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.
What’s the best gift you ever received? Whatever it was, it surely wasn’t a material item bought in a store.
With the colder weather and Christmas decorations making their annual appearances comes the beginning of the high school soccer season. Multiple times a week, Highlands County soccer teams represent their respective cities across the state. Some matches may be as close to home as Frostproof,…
This year, a PGA golf tournament sponsored by FedEx paid the winner $15 million for the win. For those of you who don’t golf, a tournament consists of 18 holes of golf (four hours) each day for four consecutive days. The winner is the golfer that shoots the lowest total score for those four …
“There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened, and maintained.” — Winston Churchill.
By the time you read this, Thanksgiving will be leftovers in your fridge and Black Friday will be a memory (and probably a news story or two). If you haven’t done so already, you’re probably thinking about decorating for Christmas and shopping for gifts.
It’s 4:30 a.m. and the 1800’s farmer is milking the cows. One ornery cow kicks over the bucket and now the milk will have to be rationed.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s remember that the holiday’s name is a compound word — Thanks and Giving. Each of us has much to be thankful for — our lives, families, friendships, and hopefully, work that fulfills us. Thanking those who we love, admire, depend upon, and have work relatio…
It is Thanksgiving Day and aside from all that thankfulness we should be overflowing, I suspect our waistlines will also be abundant.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. All across Highlands County today, people are preparing to enjoy a day of togetherness. Some are making grocery lists and shopping. Some are decorating and cleaning (company’s coming!). Others are getting an early start on all the cooking (wish list: double oven).
Elise Stefanik, a representative from upstate New York, tried to speak at the impeachment inquiry this past week. She tried several times to ask a question, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff kept cutting her off.
Since Nancy Pelosi became House Speaker in 2007, Republicans have spent an incredible amount of time and energy pushing back against her progressive policy proposals. That’s why it’s odd that the GOP’s newest drug pricing bill is a watered-down copy of one of Pelosi’s worst ideas.
With festive turkey-based feasts fast approaching, and having just re-watched a classic Thanksgiving-themed Steve Martin video, I thought it appropriate that I share a few of the things for which I am thankful. I apologize if the list is too predictable and schmaltzy, but please bear with me.
When some people hear the name Florida, images of beaches and theme parks are the first things that come to mind. Here in Florida’s Heartland, we know that our state is much more diverse than that, and our inland region represents what many consider the “real” Florida.
There we were, with uncertainty, nervousness and anticipation all coiled up inside of the 10 young men standing there. Sets of eyes moving from one friend to the next as if communicating in some new way, never to be deciphered by the older ones. Soon, the cause of their emotions on this bris…
China has been growing its gold reserves 13-15% per year for 12-plus years. They now have 64 million ounces in gold reserves. Russia, ironically, has been increasing its gold reserves 15-20% per year for the last 10 years. They have grown their reserves from 16 million ounces to 70 million a…
Anyone who knows me knows I am a chocoholic. I love it and try to find a way to have at least a little of it each day. This probably surprises no one.
Other than the two words “gun control,” the hysterical liberals talk about human cause climate change, their new religion, while their old religion, “evolution,” where people came from monkeys is still being taught in our very brainy educational system that we all support with millions of ta…
America is growing more diverse. People who identify as black, Hispanic, or Native American make up nearly one-third of the population. That figure will grow to over 40% within the next 40 years.
Since 2006, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Highlands County has continually educated children in the Avon Park and Sebring communities on the importance of a healthy mind, body and spirit through Triple Play, a multi-level program exclusive to the Boys & Girls Club of America. This proven…
I adored the story of “Cinderella” as a child. The prospect of having a man so in love with me that he’d crisscross the Kingdom searching for my size 6 1/2 foot, was heady stuff. It never occurred to me that Cindy was oppressed by the patriarchy or that she should just buy her own darn pair …
A new plant-based option has made its way into the mainstream market once again. Some of you may remember me mentioning the Impossible burger becoming available at Burger King back in August. The most recent development in convenient plant-based eating is at Dunkin’ Donuts where they have st…
What has been a signature sport in the American sports leagues took a massive hit last week when it was revealed that the Houston Astros cheated throughout their historical championship season. Former player for the Astros during the 2017 championship series Mike Fiers publicly admitted that…
According to the Florida Division of Elections, 75% of the registered voters in our state cast ballots in the General Election. That is 3 of 4 registered voters in our state making the effort to go out and vote their conscience. In a world of highly opinionated voters, that number felt low. …
WASHINGTON — With another academic year churning on, many people, bemused by campus excitements — trigger warnings, safe spaces, “bias response teams” in hot pursuit of the perpetrators of microaggressions — wonder whether higher education has become a net subtraction from the nation’s stock…
So, it’s sometime after one in the morning on Tuesday, and I can’t sleep. I decide to check my phone (I was expecting an email) while I was up.
It’s not the fault of the police that there is speeding on Lakeview Drive. With the exception of late night driving, the vast majority of speeding on Lakeview is because working people and parents work longer and longer hours. Some hold more than one job and they must use the 35 mph Lakeview…
MidFlorida Auto Show boasted a RoadRally event and Mr. Harris booked us as a team. New to such madness, I worried my little roadster would get beat up. A quick search online explained better what we were getting into.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Highlands County had been known as “A Positive Place for Kids” for almost two decades. Recently, that tagline was updated to “Great Futures Start Here.” Both describe very well the vision of the Boys & Girls Clubs.
In Highlands News-Sun Publisher Tim Smolarick’s opening sentence in his “My Impression” column titled “7 words may be battle cry” published on 10 November, he accused an elected official of baiting another elected official during a recent Town Hall meeting in Lake Placid. Wow, that’s quite a…
Noel Coward wrote a song in 1931 called “Mad Dogs and Englishmen (Go Out in the Midday Sun).” It tells how the British, in every tropical nation they ruled, refused to stay indoors or take midday naps to beat the heat, like the locals. So, like mad-dogs, crazy and rabid, the Brits went out i…
Good food and home-cooked meals are on everyone’s minds this month. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching and even more holidays after that, I’d say I, like everyone else, am in feast mode at nearly any given moment these days. Catch me wearing stretchy pants and oversized hoodies all month …
Veterans Day is the day we honor all men and women who have served and given years of their lives to protect those at home who rarely acknowledge the sacrifices that the veterans have made to protect this country and our way of life. They risked all in dangerous situations for little pay and…
There is nothing like an elected official baiting another elected official in an open meeting. Strategically the goal is to get the official being baited to speak about the issue, either there or in the future. This is known as taking the temperature of the room and, if it is hot, deflecting…
In the interests of full disclosure, I will admit that I am a solid Baby Boomer, born in 1958. It’s strange, because I don’t feel that old. I have trouble realizing that my youngest turned 30 this year, much less that I’ve become the older generation the younger one rails against.
