Opinion

To the editor:Abingdon is not without a few good friends to whom deserve much gratitude.Last week I noticed an unusual amount of busyness in Abingdon. There were tractors, big trucks, cement trucks, a fire engine, cars, pickups, and noise not associated with everyday life in my small town. All this stirred my curiosity so I puttered across town to see what was making such a commotion on such a hot day. I found ...

It was a case of serendipity, where several little and inconsequential steps occurred and culminated in discovery and a mystery solved.The first inconsequential step, in this case, was spending an afternoon break at the library. It's not unusual, but I usually head up to the second floor, sit at a table and read and write.But for some reason I stayed on the first floor that day.I like to browse the new adult ...

It didn?t surprise me last week when I turned on Nancy Grace and saw they were hashing over the Techel murder case. Seth Techel is accused of the fatal shooting of his wife, Lisa, and their unborn daughter near Agency. I had predicted when he was arrested that it would get Nancy?s attention; normally I relish being right, but there was no glory in it this time.I?ve been a Nancy Grace follower since she was an ...

Apologies are supposed to make everything better.In college basketball, they don?t.Minutes after the conclusion of Iowa State?s 78-75 loss to No. 2 seed Ohio State in Sunday?s third-round NCAA tournament game in Dayton, Ohio, the NCAA National Coordinator of Men?s Basketball Officiating, John Adams, released a statement disagreeing with a call that was made late in the game. With the Cyclones leading 75-74 and ...

There?s just no room on the all-state teams for teamwork, it seems.Mid-Prairie and Washington were two of the area?s best girls? basketball teams this season. Both were very similar in style, using tough defense and a selfless approach to win a lot of games. The Golden Hawks reached the state tournament in Class 3A, and the Demons fell one game short of a trip to state in Class 4A, losing to the eventual state ...

We have recently completed the budgeting process for the 2013-2014, (Fiscal Year 14) school year. I want to update the community on what to expect as far as the school district levy for the year. I also want to explain and clarify what constitutes a school day. This is especially of interest with all the weather delays we have experienced this winter. School Budget UpdateIt was a little unique this year in ...

Senior third baseman Joni Erwin refused to jinx it. Head coach Angie Shrader said it?s the ultimate goal, but not something to think about before the season even starts. But this Washington softball team has a chance to do something this year that no other softball team in school history has.Win a state championship.The Demons were right there last year. Trailing Dallas Center-Grimes 2-0 in the seventh inning ...

To the editor:There will be a ?final reading? of the proposed ?radio-read water meter? (?Smart Meter?) installations program, at the Monday, June 25, City Council Meeting, 7 p.m. at City Hall. While the extensive public concern expressed by almost 70 people present at the June 11th Council Meeting may have been a disappointment to our good Mayor, Administrator and Council Members, the issues raised are not ...

To the editor:On Saturday evening, May 26th, I was leaving the Casey's store on Hwy 1 South when I heard a very polite voice say ?Excuse me, could you help me?? I looked over to see a stranded mother with a small child and an infant standing beside a car. I walked over and immediately saw the problem: the ?donut? tire on her car was literally off its wheel. She had obviously limped in from Hwy 34 and had barely ...

To the editor:On Friday June the 8th Fairfield was one of 164 towns and cities across the country who held Rallies for Religious Freedom.There has been some media coverage on these events but usually under the terms of ?health? or ?contraception mandate? referring to the Health and Human Services Mandate of Obamacare. Thr true reality is of the greatest assault against the first Amendment of the Bill of Rights ...

To the editor:In exasperation with city officials unwillingness to acknowledge at the vast amount of research and articles we have presented, we asked Robert Palma to present a letter to all city officials explaining why the RF emissions from the Neptune RF water meters pose a potential health threat to the people who live and sleep within 30 feet of these meters. He has done so, and there was an environmental ...

Some of the rules of golf are just plain foolish.The USGA announced a change to the Rules of Golf on May 21 that anchoring the club in making a stroke will be banned effective Jan. 1, 2016. New Rule 14-1b means that players who use a belly putter or a long putter will no longer be able to hold the end of the club against their bodies while making a stroke.Anchoring the end of the putter to your belly or chest ...