Columns

By Maggie ConklinMaple for Hot FlashesI can’t think of anyone who hasn’t been affected by menopause. If not the woman herself, then a husband, sibling, parent, child or friend of the suffering lady.Hot flashes and night sweats are the leading…

By Scott SullivanEditorTidy BowlMy hearing is bad. So when someone summoned me to grab balls and hit the lanes, I thought they they meant hurling bowls at pins. I decided to do more research.Hardwood lanes 60 feet long (same as…

     Back in the bad old days, suicide was a felony, a serious criminal offence with substantial penalties.  That might seem a bit odd since someone who took their own life is dead and cannot be charged with a crime. True, but…

By Bill Frazer We daughters are helping Bill with his articles while he is rehabbing his hip and bragging on his guitar skills to any nurse that walks in the room. Though we’ve been editing his articles for the past…

This has been a concern for many in the USA. Some of us believe our economic foe is exerting way too much influence on our country and by buying up U.S. acreage, that influence will only increase. My friend and…

In the past, Monks have had the reputation of being quite knowledgeable when it comes to giving advice. Here are some helpful hints on what we can all do to protect our valuable energy:

We found this week’s topic on the Marion Community page on Facebook. Someone asked about the Irish Inn and got a great variety of answers, mostly regarding the excellent food dished up there for many years, and one of its…

In this article I want to raise some questions that for me surround the transgender issue that has been in the news and offer some commonsense solutions. First, I am not against transgender people. I have empathy for those who…

Schools are complex organizations to be certain. Clare has a long history as an exceptional place for learning, but not without difficult times as well. In the Board’s pursuit of excellence, one of its collective priorities has been consistent fiscal…

The rain gauge is showing an inch and a half of water for the first time in weeks.After a rainy muddy spring, summer weather since the end of May has been DRY.We have only had two short sprinkles all month,…

“May you live every day of your life.” -Jonathan SwiftWednesday, June 14, is Flag Day, a day when everyone should fly the American flag. Patriotic Americans fly Old Glory every day, but the fourteenth is extra important.The current fifty-star American…

Congratulations to the MHS 2023 graduating class! With high school days behind them some are quite sure of where they are headed, and others are uncertain of what the future holds. Some will further their education and attend college, others…

We just finished emptying out our 5th Wheel Camper, getting it ready to sell. What a chore!Poor hubby Jack.After bringing it home from our campsite up near Roscommon on Mother’s Day, where it has resided next door to Sister-in-Law Marlene’s…

By Scott SullivanEditorSpy WhaleNow them Russkies done it: sent a spy whale snooping in seas near Norway and Sweden. Is Oval Beach next?Hvaldimir, a beluga, was first seen four years ago wearing a harness with camera mounts. No GoPros were…

     Decades ago, when Montreal hosted a world’s fair, a friend of my parents had only three days to see everything.  For a normal person, that would not be sufficient time, but he was not someone considered normal.   People said he was dumber…

I wrote an opinion a couple weeks ago about AI, and how it is fast invading many aspects of our society. One offshoot of AI is ChatGPT, a very popular application that students and professionals use to create reports, essays…

This week we celebrated Memorial Day. It was more a day of remembrance than a day of celebration. We honored those members of our Armed Forces who have passed, whether in an armed conflict or in peacetime. It was great…

“Grandma, I’m a fourth grader now.” It seems like only yesterday that Alea made that statement to me. Surprise! She’s now through school, has her bachelors and masters and is a working woman living down near Lansing. Her sister Alison…

 It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Marion’s Attic, technically known as the Marion Area Historical Museum. It’s been around for longer than many realize, and still a lot of folks have yet to visit. This summer is the…

By Scott SullivanEditor50th Reunion, Part 2It was assuring knowing I would die lacking nothing. The nurse and druggist had denied me insulin. Blood sugar played Bach’s Toccata and Fugue on my organs.“I’d considered going,” I said.“To your 50th reunion?” asked…