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This and that—a few random thoughts
Have you noticed the new drug commercials on TV? They advertise a certain medication for an illness or problem some may suffer from. But at the end of every commercial, they quickly spew out the long list of possible side effects. Some could even end in “death.” No thanks, I think I will pass on
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Interpersonal relationships and critical conversation
Your relationships will be few if you wait for everyone to come to you. More and more people are living in isolation. Their world is their telephone, friends are on their phones, church experiences are on their phones. Their recreation is on their phones. Most all of us spend more time on a cellphone than
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Letter to Editor: Dredging streams might prevent future problems
Editor: Twenty years ago I worked as a newspaper reporter in Logan, West Virginia, which suffered from a seasonal flooding problem. After much discussion a dredging project was approved. Because of this project the county went for about seven years before that area flooded again, where it used to flood annually. We recently had a
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Letter to Editor: Response to McCool
Editor: This National Recovery Month, Kentucky State Representative Bobby McCool decided to write about addiction recovery. While he is right that substance abuse is one of Kentucky’s biggest challenges, the truth is that the challenge is about to get even bigger. Most Kentuckians have seen firsthand how difficult it can be to help someone fight
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Some top ‘story’ songs
My wife Vicki and I were recently listening to the radio in the car and heard a couple of “story” songs and it got me to thinking about some of my favorite tunes that have lyrics that chronicle stories. After some research, here are a few of those tunes. One of my favorites was from
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Developing positive people and a positive society
Find a good word to say about others or do not say anything. What have you gained when you make a bad comment about someone? Pray for those who tempt you to hate and be kind to them when you have an opportunity. People reap what they sow and it is not up to you
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Cold case murder in Florida has ties to Nolan area
This month marked the 51st anniversary of the death of Betty Ann New in Alachua County, Florida. New, who was also known by Betty Tye because she was raised by foster parents Homer and Gladys Tye, grew up in Borderland, West Virginia, and attended Nolan Grade School in Nolan. Betty moved with her foster parents
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Freedom to speak, freedom to employ
The First Amendment protects our free speech, but employers will prioritize their bottom line. However, to some extent, there are limitations and barriers that affect all of us. When he began his career, national radio personality Howard Stern could not keep a job. His content was so raw and shocking that station owners and managers
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Kentucky’s fight against substance abuse
Few challenges have weighed more heavily on Kentucky families and communities than substance abuse. Addiction has touched every county, every community, every school district, and countless homes across the Commonwealth. It tears apart families, burdens our health care and justice systems, and cruelly steals both lives and livelihoods. However, there is hope. Each September we
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Scots-Irish ancestry big part of our culture
There is no doubt that the immigrants from Scotland and Ireland had a huge impact on our culture in Appalachia. One of my wife Vicki’s favorite television series (mine too) in the last few years is “Outlander.” The show starts in Scotland but the characters end up in the Appalachian region of the United States.
