Opinion

Thinking about giving the outside of your house a fresh paint job? The color you choose can have a big impact on how energy efficient your home can be. Homeowners in warmer climates that choose a lighter color can increase their light reflective value (LRV). (Pure black measures 0% LRV; pure white measures 100%.) By choosing a lighter tint, you reflect light away and your home uses less energy to stay cool. For homes in predominantly colder climates, a darker color can help absorb heat and reduce heating costs.

My sister sends a text, telling me she is making lasagna, and asks if I will bring a cake. “Sounds great!” I readily agree.

Big city newspapers all over the country have locked their doors and thrown away the key due to the digital age taking over locally-based print companies. As this news reaches every small town in America, it can strike fear in local journalists or those aspiring to take on the job in lieu of no money to be made.

Doing things your younger self loved is a happy way to thank yourself for how far you’ve come. For example, last week I invited my friends over for a “slumber party” like we used to do in high school. There were many differences from then to now. We drank wine instead of juice, we stayed at my house instead of my friend’s mom’s house, and we were 23 to 24 years old rather than 17.

If you love burning candles at home, it’s common knowledge that paraffin wax alternatives like soy wax will burn cleaner and release fewer pollutants into the air. But when shopping for soy wax candles, buyer beware: If a candle is simply marked “soy wax” or “soy blend,” there’s no guarantee that it’s 100% soy. In fact, only 51% of the candle needs to

While reaching to the stars from my office chair between meetings and interviews, I have a few minutes to catch my breath. Yet, I will continue to write even if there is nothing to write about and no discussions to tend to for the next few hours.

There’s been a lot of hand-wringing in recent years about the death of local newspapers, those bastions of democracy and chroniclers of community. While the loss of any newspaper hurts the people they serve, residents of rural areas and small towns are hit especially hard when a newspaper shuts down.

So much has occurred lately, from sick children to working from home and canceling interviews. I dread these weeks as they come screeching to a halt, with so much still needing to be accomplished.

Americans have more media options than ever. We are inundated with stories, memes, videos and promotions 24 hours a day. Most of us are on social media, which is built to provide an endless feed of content to keep us glued to our screens. And unfortunately, misinformation is prevalent and much of that content isn’t fact-checked, verified or professionally produced. The result is that we’re not always shown what we need to know, or the information that is most likely to impact our lives. That’s where local newspapers come in. Your local newspaper takes a different approach.

Though memories fade over time, sometimes it still feels like yesterday. The phone call came in, and text messages were shared from phone to phone like wildfire gaining traction in the wind. While we all received the news, some of us couldn’t believe what we had just read or heard.