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Columnists

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Is Phase Two Of Trump‘s Peace Plan In The Gaza Strip Doomed To Fail? – Part I

Phase one of Trump‘s twenty-point peace plan in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 9, called for a ceasefire, cessation of military operations, along with a hostage and prisoner...

FRED FIRST: Approaching the Longest Night

Yes, you’re right—if you’ve even noticed—that this space has been neglected for some weeks now,...

A Life Well-Lived: Shirley Padgett Lester (1947-2025)

Shirley Padgett Lester of Vinton went to her heavenly reward October 4. Below is the...

BOB BROWN: How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden “Presidency”

Permit me to think out loud as an old-fashioned person who respects authority, history, and...

JOHNNY ROBINSON: The Gratitude Perch

On the old road up Mill Mountain, part of Roanoke’s fabulous greenway system, there’s a...

SCOT BELLAVIA: You Can’t Trust a Good Samaritan…Completely

I’ve seen the phrase “faith in humanity restored” attached to stories about random acts of kindness. Readers are encouraged to hear of people going...

SCOTT DREYER: Why Are So Few People Asking These Questions? (Part 3)

Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly. - John 7:24 (NLT) What do you think of these questions I'm asking? As a continuation to...

MELINDA MYERS: Do-it-Yourself Holiday Centerpiece 

Dress up your holiday meals with a centerpiece crafted from greens, colorful stems and seed heads collected from your garden. Or purchase fresh materials...

SCOTT DREYER: Why Are So Few People Asking These Questions? (Part 2)

The person who tells one side of a story seems right, until someone else comes and asks questions.  –Proverbs 18:17  (NCV) The other day I...

JAMES FINCK: Christmas in 2020

For many, Christmas is the happiest time of the year. For Christians, it celebrates the birth of the Jesus when the Angels proclaimed to...

SCOTT DREYER: Why Are So Few People Asking These Questions? (Part 1)

The person who tells one side of a story seems right, until someone else comes and asks questions.  --Proverbs 18:17  (NCV) As a teacher since...