Newspaper Addict

Published in the Tecumseh Herald, Oct. 22, 2024 I'm addicted to newspapers. Not just writing for them, which has been spectacular, but the smell of the ink, the rough texture of the paper under my fingertips, even the sound of the newsprint crackling as its pages are turned. As a kid, I even liked the … Continue reading Newspaper Addict →

Good English skills are critical

Published in The Tecumseh Herald, February 5, 2025 Good English is fundamental. That was the headline of an Adrian Daily Telegram article written by Dr. Mary Louise Hall, O.P., an Adrian Dominican Sister who taught English at Siena Heights from 1970 until the mid-1980s, when she suffered a debilitating stroke and no longer could speak. … Continue reading Good English skills are critical →

Goodbye, Lou

Published in the Tecumseh Herald, January 16, 2025 He called himself my "Italian Papa," and just before the new year, he died. Dr. Louis C. Vaccaro, known to most simply as "Lou," was 94 years old. He had a long and storied career in higher education, where he had a profound impact on the lives … Continue reading Goodbye, Lou →

Games people play

"Oh the games people play, now." The Joe South hit from 1969 makes a fitting soundtrace for the games people will be playing next weekend as part of the Bicentennial Celebration. Earlier this year, a committee led by Mary Tommelein and Kathy Smith--retired educators and expert organizers--worked with other volunteers to develop the "History- and … Continue reading Games people play →

Gas theft returns

Some of us today can travel back 50 years and remember when siphoning gas was a somewhat common occurrence. Fueled by the 1973 oil crisis, the OPEC oil embargo, and the subsequent jump in gas prices caught a lot of folks unawares. There were endlessly long lines at gas stations, even in Tecumseh, and fuel … Continue reading Gas theft returns →

Basketball dreams

First appearing in The Tecumseh Herald, Sept. 20, 2023 As my grandchildren have gotten older, graduated from high school and into the world of "adulting," I have found myself missing the thrill and pride of going to their sporting events and watching them spike a volleyball or sink a buzzer-beater. My girls attended Adrian so … Continue reading Basketball dreams →

Billy

First appeared in The Tecumseh Herald, Aug. 31, 2023 This is a story about Billy. Billy made a calendar for his mother when he was in first grade. It was a piece of thick cardstock upon which he had carefully stamped his handprints with red finger paint. His long, slender fingers were separated by gaps … Continue reading Billy →

We’re all in this together

First appearing in The Tecumseh Herald, Oct. 11, 2023 "That government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." These words have been used by politicians over the past 160 years, but they were first utted by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, at a … Continue reading We’re all in this together →

The Community Newspaper

First appeared in The Tecumseh Herald, January 6, 2024 As I reflect on the past year--it went pretty quickly, didn't it?--I think about the stories I've written for The Tecumseh Herald and the many people I've had the pleasure of interviewing. Most of you know I love my work at the Herald and I'll always … Continue reading The Community Newspaper →