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Editorial: Myths, Misinformation and Propaganda
December 16th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: Will Park Closure Just Make Things Worse?
November 29th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: October and November Surprises
October 30th, 2008

Editorial: Is the Sky Falling?
September 24th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: Who Reads Cedar Key News?
September 19th, 2008

Editorial: The First Hurdle for Every Child
September 3rd, 2008

Editorial: A View of China from Cedar Key
August 18th, 2008

Editorial: Who Killed the Real Estate Market?
August 8th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: It`s Clamerica!
July 1st, 2008

Editorial: Can the City Commission Limit Noise?
June 6th, 2008

Editorial: Unintended Results Rock the Boat
May 29th, 2008

Editorial: Creeping Gas Prices
May 13th, 2008

Editorial: Cedar Key Election Soon
April 30th, 2008

Editorial: Questions fo the Candidates
April 2nd, 2008

Editorial: Coming Elections: National County and City
March 19th, 2008

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Editorial: Remember the Needy in Our Community

Editorial: Remember the Needy in Our Community

Editorial

The glaring headlines in last Sunday`s Gainesville Sun told the truth of the negative economic times gripping our state: "Florida tourism industry reeling from dismal year," and "City`s median income down 20% since 2000."

The unemployment rate in Florida hovers around twelve percent, more than two percent higher than the overall nationwide rate. It`s not hard to see the effects locally, either, with closures of businesses driving some of our neighbors to unemployment lines.

Levy County fares even worse than the state as a whole. In our county, the unemployment rate for the past month has been 12.5% or higher. One in five of our county`s residents is living below the poverty level and are eligible for food assistance. Food pantries in our community, as well as other communities in our county, are busier than ever, serving an increasing number of families on a weekly basis; families who do not have enough food to eat nor money to purchase that food.

During this season of holiday celebrations, religious meaning, music and merry-making, many of our neighbors are unable to participate. They are just trying to survive, get the kids fed and sufficiently dressed for the cold weather and trying to figure out how to keep their homes warm and pay the bill to do so.

As you bustle around, taking cookies to friends and attending special church and community functions, stop for a minute and remember those right here in our community who cannot buy gifts for their children or put sufficient food on their tables. There are many ways you can help:

When you shop for groceries, pick up an extra can or two of non-perishable food and drop it off at the Cedar Key Food Pantry or at the library for the Levy County Food Bank; drop some money into one of the cans for the Toys for Tots to help that organization defray the cost of purchasing toys; contact one of the local clubs (Cedar Key Woman`s Club, Eagles, Church groups) to find out what they are doing to help the needy in Cedar Key; donate money to the Clothe-a-Child program; donate usable items to Deja Vu and ask that those items be credited to one of the charitable groups which have accounts there; give outerwear, blankets, hats, gloves, socks to the North Florida Homeless Coalition (a collection point is at the library).

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