BY WES SMITH View Newspaper Group Publisher and Michigan Press Association President When there was a change in leadership in Michigan’s legislature earlier this year, hope rose again in the hearts of citizens who want a more transparent state government. Maybe, it was thought by those citizens, the time has finally come for Michigan to […]
I recently made a ‘to-be-read’ jar, full of pieces of paper with the titles of the books I currently own, but haven’t read. I didn’t count them as I was writing them down, but I can say I have a log of all of my books (probably around 500 at this point) and I’ve read […]
Now that the chilly weather is here and October is well underway, I’m happy to say I am an autumn person. When people ask me my favorite time of year, I always say ‘holiday season’ which starts in October with Halloween and goes through Christmas in December. I’ve always dressed up for Halloween with enthusiasm, […]
My friend Lyndsay is the best at a lot of things, and one of those things is sending cards. She sends a card just to say she’s thinking of me, on our anniversary and always on my birthday. Each year she finds a sparkly, pink card with a great message and it always arrives just […]
I’ve recently been obsessed with a free, online, daily game called Murdle. It’s a daily mystery puzzle, and anyone who knows me knows I love mystery. As a kid, my favorite cartoon was Scooby Doo. I’ve dressed up for Halloween as both Velma and Daphne multiple times. I saw both the live action movies in […]
This week sure as heck feels like a “back to school” week. Which makes sense, of course, because most kids are back to school after their summer breaks. When I write “feels like” back to school time, I mean my internal clock/calendar registers in my brain, “summer is over, back to the books.” There is […]
08-30-23 don’t rush me Those were the good old, glory days In every young man’s heart, when he is past being a mere child, but not yet an adult, there is a desire to be something special. Whether that desire revolves around athletics, academics or artistic endeavors, down deep there is a want to excel. When […]
Okay. Be kind. I am a newspaper reporter kind of guy. I read reports. I go to meetings. I interview people. I take pictures and I take notes. I even have a fedora, with a card stuffed in the band that in red letters reads, “Press.” (I know, it makes me smile, too.) All that […]
“I was bored,” Independence Township resident and orthopedic surgeon Shivajee Nallamothu said. “I got bored during COVID, so I decided to write a book. Actually, I decided to write two books.” Well, la-tee-da, way to be an overachiever, Doc! I’ve known Shivajee, or Dr. Feelgood, as I like to call him, for about 20 years […]
Holy turn down the heat, Batman! We have already entered the Dog Days of Summer and I’m already over it. Soon high school kids will start practice for fall sports – like two-days (though it felt like three-a-days) football practice. Gosh darn it, fall is right around the corner, but first we need to get […]