It is hard to find much good news these days as we relive the horrific events of 9/11 that took the lives of 2,977 innocent souls in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

I recently filled in hosting a local Philadelphia talk show, which gave me the opportunity to interview Lt. Colonel Jonathan P. Meyers, a retired Marine who'd recently written a memoir about his almost three decades in service: "American to the Corps."

"I want to thank the gentleman who changed my tire up at Curt's restaurant's parking lot. You know who you are, sir, and I'm so, so glad that you were there and changed my tire for me. You were just a blessing. Thank you again for being such a gentleman. I do pray that you have a very blessed day."

Today's politicians want to spend more on EVERYTHING: Amtrak subsidies, sports stadium subsidies, green energy subsidies, even fossil fuel subsidies ...

"It's great to finally see a few locally contested elections coming up in November. I'm very happy to see people jump at the opportunity to serve our community. Fewer incumbents without opposition often leads to a stale, stagnant term."

What a shame that so many prominent figures summon the moxie to speak the truth when it's too late to do anything about it.

"To the person or persons responsible for vandalizing the downtown flags: Do you not have any family or friends that are veterans, either active or inactive? If the answer is yes, then your actions disrespected them, this city, this county and this country. You disrespected all veterans. In …

President Joe Biden this past week said federal agencies will begin requiring employers with as few as 100 employees to mandate their workers get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. It's an example of overreach that deserves a court challenge.

"Thank you for the story on Jerry Poe. He was one of the nicest guys in school. The world lost a special person the day he was killed. All of the stories on the Vietnam heroes have been great. Sad stories but so glad to have them honored with memories."

It’s hard to believe that we are already gearing up for the 2021 United Way campaign! Last year we were able to impact over 46,000 lives right here in Whitfield and Murray counties. With great impact comes great responsibility. We are following the charismatic energy of 2020 campaign co-chai…

When it comes to how he feels about Big Tech, Jeff Bartos didn't mince his words.

We interrupt our regular programming of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan to bring you this bulletin about the Taliban takeover in Texas.

"I wonder if anyone else has this problem. We don't get our mail sometimes and it's causing a problem. I think we should do away with the mail on Saturday. The post office wouldn't always be crying about wanting more money. The extra money could be put towards getting better postal carriers.…

Are you a racist?

"Very young people, this community needs you sooner rather than later. Please consider running for office now. Every time a seat for county commissioner, mayor, city council or school board becomes available, we need to replace it with new thinking. I'm sure you see this and it's time to cha…

I'm right infrequently enough that I like to point it out when it happens. This time, I wasn't only right. I was downright prophetic.

"Thank you to the first responders and EMS who came to my mom's house for help Sunday."

"Dalton and Whitfield County school board members, please step up and lead our community and change your public school policy to protect all of our students K-12 and school system employees. You have to know that it is bad policy to allow any form of non-medical opt out in regards to mask we…

As we check off another Labor Day, it's fair to ask if it really is just another Labor Day.

What does a logo say about an organization? What does it represent? Many organizations have logos, slogans and mantras that may or may not have much to do with what they really believe in as an organization. By now, you have probably seen our One Whitfield logo on signs, our website, service…

So what can the plight of a little cafe tell you about the state of the American economy and the changing face of work? A lot, as it turns out.

If you don't know by now, I love my alma mater, the University of Georgia, the oldest state-chartered university in the nation. I am a proud graduate and a past president of the national alumni association. I have a haughty-looking portrait hanging somewhere in my beloved Grady College of Jo…

"Thank you so much police officers Zach Bell, Matthew Locke and Benjamin Ridley and several Dalton firemen, names unknown, for coming to my dog's rescue when she was stuck in a pipe. Thank you so much."

Politicians love force.

"I think all those people in the Pigskin Picks picking Georgia over Clemson is wishful thinking."

I come from a family of fighting men.

"I’d like to thank all of the local anti-vaxxers. Being forced to stay at home again is saving me lots of money."

Few things loom as large over the Southern calendar as college football. Weddings are scheduled around it, vacations are planned for it, millions and millions of dollars are spent on it -- and that's just for the bourbon. Although a few schools have begun their seasons, most of our favorite …

"Disaster victims need your cash donations more than anything. They have nowhere to put goods. They have nowhere to put you when you show up without an assignment. Please help them in the way they need. It's far easier, too."

Our school district recently had the opportunity to celebrate a few of the professionals who made the last year possible by going above and beyond and raising the standards for educators everywhere. In a year of constant change, it took an exceptional lineup of teachers and support staff to …

I had a COVID-19 test the other day even though I have been fully-vaccinated and wear my mask regularly in public. I am sure to some of you that proves I am a liberal weenie commie who loves Nancy Pelosi, watches CNN and glows in the dark. But I digress.

So what else could President Biden possibly screw up?

"If you walk around the halls of local schools, it's pretty clear by the number of voluntary mask-wearers that there are more parents who support mask mandates (or don't mind them) than those who whine about them. If only the former would make their voices heard to school board members and a…

Georgia (the ex-Soviet Republic, not the U.S. state) is now a remarkable success story.

"Yes! The Roadrunners are going back to Mashburn Arena. The venue may not have the charm of Bandy Gymnasium but now I can get myself a chilly cold beer and support the team."

Yeah, I'll get the booster. I might even ask for a double, just in case.

"My sincere thanks to the lady who paid for my supper Monday evening at the Oakwood. That was most kind. May God continue to bless you and yours as this kindness is passed along."

The scores are in, and they are ugly.

"When is a mandate not a mandate? When you allow anyone, for any reason, to opt out. When is a test not a test? When you ask a question and accept the answer with no way to verify the answer. How are these conditions protecting our pre-k through seventh-grade students? It does not."

We kicked off our fall semester at Dalton State College earlier this month, and we are fully open.

While trying to figure out whether to dangle my participle in this hot weather or work up a sweat and split an infinitive, the phone rang. It was Skeeter Skates, proprietor of Skeeter Skates Tree Stump Removal and Plow Repair in Ryo, Georgia, and a charter member of the Ryo Morning Coffee Cl…

Anyone who professes to be shocked by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan has not been paying attention.

"No hospital bed should go first to an unvaccinated person. It was willful ignorance that got them there in the first place. Why should someone else pay for their poor decision?"

YouTube froze Sen. Rand Paul's YouTube channel. That's just wrong. Small-minded. Counterproductive.

"Does any one out there still do macramé? I would like a specific item for a hummingbird feeder. Please post contact info in the Forum."

I've been practicing immigration law for over 25 years, and I speak four languages fluently. I've traveled widely outside of the United States, and lived abroad for large stretches in the 1980s and '90s.

"I could not believe that on Sunday morning President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken had the audacity to blame former President Trump for the current fiasco that is unraveling in Afghanistan. True, President Trump stated we would be withdrawing from Afghanistan but Biden has dro…

COVID-19 infections are back on the rise. Georgia's seven-day moving average of cases as of last Friday was 17 times higher than in late June, when it hit the lowest point since March 2020.

"I'm thinking that I'll use all that Medicare money that J.J. Walker says I can save on buying some of that car repair insurance. I'm also talking to a realtor about buying some oceanfront retirement property in Arizona."

At United Way of Northwest Georgia, our goal is to improve the lives of families and individuals by supporting education, basic needs and health.