I have to wonder if being sheltered for the last several months has somehow turned many of us into people we don’t even recognize anymore. I say this because we are fighting with our fellow man, destroying property we don’t own and killing one another without even thinking. The list ...

Maybe we all need more Disney movies in our lives. I will admit that I used to be a very big fan of all things Disney. Remember the weekly TV show “The Wonderful World of Disney”? Original episodes featured Walt Disney himself, but the reruns I recall aired on Sunday evenings and were ...

The "new normal" is a term being thrown around a lot today. I am not sure there is a "new normal," as I believe it is the same normal, but a few years into the future. Many of the things that experts are saying are going to be different were already on the way to becoming the future normal. ...

I was on a Zoom call this week with an executive of a company we would like to have located in our region. I asked him, “What keeps you awake at night?” His response — “The challenge of finding people with common sense.” — surprised me. Later I was talking to a friend whose ...

I believe that this year my garden will be a success! Of course I got it started later than I wanted to — that’s something most of my home projects have in common. But once my husband, Mike, and I got going, we did a more thorough job of preparing our plot than we have in the past. We ...

If I’m playing golf for fun with a group of friends and hit a bad shot, I like it when they say, “Take a mulligan.” That means a do over. I remember in school, occasionally we had a test most of the class didn’t do well on. Our teacher went over the material again and then said, ...

It might sound strange, but I really enjoyed the storm that passed through the area Thursday afternoon. With all the rain we’ve had this spring, it surprised me that I welcomed even more. This shower was different, though. It wasn’t a dreary, cold day when it seemed the rain would ...

Much is going on for us to process. We have endured 3 months of COVID-19 and lockdowns. Schools have been closed. Many have lost jobs. Businesses shut down. Some may never reopen. There is talk of a second wave of COVID-19. Vacations, meetings, return to school and fall sports ...

Have you noticed the increase in activity? It’s only just begun, but it seems people are eager to embrace the transition of getting back to business as usual. In March, Gov. Mike DeWine, working in conjunction with state health department Director Dr. Amy Acton, closed schools and ...

In recent weeks, I have heard and read some debate about whether local communities are getting a fair deal out of the economic development agreement reached with PTTGC America for the proposed ethane cracker complex in our community. This debate is both healthy and important. As county ...

What have you rediscovered amid the COVID-19 pandemic? What I mean is, what old favorite or soothing things have you recalled or revived while following stay-at-home orders? I, for example, had forgotten just how refreshing a glass of Kool-Aid can be. A lot of people are complaining that ...

I do not intend to speak for everyone during this pandemic, which is dividing an already divided society; divided on many subjects including politics, religion, economy, and now, how we deal with higher education during a pandemic. However, I will speak to how this pandemic has affected ...

We are over four weeks into physical separating and the shutdown of all nonessential businesses. The game isn’t over. COVID-19 is a challenging and persistent opponent. I teach my players to never fear and always respect their opponents. No opponent can ever be taken lightly, especially ...

Mowing season has begin in Eastern Ohio, where the grass will grow without any concern for the novel coronavirus pandemic that presently occupies all our minds. Already, I have mowed lawns once and at this writing they are due for another cutting. Doing that outdoor task takes my mind to ...

While our first priority is keeping Ohioans healthy and safe, we must also take steps to protect Ohioans’ financial wellbeing. We’ve seen reports indicating that scammers are targeting and taking advantage of Ohioans during this scary and confusing time. These scammers particularly prey ...

Remember when everyone used to wave at one another? When I was small, I thought that drivers were obligated to acknowledge each other as they passed on the road. Wherever I went with my parents or my older brother, it seemed people knew us and wanted to say hello. My dad even had a certain ...

Easter used to be a big holiday for the Serrentino family. Anthony and Sarah Serrentino and their three children celebrated by attending Sunday services and then preparing and eating a lavish family dinner at their home in Freeport, NY. For several years after, 23-year-old Maria Serrentino ...

I can still remember a high school soccer playoff game we lost, over 10 years ago. It was a hard- fought close game. One leadership key we teach our seniors is to take responsibility. Our team didn’t like some of the referee’s calls. I don’t believe in yelling at officials. They have a ...

Well, what a difference a month makes, right? I pen this article for the first Sunday of each month (for those who keep asking me when). I might comment on the coronavirus before I’m done, but you’re probably tired of hearing about it. The month of April holds a couple of very ...

I hope you are doing well in your physical separation. My wife, Lynnda has always enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles. Now I am helping her. It is more enjoyable and thought provoking than I thought. It is a project we can do together. I hope you are housebound with people you like and enjoy being ...