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Civics education is basic education

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Knowledge of Civics and how a Democratic government works are at an all-time low. A survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that only 26 percent of Americans can name all three branches of government, which was a significant decline from previous years. Lack of real knowledge leads to real consequences. Public engagement with government is almost non-existent. Voter participation has reached its lowest point since 1996. Only 64% of the voting-eligible population in the U.S. voted in the 2024 election. The lack of knowledge of how our democracy is supposed to work leads to a ...

A good night’s rest is something that should not be taken for granted

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Getting eight hours of restorative sleep is something that is special but is unfortunately somewhat elusive. Lack of sleep can increase the chances of things like diabetes and heart disease, stroke, obesity and dementia, according to the National Council on Aging. More than a third of Americans report getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, 30% report some symptoms of insomnia. The conditions that we have where we try to sleep can have a large impact on how much sleep we are able to get. Individuals that lack a good mattress, a cool, dark and quiet room are likely to experience ...

MOV Climate Corner: Ohio Valley has a radiation problem

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During the 60s, I remember the government conducted Civil Defense drills in my school. We were told to climb under our school desks, duck down, and cover our heads. We might have survived a bomb blast but the radioactive fallout could not be stopped. The nuclear disasters at Three-Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima have taught us that the radiation emitted during an accident or bombing will travel across the planet via prevailing winds and the jet stream and distribute some radiation to all of us. Decades later, while pursuing my masters degree, I had the opportunity to visit Los ...

Wildlife can be elusive in winter

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If you are a frequent reader of The Marietta Times you have noticed that wildlife is a frequent subject of the daily photo that runs on page 2 of the newspaper. Since 2017 we have featured deer, turtles, spiders, fish, bees, wild turkeys, racoons, ground hogs, snakes, foxes, many species of birds and even a few tiny insects in the daily spot. The creatures add an interesting element to photos and help to make them more compelling for the reader – you – to look at. During the warm months, things are out and about and are easier to capture. We are now in the middle of the ...

The crucial role of locks and lockmasters

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What’s missing in this 1899 photo taken from the Putnam Street Bridge? The Post Office. It was built a few years later in the barren-looking open space in the foreground of the photo. The lockmaster house stands in the center, having just been completed at a cost of $3,500 on land donated by ...

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”

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In the First Century world, each Jewish boy learned a trade. Rabbi Judah taught that “Whoever does not teach his son a trade teaches him robbery.” Though the Apostle Paul studied at the feet of Gamaliel and trained to be a rabbi, he also learned to be a tentmaker, working with large pieces of canvas-like material used for tents, tarps and sails. Tentmaking often provided the income necessary for Paul to travel and preach. In keeping with this custom, even though the miracles surrounding Jesus’ birth demonstrated his Divine nature and special mission, Joseph apparently taught his ...