Schadenfreude Tuesday (A Mamie and Solly Story)

(Scene: On Wednesday, Mamie is driving a minivan pulling a rental trailer, jammed with consignment furniture that didn’t sell, on the road toward home, 900-miles away. She and husband Solly are rehashing what happened the day before.) Mamie (singing the first phrase, then speaking): On the road again … glad it’s Wednesday … view out... Read More

Fiction

August 2, 2024

A Golden Legacy: Danville Museum Celebrates 50 Years of Art and History

Nestled in the Old West End of Danville, the Sutherlin Mansion stands as a silent witness to the city’s rich tapestry of history. For the past half-century, this stately Italianate villa has been home to the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History (DMFAH), an institution that has become the cultural cornerstone of the community.... Read More

Cover Features

July 12, 2024

Movies You Missed from 20 Years Ago: Catwoman

Catwoman (1/10 Rating) Released July 23, 2004 Streaming on Amazon Prime. For rent/purchase on all major platforms. Genre: Superhero, Action, Crime, Fantasy PG-13: Action violence and some sensuality. 1h 44m I should be reviewing Before Sunset, the brilliant sequel to Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, both movies in the top 250 movies of all time... Read More

Movies You Missed

July 11, 2024

Dads (A Mamie and Solly Story)

“Tea?” asked Mamie, turning her head toward him, raising her eyebrows. Solly glanced at her from the driver’s seat, seeing a slender woman, endearingly familiar, proffering a traveler’s mug with a dangling tea bag string. In the air conditioner’s gentle breeze, her graying hair stirred in rhythm with the string. “Sure,” he... Read More

Fiction

July 10, 2024

Eclipse Over Danville

I’m writing on a “partly cloudy, “partly sunny” (meteorologist terminology) day. Clouds sometimes obscure the sun, subduing the glow from above, and shading the glow of spring’s later-blooming perennials from below. But these clouds make for a more “normal” dimming of the day than that seen back on April 8th: the eclipse of the sun.... Read More

Essays

July 9, 2024

Catch or Caught

Transferred, that concept, beauty, to a fifty-yard pass, its ark a rainbow might envy, its sure-handed catch a combination of concentration as perfect as your stare from a crowded room when I wonder if its reception is mine to snare.

Poet's Corner

July 9, 2024

Inside OWE Arts & Culture: Chris Stovall

Chris Stovall was born into a musical family. His father was a jazz musician and his mother, a vocalist, also liked to draw. With this background, Chris, a visual artist, illustrator, and muralist, is both inspired and motivated by music. “I’m a musically based creator,” Chris told us regarding his creative process. “I enter into... Read More

Collage

July 6, 2024

Inside the Method of Acting with Justin Hall

What do a lion, a scarecrow, and a tinman all have in common? They are all characters in the famous classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, of course! As a child, Justin Hall watched this beloved film over and over, falling a little more in love with the dazzling costumes and catchy songs with... Read More

Action

July 5, 2024

Wines for a Summer Sip

What foods come to mind when you think of summer? I bet deviled eggs are on your list. They are a chilled mainstay for a picnic or any summer meal. A cool, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, with its versatile pairing options, would beautifully complement your savory deviled egg. Speaking of mainstays, I can’t imagine a summer meal... Read More

The Wine Spot

July 5, 2024

Children Must See Themselves in Books

Adrian Nester is redefining what it means to teach English literature. As an Advancement Placement (AP) English teacher and AP grader for College Board, Nester’s passion for literature extends far beyond the classroom walls, inspiring students to explore the world through the lens of poetry and prose. “There was no such thing as Advancement Placement... Read More