Commentary

Dear Abishag: Damon writes second book about Biblical women

By Ellie Browning on March 19, 2019 Community, Features

Roberta M. Damon, an 84-year-old Chester resident, recently debuted her second book in a series, “Dear Abishag: Letters to Little Known Women of the Bible.” The book, which was released in December, is a sequel to Damon’s first book: “Dear Mrs. Noah: Letters to Unnamed Women of the Bible.” Similar to her previous book, Dear Abishag is accompanied by the illustrations of her granddaughter, Melissa Damon. The book contains 30 chapters. Each is embodied with a descriptive letter to or from somewhat unknown women, such as Abishag, Jael, Keturah, Susanna and Zipporah. “So often we think of all things Biblical…

Green day and a radio

By Walter "JR" Wilson on March 12, 2019 Dogpound

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I was just thinking, Saint Paddy’s Day is this weekend, Sunday, March 17, and in today’s world my old Irish buttons will probably not work. For example, “Kiss me I am Irish” would be a no-no, and so would “pinch me for luck.” No pinching allowed these days. So to stay with the times, maybe we can use a few of these: “Pinch me and I will punch you,” or going with the new green movement, “I’m green, I’m keen.” Better yet, “I am the real green deal. Embrace…

Outside the lines: Regional cooperation

By Pete Hypes on March 12, 2019 Fire & Life Safety

When we learned to color, we were taught to color inside the lines. When we learned to write, we were taught to stay within the lines on the page. For many, many years, this was how the fire service in America conducted training. I will use Chesterfield Fire & EMS as the example, but this could apply to every department in the region. All training was predominantly done in-house. In other words, Chesterfield Fire trained their personnel in the way that they wanted. At one point, there was even a class called the Chesterfield Way. Cooperation among agencies was the…

Considering when and where our schools are improved

By Erica Ellis on March 12, 2019 Commentary

Chesterfield County was the place to send your kids to school in the 1990s. However, it’s become painfully clear that all parts of the county are not created equal. Although Chesterfield County has an overall budget for schools, how it’s divided is based largely on new residential development. When new builders come into an area, they’re required to make contributions to the improvement of local schools and roads to accommodate new residents. Chester Village has been pretty well established and developed for a couple decades now, and without new development, we aren’t seeing an influx in school improvements. Many residents…

Deja vu, water pressure

By Walter "JR" Wilson on March 5, 2019 Dogpound

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. As of this writing the next major snow storm is headed my way (southwest Indiana), and we are right on the edge of a snowy mix or 12 inches of snow. Now, if I was staying home, it would not be a big deal, however, this weekend, of course, I am traveling to watch my Buckeyes get bounced by the Boilermakers at Purdue University. Strange as it might sound, I have attended three games in the past five years, and in each case we got beat and it was…

Basement fires

By Pete Hypes on March 5, 2019 Fire & Life Safety

I just read a news report of a row house fire in East Baltimore that sent six firefighters to the hospital. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but fire investigators said the fire started in the basement. I cannot remember the last time that I wrote about basement fires. Basement fires are difficult for firefighters to fight, especially if entry must be made from the first floor. The stairwell acts as a chimney for the heat, smoke and fire. You find yourself in a firefight the moment that you hit the stairwell just trying to get to…

Residential fires

By Pete Hypes on February 26, 2019 Fire & Life Safety

Between the daily business plan and the news, I have seen or read about a few fires in our region lately. We may already be there, but I hope that we never get to the point where residential fires are just an accepted part of our day-to-day lives. Every fire should be talked about, and we should determine what caused it, how it could have been prevented and what we do to move forward. Many people, whether they are willing to admit it or not, believe that it will never happen to them. This kind of thinking may make you…

Changes

By Walter "JR" Wilson on February 26, 2019 Dogpound

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. My new used car is keyless, and I cannot tell you, after almost a month, how many times I have reached into my pocket for the non-existing key. Another change, a good change: had a remote starter installed in preparation for the coming cold mornings and evenings after work. Pretty neat how that works; you push a little button and the car automatically runs for 24 minutes. Then when I walk to the car, it senses my fob, and when I pull on the car door, it automatically unlocks the…

Moving on

By Walter "JR" Wilson on February 19, 2019 Dogpound

Hello and welcome back to the very tired world of the Dogpound. I finally got moved. I picked the coldest week of the winter to move. The prior weekend we were in the 40s, and by mid-week we had a high of minus-2, and then by the following Sunday we were back into the 60s. This is February? Oh my! My fingers are so cut and scraped from packaging and opening all of those cardboard boxes that I can barely type this article. No lie! Of course, along with all the physical pain (back, shoulders…well, you get the picture) and…

Flu outbreak

By Pete Hypes on February 19, 2019 Fire & Life Safety

This time of the year, the flu seems to be running through families in much greater numbers. Just before flu season, we are all tasked with the decision of whether to get the flu shot. As a firefighter/paramedic, I always took the flu shot, which has continued in my work as a pastor. There have been years that I may have gotten a sinus infection right after the flu shot, but I have avoided the flu every year until now. It is hard to say where or with whom an outbreak begins. I believe that my family was exposed on…

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