I know this is a little late, but as they say, “better late than never!” I am Chris Zimmerman, the new publisher of the Leader-Call. I have been here a little over four weeks, and from what I can see I am going to like Laurel very much. I have been in the newspaper business for 21 years. I was publisher in Coffeyville, Kan., and then general manager in McDonough, Ga. This opportunity became available, so Bill and I came to visit, and here we are.
We found a nice house to rent, and for two weeks lived in it with only an air mattress to sleep on, a 21-inch TV, and two lawn chairs! If anybody has ever slept on an air mattress you can sympathize with me. Not only do they get really really cold on a hard wood floor, but when you are my age, getting up out of them is not an easy chore. The only thing that kept my mind off of the cold mattress was the fact that when I woke up I was concentrating on just turning over and going right back to sleep to avoid trying to get up out of it!
We finally got all of our things moved here, most of them in one piece. Dealing with movers is quite the adventure. When they begin to load up all of your things they are so careful. That’s probably because you are watching them like a hawk. You watch your things leave thinking that when they get to where they are to unload they will be just as careful. I don’t know if it is because they get their money before they unload or they are just glad to get rid of your stuff, but being careful isn’t at the top of their mind by then. I think they have it worked out where one of you is distracted checking boxes and one is trying to tell them where to put things so they can just fling your belongings anywhere. All in all our move was fairly smooth — just a few broken dishes and a few nicks in the furniture. I’m just glad to be here and have something to sit and sleep on.
My door will always be open to anyone who wishes to pop in and say hi or to voice an opinion about something the Leader-Call has done or hasn’t done. You can drop me a line in the mail as well or e-mail me. I enjoy hearing what our readers think. The only thing I ask is that you include your name so that I can respond to you.
I look forward to getting settled in Laurel, and getting to know everybody. I hope to try and write a weekly column, so that you can get to know me a little better. I have an adorable 18-month-old grandson, and, believe me, you will get to know all about him.
Columns
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Excited to be here
- Columns
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319 Days and counting!!
Break out the credit cards and the doughnuts! Charge up to your hearts desire and eat whatever you want, don’t worry about carrying around those extra forty pounds because according to a growing population of scientists, quacks, researchers, religious dudes and guru’s the world is going to end in 2012.
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Boundaries
Just as each of us has a need for physical safety, we also have a need for emotional or psychological safety. Boundaries is the term we use to define what helps us feel safe and comfortable in relationships. We have all had the experience of feeling like another person was closer to us physically than was comfortable. So too it is important to define for yourself how close you want to be with others emotionally. Naturally, this varies with who the other person is.
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Building is only one part of expansion at LRMA
On January 25, the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art held a ground-breaking ceremony for a $5 million project that includes a 5,425-square foot addition and substantial increases to the Museum’s endowment fund.
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Is now the time to refinance?
Mortgages are cheaper than ever. Economists and real estate analysts who predicted lower interest rates were not disappointed; the earliest numbers from 2012 have reached an all-time low, leading a number of homeowners to consider their options.
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Eyes on the U.S. Economy
What a great weekend! The weather was just right for getting outside and practicing your favorite hobby or just “piddlin” around. I even went over to Gardner Park and threw the pigskin with my buddies, Ben and Jasper. Mallorie’s folks made it over to Laurel Saturday afternoon and we fired up the grill. We dined on steaks, chops, red fish and all the fixin’s – thank you Mike!
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Travel Technology
After leaving the Trapani Salt Flats on the western coast of Sicily on a late November afternoon, I maneuvered our vehicle down yet another remote, unmarked dirt road and passed dozens of vacant houses. No one was on the streets. It had been 10 minutes since we had seen another car. Sunlight was at a minimum. We had been warned several times about remote areas of Sicily.
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Going Paperless — Priceless!
For months, a large retailer emailed me twice a day, begging me to switch from paper billing to online billing. If only I would go paperless, my hair would grow back rich and thick, my sciatica would go away, my plantar fasciitis would heal itself, my cats would stop shedding, and my chance of heavenly reward would rise. OK, fine. I’ll sign up, just please stop sending me your stupid emails.
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Obama’s Racial Politics
There’s been a heap of criticism placed upon President Barack Obama’s domestic policies that have promoted government intrusion and prolonged our fiscal crisis and his foreign policies that have emboldened our enemies. Any criticism of Obama pales in comparison with what might be said about the American people who voted him in to the nation’s highest office.
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Pain to Blessing
My sister, Janie, is having surgery soon. Mom is going out to Colorado to help her through the recuperation. Dad and I can help by sending Mom who is a pro at caring for her girls. Mom will be sure Janie has everything she needs and will help her do what she cannot do for herself. Janie is not looking forward to the pain of surgery, but she is looking forward to feeling better.
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What really happened to the Gingrich case?
The Romney campaign has been hitting Newt Gingrich hard over the 1990s ethics case that resulted in the former speaker being reprimanded and paying a $300,000 penalty. Romney mentions it often, and his campaign made the ethics case the focus of the most widely viewed attack ad of the Florida primary.
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