The Conversation: Ravages of aging resistant to reversal
By ELLEN QUARLES Of the University of Michigan You likely know some folks who seem to age slowly, appearing years younger than their birth dates suggest. And you likely have seen the opposite — ...
Gary Conkling: Stay the course with our two-party system
A third major party wouldn’t end America’s political polarization. It would just muddy our political waters. We should have more faith in the two-party system to help us lurch forward. Even ...
Whatchamacolumn: Time to advise city on taxes, services
August is history; school has started; Labor Day weekend will soon be gone. There is, however, one great season-ending activity available — the ninth annual Walnut City Music Festival, live this ...
Back, and Forth: Despite turnout, town hall maintains traditional spirit
There’s an irony to the term “town hall,” as it can refer to both a gathering and a building. “An event at which a public official or political candidate addresses an audience ...
Offbeat Oregon: 'The Rolls-Royce Guru’ came to Oregon / Part 4, Unraveling
After the election, the new formerly homeless residents of Rajneeshpuram were the most pressing problem for Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers. They cost a lot of money to feed and house, and they ...
The Conversation: Why a federal judge blocked Tennessee's drag show ban
By MARK SATTA Of Wayne State University The drag shows will go on — at least for now. Earlier this summer, Judge Thomas Parker, a Trump-appointed federal judge, ruled Tennessee’s Adult ...
Randy Stapilus: Lessons from the Klan's reign in Oregon
"A Fever in the Heartland” is one of the most pertinent new books this season, especially for Oregon, where extremism is on the rise. It is a thoughtful history, and an engrossing if disturbing ...
Whatchamacolumn: Political courage to fight polarization
It seems that partisan politics will dominate national public discourse for the foreseeable future. As evidenced this week, eight Republican presidential candidates were asked if they would support Donald ...
Back, and Forth: Bouncing around those moments of meaning
Hoops is my hobby, and I plan to keep weaving as long as I can. After a long time away, I’ve gotten back into playing against other guys — competing, sometimes. No matter what happens between ...
Offbeat Oregon: ‘The Rolls-Royce Guru’ came to Oregon / Part 3, Occupation
In the courtyard at the Antelope Post Office today, there stands a large bronze plaque attached to the base of a flagpole. It reads, “Dedicated to those of this community who throughout the Rajneesh ...
The Conversation: DeSantis' war on woke whitewashes our history
By EILEEN KANE Of Connecticut College and ROCHELLE ANNE DAVIS Of Georgetown University A law that took effect on July 1 restricts how educators in Florida’s public colleges and universities ...
Matthew Meador: White privilege embedded deeply into our social fabric
When I first saw the term “white privilege” being used commonly in discussions on race, I assumed it meant I had it easier than people of color simply because I am white. I assumed it was a ...
Whatchamacolumn: It's time to chop downtown trees
Part 2 of a recent column about McMinnville trees begins with a provokement: It’s time to start aggressively removing trees in downtown McMinnville. Astonishing? Outrageous? If so, you haven’t ...
Local Perspective: Yamhill County citizens, you can defeat a giant
By JANICE ALLEN Newberg Trails Advocate This is a story about how Yamhill County citizens, like the biblical David, can come to overpower a giant. The question: Why are city and county officials ...
Offbeat Oregon: ‘The Rolls-Royce Guru’ came to Oregon / Part 2, Arrival
On June 1, 1981, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh boarded a Boeing 747 for a flight from Mumbai to New York City. Officially the trip was for medical treatment, and authorities were told he’d be heading back ...
