In my article this past February, I touched upon the outlook for equity markets in 2026. At the time, the economic foundation appeared solid, yet I cautioned that uncertainty is a permanent fixture of the financial landscape. I noted then – as remains true now – that there will always be a c…
One of the controversial topics in current medical practice is the COVID-19 vaccine. Because the vaccine was developed and tested in real time, we didn’t know what the long-term effects of the vaccination would be. And human nature being what…
Whether you own a local business in Central Alabama or manage a growing enterprise, capital is the fuel that drives innovation, expansion and long-term success.
If you keep up with state and national news, particularly related to health care and health care financing, you know that Alabama’s rural hospitals are facing an existential crisis. And it’s not just the small community hospitals like Russell…
It’s tough to brainstorm for the Garden issue when you haven’t had a garden in years, but it›s not that hard when you love to eat things from the garden. I went on a run and the weather was fantastic, and by the time I got back home I felt in…
The year 2025 was dominated by President Donald Trump and tariffs, along with his constant criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. March and April of 2025 saw the S&P 500 decline from peak to trough in the mid- to high-teens.…
Prior to the installation of the PET-CT, local citizens who needed a PET-CT scan had to travel to Opelika or Sylacauga, or as far as Montgomery and Birmingham. Even so, patients were sometimes waiting five or six weeks for an imaging appointment.
The truck is rolling north, and my puffy jacket is within reach. Yacht rock radio is on shuffle, the dogs are asleep in the back seat and I’m thinking cheeseburgers taste a little better in Key West.
Over the holidays, John and I were pulling our boat down the interstate. Then, boom! A tire blew out on the boat trailer. We drove about half a football field before there was enough room off the shoulder to safely pull over.
Tax season can feel stressful for many, but fortunately, preparation is mostly about getting organized.
I moved to Alexander City five years ago. Since that time, I have gained 20 pounds. And I blame Angie Strickland, our registration clerk at the Cancer Center, who bakes a cake for everyone’s birthday – that’s about 25 cakes a year – and augments them with regular batches of cookies. If only…
Let’s talk about the hot toys for kids this Christmas. Toys tend to follow the trends in tech, and when I started looking into what’s big for 2025, I was genuinely impressed but also happy to see the classics were still out there!
As the lake season winds down and the water level begins to drop, many Lake Martin locals begin to plan their “travels.”
For three decades, The Front Porch has brightened televisions and radio airwaves each day as people tune in for local stories and community highlights. The feel-good morning show greets each sunrise with an array of special guests, local pers…
I really remember my 10th birthday. I was turning “double digits,” having a “spend the night” party with friends, and my parents gifted me tickets to my first concert: Hootie and the Blowfish. The concert was actually on my real birthday, Sep…
On a muggy Alabama Saturday night in July, I rode a mechanical bull.
I’m going to write to you one more time about cervical cancer. I promise this is the last time, at least for 2025. But I feel compelled to talk to you about it again, because cervical cancer is a big deal.
A donor-advised fund is a charitable giving vehicle that allows individuals, families or corporations to make charitable contributions, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to charities over time. DAFs are administere…
Have you ever received an urgent text asking for personal information? If so, you’re not alone. In 2024, Alabama residents reported over 7,800 cyber-enabled crime and fraud incidents, resulting in more than $100 million in losses, according t…
I met Joe in the fall of 1982. I had moved to Atlanta to attend seminary and was a bit homesick for Tuscaloosa. Joe was a year ahead of me and was cool, in a Matthew McConaughey, redneck sort of way. Joe grew up in Panama City and played coll…
This year’s Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting was unlike any other. For the 60th time, Warren Buffett took the stage in Omaha, drawing thousands from all corners of the globe. But this year, there was a bittersweet undertone: Buffett announce…
Doubtless you’ve heard the news by now that computed tomography scans cause cancer. Like other news published in medical journals, then reported by the news media and subsequently going viral on social media, the information is often stripped…
Whether you’ve lived in central Alabama for five or 25 years, you likely have a tornado story to tell. Anyone who knows me personally knows how much I respect the weather. Each spring and fall, our community braces for severe weather. While w…
I just turned 64 years old. Next year, I’ll have my “Welcome to Medicare” initial wellness examination, complete with an array of preventive testing. I didn’t wait to turn 65 to do my cancer screening tests, and neither should you.
