If you ask me and the two little elves at my side, the best way to watch the Appleton Christmas Parade is on a rickshaw peddled by your extremely athletic friend smack dab down the middle of the route. "This is the best night of my life," one of the elves shouted repeatedly as he [...]
A little rain and a disappointing forecast may have shrunk the biggest Flag Day Parade in the country a little, but it sure didn't dampen the fun. That's easy for us to say, though, because we landed right next to the cheerful Grandma Ks, who offered us big smiles and the loan of exactly the [...]
I couldn’t write about this last week because it felt too sad, but I think it’s important to recognize that kindness, beauty and innovation still exist in a world so bruised and reeling. Last week, two little park experts and I set off on a project to rate Appleton parks. We made a chart and [...]
Thornton Wilder could have written the character of Jim Long. With unassuming grace and genuine care, Jim built a legacy in a city he loved that will last far longer than the 83 years he spent here. I'm not sure Appletonians understand how much he meant to the city, or how hard he was willing [...]
Note: I wrote this piece before the tragic events unfolded at the Waukesha parade last week and I considered dumping it in the face of such inexplicable heartache. I'm still not sure posting it is the right thing to do, but I want to acknowledge all the hard work that went into last Saturday's event [...]