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Local Columns

Magic Mike 6XL: The bottomless source of everything

My Ma has carried a purse for as long as I can remember, and all that time, her purse has been a thing of legend. Just about anything could be inside it. I often joke that I once saw her take a potted plant out of it, but that's not far off. First of all, the thing is huge. My Ma has gone ...

Just Jonathan : Final stretch

As of late, I’ve begun saying “final stretch“ — whether I’m mowing a lawn or running, I'm in the final stretch. As I begin reading my various articles this week, I realized my summer of working is in its Final stretch. Next week I’ll reflect on the summer I've had, but for now ...

Things I wished I learned in school

Well, another school year is just about upon us. I graduated with the class of '69 and soon we'll be celebrating our 55th (Egad) class reunion. Ah, the days before the technological outburst that we see today. We actually used #2 pencils, real lined paper, black (not white) boards and it ...

Pastor’s Corner: Misunderstandings!

I read a story about a woman named Elaine, who sent in a complaint that an inattentive waitress served her overcooked and burnt food. Emphatically, Elaine stated that she was never going back there again. Shortly thereafter, Elaine got a response back which read: “This is an auto repair ...

Magic Mike 6XL: How to make a rope while slowly dying inside

My dad goes to power shows, and one of his absolute favorite parts is the ropemakers. My father could watch a rope being made for hours. And once, when I was but a boy, my father got it in his head that he too could make a rope. This is that story. I don't remember my father making the ...

Just Jonathan: Late Nights

I will always take a late night adventure over an early morning exploration. This expands in all aspects of my life, from running to writing, I’m up late. For so much of my life it was frowned upon to be a night owl, especially in school, don’t get me started on that. Being a member of ...

Just Jonathan: Where’d all the time go?

On May 22, I got done with my first full year of college. I was happy, excited, and looking forward to a fruitful summer. Sitting here in mid to late July I’m realizing my time is drying up. I feel like I’ve done so much yet so little. That’s a cliché I feel like anybody older than me ...

Magic Mike 6XL: The emergency pancakes

It is extremely apparent that one of the things that I inherited from my parents is the predilection to go in waves of things. Today I'm all about this over here, and next week I'm all about that over there, it comes, it goes, it happens. So, about a month or two ago late at night, half ...

Magic Mike 6XL: Smokin’ meat all night long

Well, here it is, the 50th Magic Mike column. Fifty stories, fifty rants, fifty late nights, thousands of words, one book, and one award. What started as a joke column name has turned into something astounding. Nothing I could have imagined. Writing this column is different than writing ...

Just Jonathan: A year older and wiser

Every year I like to look back and reflect, this year is no different. Starting college was definitely the biggest addition to my life. I have met so many new friends and teammates. Being involved in the band and track and cross country teams changed my perspectives in both activities. The ...