
Not all clutter is created equal
Several garbage pickup Tuesdays ago, I chose to discard two jars of pickles from a shelf in my furnace room. I knew the contents were inedible because the color of […]

Several garbage pickup Tuesdays ago, I chose to discard two jars of pickles from a shelf in my furnace room. I knew the contents were inedible because the color of […]

A blog entry on the website of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Woodstock features the quote “We Love to Eat!” Several years ago, the church’s Outreach Committee observed that food […]


“Bennet“ 1-year-old male Hi, I’m Bennet! I am a hound mix available for adoption at Helping Paws Animal Shelter. I’m a very attentive and smart boy, but most of all […]

We hope the following helps to answer questions you may have or consider things you haven’t thought of before! Recycling can be confusing … so please enjoy these recycling and […]


“Onyx“ 1-year-old female Meet Onyx! This darling girl is a domestic short-haired mix available for adoption at Helping Paws Animal Shelter. Onyx has impaired vision but she does not let […]

“Special needs” is a tricky phrase. On one hand, it means nothing. On the other, it means everything. Nothing, because it attempts to label and classify a huge range of […]

It may be the shortest month of the year, but February sure has a lot going on: Groundhogs Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Super Bowl Sunday, […]

The litany of Groundhog Days events usually runs like clockwork – year after year. The festival is on repeat, just like Phil Connors’ Feb. 2. But this year, the event […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.