Author: Carma Henry

    NATO’s standing threat to attack Russia with nuclear weapons is put on parade every autumn. This year’s thermonuclear dry run⸺dubbed Steadfast Noon⸺got started October 13 according to NATO’s press office and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, or SHAPE, in Mons, Belgium.

   My impulse is to stop writing the column here. That’s it. Nothing more to say. Life is totally fine and civilized and I’m here in the middle of it, growing old but giving no thought whatsoever to the darkness that lurks at humanity’s margins. Sure, the news covers that stuff, but what do I care? Things are fine where I live.

       Now President Trump is scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, following a meeting of Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. After a phone conversation with Putin, Trump is back to believing that Putin “wants to end the war.” That might quash the Tomahawk deal, but will it resurrect the cease-fire idea? 

       Trump’s ceasefire theater in Gaza is not unique in its grotesque self-service, though it is exceptionally dangerous. Accuracy and accountability matter. We have seen premature “mission accomplished” declarations and exaggerated optimism too many times before.

       As of September 25, 2025, open carry became legal in Florida. A person can now carry a firearm anywhere, including government buildings or government-owned outdoor areas in the State – as well as any privately owned business, unless they opt out. So what does that mean for “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown?” Well, imagine someone having consumed one too many at a town square and that someone is openly carrying a firearm when he/she spies someone wearing a tee shirt with a saying s/he doesn’t like? What could possibly go wrong? So just to be clear, according to The Villages administration, open carry is allowed everywhere in public facilities in The Villages.

       Eugene K. Pettis, a Co-Founder and Senior Partner at Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm, has been elected to the 15-member Board of Regents of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). He will represent Region 7, which includes Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, for a four-year term. Eugene has been an ACTL Fellow since 2007.

‘Test Your Bible Knowledge ‘

       For 117 years, Bethel A.M.E. Church in Pompano Beach, Florida, has been more than a sanctuary of worship; it has been a sanctuary of hope. Generations have passed through its doors seeking faith, fellowship, and a future. What they found was a church that not only prays but acts like a church that serves as a pillar of strength for the people and a moral compass for the community.

       The ongoing federal government shutdown, now surpassing a week, is exacting a heavy human and economic toll that reaches far beyond the political squabbling in Washington. As Democrats and Republicans remain locked in a stalemate—debating everything from health insurance subsidies to immigration policies—the immediate victims are the nation’s civil servants and, crucially, our uniformed military personnel and their families. Furthermore, the crisis is generating significant hidden costs that erode taxpayer money and damage government efficiency.

        As the holiday season approaches, many seniors are busy with family gatherings and cherished traditions. But before the new year begins, there’s one more important step to add to the list: scheduling your annual wellness visit.