Frances Barham: Our Christmas eve story

It was mid afternoon on Christmas Eve, 2010. I needed to run an errand in town.

Roses and thorns 12-26-10

Givers; Oktibbeha County Humane Society; Annie McDaniel; Francis Thomas Troskey

Betty Stone: What didja get for Christmas?

By now Santa Claus must surely be back at the North Pole, utterly exhausted after his whirlwind trip through all those time and temperature zones on his annual marathon journey. Actually, a mere marathon pales by comparison.

David Creel: Believe in Santa; believe in you

It’s the season for believing — in Santa Claus, in miracles and in the magic of all that the holidays deliver. Ten years ago, a guy from a small town armed only with the passion to follow a dream and a few bobby pins arrived on the scene in Jackson, and it has been a rollercoaster ride from day one.

William Hairston: Pray for peace

In this season when Christians celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, when they sing of Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men, there is no peace.

Gary Chesser: Starkville’s city hall

Last week, I had an opportunity to tour Starkville’s city hall.

Larry Smith: Repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ a travesty

Legislation repealing the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has turned the United States military into a new front for social and cultural experimentation.

Stop hunting near the Riverwalk

We thought all we had to worry about were Columbus policemen in Ghille suits. It turns out there are even more people with lethal weapons lurking in the woods along the Riverwalk.

John Imes: Concerned about stray arrows

I was walking the Riverwalk recently. Leaving the paved way to walk the path that follows the raised ridge on the side, I was surprised to see a fellow in camouflage walking along with his compound bow.

Bill Crawford: Dances of the sugar plum politicians

Ho, ho, ho. No, no, that’s not Santa Claus. Those are chuckles at the spectacle of sugar plum politicians as they dance around potent issues.

Amy Martin: ‘A blessing for us all’

As you may know, our school has been selling Y-ties to raise money for Jeffery Amos, a 5th grader at our school, who was recently diagnosed with cancer and is in St. Jude’s Hospital, fighting this terrible disease.

Cameron Triplett: The fate of small towns

It’s great that Columbus is doing something to help its downtown area become vibrant again, and that’s all well and good. However, there are many small towns in the Golden Triangle and surrounding area that are dying, drying up, and disappearing from view.

Raymond Gross: ‘Old Reliable’

While growing up in a coal mining town in southeast Kentucky, I became very familiar with the L&N Railroad Co.

Nan Morrow: Thank you, Annie

Earlier this month in our annual Christmas card, our paper carrier noted she would be retiring from delivering our paper.

Roses and Thorns 12-19-10

U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS workers; the Columbus Municipal School District; the families of two Starkville men who were killed on icy highways in north Mississippi; the vandals who broke out the windows of three cabs and two businesses in Columbus.

Shannon Bardwell: Keeping promises

Stepping into the spa, I felt the stresses and strains of Prairie life drain from my shoulders. I recognized the sounds of Pachelbel’s Canon and knew I had found a home. The overstuffed couch wrapped its comforting arms around me like a long-lost mother. The receptionist said they’d be with me in a minute. For a rare moment, waiting was a pleasure.

How’s this for a lump of coal: $3 a gallon gas

Odds are that Santa’s going to bring us an unwelcome present this Christmas: $3 a gallon gas.

Thursday in Columbus, prices were ranging from $2.81 to $2.99 for a gallon of regular gas, according to gasbuddy.com.

Gary Holtman: The Postal Service and other matters

Two people have commented to me in the past two days that they had not read any of my letters recently. My response to then was, “Nothing has aggravated me enough lately to bore the public.” That changed today, so, I’ll hit on a few items.

A common-sense approach to teacher pay

Two Columbus elementary schools are part of a new teacher-pay model the state Department of Education is touting as new and innovative. And the fact that the program is considered new and innovative speaks volumes about Mississippi schools.

Cameron Triplett: Agrees with columnist

Uh oh! Either liberals are agreeing with me (my preference) or I’m agreeing with liberals! Or, as Al Gore put it, “Down is up, and up is down.”