Columns
Mike’s Musings: Is Cracker Barrel’s new strategy, doomed?
With Congress on vacation for the entire month of August (how dare they) and very little else happening, the Cracker Barrel rebranding hit center stage in last week’s news cycle. The CEO and Marketing Manager rolled out a new contemporary…
Historical Notebook: PAVING THE WAY FOR A SUPERIOR FUTURE
By Frank Passic, Albion Historian One of Albion’s community assets is its downtown brick Superior Street on M-99. It has existed since the beginning of the 20th century. This summer, the Michigan Department of Transportation is doing some maintenance…
Out and About: Open house, restoring your gut, and Labor Day
“Every act of love is a work of peace, no matter how small.” -Mother TeresaA brief reminder about the upcoming open house at the American Legion this Saturday, August 23. The open house will run from noon until 4 p.m.…
May I Walk with You? HARVEST TIME
It is that time of year again when anyone engaged in agriculture, whether farming, gardening or visiting fruit and vegetable markets, begins to harvest the fruit of their work. Already, the peaches are about ready to pick. Beats, beans, tomatoes,…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorFinding JesusLast time we checked on Florida Man, he was had moved on from building Alligator Alcatraz and trying to cross the Atlantic in a hamster wheel.Recent headlines:
Life as Performance Art
Life as Performance Art: Joan AndersonG C Stoppel Joan Anderson died on the 14th of July this year at the age of 101. I suspect her name is hardly familiar anymore, but she was perhaps the greatest social influencer in…
Mike’s Musings: Why So Many Michiganders Under 30 Can’t Afford a House
The dream of homeownership, once a clear stepping stone into adulthood, now feels like a mirage for many Michiganders under 30. Despite living in a state often touted for its affordability, structural barriers have erased much of the margin that…
HISTORICAL NOTEBOOK
By Frank Passic SHELDON BLOCK IS DOWNTOWN ALBION LANDMARK Recently you may have observed the building that presently houses Parks Pharmacy in downtown Albion at 318 S. Superior St. is being repainted along with some necessary repairs. This is…
Out and About: Open House, pets, and quotes
“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.” -Emily PostA reminder about the Open House, Saturday, August 23, at American Legion Hice-Shutes Post…
May I Walk with You? Knock-Knock
I love knock-knock jokes. Usually they are corny, but usually put a smile on the faces of those to tell them and those they are told to. “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Anita. Anitia who? A needa something to eata.” Everyone…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorWays & MemesRubber dildoes are raining down on WNBA games and the women’s basketball league’s not happy.The first neon green one, flung from the stands at the Golden State Valkyries-Atlanta Dream game, struck some players as a joke.…
Mike’s Musings: Michigan’s SNAP Fraud Crisis- fraud running rampant
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…
Life as Performance Art
“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…
Out and About: Events, eating greens, and health tips
“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…
May I Walk with You? Confusion
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…
Blue Star
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…
Life as Performance Art
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…
Mike’s Musings: Why You Matter More Than You Think
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…
HISTORICAL NOTEBOOK
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,…
Out and About: Zippers, ponderings, and love
“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…
