My body really hates me right now, particularly my sinuses. The knees are a little creeky, my nose feels like it is on fire all the time.
Earlier this month, two Pennsylvania lawmakers proposed a bill that would allow 15-year-olds to become licensed drivers. A quick Google search shows a couple of neighboring states do too, which was a bit surprising.
A few years ago, doom-scrolling through Twitter while still in bed one morning, an image popped onto the screen showing an obvious typo on the front of The Daily Item. It wasn’t a normal typo, but a big, giant one in a font that signals the day’s most important story. The typo also “swapped”…
The kids, as it always seems to turn out, are alright.
The last school day before Christmas, just after 9 a.m., the phone buzzed with a text message from the teenaged daughter. These messages nearly always have the same refrain: Can you get me food?
Not a huge connoisseur of podcasts, but there are a handful that pop up on the phone on a somewhat regular basis. One of them, The New York Times’ The Daily almost perfectly fits into the commute home, so I’ll listen at least a few times a week.
In a little more than two weeks, because of my address, I get to head back to the polls. Voters in all or part of five counties — including Montour, Northumberland and Snyder — will kick off another vital election year with the first of what could be four trips to the ballot box this year.
A few months ago, I got a text from the parent of a high school football player I know. He was doing some research on the history of the program when he came upon this nugget from 1937:
Strolling through social media in a rare down moment last week, I stumbled upon a political cartoon that made me laugh. And almost cry because it was so accurate.
The Bowman family and their favorite sports teams had a rough stretch recently.
Apparently, there is some science behind the feels we have during the holidays. Maybe it’s an anticipation of seeing the reaction of a loved one or friend upon opening a gift, but we know the tingle is there.
There are countless people living in this Valley making an impact each and every day. For many, it’s their job. We should all be thankful for the work they do to lift this region each day.
Over the past few months, some gaps in coverage have forced me back into a previous life of covering sports on a semi-regular basis. Most Friday nights in the fall, a few soccer postseason games here and there and then a trip to Hershey last Saturday to take pictures at the PIAA cross-countr…
Ten days ago, on a cold, rainy night clearly signaling the end of summer, I arrived early at Milton’s Alumni Field, about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled girls soccer game.
There’s a picture on my phone, taken this past summer. It’s one of my favorite shots of the boy.
Like a lot of people, I often fall down the social media rabbit hole, somehow pulling myself out of that cesspool an hour later in need of a shower.
If you don’t know — and really, why would you — today marks the start of National Newspaper Week.
According to some study that landed in the inbox last week, the average person could save up to $12,000 a year working remotely from home.
Frankly, it’s exhausting trying to track all of the stupid things I am supposed to be mad about. Fortunately, social media is out there to alert me and others wandering the desert about the latest “woke” rage of the day.
About this time every year, the television will catch my eye. Memories come flooding back.
About a decade ago, three bigger guys used to crowd into a small room in the bowels of The Daily Item and talk ball.
Like many people, it feels like I spend more time on email than necessary. Part of the reason is that so many Daily Item addresses are forwarded to me, including those to letters@dailyitem.com and a few staffers who have retired.
A few times a month, maybe once a week, the phone rings and someone with a very specific request is on the other end.
Those who know me well know one of my worst habits is that I quickly lose patience with people who lack self-awareness. It is something that raises the blood pressure almost immediately, followed by a significant jaw clench.
This space a few weeks ago was filled with a commentary about how people stories are the best stories. And the best way for those people stories to reach The Daily Item’s dedicated audience is by someone telling us about them.
Over the course of the last year, some of us at The Daily Item have received a crash course in the history of the Susquehanna Valley that we may not have known.
A week ago today, we stood in a dimly lit room that offered an escape from the oppressive humidity outside. There were probably four dozen of us, elbowing our ways in for a better look.
So we caved. The boy, a few months away from sixth grade, got his first cellphone last week.
Growing up in this region, it was a somewhat regular occurrence to hear stories about Hurricane Agnes. Heavy rains came or a storm stayed around for days, and residents of a certain age got a little jumpy.
Tuesday night, both kids were already in bed. Neither asleep, but I wanted to make a point to stop in and talk, however briefly. Just to tell them I love them.
Seven-hundred seventy-nine days.
Sitting nearly in the center of a large banquet hall at the Pine Barn Inn midweek, the index and middle fingers came together and slowly started to massage my temples.
As a youngin’ in this business, someone a lot smarter than me (a long list, mind you) said that no matter what you’re writing about, there is always a people story to tell.
My wife and I traveled with friends last weekend, spending a couple of quiet days in the Finger Lakes.
Over the course of the last year, some of us at The Daily Item have received a crash course in the history of the Susquehanna Valley that we may not have known.
A week ago today, we stood in a dimly lit room that offered an escape from the oppressive humidity outside. There were probably four dozen of us, elbowing our ways in for a better look.
So we caved. The boy, a few months away from sixth grade, got his first cellphone last week.
Growing up in this region, it was a somewhat regular occurrence to hear stories about Hurricane Agnes. Heavy rains came or a storm stayed around for days, and residents of a certain age got a little jumpy.
Tuesday night, both kids were already in bed. Neither asleep, but I wanted to make a point to stop in and talk, however briefly. Just to tell them I love them.
Seven-hundred seventy-nine days.
Sitting nearly in the center of a large banquet hall at the Pine Barn Inn midweek, the index and middle fingers came together and slowly started to massage my temples.
Greetings from Davidson, North Carolina.
As a youngin’ in this business, someone a lot smarter than me (a long list, mind you) said that no matter what you’re writing about, there is always a people story to tell.
My wife and I traveled with friends last weekend, spending a couple of quiet days in the Finger Lakes.