We at The Independent have a policy on printing corrections when we make mistakes. That policy says simply that we take accuracy seriously, and we ask readers to let us know when they notice a factual error so that we can correct it promptly. That means we will publish the correct information under the headline […]
Like most Midwesterners, I enthusiastically welcome spring when the temperatures soar to 60 plus. After initially basking in the sun, indulging in some form of outdoor recreation, my seasonal bliss turns to a full-blown spring scramble. The time to begin all those projects I had thought about and casually planned over the winter is here. […]
I opened my laptop to write this column and saw the news alerts. And I knew immediately that the topic I had chosen would wait for another time. The news of another school shooting grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It was hard to look away as I alternated between two windows on my computer […]
“God may not play dice but he enjoys a good round of Trivial Pursuit every now and again.” – film director Federico Fellini One of my favorite games from the past that I haven’t played in quite a while – but have several different editions of – is Trivial Pursuit. I’ve always considered myself a […]
When I retired 16 months ago, my husband, Jim, gently suggested I consider gathering my columns about family into a book. I didn’t take to the idea at first, but it grew on me. So, a month ago, I began an organized – at least somewhat organized – accounting of the Declarations I wrote weekly […]
It happened a couple of weeks ago at a four-way stop in town. The other driver and I arrived at the intersection within a few seconds of each other. Being to the right, I legally had the right of way, but I decided to let him go first. Except … he didn’t go. And neither […]
See whether you can guess what is significant about this sentence: “After a lunch of broccoli and zucchini, I started to vacuum before calling the cemetery committee about my absence from the meeting tomorrow.” It contains seven of the 13 most commonly misspelled words on a list released last November by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary folks […]
I was on U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen’s Washington, D.C., staff in 1969. The honorable senator from Illinois, a Republican, was the minority leader of the Senate. As the receptionist, I answered phones, greeted visitors, and opened mail. Constituents – the folks back home – were No. 1. So every phone call was directed to the […]
When I think about people – friends, casual acquaintances, or even random strangers I spent just a few minutes with – I think about how they treated me, how they interacted with others, and how they spoke about the people who matter to them. I think about how they made me feel. Actions speak so […]
There’s an expression you may have heard of called “Midwest Nice.” It’s a lighthearted poke at us folks in the middle of the country for almost being too nice sometimes. Things like four drivers being so polite at a four-way stop that traffic comes to a dead halt, or someone holding a door open at […]
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.
