Rick Smith “The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened.” Mark Twain I remember very well a conversation with Ms. Ellie twenty years ago. But before I wade into the deep end of that pool, you need a snippet of backstory. Born in the mid-50s,Continue Reading
Ken Bridges John Wesley Hardin was one of the most violent figures of a violent age. Born in Bonham to a Methodist preacher in 1853, he quickly moved to a life of crime. By the time he was 18, he killed perhaps eight people. This was only the beginning of a bloodyContinue Reading
Elwood Watson Thanks to the so-called culture wars, debates about events on college campuses are being employed as useful weapons for attacking the gradual democratization that has occurred in higher education since the 1950s. Those of us who are academics and see education as crucial should be alarmed at theContinue Reading
Glenn Melanconn I’m often asked, “Should I vote in the Texas primary election?” Yes, you should. Your vote is a reward for the past and hope for the future. First, you will need to choose either the Democratic or Republican primary. These are two separate and exclusive elections. YouContinue Reading
Rick Smith/Columnist I met Sir Burgess Burgoyne for the first time in Little Rock, Ark. He introduced himself as “Burgess.” No title. No last name. I read in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette that he had arrived in the Little Rock area about eight weeks earlier. I called to schedule aContinue Reading
Dr. Ken Bridges/Columnist The City of Fort Worth, a beloved Texas city sometimes known as “Cowtown” or “Where the West Begins,” has a storied past that has helped shape the history of the state. However, the name behind the city was a legend in its own right. Gen. William Jenkins Worth was a distinguished officer and war heroContinue Reading
Dear Editor: Election Day is March 5, 2024. Polls will be open from 7am until 7pm. This is the day that our campaigns have worked towards for several months. Our final words before tomorrow’s election: Since December when we announced our candidacy for Marion County Republican Chair and Marion CountyContinue Reading
Ken Bridges It often takes courage to stand up for a principle. Because of people who do, the world starts to change. One Texas dentist, Dr. Lonnie Smith, changed the way Americans vote. A 1944 Supreme Court decision forced Texas and states across the country to change election laws. Dr.Continue Reading
Elwood Watson It should probably come as little surprise that a majority of American millennial and Generation Z women identify as liberal. A recent Gallup Poll indicated the ideological gap between men and women across various generations has increased over the past few years, and that young women today areContinue Reading
In January of 2023, Hunter Bonner organized a meeting of Crestwood citizens that sought improvement to the existing water quality in the local system. Historically, even though the water quality met state standards, the water was far below the standards of the local system users. An initial meeting with regionalContinue Reading
The Jefferson Jimplecute recently contacted all of the Marion County GOP candidates in the March 5, 2024 Primary Election to hear what they had to say about the position they’re seeking. While all candidates were contacted, only these responded and agreed to be interviewed: The following, almost hour long videoContinue Reading
Ken Bridges Not everyone is destined to win all the races they race or the fights that they fight. And on some special select occasions, some of those daring souls are recognized for what they do achieve and the importance of the work to which they dedicate their lives. One ofContinue Reading
Ken Bridges He was called “Mr. Sam.” For 48 years, Sam Rayburn was an unforgettable presence in Congress and a devoted servant to the people of Northeast Texas. He served with eight presidents and was Speaker of the House of Representatives on three separate occasions. During his long career, Rayburn helped guide the United States through twoContinue Reading
Ashly Granby Whether you stumbled upon Jefferson serendipitously or proudly call it your birthplace, there’s a unanimous agreement that our town is a special enclave nestled along the tranquil bayou. In an age dominated by fast-paced living and electronic communication, Jefferson stands as an oasis where community, connection, and aContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Columnist In Texas, 76 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for their courage above and beyond the call of duty since the inception of the medal. Perhaps the most recognizable of those figures from World War II was Audie Murphy. Murphy was born into a desperately poor family in Hunt County in 1925. His father abandonedContinue Reading
Elwood Watson/Columnist In just the latest example of his tendency to employ passive-aggressive racially coded dog whistles, former President Donald Trump referred to Republican presidential rival Nikki Haley by her birth name, Nimarata. Haley is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa. She took her husbandContinue Reading
Michael Reagan/Columnist Let’s go way back to 1976. Gerald Ford was the sitting Republican president. Jimmy Carter was going to beat him in the fall. And Ronald Reagan’s primary campaign to win the Republican Party’s nomination was in deep doodoo. My father had lost seven primaries in a row toContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer For the adventurers and dreamers of the world, there are no limits. Wiley Hardeman Post was born on his parents’ cotton farm near Canton in November 1898. He was born on a farm with no electricity in a time when airplanes were still just a dream, but within a few years,Continue Reading
Elwood Watson/Columnist Donald Trump is on track to once again secure the Republican presidential nomination, as he did in 2016. No surprise here. Anxiety and weariness are ever-present in the run-up to the November 2024 election. There is intense speculation on how Trump and his cult-like band of sycophantic followersContinue Reading