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Columnists

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

Shirley Padgett Lester of Vinton went to her heavenly reward October 4. Below is the powerful eulogy her daughter Kelly Kiser wrote and calmly delivered at the memorial service...

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...

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Sometimes President Trump Needs To Think Before He Speaks – Part II

Contrary to what President Trump believes, I think that Lakanwal was adequately vetted before September 2021,...

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Sometimes President Trump Needs To Think Before He Speaks – Part I

I read an article in the New York Post written by Ryan King on November 27 entitled...

Joy Sylvester-Johnson: What Color Is God?

One of my favorite presents as a young child was a new box of crayons. I liked the way the crayons were lined up...

DICK BAYNTON: From Independence to Dependence?

The Roman Empire existed from 27 BC to 476 AD or about 503 years. Ragged bits of the empire lasted for a few years...

JOY SYLVESTER-JOHNSON: If Only We Treated Guns Like Cars

Cars don’t kill people. People kill people. This is true. And because it is true there are a number of safeguards in place to determine...

DICK BAYNTON: Camp Braveheart

If you have not heard about Camp Braveheart, you will be pleased to read today’s column. It is truly one-of-a-kind success story. Camp Braveheart...

MIKE KEELER: You Own Some Trees

There are trees out there with YOUR name on them. 53 trees, more or less. Since the 1960's, the folks at NASA have been providing...

JOY SYLVESTER-JOHNSON: Walter, I’ve Been Meaning To Tell You

“Breaking Bad” is a television series, in its sixth year, that I have never watched—until now. I heard a piece on NPR about the...