• It seems nearly impossible to fathom that someone as brilliant and funny as Robin Williams could be so tortured emotionally that he takes himself out of the human race. Yet, last week, one by one, each of us across the whole globe, fixed our attention on the sad news of this beloved actor’s suicide. Sometimes, a blip of news in the vast sea of information we are bombarded with daily, seems to slap us so hard in the face that we can almost hear the collective groan rippling through space and time. Then we all try our best to reckon with reality. And what a devastating reality Robin Williams’ death reveals - that someone who, by his very nature, brought

    Aug 26,
  • It's a classic tale. In 2005, after a career that included 24 years in coaching, teaching, and administration at Poplar Bluff High School, Bill Ray was packing it in for good at Camdenton when a unique prospect came his way. Soon enough, the newly-minted retiree became the area rep for Fellowship of Christian Athletes programs in a whopping 16 counties throughout Southeast Missouri. He recently spoke to me of an upcoming FCA event called Fields of Faith, to be held locally for the first time on October 8 from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at Fred Morrow Stadium (Poplar Bluff Varsity Football Field).

    Sep 30,
  • “Americans like fat books and thin women.” --Attributed to Pulitzer Prize-winning essayist Russell Baker Frankly, I was not aware that we were all that big on books. But that last bit sounds about right. Which is why it was very cool chatting with a Poplar Bluff acquaintance who apparently never got the memo.

    Sep 22,
  • In ambling about the ’Net for my recent pieces on actress Lily Tomlin, I came across a most fascinating tidbit of information related to her formative years. Tomlin is a graduate of Detroit’s Cass Technical High School---where, she quips, she wound up becoming “the best white cheerleader” in the entire city!

    Sep 19,
  • Stacey Million, Executive Director of the Poplar Bluff-based Claudia Foundation (www.claudiafoundation.org), is seeing to a host of administrative details as Friday evening’s Lily Tomlin fundraiser for the Foundation draws near. “People are really excited about the show,” she says. “[Ms. Tomlin’s] doing her one-woman, 90-minute show that has sold out across the country.”

    Sep 18,

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