Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Growing up, we often had large family gatherings. When an unexpected member of the family showed up, Momma would say with a smile, “Look what the cat dragged in.” After Jackie and I moved to Texas, those large family gatherings grew less frequent. We did, however, startContinue Reading
To the editor, It is with great pleasure to announce that the Vacation Watch/Security Check program that the Jefferson Police Department provides was a great success for 2021. Being one of the proactive approaches the department participates in aimed at reducing crime through an increase in visibility and proactive patrolling. Continue Reading
Why isn’t White America doing more to make sure that blacks or African Americans are included in American History? Why haven’t the history books been rewritten to include African Americans? If American history is rewritten to include all ethnicities and their true successes and failures does that mean racism willContinue Reading
Michael Reagan/Contributing writer It’s New Year’s again and time to hope for a happier future. Last year at this time we were hoping for a better year in 2021, but that sure as heck didn’t work out, did it? Forget the damage done to the economy by the hapless andContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer On Jan. 6, 2021, Fox News host Laura Ingram texted Mark Meadows, Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff. Ingram begged, “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.” Everyone in theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer We live in a world of artificial lights. Light is all around us. It can even be with us twenty four hours if we want it. Natural light, however, brings so much joy. Who among us is not mesmerized by the glow of a candle, a fire orContinue Reading
Austin Lewter/Jefferson Jimplecute For me, the end of the year serves as a time for reflection. I think back to holidays passed and wonder just where the time has gone. I marvel at how my children have turned into teenagers right before my eyes. I remember the holidays with lovedContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The Gospel of Luke starts with the most recognizable image of Christmas: a babe, wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger. The manger scene certainly is touching, but it is also powerful. It tells us everything we need to know about Christianity. The Christ child isContinue Reading
Seth Buckner/Friendship Baptist Church Luke 2:7 tells us, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” In the timeless Christmas story found in the book of Luke, Jesus was bornContinue Reading
Austin Lewter/Jefferson Jimplecute Holiday cheer is in the air. Local businesses are bustling in Jefferson and Christmastime is upon us. Holiday events and traditions are rolling on. Lions Club Park is aglow with Christmas trees. The annual Christmas Parade returned to Polk and Austin Streets. And the annual Candlelight TourContinue Reading
Austin Lewter/Jefferson Jimplecute My wife and I have spent more thatn a dozen Christmases together. This year will be number 15. Our first Christmas was spent in the Neonatal ICU unit at Medical City Children’s Hospital. Our son was born in October. A sick preemie, he had multiple complications and didn’tContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer It’s always a good One of the best parts growing up as a Roman Catholic was enjoying all of the Holy Days. During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church controlled the calendar and established celebrations year round. These “holidays” taught and reinforced the faith. After theContinue Reading
By Glenn Melcancon It’s always a good thing to stop and examine our lives. Thanksgiving reminds us to see all we have instead of what we lack. Many of us get into the bad habit of concentrating on the negative instead of the positive. Today, Modern America provides manyContinue Reading
By Ken Bridges In the late 1970s and through the 1980s, millions of people would tune in weekly to watch Dallas, a night-time soap opera about the tawdry scandals and business dealings of a Texas oil family. At the same time, a family of Texas oil barons transplanted from ArkansasContinue Reading
By Gene Clapp, Jefferson Academy As an adult I always looked forward to Thanksgiving! It wasn’t all about the great food, though that was really good! Our family has a tradition of all getting together at Thanksgiving so we look forward to husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers, sisters,Continue Reading
By Seth Buckner Psalm 100 says, “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful untoContinue Reading