Impressions by David Maxwell

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year is one of my favorite holiday songs because of the memories that flood back every time I hear it. As I mentioned in an earlier column, from the time my daughter Caroline could stand, and every year since, we have danced to that song on Christmas Eve. …

“When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that  I am thankful I have a cup.”  – Sam Lefkowitz On Thursday millions of Americans will sit down for a Thanksgiving meal. It is a day to “give thanks” for all that we have. So on this uniquely American holiday, rooted in…

In a world where we’re constantly reminded to put ourselves first, it’s even more important that around the holidays we spread the love outward and put others before ourselves. We’ve all heard of doing random acts of kindness, but have you heard of RACK? RACK stands for Random Acts of Christmas Kindness. This version is…

The holiday season has unofficially arrived, and as we begin the stressful time of shopping for that perfect gift, let’s make a serious effort to start and finish our holiday shopping right here at home. Dollars spent out of town are gone forever, while dollars spent here at home are recirculated to the benefit of…

Veterans Day falls on November 11 every year.  One single day out of every year is designated on our calendars to honor the men and women who have served our country and defended our freedoms. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, the acknowledgement of the service and sacrifice of our Veterans is an activity that needs more…

It’s less than a week until Election Day in Seminole County — and it’s a right, a privilege and every eligible citizen’s responsibility to participate in this democratic process. Locally, voters in Tuesday’s General Primary Special Election have an important decision to make in choosing a councilperson to represent them and be their voice on…

Halloween traditions, where did they originate?  The many customs we have today in relation to Halloween have their origins in the religious practices of the Romans and the Druids, therefore dating back many centuries. On October 31, a special feast was held to honor their gods. The custom of trick-or-treating and the use of “jack-o’-lanterns”…

This weekend marks the arrival and the return of Seminole County’s annual Harvest Festival in downtown Donalsonville. For almost four decades community leaders and volunteers have been planning, promoting and presenting a festival of fun, food and entertainment for the community and its neighbors. It’s our Cornerstone Event saluting agriculture’s role in keeping Seminole County…

The following words were the first ones I wrote for publication after Hurricane Michael changed our world forever back on October 10, 2018. As I read them again this week – now one year after that horrific day – I felt their message was one we all needed to hear again. We are still hurting…

“Journalism matters now more than ever” is the theme of next week’s National Newspaper Week (Oct. 6-12.) Real stories, real work, real deadlines, real honesty, real facts, real changes, real threats and real journalism matter now – more than ever. This will be the 79th annual National Newspaper Week, a time to reflect on the…