Columns

Songs make the best stories

When was the last time you really listened to a song and clearly heard the words? Those words were crafted by songwriters with a gift for telling a story in a few short minutes.

My view: Our next city manager

Misinformation is swirling in our town like a tropical storm surrounding the city manager selection process. It certainly appears to be a sloppy process, at best. With a new city commission appointing a citizens city manager search committee with additional layers of advisors.

Listen, my children, and you shall hear

The 248th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride is coming up, and I thought it might be a good time for a quick refresher about that night. Most of what I thought I knew comes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.

Though troubles come, they cannot last

Troubles can only be measured by the people who are experiencing them. However, God’s solution is the same for everyone; His word, acceptance of His Son and obedience to the leading of His spirit. Trouble does not come to defeat us because the devil knows that is impossible.

Enjoy God and know the peace that follows

The point and purpose of being human, says the Westminster Shorter Catechism, is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” From much of what’s been written lately, it seems as though we’ve got the first part down.

Award-winning author comes to Fernandina Beach

Unless you have missed the library’s newspaper column the past month or two, you have heard me talk about our One Book, One Community (1B1C) initiative. The mission of this  year-long program is to promote literacy by encouraging community-wide discussions about one selected book.

Fun stuff is coming to the markets on Saturday

Fernandina Beach Market Place and Fernandina Beach Arts Market are once again set to welcome you on March 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The farmers market is located on North Seventh Street, between Centre and Alachua streets in the historic downtown area.

A wide net catches recycled people

The two text messages came out of nowhere but were targeted somewhere.  They were an inquiry into the open city manager position in Fernandina Beach. A city official in Northwest Florida saw one of my columns online and wanted more information.

If you think you have it bad, dear, just look around

Once upon a time, the Hasidic story goes, a poor man went to a wise rabbi with a complaint. “I’m going crazy,” the man said. “I’m living in a small house with my wife, six children and my mother-in-law, and there’s no room to move. I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.

Growth: We see and feel it’s effect

It’s been more than eight years since Florida surpassed New York in population. Yet, even before 2014, this issue was in the news and has been a topic of conversation for years - growth. We have all seen it and felt it.