I hate that my watch is smarter than meJudy Conlin I bought a smart watch because all my friends had one and they told me that at my age I must have one in case I fell and needed to call for help. This sounded like a good idea. It was not a pretty watch, …
Words are the first weapon of war Robert C. Koehler I sit here at my desk, looking out the window – and see someone walking through the parking lot. This is the most ordinary of moments. I shrug quietly. Life goes on.My impulse is to stop writing the column here. That’s it. Nothing more to…
Feeling stressed and need supernatural help? Mr. Thomas cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to have to do this, Ellen, but I don’t have a choice.” Don’t say it. Please, don’t say it! Ellen thought. She gripped the chair’s armrests as she sat across from her boss. “There’ve been a lot of budget cutbacks.” He looked…
Is Long-Term Care Insurance Worth It?Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I have been thinking about getting a long-term care insurance policy, but we hate the idea of paying expensive monthly premiums for a policy we may never use. Is long-term care insurance worth it? Approaching Retirement Dear Approaching, There are two key…
Slim Randles Chickens have forever had a place in our hearts and on our tables. Why is that? Well … why not?And so I’d like you to come with me back to the summer of 1970, ‘way up north of Fairbanks, Alaska, to what was once the thriving gold mining village of Chicken, Alaska. I…
The Gaza War may end, but peace remains elusive Mel Gurtov Some QuestionsHamas has accepted Donald Trump’s plan for ending the Gaza war. Under the plan, Hamas, in exchange for the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans in prison, will release all remaining hostages and the remains of others; will disarm; and will…
The festJudy Conlin Every year it seems a little harder to drag all my books and bookselling paraphernalia downtown for the Pumpkin Fest, despite all the help I get. It’s not only dragging the supplies; it is more difficult to drag this old body. With parking close to the events impossible on Fest Day, it becomes…
We can overcome sinSheryl Boldt Has disobeying God ever worked out well for you? Me neither. At least not in the long run. Thankfully, the more I meditate on God’s Word, especially in the book of Romans, the more I see that I’m not as powerless as I once thought regarding my daily choices. The…
Slim Randles The sign in front of the gas station says “Unleaded, 3.39, special on Colt .357 Magnum, six-inch barrel.”Visitors here in the valley do a double take when they see Vince’s sign there at what we all know as “the gas station gun shop.” That’s because Vince doesn’t believe in being deprived of his…
Dean RidingsAmerica’s Newspapers Strong communities don’t just happen. They rely on connection—residents knowing what’s going on, businesses reaching the customers who keep them open, and citizens having the facts to make good decisions. Local newspapers provide that connection in ways no other source can. In today’s fractured media environment, trust is the rarest commodity. Confidence…
