Have you ever been in gymnasium, perhaps for a basketball game, and the announcer asks all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces to stand up?
Working in the newspaper industry gives you a weird look at the business of death. By “business” I’m not talking dollars and cents, but rather the impersonal, everyday office work that surrounds a critical and inevitable moment that each of us will experience: the end of our life.
Even though I ran the Twin Cities marathon for the first time on Oct. 6, I still don’t consider myself a “runner.” Running isn’t something I love. I love scoring a deal on a $4 sweater at Goodwill that still has retail tags from Target. I love stopping strangers on sidewalks to pet their dac…
Rep. Tony Albright is one of the few politicians I like and respect. He takes the time to write summaries for the Jordan Independent, and he’s not above trading good-natured ribbing. I agree with him on most issues.
We have more information about more people than ever before. And it seems to me we like those people less than ever before.
There are only a handful of birds that elicit pure excitement and joy when it shows up at your backyard feeding station.
In thinking about the column by Scott Erickson in the Feb. 28 edition of the Jordan Independent, I feel I must reply. Truth and facts are real. Whenever I hear “fake news,” I often think that the word “fake” should really be replaced with “unflattering.” Try this out the next time you hear it.
Move over “Cake Boss” — there’s a new jefe in town.
Some of you m ay have seen me in Jordan already. I’m that weird redhead bopping around from place to place to get to know the area... and to keep warm.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...”
“It’s (finally) beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”
Jordan has a lot to be proud of right now. The Jordan High School football team made it to the semifinals of the state tournament. Although they lost 55-26 to Pierz, they should not feel too bad. After all, Pierz had an undefeated season and went on to win the state title last weekend. They …
Families around the country will gather around a table to enjoy a nice Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. There will be turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, squash, cranberries, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie.
Republicans have put out a new tax reform proposal, and I cannot quite decide how I feel about it. It has the potential to help me, but it also has the potential to hurt me.
“Everything can change in the blink of an eye." We hear that all the time. It is why we keep a close eye on little children — all it takes is a few seconds for an accident to happen, or worse.
You dream of that special day. All will be well and good and fair. The air will seem crisp, the sun warmer, the grass greener. All our problems will seem to melt away, if only we could have small government.
Art can heal, inspire, influence and mystify. It can give people an outlet to express themselves. It can persuade or challenge people.
Flying abroad can be a lot of fun, but going through security usually is not. I recently spent 10 days in northern Ireland, and I learned a lot about the country and the beautiful landscape. I also learned how different airport security can be.
We all need a vacation once in a while, a break from the ebb and flow of the work day. I recently spent 10 days in northern Ireland, attending a polymer clay fantasy week with Jordan’s own Maureen Carlson.
Who remembers the Beanie Baby crazy of the 90s? As a 9-year-old child, I looked forward to going to Schroeder’s Gifts in my home town of Antigo, Wisconsin to purchase a new Beanie Baby with my allowance.
I have often said how grateful I am to live in the Midwest, which is a relatively safe place when it comes to natural disasters.
My day job is working for Microsoft as a technical account manager. My responsibilities include making sure that companies who use our products and services are getting value from them. If something with our software breaks, it falls on myself and a team of technical engineers to help resolv…
It is that time of year again — time to stuff our faces with bratwurst, enjoy a beer or two, listen to some good music, check out a wide selection of vehicles in a car cruise, enjoy many talents by your friends, family and neighbors, celebrate the new Jordan Ambassadors and enjoy an amazing …
Welcome to month five of accepting random dares from people over the internet.
As a journalist, I know there are at least two sides to every story, sometimes three, four, or more! Our world is filled with a plethora of perspectives, a variety of viewpoints and an overabundance of opinions. Unfortunately, many people are incapable of sharing their viewpoints, perspectiv…
In this day and age, lots of people are looking for an easy payday, and unfortunately, it can be easy to fall for the bait.
Growing up, I had a very interesting mix when it came to my education. I attended a Catholic school for kindergarten through fourth grade, a Lutheran school for fifth through eighth grade, and the public high school, where my dad was a math teacher.
I am constantly amazed at the things human beings can do. The great thing about being a journalist is I get to connect with many people in a community. I love sharing the beautiful and helpful things many people do to make the world a better place.
My, how the time has flown. It is hard to believe that it is the last week of July already. It is that time of summer when we all panic that we have not packed enough fun into the few precious weeks of beautiful weather.
I don’t know how it is for other journalists, but during my early reporting days, I did not get out for personal trips very often. By the time the weekend rolled around, I was usually too exhausted to venture out into the big, wide world.
Just last week I was reminiscing with a coworker about “the good old days” of my childhood. Ah yes, it was a simpler time, when the phones were corded, the computer memory was both floppy and hard, printer paper was perforated, pictures had to be developed from film negatives and navigating …
Take a peek inside your medicine cabinet — how many bottles are there?
As someone working in the m edia, I have to admit, I do not like watching the news or reading it online. There is just too much tragedy and sadness in the world, and it can be hard to bear. The news is hard to escape, however.
I was always told that if you work hard to excel at your craft, you will go far. My generation is labeled “lazy Millennials,” which frankly is more than a little insulting.
“All children deserve a chance to run and play,” says Karla Anderson-Hemmann, mother of two in Jordan. Her son has special needs and has attended SouthWest Metro Intermediate District’s River Valley Education Center (RVEC) for four years.
Last week, I spent so much time at Jordan Elementary School that I joked I should have my own school badge. I made three trips to the elementary school to interview Molly Nefstead, who is working with the students on mindfulness, and to photograph her in action in two classrooms.
May is Healthy Vision Month and an excellent reminder that eyecare should be a top priority for all Minnesotans. In my role as executive director of the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), I am committed to furthering that notion by ensuring people throughout this great state …
When I was studying journalism in college, I had many great professors who educated me in many areas, from page layout and editing using AP style to media law and how to cover different beats, such as sports, public affairs reporting and features.
I turned 25 this year. Twenty-five is an age that should feel momentous. It’s a quarter of a century, for one thing, and very probably more than a quarter of my life. I’m also halfway across that bridge of time spanning 20 and 30; one feels young, one feels not as much.
Did you know the average teen sends and receives 67 text messages per day, according to a Pew Research Center study?
Three percent of all teen cellphone users report having sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude photos or videos. However, 16 percent of teen cellphone users say they have reported a sexually suggestive photo or video of someone they know, according to research found on www.netsmartz.org.
British philosopher and Irish statesman Edmund Burke said “People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.”
The Jordan Lions have had a busy winter season putting on a number of events and participating in our district’s annual convention.
On Jan. 12, a team of students, teachers, administration and board members from Jordan Public Schools presented at the Minnesota School Board Association’s (MSBA) annual conference. The title of their presentation was Flexible and Collaborative Learning Spaces, and was centered around the pr…
