“Have you tried buttermilk?” The words came out of nowhere. It seems like a simple enough question, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation that was taking place. I peered at the person who posed the mysterious question. He was a wise a

A wise old newspaper scribe with ink running through his veins once told me if you want to check the pulse of a newspaper, look no further than its Opinion/Editorial page. If you find letters to the editor on a regular basis, it’s a sure sign of a vital,

Making financial decisions takes time, attention and energy at any age. In the case of elderly adults, it can become increasingly difficult to manage daily finances, particularly if their health is declining or they’re experiencing a cognitive issue. If y

A nationwide search is presently underway to find the longest married couple in America. Singer-songwriter Karen Javitch has written a catchy little tune titled, “The Anniversary Song.” She wants to promote it by finding the couple that tied the proverbi

When it comes to finances, the difference between success and failure is often the ability to maintain a positive cash flow. We have this goal in our everyday lives: we seek to earn enough to pay the bills each month while saving strategically for long-te

As the lights dimmed in the Regal Cinemas Swamp Fox 14 theatre just after 7 p.m. on June 17, what played out on the huge movie screen was the retelling and reliving of one our state’s darkest moments, which in turn produced one of its proudest. The showin

We’re busier than ever these days. Constant notifications, work travel, kids’ activities and other important tasks are often competing for our immediate attention. Amid our packed schedules, it can be easy to set our finances on autopilot. If you can rela

Like a predator circling its prey, the old codger made his way ever so slowly around the vehicle. Sliding his hand slowly across the fender, he looked and felt for the slightest scratch or the smallest dent. He’d give each tire a swift kick before pulling

Many couples are choosing to start families later in life compared to their parents and grandparents. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the mean age of first-time mothers is rising, from 25 years old in 2009 to 26.3 years old just fi

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.” For years, that was my automatic response to people who commended me for being a single father of two beautiful daughters. To me, raising Tracy and Amanda on my own was never a question. They were my girls and my

Part of the reason I accepted this job is because the publisher, Don Swartz, strongly emphasized the reporting of good news. If I had not made up my mind about joining The News Journal team by then, at that point I was sold. Having worked in the newspaper

If your retirement plan includes tax-advantaged accounts, there is a particular tax rule you should know about: required minimum distributions, or RMDs. This tax rule can be complicated, but the following commonly-asked questions can help you understand h

Introductory columns are not my strong suit, although I’ve had considerable practice over the course of the last couple of decades. Folks in Cheraw and Hartsville have already read or heard the “Hi, I’m Bob, the new editor,” spiel before. Some might eve

If you’re like a lot of investors, you may have trouble quantifying the level of risk you are comfortable taking on in your portfolio. Do you like to play it safe, staying in conservative investments even if it means potentially missing out on bigger retu

In April of last year I moved to Florence from Alabama. The few months before that had been a whirlwind of excitement. Even though I was not sure of what would come with a new city, I was never nervous. My spouse and I found a house to rent and once our f