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Local Columns

‘Ding’ cartoon of the month

Summertime is no-fertilizer time to prevent rains from washing nutrients into rivers and streams and causing algal blooms and pollution. Today considered a conservation soothsayer, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling shined a light on the malpractice of dumping waste into our water sources with this ...

Only a small number of plants provide the long-blooming season of Aloysia virgata (sweet almond). Part of the Verbenaceae family, it is also known as the incense bush. Given full sun, they bloom virtually year-round in Southwest Florida and provide a delightful fragrance that is sure to be a ...

Faces on Faith: Resting in and unto God

On June 1, I began a three-month sabbatical. My church graciously wrote it into my contract when they hired me five years ago. Little did I know then how timely that sabbatical would be in the aftermath of COVID's disruption and Hurricane Ian's devastation. And don't forget our two bonus ...

A Tuscan recipe that creates the best chicken. A whole chicken is trimmed, marinated and grilled two times, then weighted down with a heavy weight or a brick to make the internal juices flow and blend in for maximum flavor. Serves eight. (Chef tip: Buy hormone- and antibiotic-free chickens. ...

I know that I am long past due For a serious poem, Flirting round with country Won't ever bring one home, But the older I get The younger I see — No more heavy poems Coming out of me. So I'm cashing in my chips And switching o'er to verse: Call me Nona Pappy Or Poet in ...

Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) is a vibrant Florida native perfect for an island butterfly garden and an interesting addition to any native landscape in South Florida. Tropical sage, also known as blood sage or scarlet sage, is a red flowering sage species that thrives in full sun and ...