Columns & Opinion

Maybe it’s the heat. Heataddled brains might explain the thinking of many Virginia lawmakers that what we need to do right now is burn more fossil fuels. Scientists have documented the way high temperatures affect the brain, impairing cognition and causing impulsivity and trouble concentrating. And this summer is already starting out hot, which is saying something given that 2024 […]

Editor, Rappahannock Times: Maybe we should rethink firework displays as a celebratory event, I remember being awed by fireworks as a child. The colors and designs were incredible. I also remember fearing the explosions and the burning remnants falling. Air Pollution and Chemical Exposure: Firework colors contain heavy metals like lead, barium, strontium, and copper. They pollute the water and […]

On a hot summer Saturday when I was a kid, nothing topped a movie marathon in dark air-conditioned comfort. During the week we scouted area theaters for the best deals. Usually, those were half-day events that started before noon. Buy a ticket, and you’d get two movies plus a cartoon, previews of upcoming shows, and even a newsreel. Some guys […]

“In a great big land of freedom, at a time we really need ‘em/They don’t make ‘em like my daddy anymore.” – Loretta Lynn With the 100th anniversary of my late father’s birth now in the rearview mirror, I find myself wondering if “the Greatest Generation” (the demographic group born 1901- 1927) truly has to be a oneoff convergence of […]

Are you in your last home and plan to age in place where you are? Or is there at least one more abode in your future? A recent study concluded that 84% of seniors plan to stay in their home for the rest of their lives. Planning (and hoping) doesn’t make it definite, of course. Of those who plan to […]

Doug Allen knows good biking infrastructure when he sees it. The Richmond resident has been to Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin — places widely considered some of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world. “Every time I travel somewhere, I try to check out the transit and the biking if I can,” he said. When PeopleForBikes’ national report highlighting the […]

“I no longer call you servants. I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 I recall times long ago in the hospital when Jesus came through as my friend. There were times when he was my one and only comfort during dark lonely nights after visiting hours. […]