Our country finds itself on the threshold of success in our long, hard-fought struggle toward racial tolerance and equality. Barack Obama, a product of a mixed marriage between a caucasian woman and a black man from Africa, won the Democratic caucuses in Iowa. This victory is of significant importance because the overwhelming majority of Iowa's population is caucasian. There are very, very few African-Americans in the entire state. Obama went on to win 13 other states on Super Tuesday. Furthermore, the candidacy of Obama has fueled a tsunami of political excitement among first-time voters — mostly those between the ages of 18 to 25. ...more

February 13, 2008

Mindy Rogers had an unexpected Oprah Winfrey moment Friday - only instead of a new car, she and other area music teachers received free electric guitars. ...more

February 9, 2008

Every runner needs a little inspiration, whether they're getting ready for their first or 50th road race ...more

January 31, 2008

Oprah Winfrey is getting her own TV network. OWN - Oprah Winfrey Network - debuts next year in 70 million homes with cable and satellite in a deal announced Tuesday with Discovery Communications. It replaces Discovery Health network. ...more

January 16, 2008

Questionable Strategy Regarding "Next President Should Pledge Better Way To Field Candidates" (Our Opinion, Jan. 3): ...more

January 4, 2008

Mr. Gulledge had his facts wrong as several letter writers pointed out. Not to gang up on him, but he also offered an opinion that he may wish to reconsider. He opined that Oprah Winfrey endorsed Sen. Obama because both are black. With that line of thinking, her endorsement of Sen. Clinton, likely her second choice, would have been because both are women. ...more

January 1, 2008

We have proof once again of Americans' weird love-hate relationship with politicians. Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush, arguably the most disliked woman and man in America, are also the most admired. ...more

December 30, 2007

In Jim Gulledge's letter in the Dec. 27 Highlands Today, he makes statements that are not true. When Jim suggested that Oprah Winfrey endorsed Barack Obama because he is black says more about Jim than Oprah. Using that logic, Chuck Norris's endorsement of Mike Huckabee is because Mike is white. Someone took a picture of Barack Obama standing without his hand over his heart. This photo is one out of many hundreds (maybe thousands) of pictures taken of him on the campaign trail. When he was asked about it, he said he normally does salute the flag and he does not recall and is not sure why this one time he did not. Jim, with all events where the national anthem is played, that he has attended, and with all who hate Democrats out there, they only found one situation, give me a break. ...more

December 28, 2007

In this age of digital recorders that make it so easy to skip commercials, you would think the 30-second advertisement would be an endangered species. ...more

December 26, 2007

Without appearing to be sacrilegious to you women, I believe that Oprah Winfrey's credibility has taken a significant hit. She is all gung ho for Barack Obama, presumably because he is black. Certainly he has little in the way of experience or the qualities which we need to lead our country. Here is a man who refuses to salute our flag, nor honor our national anthem, yet he has the gall to ask us to elect him as our president. The sad truth is that many unthinking and misguided Americans would probably vote for him, given the chance. My question is, why? Born a Muslin and still a Muslim, he could only bring disharmony to our country, and we have had only too much of that already. ...more

December 22, 2007