back to top

Columnists

ROBERT L. MARONIC: I No Longer Watch Baltimore Orioles’ Baseball Games

I no longer watch Baltimore Orioles’ baseball games. I now only watch innings, and if I do I watch maybe two or three. I prefer to watch innings because frankly...

ANDY PITZER: “Look Mom! No iPhone!”

A very interesting visually recorded interview showed up on my feed the other night. In...

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...

The Recipe of the Week from The Happy Chef: Good Ol’ Virginia Apple Butter

Well, Grandparents ARE a great thing! I have so many fond memories of my grandparents. My mother’s parents actually lived here in Roanoke,...

Oh, Deer…!

No, this isn’t a lament about the deer that wander into our garden, devouring the green beans, feasting on kale, and nibbling grape vines...

Four Dead Trees and Counting

I have this tree in my front yard; actually it is tree number four.  Several years ago while having a sewage line repaired, the root...

The Recipe of the Week from The Happy Chef: Turkey Burgers with Special Sauce

By Leigh Sackett My friend Nicole gave me this recipe. She said it is FABULOUS! It is a great healthy option for that Labor...

Sunnis and Shiites—Lessons from Iraq

We are inundated with news masquerading as accurate information on the continuation of Iraqi violence.  Most of what is presented is slanted to suit...

The Best and Worst (perhaps) Retirement Options

Getting old is a frightening proposition my friends, and with each passing day comes another reminder of what lies ahead.  Every morning I look...