Today is the first day of Spring. The yellow hue on our cars and driveways can only mean one thing: the flowers and trees are starting to bloom. If you are one of the millions of people, like me, who have seasonal allergies, it also means sneezing, conges

“Lá Fhéile Pádraig Shona!” No, that isn’t gibberish. That is how you say ‘Happy St. Patrick’s Day’ in Irish, or Gaelic. St. Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of St. Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration dating back to the death date of St. Patrick, t

It’s that time of year again. Finally, we have some extra afternoon sunlight to actually get some things done like gardening, yard work, taking walks, and playing with our kids and dogs. Even though we lose an hour of sleep, it is worth the extra sunlight

Taking this job has come with some creative outlets. Growing up I never really liked English and creative writing classes. When I got to high school and college, they seemed to come easier to me. For my first editorial I was stumped on what I should write

This will be my last editorial as the Editor of The News Journal. It has been a great experience being Editor these past few months. I have enjoyed getting to meet with all sorts of different people in the community. I have learned so much about Florence

While we know Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, there is plenty more to the holiday than just that. After the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, Saint Valentine continued to marry men and women in secret. Even then, it was tr

A little over a year ago I adopted a dog. I found him on CraigsList. I was told that he was half Husky and half Corgi. I was also told that he was fixed, house trained, and leash trained. He was none of these things. Despite the misinformation, I loved hi

I am a cat dad. I have two Siamese cats. Kit Cat Paddywack will be five this April and Reese Cup just turned two. I am more of a cat person, that doesn’t mean that I don’t like dogs, it just means that I prefer cats. Here are some of history’s most famous

A palindrome is a word or sentence that reads the same forward as it does backward. The words a and I are perhaps the simplest and least interesting palindromes; the word racecar and the name Hannah are more interesting and illustrative. Words • aibohphob

Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I was always accustomed to January being well below zero in regards to temperature. Growing up, January was a time of snowball fights and sled rides. Now that I live in South Carolina, those activities are no longer possib

It is hard to believe that it is already 2019. Futhermore, it is even harder to believe that the year 1999 was 20 years ago. Here is a list of some of the events that took place in January 1999. January 1st, 1999, the Euro currency was first introduced. J

As we embark on a new year, let’s recap some of the good and bad things that happened in 2018. January 1: Iceland ensures equal pay for men and women. Iceland became the first nation to make paying men more than women illegal. Passed on Women’s Day the ye

As we’re about to ring in the New Year, here are some facts about New Year’s Eve to explain some of your existing traditions, and maybe inspire you to try some new ones! 1. The song traditionally sung on New Year’s, “Auld Lang Syne,” means “times gone by”

By William M. Mingus III, Advertising Consultant, The News Journal Growing up in a Catholic household and going to through Catholic school, we always had some type of Advent Wreath. Advent Wreaths carry rich meaning and symbolism. Learning about the mea

As I was thinking of the upcoming holiday, I remembered this poem by Robert Frost. It is called “Christmas Trees”. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. - Philip Maenza, Editor (A Christmas Circular Letter) The city had withdrawn into itself And left at