Op/Eds - The Timberjay

Sometimes I just need a good rant about how we sometimes massacre our perfectly good language. January’s full moon was the Wolf Moon, so what better time to howl about it? To balance the … more

Betty Firth | 1/18/23

The rise of the digital voice clones – are you next?

Instead of having to read his insightful articles, how would you like to have Marshall Helmberger read them to you? To make that happen now, Marshall would have to record himself reading each article … more

David Colburn | 2/1/24

History has lessons about today’s dangerous leaders

Bad things happen when good people become complacent and forget that they need to stand up and stop the evils happening on their doorstep. These are two true stories. Ignore them at your peril. The … more

Catie Clark | 2/1/24

Who’s bugging you recently?

Is this what we were fantasizing about on a brutal 30 below night? As we damned the ice dams causing a rain forest in the kitchen, were we dreaming of participating in an involuntary blood drive, … more

Betty Firth | 6/14/23

The moon speaks different names to different people

Call me a spoil sport, a curmudgeon, a sour puss, a grump, call me whatever you’d like, but I really do get annoyed, and have for years, at the media’s seeming love affair with, of all … more

David Colburn | 8/17/22

Why I don’t want to cover 9/11 tributes

In 2019, the editor of a local newspaper asked me to cover the local 9/11 tribute parade of local police and fire trucks. I refused. Now that I have your attention because of that outrageous … more

Catie Clark | 9/6/23

It’s time for leadership and vision

People around the world are concerned and confused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has confounded peace seekers for years. I have joined them in wondering why a just, peaceful solution is … more

Betty Firth | 4/17/24

“Greatest nation” debates aren’t helpful

Is the United States the greatest nation in the world? It’s a natural question to ask, given our penchant for displays of patriotism and our debates about American exceptionalism. But I … more

Lee Hamilton | 11/15/23

Easing into the life of a weekly editor

It’s always enlightening to examine the nuances of a new place after moving across the country. After a third of a year at the Timberjay, I took a look at my experiences so far with returning … more

Catie Clark | 4/5/23

The AI revolution sweeps ahead of our understanding

If Ronald Reagan was alive to read my column this week, he’d undoubtedly shake his head and smile and utter his famous debate phrase, “There you go again.”I have to admit that … more

David Colburn | 1/25/23

Time is your only real possession

“Time keeps on tickin’ tickin’ tickin’ into the future….” Steve Miller Band. “There’s never enough time.” “Make time.” “Only … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 2/7/24

The January 6 Committee reminds us of what Congress can do

Watching the hearings held by the Jan. 6 committee as it delves into the events at the Capitol last year and what lay behind them, I’ve been struck by what you might think of as the … more

Lee Hamilton | 8/24/22

When “pushing through” proves better than “backing out”

In late March, I received my first ever Evite. It was announcing the 2023 Mihos family reunion to be held June 11 at the home of my cousin in Metamora, Mich., just outside of Flint. That surprise … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 6/21/23

Late summer adventures and road trips

It’s 6 p.m. on a Monday evening and I’ve been sitting on the couch following a dinner of barbecued country ribs with green beans and red potatoes that I fixed in my Ninja Foodi. I always … more

Scarlet Stone | 9/13/23

Look a little closer at fast fashion brands

Until recently, online retailers Wish and Alibaba were two of the most popular spaces to find ultra-cheap household goods, clothing, makeup, and last-minute Christmas and birthday gifts. These … more

Jen Shuster-Dahlin | 9/13/23

Discovering the past through digital newspaper archives

If there’s one thing I’ve loved about the digital age, it’s the ready window into history provided by searchable online newspaper archives. It’s become a regular practice of … more

David Colburn | 4/24/24

Write from your heart, and by hand

This week we might pay more attention to what we’re grateful for. I have an odd one. I’m grateful that I was was taught cursive writing in elementary school by teachers who insisted on … more

Betty Firth | 11/20/23

Read any good book lately?

A rather startling and I have to say, appalling statistic, came to my attention this last week: in a typical year, 57 percent of Americans do not read a single book. The average American spent … more

Betty Firth | 6/15/22

Where John Muir and Dorothy Molter meet

As many of my closest confidants know, recently I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as “My Dorothy Molter Moment”. Three years ago, I assumed the task of … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 8/31/22

Our complicity in feeding the media beast

Last week the world had a front row seat to a drama playing out in the murky depths of the frigid North Atlantic Ocean, courtesy of a media landscape all too eager to capitalize on consumers’ … more

David Colburn | 6/30/23

Summers with books, Brach’s candy, and boys

From an early age, I became aware that I was more of a doer than a reader. As a child, growing up at our summer cabin on the Cook end of Lake Vermilion, I have vivid memories of my family sitting … more

Scarlet Stone | 2/14/24

Hangin’ In, Hangin’ Out

As I write on this election night, I am aware of being in limbo, a feeling I have had for several days. As electioneering wound down, there was nothing more I could do except cross my fingers and … more

Betty Firth | 11/9/22

An unforgettable Easter in Sri Lanka

When I inherited a small amount of money when my mother passed in 2018, one of the things I determined to do was to travel abroad for the first time in my life. Social media helped to determine my … more

David Colburn | 4/19/23

The road to recovery (the rest of the story)

As promised in my last column, “Facing the fear and finding hope”, that appeared in the April 5 edition of the Timberjay, I’m resuming the story of Kelly Cramer and her recovery … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 5/1/24

Your child’s next best friend could be an AI robot

There’s a host of new friends for young children with names like Miko, Roybi, Moxie, and Zivko, but they’re not new classmates or neighbors. They can’t play football or soccer in … more

David Colburn | 11/29/23