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Silver Bridge collapse still impacts bridges 57 years later

As dusk turned a cold December Friday afternoon into night 57 years ago a line waited to cross the Ohio River into and out of Point Pleasant, less than 75 miles downstream from Marietta. On Dec. 15, 1967, as a cold wind whipped through the bridge and snow began to fall, a single bolt on the bridge gave way dropping the 1,750 foot structure into the river. In seconds the entire bridge, and all those that were on it were dropped into the fast moving, icy cold and deep waters. A witness described the bridge failure as sounding like a sonic boom. The aftermath of the disaster would ...

Five Generations

The Lee family celebrated Thanksgiving with five generations this year. Eliza Frankie, held center, makes 5, with her Father Levi Thompson, left, Grandmother Jennifer Lee Watkins, top center, Great-Grandfather Jeff Lee, right, and Great-Great Grandmother Sally Lee seated center.

What choices will you make?

It’s not about you! That’s a hard truth in a nation where industry experts say the average cell phone user takes 450 self-portraits (selfies) each year. Author David Faust wrote, “In the past,” a friend pointed out recently, “when people were outside enjoying nature, they photographed the scenery and took pictures of beaches, mountains, and forests. Now, we turn the camera the other direction and take pictures of ourselves.” We place ourselves at the center of every scene; it’s all about us. Maybe that’s not such a big deal in the realm of photography, but when it ...

Continue the lineage

There is a story where the man wails, “Oh God, help me find my wallet and I’ll give half the money in it to the church.” Immediately his wallet appeared before him. And just as quickly he said, “Oh, never mind, God, I’ve just found it myself.” This is the way most of us go through life. If we are an obedient army of the Lamb of God, if we are a people determined to live out the demands of the gospel in a secular world, we must pay attention and listen for His voice every day. And then respond in kind. The early Pilgrims huddled together against their first winter in ...

Birth

Xaria Eden Keeney was born Nov. 23, 2024, to Savannah and Dylan Keeney of Parkersburg. She was born at 10:01 a.m. at Marietta Memorial Hospital, weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and measuring 19 inches. Grandparents are Angela and Jack Herten of Parkersburg and Chasity and Chad Keeney of Mineral Wells. Great-grandparents are Wanda and Joe Carmichael of Parkersburg and Kay and Richard Poling of Mineral Wells.

God must be thanked as well as others

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin told about attending a synagogue service conducted by a friend. As the service began, the presiding rabbi asked, “What good thing happened to you this week?” One by one, people stood to recite their blessings during the previous week: a book published, a degree completed, several engagements and anniversaries, even first words spoken by a grandchild. Telushkin was so impressed with the uplifting nature of the service that he and his wife brought the same practice into their home. At the beginning of each Friday Sabbath meal, the family took turns telling about ...