Leeds, England, artist Corinne Bailey Rae...
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...
Following is an opinion/guest editorial piece- Part 1 of 3: Where is the American Church?- submitted by Pastor Tom Fillinger, IgniteUS Ministries- info@igniteus.net.
There are 300,000+ churches in the USA. The latest figure developed by formal research completed by Dr. Thom Rainer, president of Lifeway, indicates that we are closing...
ODE TO BLOOMING
Stealthily, they commanded the hill,
Though no cannons nor bombs were booming.
No movement detected, all seemed deadly still.
Then, victorious as any army, all the flowers were blooming.
The earth is blooming with the joyous laughter of flowers. In my part of the world, we...
“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...
Dripping Springs NSDAR members at the 120th annual conference at Auburn University. Back row, (left to right) are Linda Kuykendall, Pam Reid, Brenda Scott and Pat Kahler. Seated on the front row, (left to right) are Rhonda VanZandt, Athelia Gibbs, Julia Floyd, Linda Schiger and Julea Moats.
The Holly Pond...
Governor Ivey has proclaimed Nov. 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, as Small Business Saturday in Alabama.
Small business really is the bedrock of Alabama’s economy. It accounts for 99.4 percent of all businesses in the state and employs about 47 percent of the workforce, according to the latest figures from the...
ODE TO A WORLD-CLASS QUEST
Today, I’m on a world-class quest for the ultimate food fest.
I started off so Hungary and thought to Czech my kitchen first.
Then, I was Russian to the fridge but only found a Greece-y Turkey.
Iran to the grocery to get some salt, pepper, Chile and Korea-ander,
Because...
Through the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Citizens’ Academy (CA) program, I found myself on the road recently with one of the department’s night shift patrol deputies. In accordance with CA policies, I took no pictures, and will not reveal any potentially sensitive details about cases or suspects I...
