Opinion & Editorial

The Hartwell Sun

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Opinion: Charles Barr’s story is about defying the odds

Dink NeSmith
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Have you ever wondered, “Why am I here?”   My high school classmate Patty Barr Sutker did.   And her father’s handwritten notes answered that question.   From the day Charles Barr was born in 1915 in New York City, the odds were against him.
When I needed help choosing light fixtures, Alex Howard—wearing an orange apron—walked up. I was surprised that he was Hubert Howard’s great-grandson. And Alex was surprised that I knew so much about his family. Hubert had been my boyhood Sunday school teacher and later my attorney for decades. (Photo submitted by Dink NeSmith)

When I needed help choosing light fixtures, Alex Howard—wearing an orange apron—walked up. I was surprised that he was Hubert Howard’s great-grandson. And Alex was surprised that I knew so much about his family. Hubert had been my boyhood Sunday school teacher and later my attorney for decades. (Photo submitted by Dink NeSmith)

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Opinion: Alex Howard proves ‘It’s a small world after all’

Dink NeSmith
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
“It’s a world of laughter,  A world of tears. It’s a world of hopes, And a world of fears. There’s so much that we share, That it’s time we’re aware. It’s a small world after all.”   —Lyrics by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman   How many times have you heard that tune?
The Hartwell Sun

The Hartwell Sun

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Opinion: Time for new chapter in 570 Prince Ave.’s history

Dink NeSmith
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Oooooooh, no.   That was my initial reaction to the selling of the University of Georgia’s president’s house on Prince Avenue. From 4,100 miles away in Edinburgh, Scotland, I couldn’t believe what I was reading in 2023. The asking price would be an estimated $5 million.
Former CNI Senior Editor Phil Hudgins, whose column can be regularly seen in the pages of The Hartwell Sun, will celebrate his 85th birthday July 23. (Photo Courtesy of Phil Hudgins)

Former CNI Senior Editor Phil Hudgins, whose column can be regularly seen in the pages of The Hartwell Sun, will celebrate his 85th birthday July 23. (Photo Courtesy of Phil Hudgins)

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Opinion: Happy 85th Birthday to Phil Hudgins

News Staff
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Clay Wilson - Guest Columnist   There are some people in life whose kindness, no matter how hard one tries, one can never repay - at least, that’s what I’ve discovered.    One such person is my uncle, Philip Hudgins.
The Hartwell Sun

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Opinion: Genius I.Q. squirrels

News Staff
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Dan Moorhead - Local Columnist   Based solely on my own personal observations and meticulous note taking I believe that somewhere around eighty percent of all the squirrels residing in Hart County call my back yard home.
The Hartwell Sun

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Opinion: Time to get out and scout

News Staff
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Sierra Burke - Local Columnist   As the temperatures seem like they are continuing to rise, and the rain keeps coming, now is the perfect time to get out into your landscapes, gardens, and fields and scout for potential pest and disease problems.