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Unleashing the power of ‘How can I help?’

My friend Marv is near the end of his life on earth. By the time this is published and posted, he may have already ascended to heaven.   I met Marv 44 years ago when I entered the rooms of recovery. Marv must have known how scared I was for he quickly embraced me. I have never had a day in recovery in which Marv was not a part of my life. He loves unconditionally.  As life evolved, the giant of a man from Milton, Wisconsin, and this small-in-stature fellow from Janesville, Wisconsin, (that’s me) shared many experiences. In recovery, there is something called the Fifth Step. ...

School plans must include kindness

Kindness must have a place in public school planning. Terry George is bringing a kinder attitude to the management of the Randolph County Schools.  He has a long history of working in Randolph County, his family has attended the schools and taught in the RCPS system.  George served as superintendent here and elsewhere when the state school board assigned him to help correct problems in other counties. Reduction in Force will not completely solve the school problems in this county.  When we lose our best teachers, we also lose students.  Parents want their own children to attend ...

Trump’s promises

Given the turmoil of Donald Trump’s second term, it might be useful to inquire about MAGA’s “populism”. The actions of the administration reflect no populist concerns; indeed, the opposite is true. If Richard Hofstadter once called John C. Calhoun the “Marx of the Master Class” it would seem that Trump is a populist of the same stripe. As in the first administration, Trump has given billions in tax cuts to his beloved Mar-a-Lago set. Moreover, his disastrous tariffs have only further burdened the middle and lower classes with yet another regressive tax. The only thing that ...

Shawn Dilly

Any time a high-profile transition occurs, it naturally raises questions. When clear information is not immediately available, that space is often filled with speculation and, at times, misinformation. I have been deeply saddened by the number of false narratives that have circulated in recent days. While I cannot control what others choose to say or imply, the presence of malice in such narratives ultimately reflects more on those who spread them than on the subject itself. Moments of difficulty and controversy test all of us. While none of us are immune to hard decisions or ...

Determined to divide

George M. Cohan, an American songwriter, penned “You’re a Grand Old Flag” on the eve of America’s entry into World War I. Somewhere in this ditty, he celebrated the country where there was “never a boast nor brag”. Irving Berlin celebrated the United States in the epic “God Bless America.” The themes of both songs stressed the importance of America being both modest and mighty. Oh, how things have changed. Braggadocio has replaced the sweet, dulcet tones of Kate Smith, who sang “God Bless America” in the 1930’s. Again, the USA was representing a better world that ...

2026 Session Potpourri

Normally my column immediately after the end of the legislative session focuses on final thoughts, but I needed to write about the Raylee’s Law debacle that occurred in the final hours on March 14. So, consider the following my 2026 legislative session final thoughts. -- If the budget bill this year was a staring contest between Gov. Patrick Morrisey and the Legislature, then Morrisey blinked first. Much has been made of the House of Delegates and the state Senate getting Senate Bill 250, setting the general revenue budget for fiscal year 2027 beginning on July 1, out the door ...