Orchids to …
• the compassionate woman in the white SUV who was about to turn right out of McDonald’s, but instead put her vehicle in reverse and parked to help a woman who fell in the parking lot.
• the wonderful carolers from Community Church of Columbus, from Granny.
• Gina and Teena for their help in making the Christmas Cheer Fund a success for Elks Lodge 521 and the many generous members who raised $11,875 and made a happy Christmas for 95 local children, from Bob Miller.
• the kind neighbor who left a nice fruit assortment on my front porch.
• Sheriff Matt Myers for being a true professional in managing the sheriff’s department.
• Sons of I Am gospel group performing at the Christmas Hymn Sing sponsored by Newbern, Hartsville, and Westport United Methodist churches and to all who helped with the holiday refreshments.
• Community Church of Columbus young carolers Monday night because they were very special, from Karen on Regency Drive.
• White Creek Methodist Church Christmas carolers, for making the day for my husband, Jack Haeseley, who said that was the best Christmas present because he felt the presence of the Lord, from Jack’s wife, Rennie.
• Clay Township Volunteer Fire Department for wishing everyone a Merry Christmas on 25th Street.
• Bob and Charlotte Condon for your help this year, and a Merry Christmas from Esther Hedrick.
• Jeff Oakes for helping me fix my water line when my water was accidentally turned off.
• Azalia Elevator for the beautiful star they have on top of their grain bins.
• state lawmakers for realizing we do not need a hate crime law.
• conservatives who realize we’re going to have to curtail spending and build a wall before tax reform will be effective.
• Scott Harris for replacing the handle on my bacon press, from Evelyn Garwood.
• Carolyn Imlay for her thoughtfulness and yummy goodies, from Janet.
• Ron and David for a great job Sunday at East Columbus Christian Church.
• Quick Signs for doing an awesome job on our order, from the Thompsons.
• all the kind people who help senior citizens when they see them out of the house, alone.
• Kevin Butler, the choir, bell ringers, and string quintet at First United Methodist Church for the beautiful musical Sunday.
• Rich Gold for his letter regarding “Our obligation: vigilance and to support Not In Columbus”
Onions to …
• the local coalition for attempting to censor and ignore the rights of free speech and peaceable assembly provided by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
• politicians who have now changed their minds and think that ballooning the already extremely high deficit is a really good idea.
• to those bent on trying to conjure up a “victim” atmosphere in Columbus when the best way to handle such isolated anti-minority groups is to totally ignore them.
• the local elected official who needs to spend more time doing his job and less time whining for more of our tax dollars.
• local politicians who increase our taxes and then create a new arm of government to figure out how to spend “their” money.
• the proposed city “private landlord registration fee ordinance” that will hurt affordable housing in favor of government rentals.
• those who feel a crime against a minority is more important than any other crime.
• anyone who wants to deny space to protestors who have the right to protest just like you do.
• the City of Columbus for wanting to waste money on a riverfront when they need to expand the jail.
• the restaurant that wouldn’t take a hungry senior citizen’s gift card for lunch and then they threw the prepared sandwich in the garbage.
• the federal lawmakers and taxpayers who support the federal tax bill because it pushes more debt to younger generations and possible Social Security and health care cuts.
• the factory that built a new parking lot too far away from the entrance and didn’t provide enough handicapped parking spaces.
Happy Birthday to …
• Matt Lake, from Mom and Dad.
• Dr. Brian Niedbalski from your family and Donna.
• Melody Lambert from Lynn, Jody, Gene, Arvella and Donna.
• Ray Ison from your family and Donna.
• Autumn Knudsen Aubun.
• Bertha Sneed.
• Nelda Haislup.
• Julie Matlock from Mom and Dad.
Belated Happy Birthday to …
• Heather Crull.
• Dennis Mize.
• Zane Sanders.
• Kathy Robertson.
• Edith Titus.
• Zach Sims.
• Maxwell Miller.
• Nathan Griffin.
• Debbie Lopez Boren.
Happy Anniversary to …
• Arley Arnold on No. 10, from Shawn.
