By DANNY MINTON The sea’s gentle swells glistened momentarily, then once again fell dark as the moon appeared from behind the clouds and returned to darkness. The clock had just passed midnight breaking into a new day. It was July 30, 1945. Several hundred miles from the nearest shore in the Philippine Sea, the Portland Class Heavy Cruiser, the USS
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury What can be done when mere mortals are caught in the crossfire of “stuff-we-don’t-understand-at-all?” And what if our understanding better “fits” bygone days when basic transportation centered on riding horses or depending on them to pull conveyances? There wasn’t an awful lot to understand when either horses or wagons failed us. Even then, there were
Read moreDaniel McKay is the new associate pastor for teaching and connections at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. McKay, whose position was made official on Sunday, Feb. 28, is replacing John Whitten, who was named senior pastor last fall. McKay and his wife, Anna, were in all four services at Pioneer Drive on Sunday. The final vote was a long time coming.
Read moreBy KRISTY McDONOUGHLocal communications director, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsksmcdonough89@gmail.com One of a series of semi-truck loads of food rolled into Abilene and San Angelo on Feb. 23, bringing more than 41,000 pounds of food from Salt Lake City, the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Food Bank of West Central Texas in
Read moreFirst Central Presbyterian Church, along with the city of Abilene, is observing its 140th anniversary this year. A group of Presbyterians gathered at North First and Pine streets to form First Presbyterian Church on Feb. 27, 1881, just two weeks before the first town lots were auctioned on March 15. The current church complex, 400 Orange St., is the result
Read more
CURTIS HOUSE CULTURAL CENTER630 Washington St325-701-7804Facebook Instead of meeting in person for the 2020-2021 programming year, the Abilene Interfaith Council is presenting video interview with local religious figures or tours of local institutions. The latest is an interview with the Rev. Andrew Penns, pastor of Valley View Missionary Baptist Church. The setting is the Curtis House Cultural Center, which Penns
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The market for masks has changed dramatically during the past year. Until then, they were largely worn by health professionals, New Orleans Mardi Gras revelers, and, of course, robbers counting on ‘em to provide incognito status. That was then and this is now. Around the globe, rank and file wear them during all waking moments,
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON In the movie “City Slickers,” Mitch, a city boy, has a conversation with Curly, a rough-looking cowboy. The conversation goes: Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? Curly: [holds up one finger] This.Mitch: Your finger?Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that, and the rest don’t mean nothin’.Mitch: But, what is the “one
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK Many of us will talk about the hardships of the year 2020 for a long time. This year has indeed made life difficult for more than one reason. Even though 2021 has begun, I include the recent hardships of the deadly winter in the difficult year that began last March when the COVID pandemic began. I had
Read more
Spirit Of Abilene 