PHIL IN THE BLANK: Eighties enough

The film “Karate Kid” hit theaters on my 15th birthday, June 22, 1984. I was about the same age Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence were supposed to be, though actor Ralph Macchio in particular was quite a bit older. Like Daniel and Johnny, I was a student of the martial arts, at a karate studio […]

Spring welcomed with wine tasting

Spring welcomed with wine tasting

From left, Denise Meisner, Allie Dennis, Suzy Brecht and Jan Breen of Brys Estate Vine Yard and Winery of Traverse City, and Kathy Novak enjoy the wine tasting. Photo by Phil Custodio Clarkston Rotary Club hosted the Spring Michigan Wine Tasting, May 10 at Fountains Golf & Banquet. The event featured Michigan wineries Blackstar Farms, […]

SPIRITUAL MATTERS: Seek the truth through God

“You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative and don’t mess with mister in between.” (Johnny Mercer) Studies show that people with positive, affirming, attitudes tend to be healthier, live longer and be more financially secure than those who are consumed by negative thinking. Easier said than done, especially […]

STUDENT VIEWPOINT: Open your eyes, open your arms

By Logan Strong Many children in the world today are going through depression, which can lead to a lack of communication with friends and family, or instances of self harm. In order to help children tackle depression, parents and school officials need to take a closer look at our children, and communicate what’s happening in school […]

SPIRITUAL MATTERS: Blessings, challenges for graduates

Spring is finally here and graduation season has arrived. For graduates everywhere this is an exciting season of celebration. It is a time to experience the satisfaction of accomplishment and to look ahead at the exciting possibilities ahead. Yet this can also be a time of worry and concern about how things will work out […]

CLARKSTON KIDS WRITING: Fan of local sports, food

By Chloe Trotter Clarkston is special to me because… Have you ever wondered how much you can do in Clarkston? Well I have! There is a LOT of fun stuff to do, but here are three. First, there are a lot of sports to play and watch in Clarkston; second, there are excellent restaurants in […]

Clarkston grad wins gold medal with Team USA

John Wyatt, 1997 graduate of Clarkston High School, earned a gold medal with Team USA at the Men’s Roller Derby World Cup in Barcelona, Spain, April 5-8. Twenty four teams participated, including England, France, Belgium, Ireland, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Argentina, and Canada. The USA Amateur All Star Men’s Roller Derby team defeated England in the […]

WORDS FROM THE SUP’T: Stopping traffic for schools

Not unlike most of you who are reading this, I have a bucket list of career goals and life experiences I hope to someday realize. Before last Tuesday, nowhere on that list could you find aspirations of stopping traffic on a major highway. And then a dump truck rolled down I-75 with its lift bed […]