Columns

As primaries roll out around the country, we’re tracking voter turnout. Raised on Schoolhouse Rock’s cartoon civics lessons, I know that being a good American means voting. Those 1970’s cartoons weren’t wrong. Voting is the most fundamental act of democratic citizenship. That’s why it has been fiercely contested throughout our history.  But now we’re in the 21st century, deluged by information, increasingly divided, with few models of bipartisanship. Democracy now requires much more than voting. What should a 21st century Schoolhouse Rocks teach?  Finding information Most fundamentally, we need to be skilled seekers of informati...

During the 2021 Legislature, we set a budget to adequately fund state government operations. It turns out that the State Treasury received a lot more tax revenue than we projected. In almost every area, tax receipts have exceeded our expectations. The cause of that can be debated, but it does not change the ...

One of the first lessons I learned on becoming a state legislator was to make it as easy as possible for other legislators to agree with me. I saw how those who demonstrated both competence and good will were taken seriously and achieved the greatest success in accomplishing their goals. Several decades a...

Commonplace items and their history have nearly an unmatched grip on my curiosity. What I find most striking are the accidental and unexpected origins that make me say “Wait, what?” Hopefully, this spark of curiosity will inspire you, too. I hope the wordplay is not more than you can “candl...

We’re into the final days of the annual Summer Reading Program. You must register and log all of your reading no later than Aug. 13. Be sure to come into the library to pick up your level coupons and enter your tickets for the prize drawing before Thursday, Aug. 18. On Aug. 18, join us in Sacajawea Par...

I’m told my great-grandmother was a child protégé on the violin, one who graced prestigious stages with her music. However, about 80 years ago, her mother had her put down her violin for reasons no one fully understands and she never picked it up again.  From that point on, her vi...

“ Tell them you love them over and over again. Tell them too much, and never too little, for the time we have is short, but the love we have is endless.”  - Dane Thomas This week would have (should have) been my 35th wedding anniversary. I guess it is my 35th wedding anniversary. I&r...

Our nation is polarized and angry unlike any time since the Civil War. It seems that we are shouting at each other in person and online. Nobody is listening to one another unless they agree with their opinion. Social media and the 24/7 news cycle magnifies this tension. How do we lower the volume, stop shout...

When it comes to thrill-seeking, I’ve always embraced being one of the wimpiest of the wimpy. Why ride a roller coaster when you can watch all the fun from the sidelines? Rhetorical question, to be sure. Let’s just say I’ve been at peace with being a sidelines gal. My family is the op...

Packrat likes Prius. Wonderful engineering, mysterious passageways, fun, twisty-turns, tubing, wild sculpture unheeded expressions of unhinged art; must be a wonderful nesting opportunity somewhere in here, if she could only find it.  And so she looks, she’s young, the world is hers for explori...