THE MILLENNIAL PARADOX: They might follow senators and presidents on Twitter, but when it comes to getting their hands dirty in politics, are young people in, or out? (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) My first serious disagreement with my husband was on our second date. It was about John Mayer. My guitarist husband said […]
Brunch with Bridge
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Children’s departure is part of the cycle of life
GOODBYE, FOR NOW: Michigan frets about the departure of young people after college, but it’s important to remember that such leavings are a typical rite, says Brunch with Bridge columnist John Schneider. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) I reared my children to be independent and adventuresome, and look what happened: They became independent and […]
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5 reasons to be focused on health of Great Lakes every week
INVADERS!: The sea lamprey is just one invasive species now harming the Great Lakes – and more are on the way if unified action isn’t taken across the Great Lakes basin, argues Brunch columnist Helen Taylor. Two significant Great Lakes events happened in Michigan in the last two weeks. We should all be spreading the […]
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Communities are built, not conjured for our personal convenience
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND: Solitude can be solace against an abrasive community, but if you want one more to your liking, you have to wade in and work for it. (Courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) Born in 1945 on the edge of Fremont, across a gravel road from Cook’s hatchery, my childhood had […]
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U.P. natives reveal the good places to eat, without a pasty among them
HAY THERE, PICKFORD: That’s the Main Street Café in the background, but if you show up between July 31 and Aug. 4, you can enjoy Pickford’s Hay Days festival along with the whitefish special. (Courtesy photo/Pickford Community Library) Novelist Jim Harrison once observed that the farther north you travel in Michigan, the worse the food […]
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Dig it: Detroit’s urban farms are nothing new, but newly popular
GREEN ACRES: Call them farms or gardens, all across Detroit, residents are turning over the soil on vacant lots and growing food for themselves and others. (Courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) In the 1950s, my dad would take me and my siblings fishing in the Detroit River two or three times a week during […]
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Youth Action Committees give teens head start on philanthropy
GOOD FOR EVERYONE: Sydney Harvey, a freshman at Lansing Catholic High School, volunteers at the Special Olympics of Michigan Area 8 games in May. Sydney is a member of the Capital Region Community Foundation’s Youth Action Committee. (Courtesy photo) High school clubs have come a long way since I was a teenager. Even my progressive […]
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Primary-less politics leaves out public’s interests to service financial necessity
OR JUST DON’T BOTHER. As election cycles de-emphasize primaries, voters have less of a chance to hear ideas and policy proposals from individual candidates, writes Brandon Hubbard. Voter apathy frequently follows. (Courtesy photo/used under a Creative Commons license) Cover politics like a tennis match. That depressing advice came from a former political reporter I met […]
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Orr, what? Detroit EM’s first days show more loyalty to state than city
THIS IS NEWS? Detroiters are well-aware of their city’s problems. If they have to accept an emergency manager, he should work for the city, not the state, writes Karen Dumas. (Courtesy photo/used under a Creative Commons license) Detroit’s Emergency Manager, Kevyn Orr, started his job with mixed reviews. Some thought he was a necessary evil […]
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Technology is altering how we learn, think and live – and not necessarily for the better
LIFE THROUGH A LENS: Our increasing dependence on technology to relate to the world around us does not come without costs to ourselves, our families, our nation, writes Conor Dugan. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) I recently had the pleasure of attending a performance of the musical “Annie Jr.” at my daughter’s school. It […]