This year has turned out be unlike any others in our lifetimes. 

This week we received good news on the quest to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

Alabama finds itself in a situation: The state has about six weeks left to use approximately $400 million or send the money back to the U.S. government. 

Tuesday’s election did not bring the decisive victory either party would have liked, as a large swath of voters turned out to cast their votes or mailed in ballots this year to avoid exposure to the coronavirus. 

Included in this weekend’s The Cullman Times is our inaugural Salute to Industry magazine.

If you plan on having your voice heard in the upcoming election and have not yet registered to vote, Monday is your last chance to register for the Nov. 3 election.

Watch tonight’s debate.

Last week was National Small Business Week, and we want to recognize the achievements of small businesses.

The Cullman County Library launched its “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” reading program last week, and it’s a program every parent of a pre-k should be participating in.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and now, more than ever, we need to be mindful of our own mental health and that of our loved ones. 

2020 has been a tough year for everyone.

If there is any question about the effectiveness of masks in combating the coronavirus, the decline in positivity rate since Alabama masked up should put that question to rest.

Alabama State Parks have long served as Alabama’s backyard.

Municipal elections will be taking place on Tuesday and we encourage all eligible voters to take the time to make their choices known. Too many people focus only on the high profile elections, but it is at the local level that government has the most impact on our day to day lives.

Growing up in my family, voting in elections was just something you were expected to do.

In this age of extreme partisanship and political divides, it was refreshing to see candidates for the Baileyton Town Council taking the high road in their comments Monday night. 

The Department of Justice’s latest report on its investigation into Alabama’s prisons is yet another scathing indictment of the state of Alabama prisons. It’s past time for Alabama leaders to begin making changes to a system and culture that brutalizes and murders inmates, has little account…

John Lewis was an activist first, a congressman second.

We all make decisions every day. Some are fairly trivial, like, should I give in to my craving for onion rings or stick to the salad I’d planned for lunch?

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.