Digging in cleats for curve balls

Nolan Ryan was one of the most successful and feared pitchers in the business. One of the weapons in his arsenal, in addition to being able to mow down batters with a flame-throwing heater, was his curve ball.

Take a break and focus on the sweets

Macaroons. Chocolate eggs. Candy polar bears, lambs, owls and bunnies. A 3-foottall figure from “Lord of the Rings,” constructed all in chocolate.Let’s talk about those confections and Jeremy Monsel’s stunning artistry in chocolate, not Donald Trump and his Cabinet appointments.

Hospital money woes must improve

Accounts receivable have been the proverbial albatross hanging around the neck of Clinton Regional Hospital. This must change.Two different outfits have been in charge of accounts receivable. Both had disastrous results for different reasons. One did next to nothing in terms of collections.

Is Irish American history woke?

Being something of a smart aleck, I’ve sometimes joked that while I may look white, actually I’m Irish. All eight of my great-grandparents were born there.

Having true empathy for others

For people feeling a little too blue this holiday season, just remember there would be a line a mile long of people waiting to trade places in a heartbeat.Life is about handling adversity because there are times when it feels like it can arrive and wash over people in droves.

Can the nation wait until Jan. 20?

Joe Biden has only days to serve as president of the United States. But anyone watching events in Paris over the weekend would think President-elect Donald Trump has already taken office.

Lifestyle changes can help lower cholesterol

ASK THE DOCTORSDear Doctors: I had my physical last fall, and it included some blood tests. One of them showed that my cholesterol levels rose a bit since last year. My doctor says that if they keep going up, I should consider using meds to control them. What is cholesterol?

Reader determined to conquer fear of heights

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have always had a fear of heights, which has made me hesitant to try things that involve being up high. However, one item on my bucket list has been going skydiving in Dubai, and I’m determined to conquer this fear.

No one should go hungry in this nation

It is an astonishingly large number: 5.3 billion. That’s how many meals were distributed by the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, Feeding America, in 2023 alone.

DO JUST ONE THING

• The electronics retailer Best Buy has made it a mission to collection as much ewaste as possible for recycling – so much so, Best Buy has recycled nearly 3 billion pounds of personal electronics and appliances.