This week, two readers ask nearly identical questions. To offer more perspective, Kari is joined by guest coach/writer, Stephanie Finigan, for the first question: Susie writes: My sister …
Everybody reads the Inter-County Leader a different way. Some start with the front page and work their way back. Others head straight for the sports pages, the obituaries or the community news. …
As someone who spends a lot of time scrolling through book reviews on Goodreads and Instagram, every few months there will be a cover that stands out among the many due to how frequently I am seeing …
“Is that a loon?” Kevin pointed at a dark shape, just barely visible in the gray light of a cloudy afternoon. We aimed our paddleboards for a closer look. The shape turned sideways—showing the …
We live in the middle of a tourist attraction. Casa de los Soles is the name of the hotel in Mexico where my husband, Peter, and I spend about two months in the fall and another two months …
A crisp fall breeze floated through our group as we stomped through the forest, our shoes crunching on fallen leaves and frost. Fall had arrived in the Northwoods, bringing spectacular colors, cool …
This past week, my husband, Peter, has not been feeling well. We are in Mexico, and he is getting a dental implant. Like everything he does, Peter researched everything about this implant and was …
Well, another election cycle has come and gone. Congrats to the winners and condolences to the losers. During election cycles, we always see a significant uptick in Letters to the Editor and …
Have you ever found yourself negotiating with a five-year-old about putting on pajamas? Or debating with a teenager about when the lawn is going to get mowed? Somehow, a simple request turns into a …
The annual Polk County 4-H Awards program was held on Saturday, Oct. 17, and took a new twist this year with a banquet honoring volunteers, businesses and individuals and 4-H youth who went above and …
There was no shortage of great hits during the height of fall 50, 60, or 70 years ago today. Chart-toppers met full-featured album releases on the radio and phonograph, though if you’re listening …
I have a tradition. Like most traditions, it didn’t start out as a tradition. I bought a beautiful coffee cup to sit on the little coffee heater on my desk while I wrote in San Miguel. I …
As editor of the Inter-County Leader, I get a lot of letters from readers. Those readers tell me everything from how much they love me, the reporters, and the paper … to people canceling their …
The air at Ground Zero was a choking vortex of pulverized concrete, burning jet fuel, and shattered steel. In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, human rescue teams found themselves …
Most people wish, at times, that they could stop other people from being frustrating, annoying or distracting. But even if it were possible to guarantee others change their ways, that’s only a short-term solution.
This month in Explore Leader Land, our regular feature on communities in the Inter-County Leader’s area, Grantsburg Village President Rick Lind talked about current projects, new businesses, …
The 2026 election for Polk County Sheriff has taken quite an interesting turn in the last week. I can’t remember ever covering a scenario like this, at least at the local level, in my 20-plus-year …
Have you ever noticed how quickly kids can make their problems our problems? “Mom! I can’t find my shoes!” “Dad! I forgot my homework!” “There’s nothing to do!” “My brother …
“Autumn has trailed light fingers across the byways and in the wake of that cool touch, the leaves flush or blanch and sink earthward in a silent swoon … The passing of days is swift and soon the …
Traveling to San Miguel is always a little tumultuous. My husband, Peter, and I spend a part of every fall and winter in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It is not an easy place to get to. …