Columns – Page 243

Democracy Tree: State lawmakers try again for transvaginal probe

February 25, 2015

by Amy Kerr Hardin The State Legislature tried it in 2012, and again in 2013, and now, after taking a year off, they’ve brought it back again. Did they think we’d forget, or not notice? Each piece of legislation was carefully crafted to look like a routine and reasonable medical...

Snowbirding: If you’ve got the time and you’ve got the money, do it!

February 24, 2015

In the dead of winter, the images of warm places, usually advertising for a Florida destination, is shown on TV is shown regularly. Airlines urge travelers to use their “direct flights” to sunny Florida. When it is zero degrees and snowy outside, those images look pretty good. But is it...

The good news and bad news of casino revenue for Wayland schools

February 22, 2015

By Jeff Salisbury jeffsalisbury@charter.net After the successful passage of Proposal A in 1994, that forever altered how Michigan public school districts generate operational funds, I can recall former Wayland superintendent Bob Brenner saying, “Mr. Salisbury, the good news is, ‘no more local operational millage elections’… and the bad news is,...

A confederacy of dunces: This is all about idiots of all stripes

February 22, 2015

by Barry Hastings This is intended to be all about idiots. Yes, and idiots of all stripes. To wit: "I am writing in response to (blank) in the Nov. 27, 2014, Hastings Banner, about people's animosity of racism toward President Barack Obama. “This animosity is not about racism. Let me...

Columns

Army Bob: Extremist negativity exacts a toll on us as Americans

February 19, 2015

by Robert M. Traxler Negativity is the easy way out. Ever notice how the good folks on the ends of the political spectrum see things? Left or right, the 5% who are the most dedicated zealots only see things that are, shall we say, less than positive? In a recent...

Democracy Tree: Saginaw High School may close for no good reason

February 18, 2015

by Amy Kerr Hardin The Saginaw School District Board of Education is considering shuttering one of two high schools to consolidate them under one roof. Much of the discussion has centered around closing Saginaw High School and merging its orphaned student body with Arthur Hill High School. The rationale given...

Yes It Is, It’s True: Boy, did I ever misjudge the late ‘Lovely Lesley Gore’

February 17, 2015

News this week of the death of singer-songwriter-activist Lesley Gore caused in me a variety of reactions. Way “back in the day,” during my formative and impressionable adolescent years, I remember all too well her No. 1 teen-age angst song “It’s My Party (and I’ll Cry if I Want to).”...

We all seem to want to save stray animals, but what about babies?

February 17, 2015

Most people love kitties and/or puppies. They are cute and cuddly and love the attention. Billions of dollars are spent on food, care and shelter for cats and dogs each year. They are rescued, washed, powdered, pampered, petted and well fed. Such is the life of those depending on our...

Monday Moan: Brace yourselves for trouble with school state funding

February 15, 2015

By Jeff Salisbury jeffsalisbury@charter.net I spotted a notice online this weekend that there will be a special Wayland school board meeting — a committee-of-the-whole (that means all seven members) — at 6 p.m. Monday Feb. 16, at the Administration Building. There will also be a work session at 5:30 p.m....

The Muck Starts Here: Just what are we asking our soldiers to do?

February 15, 2015

by Barry Hastings The more I look at the mess we've let these (stupid) politicians get us into in the Middle East, the more it looks like Syria is going to tell the whole story (I don't expect a happy ending) of where we'll stand in a year. This is...

Category: Columns