“Now get to your room ... I mean it.” “You better start listening to me, young man.” “Will you stop arguing!” Phrases like these can be commonplace when frustration and stress run …
Last month marked 10 years since my high school graduation. During my senior year, I was in Advanced Placement Literature, called AP Lit for short, and I was recently thinking back on the list of …
With my four-year anniversary as editor of the Inter-County Leader rolling around soon, I thought I would share the story of one of my friends and journalism inspirations—Jim Wrinn.
Every day, I walk by dozens of beautiful houses. I am an admirer of grand old houses. I live downtown, just blocks away from some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, where lumber …
Have you ever found yourself neck-deep in an argument with a child? Have you ever seen a kid find pleasure by her ability to control the color of their parent’s face? Have you ever had a child …
It’s hard to believe that July 1 marks the beginning of the second half of 2026 already. My parents used to say that time just goes faster the older you get, and as much as I hate to admit, they …
The sound of boots crunching on sandy sediments and excited chatter filled the air. The first day of our Wisconsin Master Naturalist training had begun, and 20 people from all walks of life were …
My husband Peter’s birthday is this week. Peter does not celebrate his birthday. Peter doesn’t think the day of his birth is anything to celebrate. He’s happy to celebrate my …
As our country’s 250th anniversary draws near, we might wonder what Burnett County was like in earlier 50th anniversary years. 1776 – The state of Virgina claimed as its territory a …
This week’s questions come from readers who are wondering if they can trust themselves to navigate the timing and their own read on their relationships.
The German Shepherd Malinois mix––often called a “Shepinois” or “Malinois X”––is a highly athletic, intelligent, and intense crossbreed. Prized for police and military work, they …
Whether you remember when these songs of the summer were on the charts and gracing the airwaves, or you’re hearing them for the first time, take a trip back in time to see what was spinning in June …
When I was 8 years old, I played a game while on vacation. I was visiting the ocean for the first time. The sand was dry, and as the waves hit the beach, I would see which wave came up …
Dappled light, mosquitoes, and the roar of a chainsaw filled the humid air on a morning in early June. Guided by skilled hands, the blade sliced through pale wood. Lacey green leaves trembled against …
With Frederic Family Days happening around the time you read this, I wanted to take a closer look at the role of our local Frederic Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber organizes this event and many …
Billy: "Moooommmm ... look, the intergalactic super power action figure is out. I haaaavvveee to have it!" Mom: "Not today sweetie, I don't have money for that." Billy: "But mom, I know Jared is …
“What’s up with the bells?” I asked someone who looked as if he might know something. I live near a cathedral. I can’t hear the cathedral bells from our apartment, but I walk past …
While staying in Boulder Junction to take a Wilderness First Responder course last week, I made time for a bike ride on the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail. This wonderfully curvy, scenic, paved …
When you drive past farmer’s fields in Burnett County you’ll see plenty of corn, soybeans, and hay. What you’re not likely to see is sorghum. Most people in Wisconsin and Minnesota are …
This week, both questions come from readers navigating situations outside their control, even though they wish they could control them. Both care deeply about their situations, but are faced with how …