Longfellow’s Christmas poem finds hope in despair

Tucked among the Christmas songs of many hymnals is a little-sung carol by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The song is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Longfellow wrote the poem that provides the lyrics on Christmas Day in 1863. If his words seem almost despairing, a little background will help us understand Longfellow’s somber tone.

Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Cranberries!

Holidays are time to take advantage of very tangy cranberry for more than just cranberry sauce. Cranberries are terrific in any form, raw, sweetened or dried. They are not only packed with flavor but as healthy foods go, they are at the top of the list due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content.

John Hood: On becoming a Political Advertiser

It’s not personal, it’s just business — or so Facebook assures me.

On this matter, I’m inclined to believe the company (now called Meta by its CEO and nearly a dozen other human beings). That doesn’t make my latest encounter with the social-media giant any less frustrating, however. I just spent many days jumping through its authorization hoops so I could run political ads on a Facebook page I manage. And even after finishing the process, I still had my ad rejected and had to appeal the decision multiple times.

N.C. Pesticide Board announces recent case settlements

The N.C. Pesticide Board recently approved the following 35 settlement agreements for the following counties, plus Richmond, Va.: Bladen, Burke, Caldwell, Chatham, Columbus, Craven, Harnett, Henderson, Iredell, Lenoir, Mecklenburg, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Rutherford, Sampson, Surry, Union, Vance, Wake, Wayne and Yadkin.

Jason McKnight: On Christmas Carols & Hope

Everyone has a favorite Christmas Carol. My grandmother, who has seen 101 Christmases, loves Silent Night. It fits her personality: warm, inviting, hospitable. What’s yours? And while we’re at it, why are Christmas Carols so well-loved? What is it about this collection of Hymns and Songs that mean so much to so many?