Columns
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In search of my $9 heirloom
As the joke has it, nine months from the start of the pandemic – right around January 2021 – we’ll experience a baby boom. After all, some activities are better suited to sheltered lifestyles than others.
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Congress considers legislation that would support local news organizations
In the past five months, Congress has responded to the coronavirus public health crisis with several emergency relief measures, including the stimulus checks sent to individuals and households, payroll protections to small businesses, expanded unemployment payments, fee waivers for borrowing against 401(K) plans and more.
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A roadmap to your savings journey
Saving money can be like driving a car. Your desired destination may be near or far, the direction you choose might change, and when it’s time for its annual maintenance, you make sure your car gets a tune-up. And just like your car needs its annual maintenance, your savings need…
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A test of revised FOIA
A recent common pleas court decision appears to be the first application of recent changes to South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Law, and requirements for public notice of agenda items at public meetings. And since an appeal is planned, it may establish an important precedent on this issue. Changes to…
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Virginia a preview of what gun-grabbers would do nationally
A surprising development is occurring among staunch members of the left at the Washington Post and elsewhere. These woke scolds have come out strongly against sanctuary cities and counties. Before it was either silence or tacit approval for government sheltering a population that was “in the shadows,” which makes sense…
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We need a healthcare system that supports a new workforce
Americans are increasingly leaving their traditional 9-to-5 jobs to work for themselves. Last year, nearly 57 million people performed freelance work — up from 53 million in 2014. The Affordable Care Act made this transition possible for many. It enabled millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions, to purchase…
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Congress, put politics aside and pass USMCA
While Washington is often dominated with partisan gridlock, Congress can put politics aside and improve the everyday lives of Americans by passing a new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade deal that would replace the outdated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA needed to be modernized and the USMCA…
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Airlines, stop discriminating against science
On your right, you see a miniature horse. Straight ahead, a pig. To your left, a monkey. No, you’re not at the zoo. You’re at the airport, where airlines allow all sorts of untrained “emotional support” animals to fly alongside owners. Yet these same airlines often refuse to transport animals…
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Ho, ho the mistletoe
During the Holiday Season, which now stretches from Autumnal Equinox to New Year’s Day, it’s nearly impossible to turn on the radio or walk through a shopping mall without hearing the rich, mellifluous voice of Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives. Few people can place his name but in the coming weeks…
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Thanksgiving 2015
I wrote this essay on Thanksgiving morning after the flood of 2015: I know my mother is going to make us go around the room and tell what we’re thankful for before we eat our Thanksgiving lunch. I will probably take the easy route and say something lighthearted like, “I’m…
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Southern voices, Southern stories: From booster seats to beards
They grow up too fast It happened so quickly I couldn’t avoid it. I placed the remote control down and turned my back to grab a snack during a PG-13 movie, and Momma’s little boy saw his first slip of Hollywood-produced nudity before I could rush in and push the…
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Understanding Social Security Spouses’ Benefits
Marriage is a tradition that exists on every continent and in nearly every country. Having a partner not only means creating a family unit, it means sharing things like a home and other property. Understanding how your future retirement might affect your spouse is important. When you’re planning for your…
