January 2024

First National Bank of Lawrence County gives to Williams Baptist University

Williams Baptist University has announced a generous donation of $7,500 from the First National Bank of Lawrence County, dedicated to fortifying the Williams Works program. The check was ceremoniously presented to Dr. Stan Norman, President of WBU, by Sonja Adkisson, Vice President of Data Processing & Assistant Cashier Entering its fourth year, the Williams Works program continues to play a pivotal role in supporting students on their educational journey. Currently assisting over 90 students, the program has experienced remarkable growth and has fostered collaborations with entities such as Bosch Tools, WatersEdge Church Accounting, and Lawrence Health. These partnerships serve as workstations, offering students invaluable practical experience.

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Life is a Journey

Everyone was so excited to be going to the beach; celebrating New Year’s there would be a first for us. However, no one was excited to be leaving at 5:00 AM on Friday. The one most feared to be late was a bit early, and we were all loaded up when the others arrived at our house. I had the car all warmed up, and we left at 5:20. We grabbed breakfast just outside of Memphis at a McDonald’s, taking turns to go in as the baby was sleeping soundly. We had a plan to make it to Mobile to have lunch at Wintzell’s Oyster House, famous for its raw oysters, and of course, the brightly painted signs with funny quips and quotes all over the walls. We arrived in their parking lot before anyone had perished away. It was well worth the wait as usual. The bread pudding was just as the waitress had said, divine! We talked about one at home and how she loves bread pudding, always ordering it when it is on the menu during our travels! Yes, we, of course, were all stuffed as we left. Sweet Thing took the wheel, driving us through the underwater tunnel and the rest of the way to our condo. We were all unpacked when the others had finally arrived. Of course, I was already tucked into bed; my new bedtime is 7:30—hey, I heard that! But I get up and start my day extremely early.

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Around the Kitchen Table with Nanny

Such a cold day, so I hope everyone is staying warm. I think the whole country has turned into a deep freeze. A friend of mine told me about trying out a new recipe, and it didn’t turn out. Come to find out, she made some changes to the original and then wondered why it was not good. I remembered seeing something in an old cookbook about substitutions, so I thought I would share it with you.

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From the Humane Society….

I essentially stopped tuning in to national TV news some time ago; it’s all horrendous. Almost every day, I’ll take a quick look at internet news to see if the world is still revolving. Every single day, there are multiple reports of acts of animal cruelty from all parts of the U.S. and occasionally the UK and Australia too. I won’t elaborate on these acts as I don’t want to encourage “copycat” behavior. Many of them are horrendous and unconscionable, beyond how “normal” human beings would act. What possesses anyone to behave this way? Indeed, some of the terrible behavior can only be characterized as “demonic.” Here are some thoughts about the causes:

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Just Jana

I asked Mike to send me a text to remind me of a couple of things. I don’t remember that last part...

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Speaking French

with John Allen French, Star Herald Editor As winter’s cold embrace covers the ground, we find ourselves directing through a world of snowflakes, gusts of wind and low temperatures. While the joy of winter may not be as fascinating as it was in our childhood, memories of sitting by the TV, eagerly watching for school closures on channel 8, bring a sense of nostalgia.

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Futrell announces his candidacy for mayor

Pocahontas Mayor Keith Futrell has officially declared his candidacy for mayor of Pocahontas for the upcoming May election. This decision comes in the wake of the passing of Mayor Keith Sutton in Dec. Following Mayor Sutton’s recommendation, the city council appointed Futrell as vice-mayor, and in a special meeting on Dec. 29, the council voted to designate Futrell as the acting mayor.

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