First published as a column in the Jacksonville Daily News in August of 1997. He was just about to turn nine. This, in and of itself, was no epic event. There would be bigger birthdays. And there were more important events going on in the world. But in the days before his birthday -- August … Continue reading The perfect birthday gift in the perfect summer of 1968
Column archive
Fluent in authentic weather gibberish
We're in another Atlantic Hurricane Season and the most active time is basically from now to October. In just the past week Hurricane Chris bypassed an East Coast landfall and puttered north over the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Beryl went pitthhh -- a highly scientific term, I admit -- before entering the Gulf Coast. I hope it … Continue reading Fluent in authentic weather gibberish
That time Susan Sarandon visited Graham
I wrote this at about the time the film "Bull Durham" celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1998. The baseball film comedy just turned 30 in June so it's time to share it again. A big chunk of the popular movie starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon was filmed at minor league ballparks and other locations … Continue reading That time Susan Sarandon visited Graham
Throwback Thursday: Remembering Dean Smith, the extraordinary man
I wrote this in September of 2012, well before legendary college basketball coach Dean Smith died on February 7, 2015 at age 83. I saw an old book (written in 1980) about Smith at the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale. I saw, bought and read it as problems in the UNC athletics programs … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Remembering Dean Smith, the extraordinary man
Throwback Thursday: The man who actually invented ‘The Wave’
This is a column I wrote way back in June of 1997 about life in my hometown of Danbury, North Carolina in the 1960s and '70s when I was growing up there. Danbury in those days was full of interesting people, charming rogues and, well, characters. All were and still are special to me in … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: The man who actually invented ‘The Wave’
A first lesson in you never know what you might find
Sometime in 1983 while on my first reporting job after college my then-new friend and newspaper colleague Fletcher Waynick told me about something I thought was pretty interesting. He thought it would make a pretty good story and I agreed. It was my first lesson in "you never know what you might find in the … Continue reading A first lesson in you never know what you might find
The billions of thank yous I owe Mom
This is a column I wrote in 1997 with the Jacksonville Daily News -- published on Mother's Day, May 11. I'm still thanking my Mom, by the way. ---------------------------------------- My mother was a journalist. She was apparently pretty good at it too. At least the North Carolina Press Association thought so. They gave her an … Continue reading The billions of thank yous I owe Mom
Throwback Thursday: Ric Flair used to date a girl from Richlands
Another in a series of recently unearthed columns written for the Jacksonville Daily News last century, Feb. 23, 1997 to be exact. This one was sparked by what else, a random newsroom conversation. I'm still friends with the major players and Richlands -- pronounced Rich-lands -- is still the center of the known universe (I … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Ric Flair used to date a girl from Richlands
Throwback Thursday: The story of the Potato Salad Kid
A few weeks ago I ran across an old manila folder containing a collection of columns I wrote for the Jacksonville Daily News more than 20 years ago -- 1997 in fact. Because I still like a few of them, I'll share one or two over the next few weeks. Today I'm offering one first … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: The story of the Potato Salad Kid
Can’t you smell that smell? Industrial hog farm practices go to court, finally
I saw an Associated Press story this morning about the start of a federal civil trial involving pork-producing giant Smithfield Foods and folks who unfortunately live near massive industrial livestock operations -- sites labeled quaintly as "farms." This is apparently the first of dozens of lawsuits stemming from neighbors of the facilities where millions of … Continue reading Can’t you smell that smell? Industrial hog farm practices go to court, finally
Madison's Avenue 