Blog – The Current

From Sanford to Cooperstown.

February 16th, 2018currentstaff0 Comments

Both Tim Raines and I have gone from Sanford to Cooperstown . . . It turns out that the two towns, one thousand one hundred and ninety-seven miles apart, have a few things in common. Both downtowns sit on the South side of a large and gorgeous lake. Both towns feature turn-of-the-century architecture and brick streets in the business districts. In the adjacent neighborhoods of both towns you will find hundred year old wooden homes, tree canopies, and lots of picket fences. The two towns are now connected, but for very different reasons. One town is where Tim Raines was …

Current Thoughts December 2015

November 6th, 2017currentstaff0 Comments

He is a little op-ed from two years ago featured in the December 2015 printed version of The Current. . . we still feel the exact same way! Current Thoughts December 2015 I have to be honest with you guys. Up until this moment (Saturday 11/28/15, late morning), I had absolutely no idea(s) as to what I was going to write for this December intro. November was such a great month for us at The Current. We put out what we thought was our best issue to date. We organized the inaugural Sanford Beer Week. We then …

Current Thoughts July 2015

March 23rd, 2017Mike Smith0 Comments

Welcome to issue Number Five! We are very pleased to be receiving some decent responses to what we are putting out there. Thanks so much for joining us on our journey. Fives issues does not really make a landmark, but it still is pretty cool. It would have been really easy to fold this whole operation up a few times over the last few months . . . but honestly, we are enjoying putting this out and look forward to many more! New feature, weather! In our never-ending attempt to expand our appeal, we thought it would be nice …

Sanford Native Tim Raines for The Hall of Fame, and my Summer of ’83.

January 8th, 2017currentstaff0 Comments

I first learned of Tim Raines in the summer of ’83. . . . My Father had just retired from his career in the military, and we moved to Central Florida so he could pursue a life as a civilian. I was just 13, but I already had a lot of experience being the new kid in town, so it was kind of “just another move” for me at the time. I had already been to 7 schools and was slated to go to my 8th school for 8th grade later this year. So yeah, I was getting good at …

Current Thoughts Issue 4

September 23rd, 2016Mike Smith0 Comments

By Mike Smith (originally published June 2015) Well, Sunrail celebrated its one-year anniversary last month! With that anniversary was the subsequent release of how it fared in its first year. The nay-sayers rejoiced when it was announced that the fledgling rail system only recouped 20% of its costs. They were delighted to be able to dust off the word “boondoggle” and gloat at the perceived failure of such a silly project. We feel that people who share that sentiment are short-sighted and/or don’t have a need for better public transportation as many in the area do. This first leg …

Meet the (Sanford) Parents

September 19th, 2016currentstaff0 Comments

I don’t know what it is about 2016, but it seems like the year of the baby boom in Downtown Sanford. All of our favorite locals are bringing new little Sanfordites into the world, almost like there’s something in the water. (I think I’ll continue to stick with the beer.) As someone who grew up in Downtown, I find it heartwarming to watch couples settle into new homes and start their families here. My childhood memories are filled with scenes of bicycling down brick streets, making friends with local business owners, and dancing at street parties, and I love the …

The Actual Story of Oktoberfest

September 19th, 2016currentstaff0 Comments

Oktoberfest. The mere word evokes thoughts of full steins, sausages, pretzels, colorful tents, and busty dirndl-wearing women delivering tasty suds by the metric ton. For the most part, cool, I’m with you. However, the perennial favorite story of the first Oktoberfest and beer is very much romanticized, misrepresented, and in need of a level of clarification that I wish was wasn’t the case considering the modern evolution of beer culture. Let me explain by telling you the tale of the original Oktoberfest. In 1810, on October 12, the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig was to be married, and he invited the …

Pushing Greatness: A Look Back at Sofas and Suds

September 19th, 2016currentstaff0 Comments

You’ve seen it. Five people rush down the street, hands forming a death grip on a piece of furniture found abandoned on the side of the road, their neon sneakers beating against the brick street with each new step. They push, pull, and grimace as they round the famed corner, their stomachs fluttering as the back wheels of their carefully modified sofa fly off the ground for the slightest second. With an adrenaline fueled grunt, egged on by the hysterical crowd, they push just that much harder, with that much more enthusiasm, as their eyes lock onto the finish line, …