Fire’s swift fury changes life as we know it

I recently wrote about a wildfire burning on the outskirts of my hometown and how it brought up emotions of fear and empathy for my friends still there. Fortunately, the Doce Fire was dealt with without the loss of life and very little property damage. When I heard that fire was contained, I figured I…

Best place for brunch is on a farm

June is National Dairy Month, a friendly reminder that the white liquid in those impossible-to-open little cartons from the school cafeteria does not just magically ­appear. In Wisconsin, many rural areas commemorate the occasion with Brunch on the Farm, a chance for city folks to see for themselves where their food comes from and why…

When home is where the heart is, try to avoid heartburn

For the past few days, there has been a breeze shaking the cottonwood trees near my home, raining down a fair amount of cotton in the area where I live. It has bunched up in clumps on the grass and even wafts through my car as I drive with the windows down. It’s a curious…

Should we compound a loss of innocence with a loss of liberty?

Gun control. Two words that tend to strike terror into the hearts of people that own guns. Every so often, the debate flares up and causes people to question whether the Second Amendment of the Constitution is going to be erased. It’s back again, and it’s one that’s going to get ugly. President Barack Obama…

Westboro wing nuts bring their own brand of horror to tragedy

Violence shattered the innocence of a Connecticut town on Friday. A man whose motives we may never fully know or understand killed 20 children at an elementary school, along with six staff members and himself. It is unfortunately a type of story that has become more and more prevalent in American society today. Another crazed…

Words turn into weapons, and bullies are way too eager to wield them

Bullies are out there, and they pop up when you least expect them to. Their appearance at first glance might appear kind, but upon closer approach, the toothy grin and bright eyes turn into a hateful snarl, and you find yourself abused just because you’re different. When I was growing up, bullies were easy to…

When intelligence is insulted, don’t prove their point

Nobody likes to have their intelligence called into question. However, when someone does that, it does not bode well from your side to prove them right. Recently, I got my beats switched around at the paper, and I was assigned to cover school board meetings for Shawano. For those of you not living where I…