Berryville boys basketball coach Brent Compton wants his team’s full focus on its next opponent, whoever that might be. That’s not a cliche. It’s a fact of life for any successful coach. Overlooking an opponent can get you beat. As an interested observer, however, I can look ahead a little bit. And...

Over the past two weeks, I’ve written about my recent encounter with the COVID-19 pandemic, being identified as a close contact and having to quarantine for most of a week. At first, I was more than a little concerned — even though I’m vaccinated — but as the days wore on and I had no symptoms, the...

I’m grateful for everyone who reads this column each week, but over the years one reader has been a special one. Of course, Mary Ann Bell was more than just a reader. When I came to Berryville in 2014, Mary Ann’s husband, David, was one of the first people to go out of his way to make me feel...

It’s kind of amazing how perspective changes everything.  Three years ago, the prospect of not leaving the house for an entire week — even if I had to work — would have been met with cheers and exultations.  This year, a week at home, while still somewhat enjoyable, has seemed endless...