Columnists

By Danny Crownover There has always been gambling in Gadsden and probably always will be, as long as human nature remains what it is. The first prohibition law forced upon Gadsden and Etowah County by a legislative act and without vote of the people was back in 1882. Some of the results that followed included

Cafeteria Macaroni and Cheese, Nancy Wood’s Corn Pudding and Vanilla Wafer Cake Once my family has decided what entrée we will have for Thanksgiving, the next step is figuring out what goes along with it. These are some of my favorites. Cafeteria Macaroni and Cheese 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles 4 eggs (4-ounces) heavy cream

By Robert Halsey Pine “This is my rule in all the churches…Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever. You were

By Toni Ford This past week, I had the honor of speaking at a celebration of life service for one of our students. Carlie passed away last week in a tragic car accident, which was a shock to us all. She was a beautiful young lady, and although she was only on this earth a

By John Larkins God’s inerrant word, in our biblical account, begins by revealing Him, our God, as the creator of the universe, of the human and all other species, as sole loving maker. He holds it as paramount that He, as our creator, rightfully expects and demands, our obedience. Adam and Eve, our ultimate parents,

By Vicki Scott Last week I wrote about our veterans program at the George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe and was praising God for all the teamwork involved in making it a complete success. I neglected to mention the letters written by students at Coosa Christian School. They were amazing. I did not exclude the

Dearest mother, How the time has flown, yet each year has brought joy, love, pain, and yes, even rejection. I’ve learned to live with all of it during my lifetime. But yesterday as I visited with you, I was so happy to see your sweet face. It had been almost four weeks since I’d been

By Andy Bedwell Long before we knew anything about watching cholesterol, counting calories, cutting back on sodium,  there were always sweets that would bring us running home from school. Nothing satisfied us more than a glass of cold milk and a big ole fat chocolate chip cookie. It really didn’t matter what kind of cookie,

By Danny Crownover The purchase of Noccalula Falls and its surrounding 169-acre tract in 1946 by the City of Gadsden for park purposes recalls the fact that the city has smaller parks that contain much historical interest. On the west brow of Lookout Mountain, less than a mile from Noccalula Falls, is Sequoia Park, a

By Robert Halsey Pine “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (John 4:1-15 NRSV). Jesus’ conversation with

By Toni Ford This week, we will have 375 students participating in “Expedition,” our annual obstacle race in Cullman. Leading up to the race over the past couple of weeks, one could hear multiple conversations among students consisting of anything from fear, anticipation of the unknowns, enthusiasm and all the way up to great excitement.

By Rosie Preston Every day, I wonder if I will ever feel wise. I think I’ve reached the Golden Years, and I’m remembering the days when children listened to their elders and didn’t question a word. I’ve found my children will listen and roll their eyes. They don’t believe that my memories have any value.

By Vicki Scott The George Wallace Senior Center’s 2019 Senior Apple Orchard Trip 2019 on Monday, Oct. 14, was a journey I will never forget. I should have braced myself when I caught at every red light from center. We prayed as a group first thing that morning for everyone to have a good trip

Andy’s Homemade Chili, Easy White Chili and Mother’s Coconut Pie Pumpkins piled high in roadside stands and supermarkets signal the coming of fall in the South. Summer may be over but you can still have a taste of the season. My mind floods with the beauty of the vegetables that I have in my freezer

By Vicki Scott Pastor Appreciation Day was held last Sunday, Oct. 13, at Lake Martin Baptist, the church that my mom attends. The church members presented their pastor with an envelope. Baptist pastors I have known will not grow rich in a worldly fashion, and whatever amount of money contained in that envelope is not

Leaving my mother after visiting her at the nursing home where she has resided for several years is never easy. In 2010 her health declined, and I could no longer care for her in my home. As I filled out the paperwork at the nursing home, tears ran down my face. It was one of the

By Craig Ford One of the biggest arguments against charter schools is that they have been hotbeds of waste, fraud and corruption. Nationally, charter schools have cost the taxpayers over $100 million dollars in fraud and corruption. Now, Alabama has become the new victim of corruption and waste at the hands of charter schools. Nicole

By Andy Bedwell Southern Taco Soup 2 pounds ground chuck 1 large onion, chopped 1 can Rotel tomatoes 2 large cans of tomatoes 1 can white shoe peg corn, drained 1 can yellow whole corn, drained 1 can chili beans 1 can pinto beans 1 package taco mix 1 package Hidden Valley ranch dressing 3

By Danny Crownover The Tunnel Block was an old deep drainage ditch that crossed Broad Street in downtown Gadsden and has since been built up and covered. Today, there are tunnels hidden underground where the tunnel once went. Many of the downtown buildings have huge basements at the site. The early buildings built in 1868

By Pious Bob “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. “

By Vicki Scott This past Saturday was a day of goofing off and playing around with my old articles that my mom had put in a scrapbook. Several ideas for book No. 2 have been swimming around in my head, and I was brainstorming which approach to take. In these old articles, I found one

By Toni Ford I would not say that I am the best with plants, but over my years of trying to grow plants, I have learned a few things that plants need in order to grow and be healthy. The first thing is that plants grow best when we pay attention to them. This means

By Rosie Preston During my lifetime, I’ve attended many parties, all involving friends making plans to celebrate different types of events. So you can imagine when I tell you that I’ve recently attended the two wildest parties ever! It seemed everyone was arriving at the correct time. Cars were being parked and re-parked as drivers decided

By Andy Bedwell I have always enjoyed a brunch, both as a hostess and a guest. One reason I particularly enjoy having a brunch is that you can serve almost any food you prefer, from an egg and cheese dish to a tenderloin. When I begin thinking about which of my favorite dishes I usually

By Danny Crownover The Vagabond recently started researching a historic building located at 408 Broad Street for owner Michelle Head. This 1885 building was occupied by Cottle Drugs in 1901. It was found that Cottle Drugs was actually involved in getting the famous William Frederick Cody, aka Buffalo Bill, and Annie Oakley to Gadsden. In

By Toni Ford There is a story of a little boy who was overheard talking to himself as he strode through his backyard, baseball cap in place and toting ball and bat. “I’m the greatest baseball player in the world,” he said proudly. The boy then tossed the ball in the air, swung and missed.

By Robert Halsey Pine “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to

By Craig Ford There is a lot that has been said lately – both online and in the media – about the future of the Gadsden Goodyear plant. The families that rely on that plant for their jobs, insurance and retirement benefits are understandably very worried about the possibility of buyouts and what that means

By Vicki Scott My husband Alan and I escaped life this past weekend by running away to Sevierville in Tennessee. I am not a fan of the busy life of big cities, but we have enjoyed Sevierville before, and it became our destination plan. When some of the George Wallace Senior Center ladies’ memories of

By Rosie Preston I hold many dear memories of Noccalula Falls, the first being that I grew up on Lay Springs Road in Gadsden, about two miles from the falls. When I was barely able to walk, my dad and I would follow Black Creek until we reached the falls. It was quite a walk