I've been thinking about how this time of year brings together a confluence of religious observances. Most of us here in our area are probably focused on the Christian holiday of Easter, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but there are plenty of other observances that are important ...

Right now as I write this, it is a Friday in March and outside the sun is shining bright, the trees are blossoming and stepping outside envelopes you in the warmth of late spring. I hope you've taken a few moments to enjoy it. No, it's not normally like this. Rain, wind and snow are often ...

Representative government is a fascinating concept to me. While this form has plenty of drawbacks, it has so many benefits over traditional aristocracies and military power structures. "Democracy is the worst form of government there is — except for all of the others!" Dr. Mary Albright ...

Let's talk about driving in Utah. Everyone has their opinion about just how bad overall drivers in Utah are, with many who say Utahns are among the worst. But national groups who study the topic are remarkably conflicted on the topic. Take LendingTree, for example, which used "tens of ...

The common proverb that "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence" is a sentiment that has been expressed for millennia. Many sources cite as an early example the Roman poet Ovid, who said in his “Art of Love” (1 BC) that “the harvest is always richer in another man’s ...

I've had a number of reasons recently — both personal and public — to sit back and think about the value of a life. What makes a life valuable? Is it financial success? Public accolades? Political impact? Promotion of personal values? I think it can be any of those things, although I'd ...

Let's take a minute to do a little thought exercise. For the next couple of minutes, try to step back from the emotions and fears and political views and focus on the people. Imagine being an agent for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (commonly referred to as ICE) today. I'll ...

As the reports have come out about what is going on in Minnesota specifically but also in other places across the country, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the partnership between citizens and law-enforcement agencies that is needed to make society work. Conversations with local ...

I live less than a mile from a fire station. Our street is the main route to get to certain parts of our community, so seeing fire trucks and ambulances racing past with lights flashing and sirens blaring is a common occurrence. It has meant being awakened a few times — but it also means our ...

Saturday marks the third day of the new year and, so far as I can tell, 2026 feels pretty much the same as 2025. We've already had disasters, accidents and violence that have resulted in tragedy. We continue to have political posturing and disagreement. We see some good things in the economy ...