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Stephanie was born in the Air Force, on Beale AFB, in California, as her father was a career Air Force. Some of her fondest memories growing up, as what we lovingly call a military brat, was when her father was stationed in Germany, at Hahn AFB, near Lautzenhausen, from the time she was age 10 till 17. Field trips to a castle sound cool to me.

The earliest recorded festivities in honor of a new year’s arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox—the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness—heralded the start of a new year. They marked the occasion with a massive religious festival called Akitu (derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring) that involved a different ritual on each of its 11 days. In addition to the new year, Atiku celebrated the mythical victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over the evil sea goddess Tiamat and served an important political purpose: It was during this time that a new king was crowned or that the current ruler’s divine mandate was symbolically renewed.

The early Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days, with each new year beginning at the vernal equinox; according to tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. A later king, Numa Pompilius, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius.

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Just before Christmas, 38 newly elected judges made their way to Little Rock to receive an initial training before beginning their new jobs on January 1, 2023. The Association of Arkansas Counties held training lasting three days to teach the Judge-Elects training on various topics to assist judges as they begin their job.

1. Times Square Ball Drop 2. Making Resolutions 3. New Year’s Kiss 4. Hoppin’ John 5. Auld Lang Syne 6. Midnight Countdown So, whatever your New Year’s traditions or Resolutions might be, enjoy the day, make memories and get ready for the New Year to come.

Greg Alexander recently attended training in Little Rock Conducted by the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association. The training began December 11 and ended on December 16.