I wrote this a year ago for the Times-News in Burlington, North Carolina when the nation was on fire -- shootings were rampant, political turmoil was everywhere and we seemed on the precipice on a major cultural shift. A year later here we are only in this reality America elected George Wallace. This is the … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: 1968 revisited — only we elected George Wallace this time
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Summer camp in the Village
Monday I got my summer camp T-shirt. Like the dork that I am, I pulled it immediately over the button-down shirt I put on before leaving home in the morning. Not the best visual impression on a crew of rising eighth and ninth graders, I suspect. I'll do better Tuesday. This T-shirt -- without the … Continue reading Summer camp in the Village
Fourth of July flashback: Newspaper people should not serve food
The date was July 4, 1999. I was working for the Jacksonville Daily News, a newspaper on the North Carolina coast that serves Onslow County, Camp Lejeune and Carteret County. And by serve, I mean news. Food, well ... Before going further, note that the events you are about to hear occurred before there were … Continue reading Fourth of July flashback: Newspaper people should not serve food
Book review: ‘Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic
Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic (Reggie, Rollie, Catfish and Charlie Finley’s Swingin’ A’s’); by Jason Turbow; 2017; 386 pages; Haughton, Mifflin, Harcourt Publishing Co. “When Roy Eisenhardt showed up at the Coliseum toward the end of the year to familiarize himself with the front office he was stunned by the organizational wasteland before him.” So begins a … Continue reading Book review: ‘Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic
Going by the book; or, keeping the wheel of life turning
About 20 years ago a cop reporter I worked with at the Jacksonville Daily News gave me her copy of a famous book written by a cop reporter from Baltimore. “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets” by David Simon was published in 1991. By 1993 it had become a TV show on NBC, a … Continue reading Going by the book; or, keeping the wheel of life turning
Remembering The great Tim Duncan
In my life I've only had a handful of favorite NBA players, usually they don't overlap. A favorite is, after all, a favorite. All shared a few characteristics in common. They played the game the right way, they played it well, they conducted themselves professionally, they were intense and refused to back down. And yeah, … Continue reading Remembering The great Tim Duncan
What’s that smell? Of school bathrooms, hygiene and memorable speeches
A headline in today’s Burlington Times-News caught my eye. It was stripped across the front page and looks to be in about 70-point type. Not quite WAR DECLARED or NIXON GUILTY, but not that far off. Here’s what it said. Board considers cleanliness Not exactly “Stop the presses!” kind of material but still pretty interesting. … Continue reading What’s that smell? Of school bathrooms, hygiene and memorable speeches
What’s next for Alamance County Public Libraries? We now have a road map
The ink was barely dry on the brand new Alamance County Library Strategic Plan when I saw a new report from the Pew Research Center. The lead paragraph summed it up. Millennials in America are more likely to have visited a public library in the past year than any other adult generation. Interesting. That was … Continue reading What’s next for Alamance County Public Libraries? We now have a road map
And another light goes dark …
When I was a newspaper editor, that time dating all the way back to eight months ago, we had loyal readers who fit into too many categories to adequately list here. Let's just say it was a diverse bunch who either loved us, hated us, or didn't really care one way or another as long … Continue reading And another light goes dark …
Throwback Thursday: Massacre in Charleston remembered
On June 19, 2015, I wrote this editorial that appeared in the Burlington Times-News. The horrifying event at a church in Charleston, South Carolina occurred on June 17. The killer was found guilty of murder last December an was sentenced to death in January. Recent events tell me we learn nothing from history. Peace. --- … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Massacre in Charleston remembered
Madison's Avenue 