75.8 F
Cullman
Friday, April 4, 2025
After quite an eventful summer season, we transition into fall with a cloudy sky freckled by falling leaves, or rainy weekends that blur into weeks. As most of you probably do, I too have my traditions as the days grow shorter and the evenings slowly stretch on. The kettle...
Last weekend, the City of Cullman was bustling as Oktoberfest celebrations were happening in Depot Park and the Cullman County Fair Parade made its way through town. While both were beautifully organized and tons of fun, it was the annual event taking place Saturday night at Oliver Woodard Stadium...
-Get Your Popcorn Ready. It would be easy to look at the Alabama v. Ole Miss game and think no. 1 Alabama just dominated, and for much of the game it did. However, there is one simple place to look that was a key determinant of that domination: fourth...
My best friend of nearly a decade visited me this past week. He lives in Mississippi and though we try to have face-to-face visits as frequently as possible, life gets in the way sometimes and we most often end up on a Facetime call. Thank you, twenty-first century. On the...
Long time, no see, readers. We are picking after She Reads’ small hiatus and hitting the ground running with this week’s story, ‘A Simple Favor’ by Darcey Bell. This mystery story is told from the three varying perspectives of the main characters Stephanie, her best friend Emily, who we...
FAIRVIEW, Ala. -- Halfway through the 2021 season, Fairview has found itself in a very familiar spot with a chance to host the first round of the playoffs on the line going into this week’s game at Boaz. Let’s take a look at what led us here.  Although Fairview has...
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” The condition of a man's life will...
Over the past two weeks, it seems every news story has brought more and more sad news. With Afghanistan, Hurricane Ida, COVID-19 and wildfires – we could all use some inspiration right now. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games began Aug. 24 and will continue through Sept. 5 and the...
I have never been able to see the forest from the trees. At 5’2, I have needed to stand on my toes to see the top of most things for as long as I can remember, and it seems life often travels the same direction. One of my closest...
It’s late-August and we are cooling off with the joy-giving, cool kids on a giant ice ring at “The Ringy-Dingy Birthday Party.”  The United States has hosted the modern Olympic games, which started in 1896, in six locations: Atlanta (Summer, 1996), Lake Placid, New York (Winter 1932 and 1980), Los...
Plagiarism—quite possibly the dirtiest word in academics and journalism. Oxford Languages defines plagiarism as “the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.” In other words, it’s theft and continues to pose a real problem.   In journalism, plagiarism can be the theft of...
Though I cannot speak much to what exactly I was expecting from “Then She Was Gone,” author Lisa Jewell’s name has come up several times amongst discussions with literary colleagues, and I was hopeful in finally including one of her works in my now routine search for new material...
There is a nearly constant negativity in the Cullman community surrounding the mere existence of Rock the South. This year was no different and the naysayers are having a field day after this year’s festival. Yes, it rained. It rained a lot. What they don’t seem to understand is...
Isn’t it funny how if you hear something repeated enough, it begins to sound like the truth? I am not referring to actual statements of fact, no. I am speaking in reference to how we tell ourselves the same lie over and over, which will slip out so naturally...
How many times a day do you apologize? I am not talking about when you actually feel as if you did something wrong either. I am asking, how many times a day are you apologizing for things that do not actually require one?  For instance, you are in line checking...
I’ve mentioned in other reviews how I am not a fan of love stories, but this week, I found Karen White’s "The Sound of Glass" and it might have converted me. Though this book is very much a love story, it isn’t necessarily a romance. With careful writing, White...
This week in She Reads, we have an incredibly surprising work, “Zoe Rosenthal is Not Lawful Good” by Nancy Werlin. In this novel, we meet Zoe Rosenthal a straight-A, ambitious straightlaced student who is laser-focused on her goals.  Zoe has a step-by-step layout for her life. She plans on attending...
In 1977, my kindergarten teacher asked each of us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Overwhelmingly, the answer was an Olympian. Whether we were on the playground at school or playing in our yards, my friends and I played “Lympics” and held countless ceremonies of our...
When in the process of moving forward in life, do you ever find yourself gravitating toward what you ran from in the first place? Maybe not the exact circumstances or person, but the recognition of patterns you were trying to break reemerging?  Maybe you left a job due to mistreatment...
Last week, I wrote about how I had greatly enjoyed Ruth Ware’s work on, “Into A Dark, Dark Wood” and this week, I have decided to bring you another story of hers called, “The Woman in Cabin 10.” I have said it before and I will say it again,...
When will I ever learn? I know better, but it’s so hard to fight the urge. I’m talking primarily about indulging in the horrible comment section under pretty much any post on social media. Have people always been so hateful? Why has the internet given people the idea that...
“I am running. I am running through moonlit woods, with branches ripping at my clothes and my feet catching in the snow-bowed bracken.” With this line, “Into A Dark, Dark Wood” by Ruth Ware grabs readers’ attention immediately and refuses to let go until the story has reached its...
It has been a few weeks since I last wrote anything for The Policies of Starting Over, and for this, I feel I owe at least a small explanation. I am not the type of person who enjoys forcing ideas, I feel like there is a certain amount of...
This is a story that deserves to be spoken about with respect. Author Julie Kibler transports you back and forth through time as you hear stories exchanged between the two main characters, Isabelle McAllister and Dorrie Curtis. Isabelle is an elderly white woman in her 90s with no surviving...
For as long as the newspaper industry has existed, issues have included arrest reports and incidents reported in the given area by the county sheriff and city police departments. To this day, it is a practice which has not changed.  Well, maybe there has been one change…online news. Now, while...
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Recent heavy rains put the spotlight on one of the most common yet difficult to resolve environmental concerns – untreated or partially treated sewage leaking into our rivers, lakes and streams. Inflow of rainwater through cracked pipes or faulty manhole covers and infiltration of groundwater through...
A few years ago, I was employed in an area which harbored a substantial feral cat colony, 20 or so, with kittens. I was disgusted after showing up to work one day, only to discover they had been poisoned and suffered a brutal death.  It was a situation that caused...
I heard a phrase the other day that sat with me for a while before it really began to settle. “It’s just like this for now.” It sounds quite simple when you hear it for the first time. “It’s just like this for now.” To look around and know...
Over the past several years, there’s been plenty of chatter about generational differences between the boomers, millenials and Generation Z. It's been mostly insults and finger pointing as those involved in the ongoing conversation duke it out over who is to blame for everything that’s wrong in this world....
“Edward Fosca was a murderer. This was a fact. This wasn’t something Mariana knew just on an intellectual level, as an idea. Her body knew it. She felt it in her bones, along her blood, and deep within every cell. Edward Fosca was guilty. And she would catch him.”...
One of the most awkward interactions that a person can experience is when an unsuspecting woman is asked if she is pregnant or when she is due. I thought by now that everybody just knew that pregnancy is not a subject to mention unless the expectant mother says something...
Something magical happens when you first reach for a book. The possibilities become endless and worlds you knew nothing about become visible- fallen cities, lost loves, thrilling challenges around every corner. This summer, allow yourself to explore a book or two--whether it be to sit down and read or...
Let me begin this review by simply saying, y’all, I could not put this one down. This week, the book of choice has been “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides. This story is a subtle psychological thriller which will have readers convinced they have figured everything out, and then...
This spring at a yard sale, St. Bernard Abbey was selling some outdated student desks. My dad had been a professor at the college, and in a rare moment of sentimentality and reckless spendthrift-ery, I bought one for $35 and began photographing places around Cullman County where my dad...
As I strolled around the Cracker Barrel gift shop Monday night, I passed a display that’s been there for a long time; one that I never really thought about. It was a display of T-shirts, cups and other items representing the branches of the military. As I stood there...
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.”  Luke 15:20 NIV              A wonderful Father was there at her birth. He watched as people arrived at...
Ahhh, summertime! The kids are out of school and after last year’s COVID-19 summer, they’re probably super excited to do something fun this year to make up for it. The beaches have been packed and, let’s face it, not every family can take a week off work for a...
I’ve noticed that as the City of Cullman grows, so do the unexpected consequences and problems. One of those problems is the traffic on the incredibly narrow Highway 31 and those who are choosing residential streets as their alternate route. Over the past year or so, my once peaceful...
When it comes to writing, I have always enjoyed getting things done. I love the feeling that comes when I have completed a piece and feel satisfied by the result. Everyone has something that provides that little release. You are proud of whatever it is that you have accomplished...
Change is a largely evolving concept. Occasionally, we are swept up in this giant wave of newness and gives us a feeling of being dipped into ice water. Initially, when submerged in freezing water, the human body has what is known as a “cold shock response.” The lungs immediately...
Any time you open a new book, you are introduced to a world of endless possibilities. There are a thousand--no, a million different places that stories could take you. As local libraries begin to reopen at full capacity and access to hands-on literature becomes available again, let us not...
As a certified yoga instructor who has taught for over seven years, Beverly Dotesy found her neighboring passion in massage therapy. She had always wanted to open her own place to practice and thus, Massage and Yoga with Beverly was born. While her space is not large enough to...
There are few things that we as people seem to love less than change. The disruption to our daily patterns, motions and moments rattles us so greatly that occasionally, we break under the pressure—and why wouldn’t we? As creatures so comforted by our habits, it only makes sense that...
The city and county schools always do an amazing job at taking care of Cullman’s students and with summer just around the corner, they don’t plan to slow down. This summer, both the City and County Schools are implementing a Summer Feeding Program.   Here in the City, the program begins...
“But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”  John 16:13 NIV                 Personal trainers are a wonderful asset in a person’s life. Almost everyone would love to have one. They work with individuals on a one-on-one basis to help them develop strong and physically...
When initially reaching for “The Woman in the Window”, I hoped sincerely to find a novel that would truly capture the magical essence of escape that only the best books provide. So, when I say I have never been less disappointed, I mean it. Personally, I have always been...
CULLMAN, Ala. - While live music may have been a staple for many before the pandemic hit, it has certainly dwindled to a crawl over the past year, but as many places are reopening throughout Cullman, the lights of many our old favorite venues are beginning to flicker on...
 “Put on the full armor of God; so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”                                                                                                      Ephesians 6:11 NASB  As Alabamians, we have learned to live with unpredictable weather. Storms come up quickly, sometimes with no warning. We try our best to match our...
I consider myself quite lucky after discovering a fire in my living room Monday afternoon. For anyone with older homes with built-in electric wall heaters, please pay attention. Even if you think the heater doesn’t work, do not put anything in front of the heaters unless you know they...
Mother’s Day is just a week away and compared to last year’s quarantined Mother’s Day, this year, shopping and planning a special day for your mom should be much easier. All of Cullman’s local shops and restaurants are open and eager to help you out, so no excuses!   While gifts...
In June of 2012, our family visited a petting zoo in the Florida Keys. The next night, we ended up in the ER with a rash that would overtake Madeline’s body. The doctor administered medication and sent us home. He said it could be from the palm tree she...
"Major broadband legislation will be addressed again in my committee (House Urban & Rural Development) this coming week. A working group of legislators met with Governor Ivey this past week to make final changes to SB215 carried in the House by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville. This legislation would build upon my...
We all know someone who seems compelled to ruin any and every conversation. I call them the one-uppers. Regardless of your experience, they feel compelled to one-up every single one. They can effortlessly make every statement, story, situation and conversation about them. To the one-uppers, how about you shut-upper.   The...
“I can’t wait to graduate in Wallace State’s gym!” said no high school senior ever. After spending the end of last year wondering if graduation would happen at all, the wonderful news came that they were still to take place. The news was made better when students and parents...
You might have anticipated the setting for the “Betty, Bette and The Boys Birthday Party” would be one of Hugh Hefner’s swanky mansions or the even more cinematic Sonoma Valley winery owned by Francis Ford Coppola. Instead, we opted for “a place where even squares can have a ball”...
I have never claimed to be an expert fashionista, but I know ugly when I see it. Lately, as I have walked through some of the bigger name stores here, I have thought to myself, “That’s it. These people are crazy!”  The thought occurred to me that I was...
   Last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law S.B. 202, a piece of reform legislation that will enhance the security and integrity of elections in our neighbor state. While the bill makes numerous changes to the voting process in Georgia, the bill requires proof of identification to be submitted...
Brooke Astor was known as “The Queen of New York.” Her beloved country house, “Holly Hill,” in Briarcliff, New York is the regal setting for “The Winners Circle Birthday Party.” The Westchester County estate has more than 10,000 square feet, including 24 rooms, 13 bedrooms and both indoor and...

To the Class of 2021

0
To the Class of 2021, I applaud you! Last year, as the school year came to an abrupt end, there was profound sadness followed by an abundance of community support for the seniors of 2020. As a mother of a 2020 senior and a 2021 senior, I knew the...
   Alabama doesn’t function like other states on a lot of things, but especially when it comes to public records.  Last year, my colleague Amy Yurkanin had a question: How much was the University of Alabama at Birmingham paying a private company to recruit students from foreign countries?  Her question led to...
You’ve probably heard something like this before: another national ranking, another instance when Alabama ranked dead last. But I promise you, this one is different, and by the end of this column, I’ll explain how. A couple of years ago, University of Arizona journalism professor David Cuillier set out to measure...
Alabama Department of Mental Health   MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Since 2005, the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) has hosted the Capitol Showcase, a consumer art show. Individuals with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, substance use disorders or co-occurring disorders graciously offer their works of art to showcase throughout the month of...
  CULLMAN, Ala. - National Agriculture Day, commonly referred to as National “Ag” Day, is coming up on March 24, and Cullman County’s Farm-City folks are gearing up for a series of events around the day and through the season to celebrate farmers and agriculture in Alabama and the Cullman...
CULLMAN, Ala. - The Health Care Authority of Cullman County/ Cullman Regional Board of Directors this week announced that they have received Emergency Alabama Certificate of Need (CON) approval to add an additional 30 beds to the hospital, including 13 additional critical care beds.   During the final months of 2020...
During the peak of storm season, our greatest concern is for the safety of everyone who will be affected by a storm. State Farm encourages all residents in the projected path of any storm to protect themselves and their property.   Despite taking proper precautions to prepare your home for a...
The Bible tells us that we are all made of dust, and to dust we shall return. Well, I think the Good Lord must have made me out of Alabama red clay and river bottom silt. I was born and raised on a cattle operation in Cullman County, Alabama,...
HANCEVILLE, Ala. - In my 33 years I had never seen a wrestling show in person, until Saturday night. New South Pro Wrestling presented “We Love Pro Wrestling” at Hanceville’s J.C. Arena. One of the wrestlers at the show was none other than former ECW & WWE Superstar, Rhino....
In many areas of Alabama, blogs or Facebook pages have begun to function as news agencies. While those entities can be helpful in distributing information, they lack the accountability to be considered an actual news outlet. In my opinion, a news outlet should be credentialed in some form. Being a...
On any given day, there are tens of thousands of people being trafficked into and within the U.S. A large percentage of the victims are minors, often young females, who are brutally forced to perform commercial acts of sex or labor against their will.  January is National Human Trafficking Awareness...
The doctors call it “COVID fog,” and it doesn’t get nearly as much attention as respiratory issues and ventilators. It is a very real effect of COVID-19, though, and it can be difficult to define as it strikes different victims in different ways, including striking some not at all.  This...
As the director of the state agency charged with safeguarding Alabama’s environment, I have great respect for and deep appreciation of our state’s wonderful natural resources and rich biodiversity of species and habitats, including many that are unique to Alabama. Protecting human health and those environmental treasures is precisely...
There was an article concerning the Alabama Legislature 2021 Session in The Cullman Tribune on January 2, 2021. Garlan Gudger and Randall Shedd commented on whether or not to allow gambling and in which forms it might take. I am concerned that the article did not mention that there...
As the new year begins and we reflect on 2020, we are faced with the sad reality that almost 4,800 Alabamians have died from COVID-19, the highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Last spring when we learned about the illnesses and deaths due...
Prescription benzodiazepines can treat several conditions, including epilepsy, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. However, professionals continue to debate as to whether long-term use of these drugs is medically acceptable. As more information has surfaced regarding these drugs' addictive potential, medical professionals have shied away from prescribing them. Psychiatrists...
At midnight on Jan. 1, 2020, I was at Goat Island listening to the band perform with my dad and thinking about the year ahead. Even in my wildest dreams, I don't think I could've predicted how things actually turned out. My spring break stay at home turned into an...
This year has seemed longer than others, and it's hard to believe that J. Lo and Shakira’s Super Bowl halftime performance was less than a year ago. Remember when THAT was the craziest thing about 2020? Looking back at 2020 could be a stroll down gloomy lane for some,...
On behalf of Double CK Bucking Bulls and Second Chance Rodeo Ministry we would like to take a few minutes to say thank you to our sponsors from this year and give you a brief glimpse into the year and what your sponsorships made possible. I couldn’t possibly put...
Editor's note: A post on a local Facebook page Saturday afternoon used a second-hand quote from Cullman physician Dr. Adam Harrison regarding in-person worship services without context or verification from Harrison himself. Sunday, Harris responded due to the heated debate that ensued as a result. Below is a letter,...
“I Miss Precedented Times.” That’s a T-shirt slogan seen recently, and indeed the year 2020 has brought unprecedented challenges due to the coronavirus COVID-19. As December begins and the weather becomes colder, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have increased in Alabama, and it is feared that activities associated with...
My family and I experienced a near tragedy this week. I want to share this to give some insight into our current COVID situation but also for other reasons. My precious Mother fell, causing a brain bleed. I want to give a big shout out to Cullman Medical Center...
This Thanksgiving will be different from any other we have had in our lifetimes.  This past year has been a struggle, as every single one of us has had their normal lives disrupted.  Many of us have also lost friends and family as the coronavirus has swept through our...

Op-Ed: An inspirational pick

0
A century ago, the Suffragettes finally succeeded in winning the right to vote for women. They would be thrilled to see the nomination of a woman so uniquely qualified to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court as Judge Amy Coney Barrett, were they alive today. It’s easy to imagine...
Dear Editor, On September 12, 2020, a horrendous crime was committed to someone very near and dear to our hearts. Herndon “Junior” Self was a hard-working and outgoing husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and uncle whose only fault was putting his trust in the wrong person.  The shocking part about this...
Editor:            Almost 20 years ago we retired to the great state of Alabama. When the “dust” settled we began to pay attention to our local representation and learn all the new names and faces. It took a long, long time to figure out who our U.S. House Representative was. Congressman...
The time has come to paraphrase the lawyer Joseph Welch in the famous Joe McCarthy hearing and address Governor Kay Ivey instead: “Have you no sense of decency, ma'am, at long last?” Alabama’s coronavirus infections and deaths continue to climb. And among the victims are poor people who fell below the...
On Friday members of the Cullman Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary took part in a march around Sportsman Lake in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Carrying flags including Old Glory, all five branch flags, the Firefighter and Police flags, as well as...
September 11, 2001 – Sarasota, Florida: It was a beautiful day as I stepped out of a bungalow at a tennis resort where President Bush and his traveling team, including Secretary of Education Rod Paige and I, had stayed overnight. As Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of...
This will be a cross between a sports story and an opinion piece.  When you first start reading, you may ask, “Why is this in this paper?  This isn’t about a local sports player.” Read to the end, I think you will understand….. Kaetlyn McGriff is a volleyball player from Huntsville Junior High School...
After the recent Letter to the Editor from my opponent, I commented that I have never heard, thought or said that Mayor Dodson has done anything illegal whatsoever. I want to say, in this election, the choice is between two very different candidates. We have  tried to knock on every...
To the Editor: First let me introduce myself.  I am The Town of Colony Councilman Melvin Hammond (Finance) and have been a councilman for two and a half years. This is in support of Mayor (Donnis) Leeth. The other candidate, Curtis Johnson, is running for this office, but the following reasons (are)...
I am the former activities director for Westminster Assisted Living. The reason I am writing you is to provide feedback regarding the CHS Band. My daughter is a clarinet player in both marching and symphonic bands for Cullman High School. She also has chronic asthma and sees a pulmonary...
As far as this election goes, there have been several things said defaming my character. One, there’s things that have been said about things that have happened in the town that I have done illegally. I want to set several things straight. First of all, I have lived in this...
Editor’s note: Heather Mann is a reporter for The Cullman Tribune who recently returned to campus at Auburn University for her junior year. Classes at Auburn University started Monday, but events have been taking place since Aug. 10 (the start of the university's Welcome Week). With more than 30,000...
CULLMAN, Ala. – When it comes to needing some “wind therapy,” sometimes you can only afford a day ride, which is sometimes all you need. I want to share some personal favorite trips of mine and other local roads I’ve seen recommended. If you don’t ride, you don’t have...
In a few weeks, kids will be heading back to school for the first time in five months. Wednesday, Governor Kay Ivey addressed the state informing us that students and teachers from second grade through college will be required to wear a mask at school until Aug. 31. The...
America’s Founders regarded a free press as so vital to the new nation that they took care to include that right in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Founders spoke glowingly about the press as a pillar of democracy and guarantor of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, famously wrote in...
My fellow Alabamians: In a few days, America will celebrate her 244th birthday. Traditionally, many towns and cities around the country light up the night with fireworks and music festivals. In 1776, John Adams predicted that Independence Day would be “celebrated by succeeding generations” with “pomp and circumstance…bonfires and illuminations.” However, largely...

Opinion: 112 days

0
112 days. That’s how long our seniors, the members of the Greatest Generation, have been locked down inside assisted living and nursing homes. 112 days. That’s how long the senior centers have been forced to remain closed. 112 days. That’s how long the rest of the world has continually...
Census 2020 kicked off in March, shortly before the word “coronavirus” entered our everyday vocabulary and upended life as we then knew it. And while the Census is not presently on the forefront of the vast majority’s minds, it is enormously important to Alabama’s future. Alabama is currently reporting a...
Since August of 2017, I've been surrounded by orange and blue and calls of "War Eagle." Auburn became my second home (though Cullman will always be my real home), and the friends I made became my second family. I didn't know how many other students from my graduating class...