Movie Review: Kelly MacDonald makes all the pieces fit in ‘Puzzle’
By Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times (TNS) Some actors “act,” emphasizing performance over empathy, while others, in some extraordinary way, simply become other people, disappearing…
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Movie Review: ‘Mission Impossible — Fallout’ is the best one yet
By Michael Ordona, Common Sense Media (TNS) Parents need to know that “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” is the sixth movie in Tom Cruise’s hit spy…
Pet of the day 8/3/18
Tweety is an absolutely beautiful long haired, orange, female kitten. She is current on vaccines and negative for fiv and leukemia. She will be spayed….
Grilled chicken wings
Makes: 24 wings Start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes If you buy whole wings, cut them into two pieces before brining. Don’t brine…
Simple hygiene tips that can have a lasting, positive impact
Personal hygiene isn’t about just looking good. The effects of maintaining personal hygiene are myriad and include reducing one’s susceptibility to infection and decreasing the…
Pet of the day 8/2/18
Name: Max Breed: Pit Bull Terrier & Lab Retriever Mix Age: 4 years Gender: Male Size: Large No small children. Max can be found at…
Grilled eggplant with yogurt sauce
Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 45 minutes 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 garlic cloves, minced 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup plain whole-milk…
Chemical-free planting to help pollinators
There is something wonderful about growing for pollinators. It’s a hopeful feeling seeing a host of insects, free from pesticides, doing their job. That’s the…
Pet of the day 8/1/18
Name: Pudding Breed: Domestic Shorthair Mix Age: 3 years Gender: Male Size: Small Color: White/ Beige Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Pudding can be found at…
Grilled shrimp with spicy lemon-garlic sauce
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 45 minutes To fit all the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you will need three 14-inch metal skewers….
Pet of the day 7/31/18
Mira is a beautiful 5 year old, female, Husky mix that was originally adopted out from a local animal sanctuary that was closing but unfortunately…
Frozen yogurt
Servings: 8 (Makes 1 quart) Start to finish: 2 hours and 40 minutes, plus 8-12 hours to strain yogurt 1 quart plain whole-milk yogurt 1…
VFW 119th National Convention held in Kansas City
VFW national election results are in. Vincent “B.J.” Lawrence, from Alamogordo, N.M., was elected Wednesday as the new VFW national commander by delegates attending the…
Pet of the day 7/30/18
Name: Scarlette Breed: Domestic Shorthair Mix Age: 1 year Gender: Female Size: Small Color: Grey/ White Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Scarlette can be found at…
Chicken tikka masala
Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 30 minutes 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped fine 1 tablespoon garam masala 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2…
Pet of the day 7/27/18
Leo is a 4 year old, male, Maltese that was brought to the rescue after being removed from a hoarding situation. Leo is very sweet…
Grill-roasted prime rib
Servings: 6-8 Start to finish: 6 1/2 hours First-cut beef rib roast is also known as prime rib, loin end, or small end. If your…
Smart ways to keep kids safe in crowded areas
Amusement parks, beaches, tourist attractions, concerts, and local fairs attract families each year. Such outings can be exciting and enjoyable excursions, but panic sets in…
Pet of the day 7/26/18
Chickadee is a sweet, orange, female kitten. She is playful and loving. Chickadee is current on vaccines and will be spayed. She can be found…
Strawberry shortcake
Servings: 8 Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours Shortcakes: 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour 5 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces) sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder…
White tails on whitetails predict the future
It’s the developing headgear on white-tailed deer that get all of the attention at this time of year. Look what people write when posting trail…
Pet of the day 7/25/18
Name: Burt Breed: Hound Mix Age: 1 year Gender: Male Size: Medium Color: Blue Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Burt can be found at Venango County…
Summer’s Last Fling
With summer drawing to its inevitable end (and school starting Aug. 28), many people, including myself, are making an effort to experience this season’s last…
New England lobster roll
Servings: 6 Start to finish: 1 hour To boil lobster: 4 (1 1/4-pound) live lobsters (yields 1 pound of meat) 1/3 cup salt Lobster Roll…
Pet of the day 7/24/18
Name: Yucie Breed: Domestic Shorthair Mix Age: 1 year Gender: Female Size: Medium Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Yucie can be found at Venango County Humane…
Southwestern black bean and corn salad
Servings: 10 Start to finish: 20 minutes Dressing: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Coarse…
Pet of the day 7/23/18
Name: Toby Breed: Terrier Mix Gender: Male Size: Medium Color: Brown/ White Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Toby can be found at Venango County Humane Society.
VFW Attends Congressional Roundtable on Burn Pit Exposure
On Wednesday, VFW National Legislative Service Director Carlos Fuentes participated in a roundtable discussion with House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs members to discuss the importance…
Stuffed fried zucchini blossoms
Start to finish: 50 minutes Servings: 4 80 grams (2/3rds cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for coating the zucchini 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 cup…
Pet of the day 7/20/18
Name: Sophie Breed: Domestic Short Hair Age: 1 year Gender: Female Size: Medium House-trained: Yes Sophie can be found at Precious Paws Animal Rescue.
Pan seared fish with tomato basil
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 25 minutes 3 cups cored, seeded and diced ripe tomatoes (about 3 large tomatoes) 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,…
What to do after suffering a sunburn
Summer fun routinely involves days spent soaking up some of the sun’s rays. Relaxing days at the beach, barbecues in the backyard or picnics at…
Pet of the day 7/19/18
Dixie is a female, adult, Dachshund mix that was surrendered to the rescue when her owners said they moved into a new home that would…
Classic gazpacho
Servings: 8-10 Start to finish: 4 hours 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut…
Family creates water garden
The soothing sounds of running water surround Scott and Catie Walsh as they hold their 7-month-old daughter Amara in their Sewickley Hills, Pennsylvania garden. The…
Pet of the day 7/18/18
Betty is a female kitten. She is playful and adorable! Betty is current on vaccines and negative for fiv and leukemia. She will be spayed….
Boston baked beans
Servings: 6 Start to finish: 8 to 9 hours on high Slow cooker size: 4 to 7 quarts 1 onion, chopped fine 6 ounces salt…
Pet of the day 7/17/18
Name: Marley Breed: Mixed breed Age: 4 years Gender: Male Size: Large Color: Yellow Declawed: No House-trained: Unknown Marley can be found at Venango County…
Grill-roasted beef short ribs
Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 2 hours Meaty English-style short ribs are preferred in this recipe to thinner-cut flanken-style ribs. Make sure to choose ribs…
Tax Glitch Affects Veterans
A recent Pentagon audit revealed that more than 130,000 veterans who were medically separated as a result of injuries sustained in combat, and received a…
Pet of the day 7/16/18
Wren is a female kitten. She is current on vaccines and spayed. Wren can be found at Tri-County Animal Rescue Center.
S’mores blossom cookies
Servings: 24 cookies Start to finish: 30 minutes 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4…
Pet of the day 7/13/18
Name: Damian Breed: Australian Shepherd Age: 2 years Gender: Male Size: Small Color: Brown, Black and White Damian can be found at Precious Paws Animal…
Watermelon strawberry smoothie
Servings: 2 Strat to finish: 5 minutes 2 cups frozen watermelon chunks 1 cup frozen strawberries 1/2 cup crushed ice 1 1/2 cups orange juice,…
Keep summer road trips safe
When the outdoors beckons, road trips can be the perfect way to see the countryside, escape the routine of daily life and enjoy short vacations….
Pet of the day 7/12/18
River is a pretty tuxedo kitty. She is current on vaccines, declawed, and spayed. She is very affectionate and clean. She is a young adult….
Grilled vegetable kebabs
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 40 minutes 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 1 garlic clove, minced…
Pet of the day 7/11/18
Bo is an approximately 3 year old, male Retriever mix that was surrendered to the rescue when the owner realized she was unable to financially…
Salmon corn chowder
Servings: 8 Start to finish: 40 minutes 2 pounds skinless salmon fillets 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup minced shallots 6…