A very good year!

A few weeks back, I heard two high school students talking about the upcoming prom and other end-of-the-year activities. It doesn't seem possible, but the year has flown by. In spite of all the challenges our community, state, and nation continue to face because of the economy, it's been a very good year in the Kershaw County School District! I thought I'd spend a little time this month touching on a few of the countless highlights of this year.

Reunion season

What is it about a high school reunion that makes people go crazy? To be fair, my own high school reunion isn't for another two years, so maybe the excitement will set in around early spring in 2013. But within the past several weeks, I've noticed that more than a few people are hitting the gym and mall in anticipation of "high school reunion season." I actually like the idea of ...

Trump's bullying pulpit

Donald Trump stepped out of the helicopter that had his name painted on the side, walked across the tarmac and announced to reporters that he was proud of himself. This would not be news on any day. But on this day, I would not have been surprised to see him start hugging and kissing himself.

Tips for life's journey

From the mailbag: • Reflections on life and growing older, from Regina Brett of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 3. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it. 4. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 5. Make peace with your past so ...

Without wind, how can a sailboat reach shore?

In my April column, I touched on what it means to some to overcome incredible adversity and how these people make a commitment to survive in tough times; choosing to ride out the storm rather than sink. So recently, being drawn to titles like "Deep Survival," "Long Distance," "Will to Live" and "The Long Walk," I felt it appropriate to continue exploring this thought-provoking subject of survival; why some can endure hardships at an ...

Once we were sane

NEW YORK -- If you really, really dislike Barack Obama, his long-form birth certificate, finally proffered in exasperation, is quite simply a counterfeit.

Surprise, surprise

My cousin recently found out he is going to be a father for the first time. When he told his family about the upcoming blessed event, three of his five siblings asked him if this was planned. He is three weeks older than I am. I will be 47 in August. Nonetheless, I say, congratulations, Doc! You will undoubtedly be a great dad. Better late than never, right? I, on ...

Meet Me at the Green a great success

I couldn't stop grinning.

Pandering to the Obamaphobes

When I was a kid way back in the previous century, my favorite attraction at the local county fair was a midway amusement that everyone called "dunk the dimwit" -- or words to that effect.

A voice from above

"That man could crawl through a barrel of fish hooks and not get a scratch on him.'' Troy Stevenson, who retained the wisdom of his mountain upbringing, once used that expression concerning a man we were discussing. The late Highway Patrolman Randy Sanders once described an individual as: "One who could be used to open a bottle of wine."

Why it matters when politicians 'play politics'

In 2006, Barack Obama, then a member of the U.S. Senate, voted against raising the "debt ceiling" -- the maximum amount of outstanding federal debt the US government can incur by law.

Patience doesn't mean you stop trying

I've heard it a million times -- patience is a virtue. And, unfortunately, it's a virtue that I have never possessed. The last six months of my senior years, in both high school and college, were pure torture. There's very few things that I've ever wanted badly enough to stand in a long line for. And even now, as I inch closer and closer to my 26th birthday (yikes!), I've ...

A bad connection

This started out to be a feel-good story, one of those you read and then say to yourself, "Well I'll be doggone. What about that?"

Medicare love chills Tea Party fever

Surprise, surprise! Faced with the prospect of Medicare cuts, even Tea Party folks find griping about "big government" to be a lot more fun than actually shrinking it.

Let's go shopping

Most women love to hear that phrase. I, on the other hand cringe inwardly. I really do dislike shopping. I am also the remote control freak at our house too. So, I guess I am not your typical female. Although, I must say, I have never met a "typical" female. I have always found us ladies to be a unique creation. Can I get an a-men here? Oh well, I ...

Fredericksburg Township explored

Our grand city of Camden is a beautifully preserved town laid out in an 18th century plan devised by Joseph Kershaw. We are proud of our historic homes and buildings, carefully placed public parks, wide streets, and beautiful trees. So it is easy to forget that this was not the original plan for the "town" that was to develop in this area of South Carolina. The original plan was a part of the "Township ...

What was the IRS thinking?

Well, this is a fine mess.

Are we willing to pay for increased public safety?

Kershaw County public safety is at a crossroads. The sheriff's office is greatly understaffed and deputies are compensated for their mandatory overtime work by an antiquated and grossly unfair payment system. The solicitor's office is working with half the staff it needs to properly prosecute the cases it receives every month and the jail is barely able to keep sufficient staff to meet state standards. <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: ...

Benghazi redacted

Gatsby? What Gatsby?

Another view of Plan B

In "Getting it wrong about Plan B," Ruth Marcus ends her column by stating that the debate over the proposed Plan B policy "isn't about the government coming between parents and children or society condoning teen sex. It's about preventing teen pregnancy."

Are you (fill in the blank) enough?

WASHINGTON -- Enough with this "enough" business.

Reflecting on 100 years of success

KershawHealth recently completed a week of celebration commemorating the opening of the Camden Hospital in 1913 and a century of outstanding care. One of the things that struck me during those activities was the incredible amount of community support the hospital has always enjoyed, and the amazing things that strategic thinking and teamwork can accomplish.

What Sanford win says about S.C.

Somehow, the man who walked the Appalachian Trail all the way to Argentina to see his mistress got elected to Congress last Tuesday in a voting outcome that almost defies belief.