Christine Otten

marks

Spam | Mark’s Remarks

My mother used to make Spam for us when we were kids. It wasn’t necessarily a staple in our house, but we liked it. I can remember putting barbecue sauce…

Sick of Being Sick | Planet Ryan

Is it me, or has just about everyone you know been afflicted with a nasty bug this winter? This year seems especially bad. I can say with absolute certainty that…

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Mumbling | Mark’s Remarks

Ever since I got married, my wife has pointed out that I have a hearing problem. There have been plenty of times I have asked her to repeat herself. Many…

Valentine’s Day royalty

Several senior centers in the area helped their residents celebrate Valentine’s Day. Browse through the photos to see their festivities and how the community got involved.

Man helps bowling blossom again Red Bud

Military veteran Brad Mayberry has brought bowling back to the former Red Bud VFW building, turning the key on Blossom City Bowl at 1019 Veterans Street. Like everyone else, the…

Interview tactics to help get you hired

Here are 10 tips to help you ace your next job interview: Study the Company. One of the most overlooked interview strategies is to study the current events of the…

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The Adams Family, man caves and tree houses | Mark’s Remarks

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but I’m a big fan of John and Abigail Adams. I’ve read a bunch of books dedicated to them. Both of…

Don’t forget | Planet Ryan

I have something to admit. I wrote this week’s column at the last possible minute because I completely forgot to write it this weekend. For the record, this is the…

Local winery changes hands

The North County News reports that Lau-Nae Winery in Red Bud recently changed ownership and re-opened Thursday under a new name. Lau-Nae Winery was started by Mike and Donna Mollet,…

Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail

Trails presentation Feb. 1 at Welcome Center

Two historical and educational programs will be presented at the Monroe County Welcome Center (Shoemaker School) in Columbia beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. Retired educator Dennis Patton…