***Note to Clay County media:  I sent the letter below to my friends and supporters today–this is an open letter, so feel free to use it (or not use it) however you would like…thanks for always being professional during the campaign and during my stint on the BCC; as always, feel free to call me anytime (as long as we don’t have to talk about this election stuff anymore!)**** 

 

Friends:

 

I write to update you on the status of the County Chair seat. As you recall, a trial court ruled that I would serve for four years on the Commission pursuant to the results of the November election. An appellate court overturned this ruling.  Yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court refused to hear the case. In sum, the legal proceedings are over, and neither Diane Hutchings nor I will serve.

 

The news from the Florida Supreme Court is not surprising. Once the appellate court issued its decision, it was unlikely that the Supreme Court was going to intervene and reverse.  Nevertheless, my wife Jenn and I are disappointed that we will not be able to serve our community in this capacity.   Read the rest of this entry »

 Those of us who spend much time in a doctor’s office should appreciate this!  Doesn’t it seem more and more that physicians are running their practices like an assembly line?  Here’s what happened to Bubba:

Bubba walked into a doctor’s office and the receptionist asked him what he had.  Bubba said: ‘Shingles.’  So she wrote down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat.

Read the rest of this entry »

For the week ending Feb. 20, 2009:

Stocks fell around the world this week as investors remained skeptical of the U.S. government’s effort to bail out the financial sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to a six-year low on Thursday, while Japan’s Topix stock index tumbled to its lowest level in 25 years. As the selling ensued, Treasuries rallied, and gold rose above $1,000 per ounce.

U.S. economic news Obama administration takes aggressive stance to hall foreclosures
U.S. President Barack Obama pledged $275 billion for a program to cut mortgage payments for struggling homeowners and expand the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in curbing Read the rest of this entry »

Rusty the wonder dog

Read this the next time you might be upset with your pet:

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me. Read the rest of this entry »

Lamar is my name and golf is . . . well, golf is a game at which I mostly suck. (My wife the teacher will not like me using that word. It sets a bad example for the kids, she said. I seriously doubt any children are reading this web site, however. If there are and they don’t like me using that word, please let me know and I won’t use it again. I promise.)
Getting back to the subject at hand, Garland Hudson was kind enough to invite me to play in a fund-raising golf tournament for Orange Park Athletic Association recently at Fleming Island Plantation, formerly my favorite golf course. After I butchered it up during the tournament, I am not sure anybody will want to play on it. (Just kidding, Troy. It is a great golf course and I am sure I will be back. When my golf game improves or when pigs, you know, do their thing.)
While Garland is a good friend, I have to question his wisdom of inviting me to be on his team. Read the rest of this entry »

Lamar Thames

The worldwide economic crisis is wreaking havoc with families, banking, finance, construction, infrastructure and probably more areas that we can even imagine at this time. As I have said before, I am not sure that all of the changes that may come about because of the financial chaos will be bad. There are benefits to a leaner, meaner economy, the least of which is greater efficiencies and more conservation in many areas.

Look at what has happened in the oil industry. Prices went through the roof in the U.S., motorists reduced their driving by billions of miles and prices came down, thus producing a benefit to the environment. (I know gas prices have rebounded against all odds, but there are other reasons for that.) You can see similar results in water usage and prices for all manner of Read the rest of this entry »

Two students from Ridgeview High School will be representing Clay County in the International Science Fair in Reno, Nev., later this year. The students are Alex Gandzyura in engineering and Mitchell Stecker in physics.
This will be Stecker’s second straight appearance at the International fair. Last year, at the fair in Atlanta, he did not win any awards. Here is a brief video of Stecker at this year’s county fair held Feb. 17 at the fairgrounds in Green Cove Springs. Click on the gallery tab at the top of the page for photos of the event and see the complete list of winners on the continuation of this story inside.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mark and I are golfing buddies and we try to get out to one of the courses in the greater Orange Park, FL., area at least once a month. Mark is a good friend in that he sometimes plays “down” to my level to make me feel good. A couple of months ago we were tied (I might have been ahead by a stroke, I don’t remember) but he birdied No. 18 at the Country Club of Orange Park while I bogeyed it and he beat me by a stroke.

Recently, we were again at CCOP, only this time with a much different result. Neither one of us did much on the front nine, but he started off hot on the back nine and never let up. When we got to the 18th hole, I noticed that he had parred every hole on the back nine. Being a good friend, I made sure he was aware of it so that he wouldn’t mess up. You know how good friends are. We want our friends to succeed. So I said, “Mark, you have parred every hole on the back nine, so don’t blow it now, OK?”

I don’t have to tell you what he did, do I? (OK, for the record, he muffed the fairway shot and wound up with a bogey for a 37 on the back nine and a 79 for the day. Me? I bogeyed 18 also for a 90. Not bad for me.)

CCOP is in great shape and their weekday fee is only $27, even for non-members. A great deal in my book. Here is a brief video of Mark and I teeing off on No. 13. If you have golf videos or stories to tell, let me know about them.

(If you think the economy is bad now, read what they were saying back in 1953)

‘I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $20.’

 

‘Have you seen the new cars coming out next year?  It won’t be long before $2,000 will only buy a used one.’

 

‘If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit.  A quarter a pack is ridiculous.’ Read the rest of this entry »

Thank goodness there’s a name for this disorder. Somehow I feel better, even though I might have it!! 
Recently, I was tentatively diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests itself:
I decide to water my garden.  A  I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. Read the rest of this entry »