We need to generate a word to describe the reaction that some white people have when Black Americans assert a perceived privilege – call it “Black privilege” – that provokes some white people to grumble about why they don’t get that privilege, too.
We have always had them among us: fortune tellers, diviners, readers of palms, tarot cards, tea leaves, stars, horoscopes, discerners of animal entrails, calling on gods of wood and stone, and all sorts of other “seers” who have attempted to convince the gullible that they have the power to …
The hopes of many Michigan parents for a normal return to school took a blow last week from the nation’s public health officials. The latest announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could escalate local tensions and the need for more education options, even though som…
At our BLP Board meeting on June 17, the board voted 3-2 to ask Grand Haven City Council to approve a multi-million-dollar revenue bond issue to fund a 12.5-megawatt, gas-powered generation facility and office complex on Harbor Island. I was one of the two “no” votes, wanting instead to firs…
‘A pandemic of the unvaccinated.” That’s the misguided and dangerous statement that took hold last week nationwide as President Joe Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky used it to describe the latest phase of the pandemic, with Biden going so far as to say, “Look, the only pandemic we ha…
We have many expressions intended to compliment or encourage another person. Phrases like “Good job!” or “Way to go!” come to mind. Or even one-word expressions like “Super!” or “Fantastic!” From the younger generation I’ve heard words like, “You are really rockin’ it!”
On a nice summer evening, you’ll see people gathering at the beach to watch the sun go down. It’s a summer ritual for some. For others, it’s a great way to escape the hot city and cool off with an evening swim.
Although the sentiment may seem paradoxical, libertarians should cheer last week’s decision by a federal judge upholding Indiana University’s vaccine mandate for students. The court reached the right result and the judge’s reasoning provides a forceful reminder that the government’s regulato…
A new exhibit, “From Concept to Classic Tee: 50 Years of Screen Printed Art at Marüshka,” is now open at the Tri-Cities Historical Museum. The exhibit follows the story of Marüshka from its founding in 1971 by former high school art teacher Richard Sweet through the heyday of screen-printed …
‘Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” People often say that, but that’s not actually true. Words can hurt!
From breathtaking murals to live musical performances, Northwest Ottawa County is rich in art and culture. For more than 50 years, the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation has dedicated grants and resources to programs that bring regional and national art and cultural experiences and opport…
I’ve heard people say, “It’s not easy getting old” – and now that I’m getting old, well, I know exactly what they mean!
Consumers Energy’s proposal to ramp up its solar energy production in Michigan raises questions about whether the company will be able to supply reliable energy to its customers.
Democrats lost 47 House seats in the 1966 midterm elections, and that result still “haunts” them, wrote Washington Post columnist Charles Lane recently. But should it?
The other day I read an article that came in the mail about a family that had moved to Grand Haven. I was immediately drawn in to read it when I saw the title: “Blessed Beyond Measure.”
The jig is up. It is. It’s time to get real about wages, health insurance and the fact that many people are still struggling even though they work full time.
Suppose you’re in a battlefield with bad guys coming at you full force and you have the means of stopping them, but, while calling your own troops names, you pull them off the field, letting the bad guys have their murderous way.
Good teachers know that if something is relevant to their students’ experiences, it needs to be a part of their education. Yet teaching about racism in schools is now drawing feverish condemnation from conservatives, particularly over “critical race theory.” Teachers like myself are being ac…
Who knew getting food from a truck could be a thing? Who knew it could be such a popular thing?
Horseplayers know that you can never depend on a sure thing. But who could have expected that in a race to be deemed America’s worst president, Donald Trump wouldn’t only fail to win, but that he would come in only fourth?
Books and articles – scientific as well as theological – have been written on human nature. Still, most people don’t understand it, or refuse to learn from it, or worse, play to its dark side.
The American Psychological Association defines “eco-anxiety” as a “chronic fear of environmental doom.” Lots of people are feeling it.
‘I’m starting with the man in the mirror.”
As if homebuyers, contractors and do-it-yourselfers don’t have enough to think about in this summer’s hard-to-read economy, the price of framing lumber has skyrocketed from $600 per thousand board feet to more than $1,400 in the last six months. Higher-cost lumber has added an estimated $36,…
Americans love a good Holocaust novel. We drink our moderately priced wine, cover ourselves in the weight of a down comforter and dive into what we think is an entirely different world. Aghast in our beds, we try to wrap our minds around those evil Germans. We shake our heads and shed our te…
Although downtown Grand Haven is full of beautiful historic buildings that illustrate our community’s past, it’s easy to overlook the stories behind these structures. The architecture we see every day weaves together past and present, telling the story of Grand Haven’s development.
During Pride Month on my “Christian MythBusters” podcast and WGHN radio spot, I’ve been talking about the relationship between Christianity and the LGBTQIA+ community. The last episode in that series is one I’d like to share with you today, in this column.
Michigan is spending more on roads. A lot more. The transportation budget has increased $1.8 billion since 2012, a 32 percent increase when adjusted for inflation. And yet road conditions have only gotten worse.
Imagine it’s the 1920s. Forty years earlier in 1882, Thomas Edison had just founded and formed the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York, and it initially lit a small part of Manhattan. The electricity takeover had been slow, and still only half of the American population had access t…
Monday, June 14, was a beautiful sunny day at the Spring Lake Country Club. It was a perfect day to golf and support a great cause. It was the first annual celebrity golf outing for Gracious Grounds. Gracious Grounds residents, their families and friends came together to play golf and have fun.
I was sitting in the front row of church this past Sunday listening to the announcements. My sermon was just finished and I could finally relax for a few minutes until the closing benediction. I was glad I did not relax too much because the young deacon who was speaking said something that m…
Looking for a book to read this summer? The Spring Lake District Library (SLDL) has some great recommendations for kids and adults. Plus, you can earn prizes when you enroll in their Tails & Tales Summer Reading Program that runs from June 14 to Aug. 6.
In two major decisions, the Supreme Court expanded protections for religious liberty and narrowed the law of standing so that fewer federal lawsuits can be entertained. Six of the nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents, and a majority of those six agreed with each decision.
Religion forms a moral foundation for billions of people throughout the world.
If you’re free to worship as you see fit, chances are you’re not in China these days, where religious persecution is rampant.
Better things to fight for than Juneteenth
Newspaper editors sometimes are faced with difficult decisions. And sometimes those decisions do not turn out to be the right choices.
This is a monumental year for the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, as we celebrate 50 years of working alongside our community to make the Grand Haven area a wonderful place to live, work and play.
While last month we celebrated moms, June is the month in which dads get their day of well-deserved appreciation. Yes, Father’s Day is almost here – a day that typically conjures up images of dads grilling out, teeing off, relaxing in a hammock or kicking back in a La-Z-Boy with their feet u…
Our mental health system has failed my daughter. Again. Actually, that’s not true. There is no system, no real help for her.
The U.S. district judge began his 94-page ruling sanctioning the AR-15 assault rifle for home and militia use by equating it with a Swiss Army knife.
Medical situations are tough. There is the disease or injury that causes pain, disruption and other problems. There is navigating the health care system. But when you feel that you are managing those two aspects well, you run into the worst problem: insurance.
Two Michigan House and Senate committees have endorsed legislation that would prevent local governments from banning short-term rentals, and it awaits approval by the full chambers of the Legislature. Though local governments could not ban the rentals under the proposed law, they could still…
What is the most important thing about being a father? I asked myself that question today as I sat down to write a few lines for this article. I should know by now, right? I have been a father now for some 42 years. I came to that realization the other day when our twin boys turned 42. That …
I dedicate this column to anyone who has ever wanted to go backstage and meet your favorite band, musician or actor. I have been fortunate enough to do so being in radio more than half my life, but it wasn’t always this easy.
‘The 2020 presidential election was not stolen. Anyone who claims it was is spreading The Big Lie, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.”
‘Please, Mom. Please! Don’t do the right thing! Just this time. You don’t have to do the good thing every time!”
My family visited Hudson, New York, for a couple of days in March for the same reason everyone goes there. It’s a cool little town surrounded by the Hudson Valley and stocked with wonderful food, crafts, shops and people. We used Airbnb.com to rent a place for our stay.
Regardless of thriving economies and golden eras, history’s greatest nations have always experienced uncertainty and conflict. These last few years in America have been no exception. Political party divides, racial injustice and a global pandemic have stirred our country’s pot faster than it…
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is reportedly considering the development of tools that would help America’s children discern truth from lies and know when they are being fed “disinformation.”
COVID-19 may have deterred us away from gathering in big groups, but it has not ruined our summer fun!
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