Helping Hands

Apr 2021 17

Shrimply Dead By Maggie Toussaint: Review/Giveaway/Earth Day Guest Post

2021 Articles, Cynthia Chow, Food Fun, Going Green, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Cynthia Chow
& Maggie Toussaint

The owner of Shell Island’s Holloway Catering, River Holloway Merrick is thrilled to have been hired to cater the Nature Coalition’s special event dinner. She’s especially honored to be serving veterinarian Jasmine Garr as they name her their Volunteer of the Year, which makes hearing the news of her death two days later all the more shocking. Found shot in the back in her yard, Jasmine’s quirky Chicken Lady neighbor becomes one of the first suspects for the shooting.

Apr 2021 17

Let It Grow Fresno

2021 Articles, Community, Going Green, Lorie Lewis Ham

by Lorie Lewis Ham

In honor of Earth Day, which is coming up on April 22, it seemed a perfect time to interview a new business involving plants that sprung up during the pandemic, Let It Grow Fresno. We interviewed one of the owners Kelly Brianne, who is also a local actor and is looking forward to getting back on stage once the pandemic is over. Her partner in the business, and in life, is Daniel Karkoska.

Mar 2021 13

Tales From the Border: Bagamoyo, Texas

2021 Articles, Helping Hands, Tales of Diversity

by Mark Redwine

The refugee camp for asylum-seekers is no more. Two weeks ago, the first busload of refugees legally crossed the bridge that spans the Rio Grande River between Matamoros, Mexico and Brownsville, Texas. When they arrived at the Brownsville bus station, a crowd greeted them with applause, cheers, tears, hugs, handshakes, and exuberant joy expressing the start of the end of two long years of suffering in the camp. I was not able to greet that bus, but have been able to greet several since then. Yesterday, the last bus from the camp crossed into Brownsville. Today, the few people left in the camp were taken to a shelter in Mexico and the camp is now empty.

Jan 2021 9

Serve Reedley

2021 Articles, Helping Hands, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

When Alicia, a single mom of two exuberant boys, found herself in need of some basic items for her new apartment, she didn’t know where to turn. Alicia, because of some family issues, needed to strike out on her own with her boys. She was eventually able to get an apartment, but had exhausted her financial resources doing so. While they had a roof over their heads, they didn’t have much else.

Dec 2020 12

The Camp: Update on immigration at the border of Texas and Mexico

2020 Articles, Helping Hands, Tales of Diversity

by Mark Redwine

Thanksgiving Thursday, eating turkey, watching football, thankful for all of my blessings, many of which I take for granted. Among my greatest blessings, and greatest heartaches, are the immigrants in the refugee camp on the Mexican side of the border at Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico.

Aug 2020 29

Sowing Malice By Wendy Tyson: Review/Giveaway/Guest Post

2020 Articles, Going Green, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Kathleen Costa
& Wendy Tyson

The Von Tresslers were not normal members of the small Pennsylvanian community. With their wealth and attitude, they essentially kept themselves separated from the townspeople shunning invitations to join in, participate, or patronize local businesses along with poaching all the contractors in the area to build their mansion on the hill no matter to what projects they had already committed.

May 2020 30

You Cannot Reopen What Was Never Closed

2020 Articles, Community, Ministry Musings, Tom Sims

by Tom Sims

Let me start with this. Many things have been closed that have never been closed before:
Doctor's offices.
Stores and restaurants. Beauty Salons and barbers.

Apr 2020 18

Moonrisers By Jeri Westerson: Review/Giveaway/Earth Day Guest Post

2020 Articles, Fantasy & Fangs, Going Green, Lorie Lewis Ham, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Lorie Lewis Ham
& Jeri Westerson

Moonrisers is the first in a brand new series by author Jeri Westerson. It is a spin-off of her Booke of the Hidden series, which I really enjoyed. Moonrisers features the werewolf character Jeff Chase.

Apr 2020 18

Five Fun Ways to Volunteer on Earth Day

2020 Articles, Going Green

by Dylan Bartlett

On April 22nd, people around the world will celebrate Earth Day. It’s a time for appreciation, gratitude and, more importantly, progress. Whether you’ve volunteered in years past or you want to get in on the action now, there’s a ton of ways to give back. Some of these you can do during lockdown, and others you can do when life gets back to normal.

Apr 2020 15

Kidnapped on Safari

2020 Articles, Going Green, Mysteryrat's Maze, Travel

by Peter Riva

My stories have two main characters, one familiar to Western readers as he makes nature documentaries in remote places, and the other a man of the land, a tribal elder.