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Articles by Samantha Perry
Memories of childhood wish lists made whole with the Sears catalog
The dinging of the phone jars what should be a quiet weekend day. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight a few years ago? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
SAMANTHA PERRY: Sears catalog made childhood wish lists whole
The dinging of the phone jars what should be a quiet weekend day. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight a few years ago? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
Memories of childhood wish lists made whole with the Sears catalog
The dinging of the phone jars what should be a quiet weekend day. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight a few years ago? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
Memories of childhood wish lists made whole with the Sears catalog
The dinging of the phone jars what should be a quiet weekend day. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight a few years ago? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
Memories of childhood wish lists made whole with the Sears catalog Original
The dinging of the phone jars what should be a quiet weekend day. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight a few years ago? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
Community newspapers underscore the power, and value, of the press
It was the second chore of the morning. After Grandpa started a pot of coffee, someone would make the trek down the long and winding driveway to grab the morning Bluefield Daily Telegraph out of its classic white box with black lettering. If we kids took on the task we had to be careful on the walk back up the mountain. The paper would be tucked securely under an arm. Mom and Granny loved coupons and the inserts, and did not appreciate it when they were scattered along the roadside.
Community newspapers underscore the power, and value, of the press
It was the second chore of the morning. After Grandpa started a pot of coffee, someone would make the trek down the long and winding driveway to grab the morning Bluefield Daily Telegraph out of its classic white box with black lettering. If we kids took on the task we had to be careful on the walk back up the mountain. The paper would be tucked securely under an arm. Mom and Granny loved coupons and the inserts, and did not appreciate it when they were scattered along the roadside.
Samantha Perry | Community newspapers underscore the power, and value, of the press
It was the second chore of the morning. After Grandpa started a pot of coffee, someone would make the trek down the long and winding driveway to grab the morning Bluefield Daily Telegraph out of its classic white box with black lettering. If we kids took on the task we had to be careful on the walk back up the mountain. The paper would be tucked securely under an arm. Mom and Granny loved coupons and the inserts, and did not appreciate it when they were scattered along the roadside.
Samantha Perry | Community newspapers underscore the power, and value, of the press
It was the second chore of the morning. After Grandpa started a pot of coffee, someone would make the trek down the long and winding driveway to grab the morning newspaper out of its classic white box with black lettering. If we kids took on the task we had to be careful on the walk back up the mountain. The paper would be tucked securely under an arm. Mom and Granny loved coupons and the inserts, and did not appreciate it when they were scattered along the roadside.
Samantha Perry | Community newspapers underscore the power, and value, of the press
It was the second chore of the morning. After Grandpa started a pot of coffee, someone would make the trek down the long and winding driveway to grab the morning Bluefield Daily Telegraph out of its classic white box with black lettering. If we kids took on the task we had to be careful on the walk back up the mountain. The paper would be tucked securely under an arm. Mom and Granny loved coupons and the inserts, and did not appreciate it when they were scattered along the roadside.
Haskell Preview Day: Pick 4 Ticket Plays from Monmouth Park’s Samantha Perry
Horse Racing at the Jersey Shore is back this summer, and new for 2022 is Haskell Preview Day on June 18. There are four stakes races on Monmouth Park’s 14-race card, and each of them is a stepping stone for another stakes race on the TVG.com Haskell Stakes Day card July 23. The horses in this Saturday’s stakes are getting a test run around the Monmouth racetrack, and for some, defending their titles in a particular race.
PIkeView High student charged with making terroristic threat
PRINCETON — A PikeView High School student was arrested Thursday after posting pictures to social media showing other students with crosshairs on their heads, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph. Amiliyon Urell Barnes, 18, is charged with making terrorist threats, a criminal complaint filed by Trooper First Class K.A. Filer, with the West Virginia State Police, states.
Samantha Perry | What does the future hold for youngest victims of drug epidemic?
What is your earliest memory? Frolicking in the yard with a family pup, hiding eggs while dressed to the nines on Easter Sunday or opening a special gift from Santa on Christmas morning? Those are the youthful remembrances that bring fond recollections and subtle smiles as the calendar moves us from one generation to the next. But what if that memory was much darker?
Samantha Perry | What does the future hold for youngest victims of drug epidemic?
What is your earliest memory? Frolicking in the yard with a family pup, hiding eggs while dressed to the nines on Easter Sunday or opening a special gift from Santa on Christmas morning? Those are the youthful remembrances that bring fond recollections and subtle smiles as the calendar moves us from one generation to the next. But what if that memory was much darker?
Column | Distraction amid atrocities: Focus on people, not the Noun of the Month
I love words. Be they adjectives or adverbs, nouns or verbs, I appreciate the expressiveness of our English language. I enjoy news stories and novels, essays and soliloquies, and the occasional poem. William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer and William Wordsworth come to mind. I can read “Splendour in the Grass” once a day, every day, and never tire of the subtle beauty wrapped in a complex notion.
Column by Samantha Perry: Mountain road serves up extreme winter adventures Original
I am yearning for spring. Crocus. Daffodils. Tulips under blue skies. I want to see green grass, and walk outside in flip-flops. My toenails are currently painted a beautiful shade of Bogota Blackberry, but I can’t appreciate them. Extra-thick socks are my new best friend. ••• I live on the top of a mountain. In spring, summer and fall, it’s incredible. No neighbors, just deer. And an occasional fox, coyote and bear. It’s isolation at its best.
Column | Big poofball with razor-sharp teeth is the newest member of our family
We’ve had a poofball meandering around our house these past three weeks. Unlike the nefarious dust bunny species of puff – those who suddenly emerge from behind the fridge the minute company arrives – this one actually has eyes, legs and a tail that wags at light speed. And piranha teeth. Yes, let’s not forgot those razor-sharp, pearly white, scalpels of pain. I did not have a well thought-out plan to bring this feisty ball of fluff into our home.
Icons of the past and their stories have earned a place in history
The row of creamy white hardbound books hold centuries of knowledge. Residing on a shelf in a hallway hub, there is easy access to the pages for those seeking information, education or an afternoon of entertainment. From “A” to “W-X-Y-Z,” the 18 volumes speak of presidents, foreign countries, wildlife and wars. Thousands of facts know no boundaries. From West Virginia to Washington to countries beyond the vast oceans, one travels the world via page flips on a Sunday afternoon.
Pray for those affected by tornadoes
Think you are having a bad day, or that your week has been crazy and less than holiday joyous? Think again. Doubt that? Then look at our neighbors to the west where a swarm of tornadoes cut a swath through Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. The weekend devastation is mind-boggling and difficult to grasp. Authorities say one tornado may have left a 250-mile path of destruction.
COLUMN: Thanksgiving dinners provided and cooked fresh, courtesy of Granny
The green beans snap with the sound of late summer. In one swift motion, the string is pulled and it is broken into pieces. Freckled hands above a silver bowl resting on a worn apron perform the repetitive motion. It’s harvest time, and all are busy. I rush into the kitchen with dirty bare feet and red hair flying. After a quick kiss to my Grandma’s cheek, I grab a handful of beans and begin “stringing.” I may be pre-kindergarten, but I know the ritual.
Thanksgiving dinners provided and cooked fresh, courtesy of Granny
The green beans snap with the sound of late summer. In one swift motion, the string is pulled and it is broken into pieces. Freckled hands above a silver bowl resting on a worn apron perform the repetitive motion. It’s harvest time and all are busy. I rush into the kitchen with dirty bare feet and red hair flying. After a quick kiss to my Grandma’s cheek, I grab a handful of beans and begin “stringing.” I may be pre-kindergarten, but I know the ritual.
Samantha Perry | Thanksgiving dinners provided and cooked fresh, courtesy of Granny
The green beans snap with the sound of late summer. In one swift motion, the string is pulled and it is broken into pieces. Freckled hands above a silver bowl resting on a worn apron perform the repetitive motion. It’s harvest time and all are busy. I rush into the kitchen with dirty bare feet and red hair flying. After a quick kiss to my Grandma’s cheek, I grab a handful of beans and begin “stringing.” I may be pre-kindergarten, but I know the ritual.
Samantha Perry | When to pause the press? Public safety is a key
A text arriving past 10 p.m. in the evening is seldom a good thing – especially when it’s from a local law enforcement officer. It typically indicates a crime has occurred. A serious one. Think murder or armed robbery or other terrible act. A late-night message is often also a sign that one or more suspects – in whatever the illegal act – may be on the lam. They’re looking for someone. And they need the public’s help.
PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 Gene Expression and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Canine Melanoma
1. Alsaab, HO, Sau, S, Alzhrani, R, et al. PD-1 and PD-L1 Checkpoint signaling inhibition for cancer immunotherapy: mechanism, combinations, and clinical outcome. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:561. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline 2. Apalla, Z, Lallas, A, Sotiriou, E, et al. Epidemiological trends in skin cancer. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2017;7(2):1–6. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline 3. Basu, A, Yearley, JH, Annamalai, L, et al.
Samantha Perry | Wine casks and wagon wheels trace timeline of old house glory
From basement to back porch, I make my way through a timestamp of history. Decades are traversed with each step – old coins uncovered beneath basement floors; pop culture headlines unveiled in newspapers stashed in the back of a closet. I live in an old house. A place where past times and modern days converge. The etching in the basement reads “1934.” Nearly 90 years ago someone poured concrete and was astute enough to mark the date. I wonder who it was, and what his life was like.
Samantha Perry | Searching for glimmers of hope in the 'rights' of a new spring
My crocuses are tired and worn. Late last week they poked their heads up through the drab March grass. The typically vibrant purple petals seemed washed out and weary – an exhausted version of their yearly splash of color. They were not happy, but they were strong enough to survive. After a year spent battling a pandemic while surviving quarantine in the midst of cultural conflicts amid a tumultuous election, I think we are all tired. “A year like no other,” we say … and write.
Samantha Perry | Searching for glimmers of hope in the 'rights' of a new spring
My crocuses are tired and worn. Late last week they poked their heads up through the drab March grass. The typically vibrant purple petals seemed washed out and weary – an exhausted version of their yearly splash of color. They were not happy, but they were strong enough to survive. After a year spent battling a pandemic while surviving quarantine in the midst of cultural conflicts amid a tumultuous election, I think we are all tired. “A year like no other,” we say … and write.
Don’t let the dogs die
“Old Yeller,” “Bambi” and “Where the Red Fern Grows” – what do they have in common? “Classics,” some of you may say, or “traditional family films with a good message.” I would respectfully disagree. As one who grew up forced to watch these movies, I would call them an integral part in the jading of a generation. Why do some filmmakers, parents and teachers believe that children must learn about the cycle of life and death – not just once, but over and over again?
Don’t let the dogs die
“Old Yeller,” “Bambi” and “Where the Red Fern Grows” – what do they have in common? “Classics,” some of you may say, or “traditional family films with a good message.” I would respectfully disagree. As one who grew up forced to watch these movies, I would call them an integral part in the jading of a generation. Why do some filmmakers, parents and teachers believe that children must learn about the cycle of life and death – not just once, but over and over again?
Samantha Perry | Yeager’s story still reverberates in West Virginia
When news of Chuck Yeager came on TV decades ago, all conversation stopped around our dinner table. It was a moment of reverence and excitement. As a collective group, young and old, our family couldn’t wait to hear what the nation was reporting on The General. After all, the man who died Dec. 7 was an honest-to-goodness West Virginia hero. • • • The media were detailing stories about Chuck Yeager long before I arrived in this world.
Samantha Perry | Wooly worm sighting? Must be 2020
The solid black wooly worm creeping down the hardwood in my hallway is not a good sign. My grandpa used to tell me the caterpillar’s coloring was a forecast of the upcoming winter. Brown patches were a signal of mild weather, while black indicated harsh days ahead. Most years they are striped with both shades. A brown-black-brown wooly worm would predict an easy winter at the start of the season, followed by a nasty patch of weather, then an easy end until the arrival of spring.
W.Va. nursing home doctor with COVID-19 now on ventilator
PRINCETON — A physician who treated patients during a COVID-19 outbreak at a Princeton nursing home has tested positive for the disease and is now on a ventilator. Dr. Charles J. Mirabile, medical director at Princeton Healthcare Center, was diagnosed with coronavirus last week, friends and co-workers confirmed Thursday. Mirabile was hospitalized, and recently transported to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown where he is on a ventilator.
Sears catalog provided plenty of options for childhood make-believe wish lists
It is a relatively quiet Thanksgiving, but for the dinging of my phone. My email tells me sales are rampant, and I can get great deals on clothing, jewelry, computers and more. Even travel companies are in on the action, and I learn that I can save much money if I opt to take an impromptu vacation to a sunnier climate. Why, oh why, did I provide my mobile email when booking that flight last year? I wish I could turn the iPhone off, but that is not a choice.
Lack of sewing skills forces creativity, innovation at Halloween
My mom couldn't sew. In today's modern era, that would not be a big deal. But in her world, in her era -- with standards set by iconic TV mother June Cleaver -- it was huge. Let's backtrack a moment to note Mom could sew, but not perfectly. Her stitches were not always refined, her seams pristine. By her standards, that equaled failure. As an elementary-age Girl Scout, I recall the drama of newly earned badges. Mom wanted them placed on my sash in perfect precision.
PERRY: Union support vital to miners during an era of underground dangers
It was a simple bumper sticker. No more, no less. But on the day it came in the mail my grandfather -- a humble man -- was excited and proud. In no time flat, he peeled the backing off and attached the sticker to the back of his four-wheel-drive Eagle. It was the first time -- and the last -- I ever saw a bumper sticker on Grandpa's vehicle, or any other in our family. But the message on this sign ran deep in his heart and soul. "I am a UMWA pensioner.
Union support vital to miners during an era of underground dangers
It was a simple bumper sticker. No more, no less. But on the day it came in the mail my grandfather -- a humble man -- was excited and proud. In no time flat, he peeled the backing off and attached the sticker to the back of his four-wheel-drive Eagle. It was the first time -- and the last -- I ever saw a bumper sticker on Grandpa's vehicle, or any other in our family. But the message on this sign ran deep in his heart and soul. "I am a UMWA pensioner.
A grandpa's life of tales and character, with only one stolen car in the closet
My grandpa was a storyteller. A man with 1,000 yarns. I like to think this is how I inherited my career. I grew up hearing tales of mules working in the mines, raucous behavior in McComas on a Saturday night and the simple joy of small-town life growing up in a company town. Grandpa was a miner by choice, and a farmer at heart. Most importantly he was a family man. I believe his aspiration was to live a righteous life and raise his family by that standard.
Potato chips or prunes? No doubt what's best on a camping adventure
High humidity. Abundant thunderstorms. Bugs biting and breeding at an enormous rate. Oh yes, it's a very special season in the mountains of Appalachia. Time to go camping. For some families it is a yearly tradition. Others occasionally embark on the primitive quest in an effort to dial down and go low-tech. Whatever the motive, adventure is sure to await. • • • We were a camping family.
Marveling at the hand of God, while wishing for good deeds and justice
Hand of God. I have heard this phrase uttered only a few times during my years as a journalist. On previous occasions, it was spoken by law enforcement officers when describing a miraculous moment. Cops versus criminals in an honest-to-goodness shootout. Bad guy's gun glitches, and he can't take the shot. Lives are saved. No funerals with waving flags are planned. Parents go home to hug their wives and kids. Who knows why it happened, but it did.
PERRY: Cellphone massacre brings clearer focus of work and four-legged priorities
My German shepherds hate my cellphone. I realize that statement sounds dramatic and absurd -- and it is. But it's also true. Those who doubt need only to have witnessed the scene on my back porch last Sunday. I left my iPhone unattended on the stoop for 90 seconds. In that short span my hyper-vigilant and overly zealous Cassie managed to grab it, bite it, toss it and shatter the screen. There was concrete involved. It was ugly.
Cellphone massacre brings clearer focus of work and four-legged priorities
My German shepherds hate my cellphone. I realize that statement sounds dramatic and absurd -- and it is. But it's also true. Those who doubt need only to have witnessed the scene on my back porch last Sunday. I left my iPhone unattended on the stoop for 90 seconds. In that short span my hyper-vigilant and overly zealous Cassie managed to grab it, bite it, toss it and shatter the screen. There was concrete involved. It was ugly.
Where the Wild Things Are: Elk a tourism draw for Southwest Virginia
GRUNDY, Va. — High on a Southwest Virginia mountaintop a herd of majestic elk, once native to the area, meander through a pond before pausing in a field of bright green grass. The mother cows, many accompanied by yearlings, eye the pickup truck on a nearby gravel-and-dirt drive, then just as quickly dismiss it. This is their habitat — their home. But visitors are welcome. As a result of an elk relocation project on land once mined for its high-grade coal, the animals are spawning a tourism boon.
PERRY: Searching for perfect words of comfort
The email is sandwiched between resumes for a sports reporting position, a question about historical archives, lots of spam, a couple of upcoming events, one honor roll and dozens of irrelevant press releases from entities far, far away. I am happy that someone at a higher education institution in the northern part of the state received an award, but there is no local connection and no local ties.
PERRY: Steeple on the hill a poignant reminder of church, family and Easter tradition
The white frame church on the hill is a warm memory from childhood. During Sunday school classes in the basement, I learned of Noah, the flood, Jesus and the resurrection. In the pews for Sunday service, I gained a keener understanding of the importance of love, kindness, generosity toward one's neighbor and patience. In those days, patience seemed like an extremely important virtue for a hyper child trying to remain silent and still during the preacher's Sunday sermon.
Steeple on the hill a poignant reminder of church, family and Easter tradition
The white frame church on the hill is a warm memory from childhood. During Sunday school classes in the basement, I learned of Noah, the flood, Jesus and the resurrection. In the pews for Sunday service, I gained a keener understanding of the importance of love, kindness, generosity toward one's neighbor and patience. In those days, patience seemed like an extremely important virtue for a hyper child trying to remain silent and still during the preacher's Sunday sermon.
PERRY: Decades of memories flow with the river on a leisurely Sunday drive
My soulmate is a river. One who held my hand in childhood, listening to dreams and wishes while a fishing line bobbed on her pristine surface. She was a peaceful force against teenage angst confessed on a warm rock on bright summer days. And, in early adulthood, the trials and tribulations of responsibility were bared in a quiet reflection of life and death while tiny waves lapped against mud-soaked sneakers. Whether the drama of the world was good or bad, I sought her serenity.
McDowell firefighters arrested for setting county blazes "for the excitement of it"
WELCH — Four McDowell County firefighters were arrested Thursday on charges of intentionally setting fires in the War area of McDowell County. Cody Patterson, 26, James Stutson, 40, Michael Click, 28, and Brandon Short, 22, have all been charged by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office with first-degree arson and conspiracy, according to a press release from the agency.
PERRY: Simple words with a powerful message
The fabric is beginning to darken, showing its age with slight discoloration. Delicate embroidered flowers of blue, pink and light yellow are intertwined with leafy vines. In the midst of the pastel rainbow of tiny stitches is a verse that provides strength through enlightenment during the toughest of times.
PERRY: Missing an era when society's work ethic made labor the norm
Labor Day, or Enable Day? As I age, and calendar pages flip faster than I can rise with aching knees, I often find myself pondering now and then. It's a curmudgeonly comparison of sorts, the multitude of problems now facing our society versus the greater days of yesteryear.And we all know it was better back in the day, right?Bluebirds sang and rainbows dotted the sky as Mom whipped up a breakfast of French toast and bacon.
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