Opinion

Even though it shouldn’t be, I have a feeling this column will be unpopular with some  of our readers. That’s why I want to state the facts right out of the gate. Here it goes. We are living in the middle of a deadly pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. The number of deaths has decreased in many countries but continues to increase in the United States. Northwest Arkansas, the region in which we live, is a national hot spot for COVID-19 deaths...

Asa Hutchinson’s almost-daily updates on COVID-19, aired live via YouTube, have become required viewing since the pandemic began in March. I’ve been generally pleased, for what it’s worth, with Hutchinson’s performance as governor. As a conservative Republican, he has managed to find enough common ground with Democratic legislators to function fairly successfully as the state’s chief executive. ...

This column is being written on Friday morning, which is an anomaly. Typically, it’s more like Monday morning. I’m a procrastinator by nature — something I’ve learned to guard against since I work in a deadline-based business. Sometimes, it’s difficult deciding on a topic. Sometimes I write about politics. Sometimes I write about sports. Sometimes I write about what’s most important to me, and that’s my family. This is one of those times...

Pretty much every year since I was born, I have dreaded summer. I grew up in Texas where you start sweating just thinking about going outside in July. In Texas, the seasons are hot summer, moderate summer, cool summer and moderate summer all over again. Texans sweat year round, even on Christmas...

I was shocked and horrified by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and I stand by my opinion that racism is still a scourge in America that won’t go away without honest introspection, open dialogue and a greater effort toward mutual understanding...

Three years ago, I wrote a column about the power of forgiveness in regard to my relationship with my dad. Regular readers know that I didn’t grow up playing catch with my dad after school or taking him to father-daughter dances. Some years he would come see me on my birthday, and other years he’d seemingly forget altogether. I learned to fear the moments he paid any attention to me, because there was no guarantee they would last longer than a moment...

Growing up, you’d be hard pressed to find me without some kind of writing utensil in my hand. I have loved to read and write for as long as I can remember, especially when it comes to poetry. Like any art, my writing is inspired by the writers that came before me. This week, I’d like to share my favorite poem by Langston Hughes. It was written in 1935 and is very much relevant today...

For a while, it seemed as if Carroll County might go unscathed in the COVID-19 pandemic. The first local case of the virus wasn’t reported until April 1, and as recently as May 18 there were no active cases reported in the county. This, of course, served as fuel for some folks to argue that the entire pandemic was nothing more than an exaggeration at best or a hoax at worst...

I grew up in Oklahoma City during the Civil Rights era. I remember when de-segregation happened. Happily, the women that raised and influenced me taught me that ethnic hatred was wrong. The first time I saw a black person in Berryville was in 1983; he was walking down the sidewalk. I didn’t break stride and I didn’t stare as if I’d seen Bigfoot. I could tell you many more stories and even defend myself, which many white people are now falling over each other to do...

F our years ago, I wrote a column about the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Sterling and Castile were killed by cops one day apart, one on the sidewalk and the other in his car. Both men complied with police officers but were killed anyway. If you remember, both men were black...

It’s human nature, I suppose, to form opinions and make judgments based upon our own life experiences and circumstances without considering the experiences and circumstances of others. For white Americans who have never had a frightening experience with police, it might be difficult to understand why black Americans react so strongly to instances of police brutality. It might be difficult to empathize with their emotions, simply because we’ve never been in their position...

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. ...