By Tribune-Review

Published: Monday, January 7, 2013, 9:08 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I endured 500 miles of treacherous winter weather in returning home to the Alle-Kiski Valley during the holidays. Every mile traveled was well worth it.

During the short period I visited, I encountered a cast of characters that a casting agent from Hollywood would envy. Although these inhabitants from the valley possess diverse ethnicity and social and economic backgrounds, there are common threads woven throughout their character. Seemingly lost traits such as compassion, integrity, sincerity and hospitality were just a few I discovered.As an expatriate from the A-K region, I'd like to offer a little bit of advice: Don't take for granted the world that surrounds you on a daily basis because if you do, you might find yourself looking into the snow globe instead of looking out the window.

Stephen Paulovich

Louisville, Ky.

The writer is a New Kensington native.

1. Spanier’s pay shameful
2. Diplomatic doublespeak
3. Rights: For people, not fetuses
4. ‘Public Welfare’ misnomer
5. Pay it forward
6. Guns a public health issue
7. ObamaCare in action
8. Public will win
9. Sacrament, not style
10. Belongs in prison
11. Faulty mindset

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.