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. 

It is more important than ever to get your flu shot this year and to get it early. 

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.

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.