Opinion

As we move closer to Thanksgiving, many people’s thoughts turn toward family gatherings and sharing the things we are most thankful for. When I think of November, I think of the two major holidays, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving; but something else also falls in the month of November — National Family Caregivers Month.

While attending the Cassville football game versus Monett a few weeks ago, my nephew Silas asked, “When was the first time Cassville played Monett?” This seems to be a perfectly reasonable question to ask someone labeled a historian sitting right next to you. However, I told him I’d have to get back with him, as I didn’t have the information at the top of my head.

Last Thursday, I went to see The Show in its 30th year, and through all the lights, sounds, and even Drake Thomas’ snakeskin emerald green suit, my fish eye couldn’t stay off Jim Craig. There are lots of legends about Jim. He once played a trombone note so loud Flat Creek ran backward. A few years back, his sunglasses caused a solar eclipse. We have reports today his backup vocals are still echoing down at Campbell Point. It was a treat to see the man in action. If Jim’s energy is any indication, his replacement for the last number, middle school band member Jacob Hudson, should have a few legends of his own soon!

Autumn is falling away as fast as the leaves on our trees, and with the change in weather will come a change in sports seasons. I’ve been covering high school and collegiate football for 15 seasons now, starting in 2009 stringing for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to this Friday, and hopefully more this year, now as publisher of the Cassville Democrat.

We witness the last Halloween Jack-o’-lanterns flicker out and it’s as though a switch flips and suddenly the holiday season is upon us. It’s the time of year when stores transform overnight.

I love the Fall season in so many ways and for so many reasons. This has been a consistent theme for me.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” That it what we read in James 1:27 in the New Testament. This text is a great reminder to us of an important biblical truth: healthy faith results in actions that reflect the character of God.

I have never personally been affected by a breast cancer diagnosis; not my mother, grandmothers, or my aunts. Something I had always heard was that breast cancer is genetic, but according to the National Breast Cancer Society, only about 10 percent of breast cancer diagnosis come with a family history.

Prep sports teams have an ebb and flow, and dynasties are exceedingly rare — unless you live in Lamar. Each sports season, schools typically see varying degrees of success.

Hunting season was open on Friday against the Cubs of Monett, and the Cassville High School student section was taking no prisoners at Friday’s Barry County Brawl. From start to finish, these rabid fans sang, danced, cheered and chanted. They broke out all the classic chants, like “You can’t do that” and “Na, na, na, na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye.” A new one has snuck in this year about playing good “D” — makes me chuckle but is absolutely borderline out of line. I think we need a fishthemed chant for the playoffs; something like, “We will, we will, flop you!” That may need some work. Can someone get Danny Roper on the job?