by Jay Kerner, Source Publications

Holy crap, you’re reading our paper! I have to tell you, I’m a little shocked. When we came up with the idea to put out this rag, it occurred to us that anybody can print something and set it out there. Just look at the various free publications jamming the racks in grocery and convenience stores. Apartment guides, auto finders, shoppers of all sorts, all jockeying for position. (Full story)

Dear Joe,Thanks for your story about cleaning up this town. It’s about time somebody spoke up. I always pick up my own property, but I’m too self-conscious to pick up my neighbor’s. Any suggestions?Tired Of Trash (Full story)

by Wayne Jensen, Independent Writer

I look at our field of candidates for the next Presidential Election and am horribly under whelmed. There used to be two distinct view points, there was the “give a man a fish” party and the “teach a man to fish” party, the Democrats and Republicans respectively. They have morphed into the “whatever you are for I am against” or collectively the “No fish for you” parties. (Full story)

My neighbor is vital to my work routine.

I work at the East Hills Branch of the St. Joseph Public Library, south of the East Hills Shopping Center, and I get out of my office and travel through the lobby to meet my neighbor two or three times a day. I just can’t help myself. (Full story)

by Danny Phillips, Independent Writer

I first became aware of Jesse James, the outlaw, as a kid. Growing up in a small Missouri town a couple hours from St. Joe, it’s nearly impossible to escape the massive shadow cast by the legendary gunslinger.

I met Jesse James, the tattoo artist, at Inkslinger Tattoo where he was working as a visiting artist. Now James has ridden back into St. Joe, this time as an owner of his own tattoo shop, named The Candy Shop ( 722 Felix). (Full story)

by Eavin Moore, CLAMS

It really doesn’t matter whether you are a hawk or a dove; war has touched your life in some way. Maybe it’s through your own military background, or that of a loved one. Depending on your age, you may have lived through World Wars, Police Actions, and various other conflicts. (Full story)

by Erin Eddins, Source Publications

Childhood memories have an amazing ability to disappear as time goes on. It seems that each year I know less and less about who I was. But some memories are so deeply rooted that centuries could not fade them.

I cannot remember what my Kindergarten teacher looked like. Nor can I call to mind my seventh birthday party. Where do there memories go? Some say that all of your memories are always in your mind just misfiled until something triggers it. Others tell me that you can only remember so much and as time passes and more memories are accumulated old ones that are tattered and frayed get tossed out. If that’s the case I want to enforce a policy that I get to sort through and decide which ones must go. (Full story)

by Jay Kerner, Source Publications

The greatest movie ever, you ask? Surely this is satire. It would be blasphemy to think that a dumb comedy could ever be spoken of in the same breath as Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind, or even The Godfather, as the jewels of American Cinema.

Well listen up movie snobs, as I introduce it to those who haven’t yet been seduced by its charms, and then compare and contrast it with these other seemingly dissimilar movies. (Full story)

by Erin Eddins, Source Publications

I’ve written a lot in my life and I don’t find it at all surprising that much of that writing has been about things I am truly passionate about. In fact to be quite honest, I find it difficult to write more than a few lines about things I am not naturally drawn to.

In line with this thinking now seems to be the appropriate moment to admit that I have written about Don McLean a number of times. In fact I have even given two speeches about him and his music. The most obvious angle has always been his anthem “American Pie.” I have stood in front of large groups and dissected the song line by line, explaining the metaphors and undertones of every phrase. But I have a sneaking suspicion that many of the readers of The Regular Joe are at least semi-familiar with the musical epic. So, in my review of his album by the same name I will choose not to delve into the classic “American Pie” and instead share some of the other equally great songs. (Full story)

by Danny Phillips, Independent Writer

I am but a lowly rock critic that is not talented enough to have an amplifier placed firmly in the middle of the tempest so I recognize that I am not qualified to decree definitely whether or not St. Joe has a thriving music scene. Granted, I do have opinions and theories on the subject but I will, for this article at least, try to set them aside. I have covered and discussed local music in print for over three years now; first, as a columnist for the dearly departed Mule News and now from time to time as an independent writer with The Regular Joe. Over these past few years, I have witnessed joy and sadness, success and failure, both at their highest and lowest of levels. (Full story)