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Catch 'em in the summer

Crazy isn’t it? It seems like not so long ago we were wading in the cold water of rivers in search of early season walleyes and now we’re thinking about catching fish during the hottest weather of the year. Fishing can be like the weather in the summer. Both can be very hot. To take ...

The lost art of complaining

While we Americans enjoy complaining — about the weather, taxes, politics and most anything else — I fear we are losing the “art” of complaining. It seems fewer folks these days have the ability to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction or resentment in a manner which allows both parties to retain a sense of dignity. Even after years in retirement, multiple experiences of “unskilled complainers” remain in my memory. Some years ago I read a magazine article on the art of complaining. It listed positive ways to deal with businesses, public agencies and individuals when ...

The fossil fuel industry’s control of our government

To the editor: The world as we know it today was built on the back of burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, this process has come at a tremendous cost. Emissions from burning fossil fuels are rapidly warming our world at a rate that has never occurred in the history of our planet. Why, then, do we continue to burn planet-killing fossil fuels? One primary reason is the tremendous control the fossil fuel industry has over our government. The industry spends approximately $250 million per year lobbying elected officials. The vast majority of this money goes to Republican officials ...

Accountability, responsibility starts at the top

In law enforcement, accountability is a word that gets used often. It is demanded by the public. It is expected by elected officials. Sometimes it becomes the center of discussion after a mistake, a complaint, or a tragedy. But accountability is not something that should only appear when something goes wrong. True accountability starts long before a critical incident. It starts in the mirror. As leaders in any profession, we do not earn credibility or respect by talking about standards. We earn those things by living them. The standard is not what we say during a press conference. The ...

Inflation and nickel ice cream cones

On a recent Saturday morning my wife and I had run a few errands when she reminded me she had been given a gift card for a new business. Neither of us were familiar with the place but gathered from the name of the business that they sold cookies. After a frustrating search to find the business, we finally pulled into a parking place. Julie asked what kind of cookies I preferred. I told her it was her gift card; get whatever she liked. She said she would get some chocolate chip cookies which we both like. When she returned to the car, she was carrying an attractive box which she ...

Why God made fathers

God made a wise decision when He decided females would serve as mothers. Men generally just can’t do mommy things as well as mommies. Of course, the flip side of this is true. God wisely appointed males to the role of father. Over the centuries, men have made plenty of mistakes, as we continue to do today, but we’re still the best choice for the role of daddy. Think about it. Who gives the best “horsey-back” rides, dads or moms? Dads generally aren’t afraid to get down on the floor and wrestle and serve as a beast of burden. In fact, men often show some of the best attributes ...