PABIS: Gardening inheritance

Posted by
Staff Writer
in Column Archives
Thursday, May 23. 2013
Comments (0)
When I was a young girl I came to Georgia to visit my grandmother who lived in Athens. She kept a little red watering can just for me because I loved to help her water her plants. She lived in an apartment, but it had a courtyard where she grew flowers. Red geraniums were her favorite.

I used to love walking with her to Charmar nursery where I was enchanted with the rows and rows of plants inside the long greenhouse. Once she bought a little green fern for me, and I took it home on the airplane.

When we lived in Colorado, our house had a sunroom, and my mother filled it with Scheffleras, spider plants and jades. I remember watching my father tend the garden that ran along the back fence. In my childhood memory that garden was very big, but it was probably just a modest house garden. [Full Story »] 

SINN-CLARK: A day of blessings for special moms

Posted by
Lorin Sinn-Clark
in Column Archives
Tuesday, May 14. 2013
Comments (0)
“Making the decision to have a child – it’s momentous. It is to decide to forever have your heart go walking around outside your body.”
— Elizabeth Stone

Mother’s Day is a day of mixed cheer for me. It’s happy because I have two wonderful grown children who I wouldn’t change a thing about. They both married people I also wouldn’t change a thing about. Both couples have good jobs, nice homes and happy, full lives. They live close by and visit often. For this mom, it doesn’t get any better than that; I am so blessed and thankful.

The down side of Mother’s Day is that my mom died when I was 19 and she left a hole in my life nothing else has ever filled. I don’t remember what it felt like to have a mother, and even though my dad’s a great guy, the child in me still feels like an orphan on Mother’s Day.

Of all the jobs I’ve had, being a mom was my favorite. It’s the only thing I always knew I wanted to do and one of the things I’ve been really good at. As a child, I toted dolls around taking gentle care of them. And, as a young woman, I couldn’t wait to be a mom. I was in such a hurry I had kids before I figured out what else I wanted to do – a move which had its consequences, but I have no regrets. [Full Story »] 

PERSON: The funeral home

Posted by
Helen Person
in Column Archives
Friday, May 3. 2013
Comments (0)
There are two things absolutely certain about life. You are born. You live a while. Then you die.

If you’ve been living right, there is life after death. Now, I don’t know about this “72 virgin” thing some religions believe awaits us after spending one’s time on earth engaged in righteous living.

At least, I hope that isn’t what awaits. Frankly, that holds no appeal for me. There are days that spending eternity sitting on our little cove watching the activity among the lily pads would suit me just fine. [Full Story »] 

BRIDGES: Payne case remains baffling

Posted by
Chris Bridges
in Column Archives
Tuesday, April 30. 2013
Comments (3)
Items from my reporter’s notebook:

•The recent decision by the courts to rule in favor of the Barrow County School System and against Ashley Payne didn’t come as a real shock.

Payne had claimed from the beginning she was told she would be fired if she didn’t resign. In cases of “she said/they said,” rulings often go against the person making the complaint.

What is still surprising after several years of following this case is why this whole mess was a big deal to begin with? For the life of me, I can’t figure out why a picture posted on Facebook from a non-school event, was grounds for Payne to even be questioned to start with. [Full Story »] 

PABIS: Embracing the chaos

Posted by
Staff Writer
in Column Archives
Friday, April 19. 2013
Comments (0)
One day when I was pregnant with my first child, I stepped into the entryway of a neighbor’s home. She homeschooled her children, and, in fact, she’s the person I learned about homeschooling from, but at the time, I wasn’t considering homeschooling. I hadn’t even had a child yet.

While I was speaking to her, she excused the state of her household because they had been very busy, and she didn’t have time to clean that day.

I had not noticed the interior of her house, but when she said this, I glanced over into her dining room, and I could see her table was littered with toys and other stuff. You couldn’t see the top of her table. [Full Story »] 

BROWN: Judge the owner, not the breed

Posted by
Jessica Brown
in Column Archives
Tuesday, April 16. 2013
Comment (1)
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, startled by a strange dog that you’ve never seen in the area before. Not just a dog, but a pit bull. This is a reality that my significant other and his family has been living for roughly a week.

Several days ago, a young pit bull bearing a purple collar seemed to appear out of thin air one night at their residence. He sits patiently on the porch in front of the door, looking through the window with his soulful eyes just hoping this lovely family will take him in.

In recent years, more and more stories have been brought into light of pit bulls being vicious animals and the most common breed used in dog fighting rings. It’s no surprise that this unexpected guest was not welcomed with open arms. Since pit bulls get a bad reputation, society’s first instinct is to be apprehensive. As they should be with any foreign dog in their vicinity because the dog’s past is unknown. [Full Story »] 

SINN-CLARK: Logic could solve gun control issues

Posted by
Chris Bridges
in Column Archives
Tuesday, April 9. 2013
Comments (14)
“A fanatic is one who sticks to his guns whether they’re loaded or not.” – Franklin P. Jones

“Georgia town passes law requiring citizens to own guns and ammo.” That headline caught my eye in the news Tuesday.

Yes, it’s true. The town council in Nelson, voted 5-0 to pass an ordinance that requires the head of every household to own a gun and ammunition to “provide for the emergency management of the city” and “provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants.”

The ordinance has no penalties, contains exemptions for felons and the mentally ill, and allows anyone to opt out. [Full Story »] 

PERSON: The Truck...

Posted by
Helen Person
in Column Archives
Tuesday, April 2. 2013
Comments (0)
We have a saying around our house: If it’s not where it’s supposed to be, it’s in The Truck.

Mr. Fix-It drives a Silverado pickup truck. It could be the poster image for any car wash and detailing shop in the country. Before I get in it, I make sure my shots are up-to-date.

In his defense, Mr. Fix-It considers his vehicle to be functional. It serves the purpose of getting him from one place to another. It is also his tool box, lunch room, office, portable den and rolling trash bin. [Full Story »] 

BRIDGES: Plenty of news surfaces from WBMS

Posted by
Chris Bridges
in Column Archives
Wednesday, March 20. 2013
Comments (0)
Winder-Barrow Middle School is in its final months of operation (at its current physical location) and it has been in the news quite a bit of late for more reasons than that.
Instead of celebrating its last weeks of storied existence, WBMS has become involved in two controversies. The first involves the name for the building which will replace the existing facility.

Recently, students voted to name the new school “Bear Creek Middle School.” Students were given three options and Bear Creek was chosen by an overwhelming margin.

However, numerous Barrow County residents had hoped the new facility would be named for Lafar D. Sims, a former educator who was principal of various local facilities, including the black high school during the days of segregation. [Full Story »] 

SINN-CLARK: Getting a Jag for the mid-life crisis

Posted by
Lorin Sinn-Clark
in Column Archives
Sunday, March 10. 2013
Comments (0)
“When I’m old I will have a goat and feed him pink roses…” – a birthday card

Maybe I’ll have a goat when I’m old or maybe I’ll drive a Jaguar and instead of feeding it pink roses, I’ll feed it a lot of gas. I guess I just got old, because I just got that Jag and while it is a beautiful car, it is causing a bit of a mid/later-in-life crisis for me.

The story of the Jag is my son bought her from her original owner. She is a 1989 XJS with Chevrolet guts inside, which means theoretically she has none of the pesky maintenance issues Jaguars are so well known for. With the exception of her electrical system (which does have a few pesky issues) she is a Chevy through and through, and the combination of Jaguar handling and that 350 V8, suffice it to say she’s a fine ride. [Full Story »] 
Page 1 of 7, totaling 67 entries

Recent Comments

joycelgr about Injured local soldier coming home May 30
Sat, May 25, 2013 - 09:09 AM
Welcome Home PFC Sam Walley, Welcome Home. Thank you for our service and God Bless..
Devan about SINN-CLARK: County animal control needs more help and better oversight
Sat, May 25, 2013 - 08:38 AM
Do you people not have anything better to do other than keep on dissing Animal Control Shelter [...]
JD about Statham city council discusses relocating city hall
Thu, May 23, 2013 - 07:55 PM
How about holding off on the complaining until everything is out on the table. This is a very [...]
concerned tax payer about Statham city council discusses relocating city hall
Thu, May 23, 2013 - 12:10 PM
What a complete waste of money....something the city knows far to well how to do. There is no [...]
Mike M. about Officials try to verify reason Peskin missed court date
Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:21 PM
Something ios smelling fishy here
V about We are all Bostonians now
Fri, May 17, 2013 - 07:43 AM
False Flag to roll out the police state.

Signup to receive Journal Headline Previews and Breaking News Email Alerts

This Week's Poll

Sister Sites

BanksNews TODAY
BraseltonNews TODAY
CommerceNews TODAY
JacksonHerald TODAY
MadisonJournal TODAY
MainStreetNews OBITS
MainStreetNews SPORTS
MainStreetNews.com
Copyright © 2008-2012 MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.