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...
The late Johnny Cash had a hit song back in 1996 in which he claimed to have been everywhere, man! He mentioned 92 cities across the United States that he had visited. He even mentioned Opelika, my hometown since 2007. In 2022, Mike Schmidt visited all 92 cities listed...
The Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) is the author of 13 bestselling cookbooks, a beloved Food Network personality, an Instagram sensation and a cultural icon. She shares her personal story in her memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.”
Ina survived an difficult childhood. She was physically and psychologically abused by her father. Her mother was...
The first time I went to their home was for a family Thanksgiving dinner. Actually, it was the midday meal, but down here we used to call that one dinner. Besides, that’s too much food, and much too scrumptious to simply be called “lunch.” I can’t remember if that...
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...
Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a young lady named Mary. Mary was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph. Before they were wed, and while she was still a virgin, Mary was found to be with child. God sent an angel named Gabriel...
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2
Polaris is the scientific name for the North Star, and it is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Mina. It is the star closest...
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...
By now, I’m sure most of you have your Christmas tree and home decorations up. Not me - I’m a world class procrastinator. Think I’m kidding? I still have a rotten jack o’lantern on my front porch. Of course, soon I will be forced to give in to my...
This real Christmas story has generous-spirited angels, wise men delivering gifts, shepherds guiding the way and carpenters like St. Joseph, the earthly father of the Christ child.
Students in the Construction Technology program at the Cullman Area Technology Academy (CATA) learned the nearby campus of the Alabama Institute for the...
“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” Mark Twain
I read where author Rick Bragg’s just lost his dog Speck. If you’ve read his best-selling book, “The Speckled Beauty,” I think you will understand his feeling of loss....
When residents of Cullman County open their wallets to donate or when city and county entities contribute significant funds to local organizations, there’s an expectation: that these funds will be used responsibly, and that donors will be informed about where their money goes. Many organizations in our community proudly...
The late gospel singer and writer Andre Crouch had a popular song back in the 70s titled, “To God Be the Glory.” The opening verse says, “How can I say thanks for the things God has given me? Things so undeserved, yet he gave to prove his love to...
“First Frost” is the 20th novel in Craig Johnson’s “Longmire” series.
The novel is written with a dual timeline. One is during the present day, with Walt Longmire (the fictional sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming), being questioned by a judge about a murder that took place in the previous book of...
I’m not exactly sure how he managed to live in this world this long, especially in the South, and never experience one of the sweetest treats of life. Some of you have watched my grandson, Drew, grow up… if not in person, at least through my writings. He is...
I’ve noticed in recent years, even though I’ve paid for a motel/hotel room in advance, the check-in clerk always wants my credit card for incidentals. That’s so I don’t skip out without paying for that Coke Zero and peanut M&Ms I scarfed down, or that $5 bottle of water...
Many rivers have locks, but not only the kind that lower or raise boats in its water. You may have seen them before, but quite honestly, I never had. On our recent visit to Europe, I saw them for the first time. There were tons of padlocks hanging from...
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...
I was born in the South. And I live in the South. That means I eat fried food – me and about everybody else down here. Oh sure, I look on a restaurant menu and see where they offer grilled fish or chicken. They even charge more to grill...
When I saw the handwriting on the wall, I knew we were no longer in Kansas; excuse me, I meant Alabama. As a matter of fact, we were approximately 4,500 miles east of my home in Opelika. I didn’t need the prophet Daniel to interpret this handwriting, or even...
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...
I’m sitting in my favorite chair, TV remote in hand, shaking my head in disbelief. There’s nothing good to watch on television. Unless, of course, you’re into UFOs, the location of the Ark of the Covenant, Hitler’s super weapon or how to survive in the woods without any clothes. This...
On Monday, July 29, Auburn University announced that the Office of Inclusion and Diversity (OID) would be dissolved by Aug. 15. In an email sent to faculty, staff and students, university administration stated that this action was being taken in order to remain in compliance of Alabama Act 2024-34...
If you have read my past reviews, you know I am a big fan of Kate Quinn. While “The Briar Club” is different from her previous historical fiction, I found her latest book captivating.
Her other novels are set during a war. This novel is set in Washington, D.C. during the Cold War...
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...
Published without edits
The time has come for the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) to fulfill its promise and deliver medical cannabis to the patients in Alabama who have been waiting far too long. This delay is not just an administrative failure but a critical issue impacting the health and...
“The First Lie Wins” is a thrilling mystery. Evie Porter seems to be a typical Southern woman living the dream in Louisiana. She and her boyfriend, Ryan, have an idyllic home with a white picket fence, friends and money. Except, Evie does not exist. She is a con artist and Ryan is...
I have been yelling like a…well, a grumpy grandfather. It’s embarrassing really – yelling for quiet. But it’s necessary when you have a houseful of screaming kids.
I know my voice only added to the pandemonium, but I had to do something. The TV was blasting, an iPad was playing...
October will be here before we know it, and we all know what that means, bow season opener. July is a great time to get a lot of things done to make sure you are ready for opening day. Don’t procrastinate and be the guy prepping 10 days before...
Several years ago, working on a garden design project at the Governor's Mansion (Montgomery), I discovered the FREE resources of the Library at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and the superb, longtime director, Hope Long. For garden design inspiration and "how to," I return to the library and Ms. Long...
I became involved with World Changers about 20 years ago and through the years traveled to places like Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas and Alaska with them, repairing, painting, cleaning and upgrading homes for the elderly and needy in our country. This organization, through the years, has helped many, many...
Since It was my fourth trip to the watch repair shop, I didn’t have high hopes. I’m sure the little Russian man who owned it would tell me, like he had on my three previous visits, that he couldn’t find the parts to get the wristwatch running – thanks...
For Memorial Day, several of my gym fitness friends and myself ventured to the Cotton Row 5K in Huntsville.
What an experience!
The 5K event featured 1,257 finishers in the race. Several friends and I also completed the race.
Fairview teachers Whitney Haynes and Leslie Arnold, as well as track athlete Jack...
I just read an article about a man who was disqualified from a fishing tournament for cheating. Y’all, I think Jesus is coming soon. Fishing is a sport that has long been known for its liars. Ever heard the term “fish story?” But when people start cheating in fishing...
Kristin Hannah’s latest book is historical fiction set in 1966 during the Vietnam War. The first part of the book takes place in Vietnam. The second part is about the return home to the United States.
Frances “Frankie” McGrath has just completed nursing school. Her golden boy brother, Finley, has graduated from the Naval...
Dear Coach Saban,
Since I wrote a letter to Kalen DeBoer a few weeks ago and gave him some pointers about the South, I thought it was only fair to drop you a note and give you a tip or two about the strange new world that you are in...
Around each turn in a local grocery store or shopping center, you can almost certainly hear some variation of the phrase, “Enjoy this while it lasts,” or “You’ll miss this one day.” These phrases, just like so many others, are often uttered sweetly and fondly by well-meaning passersby, usually aimed at a mother with a...
As I tend to the scratches and scrapes on my bare legs, I’m wondering if I should get a tetanus shot. I don’t think the ones on my leg came from the rusty barbed wire fence in the woods, but I’m not 100% sure. So, I guess I’ll just...
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...
For whatever reason, I decided today was going to be the day. Without hesitation, I walked into the bedroom with purpose and called to my wife Carol, who was watching a movie on her iPad.
I got right to the point and said, “Hey, the time’s come. I should have...
