Columns
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The summer of 2026 was a hot one for many
The Summer of 2026 brought exceptional heat to many parts of the world, including the U.S. According to the World …
We still have an active sun
Earlier this month, a rather strong solar flare that originated from the sun Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 10, headed toward Earth providing a dazzling light show across parts of the northern U.S. Friday night, Sept. …
BearCat vs. packed jail: Here's one alternative
It's been a few years since I served on the Kootenai County Jail Commission so I Googled a few questions about criminal recidivism. Purpose was to get a handle on new studies influencing whether spending $300K+ for…
Your health insurance isn't some commodity
Over the past several years, healthcare and health insurance have gained attention as families across Idaho navigate the new waters of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and an exchange-based marketplace. This fall, man…
Tour schools? No thanks
How outrageous, tour a school to prove that the teaching effort is adequate. The reputation of Coeur d'Alene schools as well as those of the nation, are proven by performance, not "tours!" Tours around "selected" c…
What's your name's story?
With a last name such as "Patrick," we get a lot of Irish jokes and comments, all warmly welcomed. It's funny, but when we finally made it to Ireland we discovered not one "Patrick," but more Irish etymologies in c…
Rebuild a North Idaho restaurant
If I had a dollar for every cook, dishwasher, server or diner who wishes to, "Have my own restaurant someday," I would be a rich man. The idea of cooking one's own food for an appreciative crowd of applauding patro…
The man on the corner
For the past few years on spring, summer and early autumn days, I had noticed an elderly man sitting in a folding chair on his front lawn, not on the porch or front step, but out on the lawn near the sidewalk.
It's true: Happy wife, happy life
It's too bad a man isn't writing this. As a woman and a wife, I can't claim lack of bias. But rest assured it's a positive one; this columnist is a happy wife.
All-time single-day rainfall swamps Phoenix
The remnants of Hurricane Norbert swamped the Phoenix area of Arizona this past Monday with a record 3.29 inches of rain, easily surpassing the previous single-day precipitation mark of 2.91 inches in 1939.
Know the difference: Shia vs. Sunni
ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is a Sunni jihadist group and an aggressive force in the Middle East. The Levant has been described as the "crossroads of western Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and nort…
Prostate cancer hits 1 in 7 men
If you don't know someone who has experienced it, odds are you will. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men, affecting one in seven. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and awareness goes a long w…
Constitutional change going before the voters
On Nov. 4 Idaho voters will have an extraordinary opportunity. You will be asked to vote on a constitutional amendment proposed by the 2014 Idaho Legislature and approved by both the House and the Senate without a …
Local business and family growing
Entrepreneurs come in all sizes and shapes, and Coeur d'Alene native and business owner Jamie McGinnis Green looks a lot like a mother of three just weeks away from giving birth to No. 4.
Making peace with the raccoons
I shine the beam of a flashlight out my dining room door into the trees behind my house. Searching the ponderosa pines through the black night, I see two, then four glowing eyes reflected in the light of my torch. …
Grammar walks into a bar ...
After losing her Little Miss Language Person to a far-away college, your Mrs. Language Person is emotionally exhausted. Drained. Knackered. In need of a linguistic laugh.