Litter in ditches says something about people

By Dink NeSmith   J.P. Morris was a thinker.  And when he spoke, he didn’t waste words.  I relished every visit with him. When I was involved in the ownership of The Baxley News-Banner, I could expect calls from the Appling County land baron and entrepreneur.

House District 123 Weekly Review: Week Ten

By Rob Leverett   With just two weeks left in the 2025 legislative session, the Georgia House of Representatives approved several bills to improve civil law, support workers with disabilities, protect service members, and improve access to life-saving medical services.

SB 129 disabled veteran property tax relief and local property tax exemption Deadline Reminder

By Max Black   Folks, for the first time in 21 months of writing columns highlighting shameful Republican local county and state government performance, I actually have positive comments for the Republican Georgia State Legislature as they get ready to finalize passage of bills by April 4 which...

Why choosing local healthcare matters: The impact of volume on Elbert Memorial Hospital

By Tyler Taylor   When it comes to healthcare, people often assume bigger is better. With larger cities like Athens, Georgia, or Anderson, South Carolina a fairly short drive away, it can be tempting to seek medical services outside of Elbert County.

Comin' up a cloud

By Ronda Rich   It was in the gloaming of a hot, July evening. I was dressed in jeans, an Elvis tee shirt, and farm boots, cleaning weeds near the stream that runs under our driveway. A bristling wind suddenly lifted the leaves and I looked up to see the skies darkening further.

More to come

By Douglas Huff   I saw it on an empty shelf in a store. The merchandise that usually filled the shelf was sold out. In its place was a sign that said, “More to come.” This was a promise that the empty shelf was only a temporary condition. There was more to come; it would be full again.

House District 123 Weekly Review: Week Nine

By Rob Leverett   With Crossover Day behind us, the Georgia House of Representatives shifted focus to reviewing and voting on Senate-passed legislation.

Georgia Republican fleecing part two

By Max Black   To do last week's "veterans fleecing" column full justice, I'll share facts based on 2025 Veteran's Administration (VA) disability compensation rates to shed light on how House Bill 108 (HB108), "Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act (SAVE)," enables members of Georgia's...

Man will always wage war; Cynicism sometimes is backed by reality

By Tom Poland   I remember the Vietnam anti-war protests at the University of Georgia. Some group firebombed the Army ROTC building and I recall four protestors walking abreast holding a “Stop War Now” banner. “Stop war now” chanted the throng behind them.

Watching the pendulum swing along the political spectrum

By Dick Yarborough   Like the late baseball great Billy Martin used to say in the beer commercials, I feel strongly both ways. For me, it’s not about the beer. It is about one-issue, my-way-or-the-highway groups on both ends of the political spectrum.