Opinion

As I write this column, it’s Memorial Day. Across Carroll County — and across the country — ceremonies are being held to honor and remember those men and women who gave their lives in military service.

Earlier today, a friend sent me a message saying it’s been 10 years since our high school graduation. I remember one of my teachers saying life goes by fast after the graduation ceremony and I’m starting to believe it. Where did the time go? When you haven’t been released into the real world yet, there’s a burning desire to get out and establish yourself — to get a taste of the unknown. ...

How, exactly, was an Arkansas prison parolee carrying the COVID-19 virus released from state custody? It depends on whom you ask, and that inconsistency may be the most disturbing aspect of a very disturbing scenario. So many facts are in question regarding parolee Jad Perkins. We know he was released from the Arkansas Department of Corrections’ Cummins Unit in Lincoln County on April 20. We know that he came to Carroll County and that he tested positive for COVID-19 after his arrival here...

One of my biggest pet peeves is when somebody uses the word “adulting” to describe completing a task like paying the bills on time or making a list for the grocery store. Most often, people use it in a negative way. You know what I’m talking about. You’ve seen the T-shirts and mugs and bumper stickers that say something along the lines of, “I hate adulting,” or “I can’t adult today.” It’s understandable coming from a brand-new high school graduate or college student, but I’ve noticed that very grown adults have adopted the word into their vocabulary, too. ...

My oldest son is a college dropout. And soon he’ll be a college graduate. Ronnie hasn’t exactly followed the traditional path toward his degree. He was awarded a prestigious scholarship to Arkansas State University during his senior year in high school. But he enlisted in the Marine Corps instead...

Last Christmas, Gideon and I gifted my mom and nana tickets to see Elton John. The concert was scheduled for June and all four of us were going to go. They were ecstatic when they opened the homemade tickets, which Gideon created with construction paper and the clever use of scissors. In the age of digital tickets, it was certainly our most colorful option...

May 4 isn’t a significant date for most folks — unless you’re a Star Wars fan, of course. But every year, May 4 brings me a reminder to believe in myself and to be grateful for the good things in my life. Eleven years ago Monday, I got a phone call that changed my life. For the better, as it turns out...

A few years ago, my husband and I were having trouble with his mother. She’s your classic possessive mother-in-law, the kind who expects you to be where she wants you to be or else. There was never an acceptable reason for missing a party or impromptu game night, even though Gideon and I live an hour away from her...

All of us, I suppose, are making some sacrifices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For some of us, those sacrifices are major and potentially life-changing: jobs are lost, businesses are closed, essential workers risk potential exposure to the virus...

When we read about the COVID-19 pandemic in history books, I’m sure the economic downturn will be a major feature. It’s no secret that the stock market has plunged over the past couple months as the unemployment rate climbs to great heights. Certainly, it’s not an ideal situation. It’s scary enough that folks have been panic buying toilet paper and flouting social distancing precautions. When you add the economic problems, this pandemic begins to feel downright overwhelming...

Who would have thought in the last three weeks, we would be learning how to social distance ourselves, how to work from home, how to stay at home and relearn an old way of communicating -- the phone, but we can do it!  I am so glad that I live and work in Arkansas and Carroll County. I have always said that we are a loving, supportive community and we care about each other. ...

We don’t realize what we have until it’s gone. I’ve heard that said about love and relationships, but it also rings true about routine. We all have some routine we follow every day, or at least we did until the COVID-19 crisis. I’d start a typical Monday by picking up the mail at the Eureka Springs Post Office and heading to the Carroll County News office in Berryville, usually with KESA playing in the background. ...

The Cooperative Extension Service has been serving the people of Arkansas, from agricultural communities in rural areas to school children in the cities, for more than 100 years, through good times and bad. Our current era, in which we all face serious health risks from the COVID-19 virus, is no different...

It seems like the whole world is abuzz after Netflix released a popular docuseries last month. The show is successful for many reasons, particularly COVID-19 which practically requires non-essential employees to spend all their time at home. You know what else is at home? Netflix and its crown jewel, Tiger King. ...

It’s safe to say we are sailing through uncharted waters right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic canceling so many parts of everyday life. Those who can stay home have been advised to do so, and Gideon and I are fortunate to be in that group. Staying home means we are protecting ourselves and, in turn, protecting everybody else we’d normally see out and about. ...

This is not a time to be fearful. It is a time to be smart and informed. So I want to tell the public what Eureka Christian Health Outreach, Inc. (ECHO) is doing during this unusual time. As we have always done in the past, ECHO is stepping up to make sure our patients who are uninsured are cared for. Because of the request to limit congregation of persons, the regular clinic sessions will be closed. ...

While the novel coronavirus claims thousands of lives across the United States, Arkansas officials including Gov. Asa Hutchinson say the number of cases here remains below projections. The governor attributes that to social distancing. From an anecdotal perspective, I’m not sure I believe that. It seems there are quite a few folks, both across the state and right here in Carroll County, who continue to ignore the situation and refuse to heed the experts’ advice...

Social distancing is easier for some folks than others. I’ve lived alone for much of the past 12 years or so, and I’ve come to appreciate the solitude most of the time. I enjoy the peace and quiet, doing what I want when I want and not having to debate over mundane things like what’s for dinner. Yes, I’m happily divorced...

Regular readers of this column know I am a huge horror fan. I love all aspects of the genre, from B-horror flicks to big studio features. There’s no sub-genre I won’t watch, but apocalyptic horror is one of my favorites. Day of the Dead, Escape from New York, Deep Impact, 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead are pinnacles of the sub-genre. ...

As our world faces the once-in-a-lifetime challenge of a global pandemic, the Board of Loaves and Fishes Food Bank would like to thank our community for all the ways it has joined with us in serving the hungry in Carroll County. Our financial donors, whether individuals, churches, or businesses, give us the wherewithal to supplement government commodities with a variety of foods and items that cannot be purchased with food stamps. ...

It’s safe to say all of you understand what I mean when I say 2020 has been one heck of a year, and it’s not even April yet. Over the past few weeks, the novel coronavirus has spread throughout the United States rapidly. Restaurants and shops have closed during one of the busiest tourism seasons of the year. Spring break is effectively canceled for those who are paying attention to what’s happening in the world...

There are folks, including a few right here in Carroll County, who continue to insist that there is no real reason to be concerned about COVID-19, aka the novel coronavirus. They’ll tell you that COVID-19 has killed far fewer people than the flu, that the media is making a mountain out of a molehill, that there is no real reason to do anything differently than we’ve always done it...

I’m not writing about COVID-19 (aka the novel coronavirus) today. That’s not because I don’t believe it’s important, but because a great deal of this newspaper is already related to that topic, and frankly I don’t feel as if I have any special wisdom to impart. The best I can say is, follow the advice of medical professionals and do not take this situation lightly...

We are facing a pandemic worse than anything most of us have ever seen before, and there’s no way to know if it’s going to get better or worse. Lots of folks have said it’s got to get worse before it gets better. I hate to agree with that, but it seems to be going that way — especially if you’re like me and failed to stock up on toilet paper in time...

Carroll County Circuit Judge Scott Jackson’s ruling last week that an $18 annual charge being billed to Carroll County property owners is improper won’t be the final word on the issue, but it was a good first step toward undoing a massive injustice...

About a month ago, one of our friends gave Gideon a globe decoupaged with colorful fabric to display in his classroom. Gideon has been teaching eighth-grade language arts and social studies at Eureka Springs Middle School since last fall, so it was a perfect gift for him...