"Gardening may be genetic in my family but I didn’t inherit it" by: Jessica Shepard

   Mom gets compliments on her gardening skills every time spring rolls around and the flowerbeds explode in a variety of greenery and blooms.  I mean, I’ve had people even asking me what some of her chosen plants are and I have no clue!

"Spring Break now arrives an hour earlier" by: John Sample

   Well, I know you are at least waking up earlier due to Daylight Savings time.  Moreover, that little dust up in the Middle East will cut into your budget with WTI climbing almost $20 to just under &90 a barrel.   Your next trip to the pump will be a reckoning.

Your credit score matters more than you may think

   Your credit score can have a big impact on your financial life.  From renting an apartment to getting a cellphone plan, your score can open doors — or close them.  Simply put, your credit score predicts how likely you are to pay bills on time.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Scream 7’ might just be the final nail in the franchise’s coffin" by: Jessica Shepard

   I know that horror movies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.  But, there are several franchises that have been the cornerstone of my scary movie experience from childhood to now and the “Scream” franchise just happens to keep churning out flicks.

Challenge accepted

   When it comes to our children, our biased opinions of them may be getting in the way of their progress when growing up.

"Spontaneity isn’t my forte and it’s always been that way" by: Jessica Shepard

   Sometimes my friends and I end up reminiscing about how much change we’ve lived through.  And I know that it’s nothing compared to what my mom or Mike have endured, but it’s still uniquely ours.

"March Madness and Hummingbirds have arrived" by: John Sample

   March is here and it is roaring if for no other reason than what is going on in Iran.   That will have a direct impact on oil prices, which will push inflation.    The extent of the rise in crude is being debated, but it will be higher and has climbed above $70 a barrel.

PSA: Local business owners: Don’t overlook retirement plans

   If you’re a local business owner, you’re likely juggling growth, expenses, and your team’s needs, all while planning for your own future.  A workplace retirement plan may be able to help with all of that, directly and indirectly.

"Reel Reviews: ‘The Bluff’ revels in revenge, age of piracy" by: Jessica Shepard

   It’s been almost a decade since the last “Pirates of the Caribbean” film graced the silver screen in 2017.  Since then, I’ve been eagerly awaiting a pirate film or miniseries that was more than halfway decent.

Work ethic

   (Dictionary - noun the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward.)Let’s talk about the definition of work ethic.  Any description that uses the phrase hard work tends to get the same response as when someone yells “Fire!” What happened to the quality work ethic?