To the Class of 2020: Congratulations! We are proud of your accomplishments and excited for what your future holds.

There are lots of things I’ve missed during this strange quarantine time, but this time of year, in particular, I miss festivals. Since moving to Cullman last fall - right after Oktoberfest - I’d been looking forward to experiencing the Bloomin’ Festival and Strawberry Fest.

Community colleges in Alabama and across the nation have responded quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic, making contributions to enhance capabilities of emergency responders and health care professionals.

This is Teacher Appreciation Week, and if ever there was a time we realized how much we appreciate teachers, it is now. 

The majority of Americans consider their pets to be part of their families. So when disasters strike, they would no more leave Fido or Fluffy behind than they would a son or daughter. The City of Cullman recognized this and took action to protect pets and their owners during severe weather.

‘Outside a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx

Never-ending headlights in the middle of the day.

I am, at heart, an optimist. I tend to look for the good in people and generally believe that even when bad things happen, there is good to be found as well.

Last week was Sunshine Week, a week dedicated to highlighting the importance of open meetings and open records in our democracy. 

Every day brings more news about the coronavirus. 

Today is voting day for the Alabama primaries. If you haven’t yet voted, please do so; the polls are open until 7 p.m. Voting in free and open elections is what makes America great. We have the power to elect our representatives at every level of government and hold them accountable at the ballot box.

Roughly 3.5 million people are registered to vote in the state of Alabama—a record high number of registrations for the state—but that doesn’t help if the voters don’t actually turn out to vote.

This month is National Library Month, set aside to celebrate the value of public libraries in our communities. If you haven’t been to the library recently, you need to check it out.

Cullman County is proposing an increase to the already overly burdensome sales tax to supplement the schools’ facilities improvement budget.

I’ve been in Cullman a little over three months now, and people often ask me what I think of Cullman. I thought I’d share what I’ve observed as an outsider in Cullman.

This weekend’s sales tax holiday for severe weather preparedness is a great opportunity to save money on items you may need as we enter tornado season. Before you go shopping, though, we encourage you to have a disaster plan for you and your family.

It’s been a rough start to the year for law enforcement in Alabama. People can and will find reasons to find fault with law enforcement, but it’s important to recognize their sacrifices and support them as they deal with two recent tragedies.

News came out this week that Apple’s iOS 13.4 contains technology that will allow people to use their Iphones and Apple watches to unlock, lock and start their cars.

In just one month, Cullman voters will be going to the polls to make important decisions on taxes and representation.

This was not the column I was going to write this week. 

The 2020 Alabama Legislative session begins on Tuesday, Feb. 4, and we need to be paying attention to what our legislators are doing.

Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, the day our nation has set aside to honor the works of the great civll rights leader. A minister and activist, King preached nonviolent civil disobedience as the catalyst to change despite violent opposition to the civil rights movement.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 70 percent of smokers want to quit.

As we begin a new year and a new semester, we are pleased to announce a number of new opportunities to enhance the student experience. 

As we move toward the upcoming legislative session beginning February 4th, I will try to summarize my goals for the session.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family, and is looking forward to a great 2020.

Cullman is one of the best town’s in the South!

Over the next few days, we will be running columns from some of our community leaders who will share their 2020 goals.

As we look to 2020 Cullman County Schools will continue to focus on quality academics, while improving classroom performance and teacher excellence. 

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a special person in your life? A gift that fits no matter how may holiday parties you attend or how often you go to the gym? Well, if I make make a suggestion... Give the gift of local news.

The consumer advisory committee for the Federal Communications Commission passed a recommendation September 18 to be sent to FCC commissioners to help combat robocalls, the bane of many telephone users.

Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism reached elite status this week with the announcement that it hard earned accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.

A lot of issues bounce to the top of the headlines day-in and day-out, but one that has lagged behind since the last presidential election is quietly climbing back up the chart.

The roll of drums and the blare of trumpets will signal another kickoff of high school and college football.

I want to thank Ben Bullard and The Cullman Times for the article written before our ceremony (Finis J. Self Chapter 2212 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart) last Saturday.

Downtown Cullman just enjoyed the largest 2nd Fridays event in its history, with thousands of people lining the entertainment district last week for shopping, music, rides, classic cars and much more.

The ongoing investigation into the motives of the Dayton, Ohio gunman who killed nine people on Aug. 4 raises more concern about the access to guns, ammunition and equipment that he easily obtained.

A recent article in The Times brought attention to the heavy demand by local residents for food from Cullman Caring for Kids’ food bank.

The weekend shootings that left 31 people dead and dozens wounded has stirred predictable debates about gun control.

As a new school year approaches, the usual anticipation and anxiety about getting adjusted into new classes, meeting new teachers and making friends is perhaps foremost on the minds of students.

Alabama has gained some lofty national rankings on the economic front that are an indicator of perhaps more good things to come.

A lawsuit that has been lingering for three years in Alabama could have interesting implications in future elections of state appellate judges.

Gov. Kay Ivey is initiating some steps she hopes will stop the Department of Justice from filing a lawsuit over the state’s prison conditions.

A report from the Hanceville Fire Department Thursday raises concern about the lack of codes for certain dwellings in unincorporated areas.