Dear Reader, I have come to believe the world was never meant to be the Garden of Eden. It was meant to be a playground. Eden, as the story goes, was a finished place. Everything was …
Dear Reader, Everybody loves a winner. The trophies, the accolades, the flowers and roses—they all go to those who finish first. Winners get remembered, celebrated, lifted up. And the losers? …
Dear Reader, Retirement used to be a gold watch and a fishing pole. Now it’s become a referendum on relevance. One camp insists that stepping back means disappearing. The other says, “I’ve …
Dear Reader, I heard “Nowhere Man” the other day—that haunting Beatles track that once felt like it was written specifically for my seventeen-year-old soul. But something had changed. The …
Dear Reader, There’s something curious that happens in everyday conversations—at coffee shops, on planes, in waiting rooms. Someone asks how you’re doing, what you do, what brings you …
I am writing this from a seat at PNC Park, watching the Pittsburgh Pirates take the field. Earlier this month I sat in a different set of stands, watching the Milwaukee Brewers do the same thing …
Dear Reader, Picture yourself standing in a room with two doors. You’re at that pivotal age—old enough to understand consequences, young enough that both paths still stretch wide before you. …
The A.R. Albert and Villetta Hawley Albert Horticultural Garden welcomed residents from across Waushara County for a vibrant midsummer open house celebrating horticulture, civic engagement, and …
The Waushara County Food Pantry is bringing fresh produce to local families in need through a $3,000 grant awarded from the Adams Columbia Electric Cooperative (ACEC). ACEC awarded the pantry a …
Dear Reader, When Odysseus sailed past the sirens, he did not trust himself to resist them. He assumed he would fail. So he ordered his crew to fill their ears with wax and lash him to the mast, …
I’ve been sitting with a question that won’t let me go: What have I been planted on this earth for? It’s the kind of question that arrives quietly at first, then grows more insistent. The …
The Waushara County Ice Age Trail has so much to see, so why not get out on the trail during a summer group hike? There are still a few hikes left this year, so get hiking in Waushara County! Group …
Dear Reader, Not long ago I drove out to a supper club in St. Anna, Wisconsin, a place I had not seen in decades. The visit brought back the fact of something, if not the feeling of it, a summer …
Sometimes new challenges and goals find us when we least expect them. What started as a ride through the Rockies grew into so much more for Jeff Shell, a retired machinist currently living in …
Dear Reader, Airports tell a story about our society. Amid the rush of travelers focused on destinations, countless individuals struggle silently—an elderly person uncertain of gate changes, a …
Sometimes new challenges and goals find us when we least expect them. What started as a ride through the Rockies grew into so much more for Jeff Shell, a retired machinist currently living in …
Dear Reader, There’s a peculiar alchemy that happens when you reach a certain age and find yourself leafing through old yearbooks or stumbling across a box of letters tucked away in the attic. …
“Let’s Meet at the Dog Park” was written by Sara Daye Bargaehr in honor of her mom, Beverly Daye (January 5, 1950-June 19, 2022), and Beverly’s beloved dog, Leo. The story is based on …
Dear Reader, In our relentless pursuit of success, recognition, and material advancement, we often find ourselves trapped in what feels like an endless rat race. Social media feeds bombard us …
Gavin Giebel fulfilled his Scout oath, “help other people at all times,” after completing his Eagle Scout project, which can be used by the entire community. Giebel has been in the Scouting …