Our community lost a very special person this week.  Coach Swisegood passed away just after his 90th birthday.  He had a long and great career as a teacher and coach in Plymouth and Augusta for 60 years.  He will…

  Drove to the wind farm this afternoon seeking some peace.  My hunters often find peace in a tree stand, I search for it on a river bank or at the wind farm among other places. It has been a…

  As many of you know, I taught for twenty three years.  Then I quit.  I started teaching directly out of college and that had been my only job at that time.  I loved teaching physics and advanced math but…

  Our sympathy to the family and friends of Melba Grove of Augusta.  She passed on November 5th.  Dylan McCurdy of Plymouth lost his grandmother this week after just losing his grandfather.  Our thoughts and prayers are with both of…

  By midweek, I usually have a good idea what I will write about in this column and am running phrases through my head.  All of this week’s thoughts were changed at church this morning.  Only you can judge whether…

  Dylan McCurdy lost his grandfather this week.  Please keep the family in your prayers. I read a book of Disciplines from the Upper Room group every morning.  This week one of the readings was about “touch”.  We touch for…

  At some point in our lives we realize that we are mortal.  For a child it may be the loss of a pet or a loved family member. As an adult we are too  often reminded. Our community has…

  October has been very lovely thus far.  We have had many dry sunny days and the leaves are beautiful.  The farmers are making great progress in getting the crops out of the fields.  Hope you have been able to…

It is the first weekend in October and since we opened Plymouth Rock Antiques in 1982, I would normally be found in Smithfield set up on the Spoon River Drive.  We have been at the ball park, down town and…

  A lovely fall day greeted those friends and family of Gary Webster who  gathered at the LaHarpe cemetery on Wednesday morning to say one final good bye.  So sorry for the loss.  There will be another empty chair at…