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Guest column/A stocking filled with some penny candy

The wonderful Nutcracker Village in downtown Steubenville continues to evoke a feeling of joy, goodwill and generosity experienced during this holiday season, like Christmastime, which is part of the festive traditions, Tchaikovsky’s dance of the sugar plum fairy, a kindness, and spending time with loved ones. This cavalier Toy Soldier world of the Mouse King is cultivated by decorating, listening to Dean Martin sing “White Christmas” and a Sunday School choral performing, baking fresh gingerbread cookies, and general positive cinnamon in the air feelings, giving a new ...

History in the Hills: Christmas time is here

Christmas time is finally here. It always seems like a long time coming. In our house, we usually start to decorate early because we have family visiting around Thanksgiving that we generally don’t see before the big day. Our tree was put up, (this year two of them) and because we moved recently, we needed to go through all the decorations and find new places for them, which is always a fun time. Opening boxes of decorations is always a trip down memory lane for me because the sight of these things brings back many memories of those who have given them to us over the years. We ...

Guest column/The greatest doctrine from Jesus was love

The greatest connection in the Holy Bible is Jesus fulfilling all the prophecies in the New Testament predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament, from his human birth to his spiritual resurrection. No student of the Holy Bible can deny that very significant reality. It is what made me an avid believer that Jesus was truly the son of God. To me, Jesus’ greatest doctrine was the emphasis on love. He condensed the Ten Commandments into the two greatest commandments of all. First and foremost, “Love God with all your heart, mind and soul.” Second, and just as important, “Love ...

Some holiday numbers

A trip through the holiday-themed inbox: With Christmas less than two weeks away, the push is on to acquire all of those last-minute gifts. And with the anticipated rush likely will come some concern about just what everything is going to cost. When all of that shopping is completed, estimates show that total spending will likely exceed $1 trillion. Just how much of that each person will budget depends on a lot of factors, including where you happen to live. That led WalletHub, the Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website, to look at nearly 560 cities across the United ...

Continuing to smile … the mask we all wear

It’s Sunday morning. The coffee is brewing. The newspaper is spread out on the kitchen table. And maybe, just maybe, you have somehow found a way to manage a moment of peace before the week’s anxieties begin. But in this one, single moment … let us be honest. How many of you reading this right now, are sitting there knowing how tomorrow you will once again be forced to wear the disguise of a smile on your face? Because just beneath the surface, your entire world feels as if it is a house of cards ready to crumble at any moment? For those of you who understand, I want ...

Guest column/A college education vs. workplace training

Is a college education the only answer to a bright future? I’m beginning to wonder if college is always the right path for one to take. And so should all high school graduates who are not sure what their goals are in life. Let’s take a look at the numbers. The average cost for a four-year college degree that includes tuition, housing, parking, books and various fees can cost as much as $120,000-plus for a bachelor’s degree, $70.000-plus for a master’s degree and $150,000.00-plus for a PhD or EdD. (Source: SoFi Loan Financing.com) That’s a grand total of $340,000-plus ...