I was really hoping that I could find something else to talk about besides the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, but it seems like the issue is not going away. Nikolas Cruz was charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder Wednesday, and the Associated Press reported that he’s willing to plead guilty if the…

It’s become an all-too-common phenomenon to see reports of school shootings etched in our newspapers and splashed on our television and computer screens. It has been an increasing wave in the last 20 years. The latest tragedy in Parkland, Florida, has sparked anger and a call for action, and with the incredible reach of the…

While many folks generally have passing thoughts about Florida, it’s usually because the weather down there is much warmer, and we’re wishing we were down there. However, our thoughts of Florida have gone from envy of endless beaches and warm winds to sorrow and anger as yet another school shooting has taken place, this one…

After 90 years, a grave injustice has been remedied, and many folks are wondering what took so long. No, someone wasn’t vindicated of a crime he or she didn’t commit. It was more a case of giving someone her just desserts, and in this case, it was cheesecake—heavy emphasis on the cheese. On Monday, Minnie…

How many of you have participated in a Polar Bear Plunge? For those of you who haven’t even heard of the concept, it involves jumping into frigid water in the dead of winter. It’s a tradition in many Wisconsin communities. For those of you who love to participate in the plunge, I’ve got something to…

Language is something we use constantly, yet we don’t always think about our words and realize they’re a part of our heritage. What would we do if our language was dying? What would we do if we were losing our cultural identity? For those whose native language is English, there doesn’t appear to be any…

I’ve dealt with many people who have lost loved ones, seen how they deal with grief. As a journalist, I’ve occasionally had to step in and ask people in mourning to speak about their loss. I’ve been fairly lucky for the most part. I lost a friend a few years ago, and sometimes I hear…

Over the last couple of months, sexual harassment has dominated the public airwaves. Starting with the fall of Harvey Weinstein and continuing with entertainer-turned-senator Al Franken resignation from public office, a very large and uncomfortable spotlight has been shone on what most of us have suspected for years, that people in power will use that…

It’s another tragedy in what seems to be an endless wave of violence. A church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, lost 26 parishioners with another 20 hospitalized after Devin Patrick Kelley walked in during services on Sunday and opened fire.   Predictably, the calls for prayers and sympathy were followed by calls for gun control. Those…

I love our American flag. Whenever it passes by in a parade, I put my right hand to my heart, usually with my camera in my hand. I recite the Pledge of Allegiance and stand proudly when the National Anthem plays or is sang (even when it’s sang horribly). I’ve never considered it a requirement…