Columns

Michigan’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — a lifeline for roughly 1.4 million residents — is being chipped away, quite literally, by inadequate technology and sluggish enforcement.In fiscal year 2024, fraud in Michigan’s SNAP program surged by nearly 400%, reaching…

“A man is just about as happy as he makes up his mind to be,” said Abraham Lincoln. A contemporary French writer we’ll call “C” added, “It takes tremendous courage to be happy.”“C” has every reason to be miserable. She…

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” -A.A. Milne The public is cordially invited to an Open House, Saturday, Aug. 23, at American Legion…

One of the most unsettling things that I have noticed among adult Christian men and women in the great confusion about the Bible, what it teaches, and what the Church teaches.This is not confined to ordinary lay people, but to…

By Scott SullivanEditorSt. Nick’s BonesSanta Claus is dead but not buried in Bari. That’s the latest from archeologists who believe they’ve discovered the tomb of St. Nicholas under his namesake church in south Turkey.St. Nicholas — known for anonymous gift-giving…

    The other day I came across some World War Two era song books in the bottom of my accordion case.  They were published by what was then called the War Department and widely distributed by the USO to bases…

In a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming, where headlines are filled with division, disaster, and doubt, it’s easy to wonder: What difference can one person really make?The truth? More than you could ever imagine.We are taught to look…

By Frank Passic ALBION 100 YEARS AGO—AUGUST 1925             We continue with our theme of “Albion—100 Years Ago.” August 5, 1925. Mrs. O.S. Rives of Morgantown, KY, owner of the Green River Republican, the only newspaper in Butler County, Kentucky,…

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.” -Joan of ArcLook at your zipper. See the initials YKK? It stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushibibaisha, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer.A few Ponderisms:•I used to eat a lot of natural…

In the Gospel of John chapter 21, Jesus is talking with Peter. Jesus simply asks Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me?” Peter’s response, which to me seems rather heart-breaking is, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I…

By Scott SullivanEditorPorch GeeseThere is no better sign America has been made great again than the return of porch geese.“Life-size decorative goose statues for the lawn, garden or porch aren’t a new idea,” reports the Washington Post’s Kate Morgan. “They…

   We often ask each other, “What are your plans for today?”  which really means “What are your goals to accomplish and then check off your to-do list?”  Or we ask ourselves about our plans for the day. Is there…

Here we go again. This time it is too close to home. Another alleged nut-job gone crazy injuring a dozen people, some critical at a Wal Mart, not with a gun, but with an ordinary pocketknife. If it weren’t for…

By Frank Passic LIME LAKE HISTORY, Part 2             We continue our article about Lime Lake in Spring Arbor, as printed in the Albion Evening Recorder, July 9, 1919 pg. 2 in an article entitled “Albion Man Discovered Valuable Marl…

As I was praying, getting up in the middle of the night, as I often do, I was pouring my heart out to Jesus. I was telling him about all the worries I have and what might happen to me,…

By Scott SullivanEditorHospitalityEarly reviews on lodging at “Alligator Alcatraz,” the new migrant detention center built in eight days in Florida’s Everglades, have been mixed.

In a world often overshadowed by cynicism, economic struggle, and divisive headlines, the simple idea of “paying it forward” offers a powerful counterbalance. It’s a concept built on selflessness—doing something kind for someone else without expecting anything in return, trusting…

“History doesn’t always repeat itself but it often rhymes,” said Mark Twain. As I write this in mid-July, it looks like there will be a change. For better or worse, I’m not sure.A wonderful thing about a firmly-established republic or…

By Frank Passic LIME LAKE HISTORY, Part 1. A mile south of Spring Arbor is Lime Lake, a popular water sports (including scuba diving) and walking/biking recreation area for area residents. The Falling Waters Trail goes through the middle of…