While I have another editorial ready for posting, I think it is more important to send a message of peace for the holiday season. While we have concerns about the manner in which we are governed and the fiscal survivability of our little town, we are at the same time blessed with the benefits of its small-town characteristics and natural resources.
While the apparent national mood of “throw the bums out” resulted in sweeping changes in Congress and in states across the nation last month, Volusia County voters opted to maintain the status quo with party labels hidden with non-partisan races.
Its exam week at New Smyrna Beach High School and the stress is getting to most students. We’ve been preparing for the tests, but the pressure is still present. Our schedule is very different this week; we have Friday off as a time for teachers to put in report card grades. Monday is a normal day however, it is the only one.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- With the spotlight aimed at football this time of year even the marine environment is in tune with the spirit.
Think back on your fondest Christmas memories: They are most likely about shared moments and experiences. Few people remember the gifts they gave or got last year, let alone last decade. But we do remember those special cookies only Mom knows how to make.
Studies have shown that memories are made from experiences. Experiences that are unique and meaningful have been shown to have lasting imprints in the brain versus short-term gratification of a thrill that last little more than a day or two. Ever wonder why kids can hardly recall what they got for Christmas a week later?
After a great mini-Thanksgiving vacation with a friend, practicing for the school play that I’m in, studying for semester exams, and dealing with the stacks of homework, I’m ready for a weekend to sleep. That’s right; the semester at New Smyrna Beach High School is almost over as the school year hits its half way mark.
In his treatise, "The Heart of Man: His Capacity for Good and Evil," early 20th-century German philosopher and social psychologist Erich Fromm noted: "The chief danger for mankind is not the fiend or the sadist. It’s the little man with too much power. In a business deal he could destroy an opponent; in a political position he could destroy the world. "
I was reading and forgot to turn off the television when as usual something I heard got my goat. The news was on and they are reporting on the freeze in pay for federal employees. They showed a woman who asked the reporter “How are we going to make it?”
Resolution 43-10: Never heard of it? Well, they are at it again. And who are they? The City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk, joined at the hip with the New Smyrna Beach City Commission, that's who.
Has anyone noticed over the course of the past year, the Mayors attempt to stymie the public's right to participate and demand answers from their elected and appointed officials? Well that right is about to be denied even further!
