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Local Commentaries

View from Hickory Heights: Camping memories

Last week when I wrote about making coffee with lemon water it reminded me of the times when the family camped and had campfires. The campfires came first. Often, we went up on our hill. There was a spot where the trees opened up into a nice spot for a campfire. I remember when Todd had a ...

Speed demon no more with chores

Speed demon no more with chores Last week, I wrote about travel, the gift of a lifetime. This week, we’re time traveling, and I don’t mean science fiction. This involves the cold, hard facts about time flying at warp speed. And I’m mad about it. Just when we finally need life to slow ...

U.S. coming up short as great melting pot

By JAMES SPANGLER, OD A short time ago Times Observer ran a well deserved front page article on the book Rory Land by friend and Warren Area High School classmate TM Gay. It was about the ups and downs of a golfer, but also an honest look at the social mess of Catholic Ireland and Protestant ...

Times have changed

I got a message on Facebook that said – and I am paraphrasing here- If you grew up in the era where you went out each morning and did not come home until dark you grew up in the best of times. I think that is true. When I think back to the way it was when I grew up, I am in awe of the ...

Rounding Third: Being bitten by travel bug

Of all the bugs I’ve known – from ants to aphids, from fleas to fruit flies – I like my travel bug the best. I was bitten early. After college, when I absolutely couldn’t decide what I wanted to do with my life, I embraced my travel bug and became a stewardess. It was the perfect ...

View from Hickory Heights: A favorite patriotic song

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 One of my favorite patriotic songs is “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” Years ago, when I was in grade school, we had a program of all patriotic songs ranging through the ...