The Chatham News + Record

Our position on Russia’s war on Ukraine needs to be clarified

Wars are easy to start — like striking a match. As the fire spreads, it’s harder to keep under control and then very difficult to stop without a clear conclusion. That’s where Russia is … more

BY BOB PEARSON, Guest Columnist | 4/20/22

The heartbreak of saying goodbye

Fishing, farming and forestry have historic foundations in our state. We also have a history of migration, moving from easternmost to increasingly westward locations. Small towns sprang up as … more

BY TOM CAMPBELL, Columnist | 4/20/22

The right directions

As a pastor, I often go to the hospital. Not that ministry is bad for my health! I visit church members and their loved ones to offer my support. As most of my parishioners live in northern Chatham … more

BY ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN, Columnist | 4/20/22

North Carolina is bouncing back

Most states have still failed to recover the jobs lost during the depths of the COVID crisis in 2020. North Carolina is not, however, one of those states. From February 2020 to February 2022, we … more

BY JOHN HOOD, Columnist | 4/20/22

Crawdads again

A book is going to put North Carolina in the news. Again. The book, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” is set in North Carolina. And so is the upcoming movie based on the book. There is a … more

BY D.G. MARTIN, Columnist | 4/20/22

The Dos and Don’ts of Scotland, according to a one-time visitor

The third time really is the charm. After two COVID postponements, my sister and her husband finally celebrated their marriage in Edinburgh’s Signet Library with a wonderful night of dancing, … more

BY VICTORIA JOHNSON, News + Record Staff | 4/13/22

Flapping our wings

Especially this week, Christians remember the execution of an innocent Galilean peasant that was ordered by brutal rulers some 2,000 years ago. I think of the spiritual, “Were You There (When They … more

BY ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN, Columnist | 4/13/22

Today’s ‘Boys of Summer’ missing key part of game

So far this year I’m having trouble with baseball. Not the game itself. Some of the folks playing it ... and the way they’re playing. And by that, I don’t mean their skill but rather … more

BY BOB WACHS, Columnist | 4/13/22

At Easter, we remember Jesus — who died ‘so others may live!’

Long ago, before I was a pastor, I served six years in the Air Force. I stood at attention one day at basic training, covered in equal parts of anxiety and sweat. The instructor was a pararescue … more

BY JOSHUA PEELER, Guest Columnist | 4/13/22

Stay the course on tax reform

Over the past decade, North Carolina’s tax code has undergone a dramatic transformation. Once rated by the Tax Foundation as having one of the nation’s worst business tax climates, our state now … more

BY JOHN HOOD, Columnist | 4/13/22

’Preciate it!

Who was Andy Griffith, really? Today, almost 55 years after the last production of “The Andy Griffith Show” and 10 years after his death, people all over the world still tune into that … more

BY D.G. MARTIN, Columnist | 4/13/22

Some dates take on really special meaning

Lately, I’ve started paying more attention to dates. Not the kind you eat and not the kind you go on with your sweet patootie. Instead, those that come on calendars once yearly, which makes … more

BY BOB WACHS, Columnist | 4/6/22

When good news finds you

It is terribly easy to find tragic news stories. Just open the paper, turn on the news, check the internet. To find good news, you might have to search like an investigative reporter. Margaret … more

BY ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN, Columnist | 4/6/22

Conservatives see freedom as progress

Although the definition and priorities of American conservatism have been the subject of much debate among the chattering classes in recent years, most actual American conservatives will readily tell … more

BY JOHN HOOD, Columnist | 4/6/22

Children paying the price for partisan arguments

Once again, we see that justice is not blind in North Carolina; it is tainted by partisanship. If it please the court or, more importantly you, let me argue my case. Since 1994 — 28 years — … more

BY TOM CAMPBELL, Columnist | 4/6/22

Who is our best-known?

Who is the best-known living North Carolinian today? Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski? Legendary basketball star Michael Jordan? Gov. Roy Cooper? Activist Rev. William Barber? Senators Thom … more

BY D.G. MARTIN, Columnist | 4/6/22

‘They’ say there’s something to this lion and lamb stuff

As you and I go through life we meet all sorts of folks — family members when we get old enough to know who they are, childhood friends, school mates, co-workers, new family members such as a mate … more

BY BOB WACHS, Columnist | 3/30/22

Just roll with it

My family went to the beach for our kids’ spring break. The same little island where my wife has vacationed her entire life, with its roller-skating rink that predates her by another 30 years. The … more

BY ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN, Columnist | 3/30/22

My week as a kitchen bachelor featured no take-out — and just one casualty

Many men I know fancy themselves as good cooks. Tossing a nice steak or a few finely-seasoned burgers over some charcoal is enough, I suppose, to qualify you for a “Grill Sergeant” t-shirt or a … more

BY BILL HORNER III, Publisher | 3/30/22

We need more housing options

As post-COVID shifts in work arrangements and living preferences continue to motivate many Americans to relocate, North Carolina will continue to be a popular destination. Indeed, we can attract even … more

BY JOHN HOOD, Columnist | 3/30/22