Category: USA Life
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Hands Off the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
I have some wonderful memories associated with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Over the last 25 years I have attended plays, musicals, and more. It was there when my first wife, Carolyn, was fighting cancer and needing a scooter if any kind of walking was involved, that we were able to…
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Summer Travel Without the Crowds
Planning a summer family vacation can feel like signing up for heat, crowds, and sticker shock. When school lets out, millions of families hit the road at the same time, pushing the same theme parks, beaches, and national parks to their limits. That demand drives up hotel rates, fills restaurants, and turns travel days into…
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Is The Summer Getaway Disappearing?
Memorial Day weekend at Virginia Beach is usually a loud, crowded signal that summer travel season has arrived, but this year it felt strangely quiet. An empty boardwalk and half-closed shops are more than a weather story; they are a snapshot of shifting American travel behavior. When a classic drive-to destination looks subdued, it raises…
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When the Job Description Doesn’t Include “Prove You’re Still Alive”
Note: Ages and details below current as of July 2026 unless noted. The news that Lindsey Graham has died at 71 is going to generate a lot of tributes this week, and it should — the man spent decades in public life. But if I’m honest, my first reaction wasn’t grief. It was a gut-punch…
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A Tale of Two Birthdays
By Jim Santos July 4th, 1976. I was eighteen years old. That number felt significant in ways that aren’t easy to explain to someone who wasn’t there. In addition to being able to buy beer (legally), eighteen meant I could vote for the first time — and there was an election coming in November. It…
