Helen McBride, a Stuart and Martin County resident as she was fond of saying, has died after suffering a stroke.

She had been a stalwart at attending meetings for years. Helen had served on a variety of advisory boards and committees over that time and had never been shy about speaking her mind to anyone.

Many will grieve the loss throughout our community. Until the stroke, she attended meetings, spoke out, and gave her neighbors advice on how the city and county worked. We will all miss her.

More citizens should be active participants in their government. Today too many are Facebook warriors sitting on their phones and in scroll heaven. They believe they are getting something done by making comments and posts. They are not.

Helen made herself known the old fashion way…in person and up close. Too Bad more people don’t take a page from her playbook. St. Peter better watch out because if Helen feels something is wrong up there, she will tell him.

This week we are heavily invested in the comings and goings of Stuart. Things are not going well there, and they are about to get much worse. Chaos is the one ingredient that Chris Collins has brought to our politics and not for the better.

The Martin County Taxpayers have written a White Paper on the out-of-control BOCC travel expenditures. It is time that a policy is instituted and followed. We are waiting anxiously for the commissioners to fall into line with what so many other jurisdictions do.

We have all our great columns, Non-Profit Announcements, Constitutional Officers, and letters.

Sit back and have another cup of coffee as you read Friends & Neighbors.

Have a great Sunday Morning!