columns

In my role with the Chamber I find myself at a wide variety of events and meetings with diverse groups of people. During these meetings, an equally wide variety of topics and issues are discussed. If in a short time span, the same issue is raised a couple of times, it is easy to...

Romans 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, that you ​m​ay abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The God of hope wants us to abound in hope. True hope is a gift from God from the Holy Spirit,​ and it is connected to our faith.

ViewpointEvery year, millions of innocent people become victims of crime. They deserve our understanding, compassion and respect. The St. Croix County District Attorney’s Office, Victim/Witness Assistance Program is observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 2-8. This...

ViewpointIn 1998, Wisconsin enacted a mining moratorium. The law requires a company applying for a mining permit to prove that a similar mine has operated for 10 years and been closed for 10 years without the pollution of groundwater or surface water. The mine could be located anywhere...

Second Thoughts“If you choke on that, you’d better hope someone here knows the Heimlich, because I’m not saving you,” I warned my grandson. I was spending the week with 8-year-old William while his parents were on vacation, and the treat I had promised was supper at McDonald's...

I am retiring this week and after 27 years, Tuesday is about to become just another day of the week. That’s deadline day at the Star Observer and, as a terminal procrastinator, it has always been a busy one for me. For folks from the HSO, Tuesday is our Friday and we scheduled our...

My first real introduction to Hudson came in the form of Meg Heaton. Though I'd spent time in this town before I joined the paper back in July, I got fully acquainted my first week when Meg took me on the official, unofficial tour.

As the day of my retirement is approaching fast, I am beginning to realize that as big events in life go, it is right up there with getting married, my extreme youth at the time explains that one, having babies, remember two at a time, and living to see “he who shall not be named”...

"A reminder that the president's top aide just told the New York Times that the press should keep its mouth shut...no." With a shake of his head and a single word, CNN's Jake Tapper summed it up nicely. Keeping its mouth shut is the exact opposite of the media's purpose. I could leave...

I used to tell some whoppers when I was a kid and don't really know why. My mom was a champion at it so I think I got it from her.

“Your car didn’t want to start,” Doug said to me. “It groaned and moaned a whole lot before it finally kicked over.” Looking outside the window of the farm house, I couldn’t see much since most of the window was covered in frost. It was dark and the car was surrounded...

My friend Vinny from Bayonne called me last week. "Hey Bobby! Didj-a hear da Big Apple is closin?" No! The Big Apple Sports Palace? In Bayonne? The place that for over 40 years has served, hands-down, the best thin crust pizza in the world? The one last meaningful reason I have left...