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Columnists

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Is Phase Two Of Trump‘s Peace Plan In The Gaza Strip Doomed To Fail? – Part I

Phase one of Trump‘s twenty-point peace plan in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 9, called for a ceasefire, cessation of military operations, along with a hostage and prisoner...

FRED FIRST: Approaching the Longest Night

Yes, you’re right—if you’ve even noticed—that this space has been neglected for some weeks now,...

A Life Well-Lived: Shirley Padgett Lester (1947-2025)

Shirley Padgett Lester of Vinton went to her heavenly reward October 4. Below is the...

BOB BROWN: How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden “Presidency”

Permit me to think out loud as an old-fashioned person who respects authority, history, and...

JOHNNY ROBINSON: The Gratitude Perch

On the old road up Mill Mountain, part of Roanoke’s fabulous greenway system, there’s a...

MIKE KEELER: Who’s The Boss?

Did you know that October 16 was both National Boss Day AND World Dictionary Day? (I know, I'm a week late, blame the pandemic.) And...

MELINDA MEYERS: Growing and Reblooming Moth Orchids

Brighten your indoor décor with beautiful blooming orchids. These living bouquets provide months of beauty with minimal care. Just provide the proper growing conditions...

SCOT BELLAVIA: What’s Up With Halloween Decor?

The Harry Potter movies are crowded with inexplicables: floating candles, sentient paintings, and a sundry of fantastical creatures. Also par for the course is...

MIKE KEELER: I’ll Trade You New York For The First One of These . . .

(Lots of companies are slowly bringing their employees back to the workplace, and the global economy is trying to get going again. All of...

MELINDA MYERS: Save Seeds of Favorite Vegetable and Flower Plants

Experimentation is part of the fun of gardening. Saving seeds from your favorite vegetable or flower for next year’s garden or even the next...

SCOTT DREYER: Gubernatorial Candidate Glenn Youngkin Rallies in Salem (Part 2)

If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools. ...