These days it seems to be all doom and gloom, whether you're reading a newspaper, watching TV, listening to the radio, talking to friends, or perusing social media.
Jump into your DeLorean time machine for a moment and let’s travel back to the year 1996. Tickle Me Elmo is the hot Christmas item people are fighting over. Oprah just announced her first Oprah’s Book Club book. Dolly the Sheep just became the first cloned mammal. “ER,” “Seinfeld,” “Friends,…
Fear is an enemy that stalks us all. This opponent of faith limits horizons, causes depression and robs its victims of the joy of living. Here are five faith builders to enable us to overcome fear every day, even in — especially in — these frightening days.
For most of you, we’ve been told all our lives that 98.6 is the normal temperature for a human being.
Like most folks, I’m making daily runs to the grocery store looking for ground beef for my family (I don’t touch the stuff) and toilet paper. Those are the two most requested items.
Sun Newspapers apologizes to our readers, many who were incensed about a letter to the editor in Sunday’s edition.
It looks like we might be in for the long haul with this COVID-19 pandemic that's sweeping the nation, spreading fear and precaution like a prairie fire on a windy day. And since it's basically a worldwide concern now, we've got no place to retreat to, other than home, where we stand guard o…
It seems like our whole world has been canceled in the past week. Coronavirus has changed our daily lives from school closings to large events being postponed or canceled.
Let’s make no mistake about it. The #1 story last week (and this week) is all of our local coronavirus coverage. Period.
We know that many of you — if not most of you — are tired of so many stories about the national elections and the COVID-19 coronavirus. We call it reader fatigue.
I think we can solve many of life’s problems by playing out theoretical battles between the opposing groups. For instance, when someone decides to make his March Madness picks based on theoretical mascot matchups, he usually ends up with the Michigan State Spartans as the tournament champion…
Cross Creek RV Resort on Feb. 29 held its 5th annual Pet Parade and silent auction. Twenty-five pets, 23 dogs, one Senegal parrot and one guinea pig paraded in the clubhouse; people voted for their favorite by paying $1 a vote! Following the parade, some dogs came up on stage to perform tric…
Psychologist Henry Brandt was speaking on overcoming anger to a group not usually associated with rage, but an angry minister was in this crowd who desperately needed what the speaker that day had to say. And not more than four minutes into the lecture this needy one was, in his words, “blaz…
Early Tuesday morning our moon occulted (or covered) the planet Mars. On this chilly morning of Feb. 18, our moon rose in a waning crescent phase with an illumination of 24 percent. Slender and fairly bright this moon — a remnant of the full “Snow Moon” or full “Hunger Moon” as it is sometim…
These days it looks like there are only two topics if you want to catch up on the news — the presidential race, and the coronavirus, aka COVID-19.
What happens when you mix food and crime?
OUR POSITION: There is still time for the public to let legislators know they want to be able to read public notices in their newspaper.
OK, here is an interesting factoid about me — I have never said the “f” word in anger out loud. Not once in my entire life. And my co-workers know that I will yell “language” if I hear somebody cursing.
featured
Table tennis on Feb. 20 took over the Sebring Recreation Club. Five tables filled the hall, with three brought in from Crystal Lake Club for the day. The bright facility made for an excellent venue for male and female table-tennis enthusiasts ranging in age from their 50s to 90s.
"Good morning, good morning, good morning!" That greeting was heard every week day in DeSoto County on radios tuned to 1480 AM and 104.5 FM, sent across the airwaves by radio host and program manager Jack Welch.
Who doesn’t like a good meme? Usually, by the time I learn about one, the internet has moved on to the next 522 memes of the week.
How could the landlord not know?
“The truth shall make you free,” is a universally accepted, well-known quote appearing on cornerstones of colleges and in other public places.
I was sitting in the newsroom when we started hearing the first reports of police responding to a possible armed person near L.A. Ainger Middle School.
I’m not a food critic, but I do know how to judge a restaurant accurately. Forget portion size, ambiance or availability of fresh, cage-free avocados; when I want to size up a restaurant, I head straight for the bathroom.
featured
Cyclists of all abilities gather Saturday for the DeSoto Cares Homeless Services, DCHS, one-day bicycling event. The event (Feb. 8) begins and ends at Mosaic Arena, home of the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo. The cycling event has a new director, all new routes, and the short distanc…
So everybody is abuzz about how our little city applied to be part of "HGTV's Home Town Takeover" show. Or at least the ones who believe in Arcadia.
I sent out an e-mail last week that came back to haunt me.
When one of the largest companies in the world decides to open a branch in the area, that gets your attention.
Before you read the rest of this column, turn off the TV, put down your phone (not if you are reading this on your mobile device), close your eyes and for about 20 seconds ask yourself if you consider yourself a rude person.
OUR POSITION: New safeguards aside, Florida is still under the siege of phosphate mining years after some operations have been shut down.
Here's a question that snuck into my head the other day while I wasn't looking ... who is in charge of you?
There’s an entire school of thinking for beautiful words. It’s called phonaesthetics. Think about words that sound nice to your eardrums; these words make your brain release oodles of endorphins. Hearing pleasant-sounding words is the aural equivalent of watching baby river otters perform a …
OUR POSITION: Human trafficking is a problem we all can help solve
featured
South Florida State College is pleased to have Cross Creek RV Resort in Arcadia as the host of the 2020 Heartland Senior Games Mah Jongg Tournament.
featured
As always, let me start by saying, “This isn’t your Granny’s garden club!” Oh, what fun the Arcadia Garden Club has!
Last week, I was surprised. Now I’m just scratching my head.
I once wrote to a friend thanking him for a comment he made when I visited him shortly after the death of his wife. Reminiscing over their years together, he explained the reason for their successful marriage in one simple yet profound expression of love. "We were good to each other," he said.
Every once in a while you meet someone who makes you think about how the world is changing.
Have you ever seen a picture of yourself from an unusual angle? You look at the photo and realize, “Who is that person? Oh, that’s me. I do not like what I see.”
The Arcadia Woman's Club January meeting was called to order by President Linda Waters, with three new members present—Nancy Osgood, Susan Kuczenska and Janet Hanus. Welcome new members! Birthday wishes to Iris Varner. A wonderful lunch was enjoyed by all.
I’ll admit it ... I don’t know much about street art. I’m no graffitist (a person who does graffiti), but I do know that to “tag” something is when someone quickly spray paints a surface, or it can indicate the way a graffiti artist signs his/her work. I’m aware that I’m breaking down basic …
I’ve heard it said about Florida that if you don’t like the weather, just wait and it’ll change for you in a day or two. We native Floridians (aka “endangered species”) know this to be true. Sometimes the weather can go from chilling to grilling in a matter of hours.
featured
Cyclists of all abilities are expected to gather for DeSoto Cares Homeless Services (DCHS) one-day bicycling event. The event on (Saturday) Feb. 8 begins and ends at Mosaic Arena, home of the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo. The cycling event has a new director, all new routes, and th…
OK, prepare to be angry.
Most of us start longing for spring shortly after the winter solstice.
The Mosaic Company is no stranger to criticism, even protests, from anti-mining groups, environmentalists and even this newspaper when we believe it is appropriate.
Cannot be judged by our station in life
The Christmas season is a time for a great many people to celebrate, though not all do it for the same reason.
Have you ever been confused about something, but you didn’t want to look dumb asking about it? For instance, you might think Cappuccino drinks are made from ground up Capuchin monkeys, even though that sounds pretty cruel.