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‘The Football Town’ captures the exceptionalism of a region and a nation

It is rare to find a film today that captures the essence of a region, its people and the ties that bind them with a purity that excludes any outside influences. Yet that is exactly what NFL Films has done with “The Football Town,” a unique production that brings to life the storied history of western Pennsylvania’s tradition of football, faith, grit and community. It hits the mark beyond the story of football and manufacturing greatness and captures a region that celebrates its rootedness in community. And it shows how that community has humbly shaped the nation, thanks to its ...

Choosing my next chapter

Dear Annie: My children are trying to move me into assisted living, and I feel like I’m being slowly erased. I am in my early 80s, and I still live in the home where I raised my kids. It is not fancy, but it is mine. I know every creaky stair. I know which window sticks in the winter. I have neighbors who check in on me, a routine that keeps me grounded and a life that feels familiar and dignified. Here is the part that makes me feel misunderstood. Last Sunday, I hosted what I have hosted for years, coffee and banana bread after church. Nothing glamorous. Just a few neighbors at my ...

Man seeks a new treatment for a case of an overactive bladder

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am in relatively good health for an 82-year-old male. For the past six years, I have been having trouble with an overactive bladder. I need to urinate at least every two hours. Often there is a sudden urge, and I can barely make it to the bathroom. In the morning when I wake up, I generally have to urinate in small amounts two or three times during the first hour of waking up, even though I had to go at least three times during the night. It could probably due to the pills wearing out. My family doctor started me on oxybutynin. This did not work, so a urologist ...

Remembering the history of regime change

“If you don’t remember history, you are condemned to repeat it.” Are we on the verge of repeating it once again? The drumbeat between the United States and Iran has grown louder in recent weeks. American carrier strike groups have repositioned in the Persian Gulf. Additional air and missile defense systems have been deployed across the region. Iranian-backed militias have intensified proxy activity from Iraq to Syria. Israeli strikes on Iranian assets have escalated, and Tehran has responded with threats of retaliation against not only Israel but also American interests ...

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran with defiance and brutality for 36 years. For many Iranians, he will not be revered

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, has been killed in US and Israeli airstrikes on his country, Iranian state media reported. As one of Iran’s longest-serving leaders, Khamenei was almost as ubiquitous in Iranian society as his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979. And despite the fact Khomeini authored the Iranian Revolution, some say Khamenei was actually the most powerful leader modern Iran has had. In more than three decades as supreme leader, Khamenei amassed unprecedented power over domestic ...

Dear Annie: Spring break planning has me feeling broken

Dear Annie: Spring break is coming, and instead of feeling excited, I feel like I’m bracing for impact. We have school-aged kids, and every year this week turns into a mix of pressure, money stress and hurt feelings. Some families we know are doing big trips — skiing, the Caribbean, Disney, you name it. My kids hear about it at school and come home with that look that says, “Why aren’t we doing something like that?” I try to stay upbeat, but it stings, especially because I work hard and still feel like I’m coming up short. Here’s the bigger issue: My spouse and I ...