Well, I sure made a mistake. And many of you caught it right away. Maybe y’all are paying too much attention! more

In last week’s story about Sam Houston, I briefly touched on Houston’s involvement with the Cherokee Nation. He somewhat assimilated with the Cherokee and became a trusted ally. What I failed to mention is why the Cherokee Nation was sent to Oklahoma and needed a liaison. more

I played in my first Super Bowl in 1953. Against my will! It was freezing cold that December in West Tennessee. I had just opened my Christmas present. Good gosh, it wasn’t even daylight yet! more

Politicians don’t like to be forced to share information. Some are more forthcoming than others but every last one of them — regardless of party — prefer to shape their own narrative without outside interference. more

There’s admirable support for independent local businesses these days. more

Red and white are not my favorite colors. And that personal preference, in some kind of off-handed, backwards, subliminal way, may have a direct connection to Valentine’s Day. I have never been on friendly terms with the little half-dressed chubby guy who comes out every February waving his bow and arrows around. more

A recent spate of undelivered newspapers through the United States Postal Service (USPS) is concerning to the McKenzie Banner staff. more

One of the more intriguing individuals from Tennessee history has a more significant impact on Texas history. Sam Houston, who became the first President of Texas, was originally from Virginia and found a foothold in politics within the State of Tennessee. He would go on to be the only person to serve as governor of two separate states. more

I have a serious announcement to make this morning. And I would appreciate it if you would gather around a little closer and give me your full and undivided attention. 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

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

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

Did you hear the one about the U. S. Representative who took the oath of office for the current session of Congress with his hand on a Superman comic book? That’s like some kind of amazing story from another planet! I didn’t get his name. But I am pretty sure he is from California. more

Growing up I heard a tale of two gun-toting outlaws from out west robbing the little bank on the square. Which in my mind gave way to the romanticized idea of a John Dillinger or Bonnie and Clyde sweeping into town with Tommy guns blazing followed by a high-speed chase; woe the imagination of a child. Needless to say, this week I set out to find what I could of the real story. Even though it wasn’t Bonnie and Clyde that knocked over the bank, it was still a pretty darn interesting story. more

Ray Blanton’s term as governor ranks as one of the most controversial in Tennessee’s history. Despite the corruption that surrounded his administration, there were also numerous accomplishments. He created the Department of Tourism, the first in the nation. Blanton traveled extensively for the state, making numerous trips to Washington, D.C., and three overseas trips to recruit foreign investment. 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

Rising to the top in the political arena is nearly impossible without committing a few sins along the way. Some in Tennessee’s history stand out for their questionable ethics and have enveloped themselves with cronyism and nepotism. The governorship of Ray Blanton is probably the most atrocious in the modern era. more

 I’m not against New Year resolutions. I even made one once. But it didn’t work out. I explained it in great detail to Jane Hill. I told her it came to me in a vision in late December. And I “resoluted” it because there was definitely a higher power involved; it was like some unseen force destined it to be….  more

In 1968, Buford Pusser was re-elected Sheriff of McNairy County for a third and final term. According to his family, in the six years he served as sheriff he was stabbed seven times and shot eight (those numbers can not be confirmed). more

It was enough to give you whiplash. Or at the very least, confuse a young mind.   more