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Columnists

ANDY PITZER: “Look Mom! No iPhone!”

A very interesting visually recorded interview showed up on my feed the other night. In 1966, several British adolescents were interviewed about their vision of the future (circa year...

FRED FIRST: There And Back Again

RECAP: I would be able to visit southwest Virginia again–home for almost 40 years, and...

SCOT BELLAVIA: Am I Proud to Be an American?

How proud are you to be an American? I posted that question on Facebook a few...

BOB BROWN: “Portraits of the Human Person”

On the night of June 21, 2025, President Donald Trump said all seven B2 Bombers...

BECKY MAUPIN: The After Bedtime Search

Picture this: You manage to get everyone fed and the dinner aftermath cleaned up. Then...

DEVOTIONAL: How Can You Experience More Of God’s Grace?

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  -- James 4:6 (NLT) "Humility. Imitate...

SERWAN ZANGANA: How Can We Trust Sam Roman As Assistant City Manager?

In a quick move by the Roanoke City Council, Sam Roman, the Chief of Roanoke police, recently became an assistant City Manager - a...

FRED FIRST: A Whiskey Fungus Among Us

Ethanol fumes create a black coating like a bad dream One hundred and fifty years ago, an unexpected "plague of soot" appeared near distilleries worldwide,...

MIKE KEELER: Jimmy Carter’s One Last Battle

Jimmy Carter has gone into hospice care in Georgia. But he’s hoping to win one last battle before his time runs out. Back in 1982,...

FRED FIRST: The Genie of GPT4 – A Transformational Shift in Everything, Everywhere

Last week, unless you live under a rock, you probably noticed that almost every news blurb, web source and TV anchor-person mentioned--or more likely...

SCOTT DREYER: Relaxed! US Senate Has Not Had Full Vote In 7 Months

Overwork is a huge problem for a lot of people, but one group seems to have found a way to avoid it: long known...