Columns

Knowing Your Place At The Table

This summer’s bird-watching ritual has grown into a full-fledged lesson on the order of life. Our bird feeders have attracted more interest than usual with a wider array of winged creatures visiting. To our delight, the Baltimore orioles returned right on schedule to dip their beaks into the rich grape jelly we provide. The uniquely designed jelly feeder allows the birds to rest and eat at the same time. The only downfall has been the intrusion of a pesky squirrel and a pair of overweight raccoons. After several attempts to block the unwanted jelly thieves, we simply remove the ...

Beating The Heat

As I write this column, we are in the throes of a major heat wave. Nothing we do really prepares us for this because we don’t experience it every day like they do in other parts of our country. Here in the Ohio Valley we have had our share of hot and steamy summers, but these scorching, dry days are frightening. The danger of wildfires should keep us all on alert. Imagine being a firefighter who has to don a 50 pound pack of equipment to fight a fire or rescue someone from an accident. It’s hard to even comprehend the toll that takes on a human body. I’m sure frozen Twin Pops ...

Pitch The Tent, Fire Up The Grill

A friend/colleague told me about how, when she was a child, her parents would take her camping every summer. I never perceived this friend of being much of a nature girl but I guess she was to some degree. She said it was just what her little family did together. When she told me about her camping experiences, I felt a twinge of envy. You see she is an only child and had the full attention of her mom and dad, especially on those vacation camp outings. I, on the other hand, have seven brothers and four sisters. One-on-one time with either parent was rare. It’s just the way of big ...

Driving Me Mad

I always believed there were just four seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall. Apparently there is a fifth season known as the “Driving Season.” It reportedly begins over the Memorial Day weekend in May and pretty much winds up after Labor Day in September. This season refers to the time when more and more people get behind the wheel and head out to places near and far. Lured by warm temps, blue skies and sometimes, dry roads, we head out like early nomads seeking recreational and vacation pursuits. I used to enjoy being a member of the driving public. I’ve had my driver’s ...

Forecasting Weather Is Big News

In this age of modern miracles, reporting the news across the world is an amazing thing. With the touch of a button, we can be in touch with what’s happening anywhere, anytime. The invention of the Internet and websites — something so foreign to me in my early years in the newsroom — became a vital part of my career and daily life. While a reporter’s notebook and a selection of fine tip ballpoint pens were once my trusty tools, they too, have become nearly extinct. (Personally I still like to write out my notes on a lined notebook.) Recording news events on digital cameras and ...

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Sunday, May 26, 2024, would have marked Harry C. Hamm’s 101st birthday. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that he — my father — has been away from this earth since 1991. Over all these years without him, I and others in our family have often wondered what he would think of the current state of affairs of his beloved country, and more closely, his hometown. We have had lively, sometimes loud discussions, as to what his opinions may have been. It was not unusual for my dad to have an office full of politicians and businessmen seeking sage advice from him over his storied ...