Opinion
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5 days ago by Kim LaSata.
Latest Opinion
LASATA: Celebrate southwest Michigan’s great outdoors
June is National Great Outdoors Month, and southwest Michigan is a wonderful place to get out and explore. As we officially kick off summer next ... Read more
KAUFMANN: Get outside and play this June!
Two years ago, I stood in a small crowd listening intently to a stern yet kind National Park ranger. A former U. S. Marine Corps ... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Help protect voting rights
I served 20 years in the U.S. Army helping protect democracy. Today, our democracy is threatened by Republican-controlled legislatures in many states, including Michigan. Some ... Read more
NELDON: Nominations open now for Best of the Best
On my walk home for lunch earlier this week, I couldn’t help but realize how many people were out on the streets in the middle ... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Thanks for the support
The members of the Town & Country Garden Club would like to thank the Dowagiac community for their support of our recent plant sale. Proceeds ... Read more
SYTSMA: The new Friend of the Court parenting guidelines
If you have a custody and parenting time order in Cass County, you may be required to follow the provisions set forth in the Cass ... Read more
APPLEGATE: Summer programming for Niles children
Learning is a year-round and lifetime commitment, and while the summer months are often filled with relaxation, spending time with friends and enjoying the great ... Read more
WILLIAMS: Pandemic has taken toll on Americans’ mental health
In the U.S., almost half of all adults will experience mental illness during their lifetime. These are rates similar to people who suffer from heart ... Read more
KAUFMANN: Caring for our mental health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Perhaps the first thing to be aware of is that we all have it – mental health, that is. ... Read more
BEALOR: Talking to our co-parent: We can all do better!
Talking together when you are not a couple can be hard. We know it is frustrating to be told, “talk to each other,” when talking ... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Voter suppression is anti-democratic
Sparked by false claims of fraud, Michigan’s Republican Legislators have introduced multiple anti-voting rights bills. These bills would enact new voter ID requirements, reduce drop-box ... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Thank you from the Four Flags Garden Club
Members of the Four Flags Garden Club of Niles want to thank the community for supporting its recent plant sale. Proceeds enable the club to ... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Do not support voter suppression
Michigan voters need to speak now and let their legislators know that we do not support the voter suppression bills being considered by the Legislature. ... Read more
LASATA: April is Financial Literacy Month
Financial literacy is a learned skill that can diminish without practice. Financial Literacy Month was established in 2004 and is recognized every April to highlight ... Read more
HAVLICEK: State small business relief trapped in gridlock
When Michigan received $5 billion in federal COVID funds last December, it represented crucial relief for our members and thousands of hurting businesses across the ... Read more
KAUFMANN: Choose to take one for the team
Major League Baseball is underway across the nation amid hype and high hopes. Twenty-six of the 30 teams played on opening day, kicking off a ... Read more
CULTON: The fight against COVID is not over
My great-uncle never liked having his picture taken. Whenever anyone brought out a camera, he would scowl, duck and run, hide his face behind a ... Read more
LASATA: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
Each year in Michigan, tens of thousands of children are abused or neglected — about 90 per day. In 2019, very sadly, 63 Michigan children ... Read more
COLUMN: Decreasing transition blues with co-parent visitations
If you have been to court to obtain a parenting time order, you have probably had a judge, referee or your own attorney tell you ... Read more
APPLEGATE: Reflecting on the past year and a bright future
One year ago, schools across the country scrambled to create new learning plans for what was, at the time, a completely new and unforeseen challenge. ... Read more
LASATA: Have a safe and happy Easter
For Christians, Easter Sunday is one of the most important holidays of the year as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus three days after his ... Read more
PUCKETT: Have you gone the second mile yet?
It is easy for the teaching and the examples of Christ to get lost in the midst of the endless conflict that surrounds us. Certainly, ... Read more
PUTNAM: Time to promote open government
Transparency in government might sound like a yawn of a topic in usual times. But these are not usual times. Today, open government laws are ... Read more
LASATA: Ag Day a tribute to southwest Michigan’s farming heritage
March 23 is Ag Day in Michigan. It’s a time we set aside each year to recognize our state’s food and agriculture industry and the ... Read more
APPLEGATE: Building a family-school relationship
There has never been a more important time for school districts — including teachers, principals, counseling staff and administrators — to have strong relationships with ... Read more
