Columns

City Commission suppresses public input

At the May 16 meeting of the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Commissioner David Ayscue referenced Forrest Gump when he said comments from the public are “like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’ll get.

Big-money kingfish

Both seasoned and beginning saltwater fishermen will have the opportunity to compete for a big payday in the many upcoming kingfish events held in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia kingfish destinations.

Fear of man will cause us to make the wrong choices

Fear of being excluded will influence us to believe that we have taken a negative route, though we have done what we know to be right. Fear of masses of people will cause us to abandon our offspring. Fear is detrimental to our ability to make sound choices.

Do something small for God, and watch what happens

Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China in the mid-1800s, once said, “A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in a little thing is a great thing.” Many of us, I suspect, can’t shake the feeling that we ought to do more for Christ’s kingdom.

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.