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Opinion
Taking a stand for freedom of speech
Early last week, my wife and I were at home watching a movie when I got a text from my aunt (who lives in Asheville) asking if I went to the Liberty High graduation. The question threw me off. Thinking someone she knew had seen me there, I responded with a prompt “Yes.” Her reply was even more perplexing. She said, “Way to go Valedictorian!” I sat confused. I had to replay the graduation over in my mind, trying to figure out what the Va...
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Following the questions to an answer on energy needs
As so often happens in the media business, one question leads to a dozen more. The answers have been surprising in their revelations of the potential for challenge, opportunity and transformation in the way we obtain and use energy. Near the top revelation recently for me is the possibility – even the testing — of electric-hybrid Dodge Ram 1500 trucks. In general, the subject matter surrounds Duke Energy’s efforts to improve efficiency ...
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Investing in education for a path to sustainability
Environmental issues may – oddly to some – be one of those ways in which conservatives and liberals can come together on common ground. Duke Energy advertisements recently inspired these thoughts. Duke has, for a long time, been running ads urging us to turn off lights when we aren’t using them. Recently they have offered to pick up your old refrigerator and buy a new one – “which may be up to three times more efficient than the old one.” ...
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Explaining why about middle school decision
To the editor: When the building program was passed in 2006, the plan was to have one middle school in Easley (Brice Middle). That school was initially allocated $18.1 for its renovation. As the building plan grew, the budget for that school grew to $20.9 million. In October 2010 a second middle school (Gettys Middle) was added to the program and the total budget for the two schools was $26.2 million. Due to various reasons (saving the 1939...
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When enough is enough
The school board made the right call last week. Two middle schools in Easley sound like a good idea, but ignoring numbers and moving forward with a plan just because you want something is not intelligent. For those that may not know, the district opted to terminate its contract to renovate Gettys Middle, which has remained nearly untouched since the 1950s, and to move all students to Brice Middle (the old Easley High). Gettys currently ...
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Joe Toppe
Federer vs. Nadal, a rivalry revisited
I once declared the rivalry between tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to be dead and the final in Rome several weeks ago did little to change my mind. In fact, it only cemented my assertion and inspired a strange sense of annoyance for those in the media that continue to bill this matchup as anything resembling a rivalry. As stated in my previous column, “doesn’t the word ‘rivalry’ suggest more than a one-sided competition?” ...
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A First Time At Church
Six-year-old Emily showed up at our house because she was hungry. She became a wonderful part of our lives, and when she asked me if she could go to church with us, I braved my way past her stepdad’s dogs to get permission. But now came the hard part - getting Emily ready for church. I knew I needed help in this endeavor, so I approached our old Polish landlady, Mrs. Salak, about it. She was a very proper woman, and her eyebrows always rais...
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Joe Toppe
Some things are worth preserving
It would be hard to miss all of the construction taking place over at the old high school, and I am sure that most of you have noticed that Brice Field now sits in open view of the passing cars on Pendleton Street. To the pleasure of many Easley residents and former Green Wave graduates, the original building on campus will remain and continue serving students indefinitely as Brice Middle School. The ’39 building, the original school, cos...
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