Chloe Drinkard found her purpose in community theater

Dentistry's mastership awarded to Dr. Beard

After more than 35 years of serving patients in Clarke County and surrounding communities, Jackson dentist Dr. Stanley R. Beard has received one of the Academy of General Dentistry’s highest honors. Beard was awarded the Mastership Award during the academy’s annual convocation in Las Vegas in June. Fewer than 2% of general dentists earn the distinction, according to the organization. The award recognizes dentists who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to continuing education and clinical excellence. To qualify, dentists must first earn Fellowship status before completing more than 1,100 hours of academy-approved continuing education, including at least 400 hours of hands-on... Article Link [https://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/articles/dentistrys-mastership-awarded-to-dr-beard/]

IP temporarily halts production

International Paper has temporarily suspended operations at its containerboard mill in Pine Hill due to heavy rain and storm damage to the roof. The company anticipates making repairs and resuming manufacturing by August, according to an announcement by IP spokesperson Amy Simpson as reported by the website Packaging Drive, a newsletter and website that focuses on the packaging industry. The IP mill in the Yellow Bluff community on Alabama Highway 10 in Wilcox County is a major regional employer with 600 or more employees. The company has not responded to questions about pay for affected employees during the shutdown or... Article Link [https://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/articles/ip-temporarily-halts-production/]

When leftovers were never wasted

A coworker and I were talking last week about leftovers and how neither of us likes to throw away food. With a little imagination, there is almost always something else you can make from what remains. That conversation reminded me of my grandmother. She could take leftovers and turn them into another delicious meal. I remember her mixing leftover black-eyed peas and rice with cornbread mix and frying homemade hoecakes. I can still picture her standing at the stove, dropping spoonfuls of the mixture into a hot skillet. The edges fried crisp and golden brown. What might have looked like scraps... Article Link [https://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/articles/when-leftovers-were-never-wasted/]

Are we planting the seeds of our own destruction?

I just got back from a trip to Notre Dame. The sky was gray the whole time because wildfires in Canada were sending smoke into Indiana. In fact, the beaches on Lake Michigan were closed because of the smoke. Isn’t it strange how Mother Nature reminds us that she is in charge? It would have been a lovely trip other than that. I had to be reminded to be grateful. The flowers were gorgeous everywhere. The Notre Dame campus was like a garden. Being the amateur gardener that I am, I plucked some of the seed pods from the day... Article Link [https://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/articles/are-we-planting-the-seeds-of-our-own-destruction/]

Local schools announce orientation dates

Local schools are preparing for students to return for the 2026- 2027 academic year. Thomasville City School District students will return to class on Aug. 3, Clarke County School District students will return to class on Aug. 6 and Washington County Public Schools students will return on Aug. 12. Thomasville • Thomasville Elementary School will host orientation on July 29 from 5-6 p.m. for kindergarten through first grade and July 30 from 5-6 p.m. for pre-K students. • Thomasville Middle School will host orientation on July 27 at 5-6 p.m. for fifth and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for sixth graders.... Article Link [https://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/articles/local-schools-announce-orientation-dates/]