Browsing: Commentary

In last week’s column, I explored the lingering legacy of the Civil War in terms of flags, statues and hurt feelings.   In our local and national discourse, we sometimes lose perspective on any topic that engages our emotions. There is a danger of losing track of timeliness in our debates: which topics belong to yesterday, today, or tomorrow? The Confederate battle flag now looks like an item of yesterday’s news.  It is separated from the present by 100 years of Jim Crow plus 50 years of growing equality for African Americans. It can linger for decades or centuries in yards…

After my retirement from the fire service, I let my paramedic certification expire. I guess that many believe “once a paramedic, nurse or doctor, always one.” Many of my immediate, extended and church family still come to me when an injury or illness occurs. Last week was no exception, as one of the children had hit her foot on a tree, swinging in one of the swings attached to that tree. It had happened prior to my arrival in West Virginia, but she was still having issues with it. I was asked if I would look at it and give…

Welcome to the Dogpound where we have a sad announcement to make. With a heavy heart I had to make the tough decision to put Max asleep. He was no longer mobile without my assistance, he barely ate which caused him to continue to lose weight, and his bed sores were now on both sides of his hips and could not be closed. So after 14 and a half years, it was time to say goodbye to my long-time buddy. They say the best way to ease the pain when losing someone close to you is to focus on the…

Nowadays, honeymoons do not always start at the foot of the church steps with rice raining on the happy couple as they hop into the in-law’s convertible and drive away to Niagara Falls. In fact many couples are not married in a church at all. My favorite trend is the destination wedding. If Linda and I were to start our married life all over again, I think the right destination for us, would be somewhere on the Mediterranean. Linda and I did not have a proper honeymoon. Because of work, it was a year after our wedding when we took…

Whether it is a summer visit to the ocean or the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, jellyfish stings are relatively common problems for swimmers, waders, and divers in all types of seawaters.  The long tentacles trailing from the jellyfish body can inject victims with venom from thousands of microscopic barbed stingers. While many types of jellyfish are relatively harmless to humans, some can cause severe pain and are more likely to cause a systemic reaction.  The most common types in our region, including the Bay and the Atlantic, are the sea nettle, the Moon Jelly, and the Lion’s mane jellyfish. …

Remember last fall, when you aerated, seeded and fertilized? Remember spring, when you put down crabgrass preventer and maybe sprayed herbicide? Lawn care does not stop just because it is summer. Here are a few, free cool season grass tips for the not so cool summer. I thought “free” might get your attention. Raise the height of your mower to three and a half inches for fescue grass. Taller grass blades help with shading the soil. Shaded soil helps retain soil moisture and prevent weed seeds from germinating. Mowing too low takes energy away from root development and moves energy…

Suddenly, one hundred and fifty years after Appomattox, the Civil War has become a hot topic yet again. Dylann Roof gets the blame for starting this. In the wake of his massacre of nine African-Americans in a Charleston church, we learned of his Confederate battle flag obsession. In a public reaction to his heinous act, the Confederate battle flag is under attack on state government flag poles across the South. We have been through similar controversies before. Long ago, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors were induced by the Sons of Confederate Veterans to declare “Confederate Heritage Month.” This announcement polarized…

With more hot and humid days ahead of us, I thought that I would write an article on dealing with the heat. Working or playing in extreme heat requires preparation. The first means of preparation is to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate. Hydrating is a lot like pain management, once you get behind, it is hard to catch up, or especially to get ahead of it. Adequate hydration shows itself in the frequency of urination and the color of your urine. Pardon me for the personal aspect of that last sentence, but you need to know the indicators of good hydration.…

To the Editor: Hurrah to Dorothy Jaeckle and Chesterfield Planning Commission for their beautiful James River Industrial Park. I am so happy that they are interested in beautifying the Enon area. I have the privilege of driving Lawing Drive as my route to work several days a week, and so far I am not impressed. The fence surrounding this park is a big eyesore with green and brown plastic on it for “privacy.” The grass has not been completely cut and trimmed since day one, and the “Open House” sign is ready to curl up. The dumpsters have been there…

Hello and welcome back to the concerned world of the Dogpound. Max had another bad spell, and I had to take him in to the vet for a full exam.  The good news is that he has no cancer or tumors, just a very bad case of arthritis in his hips and his sternum. He was able to do some walking once he was up on all fours, but now that ability has gone and I have to help move him every step of the way.  I put a towel under his hips and lift him up while he walks…

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