Joe Hermitt pranced into the newspaper composing room, slapped a Sports Illustrated on a light table, flipped it open and began to read. We never saw him so happy and we quickly learned why: Sidd Finch. As we gathered around,… Continue Reading
When we turn to radio in my Mass Communications classes I get to tell a Bob Dylan joke. No, not a joke about Bob Dylan, a joke by Bob Dylan. I know what you’re thinking. The Bob Dylan? Yep, that… Continue Reading
I received an email from former student Michael Madry last week. He wanted to catch me up on what’s happening in his life. Mike was a Luzerne County Community College student a few years ago. He started out dreaming of… Continue Reading
Please suffer me one last item before we put St. Patrick’s Day to bed for this year. My friend James “Spot” O’Donnell, now in his 90s, is what I affectionately call a 365-day-a-year Irishman. He’s a resident of Wesley Village… Continue Reading
My mom’s side is the source of our Irish heritage. And the reason we barely celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in our house. My mom’s father, William Strubeck, died on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, in 1936. My mom was 13… Continue Reading
I remember my exact words when my brother suggested that as a newly divorced guy I buy the family house where our mom was living alone so that she, whose only income was a meager Social Security check, could spend… Continue Reading
My pal John Markarian and I were on a road trip. John will turn 100 on June 7 of this year. He was about 97 then. We pulled in at a convenient store for a pit stop and when we… Continue Reading
He’s Uncle Paul to my kids, “Dad” to my niece and nephew, “Poppi” to his granddaughter and “Hun” to my sister, who happens to be his wife. To his friends and other relatives, of which I am both, he’s Paul.… Continue Reading
I’m just getting to know my daughter’s father-in-law and I really like the guy. Don Mantooth (as far as I can tell there’s Dutch in his ancestry) is a genuine John Wayne type of guy. Born in Oklahoma, he’s spent… Continue Reading