FLORIDA VOICE: In all fairness, we must given equal time to our
correspondent in Florida who started off the whole “”Florida vs.
Bradford”” dialogue a few weeks ago.[neWLine]

Actually, we’ve heard from her several times but the most brutal
came late last week.[neWLine]

She says, “”Loving the debate … but as Buffalo was shoveling
snow, my grandbabies were riding around my neighborhood in their
sundress and shorts. Maybe they will deliver pizza someday, do you
think?””[neWLine]

Before that, however, she had conceded one point: “”OK. The
readers win. When Craig Scott reminded me that we have a governor
named Bush, that is enough to trump all other
benefits.””[neWLine]

A few of her rebuttals:[neWLine]

When a reader pointed to a dearth of affordable middle-class
housing, she said, “”I have a beautiful home for a middle-class
person. … I only pay $999 for a ‘mortgage’ and my home is worth
$250,000 now. By the way, I bought it in 1992 when I moved here for
$85,000 after selling in Bradford for $38,000. Nice return and that
was my point. I can soon afford to either return to Bradford full-
or part-time and bring some of that earned profit back to the
economy there.””[neWLine]

Our Florida fan continued in this vein but her main point –
which she asked us to stress to readers once again – is the Florida
may be where she lives but her “”home”” is and always will be
Bradford.[neWLine]

As she puts it: “”If you had read the last line of the original
post carefully, you would see that my memory of Bradford was
priceless meaning that nothing compares to having been born and
raised there.””[neWLine]

“”The whole piece was intended as a slam to Florida in the end
that despite the economic benefits of Florida, Bradford is where my
heart is. And, it ended with ‘There is no place like home.’ I would
say we have the same sentiment. Florida is nice but there is no
place like the memory of Bradford…[neWLine]

“”But, I’m glad that this controversy helped so many of you,
local and transplanted, to re-appreciate just what you do or did
have. Now, stop the grumbling about Bradford and remember your
infamous motto: ‘Cool town, Warm hearts.'[neWLine]

“”And, maybe more of you baby-boomers will retire back home to
Bradford as you remember just how nice it was.””[neWLine]

Words worth considering. And we love that motto.