Columns

We often hear that multitasking is impossible. Experts tell us our brains are not wired to do several things at once. Then you meet someone like Danielle Ratliff and begin to wonder if she somehow missed the memo. When I arrived for our conversation, Danielle’s...

“Adam did not want the apple for the apple’s sake; he wanted it because it was forbidden.” —Mark Twain Home for me in the 1940s was uncle and aunt’s eight-bedroom boarding house in Aberdeen, Wash. My mind is filled with only happy memories, memories that...

This past week, I saw a flash of hope in our small corner of the world. Our City Council was tasked with selecting a new member to fill a vacant seat. The meeting opened, as it always does, with the Pledge of Allegiance. The packed...

I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who postulated that the government closest to the people governs best. That maxim is being sorely tested each and every year as the edicts and mandates flow wildly from our state government in Sacramento to over-burdened cities and...

As we prepared for 2026, Mother Nature certainly got our attention! Walking on what seemed like a beautiful day for a walk, my phone alerted me with a Tornado Warning to take cover. A year ago, I would have rolled my eyes at a...

Is everything blooming now fragrant or is it just me? Does Mother Nature have a card up her sleeve to insure pollinators find nectar thereby ensuring plant propagation or is it mostly spring fever on my part? What makes flowers fragrant anyway? Fragrance in flowers...

How efficient is your reaction time? Think back, when was the last time you tripped but caught yourself from falling. Did you know your nervous system has a millisecond to react the right muscles to prevent a fall when you trip. If that signal...

“Profit mechanisms…explain why so many Americans with ‘good insurance’ still find themselves fighting for care, drowning in paperwork, and facing financial ruin when serious illness strikes.” —Neal Shah, “Insured to Death” High Stakes Healthcare Choices “…as many as 66.5% of personal bankruptcies are tied to medical...

Last year challenged us, not just globally and nationally, but, especially, locally. We know what happened here with the businesses shutting down and stay-at-home demands. Compounded by our local fires, we witnessed firsthand how small local towns band together and support their own. I...

As a small child and living with my elderly uncle and aunt, I gave little thought to my absent father until it was time to celebrate Father’s Day at our small school in Aberdeen, Wash. Crayons of various colors were given out and most of...