Columnists
Getting Permission From President’s Grandson
Photos courtesy Andy Chandler Dateline Charles City, Va. The 2020 September morning in the James Peninsula in Virginia was interrupted by a stern voice: “What are you doing here? We’re closed til 9.” I glanced at my watch; 8:55 a.m. “Seriously? Five minutes?” I gave her a Breakfast Club “get real” look. “What are you doing here anyway? I should call the sheriff on you.” That’s a really good question. During…
Read MoreHappy Easter
How appropriate that the silhouette of a child is captured with a cross in the sky, the sun and the moon . . . at Easter time. This photo was given to The Times by Pastor Bonnie Zickgraf. She told us that it’s quite common to see both the sun setting and the moon rising at…
Read MoreI Lost Money as a Widow by Not Knowing Rules
Dear Rusty: I just found out, as someone who was collecting widow’s benefits on my second husband (a very small amount) for some time, that I was, all along, entitled to divorce benefits from my first husband which are much more. I thought I had to wait until my first husband passed before I could collect…
Read MoreBig Man U Has Proud History With Purdue Basketball
Photos courtesy Purdue Athletics. During Matt Painter’s 21-year tenure leading the Purdue men’s basketball program, the Boilermakers have become known as “Big Man U.” In an era when history is regarded by some as yesterday, Purdue has been the home of exceptional center play going back to before the 55-year-old Painter entered grade school. In…
Read MoreNO FOOLIN’ – Fun Facts Stranger Than Fiction
Buckle up and prepare to be boggled! I have a curious collection of beguiling books gathered throughout my many thrifting expeditions. Recently I came across my hardy hardcover – National Geographic’s 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) I brushed off the dust and dug into some delightful data, tons of tidbits, wacky wonders and so much more. Want to…
Read MoreHoly Week Lessons and Tasks
This morning I went to a Lenten breakfast. It was the last in a series of four very early Saturday morning meals and lessons. My goal was to attend all four occasions this year. Mission accomplished! But God had much more in mind for me today in the form of a real life, day-long parable!…
Read MoreA Major Historical Find?
From Time to Thyme By Paula Dunn This month marks the 161st anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth during the waning days of the Civil War. The details of Lincoln’s murder at Ford’s Theater are pretty well known, but you may not be as clear on what became of…
Read MoreSOAP DUDS
The piece I wrote about my nighttime leg, thigh, and hand cramps generated more emails than any other piece I’ve written. In the column, I complained about this persistent problem and mentioned that I had received a lot of advice from others who also suffered from it. Suggestions included: zinc, vitamin E, turmeric, potassium, vitamin…
Read MoreLt. Governor Micah Beckwith. Sine Cera. Part II
EDITOR’S NOTE: Andy Chandler is a presidential historian and a museum archivist at Candles Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute and the Ernie Pyle WW II Museum in Dana Ind. He is also a photographer and his work is often seen on these pages. Recently he sat down with Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith. The second of a…
Read MoreMongtomery, Ala. “It’s just a photo.”
Mongtomery, Ala. “It’s just a photo.” It’s just a picture. Just an image on a screen. If we’re precise, it was taken with a Fuji XPro 2, using a 35mm lens. The settings were ISO 200, 1/800th of a second at F7.1. Metadata says it was taken on 3/22/2025. However, those are specs and settings. Like looking at sheet music for Handel’s Water Music, seeing the notes and saying ,”looks good,” without ever hearing it performed. There’s a woman on the left. “Just a woman on a…
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