Opinions

Hammerin’ Hank heads home

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, January 26. 2021

Like all the boys from my era, I grew up a baseball fan. In fact, we were fans of all sports. [Full story »]

Vaccination decision was not an easy one

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, January 12. 2021

I rolled up my sleeve and got the first injection on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Monday. The second booster shot is due in three weeks and I will get it as well. [Full story »]

Goodbye, 2020: Don’t let the door hit ‘ya…

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Rachel McDaniel

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Monday, December 28. 2020

Chaotic, disastrous 2020 will fade into history Thursday night and not a minute too soon. It has been a long, hard year and I pray it will be the last of its kind for quite some time. [Full story »]

Dewitt: Of pecans and poachers

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, December 15. 2020

By Michael DeWitt
dewitt@hamptoncountyguardian.com

As a modern Southerner, I have a love/hate relationship with many things Southern: grits, country girls who catch bigger fish than I do, and last but not least - the pecan. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: In its time

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, December 8. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Some people don’t mind when I say “Happy Holidays” in person or on social media. Some folks don’t care for it. Others dislike it very much.

To my way of thinking, it’s a non-issue. Please allow me to explain. [Full story »]

Welcome to this unrealistic world

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, December 1. 2020

Kay S. Pedrotti
kayspedrotti@gmail.com

The world of those of us who are over 55 is unrealistic because: the wisdom we learned is laughable to the young. The advice we try to give organizations who reach children (teach basics; let the kids learn where Burkina Faso is; make math basics – like the memorization of the multiplication tables - the foundation for complicated equations; and what the United States founders wanted the phrase “promote the general welfare” to mean) is either ignored as “too dated” or goes against the current state and federal mandates for teachers and school systems. [Full story »]

What I’m thankful for this year

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, November 24. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

As our annual day of Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I’d share some of the things for which I’m thankful this year. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Which is the harsher reality?

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, November 17. 2020

At last week’s meeting of the Lamar County Board of Education, school superintendent Dr. Jute Wilson expressed “deep concern” at the fact many of the system’s students have fallen behind in their work since the coronavirus quarantine began in March. He was especially concerned for remote learners - those who require a parent, grandparent or some other adult to make sure they are doing their school work. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: People

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, November 10. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I started “preaching” (I mean the quotation marks in the sense of “so-called”) when I was about fourteen years old. Preacher Bill Coleman, our pastor at Midway Baptist Church, would let anyone (well, any male) who wanted to speak at a Wednesday night prayer meeting do so. I remember him once saying that he hadn’t preached on a Wednesday night in three years. The streak may have lasted a lot longer than that, for all I know. I signed up occasionally. It was good practice. Most of the good folks who had to listen to me are long gone. I hope they received extra stars in their crowns for their kindness to me. [Full story »]

Americans won’t sit still for another lockdown

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, November 3. 2020

I watched Saturday night as throngs of trick-or-treaters traversed Barnesville’s Thomaston Street. Some residents who had given out candy in the past opted out this year and that is understandable. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Thoughts and a prayer

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 27. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

You are probably reading this during the week before Election Day. (I am aware that with early and mail-in voting, we actually have an Election Season now. I am also aware that the presidential election may not be decided for a while. Or maybe we will know the winner when we go to bed on November 3. I’m further aware that one Georgia Senate race will almost certainly go to a runoff.) [Full story »]

The coming deemphasis of COVID-19

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 20. 2020

By Walter Geiger
news@barnesville.com

Eric Trump raised eyebrows recently when he alleged COVID-19 would “disappear after the election.” His argument was ‘they’ have used the virus to put a stop to his father’s huge campaign rallies. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Arc voting

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 13. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Well, here we are, three weeks from Election Day. We’re in the stretch drive. It’s a sprint to the finish. This one’s for all the marbles. (Apply other cliches as you see fit.) [Full story »]

I’ll meet you at the lamp post Daddy

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 6. 2020

We buried my Daddy the other day. He now rests with his parents in a beautiful, historic cemetery within a stone’s throw of the Wilmington River in Thunderbolt, Ga. I am the eldest of his four children and his namesake. It is a name I carry proudly. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Sixty-two

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, September 29. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I turned sixty-two years old on September 24. My college students think that makes me ancient. Some of you think I’m still young. Those of you were also born in 1958 are probably thinking, “Yeah, me too.” To my contemporaries, I say, “I’m glad we made it.” I also say, “I wish we all had.” [Full story »]