Even though there are many options on our Thanksgiving table, we pay attention to the breadbasket. And every year, one of the nonnegotiable items is cornbread. This year, it's going to be this nicely cheesy version, with shredded cheddar incorporated into the batter, and then some more ...

The principle of not looking a gift horse in the mouth can easily be extended to contract bridge. Essentially, if the opponents give you a chance to make a contract you’re not entitled to make, you grab it with open arms. First, a word about the bidding. North was obviously not a product of ...

A popular way of describing how badly a person plays bridge is to say that he sometimes trumps his partner’s ace. While it’s not our purpose to encourage players to trump their partner’s trick, the fact is that doing so may not always be a cardinal sin. Take this deal where West led the ...

TAFT ELEMENTARY, YOUNGSTOWN MIRANDA GONZALEZ, FIFTH GRADE I am thankful for my friends and my teachers and my family and food. — Peyton D. I am grateful for a good mom and my grandma. I am thankful for a good family. — Kimara W. I am thankful for my parents being ...

Jay and the Americans will perform Feb. 15, 2026, at the Robins Theatre. The vocal group’s hits include “She Cried,” “Come a Little Bit Closer,” “Let’s Lock the Door (and Throw Away the Key),” “Cara Mia,” “This Magic Moment” and “Walkin’ in the Rain.” Tickets ...

Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment: • Back in August, I wrote about Anthony LaMarca’s latest album, “Weapon,” and its unique distribution model, being available for download only through a QR code printed in the PETRA Int’l Herald, an 8-page newspaper he ...

The work of mixed media artist Morgan Bukovec is featured in an exhibition at Westminster College’s Foster Art Gallery in New Wilmington, Pa. Bukovec, who earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts and arts education from the University of Dayton, works with objects found across mediums ...

YSU Jazz Combos play tonight Youngstown State University’s Jazz Combos will perform at 7:30 p.m. today in Bliss Hall’s Ford Theater. The quintet directed by Kent Engelhardt will play “Chitlins Con Carne” by Kenny Burrell, “Idle Moments” by Duke Pearson and “Song For My ...

Daniel and Kathy Glozer, lifelong residents of the Youngstown area, celebrated their 50th anniversary on Sept. 13, 2025. Mass was held at St. Luke Catholic Church and dinner at Alberini’s Restaurant, both attended by immediate family members. Daniel Glozer and the former Kathy Gromada ...

Charles and Gail Ann Holquist, of New Middletown, held a 70th anniversary celebration on Aug. 30, 2025, at Welker Park in New Middletown, hosted by the couple’s three children. Charles Holquist and the former Gail Ann Osborne were united in matrimony on Sept. 10, 1955, at Chapel of Friendly ...

The golden anniversary of Dennis and Sherry Matey was celebrated June 7, 2025, at the Bessemer Croatian Club, the location of their wedding reception 50 years ago. Mr. And Mrs. Matey were married June 7, 1975, at St. Joseph the Worker Church, previously of New Castle, Pa. The reception was a ...

The families of Nicholas Beck and Kaitlyn Adams are announcing the couple’s engagement and upcoming marriage. Kaitlyn Adams of South Portland, Maine, is the granddaughter of Ann Trueworthy of South Portland, Maine, and the late Wayne Donald Trueworthy. Parents of the groom-elect are Don ...

Whenever life has me stumped and I don’t know what to do next, I sit back and ponder, “What would HE do?” He, of course, refers to that bear whose head is stuffed with fluff, Winnie-the-Pooh. Pooh Bear himself once said, “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of ...

I heard the phrase “hidden wisdom” the other day and thought, “Hey, that’s me!” I am chock full of wisdom. I have so much wisdom that it’s rolling out of my ears. But my wisdom is hidden. It must be. Nobody can see it. “Cole, if you had a brain, you’d be dangerous,” is one ...

“You want me to come over and help you take those air conditioners out of your windows?” I shook my head. “I hate to do that so early. We’ve got to have another stretch of warm days, right?” The next morning when I left for the office, the thermometer shivered at 37 degrees. ...

I slithered through the crowd, trying to avoid contact. Not from elbows. I was afraid that someone in this bubbly mass might talk to me. Brrr. I broke through the swarm and headed for the far corner. Someone had beaten me to it. A woman — my hero — stood there in a T-shirt that ...

There’s something truly powerful about a room full of women who don’t just shine — they glow from the inside out. That was the energy at the Gems of the Valley event. Every year, this celebration reminds us of what makes our Valley such a special place: it’s not the buildings or the ...

This week may get a little deep, but ’tis the season of reflection. A few weeks ago, I decided to take a quick 24-hour trip to Annapolis, Maryland, to visit friends — and boldly insert myself into their annual neighborhood oyster fest. I think I consumed enough oysters to last the next 12 ...

This weekend — and honestly, the entire week — left me buzzing with ideas. Do you ever have those moments where your brain fires off faster than your thumbs can text your own number just to remember things later? (Yes, I do that too — my own personal version of Post-It notes.) And just as ...

The strange thing about life is how it sneaks up on you in the most ordinary places. Sure, we expect big emotions at weddings, graduations or at the end of a long journey. But nobody warns you about the emotional ambush that hits when you turn onto a road you haven’t driven in 10, 15, maybe ...

In my earlier years of gardening, I was attracted to and purchased unusual plants. Many of those didn’t survive beyond their first year. As I have “matured,” I have redirected my purchases toward the easy-to-grow natives that feed our local pollinators. The hotter, drier summers have ...

Here are upcoming gardening events through the Ohio State University Mahoning County Extension Office. Contact the Extension Office, 490 S. Broad St., Canfield, at 330-533-5538. For a complete list of events, visit https://mahoning.osu.edu/events. Plant and Pest Clinic What: Stop by to ask ...

As I watched a woodpecker banging away at a tree, it made me think, why don’t woodpeckers get headaches or suffer brain trauma from all that drumming? So, I looked it up. Once again, nature has created a miracle that does not allow the woodpecker to get headaches or become dizzy. ...

Our temperatures have continued to fluctuate, but our winter weather will eventually remain colder and the darkness will cause us to bundle up, keeping ourselves warm. The days are gaining minutes of light in the morning and evening, but it will be a couple of months before we notice ...