I hate pine needles. Growing up in Arkansas will do that to you. Pine trees are everywhere in Ashdown, Arkansas. They are pretty much everywhere throughout the Natural State. Pine trees brought the paper mills, which brought the paper mill employees, which...
Halloween season highlights
Columnist John Moore’s grandchildren like dressing up for Halloween. Photo: Todd Sechser There’s something about being scared. Some kids claim they don’t like it, but do. While a handful of other kids claim they don’t like it, and really don’t. I was the former. My...
John Wayne: Movie star superhero
Columnist John Moore believes that you haven’t been immortalized properly until you’ve been painted on black velvet. Like this John Wayne rendering that’s available on eBay from Lindy1017.You’d think that John Wayne said the word ‘pilgrim’ a lot. He did. But only in...
Our stories shape the stories that matter most
It seems like about every time I am out in the public, no matter what the occasion, once someone realizes I own the local paper they seem anxious to tell me something. And in more cases than not, it is how something someone has read impacts their lives. For example,...
Iceboxes are cool
Columnist John Moore has an ice box that’s been in his family for a long time. One that still works if he ever needs it. Photo/John Moore The fridge. Frigerator. Some even called it, “The Frigidaire.” A few decades ago it had many names. Growing up, my family called...
Keep information laws working as intended
When it’s time to take a hard look at our public officials and decide which ones to re-elect – or reject – we need information.A major source of that information is the government itself. Access to public records and meetings is essential for us to know the facts and...
The screening process
Movies were better in a theater. A theater filled with people. Such was the case before the internet. Before HBO. Before people holed up in their living rooms and away from their neighbors and friends. A time when pay-per-view meant you bought a ticket to watch a...
Scouting for knowledge
John Moore’s genuine Scouting pocketknife. Courtesy John Moore I learned a lot from Scouting. Started as a Cub Scout, then joined Webelos, then the Boy Scouts. Girls and making money took priority over my time around age 14, so I never made Eagle Scout....
Heat-related deaths in Texas likely undercounted
As Texans endure the dog days of summer, experts say deaths related to heat in Texas and nationwide are likely undercounted, the Texas Standard reported. With climate change causing warmer days and nights, last year was the hottest on record in Texas. Though this...