Columns

Summer reading kick off

Summer reading time is almost here. The theme for this year’s summer reading program is “All Together Now.” This theme is being used by many libraries across Florida and across the country.

Rain or shine, swing by the Market Place

Fernandina’s Market Place farmers market will be open Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. Swing by for great music by Chris Loomis while enjoying a morning outdoors with your neighbors, before the heat of summer sets in.

DeSantis blocks an infringement on your rights

The federal government wants to tell you what to drive and how to cook and who will clean your dishes. Now, the latest potential overreach would impact how and what you spend. None of this makes practical sense. But it could affect real-life cents — and that’s the most disturbing part.

Hyundai continues its electric plunge

Automotive history can move at alarming speed with the right team driving. Hyundai Motors, the South Korean company established in 1967, launched its Excel model in the United States in 1986, selling 168,882 cars for an MSRP of $5,495.

Joy: The indisputable evidence of God’s grace in our lives

My friend, Kennedy Smartt, was in the hospital a few years ago. I don’t remember why, but I do remember that he’d routinely get out of bed — hospital robe flapping behind him — and go door to door, visiting every patient on the third floor. He’d sit and chat with anybody he could find.

Libraries matter

While cleaning up some files in my office this week, I came across an article that I had saved from 2015 titled “In Praise of Libraries,” written by Joe Queenan for The Rotarian magazine.

Mother believed in exercise by reading and good food

My mother’s hope for a fabulous figure arrived monthly, dispensed in a small magazine called Prevention that offered tips on how to get the flatter belly, firmer buttocks and strong legs of a young woman.

Momisms

A friend mentioned how often I quote my mother, and it caused me to think about why. While I was closer to Dad, emotionally, Mom set the standards for most things having to do with household management, child rearing and finances.

Silence is not an optimal strategy

The sound of silence makes for a catchy lyric in a popular song, but it is an unpopular practice for elected officials. Voters expect their elected officials to make difficult decisions – and explain their rationale. Also to be vocal, not quiet like a mime. Too much silence has prevailed here.

A dark horse in luxury sports sedans

High-performance four-door sedans, along with SUVs, help establish the panache of a luxury brand. Badges that include AMG, M, RS, Type S and V-Series among others command both higher retail prices along with abundant editorial real estate.