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Gay boy ostracized by his family

Dear Annie: I am a 15-year-old boy, and my family hates me because I am gay. For as long as I can remember, I’ve known I am attracted to other guys. My parents found out last year and became extremely angry with me. All I feel now is their hatred. They say I am a disgrace. Though they still take care of my needs — food, clothes, shelter, etc. — they say that when I turn 18, I’ll be on my own. I am not included in any family outings or welcome at any of my relatives’ homes. I try really hard to get them to love me again. I work hard at school and have excellent grades. I am ...

A Pond, Four Boys and Grandpa

We hadn’t planned on going fishing and swimming in the pond. It just kind of happened. A question from Bob opened the door. “Grandpa, after we cover pumpkins can we go fishing?” he said. Somebody else said, “We ought to go swimming, too.” It might have been me. Honestly I don’t know. We were all hot and itchy from stepping among the pumpkin vines. The pond wasn’t in my mind when I recruited the grandsons to help cover pumpkins on a steamy hot August afternoon in hopes of hiding them from the deer. (The pumpkins, not the grandsons.) Darned deer have already ruined a ...

Honey’s Green Bean Meltdown

“I can’t pick any more beans! I hate the garden as much as you love it!” Honey fairly shouted those words as she came in the back door of Col. Peggy and Gen. Doc’s house. They and I were there, and so was Johnson, Gen. Doc’s visiting grandson. It was his first time to meet Honey. I’m sure he’ll remember her. My wife was more than unhappy. She was wringing wet from sweat, sick to her stomach from heat and exhausted after 90 minutes of picking green beans on a muggy, sticky-hot August day. “I got over two drywall buckets of beans and I didn’t even get to the end of ...

Remember the good times

Dear Annie: I have had many odd symptoms over the years that got worse, and it has taken much research to finally get help. I have deficiencies in vitamins D and B12 that require more than a multivitamin. Doctors don’t learn nutrition in medical school and are unaware of what deficiencies look like. Vitamins aren’t part of routine bloodwork. Please advise readers to request their vitamins, as well as their children’s, be checked when having blood drawn. If deficient, it is important to educate oneself on the possible cause, symptoms and where to get help. Deficiencies don’t go ...

Congress must stop China from seizing U.S. electric vehicle market

President Biden is making a big push for electric vehicles (EVs). He’s hoping to not only convert the entire federal vehicle fleet to American-made EVs but also create 1 million new U.S. auto jobs. And as part of this effort, he recently set a goal of 50 percent EV sales in the U.S. by 2030. This is commendable. But unless the president and Congress act to fix federal policy, the next few years could actually see China-made EVs overtake America’s young electric vehicle industry. Here’s the problem. In 2008, Congress created a $7,500 tax credit for every EV that Americans ...

Moving Appalachian region of Ohio forward

The Appalachian region of Ohio is diverse in both its landscapes and people. The 32 Ohio counties that make up Appalachian Ohio have terrain perfect for hiking and biking, beautiful waterways for boating or fishing, and even sandy beaches on our northern coast in Ashtabula. My wife Fran and I ...