Opinion

'God give me patience and give it to me right now!’

A sign with these words or something similar hung above the desk of my father-in-law for years. They pretty much sized up my life as well. I have always been impatient. [Full Story »] 

It is true what they say. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’ or, in my case, almost gone. [Full Story »] 

Acute renal failure – three words guaranteed to get one’s attention. [Full Story »] 

By Peter L. Banks, Mayor of Barnesville

In the past several weeks columns appeared in The Herald Gazette by Kent Kingsley which presumably tried to give the history of the Lamar County Water Authority according to Kingsley’s recollection. He also gave his “solutions” to the financial crisis facing the authority and county while making untrue statements about Barnesville. [Full Story »] 

When our founding fathers first considered fighting for freedom, it was not an easy decision to make. Many lost their lives before America could call itself a nation.

In the past 235 years, America has fought countless other wars and sacrificed millions and millions of brave soldiers’ lives. None of those involved made the easy decision. They left their families at home and took on the nation’s struggles as their own, fighting for a dream they hoped would become reality. [Full Story »] 

By Kent Kingsley

Last week I addressed the history of the Lamar County water authority and how Barnesville tried to prevent its “birth.” In addition, I discussed why it would be problematic for residents of the unincorporated part of the county if the water authority was transferred to Barnesville. Today I’d like to propose three alternatives that would allow Lamar to keep control of the water authority and its own future. [Full Story »] 

BY KENT KINGSLEY

The answer to that question is a resounding no and our county elected officials should do everything within their power to prevent this from occurring. What am I referring to? I’m referring to the transfer of Lamar County’s water system to Barnesville in exchange for the county assuming the cost for operating the library. First, a bit of background/history of how we got to where we are today. [Full Story »] 

By Mychal Massie
submitted by Sheila Tolley

At a time when many Americans can barely afford Burger King and a movie, Obama boasts of spending a billion dollars on his re-election campaign. Questioned at a recent appearance about the spiraling fuel costs, Obama said, "Get used to it" - and with an insouciant grin and chortle, he told another person at the event, who complained about the effect high fuel prices were having on his family, to "get a more fuel-efficient car." [Full Story »] 

‘There’s a hole in Daddy’s arm where all the money goes.’

-John Prine

John Prine penned his haunting lyric in the song ‘Sam Stone’, a lament about the Vietnam War. Sam came home from Vietnam haunted by what he saw there. He could not exorcise his demons and eventually died of an overdose. I think of Prine’s work three times a day when I plug antibiotics into the picc line in my arm to fight off a recurring staph infection. [Full Story »] 

Here are the results of our previous poll which asked, "Do you think tightened enrollment standards at Gordon College will cut the crime rate in Barnesville-Lamar County?". [Full Story »] 

My sister Kaye, the baby of the family, is a dental hygienist.

When our oldest daughter was very young, Kaye worked for the only pediadontist who did work for Medicaid patients on the Georgia coast.
[Full Story »] 

By Robert Morrison

Michael Moore was all the rage at the Democratic National Convention a few years back. His conspiratorial "documentary" (try schlockumentary) called "Fahrenheit 911" was shown to convention bigs who praised it lavishly. Even Jimmy Carter invited Michael Moore to sit in the presidential box with him. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

I was met by a surreal scene at 1:30 a.m. last Thursday when I pulled up to the Hot Shot store or what was left of it.

The usually brightly lit facility was dark. It was raining. The only light came from flashlights and police and emergency strobes. I marveled at the shredded store and the smashed church across the street. I had only a small flashlight but I could see enough to know things were bad. [Full Story »] 

bin Laden was killed in a firefight overnight.....

An elite team from Navy Seal Team 6 flew to Pakistan and assaulted a luxury hideout located less than 100 yards from a Pakistani military academy. The location of the hideout has implicated the Pakistani government, supposedly a U.S. ally, in protecting bin Laden.

The Seal team lost one chopper but suffered no casualties.

In New York, celebrations broke out at Ground Zero, the site where bin Laden's terrorists brought down the World Trade Center and killed 3000 civilians. New Yorkers danced in the streets and waved American flags.

At the same time, U.S. embassies and bases around the world were put on heightened security alert in expectation of reprisals.

U.S. military personnel took custody of bin Laden's body, positively identified the remains and buried him at sea. [Full Story »]