Rick LaFleur: Hercules, Steve Reeves, and Miss Gladys Giddens
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Rick LaFleur: Hercules, Steve Reeves, and Miss Gladys Giddens

First time I encountered Hercules I was 12 or so. Not the Marvel Comics hero who debuted in 1964, but the unforgettable bodybuilder-turned-actor Steve Reeves in the 1958 English-dubbed Italian film, “Hercules,” the first of eight sword-and-sandal flicks he starred in over the next five years. For me it was love at first fight, and…

Rutherford enters year two under coach Floyd
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Rutherford enters year two under coach Floyd

The Rutherford football team is entering its second year under head coach Albert Floyd. Last fall, the Rutherford football team finished with a 2-8 record, one more win than the previous season. The biggest difference between the losing seasons is that three of last year’s losses were decided by four points or less, including a…

Five agents offer day long look at ecosystem
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Five agents offer day long look at ecosystem

Extension agents from five counties combined their knowhow to deliver a course last month at the St. Joseph Bay Buffer Preserve on “St. Joseph Bay: By Land and Sea.” The University of Florida/IFAS Extension faculty was reintroducing their acclaimed “Panhandle Outdoors LIVE!” series by focusing on an ecosystem home to some of the richest concentrations…

Two men, one committee, the race is on
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Two men, one committee, the race is on

If it wasn’t for a Republican state committeeman race, 80 percent of Franklin County’s GOP voters would have no local race to vote on at the upcoming Aug. 20 primary. The ones who live on St. George Island, and along the streets of Eastpoint, would still have to decide whether incumbent county commissioner, Ricky Jones,…

Democracy is on the ballot, thanks to project 2025
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Democracy is on the ballot, thanks to project 2025

Last week, Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat , author of “Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,” commented that “one of the most alarming things” about “Project 2025” is the blatant admission that Donald Trump did not accomplish everything he intended to in his first administration. “They got a slow start […] so their codeword is ‘day one,’” Ben-Ghiat…

Fire, fatal accident strike village in July
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Fire, fatal accident strike village in July

Hi Y’all, July has been a hard month for Lanark with the tragic deaths of Ben and Monica Steigner, son and daughter-in-law of John and Sharon Steigner, who lost their lives when they were hit by a truck on Arizona Street minutes from their family’s home.  Ben and Monica were visiting for the holiday from…

Morgan Walker earns doctorate in physics
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Morgan Walker earns doctorate in physics

Morgan Walker, of St. George Island, received her doctorate in physics from the University of California at Davis at Spring 2024 commencement ceremonies on June 13. Walker is the daughter of David and Rose Walker of St. George Island. She grew up in Franklin County, and attended First Baptist Christian School, Apalachicola Bay Charter School…

Operation Dry Water cites 131 vessel operators
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Operation Dry Water cites 131 vessel operators

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement along with other law enforcement partners participated in Operation Dry Water’s heightened enforcement weekend July 4-6. With the Fourth of July falling on a Thursday this year the heightened patrol efforts extended through Sunday, July 7.  ODW is a year-round national effort to educate…