It’s evident that supporters of the Indian mascot at Manhattan High have prevailed again.

The script for women in my mom’s generation didn’t allow for much independent thought. At intermission, she started writing in the margins. By the end of her third Act, she had tossed the script entirely. Today, at 86, she is modeling an invaluable life lesson.

I buckle my seat belt when driving to be prepared for an accident that I hope never comes. Some gardening practices are done in hope they aren’t needed. Prevention is better than treatment after the fact.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

There’s another wave of coronavirus on the way here, I’d be willing to wager. I’d advise you to get yourself and your kids ready to put the masks back on.

On Thanksgiving, I’m going to give thanks to all the people responsible for bringing you this newspaper.

The more I think about it, the more I think it comes down to one idea: equality of opportunity.

This is the time of year that indoor plants draw attention. Many holiday plants like poinsettias, Amaryllis, cactus and others are added to the interior space. Those of us with a collection of indoor plants already hunt for a place for any new comers. These new ones may be only temporary occ…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, has several ambitious goals. Of course, when the facility has been tasked to protect agriculture, attract quality employees and keep everyone safe in the process, those goals should be set to a high standard.

This mascot would be a natural fit at MHS

Although I disagree with them, I think it’s important right now to salute four women on the Manhattan school board: Jurdene Coleman, Kristin Brighton, Karla Hagemeister and Katrina Lewison.

And now, for our final class, “inclusion.”

Next up: Diversity.

As the school board in Manhattan gets ready to debate the Indian mascot issue, a lawsuit in Colorado is making a point I made in this space several months ago. I again think it’s worth your consideration.

I said in this space last week that we need a serious discussion about “diversity, equity and inclusion,” the concepts driving the high school mascot issue and another made-up flap. That flap was called “critical race theory,” and I’d prefer to drop that term now because it’s worse than useless.

Pruning can be done just about any time. Spring may be preferred but there usually are other gardening practices that get priority. The only time that we shouldn’t prune is when the tissue is frozen.

To preface this column, I am Generation Z, and this is the mindset of a young adult and is intended to be light-hearted.

It may be dangerous to let facts get in the way of a good opinion column, but I’m a spout a few:

Now that we have stumbled through the school board elections, it’s time to think more seriously about “diversity, equity and inclusion.” Notice that I didn’t say “critical race theory.”

Veteran’s Day every year prompts me to think about courage, and my own shortage of it. Which makes me even more grateful.

Perhaps you saw the news this week that Seaman High School in Topeka will remove all connection with the man for whom the high school is named. Maybe you even saw the proposal to change something about the name of Johnson County, the largest in Kansas.

I’d like to publicly salute Gavin Potter, who volunteered to create this year’s Moment.

The revelation last week that researchers at Kansas State University are infecting and euthanizing Beagle puppies is certainly shocking.

Buying coffee from local shops is better than buying from chains

Polls show that most people realize that our country is in a mess. While polarization seems natural in Washington, it has now reached the Midwest. Three strands, inextricably intertwined, prevent our country from finding peace and unity: money, ideology, and power. These three strands are th…

I got roared at by a six-year-old last week.

The A1 Trash situation is an illustration of the down side of privatization. It can leave customers in the lurch. The question is how to proceed, or if there’s a way to improve the current system.

If you were ready to take a break from divisive local politics, ummm...sorry about that.

What to make of the local election results? I’ll tell you what I make of it: Voters rejected partisanship and picked individual candidates they liked.

It’s Election Day, so let’s...talk about something else.

When I think of him, I remember the consummate political operator.

(Editor’s note: The following are paid political letters.)

Manhattan has long been well-served by citizens willing to dedicate their time and talents as city commissioners. That’s certain to be true after this election, as there’s a solid group of candidates.

School board elections are normally sleepy affairs, often not even contested.

I stumbled into an argument the other day by commenting about subject-verb agreement. Such is the divided state of our world.

Editor’s note: The following are paid political letters.

To the editor:

Who’s giving money to candidates for the local school board? Good luck finding out. You can’t.

Editor’s note: The following are paid political letters.

I wrote a column last week about Colin Powell that I’d like to extend upon. That column was a reflection on his death, and his legacy as the person who made the case for the Iraq war, which turned out to be a giant mistake.

Something is amiss.

Editor’s note: The following are paid political letters.

Leaves and other plant tissues are in abundance in the fall. This is the time of year when nature replenishes the soil. These materials will break down over the winter to make fertilizer for spring growth. I suggest leaving the leaves to reduce your fertilizer application next season.

Next week there’s a rally at City Park for the “six-pack,” the ticket of candidates for both the Manhattan City Commission and the school board who are backed by a certain strand of the Republican Party.