Does anybody really believe the United States is going to have a “normal” presidential election in 2024, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump as the nominees and a peaceful resolution? Or will …
There was a picture on my Facebook page the other day of an egg. The commentary below said, “This is a chicken.” I couldn’t help myself and I wrote in the comments, “I’m …
Ran into Herb Collins the other day down by the school. He volunteers there, from time to time, helping kids with their math homework, and trying to recruit future members of The Great World of …
Ever since the South Dakota Legislature dismantled the voter-approved anti-corruption measure known as IM 22 in record time, lawmakers and the people who back initiated measures have been locked in a …
Donald Trump has just a few weeks to find a way to pay, or guarantee that he will pay, the $355 million fine that a New York judge imposed on him in the lawsuit brought by the state’s …
The Gothic Revival sanctuary of the former Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion was a strange edifice to house a dance club, but that’s what happened in the early 1980s with the infamous …
I’m always impressed by generosity, whether by those who have much or those who have little. I think of the philanthropist I approached for help with a nonprofit. In the course of our …
There’s an odd dynamic that plays out when former President Donald Trump gives a campaign speech. Many news organizations have imposed a virtual blackout on his appearances. As a rule, they …
In 1990, Gov. George Mickelson proclaimed a century of racial reconciliation in South Dakota. Given recent events, it just might take that long. Gov. Kristi Noem managed to anger Native American …
It’s been almost a quarter-century since Bill Clinton was president, and it’s rare to catch a glimpse of him anymore or to hear his honey-hibiscus-punch voice. But one sentence of …
With its lilting pop melody and sweet God talk, “On Eagle’s Wings” is the hymn that conservative Catholics love to hate and Catholic progressives often wave like a red flag. …
I lay in bed recently wondering what I would write about in my column. As the minutes slowly went by, my wonder began to turn to concern. Usually there are two or three topics that have arisen during …
Gov. Noem has allocated human and monetary resources of South Dakota in response to the crisis at our nation’s southern border. I agree that there is a crisis but I disagree with her definition …
February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and the Center for Prevention of Abuse shares that: Nearly 1 in 11 female and approximately 1 in 14 male high school students …
Maybe now is the moment to buck every indicator in American politics. Maybe, as the presidential campaign moves into South Carolina, which four years ago upended every assumption of every political professional, it is time to reconsider the conventional wisdom. Maybe all the loud voices are not necessarily the smart voices.
The hellish relationship began with a kiss — a strange exchange between a teenager preparing to become a Loyola sister and the Slovenian Jesuit who was already her confessor.
Did anyone else find the governor’s Feb. 2 Speakout as appalling as I did? Do South Dakotans truly want California gun manufacturers to come to our state and for our great state to become known as a Second Amendment haven?
One interesting aspect of writing a newspaper column is reader letters and emails. Lately, mine have been more supportive and friendly than not. I usually try to respond, although I’ve fallen down on the job of late. So, if you’ve sent me a fan letter and haven’t heard back, my apologies. I do read them all. Especially the ones from people who are fond of cows.
A recent article in the journal The Christian Century was titled “A Refuge in Calais.” It was about a home in Calais, France; a place where refugees could find a welcome, food and lodging, as they waited to cross the English Channel on their way to the United Kingdom.
I’ve gone though this long prelude to establish the fact that I’m familiar with the workings, or lack of work, during the first week of the legislative session. Aside from the speeches, there was plenty of chatter in the hallways. Lawmakers treated the first week like a social event, catching up on the happenings from the past year and speculating about pending legislation. In 2024, all that seems to have changed.
