Folks, next week will mark my 49th wedding anniversary. You see my dilemma right off. I have given my first wife a very special gift every year for the past 48 summers. I have about run out of ideas. more

For those inquisitive minds who have wondered why I wasn’t visible around McKenzie last week, well I finally got to take a vacation. On our drive to the gulf coast, my mind wasn’t necessarily focused on the beach, restaurants, or what shenanigans the kids were going to pull. With each mile and small town, I thought about the poverty in the Mississippi Delta, stories of sharecroppers, and how once-thriving townships were nothing more than tiny specks on a map. more

In the heartland of America, where the sound of lonesome whistle and the rumble of a train echoes through the picturesque landscapes, a legend was born. His name was Casey Jones, and he would become a symbol of bravery and selflessness for generations to come. This is the story of a man who dedicated his life to the rails and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those entrusted to his care. more

I don’t remember the exact year. I was in my first days of junior high, struggling almighty hard to find my way. If I had to guess, I’d say 1960. more

My Mother didn’t like Jerry Lee Lewis. more

Recently, I saw a post on Facebook asking, “What’s one thing you’ve done that you’ll never do again?” more

Someone asked about my most memorable Christmas. I cheated and said, “They are all memorable.” It was an easy and ready available retort. And it didn’t take any thought. more

After the death of Louise Hathcock, the legend of Buford Pusser began to snowball with each story or tale, some true, some stretched and others just outright untrue. Each week a new story would be published in the local papers. As the legend grew, so did the battles between Buford and the State Liners. Both sides believed violence was the answer to the problem at hand. more

We were sitting in a local restaurant over the Christmas holidays. All of us! I was enjoying having the entire family together. It is a rare occasion when Josh, Jesse and their respective clans all come at once. more

Someone told me the United States is 32 trillion dollars in debt. That doesn’t hardly seem possible. A lot of government people would have to be working day and night, with both hands, to spend that much money! more

Dr. Joseph Warren died on Breed’s Hill June 17, 1775. He was 34 years old. He left four children he had been raising alone since his wife’s passing two years earlier. He graduated from Harvard, was well established in Boston and was the second President of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, having succeeded John Hancock. more

David Crockett emerged as a larger-than-life figure whose exploits would become the stuff of legend. Crockett would rise from humble beginnings to become a frontiersman, politician, and ultimately, a martyr in the fight for Texas’ independence. more

After last week’s story on Jerry Lee Lewis, it seemed like I could not shake the feeling that I needed to do more about music. What was there to talk about that folks would find interesting enough to read? Plus I needed to do my best to keep it somewhat local. more

Sunday’s baseball championship game was an honor to watch in person. The Banner Staff is extremely proud of your accomplishments this season. As I stood next to the dugout the entire game, your sportsmanship and loyalty to your teammates made me along with your fans and fellow alums proud. more

The McKenzie Special School District join school districts throughout the state to salute their local education leaders during Tennessee’s annual School Board Appreciation Week January 22-28, 2023. more

After several weeks of doing some of the most interesting research I’ve done, I decided it was time to take a little more light-hearted approach this week. The story of Carl Perkins is one of a sharecropper’s son who made it to Memphis and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Much of what I’m sharing today comes from author Rose Clayton Phillips. more

Life is certainly interesting, at both ends. more

One of last week’s calls asked if we printed the newspaper this week. The answer was ‘yes.’ The caller did not receive his newspaper through the mail. more