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CROWDED ROOM WITH A LONG LINE OUTSIDE

September 9, 2025 by

The crowded room came into shocking focus yesterday. It was a view from the road of new construction in the early phase: The flat land skinned bare, concrete curbs poured for street layout, and one showcase house framed and sided. With room for so many more planned. The view came from Roy Rogers Road driving […]

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THE LONG ROAD OF FAMILY LIFE

December 21, 2024 by

The long road of family life in the good old days started with moms and dads in the lead. Whether they loved each other like soul mates, or hated each other like oceans do shorelines, they stayed married. I’m not looking at statistical data when I say they stayed married, it’s just that I don’t […]

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OREGON DUCKS, #1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BUT . . . ?

November 10, 2024 by

The Oregon Ducks show no signs of slowing down. They’re not migrating, not flying south for the winter, not going anywhere. No problems in Duck-land?

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FRAGILE MEN CLUB? YOU’RE ALREADY SIGNED UP

April 24, 2024 by

Fragile men had no place in Western American history stories about the savage frontier and cruel hardships. Nor in the early industrialization with mighty oil, steel, and railroad barons casting their deepening shadows across the land. Writers found other virtues to extoll other than common frailties. The western frontier needed stories of valor and sacrifice […]

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CITY LIVING REALLY GOT YOU DOWN

August 24, 2023 by

City living gets everyone down eventually. Then we get back up and keep going. And it doesn’t have to be a big city. Someone from Coquille might call someone from North Bend a ‘city boy’, which is probably better than pretty boy. And it rolls on from there.

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AMERICAN STORIES: MOVING ON TO NEW LAND

July 4, 2023 by

American stories in early Oregon were about pioneers, travel, and hard work. How hard? As hard as it’s ever been clearing land by hand. But first they had to get here. And they’re still coming.

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NATURE WALK BEGINS WITH OPEN DOOR AND OPEN MIND

April 24, 2023 by

A nature walk is one small step for man, a giant step for whoever needs it. And, dear reader, we all need it. But there are hurdles and distractions to getting out. That’s where focus comes in. What’s the difference between a nature walk and exercise? Can it be both?

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OREGON TRAILS LEAD TO HOME

September 9, 2022 by

Oregon trails? There’s more than one? If you’re looking for the way back home, any trail will do. When home is Oregon, they are all Oregon trails. More important, they are your trails no matter where you live.

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TAKING TIME: EXPLAIN OREGON HISTORY TO YOUTHS

August 6, 2022 by

Taking time to explain history to younger people is a gift that keeps on giving. What if it’s someone from another country asking about a place like Oregon? Oregon? Who cares about Oregon? I know a young man from another country who cares.

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PORTLAND TREND OR OREGON’S FUTURE ON A NEW TRAIL

June 24, 2021 by

While I usually drag on about other things, I sense a Portland trend here: @Oregonian Portland’s police chief and mayor are set to announce Tuesday that city police will no longer stop motorists for low-level infractions, such as equipment failures or expired plates, to reduce disproportionate stops of people of color. Fewer tickets for minor […]

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