On Dec. 4, 2017, President Donald Trump reduced the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Monuments in Utah by some two million acres. As it stands right now, it is the largest rollback of federally protected lands in our nation’s history. In 2015, there were 307 million recreational visits to our sites in the National Park System. So, on one hand, we had almost as many visits to our national parks and monuments as we have citizens. But, on the other, we have a president who saw fit to reduce two

The standout products from the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show were clearly the digital assistants -- specifically Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. And, if what was displayed at this year’s gadget show is any indication, we are on the verge of a voice-activated-device invasion. Amazon has now released Alexa from her confinement in the Echo smart-speaker and opened up the service to all kinds of third-party devices. The idea is simple: If Alexa is going to become our new digital buddy, she

Have you been worried about the many contagious bugs trying to invade our bodies? But did you know that anxiety also can be contagious? If you spend time with an individual or a group that is tense or negative, you know how hard it is to not pick up this anxious bug. Anxiety, “an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil,” can motivate us to change in a positive way. But unleashed regularly in a family, a work context, or a church, anxiety can start to paralyze people’s minds

The Polo Hemp Mill in Illinois began operation on November 20, 1943. At that time there were more than 3,200 hemp growers in the state. Educational materials and propaganda videos such as "Victory for Hemp" were sponsored by the U.S. government, assuring cultivation would be backed by our military and economy. Considering this happened 74 years ago this fall, we see the same struggles in the present-day relationship between farmers and industrial hemp in Illinois. This time around, a massive

The small cities and towns that dot northern Illinois need to become more inclusive in their decision making. Take notice next time a hiring committee, advisory board, or focus group is formed in your community. It’s more likely than not to be filled with lawyers, bankers, accountants, and owners of the community’s largest businesses. You are much less likely to see artists, factory workers, retail employees, and restaurant workers in such groups. This all means that the voices from all sectors

Today we honor and reflect on the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a young, charismatic leader during the Civil Rights Movement. The brilliance of his speeches, sermons, letters, and civil engagement was rooted in the prophetic witness of the Black church -- started as a respite from the inhumane conditions of American Chattel Slavery. It was an institution that subscribed to a Christian theology of liberation versus the so-called Christian theology of oppression of the slave

There comes a time in every child’s life when he or she has to learn limits. This can be disillusioning, and I’m still getting over a couple of related childhood traumas. Years ago, my mother had gotten some flowers as a gift, and she decided to give them to a sick friend. This was nice of my mother, but she wanted some extra credit, so she pretended to have bought them herself. When the sick friend told my mother how grateful she was, I blurted out, “Well, we had to get rid of them somehow.” My

A woman brought a book to the check-out table at the recent library book sale. “This book has been written in,” she said, pointing to the owner’s name in the flyleaf. She insisted she should receive a discount. At the same time I was scouting the sale, delighted to find a few old cookbooks that had been written in. I treasure cookbooks with the owners’ comments. They literally bring another voice to the table. Cucina Fresca was my first find. It showed signs of having been a well-loved cookbook.

We own a small hobby farm about 2.5 miles away from the Wisconsin border. We don’t grow corn nor cattle, but we did have bee hives. We’ve a large garden and 25 acres of savannah-like land that we’re turning back to prairie. We work the land pretty hard: We cut, sweat, plant, burn, push, pull … and we definitely work. We even get stung by our own bees. I got stung right on the end of my nose: My eyes watered, my nose hurt and I felt stupid for not wearing my bee gear; it was hot. The funny thing

Two years ago, I realized I could not light a fire and decided I should know how. It couldn’t be hard -- they say it only takes a spark to get a fire going. I’d watched many people start fires. I’d gathered the kindling and wood for them. But I’d never placed the logs. I’d never lit the match. After watching a YouTube video, I decided I knew enough. I began laying paper, sticks, and wood together. Saying a prayer, I lit the match. A flame took hold. Ambitious, I added wood. And the fire died.