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IMPROVING OUR CHILDREN’S HEALTH   Nutrition, education, and food policy affect all of our children. There are so many foods and ingredients that are being put on our grocery store shelves and served at school cafeterias that are banned in other countries. Why are we feeding our children who are growing and developing foods that […]

SUMMER BREEZE // CONNECTICUT WHITES As someone who had the opportunity to help pick grapes for Sharpe Hill Vineyard, I can tell you a lot of care goes into how they make their wine. The Sharpe Hill Vineyard Ballet of Angels wine is reflective of that care. Sharpe Hill Vineyard Ballet of Angels is a […]

TIMBER BEAST FROM LAZY MAGNOLIA // DRINK SLOWLY ON YOUR BACK PORCH I was at a local gas station that I always go to just to buy beer. I only buy beer there because the gas is too expensive, but that’s beside the point. As I was browsing, I saw an end cap with a […]

MOVIE REVIEW OF ”D-DAY ASSASSINS” When the American Film Institute compiled its list of the “100 most thrilling American movies,” they ranked the unforgettable World War II combat extravaganza “The Dirty Dozen” (1967) as their sixty-fifth entry. This outlandish opus concerned twelve condemned U.S. Army soldiers scheduled to hang for their crimes in England. Headquarters […]

”GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS” “Trick ‘r Treat” director Michael Dougherty’s “Godzilla, The King of the Monsters” (**** OUT OF ****) qualifies as the rare sequel that surpasses its impressive predecessor, “Rogue One” director Garth Edwards’ above-average, larger-than-life “Godzilla” (2014), with Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Elizabeth Olsen. Edwards’ “Godzilla” rebooted the American “Godzilla” franchise […]

”BRIGHTBURN” Mash up “Superman” with “The Omen,” and you’ve got the elements of “Hive” director David Yarovesky’s “Brightburn” (**** OUT OF ****), co-starring Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, and newcomer Jackson Dunn.  No, this isn’t your ordinary, standard-issue, run-of-the-mill, superhero ‘origins’ saga, since our hero amounts to an anti-hero.  Nevertheless, “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” scenarists […]

”THE INTRUDER” “Traffik” director Deon Taylor’s “The Intruder” (* OUT OF ****) qualifies as a potboiler.  Webster’s defines a potboiler as “a usually inferior work (as of art or literature) produced chiefly for profit.”  Indeed, this dreadful B-movie about the trials and tribulations of homeowners serves up little more than an inventory of clichés.  The […]

HAYES CARLL TALKS ABOUT HIS MUSIC AND NEW CD! Dolly Parton was once quoted as saying, “Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn’t get that stuff out.” Hayes Carll is fully on […]

CITIZEN COPE TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW RELEASE Substance. That is what you’ll find at the heart of the music Citizen Cope creates. It’s what has endeared the man born Clarence Greenwood to a legion of fans and found a number of high profile artists, including Carlos Santana, Sheryl Crow and the late Richie Havens, recording […]

INDIA.ARIE ASKS BIRMINGHAM TO ‘LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART’ DURING CONCERT Four-time Grammy award winner India.Arie doesn’t do concerts. She does songversations, a delightful mixture of music and dialogue between the artist and the audience. Fans of the R&B songstress might recognize the clever term from her 2013 album and 2017 EP of the same name. […]

By Reggie Allen Clear and sunny skies made for perfect weather during the kickoff of Oak Mountain Amphitheatre’s star-studded concert season, which promises stellar performances from Heart, Brandi Carlisle, and legendary duo Hall and Oates. The popular outdoor venue started things off right with the Dave Matthews Band, a fan-favorite of the South. Hailing from […]