Opinion

At Monday night’s county commission meeting the group agreed to move forward with a justice center. That is great.

But let’s be honest we have been here before.

In fact, many times before. The last three budget cycles have all had allocations for a new justice center.

Why the hold ups and hold offs?

It could be any number of reasons. From the commission’s apprehension about borrowing money to some feeling ambivalent about taking care of criminals the delays have happened.

Shortly after the current LaFollette City Council was elected rumblings began that it could be a difficult group to work for.

That statement could be said about nearly every elected body. However, as the months have passed the council has taken what began as speculation and given it a fair amount of credibility.

But last week’s out of the blue chastising of fire chief Gary Byrd was dreadful. I will give the council some credit for not instigating the conflict. Nonetheless it gets a failing grade for not defending a long time city employee.

As children growing up in the 1960s, we conducted a harmless school drill called ‘duck and cover.’ Can you remember this one? Or how about this one: ‘This is a test. For the next 60 seconds, this station will conduct a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.’ In those days we faced nuclear weapons and MAD—mutually assured destruction. In our community, a tremendous cave served as the ‘fallout shelter.’ We could always go there in case someone used Weapons of Mass Destruction, or so we were told. What innocent days they were.

Have you heard about the recent economic threat to the European Union coming from Greece? Greece has a debt problem that could cause a domino effect in the Euro nations. The Greek currency has been debauched through deficit spending and now countries such as France and Germany are being compromised because their currencies are linked and vulnerable. The intricacies of EU currency agreements for the Euro have made this a ticking time bomb. reeping away from the crime scene, once again, is that manipulator of markets- Goldman Sachs. Sound familiar?

No, not the 5th – the 10th.  

The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides protection to the states from encroachment by the federal government.  The federal government has become more and more involved in our everyday lives from the college football bowls to the compulsory low-flush toilet bowls in our home.

My fellow journalists Jennifer Caldwell and Charlotte Underwood have pounded out columns this year sharing their new found enthusiasm for snow. I suppose I could follow suit.

But, I won’t.

Nope not me.

I have enough of this white powdery, slushy stuff to last me at least the next 10 winters.

That’s right. I am going on record- I can't stand snow.

Christian author and motivational speaker Barbara Johnson once said, “When you’re in a jam, good friends will bring you bread with peanut butter on it.”

This week’s story was inspired by two friends who are currently going through two separate and very hard times in their lives. To them, my heart goes out to them and they‘re in my prayers always. And my heart goes out to you, dear reader, if your life has unexpectedly been turned upside down. If that be the case, this week’s story is for you, too.

I hate snow.

Sounds harsh I know, but that’s just the way it is.  

I don’t really remember when these feelings of loathing started. Maybe it was when my parents moved me to the frozen tundra of the mid-west, and I spent four and a half years slogging through the snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures at the University of Nebraska.