… Pernelle Shaw: ‘You can’t ask for much more’

As a public relations specialist for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, I read articles about nurse anesthetists/nurse anesthesia each day. I wasn’t expecting to come across a story as beautiful and motivating as Mrs. Taggert’s. She is a living testimony and her life is a gift to others.

— Armentia Snyder

Pernelle Shaw is my aunt and a a great inspiraton to my wonderful famliy we love her dearly.After my mother pass she was like a mother to me.

— Cathy Cowan Alexander

Your life story is a life well lived and would make a wonderful movie for all to see. God Bless You and I wish you and your friend many more years.

— John Robinson

… ‘Miracle’ on Overhill Road

THIS is the kind of story we like to see!! Thank you for taking in those kittens! And so glad they were taken to West Innes Animal Hospital! Those folks are the best!

— Carol Carpenter

There are still good people in the world.

— Gail Huneycutt

… Holt found his calling in bringing history to life

Mr. Holt was one of only a handful of teachers who truely provoked thought rather than demand regurgitation of answers from text. in hindsight, I wish I had taken more of his classes. only by looking into the past can you see the future…

— David Kruk Jr.

He was awesome! If it wasn’t for him I woulda hated history! He was truly the best teacher I ever had! Now if he coulda only taught math

— Kesha Gregory

Mr. Holt was hands down my favorite teacher, I already loved history when I met him but his enthusiasm made me understand and love it that much more. Thank you Terry every other teacher I had was a distant second to you.

— Mark McCulloh

… Senate committee passes bill allowing marriage license recusal

So if the Register of Deeds or Magistrate decides the marrying of a Jewish couple or interracial couple is against their “religion”, are we ok with that ? That’s what I thought…

— Shannon Bradshaw

We need less government in our lives, not more.

This is total posturing. Senator Brock already knows the Supreme Court will rule in favor of gay marriage, but this allows it to appear that he is trying to “defend traditional families” to the very end.

— Roy Bentley

Recusal is refusing to do your job. Allowing that goes beyond reasonable accommodation of religious belief.

I guarantee that, where I work, anyone would be fired for refusing to serve a couple because they are same-sex/interracial/mixed-religion/tattooed, or whatever.

— Luke Hamaty

To me, this is crazy on so many levels; however, our Sen. Andrew Brock voted for it, heck he even co-sponsored it.

— John Blair

Finally, a bill Christians can live with. No one should lose their job for religious beliefs. I won’t judge anyone for their beliefs; neither should I or anyone else, have to act in a way that my Bible tells me is against the teaching of God.

— Edie Edie

Thank God someone still is trying to stand up for us.

— Debbie Austin

… 25 years         of love

Great article! Frances is a wonderful teacher!

— Joan Leatherman

My 3 year old loves her days in Mrs. Edwards class. She especially likes that Mrs Edwards is so brave, and lets them paint almost daily. Wonderful program, wonderful church, and we are so very happy to be a part of both.

— Allison Lackey-Lineberry

There is no doubt in my mind that she is a “5-star” teacher. Congrats, Frances, on 25 years of love and dedication for a job well done!

— Doris Ruffner

Great article, Frances. I know you are a wonderful preschool teacher.

— Wanda Smith

… Bakery bringing sweet treats to downtown

Awesome to have another bakery giving it a go. If it’s in your repertoire, artisan breads and short breads are sorely lacking in the area.

— Becky Sabo

Very excited about the new business, being a bakery just makes it even nicer. Downtown Salisbury could be such a nice little walking town if businesses would just use the existing buildings instead of building new.

— Vicky Martin

There is already a bakery in downtown Salisbury. Firehouse Sweets is located at 207 S. Main St. She has excellent cakes and cupcakes that will make your tongue slap your brains out. (Yes that is a good thing).

— Dusty Tanner

…. Leonard Pitts: Jon Stewart is why I’m not crazy

Thank you, Leonard, for your thoughts regarding Jon Stewart. Ditto.

For years I had been a nightly viewer of PBS Newshour until the war in Iraq when at the end of each program, they honored the confirmed dead; photograph, name, age, rank, hometown, branch of service.

Having come of age during the lies of the Vietnam War I found myself in tears every night and so depressed until I moved out of my home to a cabin without a daily newspaper, running water, television or the internet, and a wood burning stove. What’s real? Fire, food and water. I couldn’t take it anymore and needed to disconnect for a while.

Then, when I came back to civilization and discovered Jon Stewart (and Stephen Colbert) the same way you did, somebody told me about him. Since then, Jon has prevented me from tearing my hair out and my hero, the Cronkite of this age.

— Roseanne Davis

Although I don’t always agree with Jon Stewart, he consistently engages in informed, reasoned debate with the mainstream news, and this is what has kept me watching over the years.

— Cathy Mahaffey

Amen. Same experience. It might be ironic that he could sustain his integrity because he was on Comedy Central, rather than a larger network.

— Jay Wright

First, as noted recently by the New York Times, WMDs were found in Iraq. Of course, Pitts would argue that these were “old” WMDs. However, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, Saddam Hussein was required to destroy all of his WMDs. If he failed to do that, isn’t it likely that he also failed to destroy newer WMDs as well? …

As far as the after-the-fact rationale, the Bush administration cited several rationales before the invasion. Freeing the Iraqi people was a major rationale cited prior to the invasion. Pitts may have forgotten that the operation was called Operation Iraqi FREEDOM.

— Kevin Groenhagen