The Cleveland Daily Banner

THE CITY of Albert Lea, Minnesota, as seen on the Minnesota state map.

City in Minnesota named for Confederate veteran from Tennessee

At a time when names of Confederate leaders are being taken off schools, landmarks and military bases throughout the South, there’s a city in Minnesota named for a Confederate veteran from Tennessee. In fact, the town doesn’t just go by the man’s last name; it goes by his first and last name. more

By BILL CAREY | 12/7/22

Wrong about papayas

One of the things I like in Mexico — and other countries we have visited in the past — is buying fruits and vegetables from a stand, run by a family. I love wandering through the market, looking at all the unfamiliar things and asking questions. more

By CARRIE CLASSON | 12/7/22

Senate same-sex marriage vote still a step on long road toward full justice

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of last week’s U.S. Senate vote codifying protections for same-sex and interracial marriage as both a triumph of bipartisanship and fundamental decency. more

By JOHN L. MICEK | 12/7/22

The gift of Christmas cheer

I’m not feeling it this year. I’m just not feeling the Christmas spirit of any kind, and I know, for the benefit of others, I need to get out of my slump. Christmas cheer is a real … more

By TOM PURCELL | 12/5/22

Are we seeing another aleatory?

God said to Abraham: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Too many people throughout history life is nothing more than a series of aleatory — random or by-chance — events. But is it? more

By ED HUBER | 12/5/22

Tech workers brace for possible Omnibus job-killer

Like the proverbial bad penny that keeps reappearing, lousy immigration bills are hard to kill off. Consider the EAGLE Act of 2022, also known as Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment, or … more

By JOE GUZZARDI | 12/5/22

To end hospital corruption, fix the 340B program

Two new reports reveal just how much hospitals are profiting from a federal policy designed to help struggling Americans — even as patients themselves get no relief. more

By PETER PITTS | 12/2/22

Greenway donations benefit all

As the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway has become an established and reputable source of community pride, businesses and organizations have come to trust it as a vehicle for donations that will be invested wisely in a long-term community asset. more

By CAMERON FISHER | 12/2/22

Drunker than Cooter Brown

I’m quite proud of my rural upbringing in a country store in Bryant, Alabama. We had only one school, one restaurant and no traffic lights. We used to grow cotton, then flowers, and of course potatoes. I mean taters. more

By DAVID CARROLL | 12/2/22

Digging the return to vinyl

Vinyl records are making a comeback, and it’s not just nostalgic old fogies who are driving the trend. more

By TOM PURCELL | 11/30/22

I almost forgot I had amnesia once

You’re getting a hodgepodge today, boys and girls. That’s what I do when none of my Pulitzer Prize-worthy ideas are long enough to stand on their own. Here goes. The U.S. … more

By BARRY CURRIN | 11/30/22

The bloody era when Tennessee became a state

This is about the time of year that fifth and eighth grade teachers do a lesson on how Tennessee became a state. If they aren’t careful, this lesson might be boring, and the events might seem inevitable. more

By BILL CAREY | 11/30/22

What’s your stance on leftovers?

“Do you mind if we have leftovers?” When my wife poses that question, I always answer, “No, that’s fine,” because (a) I genuinely enjoy leftovers, (b) I don’t … more

By DANNY TYREE | 11/28/22

What could be worse than losing your quarterback?

Before I ever enter into any kind of business proposition, I play a little game to help me try to think through all the possibilities of what could happen. I read about it in a book. I call it … more

By BARRY CURRIN | 11/28/22

How much is that turkey in the window?

Last week, people from all walks of life — from the many different faiths, races, and ethnicities who inhabit this wonderful place we call America — gathered together and give thanks, grateful for the blessings they’ve received over the last 12 months. more

By PETER ROFF | 11/28/22

Let’s get serious about saving lives

Six years ago my city experienced the most tragic event in the history of its school bus transportation, when six Woodmore Elementary students died in a bus crash, and dozens of others were … more

By DAVID CARROLL | 11/25/22

Newcomers are willing to share

My husband, Peter, and I feel like social butterflies. We certainly are not. But it feels as if we are, because we are staying in a new city and finding it is easier to make new friends than any … more

By CARRIE CLASSON | 11/25/22

Three pillars of progressive philosophy revealed

In the smoldering wake of what can only be called a Republican debacle, many pundits much better schooled in politics and history weighed in with their opinions on what happened. But in the days … more

By CHRISTINE FLOWERS | 11/25/22

Are you thankful for the right things?

Please pardon me, but I am always overcome by mawkish sentimentality at this time of year. I cannot contain my gratitude. I am thankful for a paycheck and sunsets and modern plumbing and mobility … more

By DANNY TYREE | 11/22/22

TV tosses tinsel on 158 holiday films

When it comes to sappy holiday movies, you either scorn them as you would another pair of reindeer-themed socks, or you eagerly binge on offerings such as “My Southern Family Christmas,” produced by Hallmark … more

By PETER FUNT | 11/22/22