Columns
May I Walk with You? CHILDREN IN CHURCH
Recently, I was stunned by a fellow church goer who witnessed another fellow church goer verbally criticizing a parent whose preschool children were not paying attention, but playing. The message was, “You need to make your kids behave! They bother…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Laundry baskets and junk drawers
I have been sewing or on this computer all week long and this place looks like it.You would think with just the two of us living here it would stay pretty neat.Not so, my floor is covered in thread, scraps…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorJust becauseyou don’t know what itmeans doesn’t meanit means nothing. We’re No. 135!Saugatuck is the third Most Zen City in Michigan and 135th in the nation, per Mission Connection. With elections looming, this is balm to know.“In our…
Mike’s Musings: Warning: Negative Political Ads Can be bad for your Health
I don’t know about you, but I have a headache from negative advertising. I rarely watch regular network television but last Sunday I had to turn on FOX to watch the Detroit Lions dismantle the Tennessee Titans.The Lions took care…
“Out and About” Sickness, mistakes, and fall colors
I’ve been quite lucky when it comes to staying healthy. We made it through the COVID pandemic and feel fortunate. We have kept current with our annual vaccinations and have always watched our diets. We have done all we can…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Halloween – Fun for grownups too
Happy Halloween!It’s one of my favorite holidays.As a youngster, months of planning went into the costume [my Mom loved to sew] and a trip into town on the big evening to go trick or treating was always topped off at…
May I Walk with You? ALTERNATIVE LIVING
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, while the Viet Nam war was raging, many young people sought out different lifestyles. Some people had had enough of the way the society was becoming materialistic, saw the futility of following the current…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorHunter’s MoonThe year’s largest supermoon, the October Hunter’s one — came and went last week.“With the leaves falling and the deer fattened,” says the Farmer’s Almanac, “it is time to hunt. Since the harvesters have reaped the fields,…
Life as Performance Art: Life as Conspiracy theories
Just before he left the White House for the last time, President Eisenhower warned the nation about the dangers and threats of the Military Industrial Complex. To simplify it, the military was always looking for new and better weapons,…
Mike’s Musings: Move made me realize how important one vote is
I had the opportunity to watch SWING VOTE, a 2008 film starring Kevin Costner, that was about a down on his luck, fired from his job, alcoholic in New Mexico, that had the voter machine eat his ballot as he…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Cooler weather coming – that means Halloween!
Well, with the middle of October gone by now, it looks like our brief revisit of summer temperatures may be just about over with. It has been a bit cooler this week but we might get a brief reprieve. The…
May I Walk with You? IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!
Why is it that we seem to worry more in the middle of the night? The common accepted thought is that the more rational part of our brain sleeps while the irrational part keeps on. It’s at those times that…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorBlowupIt was a tough week for Tropicanas. LasVegas blew up the Tropicana Oct. 9, then Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., hours later.The former hotel and casino, the Sin City Strip’s last…
Mike’s Musings: My fear of “Bambi” makes me a nervous Driver
The social media memes showing vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz fumbling with loading his shotgun at a pheasant hunt reminded that this is the time of year when my mind sometimes wanders to “Bambi” and the confrontations I have had with…
Life as Performance Art
I read an online religious news service article saying hunting was a form of conservation fulfilling God’s instructions to Adam and Eve to take dominion over the earth. That is an interesting perspective.For many years The Commercial Record printed a…
“Out and About” Writing, Painting, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” -Zig ZiglarLast week I had the privilege to meet with a group of writers. They are not as well known as they should be,…
HISTORICAL NOTEBOOK
By Frank Passic LAKE SHORE RAILROAD ONCE SERVICED ALBION With the mention of Jackson County railroads a few weeks ago in this publication, we are reminded that Albion has its own memorable railroad history which was a part of…
Looking Out: The best thing about autumn
by Jim Whitehouse “What’s your favorite season of the year?” I ask my pal Snooker. I’m hoping he says winter so I don’t have to feel like the Lone Ranger about my own preference. “Fall,” he says, taking a sip…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: You can sure tell it is October in an election year
I know I’ve written quite a lot about fall lately, but this has sure been a beautiful week. Lots of sunshine, cooler weather, low humidity and trees are beginning to show color all over the area. I believe the color…
