In 2016, I had a chat with a bright, driven young Indiana politician.

When he was just a young teenage schoolboy, George Washington sat down and copied out 110 “Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior.” Many of these had to do with simple manners. “Cleanse not your teeth with the tablecloth, napkin, fork or knife,” reads Rule 100. Good advice at any time.

You’re a Hoosier.

I went to the Castleton Mall a few months ago to buy something or other. As I entered the cavernous place, I saw hundreds of people of all descriptions - young, old, black, white, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, interracial couples, Muslim, and the seemingly full mix of people who make up this place called Indiana.

Ever since he was accused of gripping and groping almost every woman who came within his reach at a legislative wrap-up party two years ago, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill has relied on three Ds for his defense.

In these turbulent times in world of public education, school administrators — especially the ones in charge of schools which have been stigmatized by the “failing” label— are under tremendous pressure to change the instructional practices in their buildings.

You have to hand it to President Donald Trump.

Before Sen. Bernie Sanders’ narrow New Hampshire primary victory Tuesday night over Pete Buttigieg, Notre Dame professor Robert Schmuhl questioned the viability of the two major political parties in his recently published book, “The Glory and the Burden: The American Presidency from FDR to Trump.“

About a month ago, I predicted Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren would be the last two candidates standing in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

It is election season, so we face several more months of claims about the U.S. economy. Predictably, the economy is neither as good as the incumbents profess it to be, nor bad as those running to unseat them assert.

Many residents of Miami County have probably heard by now of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s current effort to purchase homes along U.S. 31. In fact, some of you reading this article, may have been directly contacted by INDOT, or been subject to the “leave behind postcard” with IN…

Last weekend, some friends called at the last minute to ask if they could drop by. Panic set it in. We had a lot of areas to straighten. We both learned this skill from our mothers (as I’m sure you did). Mom was always telling me to straighten my room. Straightening was simply rearranging th…

State Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, took some time out of his busy schedule the other day so he could scare some schoolchildren.

He looked dazed as he walked off the Senate floor Feb. 3, as if he were reliving a bad dream and just wanted to wake up.

In the past, during the month of February (Black History Month), I have offered views that move a bit beyond the usual informational “pablum” that is passed off as soul food. 

How about those kids today, huh?

Sam was chatting with his friend, Ted. He asked Ted whether he had bought his wife anything for Valentine’s Day.

OK, so the governor’s speech wasn’t only about state of Indiana schools. It was his State of the State Address for 2020.

Maybe it’s time to change the Republican Party’s name.

Perhaps it was unlucky 13.

When you factor in where Pete Buttigieg was a year ago – poised as a potential Dennis Kucinich or Alan Keyes of presidential politics – and where he is today, poised as a top-tier candidate after what appears to be a virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses (Buttigieg had a 26.2% to 26.1% lead over …

P times D divided by T.

Indiana’s economic future will be primarily determined by the share of Hoosier adults who graduated from college. If that share remains low, our economy will languish, our incomes will continue to fall further behind the national average and our best-educated citizens will relocate elsewhere…

Are you a rooter? Do you root for your favorite teams? Have you searched for your roots? Have you rooted out any evil? We are all rooters in one way or another. Both Mary Ellen and I usually root for the underdog. That’s why she chose to marry me, despite all her other more acceptable suitor…

I have one message for y’all — the same message — no matter if your political leanings are left or right, if you are a died-in-the-wool Republican or a die-hard Democrat, if you are an Independent or couldn’t care less about politics, or if you are a nasty, ill-tempered human being.

If any one day could encapsulate what a strange and bewildering place America has become, Feb. 4 may have been that day.

“We are making sure that U.S. 31 truly becomes an interstate-quality, limited-access straight shot from Indianapolis to South Bend.”

John Cougar coined the phrase on his first platinum album, released in 1980, “Nothin’ Matters and What If It Did.” After this release, the young rocker slowly transformed from that early stage name back to his given name, and earned his way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as John Mellenc…

Like many of you reading this column, I’m guilty of driving while talking on a cellphone or even worse, using other mobile applications. But like 74% of people surveyed, many of whom drive while using cellphones, I also think it should be illegal.

Recently Republican state Sen. Jim Buck of Kokomo introduced legislation that would eliminate the primary for the U.S. Senate race here in Indiana and instead have the political parties pick their candidates at a nominating convention.

Bob Vollmer is my new hero.

During a time in his life when Kobe Bryant was having some troubles, he created for himself an alter-ego: Black Mamba. So, when he was at home or in some social setting, he was Kobe. But when he was on a basketball court, he was Black Mamba.

A teacher on her prep period had just come out of the copy room. As she returned to her classroom, she noticed three male students hanging around a locker. These students should be in class. She approached the group and asked to see their passes. Two of them showed her their passes, but one …