Opinions

Thinking for a change: Class action

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Tuesday, June 2. 2020

By Anthony Vinson
advkdv@att.net

Dear Class of 2020. Wow. What an end to your high school career. The pandemic threw your plans into the wind, but so what? In coming years, you will have stories to tell. Your 10-year reunion is going to be a blast as you make up for what you missed and celebrate with your classmates, but with the bonus of a decade of experience to help you better enjoy the festivities. That may not sound like much of a consolation prize at the moment, but trust me, it’s going to matter then. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Expertise

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, May 26. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

One piece of the COVID-19 situation that has concerned and confused me is the disdain some people have exhibited toward experts.

I was in Baltimore, Maryland a few years ago working at a conference. (Remember the old days when people traveled to conferences?) I was sitting at my table in the Exhibit Hall when I realized that the vision in my right eye had become very blurry. This would have seemed like something I should get checked on anyway, but I had recently had laser treatment to repair two retinal tears in that eye, so I was certain I should. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Forged in the fire of COVID-19

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, May 19. 2020

High school graduation has always been a defining moment. The class of 2020, these large groups of teenagers, many of whom have been together since pre-K, will scatter. After getting their diplomas, flipping those tassels and throwing their caps in the air, they will go off in many different directions. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: In praise of religious leaders

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, May 12. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Back when I was a pastor, I had a conversation with the local high school football coach. I observed that our jobs were similar in that everybody in town thought they could do our job better than we could, and that 99.9% of them wouldn’t last two weeks trying to do it. He agreed with me. We laughed outwardly as we wept inwardly (at least I wept inwardly). We parted to go do our jobs the best we could. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Did we overreact?

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, May 5. 2020

COVID-19 and coronavirus.

Two months ago, few, if any, us had heard those two words. The virus came upon us quickly. I would say we, as a nation, reacted pretty fast. We were scared not to. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Together and apart

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, April 28. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

One of the interesting things about living in these days of COVID-19 is how our commitment to being apart has brought us together. We have come together in our commitment to stay apart. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Epidemics are nothing new here

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, April 21. 2020

A review of issues of the Barnesville News-Gazette from October, 1918 revealed an epidemic of Spanish flu was plaguing the area to the extent classes at Gordon Institute were suspended. There were also multiple obituaries at the time listing flu or pneumonia arising from the flu as the cause of death. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Fifty > forty

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Rachel McDaniel

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Monday, April 13. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I’m a words guy. Math isn’t my strong suit, despite the best efforts of Mrs. Pitts, Mrs. Fambro, Mrs. Heinz, Mr. Myles, Mrs. Easton, and Mrs. Byars. Lord knows they tried. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: It will take our best shot

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, April 7. 2020

For about 25 years, I have watched the Palm Sunday worship service at my church from the choir loft. This year I watched it via video stream on my iMac. All involved did the best they could. They gave it their best shot but it just wasn’t the same. [Full story »]

Snake handlers and poison drinkers

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 31. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Modern Bible translations note that the Gospel of Mark probably originally ended at 16:8. Manuscript evidence indicates that the material found in Mark 16:9-20 was probably added a few decades after the Gospel was produced. Most of what’s in those verses is found in the other Gospels.

But Mark 16:18 has something than none of the other Gospels have. It says of believers in Jesus, “They will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.” Some of us might be glad to know that verse isn’t part of the original Gospel. We might say, “Well, that’s not really part of the Bible, so I can ignore it.” [Full story »]

When ‘normal’ is lost, the show still goes on

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 24. 2020

Kay S. Pedrotti
kayspedrotti@gmail.com

As the days crawl by – when you have no place you can go – and more information on COVID-19 joins the already overcrowded group of disseminators, I have had some serious time to think. First, I commend all the doctors offices, grocery stores, food distributors, restaurants, governmental bodies struggling with basic services, essential service employees (like plumbers!) and many more – but especially the hardy crew at The Herald Gazette/Journal Reporter. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Repentance

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 17. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Many Christians observe the 40 days (not counting Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday as the season of Lent. The name “Lent” comes from an old word meaning “to lengthen,” and, since the days get longer in the spring, it came to name that season. Lent is a season of repentance that is often accompanied by fasting. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: At rest on the tracks

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 10. 2020

The old man walked out onto the railroad tracks where so much history has been made and observed. The trestle over River Road seemed a little worse for wear than it had on his last visit over 40 years prior. He took his time crossing on the creosote railroad ties that he had scampered across in his youth. The asphalt below seemed a much more perilous plunge. [Full story »]

March 24 Primary: Unsolicited advice, bold predictions

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 3. 2020

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

As I hope you know, the Georgia Presidential Primary election will take place on Tuesday, March 24. Advance in-person voting is now underway. [Full story »]

Judicial circuit so sordid, criminals sit on the bench

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, February 25. 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: This column was written by Bill Torpy and published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on ajc.com on Feb. 19. Torpy is a highly-respected roving reporter/opinion columnist for the Atlanta newspaper and its online platforms. This is his long view of the happenings within the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which includes our neighbors in Pike, Spalding, Upson and Fayette counties, over the years. His views are his - not ours - and received the approval of the AJC editorial board.
What do you think? Is Torpy on target or is he way off base? You may respond via a letter to the editor or by commenting on our website at pikecountygeorgia.com.

By Bill Torpy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ten years ago, I headed south to the Griffin Judicial Circuit to cover a brewing scandal in which two of the district’s four Superior Court judges had to resign suddenly in disgrace. [Full story »]