How do our leaders make tough decisions?

The higher up you are in government, the tougher the crisis management job. Mayor’s and county officials must make local decisions, like closing certain roads and how much to invest in emergency medical services.

Shelter-in-place isn't sustainable

Over the past two weeks, Gov. Roy Cooper and local officials have imposed a regulatory regime of increasing severity on North Carolinians.

'A volcano is erupting!'

April 1 … clear wonderful morning … members of the world dilemma think tank down at the Mule Barn coffee shop looked around. “Anyone seen Dud this morning?” “Not me. Haven’t seen Herb, either, come to think of it.” “Hey, that’s right,” Steve said.

Profiteering from a crisis, Senator? Then resign.

Profiteering from a crisis is nothing new. Running around Tennessee and Kentucky to buy up bottles of hand sanitizer from rural stores – before people panicked and then put them up on Amazon for a large profit – might just be labeled as entrepreneurial behavior, or it could be labeled price-gouging.

'United we stand, divided we fall'

While speaking on the phone with the head of a local government department the other way, words were uttered that hit me like a slap to the face. “I’ve never lived through anything like this,” said the voice on the other end of the line.

Fear can be bad for your well-being

Our environment today seems to be living in unnecessary fear. Consequently, people do panic by buying or hoarding the supplies of hand sanitizers, toilet papers, spray disinfectants and any other items they can think of.

‘Fishing will be great after the flood subsides’

Having been held captive in my own home for several days, I needed to talk to someone positive, someone funny, someone off-the-wall.  Somebody like Ulysses Everett McGill, the escaped prisoner George Clooney played in the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou.”  Or maybe Forrest Gump.

Wine or Welch's: which do you prefer?

Years ago, I asked a neighborhood minister – Father Taylor – if I could receive Holy Communion at his church.  I was not a member of the church’s denomination and knew some churches have “closed” communion.

Reflections on the celebration of Easter

The word Easter comes from the word “east” which, in addition to being a direction, means to face the rising sun. Christ is expected to appear in the east at his second coming. Easter is described as that event or season that commemorates the Christ’s resurrection.