The best way for me to describe the writing of Pat Conroy is to say his words had a way of drawing you into his story. Sometimes the words would take you by the hand and gently guide you into captivating scenes of breathtaking beauty. Other times they wo

Led by the spirit of Halloween and the gloomy gray skies overhead, I decided to venture out last Thursday to do a little mid-morning adult trick or treating. Rather than go house-to-house in search of holiday treasures, I went from bin-to-bin at Bargain

Ready to get your spook on? In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to share a few ghost stories from around the Pee Dee. There is little or no truth to any of these tales, although I’m sure some out there would swear on their mother’s grave that

It would be hard to misinterpret the unbridled enthusiasm of Catherine Ritch as anything but a passion for the Navajo people. The Stallings, N.C. resident and author of more than two dozen books spoke to a gathering of the Florence Sidney Lanier Literary

I learned something new this week while attending a funeral service for an unclaimed veteran at Florence National Cemetery. Having served as a pastor for several years, I have officiated many funerals. At least two have been with military honors. I have

Three local authors have recently had their work published. James Austin of Lake City had his 16-page book, “Transforming Minds: Turning Setbacks Into Opportunities, Vol. 1,” published by Amazon Digital Services in May. The self-help book is available fo

By Bob Sloan Editor If you want to learn about resiliency, just ask a farmer. Resilience means knowing how to cope in spite of setbacks, or barriers, or limited resources. The farmer knows how to persevere and endure through hard times. Resilience is a

It appears Sam is in need of a lesson in loyalty. When Sam’s Club handed Frank Eason his pink slip on July 17, officials at the retailer’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., probably didn’t give it a moment’s thought. One has to wonder what the

Like many people, social media and I have a love-hate relationship. I hate, and hate is a word I rarely if ever use, all of the venomous, opinionated, self-centered comments people make without considering for a single moment the harm it could inflict. I

Making small talk before church Sunday last, the conversation turned toward the ever-so-slow eminent doom of Hurricane Dorian. “Hey Tommy, I’ve got a question for you,” I quizzed a local cattle farmer. “What do you do with your cows during hurricanes?” H

So please tell me, what’s all this fuss about a chicken sandwich? I mean, really? Three weeks ago Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen began selling a new chicken sandwich in its restaurants. Since that moment, our world has not been the same. People have scarfed u

If Darlington Raceway, the fabled “Track Too Tough to Tame,” had a fifth turn, it would be into the parking lot of the neighboring and just as legendary Raceway Grill. “The Grill,” as it’s referred to by most locals, has been serving meals for as long as

“I wish I was in Austin/in the Chili Parlor Bar/drinking mad dog margaritas/and not carin’ where you are.” - Dublin Blues, by Guy Clark It may not be the Chili Parlor Bar, but I’ll settle for the balcony of the Francis Marion Performing Arts Center on T

When you refer to Garrison Murph as a special needs child, make sure you put the emphasis on the word “special.” If Garrison was anything, he was certainly that. The 11-year-old boy with bright blue-green eyes and an undaunted spirit beat the odds for nea

By this time next week, teachers will already be hard at work getting classrooms ready and preparing lesson plans for the new school year which begins for students on Aug. 19. For the next 10 months, most teachers will go far beyond what is required. The