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“Why, then when the world is mine oyster, which I with sword will open.” ~William Shakespeare
“He was a bold man who first ate a [raw] oyster.” ~Jonathan Swift
Not …
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By Dave Wood
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1/8/25
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I remember as a kid the dreaded moment when the teacher told us it was time to write a paper. It was scary for most, but some secretly reveled in the opportunity to be creative with their words. For …
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By Sen. Jeff Smith
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1/8/25
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The week before Christmas, I’m ashamed to say our house was an absolute mess. Between my husband and I both working nonstop, running kids around and helping Mom transition to a new living …
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By Sarah Nigbor
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1/8/25
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It was the Christmas holiday circa 1969 and our family had traveled from our home near Milwaukee to visit relatives on the farm, which six months later would become our permanent residence.
I …
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By Chris Hardie
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1/8/25
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Have you ever noticed how our mindset shapes what we see in the world around us? It’s like wearing tinted glasses, whether rosy or gray, the lens we choose determines what we notice most. This …
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By Becky Beissel, Ellsworth Village President
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1/8/25
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Years back I was blessed with the opportunity to teach a teacher from Nigeria who had won an Elks scholarship to spend a year in the U.S. to learn our educational practices. On her first essay for me …
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By Dave Wood
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1/2/25
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What has become of trust among us? It may seem like our society has always been distrustful or at the very least skeptical of what we’ve been told. But there were certainly times when we pulled …
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By Sen. Jeff Smith
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1/2/25
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Happy New Year 2025! I can hardly believe the year 2025 is here. This is the year my oldest stepson will graduate from high school. How is that even possible? A year from now he’ll be gone to …
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By Sarah Nigbor
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1/2/25
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With the possible exception of the equator, everything begins somewhere.
—C.S. Lewis
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
—Seneca the …
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By Chris Hardie
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1/2/25
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My Beautiful wife and I have spent more than half a century dining out together, even when we were poor grad students in Bowling Green, Ohio. Toledo was only a few miles away and on payday we …
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By Dave Wood
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12/26/24
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This poem was a hit last year, so I thought it would be fun to use it again, with a few tweaks. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!
‘Twas the night before deadline
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By Sarah Nigbor
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12/26/24
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There were always at least three daily chores that had to be done on the farm – feeding the cows, milking the cows and repairing whatever broke down.
If we were lucky, the latter would be …
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By Chris Hardie
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12/26/24
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I must confess that now that snow has fallen I remember just one of all the nights I spent as a newsboy delivering the Winona Republican Herald to customers on the west side of Whitehall. That night …
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By Dave Wood
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12/19/24
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With Christmas right around the corner, I always take this time to look back and be thankful for the amazing opportunity that you have provided me to be your State Representative for the past 14 …
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By Rep. Warren Petryk
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12/19/24
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As I reflect on the past year and the historic campaign season, I want to thank the voters who showed up and did their civic duty by casting their ballots. I know not everyone reading this voted, but …
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By Sen. Jeff Smith
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12/19/24
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When I was a child, Christmas was the most magical time of year. I remember sitting in church throughout December, watching the Advent candle being lit and singing familiar tunes, such as “The …
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By Sarah Nigbor
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12/18/24
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The recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it will soon require nationwide testing of milk to address bird flu outbreaks in dairy herds took me back many years on the farm.
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By Chris Hardie
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12/18/24
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Does the price of groceries have you thinking about planting your own vegetable garden? Are you wishing you knew how to keep your lawn mower or chainsaw in tip-top shape? Do you love cooking with …
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By Robin Boles
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12/18/24
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I’m a sucker for watching cable shows like “American Pickers.” My sister-in-law assures me it’s a total fake. Nevertheless, I learn something every time I watch pickers Mike …
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By Dave Wood
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12/12/24
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The other day, in my role as an advocate for open government, I heard from a Wisconsin resident who has waited more than five months for records he requested from a local law enforcement agency. He …
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By Bill Lueders
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12/12/24
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