This past weekend my heart broke into a million pieces for a sweet, loving and caring young lady and her unborn son who died in a car wreck. Nicole Blair Surles was…
Category: Editorials
Around the Banks
When I was in grade school a hundred years ago, our teachers and principals taught more than reading, writing and arithmetic. We received a citizenship grade and that was given for how…
Around the banks
One of the best known songs related to African American culture and life was written by native Floridians, James Weldon Johnson and his brother Rosamond Johnson, of Jacksonville, for the dedication of…
Emerald’s Gem Box: The Minimalism Challenge
I think a common problem among all of us is hoarding. There’s no single adult who does not have some sort of clutter or unused items lying around their house. Even children…
Judgment Day
Judgment Day – it will happen, one day, for each and every one of us. The question each one of us needs to ask ourselves is, “What will be written in MY…
Letter to the Editor: A guide to staying young or getting “too old.”
You are never “too old” as long as you have a positive attitude, a smile for everyone and a warm and gracious heart. There are people in their 20’s that are “too…
Around the banks
“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” -Albert Einstein During my adult life, I have been blessed, truly blessed with the privilege of working…
Around the banks
Pandemic, unrest, anger, confusion, arguments: these are just a few of the highlights we see in our newspapers, online, on the nightly news and, frankly, it is enough to cause one to…
Emerald’s Gem Box: Happy Birthday Brooke
Thursday, Jan. 21, will be the 26th birthday of my daughter Brooke! Brooke is my second child, being born two years after Cheltsie. I think the second child seems to grow up…
Emerald’s Gem Box: Chaos in America
I have really struggled this week on what I wanted to write my column on. There has been so much happening: 1) Amen vs. A-woman; 2) the raid on the Capitol vs….
Christian Concepts: What is on your 2021 reading list?
Yesterday, I completed my fifty-fifth reading of the Scriptures. Today I began reading through them again. Some may wonder why I discipline myself to read through the Bible each year. Here are…
Around the banks
You’ve got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don’t mess with mister in-between You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to…
Emerald’s Gem Box: 2021 – Hit Refresh – New Year – New You!
2021 is here! It is time to press refresh – it is time to become the newest, most updated version of who you are! If you don’t have a dream this is…
Around the banks
Each year many people make one or more New Year’s Resolutions. Some are kept and some are not. I thought about the making of New Year’s resolutions. This year, the only one…
Emerald’s Gem Box: Happy New Year!
2021 is here! Hallelujah! I don’t think there has ever been another year in history that everyone in the entire world has wanted to see gone more than the year 2020! Usually,…
Artificial vs. real trees…how to decide
By Sylvia Willis Extension Agent Contributor Who doesn’t love decorating for the holiday season? I know as soon as Dec. 1 hits, it’s time to put up my decorations and set up the…
Around the banks of the Suwannee
Food preparation and regional food said a great deal more about a culture at one time than it does today. The reason – all kinds of foods are more prevalent. Who, in…