One of the things I do before I watch films in the theater is take a look at what other critics think of the movie. I do this because I want to know up front if there are some perceived problems with the movie so I know what I should keep my eyes open for. Every reviewer I saw for Dolittle g…

January is Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention month and while this issue can seem abstract and far away, trafficking happens here. I am cosponsoring a Joint Resolution to acknowledge the threat of human trafficking and make it clear that Wisconsin has zero tolerance for this modern-d…

Wisconsin’s commitment to good roads and reliable transportation goes back more than a century and is built into our identity.

I spent the weekend in New York City.

The debate and discussion the Baldwin-Woodville School Board had about Greenfield Elementary becoming peanut-free got me thinking.

Well, we are on the back side of January now. February and Ground Hog’s Day are coming up, the days are getting longer, and we can now dare to dream of spring.

Watching the Minnesota Vikings see their season slip away in the second half of Saturday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers a couple of things came across my line of thinking.

What a difference a week can make. Last week, I saw probably the worst movie of 2020 and this week I get to see one of the best movies of 2019. You read that right 1917 was actually a movie that was released in 2019, December 2019. This is one of the intriguing parts of films in January. Aud…

I want to start out by making it clear that I have nothing against cowboys.

You no doubt remember the old line attributed to Ben Franklin when he was asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention had created: “A republic, if you can keep it!” Well, I’ve noticed an interesting thing in recent years: it’s got bi-partisan appeal.

So maybe I spoke too soon?

The holidays have unofficially wrapped up. When the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, we found ourselves in a new decade and with the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us. Without holiday cards to expect or visits by grandkids or nieces and nephews, many of our neighbors are entering a …

Here’s a basic truth about people who make decisions on public policy: they rarely have all the facts they want. Over the years, I’ve sat in countless meetings in which, after we’d reached a sticking point, someone said in exasperation, “Well, what are the facts?” We’d all look around the ro…

“What do you think?” my husband, Peter, asked about the link he’d sent me as we prepared to head home from the holidays.

The first week of January is probably my least favorite time at the movies because Hollywood tends to release some pretty bad movies. There are a couple of factors which I think leads to this perception and practice. The first one is that studios tend to release some of their best movies at …

About a year ago, most of the world was introduced to Amy Bockerstette. Some were lucky enough to know her before a magical moment on a golf course. As part of a pre-tournament practice round, she played the so-called loudest hole in golf, the par-3 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale course wit…

As we discussed last month, the State of Wisconsin is currently considering eliminating a popular waiver for vaccinations needed to attend school. They are doing this because vaccination rates are dropping below the level needed for herd immunity and we are seeing the resurgence of childhood…

I’ll admit I don’t have enough information or material on one topic to fill 650 words, so this week’s column is going to be sprinkled with a smorgasbord of materials.

Happy 2020 to you all! Have you stopped writing 2019 on checks (if you still write those) and other documents? It always takes me a while to catch up with the new year.

I glanced up as the bells rang to herald new customers walking into the used clothing store. I was looking for a pair of warm dress pants. Visiting my parents in Minnesota, I had forgotten entirely about the possibility of extreme cold and the idea of going out that night in tights and a ski…

The following is what I hope to see happens in 2020 on a local and national level. I’ll say it right now, I’m hoping for at least one.

Caution: Opening a Door Could be Hazardous to Your Health

Did you have a good Christmas? Were you able to spend some time with friends and family? Did you survive the umpteenth retelling of that embarrassing story from your childhood?

I went with my parents to get a Christmas tree.

Over the last couple of years, since Disney bough the Star Wars franchise, Christmas means a new Star Wars movie. This year’s entry into the Star Wars mythos is Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker which is the concluding movie to what George Lucas began in 1977 with Star Wars: Episo…

Like many of you, I have spent the past weeks decorating, baking, wrapping, and preparing my home for the pitter patter of my grandchildrens’ feet. We’re all looking forward to sharing the holiday with our loved ones. But like many of you, I have not always had that opportunity.

Rudolph the Reindeer was created by Montgomery Ward?

We are in the home stretch for the holidays now. Less than a week until we get to spend time with family and friends. After that it’s a hop, skip and a jump to the new year 2020 and the new decade.

Good government depends on a system of checks and balances. Those who govern and those who administer the government know they are answerable to the citizenry of the community. Citizens hold government accountable through the information they are provided by the watchdogs who make up the Fou…

It is the tender cusp of Christmas.

Not long ago, I was in a meeting to talk about a public policy issue. It was a little complex, and as we considered the various angles, I began to think about what it would take to translate talk into change on the ground. I wasn’t analyzing the politics of it — I was focused on the types of…

The State of Wisconsin is currently considering eliminating a popular waiver for vaccinations needed to attend school. Why?

This review might sound like a broken record because it will probably sound a lot like my Zombieland: Double Tap review. However, this is where we are at with our current Hollywood system, where studios are too worried about losing money making new franchises or new intellectual properties b…

My youngest daughter turned nine last month. For some reason, I tried to remember what Christmas gifts I got at that age and I couldn’t. Heck, I can’t recall what I had for supper two nights ago.

Well, Christmas is knocking on our doors. I hope you are ready and are able to spend time with friends and family, which is the best gift one can receive. Throughout my newspaper career, I have run the following editorial, the most famous newspaper editorial of all time, reprinted here becau…

The haves and have nots

Depending on when you read this column, you have about two weeks to go until Christmas.

“People have been asking about the squeaking of the ship,” our captain reported, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, “but I must tell you, this is nothing to worry about.”

During the holiday season there are so many good movies that are released that it makes it hard to get to all the movies that I want to see. Luckily whenever there is a major holiday during a particular week, the studios tend not to release a lot of movies so that folks can go watch the movi…

As I joined my family around the Thanksgiving table a couple of weeks ago, I gave thanks for my kids and grandkids, the health of my loved ones, and the beautiful community we are a part of. I also thought of the struggles of those that are experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Following the turkey and football and Cyber Monday and office parties and gift wrapping, the march to the end of the year begins. Hello 2020. And those New Year Resolutions? Oh My.

Climate change is real. We are, at least partially, the cause of it. We can do something about it. Responding to climate change involves two possible approaches: Mitigation and Adaptation.

So, are you done yet?

Food can affect people in many, many different ways

Hip hop Christmas carols soaked the air as I stood in the check-out at Cub Foods. The woman in front of me shifted her toddler to her left hip and smiled as I tossed a Snickers bar in my cart.