After seeing the collective uproar about the increase in assessed property values in Hamilton County, I felt called to add a few thoughts on the matter. Waking up to find that your assessed property values have gone up +70 percent can be very stressful. Especially for those in our community who live on a fixed income. Where I live, in Red Bank, there are a large number of people who fit this description and have been blindsided by the astronomical raise in “value” leading to more taxes. Which leads me to my point. Can we all collectively agree that we are living in the “upside down”? A house worth $150,000 in 2015 is now doubled 10 years later (many times more than doubled). For ... (click for more)

I didn't know many of my husband Camp's friends on a personal level, but I did get to know many of your personalities through his words. My assignment was to make sure his friends on his list received birthday cards, Christmas and other holiday cards. His women friends (girlfriends I often jokingly call you) got Valentine's Day cards. I always tried to match the card to the individual personality whenever I was told he needed a card for someone. If you loved pets, you might receive a card with a picture of a pet on front. If you had a sense of humor, your card reflected that. Others received cards based on their faith or something general. Camp valued each and every one of ... (click for more)