What is the meaning of Don’s ice scraper?

Reporters are schooled to ask questions, with the most fundamental being, who, what why, where, when and how. Or as we in the trade say, ‘The Five Ws and an H.? When I was a younger man — scratch that, when I was a child — I used to ask a lot of ‘why? questions. […]

December starts Christmas columns

It’s December already. The holiday season is upon us . . . and a tradition I like to keep is simply this: writing columns for Christmas and that means writing nice stuff. Nothing mean or snotty. * * * Cameras have always fascinated me. I have cameras all over the house. Some work, some don’t […]

Obligatory Christmas Column #1,279,539

As I look back upon the thrilling holidays of yesteryear, I have come to believe those Christmases Past were, indeed, magical. They were always white with snow. Everything sparkled. No strife. No sadness, only smiles and love. * * * One year, maybe nine, 10 years ago, while watching the annual showing of Rankin-Bass? animated […]

Oh (sigh, Donald) Tannenbaum, oh Tannebaum

I’ve written before about growing up in one of Clarkston’s ghettos ? and, back then it meant anywhere that wasn’t located in the square mile of Clarkston proper (basically anywhere in Independence Township). If you lived in the township, folks from the village would scrunch their faces at you if you said you lived in […]

The power of local buying, local marketing

Holy Mother of Local Buying Power, Batman! Did you know when you drive down the street and look at all your neighbors? homes, that nearly three of every four of the families inside make decisions on what goods and services they will purchased based on what they have seen in our papers? Yep, ’tis true. […]

Bummed out because it’s the holiday season?

I hope this column finds its way into your hands, and before your eyes before December 25, in the year of our Lord, 2014. I hope you have hands to hold the paper and eyes to read. It is my sincere hope that this holiday season (the one so many folks in the western world […]

Drum roll please: Don’s favorites of 2014

It’s a wrap on 2014 Yep, it may be sad, but it’s true: 2014 is all but over, merely memories of the things we did and said. And, for my last column of this calendar year, I’m gonna’ go back and revisit said year’s Don’t Rush Me ‘gems.? (Or at least just the headlines that […]

It’s a digi-world we live in. Rats.

So, it has come to pass in this brave new world of instant gratification, notification and articulation that when we see or hear something that may or may not be true, we instantly share our indignations. (Try saying that sentence with one breath!) We post it on our favorite social website either by hand held […]

Je suis Charlie

Oh, sometime last week whilst working high atop the ivory tower at 5 South Main Street in Clarkston (actually I was looking down at all the little people trying to stay warm in single digit weather, and smiling smugly, sipping a hot coffee) I got a phone call that went something like this: Caller: ‘So, […]