January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The month is dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking, otherwise known as modern slavery.

The purpose of taxes is to fund government and its services. We hope our elected representatives are wise and conscientious over how they spend that money, although we are disappointed from time to time.

The Observer’s crime reports often feature scams. Somebody seems to be constantly finding new ways to fool people out of their money.

A special election this month offers more potential drama than we might wish with a potential runoff, new voting machines and a controversial voter purge.

In the 2005 animated movie “Robots,” the main character lived by the motto, “See a need, fill a need.” It was a mantra of service that saw him through all the challenges that the plot threw at him.

On television this week, political commentator Mike Huckabee pointed out that Joseph and Mary had gone from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem to participate in the census, in accordance with the law. It was in Bethlehem, of course, where Mary gave birth to Jesus.

The media should make a clear distinction between news and opinion. We are committed to making sure we do not blur the lines between news reporting and opinion pieces.

Be disappointed. Be upset. But please don’t be discouraged.

With Thanksgiving behind us, the Christmas season is free to begin in earnest. Driving home from celebrations Thursday night, we saw several houses already decorated for the holiday season.

Moultrie and Colquitt County have much to be thankful for this year.

Earlier this week, the office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued an alert that work-from-home scams are on the rise.

Moultrie is well-known as a giving community, and response to the United Way’s recent fund-raising campaign is further evidence of that.

Politics is messy, and nowhere is it messier — or bloodier — than in the Middle East. The “Cradle of Civilization” often seems determined to become civilization’s tomb as well. Sunni and Shiite, Arab and Jew, native tribes and former colonial powers — from this distance, it’s hard to even te…

When you deal with a condition frequently over time, you start to think everyone understands things about it that are not necessarily clear. You understand them because you work with them all the time. The Observer fell into this trap with its coverage of the City of Moultrie elections, and a phone call Monday morning brought it to our attention.

Would you like a job earning $17 an hour? That’s roughly the median income in Colquitt County, so about half the workers here would see that as an improvement — some of them a huge improvement.

Our downtown square area needs a total renovation and some new businesses. Please someone save our downtown from death.

— Rant and Rave, received Oct. 30, 2019

While we’re all aware of Halloween’s pagan past, for generations it’s been little more than a fun night for kids. But every year the night also offers the opportunity for tragedy and malevolence.

As a journalist, the best kinds of stories are the ones where you learn something yourself. A recent SunLight Project on the restoration of voting rights did that for The Observer staff.

Have you voted yet? Early voting is under way. Three of Moultrie’s city council members are up for election, and all face opposition. You get to decide who represents you on that council for the next four years.

Colquitt County has once again celebrated a successful Sunbelt Ag Expo. The farm show wrapped up Thursday with tens of thousands of visitors over three days.

Would someone please tell me why the Colquitt Packers are shown to be from Norman Park, GA? — From The Observer’s Rant and Rave

Since it is National Newspaper Week there is something we think bears repeating: Community newspapers are a great success story that needs to be told.

Anyone who claims there’s nothing to do in Moultrie hasn’t been here in the fall. From now until Christmas, organizations in Moultrie and Colquitt County will offer activities almost every weekend and frequently in the middle of the week too.

Since 2014, The Moultrie Observer has been honoring one local family as Colquitt County's Farm Family of the Year. This year, we're asking you to nominate a deserving farm family, either on a printed nomination form or by email at laurie.gay@gaflnews.com.

The big silver (and blue) bus was a beautiful sight, pulling into the Intermodal Transportation Facility Monday.

Sometimes it seems the only people who celebrate Constitution Week are the Daughters of the American Revolution. That’s unfortunate.

This may come as a big surprise, but you cannot trust everything you see on Facebook, Twitter or even YouTube.

The recent breakdown in Afghan peace talks is disappointing. Coming so close to the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks makes it more so.

Regardless of the circumstances, suicide is a tragedy. And in the vast majority of cases, a preventable tragedy.

Do you have thoughts about the right to bear arms and gun control? We want to share your thoughts with our readers.

Let us pause to acknowledge a bright spot on our local landscape. On Tuesday, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine cut the ribbon on its South Georgia campus in Moultrie. Classes will start Monday for the 55 students of its inaugural class.

Hard to believe, but in a handful of weeks, most South Georgia youngsters will be back in school. Summer — as a concept of vacations, no school, lazy afternoons, etc. — will soon draw to a close.

About 60 percent of physicians will open their offices within 60 miles of where they do their residency.

Many people want your money.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about whether the U.S. Census can ask respondents if they and their family members are citizens.

Between 2013 and 2017, lung cancer was the No. 3 cause of death in Colquitt County. Colon cancer was No. 14. With two of the top 15 causes of death being cancer, the eradication of the disease would be a godsend for our community.

A rant sent in Wednesday afternoon reads:

The Observer published to our website the story about the hiring of a new head football coach after Monday night’s school board meeting, and we linked it to our Facebook page. Comments quickly came in, including one from a woman who wrote “Just bring PROPST BACK PLEASE.”

A conflict over whether to give more money to Puerto Rico to help recover from Hurricanes Irma and Maria has held up a disaster bill that would help South Georgia recover from Hurricane Michael. Congress needs to find a middle ground and get assistance flowing soon.

Autism can be difficult to define because Autism Spectrum Disorders describe a wide range of disorders with symptoms that vary in type and severity.

We strongly oppose House Bill House Bill 734. We urge our state representatives — Sam Watson of Moultrie and Jay Powell of Camilla as well as all their colleagues — to flatly reject this measure sponsored by Rep. Andy Welch of McDonough.

Charles Dickens wrote a lengthy but meaningful first line to his novel, “A Tale of Two Cities.” And it relates to the situation facing Colquitt County following a fight that was instigated online.

Truth, accuracy, facts — those are watchwords for journalists. They’re the guideposts we strive for as we tell the stories we’re called upon to tell.

Two weeks ago in this space, The Observer called upon the community to let us know who was reaching out to help our neighbors in Cairo following the tornado that smashed a section of that city.

Today is the 125th birthday of The Moultrie Observer. On March 15, 1894, W.H. Cooper cranked up his little printing press and published Volume 1, Number 1 of this same publication you hold in your hands.

There has been much confusion over the issue of medical marijuana in Georgia. We are not convinced that all of that is by accident. But almost anything would make more sense than the situation as it is now.

January 1 is a natural time for new beginnings. It holds such promise of the wonderful things that await us in the year ahead.

Almost one-fourth of the households in Colquitt County (23.8 percent) receive food stamps, so when the federal government starts talking about changes to the program, it has a local impact.

Voters, today is your next-to-last chance to weigh in on an election in 2018. Early voting concludes this afternoon in a two-race runoff. Regular voting will take place Tuesday for voters who have not cast ballots early or via absentee ballot.