Breaking News

Columns

Wild weather — is it time to take action yet?

Ah, the crunch of grass beneath your feet ... wait a minute. Grass isn’t supposed to sound like that. Especially not in early July. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have found the weather conditions of this young summer to be brutal. Already in late June, the grass on my lawn had turned mostly brown and had pretty much stopped growing. Sure, that happens here in Eastern Ohio, but it usually doesn’t occur until late August when summer is winding down. After the more-than-abundant rainfall we received this spring, it seems hard to believe that we now seem to be in a ...

Make summer memories in Belmont County

As the warm embrace of summer continues, now is the perfect time to make memories that will last all year long without having to travel far. In an era where travel often dominates our summer plans, there’s a quiet revolution brewing closer to home: the art of the staycation. Defined not by distance but by depth, a staycation invites us to explore the treasures hidden within our own communities. Discover new adventures while exploring local treasures, immersing yourself in nature, or just cherishing time with loved ones and creating new memories together. This summer, let us redefine ...

Fire safety for July 4 and every day of the year

A lot of people enjoy fireworks on the Fourth of July, but I had some fireworks of my own on Thursday that I did not enjoy at all. I was making my way through the day and popped something in the microwave to warm up. I stepped across the kitchen and around the corner when I realized that the microwave didn’t sound right. When I turned back to look, I was horrified to see that the appliance contained a roaring ball of flames. I made it across the kitchen in the blink of an eye and pushed the “STOP” button. Thankfully, I had the presence of mid to leave the door closed. Within ...

Freedom requires you to be self-sufficient as well

The USA is one of the few countries in the world whose people have personal liberty (i.e. freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to gather, etc.) and economic opportunity. It takes both to create true freedom. In the Disney films, The Little Mermaid, King Triton tells his daughter Ariel, “As long as you live under my ocean, you’ll obey my rules.” The owner of the house gets to make the rules. House guests obey them or they can choose to leave. When we stay at a hotel we have to obey hotel rules or leave. If you live in your parents’ house you live under their rules. They ...

Selecting the United States, but where?

If you have ever moved long distance to a city or place you are not familiar with, you know how complicated the process can be. I remember our move from Columbus, Ohio, to Elkview, West Virginia, decades ago. We didn’t know anyone and weren’t familiar with the area. We needed a house we could afford and a mortgage. Interest rates at the time were 14%. Schools were a concern for our two children in grade school and the oldest starting high school. We had to decide where to live in the area. We had to find a new family doctor and dentist and many other details. Imagine the ...

The good things in life — and overdoing it

It is possible to have too much of a good thing. My husband, Mike, and I try to make the most of our groceries, so we do our meal planning in a way that allows us to build off of the same ingredients for a variety of dishes over multiple days. That’s exactly what we did this past week, but apparently we ended up overdoing it. My good friends know that I truly love tacos. I’m not quite sure what it is about them — it may be the crunchy shells combined with the spicy meat and cool, crisp toppings, or it could be the fact that you can make each and every one just a bit different ...