Funny, I was just looking at the calendar and realized that Friday the 13th is actually on a Friday this month. The last time that happened was April of this year and…
Category: Editorials
Stock your food pantry for hurricane season
Hurricane season is here and will be with us through November. We’ve already had a close call with a tropical storm over Memorial Day weekend that brushed the panhandle area and currently,…
National Security: Janus
Recently, the Supreme Court made a narrow 5-4 decision in an organized labor case. The question was whether or not the plaintiff Mark Janus would be required to have union dues automatically…
From the sunny side… Angels and new beginnings
Recently, I was visiting with one of my co-workers who was looking through old newspapers in order to find something for the “Way Back When” section of our weekly History page. One…
Passing Parade: After Forgotten War, Left With Memories
Nelson A. Pryor: Guest Columnist The families of thousands of Americans still missing from the Korean conflict received a jolt of hope when President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim…
Christian Concepts: Anthony Kennedy’s Retirement
When Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement at the end of this coming July, news media, politicians and pundits immediately began to debate the pros and cons that will swirl…
National Security: Independence
On Wednesday we celebrate our nation’s birthday, commonly known as the Fourth of July. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress voted by individual state in favor of a revised resolution declaring…
From the sunny side… Freedom, too expensive to cheapen
In preparation for next week’s Fourth of July, I’ve been asking some folks around town just what “freedom” means to them. “Freedom” is a word that gets thrown about quite a lot…
H4: Head, Heart, Hands, & Health: Make Up Your Mind and P.E.R.K. Up Your To-Do List!
We all struggle with prioritizing our time and tackling our to-do list. Summer makes that struggle even harder! There are vacations to take, day camps to attend, church family days, reunions, and…
Emerald’s Gem Box: Your Input Matters To Us
Too many times in life we get caught up in our “own world” and we forget the importance of the thoughts and ideas of others. We are all guilty of this, from…
National Security: Florida Boy
I still enjoy singing “We are the Boys from Old Florida,” not because I attended the University of Florida (UF), but because I have always been a Florida boy. I was born…
From the sunny side… Canine conversations
Ever since I saw the movie Doctor Doolittle (the one starring Rex Harrison) when I was a little kid, I’ve thought it would be really cool to be able to “talk to…
Hydrate this Summer
You can feel it; the heat and humidity of summer have arrived! With temperatures in the mid 90’s, you can feel the difference and know this will be a daily experience for…
National Security: 1968
I recently read Robert Kurson’s best –seller “Rocket Men” about the historic journey of Apollo 8 to the moon. The mission occurred just before the end of 1968, which was such a…
From the sunny side… Dads
I am often asked, “Do you have any kids?” My immediate response is, “Not that I know of.” For whatever reason, it was decided by the powers that be that I was…
Get more with milk
June is National Dairy Month, originally designated in 1937 by dairy farmers to increase summer sales of milk. Through the years, however, it has taken on the significant role of encouraging Americans…
We need a laugh!
Savannah Reams: Greene Publishing, Inc. You know that story you share every year at Thanksgiving dinner? Remember the joke you pull from your schmooze vault when you need to impress your colleagues?…
Emerald’s Gem Box: Happy Father’s Day
My Daddy left this world and entered the gates of Heaven back on Feb. 17, 2012. My world has always been a little grayer since that day. I loved my Daddy with…
Christian Concepts: The Loss of Internal Controls
The continued gun violence we are witnessing here in America has many clamoring for “deeds and action, not simply thoughts and prayers.” Politically speaking, they want stricter gun laws. Taking a step…
From the sunny side… Pronunciations
It should be no doubt to anyone who knows me or has spoken to me that I do love my job here. Hardly a day goes by that something doesn’t happen that…