Hunker Down with Kes: Why I Don’t Smoke
July 9, 2026
Me and Buddy Wiggleton grew up wanting to be the Marlboro Man.
Opinion
273 articles
Hunker Down with Kes: An Unsuspected Fourth of July Postscript
July 7, 2026
It came out of nowhere. And good golly, I was not prepared.
The Wit and Wisdom of David Johnson: Embrace Your Fear and Anxiety
July 7, 2026
Kerry stares numbly at the notice on the bulletin board announcing the permanent closing of his plant. It’s the only job he’s had for twenty-five years.
Hunker Down with Kes: What Were Those Guys Thinking!
June 30, 2026
I’m talking about Samuel Adams, Dr. Joseph Warren, JOHN HANCOCK, Penelope Barker, Thomas Jefferson…all the men and women who had gathered in quiet places to discuss hard questions about life, British rule, independence, and the future.
The Wit and Wisdom of David Johnson: Casseroles and Deer Heads
June 30, 2026
Sarah was the kind of woman who kept casseroles in the freezer ready to pop one in the oven for every occasion, like a funeral or a birth, or when a woman had surgery and couldn’t cook for the family, or, of course, when there was a potluck meal at church.
The Wit and Wisdom of David Johnson: The Prayer Wall
June 23, 2026
I'm quite certain what I'm about to describe is not the way things really work, but in my imagination, it makes me feel warm and safe.
Hunker Down with Kes: Hula Hoops Can Lead To Good Health
June 23, 2026
Life is so much fun. I don’t care where you are on the journey.
Hunker Down With Kes: What A Friend We Have In Miss Floy
June 16, 2026
I believe with all my heart this story today is universal.
Editor’s Sideline: A Memorial on Father’s Day
June 16, 2026
From my office window in downtown McKenzie, I can see the Stars and Stripes flying over a memorial dedicated to veterans who lost their lives in America’s conflicts.
Letter to the Editor: A Million Here, or There
June 16, 2026
“A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money,” a quote often attributed to Senator Everett Dirksen, R-Ill.
Editor: The Watchdog
June 9, 2026
Have you ever wondered, “Where would you go to find the info on this page if you didn’t have the newspaper?”
Kes: I Feel Like The Richest Man In Town
June 9, 2026
I must be worse off than I thought. Joey Fontaine showed up at the house. He had driven all the way from Jackson, Mississippi. With a homemade cherry cheesecake in his hand. We called him “Fake Red” when he was in high school.
Op-Ed: Tennessee Department of Veterans Official Touts New Resource
June 3, 2026
Tennessee is home to more than 430,000 veterans. They live in every one of our 95 counties—in the cul-de-sacs of Williamson County, the river towns along the Mississippi, and the hollers of East Tennessee. They are our neighbors. And too many of them do not know what they've earned—or where to begin looking for it. That is the gap our new statewide resource, the Veterans Connect Portal, is built to close.
Wit and Wisdom: Good Grief, It’s Personal
June 2, 2026
She was a simple, unadorned young woman. Her long, awkward strides took her quickly from the door of my office to the couch where she unceremoniously plopped down and crossed her legs, swinging it impatiently as I settled into my chair.
Kes: Maybe Our Connections Have Connections
June 2, 2026
Pat Fisher, who I did not know, sent a short note of thanks for some of my little stories.
Wit and Wisdom: The Long View of The Bible
May 26, 2026
For over fifty years I have been a serious student of the Bible and have read all of it numerous times.
Kes: They Traded Their Life, For Ours
May 26, 2026
It was never confusing for us. Memorial Day commemorated those brave American soldiers who gave their last full measure for our country. It has nothing to do with the beginning of summer.
Musings from the Gordon Browning Museum
May 19, 2026
I am very proud of how our new war memorial in the museum has turned out and what it means.
Kes: Why I Am Not A Writer
May 19, 2026
Mostly, it’s because you have to think too much. You have to focus and keep your mind on track.
It’s Not Illegal If I Do It
May 19, 2026
I don’t understand why more people aren’t upset with the redistricting.
