Beating around the Bush (What's in a name)
October 24, 2026
.
Opinion
317 articles
Throwing the Dead Cat on the Table
October 23, 2026
In politics, there is the term "throwing the dead cat on the table." Metaphorically speaking, if someone throws a dead cat onto a dining room table in the middle of a serious discussion, nobody keeps talking about the original issue. Instead, everyone screams, panics and focuses…
Are We the Redheaded Stepchild?
October 20, 2026
I normally try to keep a low profile when expressing my personal opinions. I believe there is a time to speak and a time to listen. But there comes a point when keeping your mouth shut is no longer an option.
Hunker Down With Kes: Maybe I Have Figured This Out
October 20, 2026
Forget about “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Try saying “Isaias” three times in a row as fast as you can. And for the English literary minded folks out there, the Peter Piper line is a perfect example of alliteration. No one is quite sure what an Isaias is.
beating around the bush podcast (I love the color orange) episode 210
October 20, 2026
.
Apple Turnovers
October 17, 2026
You may have thought when you read this week's title that I was going to offer up a recipe for turnovers, with Halloween and Thanksgiving just around the corner, or you may have entertained the thought that I was just hungry as I typed.
Hunker Down with Kes: Precious Sacred Scenes Unfold
October 13, 2026
Janis Schweikert asked if I’d come to their 1976 Port St. Joe High School 50th class reunion in late October. Yes, was my immediate response. If I didn’t have to talk.
Beating around the bush podcast (Time for a break)
October 12, 2026
.
Flagged
October 10, 2026
The TSSAA has been facing a shortage of officials across all sports for several years. The shortage is the result of several factors, and one of the biggest is fan behavior.
Guys talking football podcast with Coach Swenson (break time)
October 8, 2026
.
Behind the Precision of High School Marching Band
October 6, 2026
Friday night football gets most of the attention on Friday nights. Undoubtedly, the young men - and occasionally women, spend many hours practicing and watching films to improve their skills. But this editorial is about another Friday night group, marching bands. High school marching bands require incredible discipline, skill, and athleticism. Those six or seven seamless minutes on the field reflect months of intense physical endurance, precise movement, and musical excellence.
Hunker Down with Kes: He Got Me Into The Game
October 6, 2026
I was not going to our high school class reunion this year. I saw, spoke to, hugged, and told most everybody in town a Leon Colbert story last year. I figured I’d worn out my welcome. And it is a 577-mile journey. One way. Then Coach Camp called.
Editor's View: Priorities
October 6, 2026
An ambulance is a lifeline. It is a resource stocked with lifesaving tools that are not normally carried by first-on-scene emergency responders. Those tools are very expensive, but often critical to providing lifesaving care.
Episode 208 Beating around the Bush Podcast (cruising)
October 6, 2026
.
More Than a Game
October 2, 2026
When I am rooting for my favorite team, depending on what sport I am attending or watching at the time, I have a huge desire to see the score be in favor of the team that I am passionate about at the time.
Guys talking football with Russell Bush and Eric Swenson podcast
October 1, 2026
.
Hunker Down With Kes: When Laughter Abounded On Every Side
September 29, 2026
We laughed a lot growing up. I’m not sure why. Some days weren’t so easy. Dad always had us doing something. Mostly in the yard. Or cutting firewood. Or staking out tomatoes. I think he planted those mimosa trees just so we’d have something to chop down years later.
Letter to the Editor: Get in the Game!
September 29, 2026
Too many people are sitting on the sidelines of their own communities, watching life happen as if it is a sport for which they didn’t sign up. Sometimes we shrug and say “not my circus, not my monkey”. Apathy is weakening our communities & getting involved matters more than ever.
Editor's Sidelines: Who Said You Can Never Go Home Again
September 28, 2026
Thomas Wolfe wrote, “You can never go home again.” That wasn’t true Friday afternoon. With the diligent work of the McKenzie High Alumni Association, homecoming has become a big deal. I roamed around the reunion area Friday evening before the game, and something rose in me. It was a sense of comfort. Like I was among friends.
Beating Around the Bush: Time to Celebrate or Not
September 26, 2026
I have always been a firm believer that when something great happens, it's okay to celebrate, and each of us has our way of doing that. I remember standing on the sidelines in Chattanooga last December when the clock ticked zero and secured the Huntingdon Mustangs their second…
