Columns

What We Can Offer

Her name is Hope. She came into the world pink-cheeked and a perfect 6 pounds 1 ounce. My nephew Noah and his wife Kayla welcomed their daughter to their family of two boys and the family dog. Hope arrived in the early part of September, a month that has been a roller-coaster of emotions for many. Just one week after her joyous birth, our country saw a slate of violent acts that have worn us down emotionally and spiritually. Another senseless school shooting, an innocent woman slain on a commuter train and then the horrific murder of conservative Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk ...

Falling For Autumn

I caved. I always said I wouldn’t get out my fall/Halloween decorations until at least mid-September. However, on Labor Day Monday, I just happened to be in the basement looking for something when I came upon an autumn-inspired wreath I had tucked away last spring. Then I delved a little deeper into the stuff on the basement shelves and located some pumpkin decorations and assorted Halloween junk. I couldn’t help myself. They all called to me to be released from their dusty hibernation and resume their assigned places on the porch and throughout the house. I have to admit that ...

Snuffed Out?

It’s funny how something as simple as a piece of trash can give me pause. I was getting out of my car at Walmart in Moundsville recently when I spotted it. It wasn’t hard to miss as it was literally placed at my feet. There it was — an empty package of Marlboro Lights cigarettes. I recognized the package immediately. After all, it was the brand of cigarettes I once smoked. It’s been over 40 years since I quit the dirty, unhealthy habit. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed smoking, as did many of my friends and family members back in the 1970s. However, I wanted to start a ...

A Visit To Lewisburg

Let’s take a ride, one of my siblings suggested last week. Not just a short ride, but a change of scenery. It isn’t that we don’t love our hometown, but sometimes you have to get out of town to appreciate coming back home. That was pretty much the consensus of two of my siblings. So we plotted our destination — Lewisburg, West Virginia. Our niece Sara is attending medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. So we decided to take our ride and visit with Sara. With my brother, Greg, at the wheel and my sister, Denny, riding shotgun, I enjoyed ...

Just A False Alarm

I was standing at the kitchen window the other afternoon, when I saw it. First it was just one. No big deal, I thought. Then two more floated softly to the earth. There was no real breeze to speak of so my concern continued to grow. It is only Aug. 12, I tell myself. This can’t be happening. Yet, I know what I saw. Leaves were beginning to drop-off the very full trees in the backyard. I’m not ready for fall. I’m not even close to thinking of sweaters and socks back on my summer-sandaled feet. Falling leaves are for October, not August. And then meteorologist Jeff Oechslein ...

Be Careful What We Wish For

Water. In all my years of living, the topic of water has never been more prevalent than in the past year or so. Just one year ago, the Ohio Valley was in the midst of a scorching drought. In fact, it was downright frightening as the threat of wildfires kept many vigilant. Each day through late summer and early fall, the promise of rain was just that — a promise unfulfilled. Weather forecasters kept a low profile as they seemed to be held responsible for what does or doesn’t fall from the sky. Fire danger warnings became a daily thing. The once lush, green lawns turned dusty and ...