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Today's Opinions

  • Grayson Fiddlers' Convention a success

    What a wonderful weekend.  The weather was perfect and the Grayson County Fiddlers’ Convention went off without a hitch.
    The Elk Creek Fire Department does a great deal of planning, prior to the event, but it is all of our community volunteers that make it happen.  The Elk Creek Volunteer Fire Department is truly a community fire department.
    We thank each person who helped in any way to make the fiddlers’ convention successful.

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  • Act sets healthcare standards

    This letter was addressed to Rep. Morgan Griffith.

    I appreciate your letter of May 18. You made several accusations with which I must take issue.
    You assert that there are some in Washington that “arrogantly” believe they know what is best for seniors, which is “government‑run health care.” I assume that you are not “arrogant” and do not assert that you know what is best for our seniors.

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  • Larry South was asset to Hillsville

    Adapted from lengthy remarks to Hillsville Town Council on June 25.

    After reaching into my memory bank, conversing with friends, neighbors, and town employees, and perusing written material, I came up with a list of “changes” made by the Town of Hillsville since 1993.

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  • Outgoing clinic director looks back

    June 15 was my last day as executive director of The Free Clinic of the Twin Counties. I began my position in 2006, when it was still called Baptist Medical Clinic of Galax, Inc.
    We were a clinic “without walls,” which meant we basically referred patients to doctors’ offices. We had no equipment or supplies, only 32 patients, and an annual income of $32,000.
    My job was to build community awareness, lead the clinic to open a physical location and then manage the day to day activities.

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  • Brief encounter made an impression

    This past Monday, I had the distinct privilege to meet a true Southern Gentleman, Mr. John B. Vaughan.
    I do minor volunteer work at the emergency room at Twin County Regional Hospital a few days a week. I transferred Mr. Vaughan from the ER to his room on the floor. We had a very pleasant conversation.
    He saw my volunteer ID and asked why I did it. I said, half jokingly, that it kept off the streets and that there were some bad people out there.
    He smiled and said there were a lot more good people out there too. I said yes there were and wished him well.

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  • South made Hillsville a better place to live

    For his 18 years as Hillsville town manager, Larry South clearly enjoyed working for his community.
    While South took his responsibilities seriously, he also engaged in them with characteristic good cheer — an attitude that will be missed when he departs the office this week.
    Willing to laugh at himself and shag in the imported beach sand at a downtown cruise-in when the occasion arose, South nonetheless delivered on many programs and policies during his unusually long term as the town’s chief administrator.

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  • Where does America go from here?

    The White House, news media, classified information leaked, a sacred thing called marriage, who is really in touch and a lack of trust in the powers-that-be.
    If it’s not bad enough that this country is deep in debt, unemployment around [8] percent, funding cuts everywhere but Congress, fear that a big war looms from the Middle East and this fallback to praising dead presidents.

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  • What kind of leader can calm the waters?

    It takes a statesman to lead in a positive manner and at the same time withstand the combative tone that’s overtaken our public discussions in this country lately.
    The Twin Counties seemed somewhat harbored from the turbulence that’s shaken national politics ever since the great recession was recognized in 2008.
    The levee that held back the torrent of anger, bitterness and resentment seemed to fail last fall with the general election.

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