Local writers and stories
By: Mark Holtsberry Morris Homer Spriggs is the highest ranking naval officer to come from Paulding County. He was born April 18, 1892, in Paulding, Ohio, the son of Frank and Margaret (Petty) Spriggs. Frank Spriggs was born in Noble County in 1863 and studied law in his brother’s law office in Caldwell, Ohio. He…
By: Nancy Whitaker Since my residence is now in Van Wert, there is a couple of reasons why I like attending VWHS sports. First of all I was lucky enough to have two granddaughters be high school cheerleaders and the second is that this is my alma mater. I always get sentimental when going…
Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker Of course, each New Years, we make all kinds of vows and promises known as resolutions. I usually don’t make any, but I probably should. There are a lot of areas I could improve in my life, but most of the things I need to improve upon, are…
By: Nancy Whitaker Whether you’re a new nurse or a been around for a while, it’s always intriguing to take a look back at the history of the nursing profession. I daily thank God for the dedicated people who become nurses. They had some of the hardest jobs when the pandemic hit us in 2020. As…
Of all of the Military research that I have done over a course of, at least 30 years, Halley Franklin Doster sticks in my mind a lot. At least he is in my top ten of soldiers, I shake my head and wonder why, this had to happen. Halley Franklin Doster was born, September 22,…
“Serving overseas as a small-town boy from America is intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!” – Matt CANINE ENCOUNTERS Heading out the front door to go on a morning run helps me set the pace for the day. When Stateside, my wife and I enjoy running…
Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker I love the south and my grandparents were both from the southern states. Of course, my Granny, could make great sugar cookies, sweet tea, dandelion greens, fresh green beans, bake super pies and could forecast the weather using various nature signs. I grew up with not only her cooking and…
Do you get frustrated when you can’t find a close parking spot on a rainy day? Until you live in a place in the world where there is no parking or very bad tight street parking, it is hard to fully appreciate the parking places that most businesses provide in small-town America. It is one…
Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker It is always interesting to look back 50 years ago and see what people thought the world would be like in 2021. Sometime in the1960s it was predicted that 50 years into the future, we would have: cities under the sea, automated kitchens that would cook, make coffee and serve meals, cars…
By: Mark Holtsberry …
“Serving overseas as a small-town boy from America is intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!” – Matt GETTING BLOWN AWAY Did you ever compete in an academic competition when growing up? I did Science Fairs, Academic Super Bowls and even Academic Decathlons. My mom (like many…
By: Mark Holtsberry A name which has been long forgotten is Edward Michael Finan. A local boy who dropped everything in his life to serve his country. Well, let us take a moment to explore the life of Edward Michael Finan. Edward Michael Finan was born in Paulding, Ohio, September 28, 1891. The son of…
“Serving overseas as a small-town boy from America is intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!” – Matt CAMPING IN THE BACKYARD Growing up, my older brother’s book shelf was neatly lined with Hardy Boys and Black Stallion books. I always thought, “Why read an adventure when…
