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Opinion
253 results total, viewing 1 - 20
$144 Million, that’s how much money could/will leave Tennessee public schools and flow into the pockets of private (for-profit) schools within the first year of the school voucher program, the money will “follow the student.” According to Governor Bill Lee’s proposal, the state will pay up to $7,000 annually per student that has the means and desire to attend a private school instead of the public school in their area. more
An often quoted phrase related to open government is one by Louis Brandeis, an attorney and associate justice on the Supreme Court whose work and writings spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. more
Under the expanded multi-million dollar program, students that already attend private schools could receive $7,000 of tax-payer dollars towards their tuition. That only makes sense to the parents of private schooled students. It will do nothing but hurt public schools. more
You can call it luck. Or blessed. Or God’s divine intervention. I’m not smart enough to understand half of the stuff that makes up life as we know it. Maybe I owe it all to the Domestic Egg Company. more
As baseball gears for another season. I just happened to come across an article saying Tennessee had a professional baseball team. My curiosity got the best of me, and I naturally clicked on the link expecting to be thoroughly disappointed. Well, I was wrong, what a shock. more
Recently, The Banner has received feedback that the point size of the text in the newspaper is too small and too hard to read. So, how’s this? I increased the point size and changed the typeface to one seemingly more readable, but that may be up for debate. Truthfully, it has been on my list of things to do this year, to update the look of the newspaper and upsize the text at least one point for those struggling to read it at its former size. more
William Shakespeare’s line from King Henry IV, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” sums up the first five months as co-owner of Tri-County Publishing. Now, I’m not calling myself the king or stating we have an empire, that is far from the truth. But when you own a business, you have to beware of a constant barrage of possible threats and shortfalls. more
People have been so kind to me about these little stories over the years. And I certainly appreciate that. I have said from the beginning that I am not a writer. You think about Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, Will Rogers, Jon Meacham...those guys could turn a blank page into a moving picture show... more
I’m teaching a class at Gulf Coast State entitled, “Will You Know Where You Are When You Get Where You’re Going.” I did not think up that moniker. I “borrowed” it from a guy taller, smarter, and funnier than I am. He explained his version to a laughing “Grand Ole Opry” crowd. more
My brothers and sisters in the Middle East are suffering. Therefore, I am advocating for the following six actions. more
W.E.B. Du Bois was a towering figure in American history, renowned for his intellectual prowess, tireless activism. From his early life in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, to his pioneering work in sociology, his time at Fisk University in Tennessee, his prolific publications, and his pivotal role in the founding of the NAACP, Du Bois left an indelible mark on the struggle for racial equality and social justice in the United States. more
One of the things I appreciated as a kid growing up in a small town in the 1950s was, I could understand the rules. Don’t lie, cheat, or steal, respect your elders, close the gate, and be home by supper. more
With all the local celebration of Patrick Willis being selected to the NFL Hall of Fame, I wanted take a little print space to rerun a feature on Carroll County’s other NFL Hall of Famer, Gene Hickerson. more
McKenzie was all abuzz in May of 1975 with the anticipated arrival of Hollywood Legend Bob Hope. The film icon was scheduled for a stage performance at Bethel College on Sunday, May 31 in order to raise much needed funds for the financially distressed McKenzie institution. Hope’s presence left the school with over $100,000 and the community with a life time of memories. more
I had my first taste of chewing tobacco when I was 15 years old. Warren County Twist should have had a warning label on it plainly stating, “Take two aspirins before inserting.” This was back in 1962. I reckon you chewed at your own risk in those days…. more
Shel Silverstein wrote a song made famous by Johnny Cash in 1969 entitled “A Boy Named Sue.” It lays out the chronology of a young man struggling through life burdened with such a misfit name…. “Some gal would giggle and I’d turn red, And some guy’d laugh and I’d bust his head, I tell you, life ain’t easy for a boy named Sue.” more
When you think about big businesses headquartered in Tennessee most folks think of FedEx, Dollar Store, Bridgestone or Cracker Barrel. There was one up until 2010 that I had no clue was headquartered in Tennessee; that little gem is Pilot Flying J. Until January 16, 2024, the company was headquartered out of Knoxville and headed by the Haslam family. Yes, former Governor Bill Haslam along with his brother Jimmy, owner of the Cleveland Browns, made their fortune through the company founded by their father. more
Sunday night, Brittany and I had the opportunity to see Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Nashville. It was an amazing concert and the first time I’ve ever been to the Opry House. I’m not a regular concertgoer because let’s be honest, how can anyone afford the expense, but last night was something special. more
Daddy didn’t cook. Ever! He farmed a mite and drove a truck for a living. He was always working. Maybe he didn’t have time to take up the culinary arts. But more probably, he left it up to Mother because it was easier for him and she was way much better at it than he was. more
The recent clash of winter is some of the worst in my memory. With arctic blasts and subzero windchills, these temperatures aren’t for everyone. The snow and ice only compounded the headache. Then you have to add the fact that almost every school in the state hasn’t had school in over a week. more
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