The Cleveland Daily Banner

Our Christmas fades, but need doesn't stop

On Saturday, the day after Christmas, our hometown faced a question that challenges our hearts today just as it did years ago when a beloved Cleveland pastor asked it to any who would listen and to … more

12/27/20

A story of Christmas in a little girl's letter

Color comes in many shades, not just black and white.Answers are matters of interpretation, not just right and wrong.Interests are a question of preference, not a case of one dominant and one … more

12/23/20

Christmas our time to remember others

“The more things change, the more they stay the same” has been a quote in use for over 100 years. With references to many aspects of our lives, it is encouraging to me that this simple quote has … more

D. GARY DAVIS | 12/23/20

Beloved teachers whose legacies fell decades apart

Even with decades of Christmas memories to call upon, and less than five days away from adding to the collection, I’ll admit I’ve been slow to embrace the spirit of … more

RICK NORTON | 12/20/20

'OK Santa Claus, let’s go make a delivery'

It seems people have changed, but mostly our beliefs.Growing up, Christmas was always special and continues to be to this day. Actually, it's my favorite time of the year.We attended Sunday School … more

GARY MATHENY | 12/20/20

ALTHOUGH THE CHRISTMAS SEASON is mostly a time of joy, for some it also brings an opposite emotion. For them, it is a time of sadness ... whether from the loss of a loved one or from having little, or no, family with whom to share the miracle of Christmas and its message of hope. The editorial on this Opinion page of the Cleveland Daily Banner offers a comforting message for those who face this Christmas season alone, or who are missing a beloved family member or friend who has passed into a life where every day is a day just like Christmas.

Our Christmas prayer for those heavy of heart

As the miracle of Christmas approaches, and its joyous expectation grows, we are reminded of the heavy hearts endured today by friends and neighbors among us who have lost loved ones in recent days … more

12/20/20

A loaf of white bread, because it's my birthday

My birthday is right around the corner, and I know exactly what I want — a loaf of white bread.I know, I know. You were probably expecting me to say world … more

BARRY CURRIN | 12/18/20

Enduring this year of lower expectations

It is a year of lower expectations.Every year, there is a chorus of folks urging us to lower our expectations for the holidays — buy less, consume less, worry less about having a picture-perfect … more

CARRIE CLASSON | 12/16/20

Winter preparation now a necessity

As we rapidly approach the end of the year, it has been on my mind that we have not had a white Christmas for quite a few years, if not a decade or more.If we were looking for a year for this to … more

D. GARY DAVIS | 12/16/20

Jobless rollercoaster, vaccines and patience

Whether Bradley County is headed for an unemployment rollercoaster filled with twists and turns, up and downs and topsy-turvy tumbles — blamed almost exclusively on the uncertainties surrounding … more

12/13/20

Analyzing a life of yellow onions and no potatoes

“The grocery store has rows and rows of color, of light, of easy hope. Hannah moves down the aisle, but I stand like a tree rooted firm, my eyes too full of this place, with its answers to prayers … more

RICK NORTON | 12/13/20

Nothing's happening, and that's OK for now

“I’m hunkering down,” Rebecca told me.I know what she means. My friend, Rebecca, just returned from a road trip she made after a lot of careful consideration. First, her mother was sick. Then, … more

CARRIE CLASSON | 12/13/20

Greenway's network of partners growing

As has been discussed before, the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway, which runs along Mouse Creek, has “tributaries,” if you will, that add to the overall experience of having a greenway in our … more

CAMERON FISHER | 12/13/20

Life is too short for cheap cigars

Life has many pleasures. What pleases one doesn’t always please another, making for an interesting world.We hunt, fish, golf, take long drives through the countryside and some even find pleasure in … more

GARY MATHENY | 12/13/20

Animal office mates who make it work

Today I will get Blue again.Blue is the anxious Italian mastiff that I dog-sit on Wednesdays while his owner, Bill, works in the office. The new procedure is that I walk down to Bill’s house, fetch … more

CARRIE CLASSON | 12/11/20

Here's to stuffing your stockings full of coal

“Your a MOROON.”There are a few things one simply cannot do when replying to someone’s social media post.One cannot misspell “moron” when trying to call someone a moron.One cannot misspell … more

BARRY CURRIN | 12/11/20

Partial payment tax sign-up not finished; more coming in 2021

As the debacle called 2020 draws to its merciful close and many Bradley County families continue the struggle to wrest their livelihoods from the grip of COVID-19, a glimmer of hope has arisen for … more

12/9/20

The stomachache, and the life it brings

I get stomachaches. I get them with regularity and always have.“It’s just gas!” my mother says, and of course, she’s right. My mother tells me I get stomachaches because I have the … more

CARRIE CLASSON | 12/9/20

Redefining wonderful 'things' in our lives

With Christmas fast approaching, many across our county are searching for the perfect gift for their loved ones in their family and among their friends. In completing your shopping, I encourage you … more

D. GARY DAVIS | 12/9/20

Surviving the puzzling pieces of a jigsaw world

Standing together in the kitchen on a recent November evening after delivering our customary one-two punch against dirty supper dishes, Love Muffin and I glanced at the … more

RICK NORTON | 12/6/20