By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist Reconnecting with white-haired friends is like opening a time capsule. Or uncorking a magnum of seasoned stories. Stories that awaken emotions and entice us to look upward, reflect inward, take in a deep breath, exhale, and say things like, “Lord, have mercy. I haven’t thought about that since,Continue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist Isaiah, a renowned counter culturist, spoke of a young girl, but never mentioned her name.  He also gave voice to the miraculous conception and birth of this teenaged girl’s son, yet never recorded the child’s given name. Fast forward 700 years. Matthew, known to some as Levi, wasContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Ken Bridges/Columnist Charles M. Schulz created a comic strip that captured the hearts of millions in the nearly 50 years that Peanuts ran in thousands of newspapers around the world. Schulz, an amiable and soft-spoken Minnesota native and World War II veteran, had been drawing the daily strip since 1950. Fifteen yearsContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist I first met Sally Sue as a nursing colleague. We became friends and within a couple years, she was as good as family. Friend to family is a cultural thing dear to us Southerners. Sally Sue was kindhearted and compassionate. Her ability to connect with others and trulyContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Created by Shangri La Tarot, Astrology, Reiki, 111 Austin Street, 469-994-2295 For the Week of December 20-26, 2024 This week brings a mix of introspection, growth, and opportunities as Capricorn season takes hold. Each sign is encouraged to take a closer look at what truly matters, whether it’s career goals,Continue Reading

By:
On:
In: Education, Lifestyle, Opinion

The Jimplecute asked Jefferson Primary and Jefferson Elementary (grades 1 & 2) for copies of their student’s Letters to Santa. Following are some of their letters. Merry Christmas! Pre-K Ms. Wagner’s Class My name is Nolan Police. I am 4 years old. I have been good all the time. IContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast. Many years ago, IContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Elections, Opinion

Early voting in Texas begins Monday. The National elections are a lot like the choice Jeffersonians faced last May — picking between two candidates that no one really wants. Both candidates have good qualities. Both candidates have bad qualities. This is true regardless of the Political Office, and the candidate.Continue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist Catchy jingles can drive an advertising campaign, influencing the public long after the advertising dollars have been spent. Oscar Mayer has proven to be a consummate marketer, producing two of the most highly successful and recognizable jingles of all time. Their products: wieners and bologna. In the earlyContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist He graduated from Santa Fe High School in Alma, MO, home of the Chiefs, the summer of 1981, a member of the National Honor Society and “one of the smartest kids in school.” He played football, basketball and sat in the first chair of the saxophone section. HeContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Opinion

Since the election of Patricia Finstrom as Mayor of Jefferson, her administration nearly from day one has been plagued with controversy.  However, after a recent council meeting on Tuesday, September 24, is it abundantly clear that something must be done to end this reign of nonsense. Jeffersonians, and yes, evenContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist Many Louisianans swear up and down that the coffee served at the Café du Monde in New Orleans – a blend of coffee and chicory – is the favored drink of Creole State coffee aficionados. Chicory, the root of the endive plant, is added to soften the bitterContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Contributing Writer I’ve heard it for years: “Everything is bigger in Texas.” I think it’s true. Texas holds something like 550 Guinness World Records. From the Houston woman with the biggest feet, crossing the threshold at a staggering size 18, to the heaviest ball of dog fur, weighing inContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist When Aunt Josie, a well-upholstered woman, stood, she would have overshadowed everyone in the room had she not stooped. Uncle Eugene, her erect, heavily starched husband, looked ill-matched next to her.  The couple settled into a life of bucolic simplicity on a farm in northwestern Louisiana after heContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, Opinion

Rick Smith/Columnist “The millisecond my hands left the rail, it was an instant regret.” The desire of 19-year-old Kevin Hines to take his life changed the moment his hand was no longer in contact with the handrail of the Golden Gate Bridge. He decided in that instance he wanted toContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Lifestyle, News, Opinion

J. Bruce Bugg Jr. Chair Texas Transportation Commission Texas is booming.    Our state adds a new Texan almost every minute of every day. Our quality of life and vibrant $2.4 trillion economy make our state an attractive place to live and a compelling destination for future Texans. While growth poses challenges,Continue Reading