“Hillbilly Elegy” A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is a book by J.D. Vance. My mother was a hillbilly. Let me say upfront that she did not view that term as derogatory. Born in Tennessee and raised in West Virginia, her father, Christopher Columbus “Lum” Austin, was
If I tell you to meet me on the third floor of The DLP, and you don’t ask for clarification, you probably are an Aurora downtown regular. For those less frequent downtown visitors, let me explain. We have some amazing hidden gems in downtown Aurora, and I quickly could rattle
“Big Brother does not watch us, by his choice. We watch him, by ours….When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience, and their
Last of two parts Marc Gunther continues his article in The Guardian regarding the beneficial uses of hemp. “Hemp can build cars, homes, food, textiles and more,” Rob Jungmann said. “[It’s] as American as apple pie.” The Jungmann shirts are made from hemp, he said. “The Agricultural Act of 2014,
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” —Battle Hymn of the Republic Julia Ward Howe was an American poet and author, best known for writing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” She was an advocate for abolitionism and a social activist particularly for women’s suffrage.
The United States of America used to be the home of the brave and the land of the free. Not anymore. Now, it is the home of the rich and fatuous and the land of unfettered greed. With the Donald Trump administration in place, capitalism once again has run rampant.
Dale was a widower of about two years, in his late 70s. He never had pets, but his grown daughter decided he needed a puppy because he seemed lonely. Dale said he enjoyed being alone and it didn’t mean he was lonely. He was happy reading, watching sports, hanging out
By Deena Sherman – Maybe you saw me Saturday at Aurora’s downtown Farmers’ Market. I was at a little table with a banner that read, “Population Connection.” I was happy to volunteer for this group, whose mission is to explain the connections between overpopulation and issues such as pollution, poverty,
We are tied together more than we may think, at times, and pass off circumstances as coincidences. There are many who think there are no coincidences. Early this week, Lynn Akers entered the office of The Voice with a news release for Jennings Terrace. First things first. She is involved
First of two parts Hemp has a variety of reactions from a variety of individuals, and, there is a lack of information and understanding. The Hemp Industrial Association wrote the following article of its history: “Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years
Last of two parts When the English settlers in the New World in the early 1600s, adapted the foreign soil to their needs, they set off cataclysmic changes. Their animals, insects, and plants literally changed the ground beneath the Native Americans’ feet. The colonists brought in native fruit trees and
Richelle Howard shares experiences she and her husband, Rich, have encountered as missionaries to Rwanda at the Kiwanis Club of Aurora Tuesday at the Prisco Center in Aurora. Rich is a retired pastor of Village Baptist Church in Aurora. The Howards work in Rwanda to provide nondenominational theological training for
By Anthony Stanford – Former Aurora mayor Tom Weisner has a butterfly photo collection. You don’t have to take my word for it; check out the dazzling photos for yourself. It’s on the first floor of the Santori Public Library of Aurora in the Kiwanis Children’s Center (KCC) at River
We celebrate Independence Day, Fourth of July, in various ways. The most common thread is to offer a boisterous, noise-filled salute to the Declaration of Independence, which was confirmed by the Continental Congress in 1776, 242 years ago. Each generation is challenged to keep strong and valid, the theme of
Last of two parts Jackie Turner, an environmental scientist and journalist, continues her story about bananas. “The banana that people ate in the early 20th Century was not the one we know today. There are hundreds of edible banana varieties, but to standardize production, banana companies selected a single type
Last of two parts In 1917 radio messages were intercepted about a possible German spy named H-21. H-21 was Mati Hari. That year she was again arrested in Paris and put on trial, accused of spying for Germany and consequently causing the deaths of at least 50,000 soldiers. During her
With the arrival of Summer my thoughts turn to baseball, beer, barbecue, beaches, and visions of sugar plums while my wife’s thoughts turn to the stupid list of household projects I was coerced into making with her in the early Spring. At the dawn of each rain-free day, the list
Three businesses recently joined the Aurora Downtown family. Both Tredwell Coffee and Wyckwood House moved into the old Metropolitan Business College building at 14 W. Downer Place. Branch Gardens is open at the northwest corner of Lake and Benton Streets. Our downtown family is always growing, and we’re particularly thrilled
Inspiration! We require inspirational attitudes in others to spread around preferred qualities in the rest of us. Inspiration was in view with selection of Jose Martinez as the Aurora Independence Day grand marshal. See article here. The East Aurora head wrestling coach did not hesitate to save a life in
First of two parts “Yes We Have No Bananas” a Roaring Twenties favorite was witten by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn (1922) and originally sung by Eddie Cantor Columbia College Music History #3 written by Bill DeMain’s new column, where he explores the real historical events that inspired various songs.
