Once a year or so most of us have to evaluate ourselves or have our job performance evaluated by a supervisor. I have always found it difficult to evaluate myself. I don't know if it is lack of self-confidence or modesty, but I find it hard to mark high points because I always look at ways I can improve or do better...

Some of the well-known holidays we celebrate include Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day and Christmas. Then we have Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, Veteran's Day and Valentine's Day. This week's column will give you a few not-so-well known national June holidays...

My heart goes out to the people in our own state and across the country who have lost family members and homes to the recent tornadoes and floods. It seems we have had a lot of storms so far this year. We have been fortunate in Northeast Arkansas this year. It seems the tornadoes have gone around us. There was some very strong wind last week leaving damage to the Corning school. Thankfully, no injuries were reported...

Everyone knows life is full of changes as we journey through. I have written about change from time to time, but the change I am referring to today has a completely different meaning. We change from babies to toddlers; toddlers to children; children to teenagers; and teenagers to adults. Changes continue throughout our lives. We go from newlyweds to middle-age married people and on to senior citizens...

Graduation 2019 has come and gone for our seniors at Riverside, Buffalo Island Central, Gosnell and Manila high schools. Our graduation edition comes out this weekend honoring all of the seniors. Blytheville High School graduation is Friday night, while Armorel High School ‘s will be next Tuesday...

Another year has passed and Sunday will be Mother’s Day once again. I have celebrated 40+ years of motherhood and I still think it is the best thing that ever happened in my life. I should say the best “two things” in my life. It doesn’t matter how many children we have, one to 20, it is still a full time job. It gives us the opportunity to be coaches, cheerleaders, chauffeurs, peacemakers, tutors, cooks, nurses, teachers, and friends...

I am going to offer a huge thank you for the encouragement, prayers, calls and visits my husband, Dale, and I have received over the last few weeks. Most people who know my husband and me are aware he is having some serious health issues. We both realize we are not the only people in the world going through difficult times. We try our best to think of others needing our prayers and not just focus on ourselves...

We have had our share of rain in April but it could be much worse. We hear almost daily of the damage left behind due to tornadoes in Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and other places. We recently passed the 21st anniversary of a tornado that left Manila in a mess. It hit in the early hours of the morning of April 16, 1998 (if my memory serves me correctly)...

It is an exciting time for young people who are about to graduate from high school. Most know the days, hours and maybe even minutes they have left receiving their diplomas. It shocks me when I look on the calendar and realize just how few days are left. It seems the 2018-2019 school year just started and now it is about to become a memory...

Sunday will be Easter, a time to reflect on who we put our faith in. We celebrate Easter as the day our Lord came out of the grave. For those who don't believe in the resurrection, Easter Sunday, like any other Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, is just another day...

Tomorrow, April 11, is National Pet Day 2019. Whether your pet has fur, feathers or scales they can be a member of the family. Statistics show two-thirds of Americans have pets with an estimated 70-80 million dogs; 74-96 million cats; and fish, birds, gerbils and turtles not far behind...

It is very near the dreaded April 15 – tax day deadline. As far back as I can remember April 15 has been the deadline to file our Federal Income Taxes. At one time, not so long ago, we had an additional month for our Arkansas Income Taxes to be filed with a May 15 deadline. If we owed extra on both at least we could pay the federal and have a few weeks to gather up our due taxes to the state...

There are dates/events we never forget. Some may be historical dates such as the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated (Nov. 22, 1963); the first walk on the moon (July 20, 1969); the assassination of Martin Luther King (April 4, 1968); or maybe the attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941)...

The second annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans parade is scheduled for today. I am writing this before press time on Friday so I hope we have a good day with pleasant weather to honor the veterans throughout the area. Last year was a great success and I am hoping for the same this year...

Recently I read where the Kirby School District in west Arkansas became the first school in the state to implement a four day school week for the 2019-2020 school year. According to reports I read, several schools across the nation already have the four day school week in place...

Basketball season is over and the spring sports have started. We can hope the game scheduled for the last of the season will have better weather than the first of the season. It seems the weather has not cooperated but teams have managed to get in a few games in spite of cold and rain...

We are nearing spring which is on the good list. I know we have had some pretty wet, cold weather lately which is not so good. We are very fortunate not to have had the inches of snow and tornadoes many other states have experienced. We are nearing the deadline for filing taxes and that is the bad for some but it is good for others...

We will need to "spring forward" one hour for Daylight Saving Time on Saturday night. Don't forget to move your clock forward before you go to bed because Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 10. You do not want to be late all day. I am sure some people like Daylight Savings Time and others will not. I suppose it depends on if you are a morning or a night person...

Does anyone remember the famous line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar play: “Beware the ides of March. The idea that March 15, the ides of March, is unlucky goes back to ancient traditions and superstitions. I don't believe in superstitions but when March arrived I thought about ides of March. I've been out of school for a long time and I have not read Shakespeare since those days but those words have stayed with me...

Area schools celebrated Career and Technical Education Month during February. I visited in all of the area schools taking pictures and visiting with sponsors and students. For many years I have gathered information and pictures for the special edition featuring Manila, Buffalo Island Central and Riverside in the Town Crier...

We certainly have had our share of rain and high water this month. As we look about and see the ditches filled, yards covered and roads closed we are ready for it to stop. We hear it could be a record rainfall for February. I am not great at history but I do remember reading about the “great” flood of 1927. Many people lost their lives due to the flood...

Most of us have experienced life in the fast lane. Those are the days when we have children/teenagers at home and they are involved in lots of activities. I can remember the days when we had at least one place to be and sometimes two places every night of the week...

I forgot to mention Groundhog Day on Feb. 2. I am not sure just how true all of the predictions have been through the years but it was reported Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this year. As legend goes, if he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. I certainly hope he is correct...

Thursday, Feb. 14, is Valentine's Day. This is just a friendly reminder to not forget your sweetheart on the one day a year set aside to remember. I personally think it would be a better world if we remembered to be nice and thoughtful to each other every day of the year...

Area junior high basketball teams are in the middle of their district tournaments this week. Senior tournaments will start next week. Seems the season just got started and now it is winding down to the finish of another year. I was a basketball player in the old days when girls actually played half court. ...

I heard Gone With the Wind will be returning to the big screen to celebrate the 80th anniversary of one of my very favorite movies. I also love the book which I have read at least four or five times. Last year we went to Memphis to watch Steel Magnolias at a showing at the Orpheum Theater. Four generations (all female) of my family went together and we had a great time...

We are only 50 days away from spring. It is closer than it has been. In today's busy world, 50 days pass fast. I have had enough winter and I am ready for spring to arrive. Spring is my favorite time of year. The official first day of spring 2019 is March 20...

Several things came to mind as I looked at the screen of my computer searching my mind for a topic to fill the blank page. I could write about the recent snow, too much rain, or how I am so ready for spring. I could talk about some of the great local basketball games I attended...

I sometimes Google crazy days on the calendar and I always wonder who thinks up these bizarre days. Some are understandable and others are just out there. Earlier in the month I missed some really interesting days. For instance, Jan. 3 was Fruitcake Toss Day and Humiliation Day. Jan. 5 was National Bird Day and Jan. 6 was Bean Day. Another one that caught my attention was Jan. 16 – National Nothing Day...