Welcome to the June-July 2026 edition of the Paradise News. From October to May, we publish every month, then during the summer, we go bimonthly for June/July and August/September. Each new issue goes online and to the printer on the first of each month. They take about a week to ten days to print, then we start filling our 500 racks and stacks, and the post office delivers roughly 20,000 copies in the mail, usually the 12th to 15th of each month. Since we know this schedule, we design the issues to be effective until the next one arrives in your mailbox. For example, the Arts and Leisure and events listings which comprise the back third of the publication are updated each issue to include six weeks of fun things to do from the first of the month to the fifteenth of the next month. In these bimonthly issues, it stretches to 10 weeks.
While I have already outlived both of my parents, I am planning to stick around at least to ninety. My ninety-seven-year-old aunt Marianne, who loves to read the Paradise News and plays bridge almost daily in Bridgeport, Conn. has told me several times she thinks ninety is old enough for anyone. Had I planned ahead for this kind of longevity I probably would have taken better care of my health and tried to save more money for the future. Since my folks both got ill and passed around retirement age, I instead took long vacations each summer with my bride of 55 years so we would never feel like we missed anything. Now, we are in the care of Colin Chan, MD., an amazing anti-aging specialist who is doing his best to help us reverse the mistakes we have made.
Many long-time readers will remember Sarah Lyons, who wrote a popular astrology column for Paradise News for almost 20 years. Sarah had to stop working when she was diagnosed with cancer and has been fighting a good fight for her life despite even worse financial challenges than most. A generous neighbor started a GoFundMe page for her, to which we have contributed. If you remember her work and have a few dollars to spare for a good cause, please be generous. It will mean a lot to her as she endures chemo treatments for the next 4 months.
We are excited to have been able to keep sharing Paradise News on schedule in spite of the flood, wind, war and state of the economy. With hurricane season back, we are pleased to have FloodSafe Solutions, our flood barrier choice, as a new advertiser. We are also thrilled to have 5-star rated Potter’s Precision Import car repair advertising again (see page 11). We are also thrilled to have been befriended by legendary Steinway artist Rebecca Penneys, who semi-retired to St. Pete Beach after a career at the Eastman School in Rochester, NY. Here she started RPPF, the tuition-free Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, now in its 13th season on the USF campus, bringing a world-class faculty and three dozen very talented college-age pianists from the best schools in the world to town for three weeks of exposure to Steinway pianos and some of the best lessons they have ever had. Guests are welcome for a modest donation at Barness Hall at USF – Tampa June 27-July 17, or at any of the outreach concerts, including some in our area. Use the QR code in the ad on page 31 for details.
We are also pleased to announce the affordable summer program for seniors at ASPEC, which is designed to bring experienced learners together for fellowship and fun in addition to an educational experience (see page 17). It is a great place to meet interesting people and make new friends. Have a great summer and stay safe.