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Local Commentaries

Flying with the fearless fussbudget

My Aunt Jo was an interesting old fuddy-duddy. But she was never one of my favorite relatives. She was my Great Uncle Garnett’s second wife – a piano and organ teacher in Tustin California. She was very persnickety. My mother was Garnett Keith’s favorite niece, and every time she ...

Consistent inconsistencies with high court

The Second Amendment to the Constitution is a relic of a bygone era of revolution. The Founders could not have contemplated that it would apply to semiautomatic handguns. The Founders absolutely could not have contemplated that it would apply to machine guns. The Founders could not have ...

American war of independence was no revolution

MECOSTA, Mich.—When this columnist was a newspaper reporter, one of the editors was fond of saying we needed to write in a way that would hold people’s attention when the kids were screaming, the dog was barking, and the television was on. Today’s column doesn’t follow that rule. So ...

Sunday was full of high notes

Sunday was opening day at Chautauqua, and like all Sundays during the 9-week season, admission was free. Ginger, my BFF from New York City, is visiting us this week for the holiday. She joined me Sunday as the interim president of Chautauqua Institution opened its 153rd season just before the ...

‘Dilapidated’ site gets too much attention

This letter is in regard to the dilapidated eyesore building (the “former Eagles Crest property,” as it seems to have no name predating 2018) at Liberty and Market streets. I watched the entirety of the June 10 RDA meeting video regarding its future. First, the first 25 minutes or so ...

Two decades of madness raging on

Most weeks, I like to write about personal experiences that other people can relate to, and imbue them with humor, snide comments, or everyday frustrations. This week is different. I’m mad. It is an anger still festering after 20 years Tom O’Brien, my late husband, died of esophageal ...