We live in an area rich in history. History that is, in many cases, explained with historical markers placed to help you understand what you are standing in front of, next to, or in some cases on top of. There are hundreds of them in the area — along the streets, attached to buildings, ...
A recent letter titled “Ohio Oil and Gas Under Attack by California Funded Leftists from Athens County,” is misleading and dismissive of the citizens of this area. Had the author done even the most basic background work, he would know the headline is untrue. For the past three years, Washington County residents have held multiple town halls on the issue of injection wells. I have attended these meetings — yet not once have I seen the author there. Nor have we seen our local elected officials, including state Sen. Brian Chavez, who continues to refuse to answer even the most basic ...
Our grandson is a U.S. Marine. This week I told him about his great-grandfather, my dad, who was a proud U.S. Marine. Dad and other Marines I know are Marines, even if they aren’t currently serving. When the “The Marines’ Hymn” – “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” – was played, Dad stood up and sang. Dad fought in the Pacific in World War II. He never talked about combat. Once in a while something slipped out, like when they were landing on Tarawa. The Marines came in on landing boats that couldn’t make it all the way to the beach. They waded ...
It used to be extremely rare to spot a bald eagle along the area rivers. That has changed. The majestic symbol of America, and our national bird, are now common along area waterways. When I rowed crew for Marietta High School in the late 1970s one of our favorite practice routes was up ...
Do you know what “Toponymy” means? I didn’t. It refers to a study of place names. Every place has a name, it seems. “Places” can be towns, counties, roads, neighborhoods, bodies of water - even stars in the heavens. They are often named for people (for example, Putnam Street), ...
Since the beginning of time, humans have had an inherent connection to the nature that surrounds them. Even modern humans hold innate primal instincts that connect us to the Earth in one way or another. Whether it be a child’s intuition to play with rocks and dirt or throw sticks like spears without instruction or a person’s joy in a hike through the woods, we are hardwired to connect with our world. And in just as many ways, we are bound to protect it. Much the same, modern humans have found a connection to faith to guide their lives in a way they deem moral and wholesome. ...
