TREASURES ARE something highly prized or valued, yet not so easily defined. Our treasures may have no value in the form they exist but become priceless when they connect us to a dear friend or family member. A dollar store platter displayed in a china cabinet never fails to spark memories of Sunday dinner around Grandma’s table. The souvenir mug from your family’s beach trip in the ‘90s is your favorite for morning coffee. The ivy trailing from the chipped ceramic pot on your windowsill takes you back to an evening with friends gathered around a studio table, laughing and painting. Kelley Spin ..read more

TIME COULDN’T pass any slower. Hope cracked open a door in 1996 when an Arizona liaison located Michelle Costanzo’s birth mother in Pennsylvania. But when her response finally arrived, it appeared to close the door instead of throwing it wide open. The response closed her mom’s heart and the file that would have allowed Costanzo further contact with her or her three biological half-sisters. Instead, she could now complete a medical history from her mother’s side of the family and knew the most basic information about the woman who gave her life.  Costanzo’s adoptive parents, though, gave ..read more

FRESHLY BREWED coffee steaming in your favorite cup patiently waits as you fill a small plate with pats of butter. You slowly pour sorghum syrup over them, then swirl it together until the sweet, amber, ooey-gooey goodness is just right for your hot buttermilk biscuit. You don’t rush it; you savor it. It’s not just something sweet to finish your breakfast; it’s an experience. And for one area family, crafting sorghum molasses is a seventh-generation tradition. Every year, the English family fires up the stove under the cooker and connects electricity to the presser mill originally powered by m ..read more

AFTER MONTHS of checking out local home listings and daydreaming about a move, you’re finally ready. The real estate market seems like a maze, and the idea of navigating it might be overwhelming, but there’s also excitement about entering a new phase of life. Selling your home is a crucial piece of the puzzle. So, where do you start, and how do you ensure you have the best guide to help you find the keys to your dream home?  Why not start with the power of a team of agents working together to bring you the best possible experience?  Pulling together in the direction of success like a ..read more

AS YOU shuffle through the day’s mail, a single envelope erases your good mood in the blink of an eye. The return address is enough to tell you it’s almost time to pay your property taxes. Even worse, you seem to recall talk of a tax increase. Can your budget handle it? Will your mortgage payment nudge out your ability to pay for other things you really can’t live without?  When you have these and other related questions in Lincoln County, your first trip or call may be to Trustee Mary Jane Porter’s office. And by the time you leave, your taxes may not have changed, but your disposition l ..read more

LIKE MOST other small towns, Fayetteville has some of America’s most popular fast-food restaurants where you can get a mediocre cheeseburger and fries. You can even get your sweet treat fix through a drive-thru (that is, if the soft serve machine is working). It seems like every time I pull through a drive-thru these days, the food prices have increased yet again. It immediately upsets me, knowing I could drive a little farther to Old Taft Depot to get a burger and fries that are beyond amazing for the price.  Taft is a small, unincorporated community in Southwestern Lincoln County. There ..read more

IT’S A familiar but uncomfortable tradition and way of life. Countless times, we’ve walked the sidewalk as slowly as possible to the front doors of the funeral home, mentally rehearsing our condolences or recalling our favorite memories. It’s an uncomfortable dance with the past and the present designed to give closure and comfort to grieving friends and families. We know our way to its kitchen and restrooms, and we know before the doors open that the fragrance of lilies will be as likely as the patterned throws and decorative wind chimes sent in memory of the one whose time here has passed. A ..read more

THE ECONOMIC Policy Institute reports that for every dollar spent at a locally owned business, 68 cents of it stays in the local economy. Compare this to 32 cents staying in a local community when spending money at a chain store. The University of Florida conducted an analysis that showed how local businesses help fight high unemployment rates. When large companies lay off workers, local businesses are able to provide employment opportunities and maintain a consistent workforce. This is critical in sustaining our community and keeping money flowing within it.  Our locally owned businesses ..read more

THE METAL beams tick, tick, tick with every inch the cart climbs to the top of the hill. The experienced thrill-seekers in the front cart raise their hands as the coaster inches toward the climax of the ride. Experienced or not, every heart on the ride starts beating faster. Click. And the cart takes a dive. The winds move fast, but your stomach drops faster. The speed reaches new levels, then slows with a squeaking halt. The heart rate may still be elevated, but it will come down in due time. The curve may be scary, but mastering it is worth it.  Like turning in a test, the scary part is ..read more

FORGET TESTS and workbooks; Judy Moore’s lesson plan is a smile seasoned with 24 years of wisdom and a hug. While most of us battle against the tyranny of alarm clocks, Moore’s eyes light up at the sound of the school bell. Her journey? It’s not your typical starry-eyed teacher’s tale. House cleaning, flexibility, and a daughter’s need were the unlikely ingredients that led her to the vibrant chaos of substitute teaching. What started as a practical solution became a passion that ignited her spirit.  “I enjoy every minute that I’m here – you get to meet a lot of great kids. Some of them a ..read more