IPS Features Staff

The IPS Features Staff

DALTON ROBERTS

Dalton Roberts is a humorist, musician, poet, songwriter, author, newspaper columnist, politician and front porch philosopher.
As a politician, he served 16 years in the highest elective office in Hamilton County, Tennessee and was given the honorary title of County Executive Emeritus.
As a musician and songwriter, he has played the Grand Ole Opry, wrote a hit country song, as well as an NBC-TV theme song.
His popular columns appear in several newspapers and magazines featuring humor, politics, human interest stories, religion and philosophy, and just about anything that fascinates his uncommon curiosity.
He has written two books, "Things That Really Matter" and "KICKSTARTS." His articles and poems have appeared in dozens of national magazines.
He was honored by the National Management Association as the Outstanding Manager of the Year in 1991. During his tenure as County Executive his administration won over 100 national awards for excellence.

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DALTON ROBERTS

PETE CHANEY

Beginning his newspaper work as a teenage copy boy with the Norfolk Virginian Pilot, Pete Chaney worked on dailies and weeklies from circulation manager to ad salesman, from photographer to reporter, from editor to publisher. He was sports editor of the Sanford (NC) Daily Herald and published his first weekly newspaper, the Camden (SC) Citizen when he was 21.
His photography and writing have won journalism awards. One of his most cherished citations was the School Bell Award for support of local schools in Virginia.
Writing credits include several novels--a science fiction "Angel's Walk," a biography "Kicking Against the Wind" and a historical novel "Valley of the Mules." His screenplay "The White Star" is on the real life figure of Gen. John White Geary, who was the first mayor of San Francisco. With Cristy Lane's husband Lee Stoller, he wrote the gospel singer's million seller biography "One Day at a Time," which ranked number one for St. Martins Press in paperback.
He publishes newsletters for an American Legion post, a VFW post and Reveille for Veterans for Good Government.
He served with the US Army during the Korean War and was in army intelligence attached to the US Air Force.

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PETE CHANEY

JOHN SHEARER

John Shearer is a veteran journalist who had nearly 15 years of experience as a news reporter and feature writer for the Chattanooga Free Press before embarking on a freelance writing career in 1999. Since then, he has written two books related to the history of Chattanooga, has contributed articles to several regional magazines and has become a regular freelance contributor to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was born and reared in Chattanooga and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1983.

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JOHN SHEARER

LISA A. LAIRD

A native New Yorker, Lisa obtained her Bachelor's Degree from Molloy College in 1989. She took employment in the health care field where she worked for nearly ten years. But writing has been her passion since she was 14. "Speaking my mind is not an option, it's a necessity," she says. "Curiosity did not kill the cat. Conventionality did."

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LISA LAIRD

DANNY McBRIDE

Danny McBride lives in Los Angeles, where he has an on-again-off-again career in the entertainment industry as a writer, actor, songwriter, musician, voice-over artist, day laborer and cheese taster. He has appeared in such movies as Grease and starred on the television series ShaNaNa. He is the voice of "Sgt Deadeye" in the MechWarriors video game series and is heard from time to time on commercials, but often disguises his voice so as not to embarrass his family.
Danny is originally from the Boston area and is a graduate of Boston University's School of Public Communication, but is "willing to hold them blameless" for his subsequent career. He began as a Broadcast Journalist writing and reporting for area radio stations, and acting and performing musically as a hobby. When he had the chance to make his hobby his life's career, he took the next logical step and made his career his hobby. To this day he’s still not sure which is which.

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DANNY McBRIDE

LARRY "SMOKEY" GIFFORD

Smokey Gifford has been a radio personality for 10 years and can currently be heard nationwide on the Fox Sports Radio Network. His awarding winning sports broadcasts, also called Smokey on Sports, have been featured on stations in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. In May of 2000, Smokey on Sports was named "The Best Sportscast in Pennsylvania" for its appeal to sports fans and non-sports fans alike. His column reflects this same unique style and attitude. Smokey is an Ohio native, but currently resides in Southern California. He enjoys playing golf, trying new restaurants and spending time with his wife.

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LARRY "SMOKEY" GIFFORD

LINDA A. HARRIS

Linda A. Harris still doesn't know what she wants to do when she grows up -- and hopes she never will. Born in Hollywood, California, her Dad rushed back from the hospital to his job at 20^th Century Fox
Her first writing experience came at the tender age of eight as the neighborhood writer (and sometimes director) of her neighborhood shows a la Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
A graduate of UCLA, she has written for several publications including the Los Angeles Times, American Movie Classics magazine, Voice of the Theatre, and the Daily Breeze.
She is also a professional performer and a card-carrying SAG, AFTRA and ATAS member to boot. Currently, she is hopping from KFWB News 980 radio and Sky Radio -- producing, writing, and doing voice-overs and other fun stuff.
At the moment, her passion is writing her first novel -- a mystery!

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MIKE MAHN

Mike Mahn is an artful writer who brings a straightforward writing style that reflects an analysis that many would consider traditional or conservative, in the mold of James Kilpatrick and George Will, but with a depth that reflects profound life experiences developed outside the sphere of journalism.
His literary history began at an early age. He published and co-edited a school newspaper while in the seventh grade. Our Lady’s Journal is now over 40. Mike became a sports writer and editor in high school, spent a year in college, then entered military service. He served in Vietnam (67-69). Mike resumed his education at the Univ. Tenn. at Chattanooga. He was a columnist for The University Echo during his years at UTC.
Mahn went to the Tennessee College of Law. He was a contributor to the law school publication, writing features on the then-current impeachment proceedings against President Nixon. Mike has spent 25 years in the practice of law. He served three years as the (Chattanooga) Hamilton County Administrator and 12 years as Hamilton County Attorney. His years at the Courthouse gave him firsthand experiences in politics at the local, state, and national level, and sharpened his administrative, legal, and writing skills. Mike entered private practice in 1993 and now advises numerous regional governments.
Mike is devoted to his family, including his wife of 28 years, Elaine, and their three children, all of whom are now in college. Mike is the primary care-giver to the family’s two dogs and two cats. Mike is allowed the weekly honor of cleaning the stall of the family horse. "It keeps everything in perspective," he said.

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MIKE MAHN

KIMRA TRAYNOR HERB
and Friend

KIMRA TRAYNOR HERB
A native of Massilion, Ohio, Kim has a newspaper background including editorship of the Ottawa County Exponent of Oak Harbor, Ohio. She moved to Jacksonville with her family when she was 15, attending the University of Maryland where she earned her BA and has been published in several literary magazines. Married to nuclear engineer Raymond Herb, she is the mother of three boys. They live in the Birmingham suburb of Chelsea, Ala. Kim's writing reflects the humor and irony of a housewife and mother, very reminiscent of the beloved Erma Brombeck.

BILL STOKES

BILL STOKES
Bill Stokes' vast and varied experiences pool includes radio news and copywriting, television copywriting and on-camera weather programs. He did two stints as a federal civil service employee. And his freelancing included 13 years as a resume writer for regional news groups and specialized publications. His work has appeared in national magazines.

CECIL NULL

Not available at this time

CRABBY

(Editor's Note: As everyone knows, such tender advice to the loveworn could only be written by a sweet little ole lady. Ms. Crabby promised some bio information which needs correcting. She has listed her birthdate and birthplace half a dozen times and places so far. There are other conflicting details too sensitive to mention.)

(The picture Ms. Crabby submitted for publication look suspiciously like an old picture of Marilyn Monroe, which is not the same lady we know. We are waiting for a corrected photograph.

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