Opinion

What a surprise.

Kevin of Kokomo is not known in economic development circles, but he is a titan among the state’s fashion designers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when we all had to remain at a distance from others, Kevin clothed models in sandpaper impregnated with camphor. It was most effective.

The dollar store as we knew it is gone. Oh, it’s still there. I can see the helium balloons from the street—hugging the ceiling, beckoning me to enter. But don’t you fall for it. It’s not a dollar store anymore, it’s the Dollar and a Quarter Store, regardless of the store name. One chain considered the name 2 Below. That would give them the option of two more price increases without having to buy another new sign.

Roll out the balls and get ready for some wind sprints — Coach Ryan is taking the field.

Maybe it’s the perspective a long life brings, but I find myself eyeing with some skepticism the glut of “personal brands” that assault us every day on television, in print, and through social media. Entertainers, celebrities, politicians striving for acclaim, artists and writers who’ve mastered the public-relations game, journalists and media stars who are building their national profiles—all are “important” in terms of the attention they garner. But are they actually important?

Nearly twenty years ago, I discovered the Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia. That led to my buying two of his LPs, which I enjoyed until my turntable stopped turning. Then I simply forgot him.

Here is a fun fact for your amusement, which I just invented: The Grand Canyon is seven miles longer than Indiana.

One of the saddest things about this era has been the slow, steady demolition of the U.S. Supreme Court and the judicial branch.

Did you know the Johnson County Public Library (JCPL) hosts bestselling and award-winning authors as part of our Authors at JCPL series? Thanks to donations to the JCPL Foundation and those who virtually attended the third annual Snuggle Up with a Book Ball, we bring notable authors like Jan Brett, J.A. Jance, Brad Thor and Tomi Adeyemi to Johnson County.

We were heading down the hill from the ridge that leads north out of Nashville when we spotted a deer crossing the road. It was evening but Becky and I have learned to keep an eye out for such encounters. The small, scrawny creature seemed to be moving slower than normal. It made it to the other side and disappeared into the dark trees. We drove on speculating it was hungry or ill. Haven’t we read about something called “chronic wasting disease?”