There have been monumental budget battles in Washington and Montgomery this year. The big difference is that the State of Alabama has a constitutional requirement that we have a balanced budget. We cannot spend more than we can take in. Unfortunately, the United States does not have the same constitutional provision. To his credit, our…

(WEDOWEE) Graveside services for Edwin Jack St. John, 77, of Wedowee will be Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015, at 3 P.M. CDT at Sunrise Cemetery, Douglasville, Ga., with Bro. J.L. Sparks and Bro. Ron Bradshaw officiating. Mr. St. John died Tuesday, Oct. 20, at his home. A Walker County native, Mr. St. John was born Oct.…

(WOODLAND) Funeral services for Inez Hanner McManus, 89, of Woodland will be Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, at 2 p.m. at East Napoleon Church of Christ with Bro. Lee Messer and Bro. Billy Prince Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mrs. McManus died Tuesday, Oct. 20, at her home. A Randolph County native,…

(BALL GROUND, Ga.) Funeral services for Scott Edward Knoll, 31, of Ball Ground, Ga., will be Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, at 6 p.m. EDT at Striffler-Hamby Funeral Home in Phenix City with the Rev. Ralph Barrow officiating. Mr. Knoll died Monday, Oct. 19, at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. Mr. Knoll was born Nov. 22, 1983,…

(WEDOWEE) Funeral services for Marty Lynn Starkey, 72, of Wedowee will be Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church with the Revs. Corky Addison and Ricky Emery officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Starkey died Monday, Oct. 19, at East Alabama Medical Center. An Indianapolis, Ind., native,…

(ROANOKE) Funeral services for Sarah Faye Knight, 79, of Roanoke will be Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, at noon at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Tim Whaley officiating. Burial will follow at Forrester’s Chapel Cemetery, Wadley. Mrs. Knight passed away on Thursday, October 15, 2015, at Regional Medical Center. A Randolph County native, Mrs. Knight…

(ROANOKE) Funeral services for Terry Lee Shelnutt, 68, of Roanoke, will be Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with Bro. Edward Herren officiating. Burial will follow at Taylor’s Crossroads Church of Christ Cemetery. Mr. Shelnutt passed away Thursday, Oct. 14, at Regional Rehabilitation Hospital in Phenix City. A lifelong resident…

(WOODLAND) Funeral services for Tony Ray McCain, 67, of Woodland will be Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015, a 2 p.m. at Benefield Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Anthony Herren officiating. Burial will follow at Cavers Grove Christian Cemetery, Wedowee. Mr. McCain died Friday, Oct. 16, at Lineville Assisted Living. A Randolph County native, Mr. McCain was…

(LaGRANGE, Ga.) Funeral services for Marcelle W. Fincher, 97, of LaGrange, Ga., will be Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015, at 2 p.m. CDT at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Lee Moore officiating. Burial will follow at Liberty Grove Congregational Methodist Church. Mrs. Fincher died Friday, Oct. 16, at LaGrange Health and Rehab. A longtime LaGrange…

(DELTA) Funeral services for Sanford Smith, 85, of Delta will be Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015, at 3 p.m. at Center West Baptist Church with the Rev. Mark Williams officiating. Burial with military honors and Masonic rites will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Smith died Thursday, Oct. 15, at Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans…

(NEWELL) Funeral services for Donald M. “Donnie” Stillwell, 72, of Newell will be Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Union Baptist Church with the Rev. Ed Halsey officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Stillwell died Thursday, Oct. 15, at East Alabama Medical Center. A Randolph County native, Mr. Stillwell was…

(ROANOKE) Funeral services for Billie Ray Nobbley, 76, of Roanoke will be Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, at 3:30 p.m. at Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with the Revs. Frank Korb and Scott Whaley officiating. Burial will follow at Randolph Memory Gardens with full military honors. Mr. Nobbley died Thursday, Oct. 15, at East Alabama Medical Center. A…

(GAFFNEY, S.C.) Virginia McSwain McDaniel, 70, of Gaffney, S.C., died Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, at Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home. Born in Gaffney, she was the wife of Ferman McDaniel and daughter of the late Walter Cleve McSwain and Lula Waddell McSwain. Mrs. McDaniel was previously employed by Fiber Industries, a homemaker and member of Midway…

(ASHLAND) Funeral services for Hughdy Lee Henry, 58, of Ashland will be Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Benefield Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Lamar Rollins officiating. Burial will follow at Clay County Memory Gardens. Mr. Henry died Sunday, Oct. 11. A Cleburne County native, Mr. Henry was born April 23, 1957, the…

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Lyme disease has been diagnosed in seven Alabama counties. Randolph is not currently among them, but we sit squarely between two of them: Chambers and Calhoun. It is important that we be aware of the symtoms and take action to lessen the chance we contract this…

I have never been a “cat person.” Cat people, of whom there are many, take delight in what they consider to be the positive traits exhibited by the domestic feline.  They speak of intelligence, companionship, independence, and a whole host of wonderful characteristics some folks find admirable. One of them even claimed that she had…

Many of you liked last week’s column detailing our senior senator Richard Shelby’s ascent to the U.S. Senate in 1986. Sen. Shelby has represented us in the U.S. Senate admirably for close to three decades now. He has no plans to retire any time soon. Shelby will tell you straight away that he is running…