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Jun 1, 2010

Hometown News

So, I am home now for the next 3 weeks helping my Mom recuperate from hip replacement surgery. She had surgery 3 weeks ago and is doing absolutely fantastic. Determined not to miss doing her exercises, I now have yet another reason to add to a long list of reasons I admire her and call her my hero. My husband and I have both been blessed by strong maternal figures who have set the best examples I can think of.

I grew up in a small town with a population of 6,000, and thirty years later it's smaller still. While businesses have come and gone and our classmates have become grandparents, some things have never changed - mainly the same churches are on nearly every corner and the local clubs (American Legion, VFW, Elks, etc) are the primary forms of entertainment. Those clubs were around long before our county voted to allow the sale of alcohol when I was in high school.

Our local paper along with the local radio station has always been the main source of information. Not much more than a gossip rag, it has employed our city's finest journalists and been the butt of many jokes over the years. I can't think of a single issue that couldn't provide fodder for Jay Leno. Here's a recent story:

Famous White Squirrel Dies

A white squirrel famous for the past two decades in a neighborhood east of Fairfield has died.

Charles and Betty _____ , who with their neighbors have enjoyed watching the squirrel for about 20 years, report that the neighborhood has missed seeing him lately.

Unfortunately, the ______ found while cleaning their pool that the squirrel had drowned.

9 Passengers in the Car:

Brian Miller said...

aw, poor squirel...i grew up in a smal town as well...its grown up...but the barber shop is still where all the news is stored. have a great trip! hope and healing to your mom...

Magpie said...

Come on, Trace. You know the paper is just waiting for them to deliver their Pulitzer or whatever newspapers win for nitty gritty, in-depth, gut wrenching reporting.
I love Tom Matthews' column. I think I went to school with him.

Life Is A Road Trip said...

Oh and P.S. this was on the FRONT PAGE.

Cathi said...

That is funny. I used to live in a town of 300 people, and the paper was just like that too! xxoo :)

Cousin Kathy said...

HAHA! Listen, you just cannot beat the Wayne County Press for never-ending entertainment. As a matter of fact, you just reminded me that I've been meaning to subscribe so I get it up here where I live now. Too bad Kindle isn't publishing this! I know it would be a hit!

Mike said...

I actually grew up in a small town in NJ. It has not changed at all in 30 years. It is frozen in time! LOL

Kathy said...

No matter where they are these teeny towns have so many similarities. My town is about 800people, down from 1800 when I was growing up. One of my cousins married the town rich kid (of course that was 54 years ago) and she now owns the paper. The big news there is what's happening at the nursing home. My mom got mad at her aboutr something and canceled her subscription. Now when I go visit I have to actually go to the nursing home to get the news!

Relyn Lawson said...

Is it bad that I am laughing? Is it terrible that I am snorting I am laughing so hard?

Anonymous said...

Your little town is THREE TIMES the size of the one I grew up in. We didn't even HAVE a white squirrel, why would one want to come THERE?


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