Last week we ran for the first time a special section in the paper called Faces of Rockdale. The section featured a special salute to seven outstanding leaders who exemplify the best of the Conyers/Rockdale community. » Read More

Last weekend there was more tragedy in the community than usual. A mother, a loving wife, was killed suddenly in a tragic early-morning car accident. A young lady with her future ahead was forever hurt emotionally and physically in the same accident. » Read More

According to the Chinese, this is the Year of the Dragon. » Read More

Do you ever wonder about someone you met years ago? I do. I think about people I met back in the dark ages, and wonder, "How did they turn out?" I suppose it's a natural part of growing older; how else could you explain all these silly reunion shows where we finally get to see how our beloved sitcom stars turned out? Maybe we secretly want to hear all the juicy dirt on people. We're like that, you know. But, maybe there's a more virtuous reason. Maybe we really care about these people. » Read More

Dear Editor: February is recognized as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Although there are many "awareness months," this is one that is becoming more important because of its compounding effects. As a father and the Chief Probation Officer, I have an opportunity to see the effects of how behaviors of teens carry throughout their lives. » Read More

One of the class acts for sure in our community is the Rockdale/Conyers Chamber of Commerce led by Fred Boscarino and his great staff. » Read More

Have you ever played the game where you narrow down all your possessions to those very few that you'd want if you were marooned on an island? It's a fun game, so to get you thinking about your most valuable items, I'll share my thoughts on what I would want, were I suddenly to become marooned somewhere in the Pacific. » Read More

In case you missed this, a scientist, Leonid Ksanfomaliti, at the Space Research Institute of Russia's Academy of Science, announced he analyzed photographs from a 1982 probe of Venus and thinks they may reveal life on the planet. » Read More

Gas prices are rising at a rapid rate again after taking a dip last fall. It really doesn't make practical sense why. » Read More

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a Sunday morning on January 20, 2002 and I was at my college apartment in Athens. Around 8 a.m., I woke up to the sound of my pager vibrating on the nightstand next to my bed. It was my mom's number followed by "911." I knew something must be terribly wrong because the only other time she'd ever added those three extra digits to her home phone number was the morning of September 11, 2001. Unfortunately, I was right. » Read More

The Rockdale County Board of commissioners made a wise decision last week; they tabled an item that would have raised the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Director's salary by $16,000 to $68,000. » Read More

You might notice a major change with today's paper. » Read More

Even now - far removed from the original passions - I can still remember that my friends and I were once young and vibrant. When we were just approaching our 20s, we were night owls, prowling the Atlanta New Wave music scene when we should have been doing calculus homework. On a typical weekend in our suburban town, we'd finish our work at the mall or any of a dozen other places desperate enough to ... » Read More

State Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick, District 94 provides updates on the first week of General Assembly session. » Read More

Have you noticed how some things just naturally go together? Take honey and biscuits, for example. Whenever I visit one of those "breakfast anytime" restaurants, I make a pig of myself with their biscuits, and I make sure to have plenty of honey to spread on them. Life offers up so many wonderful pairings: salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, grits and butter, and too many others to list. Life seems better when it's done in pairs. » Read More

In these economic times it is always exciting to see a new business open. » Read More

From the dawn of time there has always been people who exist to take advantage of other people's hard work. The people who do this are nothing more than the dregs of the earth. » Read More

Readers respond online to The News' letters to the editor, "Independent Thought" originally published Jan. 7: » Read More

It's one of those things that makes you go, "Ah shucks," or something similar. » Read More

Dear Editor: In this climate of political polarization, with our leaders, the media, and the political parties are doing everything they can to divide, inflame, and turn us against each other. Whether we be black-white-hispanic, old-young, Republican-Democrat, gay-straight, Christian-not... we need to begin to think for ourselves. We need to let go of personal prejudices, and recognize we will survive as neighbors, or not at all. I urge everyone not to let a political party ... » Read More

This week the city of Conyers presented its annual state of the city message at the newly remodeled, city-owned Cherokee Run golf course and facility. The who's who of community leaders were in attendance to hear the Mayor and Council show and talk about the progress made in the city this past year. » Read More

Dear Editor: My wife and I made a decision over two years ago to get more involved in our Rockdale County government. We began to regularly attend BOC and Board of Elections meetings. After two years of attendance, we particularly find the meetings of the BOC often to be the most frustrating to attend. This frustration for regular citizens who attend is, in our opinion, due largely to the unsatisfactory format of the BOC meetings. » Read More

Your parakeet may be the only one who noticed, but I didn't write my column last week. I'd planned to offer some snappy New Year's resolutions, but I procrastinated and the next thing I knew, my first grandson - Daniel Christopher McCoy - was on his way, and I was off to the hospital to meet him! Yep, I'm a grandfather now, and my whole life is changing. I was expecting to be able to ... » Read More

Rockdale county officials have narrowed their choice for a public affairs director down to two. » Read More

Now that the Iowa Caucus is over, we can go ahead and celebrate the real start of the presidential primary season. » Read More

Dear Editor: My wife and I made a decision over two years ago to get more involved in our Rockdale County government. We began to regularly attend BOC and Board of Elections meetings. After two years of attendance, we particularly find the meetings of the BOC to often be the most frustrating to attend. This frustration for regular citizens who attend is, in our opinion, due largely to the unsatisfactory format of the BOC meetings. » Read More

I had one Christmas tradition that always made my season. » Read More

I am pleased to announce that beginning with the New Year, Junior E. Lee, general manager of Round or Square Polls, a division of the Yarbrough Worldwide Media and Pest Control Company located in Greater Garfield, will be offering exclusive analysis of the upcoming presidential election that can be seen only in this space. In addition, if you are bothered with termites, Junior is your man there, too. (He asked me to add that. Junior ... » Read More

The New Year is upon us and now is the time to look to the future and all the changes we will make next year. In other words, this is the time for the annual New Year's Day resolutions. » Read More

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year it is that we should have a new soul. » Read More

There are few holidays that speak to family memories and traditions more than Christmas. The type of tree, when to put it up, when to take it down, what ancient family ornament goes where, the Christmas morning breakfast, Christmas Day dinner and when to open gifts all are ingrained in our family histories. » Read More

First printed in the New York Sun, Sept. 21, 1897, and written by newsman Francis Pharcellus Church   » Read More

Scientists everywhere are decoding the human genome to see what we’re made of and how we can make ourselves better. I’m no geneticist, but I know a little bit about southerners, and I’ll certify that there is a special part of our DNA that makes us what we really are. We may be talking about just a few genes, but we southerners are programmed in a way that makes our lives much better here in our little part of the world. » Read More

I have always loved Christmas and its traditions; even as I have grown older, I find that really deep in my heart I still believe in Santa Claus and the spirit of the whole season, and I just can't wait until I see the "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" re-runs at this time of year with the grandchildren. » Read More

The season of - well of - Tis the season and shopping is upon us. » Read More

We all make mistakes. » Read More

One of the strengths of any community is that when times are tough, members of that community who are struggling turn to their neighbors who are in better financial shape for help and assistance. » Read More

What started with Shock and Awe eight years ago is ending this week with a whimper. » Read More

 Right about now is when people become really reflective about the year that is soon to end and their hopes and dreams for a new beginning. Indeed, for many of us, despite the cooler temps outside, our internal thoughts are warmed by a holiday glow that gives way to immense thankfulness. » Read More

As we enter the holiday season, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I would also like to ask all our citizens for their continued assistance in making and keeping our community safer. » Read More

Curiosity is up and gone. » Read More

Right about now is when people become really reflective about the year that is soon to end and their hopes and dreams for a new beginning. Indeed, for many of us, despite the cooler temps outside, our internal thoughts are warmed by a holiday glow that gives way to immense thankfulness. » Read More

Dear Editor: The VFW traces its roots back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure earned rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick, and there were no medical care or veterans' pensions available to them and they were simply left to care for themselves. » Read More

The Heritage football team provided the community with plenty of thrills throughout its first-ever region championship season. » Read More

Last week the Obama administration was almost giddy with excitement about the news that the Christmas season shopping seems to be going better than hoped. » Read More

The other day, I met a nice, older couple who had about 200 coupons in their possession, and they were using a good portion of them at the checkout counter. I paid for my few purchases, and when I finished, they were still presenting coupons. I was really impressed with their organizational skills and moxie! They had "couponing" down to a fine art, and this made me wonder: What would happen if coupons were used in all walks of life? » Read More