I was showing a Discovery Channel documentary video on the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” to my high school aviation class earlier this week. The SR-71 was the fastest air-breathing aircraft ever flown. Cloaked in secrecy for years as our top spy plane, even today after 30 or more years when it …
Not wanting to “beat a dead horse,” but in answer to the obviously angry response it generated, it was gratifying to see how my recent letter to the editor seems to have touched a raw nerve.
Every baseball fan of a certain age knows that in 1956 the New York Yankees’ Don Larsen threw a perfect World Series fifth game against the Brooklyn Dodgers. But even though Larsen’s recent passing has once again drawn attention to his long-ago gem, his unique achievement is still under-appr…
In response to a viewpoint in the Highlands Sun-News on Jan. 11, the writer rants about a few things involving President Trump — guns, Putin and Kim Jung Un and far right wingers, as she puts it. The writer comments about a gun show on the fairgrounds in Sebring and how bad this “right to as…
This century began with a bang, quite literally as President Donald Trump ordered the killing of the top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani was a notorious Iranian general that has been labeled by many as a terrorist. Soleimani led attacks against the United States during the 2003 i…
Sometimes, it’s very easy to believe that humanity is primarily composed of jerks and creeps.
With former housing secretary Julian Castro departed, the oversized Democratic presidential field reaches a critical point: More candidates have dropped out than remain in the race. But that still leaves 14 – a bulky ballot as the marathon moves closer to actual primaries and caucuses beginn…
Many of us can remember the feeling of counting down the days until our 21st birthday. And an even better — or worse, depending — memory is of the actual day you turned 21. The day you were allowed into those 21-and-up bars that had previously been denied to you. This changing of age, of cou…
I read Laura Ware’s column on Jan. 4, 2020 titled “Nation has become a house divided.” She talks about trying to see the other side and not hating the other side. She wants us to look at the political situation in the U.S. without blaming the other side.
Let me start by posing one simple question: Is asking your local government to prevent economic stagnation a form of entitlement or a form of accountability? The simple answer is that doing so is truly a form of accountability.
In Mark 3:25, Jesus says, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (NIV). Abraham Lincoln would quote this verse as in 1858 during his failed run for the Senate, as the country headed for civil war.
”What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains, and is immortal.” — Albert Pine
The day that we celebrate the new year on is actually the first day of both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar across the world, and the Julian calendar is an adaptation of the Roman calendar, which started the new year in March. Howev…
Tomorrow will mark the final day of arguably one of the most influential decades this country has ever seen. In Washington, we saw the rise of unprecedented partisanship that is causing a gridlock in Congress and we elected the first president to not have held any previous military or govern…
Traditionally, New Year’s resolutions are about making a commitment to do something different in our lives, perhaps going in a new direction from that of the past.
It is hard to believe that 2019 is coming to a close. It seems as though we were just kicking off the start of the school year and here we are about to usher in 2020. Though the end of December marks the close of the calendar year, it is just the halfway point of the school year. As we look …
If you’re celebrating a recent federal appellate court ruling that overturned language in the Affordable Care Act requiring you to have health insurance or pay a penalty, you may want to put away the party favors.
It’s that time of year again, when I look back at the previous year and try to hit the highlights in about 600 words.
Reflection, new resolutions, and making a fresh start are common themes for this time of year. In a few days we will begin a new year full of expectations. For me, it has been a year of wonderful things, both professionally and personally.
Do I owe someone an apology for not taking a more active role in the iconic cultural, technological and political developments of the 2010s?
\Do you share my frustration at being required to update smartphone apps at the most inopportune of times?
The holiday season brings with it a sense of family and the want to get together with those you care for. Christmas traditions are something I look forward to every year. This got me thinking, every family develops their own holiday traditions based on their values, means and desires.
Now that you’ve seen the lowdown on recycling, it’s time to know the truth. The truth is, there is a lack of knowledge. Followed by no transparency, costs, inaccessibility and with some, a laziness that hinders the possibility of better recycling for Highlands County.
It is that time of year again, and Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching. When someone you love dies, the future you thought you were going to have with your loved one is gone — as suddenly as his or her life is done. Throughout the year there are other special days too, birthdays,…
Throughout much of our more recent world history, authoritarian regimes have cast themselves as being ultimately superior — often showing utter disdain for those people and groups different from them, and conducting horrendous acts of violence against them. Not surprisingly, it is that very …
Christmas is always a difficult time for us. To see so many wonderful animals have to spend Christmas in a cage or kennel, instead of a warm home, is heartbreaking.
Christmas. A time to give and receive gifts. And if you’re reading this column on Saturday and anything like me, you are probably in a mild state of panic because you haven’t finished your shopping yet.
Last Friday evening, David Cornuet, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Highlands County, with his board of directors, welcomed the citizens and city council of Avon Park to the ribbon cutting ceremony of the dedication and grand re-opening for the newly renovated Avon Park A…
\I have read and heard repeatedly over the past several months about the efforts of hair-brained Democrats trying to reverse the results of the election of 2016 that made Donald Trump our president. Before these self-centered individuals started all of this impeachment nonsense, before they …
We all need time to decompress and get away from the stresses of everyday life. Some people enjoy bird watching, others camping or “glamping,” and countless other activities fall into the category of relaxing activities. Whatever hobby you’ve taken up to relax, it is more than likely benefic…
Most of my Christmases have become hopelessly blurred together, but Christmas 1969 holds a special place in my heart.
The very first time I wrote a column for the Highlands News-Sun was April 1, 2019. My column, titled “Why isn’t Sebring growing?,” was something I wrote out of frustration in my local government. Growing up, I have always heard people use the adjective boring to describe our town and county …
As if the unappetizing buffet of presidential candidates isn’t troublesome enough for the Democratic Party, along came an unexpectedly strong November jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy spoke these famous words — “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” His words reverberated, challenging all Americans to find a way to contribute to the well-being of our country.
This week I am going to weigh in on a controversial subject. One that is hotly debated this time of year. One I have strong feelings about.
Florida, known for its beautiful beaches, natural wonders and vibrant tourist attractions, continues to grow rapidly. In fact, more than 900 people move to the Sunshine State every day.
In the purest sense of laws, our 50 states cannot prevent the federal government from enforcing federal law. End of story, period. Probably not without a debate of the 10th Amendment concerning Reserved Powers — The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibite…
“Oh my, what a cute baby!” the older woman in the checkout line from Walmart says, as she inches closer to the infant in my arms. Before I can think to do anything, she grabs him by the hands and starts to coo about how much a handsome boy he is. What should seem as a form of endearment and …
We are officially in root vegetable season ... they are something enjoyed across the country as sweet potatoes and parsnips make their way onto menus and into family dinners for the winter. There is something about the earthiness of root vegetables’ connection to the land in which they were …
Let me start by writing this: In no way, shape or form am I for the abolishment of the Second Amendment and the freedoms it comes with, nor am I for responsible gun owners having their firearms taken away. However, the attempt made by Commissioner Arlene Tuck to make Highlands County a Secon…
WASHINGTON — America’s political culture is dominated by fear. For some, it is fear that the triumph of progressivism would bring anti-religious persecution and fundamentally alter the American way of life. For others, it is fear that the reelection of President Trump would remove the last r…
I don’t blame millennials and Gen Z for mocking baby boomers with the trending “OK boomer” meme.
Warning: This column is full of road trips, fun times with family, and grandbaby stories. If you’re not into that, you might want to skip this week’s offering.
During the Holiday Season, which now stretches from Autumnal Equinox to New Year’s Day, it’s nearly impossible to turn on the radio or walk through a shopping mall without hearing the rich, mellifluous voice of Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives. Few people can place his name but in the coming weeks mil…
Every person needs a place where they belong ... a place where they can feel safe and cared for ... a place where they matter. A place like the Sebring club of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Highlands County. The Sebring club, located at 111 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., has been part of the …
I must admit I enjoy reading the guest opinions published in this newspaper. I’d also admit that while I do not always agree with the writer’s viewpoint, I try to be open to the viewpoint the individual is trying to convey. I do, however, draw the line when a writer spews forth false rhetori…
We have officially entered December and as such can say it’s time to start doling out holiday cheer and eggnog. Even though we are only in the first few days of December, some people have been itching to put up their tree since even weeks before Thanksgiving.
