Since having moved to South Carolina I have experienced my share of “firsts”. These “firsts” range from new restaurants, new words, and overall new experiences. I wanted to talk about some of these experiences that I have had. Some were good, some were gr

By Sue Hawkes “A divided country” is a prevalent theme in America today, and simultaneously many business leaders find the need for their employees to work well together has never been more important – or perhaps more challenging. For the first time in m

Hello, my name is Philip James Maenza III. I am the new editor here at The News Journal. I have already met so many new people and long time readers of The News Journal and I look forward to meeting many more. I wanted to take the time to introduce myself

I’ve dreamed about retirement for many years, but now that the time has come, I’m a bundle of emotions. Monday was my last day with Swartz Media. For the first time since I was a teen-ager, I’m unemployed. That’s a little scary. It is also freeing and ex

Weather is improving, summer is coming so now is a good time to start planning a vacation or weekend getaway. You don’t have to go far – there is lots to do and see right here in our own state. VacationIdea has developed a list of the 25 Best Places to V

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Laozi, “Old Master,” (6th-5th century BC - 531 BC). “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” Emanuel James “Jim” Rohn (1930 - 2009

Taking my teen-age granddaughters to Washington, D.C., during their spring break seemed like a great idea. I wanted them to experience our nation’s Capitol and get a visual of this beautiful city and a better understanding what it is about. So, on April 3

Don’t worry about the male mosquitoes, only female mosquitoes will bite you. In the early stage version of “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy’s faithful companion Toto was replaced by a cow named Imogene. Dr. Seuss was challenged to write a book using no more th

Although Will Rogers died in a plane crash in 1935, his witty comments and advice still seems appropriate 82 years later. Such as.... “Lord, the money we do spend on government! And it’s not one bit better than the government we got for one-third the mone

Following are some meaningful quotes that I have discovered and collected: The time is always right to do what is right. Martin Luther King Jr., 1929- 1968. God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well. Francois

I’ve been seeing a lot of TV commercials lately for BDO. You know the slogan, “People who know, know BDO.” While it is a catchy slogan that is ingrained in my memory, I really don’t know BDO. So, I Googled it. I learned the network originally formed in 1

If you’ve grown up in the South, you’re heard all, or most, of the following sayings about people and life. You’ve probably said some of them yourself: Bless your pea-pickin’ little heart! Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. I feel like I’ve bee