Like many people, social media and I have a love-hate relationship. I hate, and hate is a word I rarely if ever use, all of the venomous, opinionated, self-centered comments people make without considering for a single moment the harm it could inflict. I

Making small talk before church Sunday last, the conversation turned toward the ever-so-slow eminent doom of Hurricane Dorian. “Hey Tommy, I’ve got a question for you,” I quizzed a local cattle farmer. “What do you do with your cows during hurricanes?” H

So please tell me, what’s all this fuss about a chicken sandwich? I mean, really? Three weeks ago Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen began selling a new chicken sandwich in its restaurants. Since that moment, our world has not been the same. People have scarfed u

If Darlington Raceway, the fabled “Track Too Tough to Tame,” had a fifth turn, it would be into the parking lot of the neighboring and just as legendary Raceway Grill. “The Grill,” as it’s referred to by most locals, has been serving meals for as long a

“I wish I was in Austin/in the Chili Parlor Bar/drinking mad dog margaritas/and not carin’ where you are.” - Dublin Blues, by Guy Clark It may not be the Chili Parlor Bar, but I’ll settle for the balcony of the Francis Marion Performing Arts Center o

When you refer to Garrison Murph as a special needs child, make sure you put the emphasis on the word “special.” If Garrison was anything, he was certainly that. The 11-year-old boy with bright blue-green eyes and an undaunted spirit beat the odds for nea

By this time next week, teachers will already be hard at work getting classrooms ready and preparing lesson plans for the new school year which begins for students on Aug. 19. For the next 10 months, most teachers will go far beyond what is required. The

Like any mother, India McLellan wants her children to have a good life and a good home. She wants them to know that if you work hard and don’t give up, good things can happen. A good thing, a very good thing, will happen for the 34-year-old mother of five

People, let me tell about my best friend. His name is Colby. Some people are blessed to have a spouse to be their companion for life. My companion for life has fur, four legs, bad breath, and loves to chase and catch Frisbees. I can’t remember a time when

“Have you tried buttermilk?” The words came out of nowhere. It seems like a simple enough question, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation taking place. I peered at the person who posed the mysterious question. He is a wise and highly

A wise old newspaper scribe with ink running through his veins once told me if you want to check the pulse of a newspaper, look no further than its Opinion/Editorial page. If you find letters to the editor on a regular basis, it’s a sure sign of a vital,

A nationwide search is presently underway to find the longest married couple in America. Singer-songwriter Karen Javitch has written a catchy little tune titled, “The Anniversary Song.” She wants to promote it by finding the couple that tied the proverbi

As the lights dimmed in the Regal Cinemas Swamp Fox 14 theatre just after 7 p.m. on June 17, what played out on the huge movie screen was the retelling and reliving of one our state’s darkest moments, which in turn produced one of its proudest. The showin

I know that full well. Like a predator circling its prey, the old codger ever so slowly made his way around the vehicle. Sliding his hand slowly across the fender, he looked and felt for the slightest scratch or dent. He’d give each tire a swift kick befo

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.” For years, that was my automatic response to people who commended me for being a single father of two beautiful daughters. To me, raising Tracy and Amanda on my own was never a question. They were my girls and my