By Ken Walker- The economic downturn has had a serious impact on my writing, which is largely related to the Christian world. So, I’m not immune to the financial pressures that have affected churches, ministries and religious publications the past five years. Still, until working recently on an assignment for an upcoming issue of Christianity…
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By Ken Walker- Electronic devices are such a fact of life in America that e-book sales appear poised to consign hard covers to the dustbin of history, even if the transformation takes another decade or two. Indeed, I know writers who have already scrapped their traditional libraries. That is understandable, given the stacks of “stuff”…
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By Ken Walker- Obesity remains a problem in West Virginia and a dozen other states, according to a story on the most recent annual study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Five years ago, a CDC report on the Huntington area’s nation-leading problems with obesity and its related diseases prompted grassroots action, as well…
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By Ken Walker- When I quoted a Christian leader as saying that President Mohammed Morsi had placed Egypt on the edge of a volcano that could erupt at any moment, I had no idea how prophetic those words would be. “The rapid developments taking place in Egypt nowadays bring an image to mind—a man standing…
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By Ken Walker- In my last blog I wrote about Cabell Huntington Hospital taking over the operation of Huntington’s Kitchen, the healthy-cooking-classes initiative that sprang up after Jamie Oliver filmed his ABC mini-series here. Equally exciting when it comes to such grassroots-driven activity is the Wild Ramp. The healthy foods market opened in downtown Huntington…
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By Ken Walker- After the national spotlight fell on Huntington in 2006 thanks to the popular We Are Marshall movie, it returned a few years later when Jamie Oliver’s production crew came to town to film his award-winning mini-series for ABC. Yet more proof of the long-term impact of Oliver’s visit surfaced recently with the…
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By Ken Walker- While Mayor Michael Bloomberg has (at least temporarily) lost his bid to crack down on the serving of supersize drinks in New York, the battle over America’s sugar-laden foods will rage on. Given the limited nature of public discussion in today’s information-overloaded society, those opposed to Bloomberg’s attempt to limit restaurants and…
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By Ken Walker- When tornadoes touched down just south of Oklahoma City in May, the federal disaster agency often known by its acronym (FEMA) responded, along with state officials, Red Cross and others. While no one discounts the vital nature of such assistance, equally—perhaps even more—impressive are the countless numbers of volunteers who responded. Without…
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By Ken Walker- While more than 20 years have passed, I still vividly remember the message that touched me deeply at the spiritual retreat that focused my attention on the importance of servanthood. Naturally, while I can’t quote it verbatim, its essence was: In the long run, the cumulative effect of thousands of small decisions…
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By Ken Walker – The year before Jamie Oliver came to Huntington, West Virginia to film his award-winning ABC mini-series, the area’s obesity epidemic cast a bleak shadow over the state. How bleak? In our book, Winning the Food Fight, Steve Willis wrote about a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control that reviewed…
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