March 7, 2026

Reading a number of articles now on the subject of tree farmers seeing an increased demand in fresh-cuts for Christmas this year. Photo essay in The Detroit News yesterday. On Black Friday, Gillian Flaccus reported it for Click On Detroit under the headline “Many turn to real Christmas trees as bright spot amid virus.”

via Lifeway Research (December 28, 2021)— "New Year's Resolutions Focus on Health, God and Money," by Aaron Earls: After a season in which avoiding sickness was on most everyone’s mind, many Americans say their New Year’s resolutions address their health .... As people contemplate their 2022 resolutions, more than 2 in…

– January 23, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (February 2, 2022)— "The difference in knowing and loving," by Mike Durbin, State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, re Famed jeweler Harry Winston: A customer entered Winston’s store in New York City to buy a special diamond. One of his salesmen, his most knowledgeable…

– February 13, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (February 2, 2022)— "Words without wisdom," by Coye L Bouyer, founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church, in Lansing, Michigan: A life-giving tongue creates a positive environment, and even brings joy to a community. However, too often many of us choose conversation that is callous and criticizes as opposed…

– February 27, 2022
Resurrection Sunday— In anticipation of this day, Reverend Brett Younger of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn New York recently wrote, "... people in the United States will wish Easter felt like it did three years ago. They will put on new shoes and wonder if .... On Easter Sunday, people in…

– April 17, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (February 2, 2022)— "Treasures in the darkness," by Karen Blanchard, women's life group leader with Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township, Michigan: Having been in this pandemic for two years now, we face days that seem uncertain and difficult to navigate. Yet through all the darkness and confusion,…

– March 6, 2022
re United States Supreme Court decision in Carson v Makin— Lifeway Christian Resources referenced Article 12 of the Southern Baptist Faith and Message, which "deals specifically and uniquely with the topic of education. ... our confessional statement affirms, Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. As we shall see, one…

– June 21, 2022
via Lifeway Research (February 22, 2022)— "Most Open to Spiritual Conversations, Few Christians Speaking," by Aaron Earls: Americans are curious about the religious devotion of others and are willing to discuss the topic, but most say they rarely have conversations about faith with their Christian friends .... Half of Americans (51%)…

– March 20, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (June 1, 2022)— "A small church serves as a large witness in the wake of Taylor tornado," by Mike Durbin, State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan: An EF3 tornado ripped through Gaylord tragically taking the lives of two people and injuring more than…

– June 5, 2022
Holy Saturday— "Why is Holy Saturday so sacred? What happened on the day between the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ? ... Holy Saturday is the name assigned to the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Many Christians acknowledge Holy Saturday, the seventh and final day of Holy Week,…

– April 16, 2022

Grand Rapids Comic-Con Provides An Immersive Look At Unique Culture Of Passion, Fun, And Impressively Serious Group

November 12, 2018

When talking “Comic-Con,” there are both the signature mega-events associated with Comic-Con International, and similar offerings on a more accessible scale. Words like “modest” and “small” need not apply. [1,2] Such was the case with Grand Rapids Comic-Con this past weekend, Friday afternoon through just before dinnertime on Sunday. [3] Reminded often cited parody featuring William Shatner on Saturday Night Live? Certain scenes from the movie Galaxy Quest? There were certainly elements of that here. ....

Model of Douglas DC-4 with Northwest Airlines markings circa 1950

Immerse in still-mysterious disappearance of NWA Flight 2501 through traveling exhibit at Yankee Air Museum

November 30, 2020

Earlier this year, it was called “the most mysterious airline disaster in American history.” [1] The story centers around the question of “why Northwest Orient Flight 2501 vanished, taking the lives of all 58 people on board.” It was “the worst air disaster in US history at the time …, and it remains the only large, commercial plane in US history to go missing.” [2] Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 was a DC-4 prop-liner that ....

Flashback 34 Years Downtown to Saline’s Christmas Parade in 1983

November 23, 2017

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has nothing on us! [1] With Saline’s Christmas Parade just over a week away, today we are remembering that event from the eighth time it was held — in 1983. The photograph above shows downtown East Michigan Avenue, facing more or less south toward the intersection at Hall Street. Perhaps the most striking difference between then and now is our local Post Office, where J Andrew Financial and Saline Area ....

Autonomous Vehicles Promise to Solve Downtown Parking Problems

March 19, 2018

Imagine suggesting this as a solution to one of the top concerns of Saline main street businesses: Eliminate all parking spaces and look for patrons to drive their cars more often. [1,2] According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials, on-street transit-ways, bus and rail, collectively, have “the highest capacity for moving people in a constrained space,” at anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 persons per hour. This compares to 600 to 1,600 persons per ....

Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre demonstrated just how hard it can be to appear effortless

December 30, 2019

This afternoon, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) hosted the second of two stagings for A Christmas Carol, Oy! Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa in its Marvin & Betty Danto auditorium. An estimated 275 people were in attendance, mostly families with elementary-school-aged children and younger. [1,2] As contrasted with approaches by the Meredith Marionettes Touring Company and works of Dreamland Theater as covered previously in Saline Journal, members of the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre troupe appeared along side their string-puppets ....