Restore island land tract to its natural beauty

Today, Okaloosa County holds the last of its workshops to decide the fate of a 54-acre tract on Okaloosa Island. The debate has been fractious, with many people and institutions expressing their opinions about how the land should be used…. READ MORE

My relief was cheap at 40 cents

I had just cracked open a 20-ounce Diet Coke after finishing a steaming-hot Styrofoam cup of coffee when I pulled onto the Interstate 294 toll road in Chicago. The day was freezing. An icy northwest wind cut across the eight… READ MORE

8 a.m.? Time to vomit in the big guy’s shoe

Pavlov, about to get up to no good. Image by Del Stone Jr.

Today’s cat itinerary: 5 a.m. – Sit outside the big guy’s door and meow frantically, as if to shout, “The house is on fire!” When he’s standing in front of you, wild-eyed and hair sticking out at crazy angles and… READ MORE

The cat nearly gutted me, and all I did was smile

This is a stock photo from Flickr user Tambako the Jaguar, but it roughly equates to the cat Mao, who nearly took off my arm as we sat after dinner and chatted in the living room. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/

Got a call from a lady in Navarre who wanted to point out the traffic lights in front of the Target store in Mary Esther are hard to see, and drivers are NOT seeing them, and they’re blowing through red… READ MORE

Cyberspace could have a dark side

If you could be the star of a movie, would you? Soon, you’ll have that choice because technology is becoming available that will allow you to create the world of your dreams. Think about it: If you could “the world… READ MORE

Technology is doing more than just alienating us from one another

Damage in the Fort Walton Beach, Florida area caused by Hurricane Opal, which struck on Oct. 3, 1995. Image by Del Stone Jr.

On Aug. 5, 1995, and again on Oct. 3, 1995, something strange and wonderful happened in Fort Walton Beach. Hurricanes Erin and Opal had roared through the days before. The town was in a shambles – trees down, boats sunk,… READ MORE

It’s those cats!

Image by Del Stone Jr.

Note: This was an essay I wrote that later became the basis of a short story, “Aunt Edna’s Cats,” which was published in the Barnes & Noble anthology “101 Crafty Cat Capers.” — As I stand in my kitchen, hands… READ MORE