New Spark

By Renae Brumbaugh   A few years ago, my kids got a surprise the week before Christmas. A go-cart. Yellow and black, with two large headlights. It looked like a bumblebee. Their dad and I took turns test-driving it. For safety purposes, you know.

The Ferguson Charade

By Rich Lowry   The White House response to Ferguson wouldn’t be complete without a meeting with Al Sharpton, the infamous agitator who has become President Barack Obama’s “goto man on race,” in the words of a Politico headline from last August.

Canceling Christmas?

By Lynette Sowell   You’ve probably heard the story about the Hendersons of Hurricane, Utah. They’re the parents who decided to cancel Christmas for their three boys, aged 11, 8 and 5. Why would they decide to do something so Grinch- like? I mean, after all, Christmas is for children, isn’t it?

Tough guy attitude: ‘Ain’t gonna hurt none of me’

By Willis Webb   Being raised in a small town where most people didn’t have much, forced many to scrape and scramble to make a living. Pride in supporting yourself and your family was a strong motivation for mostfolks I knew in my  growing up years.

Because he loves me . . .

By Renae Brumbaugh   Last week I flooded my bathroom when I left the bath water running and forgot about it. Or at least, that’s what Superman says. I’ve decided to refer to the incident as “the day I cleaned the floors really well.

Lincoln wants his bible back

By Rich Lowry   To think that President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office four times (through accidents of circumstance, twice each time he was elected). Taking the oath must have become such old hat that he stopped paying attention.

Worrying and other fruitless pastimes

By Lynette Sowell   Sometimes flying is the lesser of two evils. This is my belief, after making plenty of trips for business and pleasure. You have to arrive early to hurry up and wait, and then you’re at the mercy of someone else’s schedule.

‘Halfway to town drinkin’ a Coca…’

By Willis Webb   “Will-a--, git yo a-- down off that ladder. We shoulda been halfway to town drinking a Coca Cola.”— Squibb Geppert, electrician, circa 1951. It was the nature and intent of some adults in my growing-up years to embarrass youngsters, particularly younger teen boys.

Giving Thanks

By Renae Brumbaugh It’s my year to do Thanksgiving. (Note to self: Be thankful for doing Thanksgiving at my house.) The thing is, I was hoping to have a new kitchen by Thanksgiving. I have one of those old, Brady-Bunch style double ovens. Which would be great, if both ovens worked.

Yellow fever was ebola in 1800s Texas

By Bartee Hailie The Texas Congress picked Houston as the new capital of the Lone Star Republic over Matagorda and Washington-on-the-Brazos on Nov. 30, 1836. The Allen brothers had three years to convince skeptics that their humid heaven-on-earth should be the permanent seat of government.