A statement was circulated in the community recently from Anna Mae Grider and  Grider Drug.

We must admit we were quite disappointed with the remarks of Ms. Grider and her references to The Times Journal.

Ms. Grider made a statement to the effect she could not get the truth out through The Times Journal or WJRS radio.

This statement was apparently made in reference to the many and varied legal issues with Grider Drug and various law enforcement agencies.

Ms. Grider stated she has never understood what the Times Journal has against them.

There is a very simple answer to that question......absolutely nothing.

We cannot keep from believing Ms. Grider apparently has a hard time distinguishing the messenger from the message.

We would like to remind Ms. Grider and Grider Drug that several years ago when some other issues popped up with them and their stores, The Times Journal and David Davenport were among their biggest supporters. We would like also to remind Anna Mae when she was a candidate for public office, The Times Journal and David Davenport were among her most visible supporters.

In her remarks she spoke of her faithful customers that continued to stick with them while they are fighting these legal issues. If she will look, she will find that we are on that faithful customer list, each month for the past several years, even though she stopped doing business with us several months ago.

We have absolutely nothing against the Grider family or their business and The Times Journal has definitely not demonstrated anything differently.

We are very sorry they have this impression of The Times Journal. Like Ms. Grider in her list of community accomplishments, we would like to point out  we were also in support of these same issues and appreciate her community support.

If it comes from the fact we report the news, publish pictures  and quote officials, we can offer no apology. We will continue to the best of our ability to report ALL the news regardless if it concerns our friends, our neighbors or total strangers. We have an obligation to report the news as it occurs and no matter how hard it is for us personally when it involves our friends, we will continue to do so.

Just because we quote an official does not indicate that is the statement or opinion of this publication, it is the statement of that official or officer.

Ms. Grider, to our knowledge, has never been denied the publishing of any statement in The Times Journal.

If she would like her statements published in the Times Journal, all she has to do is present it and it will be treated like any and all others we receive.  

The problem apparently is she has simply never asked to have her opinions published.

Readers can be assured we will continue to present the news as it happens and in a correct and fair manner. It may involve an advertiser, a friend or a total stranger, we will be fair and equal.