Columnists

By Robert Halsey Pine “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.” (Psalm 30 NRSV). David wrote this psalm at the time of

By John Larkins When we heed Jesus’s many warnings as to the possibilities that our choices may justifiably lead us to Hell, it is absolutely necessary to keep our wits about us to remember that the Redeemer provided a WAY to salvation! Indeed, it is a terrible sin to believe or say that the choices

By Toni Ford The very last psalms King David wrote are recorded in 2 Samuel 22 and 23. There are at least 73 of the psalms in the Book of Psalms assigned to David, but his last two are found in 2 Samuel. One psalm is written as an offering of thanks to the Lord

By Andy Bedwell Do you want to start a conversation? Read a cookbook in public. That’s what happens to me all of the time. I always have a cookbook with me. “What are you cooking?” the young lady who sat beside me asked as she peeped over my shoulder. “Just checking out a recipe I

By Vicki Scott There is something about building a fire in a fire pit as the weather cools down outside. I’m one of those rare birds that loves cold weather, and fire pits is one of the reasons why. I sit there by Fred, a plastic skeleton who sits in my spot on the two-person

By Danny Crownover One of the most interesting of the old timers who contributed much to the early development of Gadsden and Attalla was Rufus B. Rhea. He was born in the Cherokee Nation near Attalla on August 26, 1832 and died on Jan. 4, 1908. Rhea operated a fine and prosperous farm near what

By Andy Bedwell Let’s warm up the season with some tried-and-true favorite soup recipes from some of our supporters. They showcase a wide range of flavors and textures. We guarantee you that they will make your dinner delightful. Brunswick Stew 1 3.5 pound Pork Butt 1 4-pound whole chicken 3 gallons water 2 cups diced

By Vicki Scott Every day, at least one of our seniors at the George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe ask when the center will open back up. We do not know. I will tell you what we do know. We miss fellowship with our seniors, and we are on the edge of sanity as we

By Danny Crownover Back when it was a small village, Gadsden had a few citizens protesting against the idea of allowing stock, particularly hogs and cows, to roam the streets at will, and those complaints became vociferous enough to attract the attention of local authorities. There was no serious attempt to remedy the situation until

By Rosie Preston Our current Alabama weather is a reminder of once again dealing with climate change. I don’t intend on bragging or saying I’m smarter than anyone else, but I noticed many years ago that the summer season was lasting longer. When I was in grammar school, I wore a sweater each morning. Going

By Andy Bedwell What could be better than a warm and comforting, creamy soup on a cold day? Cheering on a big game,  applauding a good movie or just catching up with family and friends are all great reasons to host a get-together with a variety of yummy soups. Whatever the occasion, you are sure

By Vicki Scott This week’s article marks the end of another Nana Camp, an event that has been renamed Nana/Pop Camp. With two grandchildren, I’m apparently too old to run the camp alone. No one told me this, but no one had to. I praise God for Pop. As I write this column, it’s been

By Toni Ford I’m not sure about you, but I can hardly watch the news or spend any time on social media these days due to all the harsh and judgmental words being spoken and written about others. I was actually sharing with a friend yesterday how quick the news and social media can cause

By John Larkins God promised the Jews a Savior, indicating that although Moses gave the Jews a structured organization for learning about and worshipping the one true God, this was not yet a path to salvation. First, In the case of Adam and Eve, they spoiled salvation by sin after assuming eternal life with God.

By Robert Halsey Pine “What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his

By Danny Crownover Streets in Gadsden often were named for a certain person or thing connected to the site. For example, Walnut Street received its name because it once was lined with the many beautiful walnut trees. Chestnut Street was named for the groves of American Chestnut trees. Another street name that comes to The

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 did not question a word they heard. I’ve found that my children will listen and roll their eyes. They don’t believe my memories

By Rosie Preston I will tell you right away that my husband is an Alabama fan. I come from a long line of Alabama fans, and I am experienced with the excitement of a game. From a woman’s point of view, or at least this woman’s point of view, I must tell you that I

By Danny Crownover Albert E. Paschal came to Gadsden in 1879. At about that same time, he bought the lot and built the home that he was to occupy for many years. For a long time, the residence was used as a club house by the Elks. The lodge moved out when it built its

By Andy Bedwell My favorite football menu is the following: Cheese Dip to Die For 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup mayonnaise 1 bundle chopped green onions ½ cup bacon bits 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 12 Ritz crackers, crumbled Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions, one-half of the bacon bits, and

By Vicki Scott The beginning of our annual festivities for the Nana/Pop Camp will be this week. We’re still only doing two grandchildren at a time, but they are getting older. Every year, I gain even more respect for parents and grandparents in their child-raising endeavors, as one week of full-time care gives me a

By Robert Halsey Pine “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who

By Toni Ford Some may ask, “What is spiritual warfare, and why is it so important?” Among Christians, it is often a term used referring to the idea of a war in the heavenlies between angels and demons, a battle between evil and good. Some might not believe that something like this exists. Others might

 By John Larkins God created us and intends for us to spend eternity with Him in His home. This is still His revealed intention, even after our ancestors offended Him by disobedience. Last week, we discussed what we know of His plan to save our eternal souls. The Old Testament details the formation of a

By Andy Bedwell Let’s do some quick, easy and good recipes! We Southerners love our comfort foods, and so many restaurants these days present “frilly” foods on fancy plates with swirling sauces for decoration that they are almost too pretty to eat. My goal is to serve straightforward, good food in a fairly glamorous way.

By Vicki Scott As I peel off another layer of my life, I feel the need to tell you how much I hate to shop. My co-workers at George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe will share about their weekend with me on Mondays. The descriptions usually include a lot of shopping. There would a good

By Danny Crownover J.J. Blanchart established the first bakery in Gadsden in 1868 in a frame building occupying the western half of the site of the old woman’s department of the Hagedorn department store located on the north side of Broad Street between Fourth and Fifth streets. Blanchart was born around 1819 in France. He

By Rosie Preston When one finds herself speechless, it’s okay because I’ve always been able to write better than talk. So I’m writing to tell my family and friends that you have truly blessed my heart with your cards, food, gifts of cash and phone calls. I’d like to share a hug, but because we cannot do

By Toni Ford It is so easy to let our circumstances and the challenges we face each day take over our thoughts and actions. We often forget that God wants to give us His best and that He is always working good on our behalf. These days, I find myself praying much more often, that

By Robert Halsey Pine “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil