Features

Florida’s Best-Kept Secret

Lyle Marshall has just found one of Florida's best-kept secrets, and it came in the form of a phone.The 83-year-old World War II veteran first noticed his hearing problems when he was in his... Read More

Order in the Meeting Room

You are at a meeting and are dying to put in your two cents. You raise your hand and patiently — or not — wait for the presiding officer to notice you. Or you stand up while someone is... Read More

Labor of Love

With all the back to school hustle and bustle that runs rampant in August and the telling signs of fall creeping in signaling the end of summer, people often look forward to the reprieve that Labor... Read More

From Shakespeare to the Bone Marrow Unit

Sidney Homan did not intend on becoming a Shakespearian scholar and author. As a youngster growing up in Philadelphia, he planned on following in his father’s footsteps installing... Read More

Giving the Gift of Sight

September is “Save Your Sight” month, and many are doing their part to bring the gift of sight to others. The Alachua County Lions Clubs are joining in by working on many projects and... Read More

Memories of a World War II Air Corpsman

After a light, but satisfying, lunch of tuna salad on wheat toast (no mayonnaise; mustard on the side; water with lemon, please) at Oak Hammock, William Glenn Ebersole slipped 66 years back into... Read More

How Sweet It Is

It is amazing how the first few notes of a familiar song can take the listener back in time. Back to times of happiness. Back to times of adventure. Even back to times of unfortunate heartbreak or... Read More

“Historic Photos of Gainesville” book signing

History lessons were of little interest to Steven Rajtar while he was in school. But in the past decade this 57-year-old Orlando attorney has completed 20 books, all of which deal with history in one... Read More

Ocala Shrine Rodeo

This is the time of year members of the Ocala Shrine Club go into high gear putting final touches on the Ocala Shrine Rodeo, the club’s major charitable event of the year. The 26th annual event... Read More

Soaring High Against All Odds

Visitors to the Publix Supermarket in Gainesville might expect to find college students working to make some extra money. But they might not expect to find an example of living history greeting them... Read More

Guatemala: Land of Eternal Spring

Thud. The motor of our boat stopped abruptly. The only sounds were the frantic whirr as the driver tried to crank and the lapping of the water as we dipped from one wave to another. We were in the... Read More

Freedom is a life worth living

Sixteen million Americans served in the armed forces in World War II. Less than 3 million of those people — servicemen, personnel, nurses — are alive today, and as many as 1,100 leave us... Read More

Hurricane Primer

As the days get warmer and longer, visions of weekend visits to the springs and backyard barbeques are what North Florida residents look forward to in the summer.But, with the summer months comes... Read More

Gelato: The New Ice Cream?

Most people cannot imagine a Florida summer without cooling off with a cup of their favorite ice cream. But ask them about gelato, and you are likely to get a raised eyebrow.While Italians have been... Read More

The COP Program

Charged with providing safety for approximately 35,000 people scattered over 88 miles, Captain Jim Burton, Commander of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Southwest District, is administering... Read More

Summertime… and the grilling is easy

Picnics, watermelons and Fourth of July barbeques quickly come to the minds of most Americans when thinking of the summer months. This is the time to gather together and enjoy the long days —... Read More

A Berry Fun Experience

More than half of the oranges, grapefruits and tangerines in the United States come from Florida. And in 2005, Florida had 42,500 commercial farms, utilizing 10 million acres to produce a variety of... Read More

Travel Guide: Italy

International travel is stressful. I’d never been out of the country except for a half-hour visit to Canada, but I knew getting to Italy would be tough. The plane ride was 12 hours — a... Read More

Keep Those Burglars Away This Summer

Having good neighbors can pay off in more ways than one can imagine. Maintaining a good relationship with the community is one of the strongest ways to protect a home, said Jobie Wise, a 12-year... Read More

Unlocking the History of the Keys

Start with some branching coral and mix in a few heaping helpings of sand. Next add a dash of smaller coral and some sediment producing algae. Let the mixture sit through a Wisconsin Ice Age until... Read More