Yarbrough: Junior E. Lee on current events

You deserve the best, and the best I can offer you today is Junior E. Lee. As longtime readers know, and those who are recent to this column will soon learn, Junior is one of a kind.

Rich: Sad happenings in a small town

Hemingway, South Carolina, is a tiny town of less than 500 people.There, one of my favorite people was born. She called Hemingway her hometown until college beckoned, followed by the state capitol and other glorious adventures.The joyous Mary Eaddy has the merriest of laughs.

Yarbrough: Discussing Okefenokee drag-mining proposal

RAP! RAP! RAP!“This meeting of the Okefenokee Creatures Association will come to order. I am your chairperson, Pogo the Possum. Please stand, crawl, hop, or slither as you can recite the OCA pledge: ‘I pledge allegiance to the Okefenokee Swamp and the peat upon which it stands.

Crane: Remember to pack your patience

Should I ever be offered a seat on Santa’s trans-continental sleigh, upfront or in the jump seat ... I’m in!However, as I still occasionally have to stay off the naughty list occasionally, I am more likely to be stuck in Comfort Plus, Business Class, or Coach during holiday travel.

Rich: It’s time for 2025

Know this upfront: This story won’t make me look like a saint, but God knows I’m not anyway, so I might as well tell the truth.Years before Tink and I married, I bought a three-acre parcel of land that adjoins the Rondarosa.

NeSmith: Scientists discover hidden ‘gift’ in toxic coal ash

Ho, ho, ho!On the cusp of Christmas, scientists have played Santa.Well, sort of. Their “gift” wasn’t made sleigh-ready by St. Nick’s elves but was crafted through extensive studies.

Letter to the Editor: My Brother’s Keeper

Dear Editor,For me, the Advent season seems to highlight, more than some, the potential for a coming together among people who have, for some time, been experiencing emptiness, torment, and resentment.

Yarbrough: I wish I had been in Bethlehem

These words are dedicated to the memory of my friend, the late Otis Brumby Jr., publisher of The Marietta Daily Journal. He encouraged me to run this column each Christmas season. It is also dedicated to those who believe. I wish I had been there in Bethlehem.

Smith: Don’t mess with me, fool

According to The New York Times, Jordan Neely got on the northbound F-Train at the 2nd Avenue subway station at around 2 p.m. on May 1, 2023.Before the F-Train reached the Broadway-Lafayette Street station, Daniel Penny had placed Neely on a submission hold.

Rich: Memories of mistletoe and more

I remember and cherish the Christmases of my childhood. They were simple and humble, with no fancy frills or garland.I often stood in the windows of the stores downtown, longingly dreaming of a Christmas tree with expensive decorations and giant bows made of red velvet ribbon.And the angel on top?