Herald Columnists

I could almost hear Mrs. Betty fussing when I made the rounds delivering the newspapers last Wednesday morning. She wasn’t a fan of Daylight Savings Time – by mid-March the sun would be coming up early enough that she wouldn’t have to drive in the dark. Then comes the time change, and it will be…

Last week, we addressed a long-standing issue involving law enforcement and mentally ill subjects. House Bill 1222 provides that in the future, law enforcement responders will be trained on how to respond effectively to subjects who are suffering from mental illness. It overwhelmingly passed the House earlier, was slightly amended in the Senate, and when…

The weather turned cold again this past week, so I had the pleasure of hauling a bunch of large house plants back inside from the porch. They had only been out there a week. I knew better than to take them to the porch in the first place considering Water Valley was very clearly experiencing…

It’s a Wagner Week and here is a 1904 letter to college-aged George from one of my favorite high maintenance friends of his, Elma C.M. Dear George, Will it make your heart go pit-a-pat to receive a letter from W.V. in a feminine hand, possibly it is from “dear Alice?” I came down here Wednesday…

Weather-wise, this past week has been a dream despite the fairly rainy aspect of it all. This is certainly a case of False Spring. A few of my yard plants have survived the Great Arctic Blast. The Japanese Magnolia is blooming and dropping petals and blooming again. His annual one-man party remains entirely unaffected. The…

Christian love and sympathy to the Karen Patricia Bell Merrill family of Tillatoba. Karen passed away Tuesday, February 21, at the Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi in Oxford. She was born November 9, 1956 in Michigan to Ray, Jr. and Opal Dunn Bell. Karen’s heart was in loving and being with her family. She found…

It sure is one dreary and rainy morning as I write this. But I refuse to complain because the high temperatures are supposed to be near 80 degrees by the time this newspaper hits the stands around mid-week. What a welcome weather surprise for a February! I’ll be watching closely what happens in my yard…

Don’t forget about the benefit for Quay and Shelia Peacock Saturday, February 25, at the MultiPurpose building in Coffeeville. People can start arriving as early as 9 a.m.  Quay has throat cancer and Shelia needs a lung implant. Hamburger, hot dog and barbecue plates will be available for $10. There will be a lot of other…

It’s a Wagner Week and here we have a 1940s typed-out instructional about one lady’s experience with tulip bulbs. This is so thorough and involved that I will never look at another tulip the same way again. Apparently growing a tulip is like raising a child! No more lackadaisical tulip appreciation from me. I had…

Before you start wondering if this is the Burney edition, let me explain it is a coincidence both brothers are featured this week. It started with a new reporter, Clay Hale, who will write features in the Herald. Clay is an Ole Miss student and a Water Valley native. He reached out to me a…