Columns

As we approach the end of August, we are reminded of one of Albion’s most unusual promotional events “gone wrong” that occurred on Friday, August 17. 1962 at 9:30 am. On that date, the Albion Chamber of Commerce was sponsoring…

by Jim Whitehouse The east wall of our living room is mostly windows. This is a wonderful thing as my beloved wife Marsha and I can look out on the wooded land and meadows, enjoying the wildlife, the wind-driven dance…

Last week I wrote quite a bit about “Fiber”. I mentioned how important Fiber is to us and how we should try to include Fiber in our daily diet. Protein is another important item that should be included in our…

This place is a mess.Although I am lucky enough to have a “house husband,” who keeps up with most of the chores around our (almost) tiny home these days, we still manage to collect a lot of clutter!.I am banned…

It is no secret! The Diocese of Saginaw is in great need of more priests. We are also in great need for vocations to marriage as well. It is rare that anyone gets married, let alone in church. Baptisms seem…

By Scott SullivanEditorHeroesThursday, Aug. 15, 12:44 p.m., southbound on Blue Star Highway from I-196 Exit 41 towards Saugatuck, an Allegan County Sheriff’s cruiser raced by, siren on, lights flashing, around stopped traffic through the 64th Street light beyond where, bottlenecked,…

Dominating the airwaves this week is the Democratic National Convention. Three weeks it was the Republican National Convention. Despite a lot of pomp and circumstance, very little gets done at these four-day lovefests. In my opinion, they should no longer…

I just read in my old hometown newspaper that my elementary school principal died. Mr. Were was 95 and his passing brought back memories. This time of year our minds probably slip back to ready-for-a-new-year-of-school days. The whole cast old and new characters post-summer…

by Jim Whitehouse “There’s Benny walking by on the sidewalk,” says my friend Lyle Pratt. We’re sitting in the café having coffee. “I haven’t seen him in a long time,” I reply, turning my head just in time to see…

by Jim Whitehouse “There’s Benny walking by on the sidewalk,” says my friend Lyle Pratt. We’re sitting in the café having coffee. “I haven’t seen him in a long time,” I reply, turning my head just in time to see…

The St. Joe County Grange Fair is a little more than a month away. I’ll be volunteering as a Courtesy Cart driver, so if you see me, flag me down and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go on…

You have to admit we live in an interesting age – the technical revolution.These days you can’t even comprehend what we would do without our computers, tablets and cell phones.In fact, those “housebound” weeks as we muddled through the pandemic…

What happens when you go to communion? Almost all mass-goers receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, each time they go to mass. Wow!Often, I have witnessed Evangelical Christians, at the end of their services, walk forward…

By Scott SullivanEditorMyLifeThe email from MyLife said “Fix mistakes in yo …” A generous offer. Where do I begin? Yo-, I thought again. Who is “MyLife” and why do they call themselves that?What shall I pay them to scour databases…

Many of our parents cautioned us to “Be nice” when playing with other children,  talking with adults or any other social interaction. From the 1940s until May 1985, the Ivy Room was Durham, N.C.’s foremost and only kosher Jewish deli. It also served…

I take a lot of flack for my opinion column, Mike’s Musings, from time to time. Readers (and I’m so happy you read the paper) often disagree with what I have to say. That’s all right- everyone is entitled to…

By Scott SullivanEditorRoad ChatterOnboarding freeway to Saugatuck, goose gas, shoot gap, tuck in behind truck, patient, read plates, speculate-state-to-state, there’s a space, swing left, boost speed to 80, patient, bottleneck clears past where M-6 scissors inAway to the shining sea,…

Trouble might come with this rant, but I’ve about had it with United States Postal Service.They just recently raised the price of a postage stamp to 71 cents. It seems every year the price goes up another 5 cents. I’m…

Pat and I have been to Paris several times, so we were eager to watch the opening of the Summer Olympics there.  We knew we would see familiar haunts, which excited us. The creativity and style of Parisians appealed to…

By Scott SullivanEditorColorsWhy do the Summer Olympic Games seem to come in the nick of time?I was 13 when the ’68 Games arrived, fresh from seeing assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy play over and on…