Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | July 19, 2014
Regular readers know that I am constantly striving to become more organized. This week has had more than its share of challenges and I was reminded that I live in Unorganized Territory. It’s been awhile since I explained how my column came to be titled Unorganized Territory. Longtime readers know the reason and probably even people who have just met... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | July 12, 2014
The run up to the August 12, 2014 primary election has been very interesting. The primary is almost a month away, but things are heating up. Partly because of the number of candidates on the primary ballot, partly because of the unique things each candidate brings to the table, but mostly because mail ballots are being sent out soon. Cook... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | June 07, 2014
Although there are probably still pockets of snow deep in the backwoods of Cook County, for the most part it seems summer has arrived. I’ve finally moved the pansies and petunias I purchased at the Great Expectations School plant sale outside where they have sprouted in the recent rain. I’ve enjoyed some walks in T-shirt weather and we’ve had a... READ MORE >
It was nice to see our community in the spotlight for positive reasons last month. It is amazing that rural Cook County had not one, but four community businesses in the running for the Annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards Program. According to the UMD Center for Economic Development (CED), the Labovitz award is given to recognize business owners who... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 12, 2014
I have covered my share of catastrophes—real and pretend— in my 14 years of working for our community newspaper. I’ve learned a lot about fire behavior, prevention and safety. So you wouldn’t think I would be freaked out when a fickle electrical device started smoldering recently. You would think, with a number of volunteer firefighters in the family—sons, brother, brother-inlaw... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | March 22, 2014
At the recent Mush for a Cure event, my 10-year-old granddaughter RaeAnne noticed that many participants had the pink Mush for a Cure logo emblazoned on their T-shirt or sweatshirt. She asked why and I had the opportunity to explain a little about marketing to her. “It’s because they want us to advertise for them,” I said. I proudly support... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | January 04, 2014
Recently, during the lunch break of an all-day meeting in Duluth, conversation turned to the decline in the timber industry. A man I had just met said he feels it is related to the increase in technology reducing the amount of paper we all use. Another person I was sitting with noted how many paper mills had closed and asserted... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | December 28, 2013
Christmas is over as this issue of the Cook County News-Herald hits newsstands, but as I write this Unorganized Territory, it is the night before Christmas Eve. And I’m trying not to think of all the things I didn’t get done this holiday season. Christmas baking, Christmas cards, and at the top of the list—the Christmas tree. We didn’t find... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | December 07, 2013
Anyone reading Unorganized Territory for the first time last week may have been puzzled that I spent editorial column inches to extol the virtues of my camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag. But regular readers know that they never know what they will find when they start reading. Unorganized Territory is an unorganized corner of the paper... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | November 23, 2013
I had an email conversation today with someone who was on a sunny beach in Mexico. It was a bit hard not to be jealous on this somewhat dreary North Shore day. I started to feel sorry for myself, but then I started to think about topics for this week’s Unorganized Territory. And I realized this is our pre-Thanksgiving issue.... READ MORE >
