The celebration of Independence Day in the area has always been a mid-summer chance for area families to take a break and perhaps reflect on the freedoms that we take for granted. Add in a few pyrotechnics and perhaps a hot dog or two and you have a pretty good day in my book. It has ...
In 2000 we had a new millennium — an event that only happens every 1,000 years. A time for celebration, almost. Do you remember Y2K? Because of a possible computer glitch, we were told our power could go off. Airplanes could fall from the sky, and other terrible things would happen to worry about. Companies had teams working for months to make sure bad things didn’t happen. It took some of the fun out of the celebration and replaced it with worry. Lynnda and I stayed home on New Year's Eve just in case. Two of our three children and their spouses came home for New Years. Our kids and ...
People have come from all over the world to see the World Cup hosted by the USA. Many are first-time visitors. We hear from them how special our county is. They love things we take for granted like ranch salad dressing, barbecue, the American people, and our freedoms. We can learn from them to have a greater appreciation of our country. When we teach our high school soccer players leadership, they learn the importance of taking responsibility, to take control. We can’t always change what happens to us. We can always choose how we respond. If I blame other people, the government, or ...
I had never heard of the Port Royal Experiment. In 1861, Union forces took control of the islands around Beaufort, Port Royal, Paris Island, and Hilton Head in South Carolina. 195 plantations were abandoned, liberating thousands of slaves. The Union army, federal government, and charity ...
In last week’s Climate Corner, Rebecca Phillips explained the connection between plastics and climate change, and the general detrimental impacts of plastics on human health and the environment: Plastics are made from fossil fuels, are challenging to recycle, and do not biodegrade but disintegrate into persistent microplastics. Still, the demand for plastics continues to grow. Who is responsible? I am. You are. Much of the plastic we use is our choice, though often unconsciously. Plastic makes our lifestyle more convenient (think ready-to-eat bags of salad and baked goods in plastic ...
Two hundred fifty years ago, members of the Second Continental Congress were busy preparing the Declaration of Independence, the remarkable document that would turn 13 colonies of the British Empire into the United States of America. The document was formally approved by all attending on ...
