I stopped by my old newspaper office for a visit on Thursday. Bob Sutton, the longtime sports editor for the Times-News asked me what I might know about a reunion at Elon this weekend around the season-opening football game with Charleston Southern. "Nothing," I told him. Bob proceeded to fill me in. Apparently a group … Continue reading Honoring Elon football coaching legend Red Wilson
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The Durham family business
UPDATE on March 7, 2018: Today the retired and longime voice of UNC basketball and football Woody Durham passed away at age 76. This is something I wrote three years ago when the Mebane native was honored by the Naismith Memorial National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. with a lifetime achievement award for broadcasting. … Continue reading The Durham family business
A nationally known comedian from . . . Danbury?
Monday morning I got a message from my old newspaper friend Matt Memrick. The message was suitably vague. Enough to get my attention. It stated, "Danbury huh? Who knew comedy came out of that town?" The quote came with a link to a story headlined, "This former 'Saturday Night Live' writer is bringing improv comedy … Continue reading A nationally known comedian from . . . Danbury?
Something in the air: Ah yes, the annual Fall Book Sale
Friday I walked up to the small tent set up outside the basement entrance to May Memorial Library in Burlington. "I can shop at the Fall Book Sale today if I join the Friends of the Library, correct?" I asked the two women operating in the makeshift shade on a sunny afternoon. "Aren't you a … Continue reading Something in the air: Ah yes, the annual Fall Book Sale
Elegy for Agate (Has it really been four years?)
Cats are hard to figure. They're indifferent to humans, except when they're not. They're alternately fascinating and maddening. People who like cats really love them. People who dislike cats really hate them. I was in the indifferent (that word again) category on the matter for about 40 years, until one found its way into our … Continue reading Elegy for Agate (Has it really been four years?)
Throwback Thursday: I almost didn’t survive my first county budget
A memory from my first year as a reporter way back in 1983, first recounted in 2015. --- I walked into Numa Baker’s office on some random day in June of 1983. By any standard it was an immaculate setting. By news reporter standards his desk was clean enough for open heart surgery to be … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: I almost didn’t survive my first county budget
Memory of hurricanes past: Fran
I'm reminded today that 21 years ago North Carolina was hunkered down for a major storm that would -- following Hurricane Bertha in July -- alter the state's coastal landscape and cause heavy damage inland -- particularly in Raleigh. Burlington and Alamance County didn't escape unscathed either. It was Hurricane Fran. It went on and … Continue reading Memory of hurricanes past: Fran
Throwback Thursday: ‘Don’t lie to me like I’m Montel Williams’
I wrote this column only a year ago after the U.S. swim team ran into trouble in Brazil during the Olympics. The moral of the story is, don't lie to the cops, they can usually tell and they don't like it. I'm reminded of this video from the first few episodes of the great old … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: ‘Don’t lie to me like I’m Montel Williams’
In context: Still disconnected, by choice
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This post has been edited to reflect updated information available later on Wednesday. --- Do a Google search today for Alamance County Commissioner Tim Sutton. Make sure to add the Alamance County commissioner part in order to avoid confusion with the movie director of the same name. Here's what you find. He's famous. … Continue reading In context: Still disconnected, by choice
The disturbing disconnect of a county politician
Very little surprises me anymore. After all, I spent years upon years dealing with public officials of every kind: Small, medium and large; sober, drunk or stoned; and most frequently animal, vegetable or mineral. I spoke to hundreds, probably a few thousand, people on the phone who expressed variations of warped or circular logic. There … Continue reading The disturbing disconnect of a county politician
Madison's Avenue 