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Columnists

ANDY PITZER: “Look Mom! No iPhone!”

A very interesting visually recorded interview showed up on my feed the other night. In 1966, several British adolescents were interviewed about their vision of the future (circa year...

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...

BECKY MAUPIN: The After Bedtime Search

Picture this: You manage to get everyone fed and the dinner aftermath cleaned up. Then...

Old Order Brethren (German Baptists) Still Flourish in Roanoke

If you're new to the Roanoke Valley, or even if you've been here for many years, you've probably wondered about the bearded men...

Our Take: The End Of One Personal Journey … And The Beginning Of Another?

by Gene Marrano (Star-Sentinel News Editor Gene Marrano reflects on last weekend’s marathon in Richmond and the past year.) I’ve jogged and run road...

Politics: Are We Having Fun Yet?

by Hayden Hollingsworth If the answer is “Yes,” then we’re really in trouble.  I don’t know how much more of this amusement we can...

An Alchemy of Suicide

by H. Bruce Rinker, PhD The suicide began 300 to 400 million years ago as ancient trees fell into a noxious swamp, tumbling over...

Who Knows What Time It Is In Indiana

by Mike Keeler This one takes a little explanation, so hold on.  In 1916, facing energy shortages during World War I, Germany decided to...

Men And Their Cars

by Mary Jo Shannon Automobiles are much more than vehicles to transport us from here to there. Like dogs, they are almost part of...