Opinion & Editorial

WANDERING WORDSMITH: Family roots run deep in White County

By Denise Etheridge When I interviewed the nice folks who run Leaf Grocery and Deli last month, I took away some charming tidbits of Leaf community history. I also realized during our relaxed, friendly conversation that family ties are strong in White County.

OUR VIEW: Juneteenth is when freedom arrived

Freedom for every American didn’t come easy. And it didn’t come all at once. We celebrate July 4th as Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which sought to free the 13 American colonies from the shackles of British rule.

NOTES FROM THE GRILLO PAD: Dad did the righteous thing

My father — the King of Father’s Day, who had a tinfoil crown to prove it — grew up in a Lower Eastside Manhattan neighborhood called Little Sicily. He was eight or nine when he met Jack Dempsey — the former heavyweight champion of the world, who had a belt to prove it — at the local Boys Club.

OUR VIEW: Never forget —She served too

Today, 20 states across the country — not Georgia — will commemorate Women Veterans Recognition Day. This isn’t a separate version of Veterans Day.

Family lifts a legacy on sacred ground

It’s late morning on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025. The air is cool for late May, low hanging rain clouds forbidding the sun’s appearance. Most of the Hudgins boys and a couple of nephews are gathered in the cemetery of Belmont Baptist Church south of Gainesville, Ga.

The constant loop in my thought track

Notes from the Grillo Pad (by Jerry Grillo) Nine years ago, after my son Joe had been disregarded and disrespected yet again by people who should have known better, I got really upset. I channeled my anger into the 21st century’s favored vehicle of bloodless vengeance: the blog.

Save your breath but ask questions

Traveling around this summer? Sticking close to home to visit with family? Or a combination of both?

OUR VIEW: Standing with the Survivors

When circumstances demand that a community confront the reality of abuse, silence isn’t an option. We know that speaking up isn’t easy. But we also know that there are people and organizations that can help. And there is hope.

Our View: Honoring them with respect and honesty

War is one of humanity’s oldest and most appalling tragedies — a horrifying, ancient ritual too often mistaken for a pageant of glory and heroism. Yes, there are heroes of the greatest kind who emerge during war, men and women who deserve our praise and respect.

Career Day: fake news and Superman’s day job

Hold the presses: Mrs. Wolf loves to cook, and her favorite color is green!