She wasn't thrilled when I told her I had been invited to write an occasional column for a local publication. After more than three decades in the Bell System and three arduous years as part of the staging of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, she thought it time to enjoy a long-awaited reti…

"It's time the powers in college football stop letting fan favorites like Notre Dame and Ohio State into the playoffs. There are better teams like Cincinnati who could have given Alabama a better game."

Is your child's school open now?

"New versions of coronavirus that are making their way here, including variants that emerged in Britain, South Africa and Brazil, are much more infectious than the current strain, and our commissioners just decided to abandon mask mandates?"

Why should we be surprised that at a time when everything is supposed to be about race, from the skin color of certain newspaper editors forced to resign to whether we should capitalize the "B" in "Black," the most disturbing and consequential attack on our civic body in decades ends up bein…

"Maybe we could get the guy with the horns and face paint to come to the airport next."

"If I'm not mistaken, President Trump leaves office in two weeks. Why start impeachment proceedings, wasting time and no telling how much money, when he'll be back in the private sector? Oh yeah, I guess they think they can take his title away, but he'll always be addressed as President Dona…

Georgia may be a purple state now in national politics, or even a blue one given the trifecta Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock completed in this past week’s U.S. Senate runoffs. But it remains solidly red under the Gold Dome in Atlanta.

To say 2020 was a tough year for everyone is an understatement.

The domestic terrorism that we witnessed Wednesday was always bound to happen. The feral creature who nurtured it had long signaled us that it was coming.

Wednesday was a sad day for America.

"When I see local law enforcement officers cheering on the terrorist attack on our Capitol and saying they wish they were there with them, this caused me loss of respect for those officers. Our law enforcement officers should not be helping spread conspiracy theories for the president or any…

Islamic terror has been trending down for five years.

"If the people storming Congress on Wednesday had been Democrats, would it have been called a riot or a peaceful protest by the news media?"

Leave it to President Donald Trump to cap off his catastrophic tenure by tripling down on the criminal behavior that got him impeached in the first place.

"I am an Army and Marine veteran in my 70s and I want to commend the United States Postal Service and their political hacks. I requested absentee ballots for the Jan. 5 election and received an email from BallotTrax notification that my ballot was mailed on Dec 2. I have yet to receive my an…

Demography isn't destiny, no matter how many people insist otherwise. Two recent reports underscored that reality.

"The election is Tuesday. Get ready. Put your shoes on."

In today’s highly competitive job market, it is vital that our students gain all the advantages they can during school. In years past, it may have been possible for young people to drop out of high school and still maintain a comfortable lifestyle. In today’s job market, having a high school…

Nobody deserves to die in a pandemic. But even now — after so much suffering, with so much more to come — millions of Americans still don't seem to understand that brainless stupidity can put them six feet under.

"I really enjoyed John Stossel's column in the Friday Daily Citizen-News. I agree with him 100%. We've all got things to be thankful for. 2020 had some bad things but it also had some good things, too."

Was 2020 the worst year ever? The media keep saying that. We did have the pandemic, a bitter election, unemployment, riots and a soaring national debt.

"City and county officials, this is the time to speak up and uninvite President Trump to Dalton. Most people know how they are voting, and many have already cast their ballot. We (Whitfield County) have the highest COVID rate per capita in the state, and Georgia is one of the five states at …

We assumed all along that Trump would top off his tenure by pardoning a motley crew of crooked politicians and lying felons. And he did last Tuesday night, blessing some bent congressmen who'd shown early fealty to MAGA, as well as some flunkies who'd lied for Der Leader during the federal p…

"What happened to Trump's demands to cut pork and for $2,000 to citizens? Sure didn't take him long to roll over on that."

Has there ever been a year that better informed what the next year's work ought to be? Perhaps, but the to-do list for Georgia in 2021 clearly takes its cues from the mercifully ending 2020.

"Thank you for printing so many positive comments in the Forum on Christmas. Happy New Year! May we have peace and harmony in 2021!"

Here we are on the brink of a new year starting in just a few days. Many of us will be glad to see 2020 end in hopes that all the changes that it brought in will soon be a memory and life will go back to normal. But like any other year, 2020 also brought joys, recognitions and reasons for ce…

"Should people who don’t wear masks receive the vaccine ahead of people who do?"

This column has become a Christmas tradition. I share with you once again this year. It is dedicated to my beloved wife and to all who believe.

Who deserved to be on Santa’s naughty and nice lists this Christmas?

Editor's note: For Christmas, we are publishing only positive, uplifting comments that have been made during 2020. It's been an extremely tough year, but we have much to be thankful for. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Christmas in California has effectively been canceled by Emperor Gavin Newsom.

"To the person worried about having to go to the DMV to get their driver's license renewed. I just recently had to go to that facility. I made an appointment, no crowds, everyone had on a mask. All staying far apart. They gave me a cleaning pad to clean the eye exam lens before my face touch…

This looks to be a different kind of Christmas. Many will carry on as before, but some will choose a socially distanced Yule. Some will be forced to keep away from family or friends who have fallen ill, and others will spend their first Christmas since losing a loved one.

"I’ve not been a fan of Rich Manieri, especially during the election. His column on Dec. 19 — 'Will there be a doctor in the White House?’ — has given me a different perspective. He’s absolutely correct, for once! For some, titles make a person feel important. Most do not introduce themselve…

Don’t shoot the messenger, but Donald Trump has lost his bid for a second term as president. He doesn’t have enough votes in the Electoral College and that is not likely to change. Whether the election was fair or not is for others to try and prove.

Each December, I generally reflect on the closing year and imagine what might come next in the new year. This year we have all been impacted by the pandemic. It would be easy to dwell on what went wrong, but I like to make sure I remember to think about what went right, too.

Some people are sensitive about their titles. Some are sensitive on behalf of others who are sensitive, which might help explain the hysterical response of some liberals to a Wall Street Journal op-ed in which contributing writer, Joseph Epstein, argued that soon-to-be first lady, Jill Biden…

"I recently watched Joe Biden’s appearance at the Democratic get-together in Atlanta. It was an incredibly sad episode when he introduced Jon Ossoff and the way he stumbled and stammered with Ossoff’s name on the way through it all."

President Donald Trump should pardon Edward Snowden.

"Amusing how the Republicans crowing about the success of Operation Warp Speed will nonetheless cry from the rooftops that socialism is bad."

We recently marked the anniversary of the most horrific gun massacre in the history of the United States.

"I would like to publicly thank Shaw Industries and in particular the human resources employees who annually put on the retiree luncheon. This year, COVID protocol suggested a drive-by to pick up a gift for Shaw alumni instead of the luncheon. I don't know whose idea it was but alumni is a b…

"Way to go, Brookwood students! You make us proud! You are showing everyone that wearing masks is important. We can see your smiles through your eyes. We see so many group pictures of students all over Whitfield County, whether it be for sports or other activities, that aren't wearing masks …

I don’t know what you’ve asked of Santa Claus for Christmas, but one thing ought to be on everyone’s wish list: a big dose of optimism. After the year we’ve had, a belief that brighter days lie ahead would be welcome for all.

One would think that reflecting on generosity and charity during the “season of giving” would be an easy task, as November and December are rich with examples of people stepping forward, opening their wallets and supporting the many causes that bring holiday cheer into the lives of the less …

I collect my hate mail. Not because it makes me angry or because I want to obsess over it. It's just so interesting and I want to understand it.

2020 is a year we will never forget. At the beginning of the year, none of us were prepared for what we would confront. No one knew how many in our community would need our help. We have all faced challenges we never expected, overcome odds stacked against us, learned things we could not hav…