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A joyful heart brings hope

Rates of anxiety have risen sharply around the world in recent decades. Nearly half of U.S. adults are reporting symptoms. Also, diagnosed anxiety among adolescents jumped 61% in the last ten years. My contention: To maintain a joyful heart in this broken world, we need a very important ...

Roads, docks, and trails keep Michigan’s outdoor economy moving

At dusk, an RV parked near a Michigan lakeshore can tell the story of a family’s day: sand on the steps, life jackets hung, drying from the last boat ride, and bikes leaning against a tree. The memories seem effortless, but they are not. Behind that day lies a network of public roads, ...

The cause and effect of economic development

If one thing could be done to stimulate the economic vitality of our downtown, what would it be? Which projects come to mind? Could it be redevelopment of the DPI site? The restoration of a prominent downtown building? The introduction of a new employer to our community that would add new, ...

When seniority becomes a substitute for statesmanship

Every time questions arise about the advanced age of America's elected leaders, Washington responds with the same familiar refrain: Experience matters. Republicans say it. Democrats say it. Editorial writers repeat it. Longevity in office, we're told, produces wisdom, steadier judgment and ...

Why the debate over life-saving vehicles?

Somewhere in Los Angeles this year, someone will get home who otherwise wouldn't have. You'll never learn her name. There will be no headline, no celebration, no council resolution -- only an unremarkable Tuesday that ends the way Tuesdays are supposed to end. The same nonstory will eventually ...

“Cook with the sun for free”

Dear Jim: I'm trying to save money and thought about using the sun to help cook our food. Are solar ovens really effective and is it possible to build a simple one myself? - Jill N. Dear Jill: It is possible to cook almost anything in a solar oven. Billions, of people around the world use solar ovens exclusively because they have no other fuel source. All the energy on the Earth, including fossil fuels, wood, etc. actually came from the sun at one time so all cooking is technically solar cooking in a way. I have used a solar oven for years during the summer and on bright sunny winter ...