Columns

It’s time to “Stuff-A-Truck” for those in need. The Three Rivers Lions Club needs everyone’s help to do just that for this upcoming Thanksgiving. Everyone is invited to come on down to Harding’s Market, 808 West Michigan Avenue in Three…

Most of us have a morning routine that includes bathroom duties, breakfast, medications, and all that goes with it. For most of us it has become such a habit that we don’t have to think about it. We just do…

By Scott SullivanEditorChicken RunZoe Rosenberg faces up to five years in the pen for pilfering four chickens from a Perdue Farms poultry plant in Petaluma, Calif.Her defense team argued the University of California senior and animal activist rescued the birds…

Another week has passed, and much of our federal government remains shuttered. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are either furloughed or working without pay. National parks are closed, small business loans are on hold, and millions of Americans are…

On Tuesday, Nov. 11, we observe Veterans Day. It is a “fixed” holiday, like Independence Day on July 4. These days do not move to the nearest Monday so we can have a long weekend; they are too important to…

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” -Marcel ProustYo-Yos were once used as weapons in the Philippines.On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) will sponsor…

“This is a day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Recently I was conversing with a middle-aged man, who had committed his life to God in his youth. Things were not going well for…

By Scott SullivanEditorSmart to be DumbIn their new book “The Enigma of Reason,” cognitive scientists Dan Sperber and Hugo Mercier argue people’s capacity for reason might have more to do with winning arguments than thinking straight. Humans’ biggest advantage over…

I have a niche genre of movies that make me happy. The basic plot is the main character sees others around him or her living in the shadowlands, takes action, faces challenges and drama, then the magic happens.One of the…

One of the consequences of a government shutdown should be that those legislators responsible for the shutdown should not receive their regular pay. In my mind they are just as much part of the government as the hundreds of thousand…

By Frank Passic One of the most famous sermons ever preached in American history was entitled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” powerfully delivered by the 18th century theologian, clergyman, and college president (Princeton), the Rev. Jonathan Edwards…

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” -Henry MillerIf you didn’t make it to the American Legion on October 11, you missed a fantastic Burger Night fundraiser, thanks to Molly and T.J. from Mr.…

Recently I was with a group of friends having a few drinks and great conversation when things went south in a hurry. For just a few minutes, the conversation turned toward the discussion of ministers who had abused children. That…

By Scott SullivanEditorOctopus UpdateLetter writer Barbara King rightly takes me to task for making light of Detroit Red Wings fans flinging dead octopi on the hockey rink ice to celebrate playoff wins.Last week’s column recounts how the tradition started in…

By G.C. StoppelEighty years ago this month a new kitchen appliance revolutionized cooking thanks to a young engineer who had worked late into the night on projects for the military.Percy Spencer had dropped out of school when he was 12…

As Michigan stands at a crossroad on whether to adopt Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) statewide, voters and policymakers ought to pause and ask: what problem is RCV truly solving — and at what cost? The case against this change is stronger…

By Frank Passic LOUISA BLODGETT McGEE These next two weeks I’ll be featuring a couple of Riverside Cemetery-related topics. This week’s topic concerns an early settler, Louisa (Blodgett) McGee (1823-1909). Louisa was one of the original students enrolled in the…

“For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” -Khalil GibranBeing retired and on a fixed budget, I’m always looking for ways to save a few bucks, and being a nice guy, I am…

While perusing the latest “Great Lakes Bay Catholic”, the magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, I noticed that there are 24,466 registered families in the Diocese of Saginaw, along with 56 parishes. I remembered that a long time ago…

By Scott SullivanEditorOctopus EthicsPETA is on a roll. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, having taken credit for closing the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Circus, now wants Detroit Red Wings fans to stop throwing dead octopi onto the hockey arena…