2018 Columns

There are few people I admire more than William Porter Payne.  In a fit of pique during my days at the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, I told an associate that I was ready to whip somebody’s butt the next time anybody criticized Payne, the organization’s founder and CEO. My associate found that commendable but reminded me that Billy Payne was ten years younger, a … [Read more...] about February 18, 2018: UGA Salute To Billy Payne Brings Back Fond Memories

This is a Valentine story.  Once, many moons ago – and we are talking a bunch of moons – I was editor of our high school’s newspaper.  One of the paper’s responsibilities, beyond publishing an occasional issue, was the annual Sweetheart Ball held each February around Valentine’s Day.  What staging a dance had to do with journalism, I never quite figured … [Read more...] about February 11, 2018: Here’s to A Valentine Story That Has No End

My Fellow Georgians: I come before you today to submit my annual State of the Column address! (Yay! Clap! Clap! Clap!)  I can state to you unequivocally that the state of this state cannot be overstated!  (Yay! Yay! Clap! Clap! Clap!)  Let me say at the outset that I know that the New York Times (Boo!) will be fact-checking every statement I make.  (Boo! … [Read more...] about February 5, 2018: Once Again, The State of The Column Can’t Be Overstated

I have a great interest in and a little walking-around knowledge of the political process because I have spent a good part of my adult life dealing with the subject. I also produce this weekly screed that runs from one end of the state (LaFayette) to the other (Folkston) and a lot of places in between.  I haven’t run the numbers in a while, but I suspect I remain the most … [Read more...] about January 29, 2018: Foster Children Once Again Pawns in Game Of Political Posturing

It doesn’t completely fill my bucket, but it is a darned good plank.  Sometime ago, I opined about wanting to meet Bill and Gloria Gaither, who are to Southern gospel music what Rembrandt is to oil painting – the best.  That would just about complete my bucket list which includes shooting the breeze with (pre-Twitter) presidents in the Oval Office; running the Olympic … [Read more...] about January 22, 2018: Random Thoughts on Random Subjects from Gospel Music to Rhodes Scholars