Easter was always about my grandfather. Well, that's probably overstating the case. And of course time changes things. Now it's also about my grandmother and my father and, well, many others, too. But when I was a kid growing up in the mountain town that will always be my first home, Easter was about my … Continue reading An enduring Easter family tradition
Month: March 2018
Town of Elon’s ‘parklets’ are more than talk now
The town of Elon started talking about "parklets" in the fall of 2017. Last week I saw the start of what the downtown additions are going to look like. Up to now, the parklet idea was merely a concept, something conceived on the West Coast to turn small areas into places where people can sit, … Continue reading Town of Elon’s ‘parklets’ are more than talk now
Monitoring breaking news: About that ticker at Elon
Nine days ago on March 13 a sharply divided Elon town Board of Aldermen decided to alter its existing law regarding electronic signs and allow Elon University to begin operating a non-stop news ticker outside the School of Communications, on Citrone Plaza overlooking the main drag -- Williamson Avenue. The ticker had been shut down … Continue reading Monitoring breaking news: About that ticker at Elon
Throwback Thursday: Five years ago we noted a special day in Burlington
Five years ago this week -- on March 19 -- we managed to pull the wool over the eyes of Don Bolden, a retired newspaper reporter and editor, editor emeritus of the Times-News, historian, community leader and community treasure. He's also the guy who originally hired me at the Times-News in 1984, but don't hold … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Five years ago we noted a special day in Burlington
The funeral for Lee Harvey Oswald, a job nobody wanted
News I saw overnight about the funeral in Porterville, Calif. for the late mass murderer Charles Manson reminded me of another occasion a reviled or controversial figure was put to rest. When presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was killed in the tumultuous days following the murder of John F. Kennedy it was difficult to find … Continue reading The funeral for Lee Harvey Oswald, a job nobody wanted
Words and ideas from elected leaders really do matter
Friday morning as I prepared to leave for work I checked my Facebook newsfeed. I usually gaze for a few minutes at it and the Twitter feed to see what might have happened overnight. Could be news, sports, commentary or mainly just plain everyday human crap disguised as thought. Lately there is way too much … Continue reading Words and ideas from elected leaders really do matter
Remembering the nicest person I’ve ever known
Six years ago this week just about the nicest person I've ever known passed away after a long battle with esophageal cancer. I used to call Tom Woody the Times-News unpaid intern for life because he spent so much time in our newsroom helping his longtime spouse, newspaper administrator and columnist Frances Woody with any … Continue reading Remembering the nicest person I’ve ever known
Happy birthday James Madison, a believer in open government
Today (Friday March 16) is the birthday of James Madison, a primary architect of the U.S. Constitution and the fourth president of the United States. He is one of those "Founding Fathers" folks in politics are fond of referencing repeatedly -- usually after they symbolically spit upon what the Founding Fathers espoused. Yeah, the United … Continue reading Happy birthday James Madison, a believer in open government
Newspaper memories: One and done at the 1986 ACC Tournament
March 7, 1986: I kept telling myself not to be nervous on the short drive from Burlington to Greensboro. It wasn’t working. Stupid I know. After all, I was only going to a basketball game -- well, four basketball games really. No big deal. Not at all. I got up early that Friday morning after … Continue reading Newspaper memories: One and done at the 1986 ACC Tournament
The day I officially rescinded my college team fandom — in legal writing and everything
Last week marked the fourth anniversary of what became a life-altering change in my life. I disowned a sports team I had followed as a drooling and rabid fan from age 8 to 54. And I stuck to it. I dropped it like a bad habit -- cold turkey the way I stopped smoking back … Continue reading The day I officially rescinded my college team fandom — in legal writing and everything
Madison's Avenue 